Atem Earth

**Update: I have purchased an air purifier.** Read the original post below, but here's an update for anyone else struggling to choose an air purifier in Europe: After 2 more weeks of constant researching and going crazy, I ended up buying the [**I**](https://www.iqair.com/products/atem-series/atem-earth?Style=EU+Plug+Type+C)[**QAir Atem Earth**](https://www.iqair.com/products/atem-series/atem-earth?Style=EU+Plug+Type+C). I have seriously considered buying the *Luggables XL*, but the price with shipping to EU was just not worth it for what you get in materials - the wobbly cardboard build makes me question its longevity. I might have bought it if I lived in the UK. The *SmartAir Blast* still does not ship to anywhere in Europe, so that was also not an option. The *IQAir Atem Earth* isn't perfect and it's still very expensive - but it's 500 euros cheaper than the *IQAir Atem X*. I had no need for carbon filtering so I don't mind the weak carbon filter on the *Atem Earth*. And so far I'm very happy with my purchase! It has 6 speed modes and it's really quiet relative to the amount of air it pushes. It has no rattling or other annoying whining sounds (so far), the app works great for adding schedules and it looks beautiful to boot. Don't think there was a better option out there, so hope this might help you with your decision! \------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi all! The last few weeks I have been wanting to "upgrade" our current air purifier situation. We have been using a *Coway AirMega 300* for about 2 years and it's far from silent on speed 2 & 3, which are the effective speeds for our medium sized open living room + kitchen (with open staircase). In particular I'm sensitive for sounds like whining, whirring and other high pitched or "off" sounds that isn't the white/pink/brown noise of a fan itself - and our *Coway* has those issues on all speeds. I have looked online and it seems to be a semi known problem with these machines, due to how they're built. We kept up with regular maintenance. So begun my research into air purifiers again and I think I know what we need: * An air purifier that is **big / has a high CADR** so we can put it on a lower speed level (to minimize noise while still being effective) * An air purifier with **many speed options**, so that it doesn't go from whisper quiet to LOUD and back to quiet all the time * An air purifier that's **mostly for allergies** and such, so odor removal would mostly be a "nice to have", but certainly not a requirement * An air purifier with **excellent build quality** to prevent those whining etc. sounds. dB levels don't tell the full story - the quality of the noise plays a big role. With these requirements in mind, I found a few that would fit our needs: * **Coway Airmega ProX** has basically all that we'd need. It's big, has a high CADR, has more speed options than the usual 3 and is pleasantly quiet on effective lower speed levels. Apparently its build quality is also better than the 300/400 line up. * **Alen BreatheSmart 75i**. I know less about this one, other than apparently it has a great build quality and is also effective whilst not being loud. * **IQAir Atem X**. With an upfront cost of 1500 euros I definitely would prefer to go with another option instead, but it has a lot of speed options, is pleasantly quiet and has good build quality. Trouble is... Apart from the *IQAir Atem X*, none of those are available in The Netherlands - or even Europe. And of course the one that is available is also *by far* the most expensive. I have found alternatives, like *KÄRCHER* (the AF 50) and *Daikin* (MC80Z) - but all of those have little to no information available online. No reviews, no noise comparisons - only marketing from the respective companies themselves. We tried to replace the *Coway* with a *Philips PureProtect Pro 4200*, but that device also had a (different and) more annoying whining issues and only had 3 speeds. Lastly, there's the *Dyson Big+Quiet BP04*. It's bad value, has low CADR and doesn't run silent when maxed out - which is necessary for the thing to be effective. *BUT* the noise that it does make is very pleasant to my ears - you can only hear the fan noise. Needless to say, I could use your help :P Do you know of any other models that would fit our needs that are available in Europe? Or do I need to shed a tear and pull the trigger on the *IQAir Atem X*? Do you know of brands/models that I should in any case avoid when it comes to sensitive hearing? Any help would be appreciated! (Finally, to fully comply with the rules - Startup budget and yearly budget (filter replacements) aren't the biggest concerns. The device should be energy efficient relative to its performance, so it should at least not waste a lot of power compared to other products out there.)

After 2 more weeks of constant researching and going crazy, I ended up buying the [IQAir Atem Earth](https://www.iqair.com/products/atem-series/atem-earth?Style=EU+Plug+Type+C). I have seriously considered buying the Luggables XL, but the price with shipping to EU was just not worth it for what you get in materials - the wobbly cardboard build makes me question its longevity. I might have bought it if I lived in the UK. The SmartAir Blast still does not ship to anywhere in Europe, so that was also not an option. The IQAir Atem Earth isn't perfect and it's still very expensive - but it's 500 euros cheaper than the IQAir Atem X. I had no need for carbon filtering so I don't mind the weak carbon filter on the Atem Earth. And so far I'm very happy with my purchase! It has 6 speed modes and it's really quiet relative to the amount of air it pushes. It has no rattling or other annoying whining sounds (so far), the app works great for adding schedules and it looks beautiful to boot. Don't think there was a better option out there, so hope this might help you or someone else with your decision!

Not the Atem specifically but we use three of the IQAir at the cat rescue I'm part of. It's amazing to say the least. We could have anywhere between 20-30 cats and it doesn't smell at all. Obviously, the litter box is being cleaned minimum twice a day or more most days. It's been running solid for the past five years or so non-stop. It's very quiet. Even at the highest speed, they sound quieter than a box fan on level 3. The HyperHEPA should also trap more than a regular HEPA as well so if you want the best of the best, IQAir probably is your best bet. Certified and medical grade, something you don't find with most brands.

We have the tower one, the base model with three stage filter. Our rescue is about 7,000 sq ft but have one in the main room and two others in smaller rooms. It does take up a bit of space so for home use, I'd say the Atem would be a better choice.

