Multiple Brands (SmarterHEPA, Smart Air) - Smart Air Blast - MKII

There are some great devices sold by SmartAir like the Blast and Blast Mini. The Sqair unfortunately has quite a high noise level for the clean air delivery rate it provides at each fan speed. If it’s a noise environment it’s a good looking and simple solution, but where noise levels are important rhere are better options.

Hi, I just received my blast and it definitely moves a lot of air! 2 things I noticed though, while the fan itself seems very quiet there seems to be some kind of slightly high pitched whistling noise coming from the motor? Also I can hear like a 60hz ac hum when it’s quiet (kinda like this: https://youtu.be/uPY91zJfXUM?si=kRCiTrnnad2d_CiV) is this normal for this unit?

I forgot to mention these two specifically in my comment. Easily the best big machines for low noise.

I have 10 minis and 2 full size blasts. I’ve purchased over 60 air purifiers and currently running over 55. The Smart Air Blast and Blast Mini use the same fan. The same size intake (12” round) which is centered in the back. They both have three speeds, controlled via a knob in the back. No smart home capabilities. The only difference is the size of the chassis and filter. But that makes a huge difference - the much larger surface area of the full size not only results in a much higher CADR (more than CADR testing can measure due to the size of the test chamber!) but the noise level, and noise quality, are both greatly improved. I like the full size Smart Air Blast so much more as a result, despite its imposing size. Wish I had purchased more full size and fewer minis. p.s. I’m certain that the original inspiration for the Smart Air Blast was to modify a cleanroom ceiling-mounted HEPA filter for home and office use. They powder coated it white, made it vertical, added wheels, replaced an on/off switch with a fan speed knob, and made other minor changes. It’s basically one of these: https://modularcleanrooms.com/cleanroom_hepa_filters/mac-10-ledc/

Virtual hug. I love cats, my wife is a Veterinarian, we have cats, and I’m allergic. May I ask where the litter box is? Is it in the primary bedroom or a common area? How big is the room that it is in? Is the concern mostly from urine smell or poop smell? My wife may have some suggestions beyond air purifiers for you. Real talk from someone who has spent over $50k on air purifiers (not because of cats, because of my wife’s health problems) and performed my own CADR and VOC/odor reduction testing using very expensive equipment…. Do you know how many of those brands publish [Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)](https://itsairborne.com/clean-air-delivery-rate-is-all-that-matters-5a5a064c211e) numbers or have ever been independently tested for performance? None (to my knowledge). Try searching for CADR. And read this: https://www.reddit.com/r/AirPurifiers/comments/107z9e3/austin_air_purifiers/ That being said, if odors are your primary or only concern, you may have to forgo knowing the CADR rating and purchase based on cost, noise level, ease of maintenance, and quantity (pounds) of carbon/charcoal, as all of the units with lots of carbon don’t publish CADR numbers because the Carbon lowers the CADR. Unfortunately all of these are very legacy designs, built out of welded sheet metal in small workshops, and maintenance is a pain and a half. Usually requiring flipping the heavy beasts upside down and removing screws. My wife and I have cut ourselves on the sheet metal before. They are all loud on high and not as effective on low. CleanAirStars.com lists the CADR and noise for one of the units you mentioned, the AustinAir HealthMate Plus. As expected, the CADR drops dramatically as you lower the fan speed (and doesn’t start very high to begin with). Austin Air HealthMate HM400 - High Setting 154 CFM @ 62 dB Austin Air HealthMate HM400 - Medium Setting 77 CFM @ 52 dB Austin Air HealthMate HM400 - Low Setting 36 CFM @ 40 dB Only the last noise level is considered quiet enough for bedrooms, but 36 CFM is only two air changes per hour in a 12’x12’x8’ bedroom. Whatever unit you choose, don’t get H14 (Super HEPA) or U15 (Ultra HEPA/ULPA). They reduce airflow ever more and are counter-productive in a residential setting even for extreme allergy sufferers. Stick with H13 (or even lower, although units with high carbon mass rarely use E10 through E12 filters because their customers tend to buy based on marketing claims, not objective metrics). If you don’t mind the size (mostly height, not footprint) a great option is the SmarterHEPA Smart Air Blast. I own two. https://www.smarterhepa.com/collections/air-purifiers/products/smart-air-blast?variant=41124916592824 https://www.smarterhepa.com/collections/air-filters/products/blast-carbon-filter The charcoal filter is easy to replace, no mess, and can be replaced independently of the H13 filter. Yes, it has less charcoal (50 oz, or 3 lbs 2 oz) but the surface area of the carbon filter is nearly 1,000 square inches and the noise level on high is only 43 dB and this unit maxes out what official CADR testing can measure. Independent testing using a modified CADR protocol shows it’s likely over 1,000 CFM CADR on high. My own testing corroborates this. But the manufacturer is transparent and explains why they don’t publish those unofficial numbers: https://smartairfilters.com/learn/smart-air-knowledge-base/purifier-cadr-800m3-450cfm-measure-reliable/

