CES 2017

In general, air purifiers have always seemed a bit like, um, smoke and mirrors to me. After all, most of them just sit in the room; and, frankly, I can never tell if they’re actually doing anything at all other than taking up space. It only took about 30 seconds for the Airmega folks to give me visual confirmation of their claim that the company’s Airmega Smart Air Purifier models remove more than 99 percent of the particulate matter in the air in the room.

In the short video I shot, an Airmega 400S (White) is placed in an acrylic enclosure and smoke is rapidly blown into the enclosure—so much smoke that it partially obscures the view of the Airmega 400S. In under 30 seconds, however, the smoke particles are sucked from the air in the enclosure. It almost looks like the video is running in reverse or at high speed, but it’s not. It’s totally untouched and uncensored.

The Airmega 400S uses a dual-suction design, which allows for faster transfer of bad air inward and good air outward. Dual pre-filters trap hair, fur, and dust, while a dual set of MAX2 Filters (each set incorporating a combination of an activated carbon deodorization filter with a “Green True HEPA” filter) traps food, cigarette, and pet smells; harmful gasses; VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds); fine dust and dust particles; mold; and cigarette fumes. The pre-filters are washable and reusable. The MAX2 Filter sets replaceable.

The Airmega 400S features real-time monitoring of air quality, and uses a circle of LEDs on the front of the unit to indicate the following air conditions: Good, Moderate, Unhealthy, and Very Unhealthy. There’s also a filter life-time indicator that lets you know when the pre-filters need to be washed and when the MAX2 Filters need to be replaced. (Replacement filters cost $129 MSRP.) The 400S is designed to filter rooms up to 1,560 sq ft (two changes/hour). The smaller Airmega 300S includes many of the same features but is designed for rooms up to 1,256 sq ft (two changes/hour). The Airmega units are not tiny, as you might expect for appliances that can move such large quantities of air. The Airmega 400S is 22.8 x 14.8 x 14.8 inches (HxWxD). The Airmega 300S is 21.2 x 13.6 x 13.6 inches (HxWxD).

Both the Airmega 400S and 300S now include integration with Amazon Alexa for initiating on-demand cleaning cycles in addition to the units’ built-in smart modes (auto, eco, and sleep). The Airmega 400S is available in Graphite finish for $849 or in White for $749. The Airmega 300S is available in White only for $649. (MAX2 Filter sets for the 300S are $99/pair.)