Most consumer level air purifiers aren't usually built with odor/fumes in mind. They may come with activated charcoal filter but they're thin or gets saturated quickly which needs to be changed often depending on how fast the adsorption is. Thicker carbon filters are found in more expensive commercial/industrial multi-stage air scrubbers. So you're looking at spending at least $650 or more for brands like AirDoctor and over $1,000 for the IQAir (Swiss) with very thick carbon filter.

IQAir is definitely up there along with Austin Air. DoctorAir is another. Austin Air uses solid stainless steel for their housing. IQAir is mostly plastic like DoctorAir. But if you want the most odor/fume capture, IQAir and Austin Air would be my go to. Just know their filters are not cheap.

If you are willing to spend the money, I probably won't look further than IQAir that's rated one of the best. But they are at least $1,000 per unit and filters are not cheap for their three stage. But it's hospital grade and will tackle everything from fine dust to odor. Carbon filter is what capture both fume and odor. The only thing I'm not sure as I'm no professional is how much it'll filter and capture radioactive material. HEPA will capture fine particles up to 0.3 microns but there's ULPA filter that's rated above HEPA to capture 0.13 microns. Another comparable brand that's less expensive would be AirDoctor air purifiers. They're also certified like IQAir and is of quality. For 2,200 sq/ft home, you're likely looking at two units; one in the living room and one in the master bedroom, for example. If we were talking general dust and pollen, there are plenty of inexpensive HEPA filter system like Winix and Coway but if you're dealing with more serious particulates as well as odor then I'd consider IQAir or AirDoctor.

Have a GSD and a Lab/GSD mix so I can feel your pain :). Are you looking to purify just one space in the house or multiple spaces? That should be a factor in your decision. FWIW, we have a Shark NeverChage, a Winix C-610, and an IQAir Atem in our living/kitchen space of about 1400 sq ft. Shark runs 24/7 and sits closer to kitchen. Winix sits next to GSD crate and runs on Turbo mode for 2-3 hours daily. IQAir sits behind the couch, next to other crate, and runs as needed. Those 3 work together to keep our air best and free of pet odors.

For small bedrooms, get small sized individual units. Look at Winix or Blue Air. Most manufacturers will state capacity in sq ft, btw. For master and living - look at Dyson or IQAir. Expensive options but they do a great job plus have fantastic apps that make using them a breeze. For the open space...man, I am going to learn with you what beast can handle that type of volume :)

Only because I have owned these brands and have been completely satisfied with the performance :). IQAir is probably the best but you’ll pay for that. However, it performs so well that the price is justified, IMO.

You sound like us when we went shopping for Air Purifiers. It can be overwhelming. We have a single story (2700 sq ft) with 5 humans and 2 large dogs (GSD and Lab). We ended up with Shark Neverchange for kitchen/dining, IQAir for Family/Living Room (2 fireplaces), Blue Air small units for bedrooms, Winix for office, Dyson for Master Bedroom, and Trio for hallway. Got all of them except IQAir from Costco with prices that can’t be beat. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. What are your priorities? Do you want all the bells and whistles like app control? Feel free to share and will try to share our experience :)

I can clearly tell when my IQAIRs are running, I sleep so much better. You might already have good air quality Fixing your furnace filter and central filtration will make a bigger difference than buying an air purifier

I run 3 filters, Austin and IQAIR, in each of 2 spaces - one 300 square feet the other 600 square feet. If the air is poor outside my Purple Air sensors will still show green. However there are so many chemicals in wildfire smoke, particularly if structures have burned, that they don't get everything. I am sensitive to terpenes and right now they don't help with the Camphor tree flowers. So they can greatly improve air quality but don't expect all VOCs to be removed from the air.

For best VOC removal, such as mycotoxins, you need a lot of absorbent media. Checkout Airpura, Allerair, Austin, IQAir. All are in the $1k range. I'm unsure whether any filter will eliminate mold sensitivities. Did see an improvement when upgraded my Austins with Immunity Machine filters but molds still aren't totally controlled. There are clinics which can treat mycotoxin sensitivities. Can be quite expensive.

Running both IQAir and Austin Immunity Machines in my major rooms particulates run from 0 to under 10.

I have had my Austin, IQAir, Honeywell and Whirlpool machines for as much as \~20 years and have had no problems with filter replacements.

The 4 vendors with the best VOC filters are Airpura, Allerair, Austin, IQAir. Absorbent media composition and weight vary by manufacturer. IQAir has models that go up to 32 pounds of media, at least according to google search. Note that no VOC filter will remove all VOCs. They do well with some chemicals, partially control some, and totally ignore others. I use IQAirs and Austin Immunity Machines, multiple units per room unless you want to put up with the noise running the fans on high speed. Had a room repainted and requested a low VOC paint. Was pleasantly surprised that I had no problems with the paint even though I am extremely chemically sensitive. It is possible that the renovations don't cause a VOC problem at all, or maybe just for a few days.

My Austin, IQAir, Honeywell and Whirlpool filters all work with smart plugs. When you purchase make sure you can return if it doesn't work as features change over time.

Alen is excellent. So is IQair

Iqair if you can afford it… I’m sure there are even better in an industrial setting but for home iqair is goat.

I use mine mostly during wildfire season. Works better than any other units I tried in the past. Got mine directly from IQAir.

Thank you! I purchased a Austin Air and IQair purifier + Miele C3 vacuum cleaner + Mold cleaner for a full revamp. This may be the root cause of my illness which is terribly affecting my quality of life, going all out! Thanks again!

IQAir and Austin Air are the go-to “buy it for life” purifiers. They really have long-lasting filters and proven performance on my end