The company that told you 18 ACH would be ideal is not wrong, but I agree with /r/UncleGurm that it’s not realistic. In my 5,000 sq ft home, we can achieve 30+ ACH without CR boxes and 60+ ACH with, but it cost us $50k+ and consumes thousands of watts. To achieve 18 ACH in a room that size, and a noise level where people will be able to hear each other speak, would require seven Smart Air Blast MkII running on Speed 1. Each unit costs your total budget.

Some, like all our IQAir models, multiple large SmartAir Blasts, the AirPura, and the industrial Abatement Tech. Predator 750 were over $1k each, some even close to $1.5k.

You’re going to want two kinds of air purifiers: one for particulate matter (HEPA) and another for VOCs and gases (carbon). Most consumer air purifiers either don’t have any carbon or have just a little as a marketing ploy. Hence the need to buy a real, dedicated carbon purifier. You’ll likely want an air purifier for each frequently-occupied room of the house (one for bedroom, one for living room). I’ve studied this subreddit for months and also done a bit of my own research and have hopped on the phone with a few different air purifier companies to ask about their products. All I can tell you is what purchases I’ve decided to make for my home: a Levoit EverestAir for the living room, a Levoit EverestAir for the bedroom, an AllerAir Smoke Eater for the living room, and a SmarterHEPA Smart Air Blast MKII (with the add-on carbon filter) for upstairs.

Smartair Blast. It will not be an overkill. It’s quiet even specially inside a classroom even on its top fan speed

I ended up purchasing 1 x Blast, 1 x Mini and 3 x SA600 (new 5 speed version) earlier this week to cover our home. They will be delivered today and I will set them up today. I will be able to provide feedback on the sound and whether we can feel a difference in air quality or not in 2 or 3 days. I am also waiting on delivery of the AQ monitor (QinPing Gen 2) which is atleast a week away so will have better results to report before and after. #

Delivery came shortly before and I have installed them in their locations. The full size blast only seems to have intake from middle back and there are no intakes or any other holes around the back or bottom edge or underneath the unit. Attached are photos. https://postimg.cc/gallery/KYskwFC

Hi. The SA600 new 5 speed version is very quiet upto speed 2. On speed 3 it's not too bad noise wise. Our master bedroom runs on speed 3 and we can sleep fine without any issues. Office runs on speed 1 and another bedroom runs on speed 2 for SA600. Blast Mini in TV room runs on speed 1 and Blast runs on speed 2 in open living. If I had the extra $350 at the time, I would have just ordered a 2nd Blast instead of Blast Mini as Blast is even quieter with better CADR performance and uses slightly less power than Blast Mini. I am really happy with the spread of Smartair purifiers in our home. I also now have the QingPing2 AQM and our PM2.5 is mostly 0 but never exceeds 7 now. I will buy the carbon filter for the Blast and Blast mini next month so I can quell the cooking smell in kitchen which is part of large open living area. The kitchen rangehood does an excellent job with cooking smoke and smell but my wife is not in habit of turning it on so I have to go turn it ON as I can smell the cooking in office. With Carbon filters in Blast atleast it will help remove the smell somewhat as we have been running the purifiers 24x7

I ended up purchasing 1 x Blast, 1 x Mini and 3 x SA600 (new 5 speed version) earlier this week to cover our home. They will be delivered today and I will set them up today. I will be able to provide feedback on the sound and whether we can feel a difference in air quality or not in 2 or 3 days. I am also waiting on delivery of the AQ monitor (QinPing Gen 2) which is atleast a week away so will have better results to report before and after. #

Hi. The SA600 new 5 speed version is very quiet upto speed 2. On speed 3 it's not too bad noise wise. Our master bedroom runs on speed 3 and we can sleep fine without any issues. Office runs on speed 1 and another bedroom runs on speed 2 for SA600. Blast Mini in TV room runs on speed 1 and Blast runs on speed 2 in open living. If I had the extra $350 at the time, I would have just ordered a 2nd Blast instead of Blast Mini as Blast is even quieter with better CADR performance and uses slightly less power than Blast Mini. I am really happy with the spread of Smartair purifiers in our home. I also now have the QingPing2 AQM and our PM2.5 is mostly 0 but never exceeds 7 now. I will buy the carbon filter for the Blast and Blast mini next month so I can quell the cooking smell in kitchen which is part of large open living area. The kitchen rangehood does an excellent job with cooking smoke and smell but my wife is not in habit of turning it on so I have to go turn it ON as I can smell the cooking in office. With Carbon filters in Blast atleast it will help remove the smell somewhat as we have been running the purifiers 24x7

