Blueair - 311 Auto

Blue air is great, they have a smaller purifier for like 80 bucks. I have the 311 auto but I think the 511 is probably what you're looking for. I run mine on low continuously and it's whisper quiet (especially after initial break in period), medium speed is tolerable. I only run it on high if I'm about to leave the space. Where all these purifiers get you in cost is the new filters.

I have a Blue Air 311 Auto and I've opted for the smoke block filters (just a warning, those genuine filters are pricey), but it has been worth every penny. It has been on constantly for 3 years now without any issue. I have lived in two major cities and can't say enough good things. 100% worth the investment. The one thing to pay attention to when selecting a model is what square footage you want covered (for Blue Air I think the larger numbers correlate with more square footage that they cover).

I have BlueAir purifiers. We bought them after I tested positive for mold exposure. I’m pretty sure mine are the 311 model, though it does look like they’ve released newer ones. At the time we did a bunch of research and these were the best on the market at that price point. But that was around 2020/2021 I think.

You’ll typically see the same top-rated models across Wirecutter, Consumer Reports, and Tech Gear Lab: the BlueAir Blue Pure 311i+ Max, Coway Airmega 1512HH, and Winix 5500. The best choice probably depends on the size of the space you’re trying to cover. For my downstairs rooms, I went with two BlueAir units (the 311 and 211 models). BlueAir offers a 25% discount for teachers, military, police, and possibly firefighters (can’t recall for sure), available in both the U.S. and Canada. They also offer a 15% discount on filter replacements if you sign up for a 6-, 9-, or 12-month subscription. For my upstairs office/bedroom—since it’s a smaller space—I went with the Coway Airmega 1512HH and have been happy with it.

A 311, a 211, and a 7470. It's best to size up and run on low (auto). The other benefit is the larger ones tend to be quieter.

Just got a 311 and can confirm my cat has scratched it a few times.

I mean.... I mentioned the part about them having no reviews and being at a sketchily low price point of 1/2 to 2/3 the cost of everyone else. There are really only a handful of air purifier brands that have demonstrated reliability, affordability, and effectiveness over several years, and don't dabble in post-apocalyptic/steampunk decor -- coway, levoit, blue air, winix. If you want to pay more, there's iq air, alen air, and a few others. For $110, you could have bought a blue air 511 and almost a 411, a levoit 300, almost a Levoit Vital 100s, or a Winix a231. The winix 5500, the coway 1512, levoit vital 200, and the blueair 311 are all at this CADR, but for closer to $200.

BluAir (Swedish) is what we used in the middle east.