This Air Purifier Is the Only 3-in-1 Product Worth Investing In
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In January of this year, the heat in my apartment went kaput. Not ideal timing, but, luckily the temperatures hovered above a bearable 40 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the ordeal. Another lucky thing: I live in an old brownstone with two functioning fireplaces, one each of the main rooms. That said, I'm well aware that burning wood produces harmful emissions, so finding a high-quality space heater was a priority. After reading tons of reviews, I decided that I wanted something that could heat a large space, but that I could also benefit from once this temporary fiasco was behind me.
I came across Dyson's Purifier Hot + Cool Formaldehyde HP09 model, which was everything I was looking for rolled into one. I'm allergic to dust, pollen, nuts, and dogs (love and live with them anyway!), and after years of popping a Claritin and crossing my fingers that I wouldn't wake up with itchy and puffy eyes, I was curious to add an air purifier to my routine. It turns out those are great for purifying a space after you burn a fire (and candle!), too. But, wait, it got better! This model also has a cool setting on it, which meant that I wouldn't need to invest in an extra AC unit for the bedroom come summer.
Something that could address all of those needs without taking up a huge amount of space seemed worth the hefty price tag. And though I'm usually wary of any 3-in-1 products (shampoo-conditioner-soap farce, I'm looking at you), the HPo9 seemed like the real deal.
Keep reading to find out what I like about it, and to decide if it's worth the splurge considering your own lifestyle and needs.
How to Use Dyson's Hot + Cool Formaldehyde Purifier
From the delivery to the assembly and use, this purifier is super intuitive. I simply unboxed it (carried it up the stairs by myself, no problem) and then put it together within three steps. Next, I downloaded Dyson's app, which walks you through the setup and syncing process really clearly. You just need to make sure you're connected to wifi and enable Bluetooth. If you don't want to sync it to your phone through the app, you can also control the machine with the remote it comes with.
There's a small LCD that shows you the results right on the purifier (if you, like me, have to Google that, LCD just refers to the digital display system). It shows you the quality of the air in your space, automatically sensing pollutants, and then trapping them inside the machine's filters, and then projecting cleaner air out. It does this with circulation power, a signature of Dyson products—unlike almost all other air purifiers on the market, theirs don't have blades.
Why I'm Obsessed
The features I explore below speak for themselves, and I definitely noticed an improvement in my allergy symptoms while also being able to stay comfortable temperature-wise. I haven't been able to test it out in the warmer months yet, but I'm hopeful that it'll keep the space cool.
Purifying Features
There are two different filters in the HP09 that make it great. The HEPA + Carbon filter captures 99.97 percent of particles that are as small as 0.3 microns in size. It also contains a layer of activated carbon that removes odors and gases including VOCs (odors that might be harmful, like perfumes, cooking, burning fields, and cleaning products). The Catalytic filter traps and destroys formaldehyde molecules into water and CO₂, and you don't actually even need to ever replace it. According to Dyson's site, this feature is especially useful during renovations and moves, for example, if you're partaking in a DIY project like painting.
In the app, you can click on the little icons to get a breakdown of what each pollutant is to better understand the quality of the air you're breathing. For example, if the app is telling you the machine senses a higher level of PM10, you can click on it to learn more information. I learned that these particles are usually caused by dust outside, but smaller particles, PM2.5 size range, are actually more dangerous because they can get inside of your respiratory tract and impact your lungs, causing irritation (common asthma and allergy symptoms). The app and LCD both tell you when the filters are running low, and the HP09 is delivered with two replacements (one for each filter).
It also taught me that tracking humidity levels is important. The unit informs you of the humidity levels, so you can decide whether or not a humidifier is necessary (mine was around 40 percent, which according to The Healthy Journal, is within a healthy range. They also report that "too much humidity won't just make you uncomfortable, it can also make you sick. High moisture levels encourage the growth of fungus, mold and dust mites, which can create breathing difficulties for people with asthma and allergies."
Temperature Features
Aside from purifying the air, there's also a hot mode, cool mode, and neutral mode. Even without heat during the New York winter, I felt comfortable when the machine was on a high setting and at a high temperature. It sufficiently warmed up the room, and though you're supposed to just keep it in one, I actually moved it back and forth during the day to the living room where I work, and then to the bedroom at night. It's definitely lightweight enough to do so in a smaller space.
When in neutral mode, it diverts air through the back so it keeps the room at the same temperature. If you don't want it to change the temperature, you should still put it on the cool mood and then click the button with the icon that shows the arrow facing backward to divert the air, since this function doesn't work when it's on the heating setting.
While the purifying settings are super easy to use with the app, you'll need to use the little remote to adjust the temperatures due to regulations. And you can have it display the temperature of the room in either celsius or Fahrenheit.
Other useful features:
You can put it on a timer, which was great for someone who gets nervous about sleeping with a hot appliance blasting all night. I put it on a four-hour timer, which kept the room warm all night.
There's also a night mode setting, which was essential. My partner is a light sleeper, but this quieter setting emits the perfect level of white noise for both of us to fall and stay asleep comfortably.
If you want to distribute the temperatures more evenly throughout the space instead of blasting it in your face, you can simply press the oscillation button.
Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09
$3.50
dyson.com
How It Compares to Other Dyson Purifiers
As a Dyson newbie at the onset of the journey, I was confused about which one was best and how to navigate the different models. Here's what I learned:
Any Dyson product that starts with "HP" refers to 3-in-1 products great for every season. In other words, it purifies, heats, and cools. Anything called "TP" refers to 2-in-1 products that have purifying and cool settings, but will not work as heaters. Lastly, "PH" products will purify, humidity, and cool your space. This would be a great option for someone with reliable heating (or heating that's too intense to ever need a little boost when it gets extra nippy out!). While there is a model that's slighter smaller, the HP01, it doesn't have the backward airflow option, the display screen, or the app/voice control features.
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