There isn’t a purifier that exists in that price range that can provide 5 air changes an hour for 1,500 square feet. The Smart Air Blast - MKII is your best bet. It’s rated for 1,600 square feet. You could buy 3 AirFanta 3 Pros

Smart Air Blast MKII. It's a budget blaster on the front end. https://www.smarterhepa.com/products/smart-air-blast It might be cheaper to buy two purifiers that can provide 5 air changes an hour 600-700 square foot space. You could run them at lower speeds and still achieve good air cleaning

If this is just for dust, why not just dust more often? https://housefresh.com/how-to-reduce-dust-in-your-apartment/ For 3,000 square feet you're going to need multiple purifiers. If you're resolute in not buying multiple, the Smart Air BLAST - MKII is the best bet. It's not cheap though. https://www.smarterhepa.com/products/smart-air-blast

r/AirPurifiers The first step is to tell us your room size. This is length x width x ceiling height. Room size helps us determine Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs). People with allergies generally need greater CADRs than the bare minimum suggested by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. The second: what are your allergies? Are they particulates based (soot, pet dander, dust, smoke particles, pollen, etc.), gases/vapors based, or both? Lastly, we need a budget. Powerful *and* quiet air purifiers aren't cheap. Consumer-grade air purifiers won't be BIFL. Commercial-grade and industrial-grade units claim a high number of operating hours (e.g., 50,000-100,000) because they're being run 24/7. Unfortunately heavier duty machines are really expensive ($2,000 and up) and generally very loud. The quietest high performing air purifier is the **Smart Air Blast MKII Air Purifier**. Top specified Sound Level is 43 dB. Top Composite CADR is 559 CFM. Separate particulate CADRs are not measured. It has a metal body and wheels. Price is $929 from Smarter HEPA. Another great choice is the **Coway Airmega ProX**. Top specified Sound Level is 46 dB(A). CADRs are in the mid-500s CFM. Also has wheels and many other features. Price: currently $899. The **ProX** has been on sale for $619 several times in the past few months. If you can hold out, you may want to track the price for a better deal.

You didn't list your country of residence per **Rule 4**, so I'm guessing you're American. I'll also assume you're primarily interested in particulates filtration. Even a high-end freestanding purifier cannot overcome walls and doors. You need a purifier for each room or area. The "absolute best" units are generally intended for commercial or industrial use. The **Omni CleanAir OCA1500 Portable Air Purifier** claims its CADR is about 1,499 CFM and 66 dBA at top speed which is very loud. It's intended to be operated continuously so you can expect a very long service life. [But the OCA1500 costs a whopping $4,995.00 USD](https://shop.omnicleanair.com/products/oca1500-commercial-air-purifier-1500-cfm). Do the air purifier(s) need to be quiet as well? Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) are often taken at top speed. Many purifiers at top speed are loud. Medify Air's higher end units and commercial/industrial purifiers (as shown above) suffer from this problem. The quietest performing high-end unit is the **Smart Air Blast MKII**. I don't know if your Mom will like its aesthetic or not. * Particulates Filtration: H13 HEPA filter (150 sq. ft. in surface area) * Top Sound Level: 43 dBA * Composite CADR: 559 CFM * Separate particulate CADRs not measured * Features: Steel housing and locking casters * Link: [https://www.smarterhepa.com/products/smart-air-blast](https://www.smarterhepa.com/products/smart-air-blast) The runner-up in terms of high performance and quiet operation is the **Coway Airmega ProX**. * Particulates Filtration: H13 HEPA Filters * Top Sound Level: 46 dbA * Dust CADR: 580 CFM * Pollen CADR: 450 CFM * Smoke CADR: 568 CFM. * Features: Locking wheels. * Colors: White or Mocha Beige. * Link: [https://cowaymega.com/products/airmega-prox](https://cowaymega.com/products/airmega-prox) Certain **Blueair** units have won design awards, such as the **Protect 7470i** and the **DustMagnet 5440i**. However, these units are *not* high performing in terms of CADR. You would need to purchase multiple units per room to match the CADRs of the **Smart Air Blast MKII** and the **Coway Airmega ProX**. The best performing Blueair is the **Classic 605**. Don't know if your Mom will be keen on this look either. * Particulates Filtration: "HEPASilent" technology (ionizer plus mechanical filters) * Top Sound Level: 62 dB * Dust CADR: 500 CFM * Pollen CADR: 640 CFM * Smoke CADR: 500 CFM * Features: Wheels and galvanized steel housing. [Conforms to Intertek's "Zero Ozone" program](https://sustainabilitydirectory.intertek.com/product/e87bd306-a065-4960-e428-08dc4a9887b4) (ozone emitted is ≤ 0.005 ppm). * Link: [https://www.blueair.com/us/air-purifiers/classic-605/2929.html](https://www.blueair.com/us/air-purifiers/classic-605/2929.html) Keep in mind Blueair uses an ionizer as part of their "HEPASilent" technology (a trademarked name); the mechanical filters do not conform to a HEPA standard. # Edit - there are issues with the Classic 605's unit disassembly and potential hair entanglement in the fan. See the reply to this comment.

Unfortunately many air purifiers are not quiet unless they're on lower speeds, which means their Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) are also lower. So you must buy one large oversized air purifier or multiple smaller ones and run them on lower settings to increase CADRs. It would help, per **Rule 4: Information For Air Purifier Requests** and the AutoMod comment, to list your room's square footage to get a sense of which purifiers would be best footprint-wise. The quietest high performing unit is the **Smart Air Blast MKII Air Purifier**. We've had very good feedback on the decibel specifications being very close to or matching real world performance. * Air Changes per Hour (ACH): 4.8 ACH at 1,875 sq. ft. * Particulates Filtration: H13 HEPA Filter (150 sq. ft. of filter surface area) * Composite CADR: 559 CFM * Separate particulate CADRs not measured * Sound Levels: 29 – 37 – 43 dB * Features: Locking casters and metal housing * Price: $929 at [Smarter HEPA](https://www.smarterhepa.com/products/smart-air-blast) Another great option with higher performance (but a little louder in the specs) is the **Coway Airmega ProX**. It's on sale right now. Regarding quietness, I haven't found ample feedback, but it should still be acceptable to run on high or on a lower setting for very good CADRs. It has dual air intakes, so it will require room around it. * Room Size: 4.8 ACH at 886 sq. ft. * Particulates Filtration: "Max2" HEPA H13 Filters (Quantity: 2) * Sound Levels: 23 - 46 db(A) * Dust CADR: 580 CFM * Pollen CADR: 450 CFM * Smoke CADR: 568 CFM * Features: Locking wheels and many other features. * Price: Currently $619.00 in White at [Coway](https://cowaymega.com/products/airmega-prox?variant=45657065718014)

r/AirPurifiers $1,000 won't buy you an industrial-grade or commercial-grade unit. Those are $3,000-$5,500, heavy, and very loud. Smoke is comprised of particulates (particles) and gases/vapors (including odors). Ideally, you need *two* different types of air purifiers to handle each pollutant category. This is because particulates-focused air purifiers—using mechanical filtration such as HEPA—can operate at higher air flows for faster air cleaning. However, gases and vapors are often removed using sorbent media (such as activated carbon, activated alumina, and synthetic zeolites). You need high weights of activated carbon for long-term and/or higher gaseous concentration treatment. Additionally, sorbent media purifiers operate at lower post-motor airflow and lower Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) due to the need for "dwell time" or "residence time" for higher removal efficiencies. Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) are the most important performance metric of a particulates-focused air purifier. This is a measure of cleaning effectiveness. Keep in mind most CADRs are given for the purifier's top speed setting only. For particulates (airborne mold spores, smaller dust particles, pollen, smoke particles, pet dander, etc.), I would recommend either the **Smart Air Blast MKII Air Purifier** or the **Coway Airmega ProX**. The **Smart Air Blast MKII** is the quietest high performing air purifier, which can be critical for sleeping, working, or studying. Uses H13 HEPA. Top Composite CADR is 559 CFM; separate particulate CADRs are not measured. Top Sound Level is 43 dB. Features a metal body and locking casters. Price: $929.00 at SmarterHEPA.com. The **Coway Airmega ProX** is an excellent high performance unit and it's currently on sale. Uses H13 HEPA. Dust CADR: 580 CFM, Pollen CADR: 450 CFM, and Smoke CADR: 568 CFM. Sound Levels are 23 - 46 db(A). Has locking wheels and many other features. Price: $619.00 (full price $999) in White at CowayMega.com. A second sorbent media-heavy air purifier would be at least $760 and likely closer to $1,140. To tackle cigarette gases/vapors/odors, you need specially modified media for improved removal efficiencies of certain "species" such as CO, CO₂, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, etc. This includes offerings from brands such as **Airpura** (tobacco smoke models) and **AllerAir** (smoke models). If you want a cheaper alternative, I can give you a separate write-up if you post at r/AirPurifiers. Good luck!

I don't think the absolute best purifiers for a large room are on this list. In order to calculate minimum Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs), we would need your room's length x width x height. [CADRs should be at least 2/3 of your room's area (assuming an 8 ft. high ceiling)](https://ahamverifide.org/ahams-air-filtration-standards/). For wildfire smoke treatment, Smoke CADR should *equal* your room's area which again assumes an 8 ft. ceiling. The best for large rooms in my opinion would be the [Coway Airmega ProX](https://cowaymega.com/products/airmega-prox) and the [Smart Air Blast MKII](https://www.smarterhepa.com/products/smart-air-blast) as both are quiet and powerful. From the list OP has shared, the best is clearly the [Medify Air MA-112](https://medifyair.com/products/ma-112?variant=31240021180483). However, it is very loud at 70 dBA. Keep in mind that CADRs are usually listed for the top speed setting only. The top seed is the loudest. Lower speeds have lower CADRs.

Unfortunately the units made in the USA tend to be commercial or industrial-grade. Examples would be the **OmniClean OCA500 Portable Air Purifier** ($2,789.00), **ISO-Aire RSF300 Commercial Air Purifier** (likely well above $2,500), or **Kwikool BioAirMax Combination Air Scrubber/Negative Air Machine KBX1000** ($2,799.00). Units are loud. And they'll be very heavy too. As another user said, I would choose the **Smart Air Blast MKII Air Purifier** ($929.00) if there is no budget. * Noise Levels: 29 - 37 - 43 dbA * Top Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR): 559.1 Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) * Dimensions: 22.6" L x 13" W x 48.4" H * Weight: 69 lbs. * Features: Locking casters and metal housing The **Smart Air Blast Mini MKII Air Purifier** ($599.00) is great too, but it is somewhat louder. * Noise Levels: 36 - 43 - 49 dBA * Top CADR: 435.5 CFM * Dimensions: 22.6" L x 14.4" W x 25.3" H * Weight: 59 lbs. * Features: Locking casters and metal housing I don't know the severity of the mold problem, but even though the Smart Air recommendations are overkill for the average dorm room, it ensures a high number of Air Changes per Hour (ACH) for a small room. This could be great for a room that's poorly ventilated.

Pasting something that was shared by someone I know: "A note here that purifiers can add up on cost. I waited for some discounts and sales as much as I could in getting these, but they don't come by often. For what it's worth -- I think the good quality purifiers are absolutely worth it. And be sure to also take into consideration the filter replacement costs when weighing your purchase. Another consideration is space and air flow. I'm more in favor of having multiple smaller purifiers at different locations rather than having a bigger one doing all the work from one location in the home. Ymmv. Alen purifiers are favorite. They're quiet at lower settings, powerful, and some models have an air quality indicator so you can go into auto mode and the purifier will adjust speed depending on the air quality. The SmartAir / SmarterHEPA purifiers are also great. They're quiet and the most popular models pull air on two of the larger sides. Like the Alen, the clean air comes out on the top side. Both Alen and SmartAir brands have given us fresh air that makes breathing easier. I have allergies and they've abated with both. We have the combination HEPA and activated carbon filter sets -- HEPA for particulates, and activated carbon for volatile organic compounds and smells. I hate the smell of smoke, and having a filter for when there is forest fire smoke or when one of the neighbors forgets this is a non-smoking building has been amazing. Brand that I'm ok having because I already bought but I probably wouldn't prioritize again: Levoit. They have small desktop filters that I thought were neat, but due to a lawsuit with Dyson they've now taken "true HEPA" off some of their products. The small Levoit I have, I still use, I do think it helps a little, but we now have the Alen and SmartAir and they're doing the real work I think. Brand that I was excited about for its size offerings but I'm kinda meh on now: MedifyAir. MedifyAir was one of the purifiers vetted by ProjectN95, so that's how I got introduced to them. But the MedifyAir purifier we have (also a countertop version so not one of the big ones) had a mechanical smoky scent for the first couple of days/weeks we used it. It was to the point I thought maybe we needed to stop using it because maybe it was making things worse? So I'm not sure what's up with that, if we just got a bad individual product or if that's just a quality indicator of the brand. Full disclosure that I did not reach out to them at that time. Brand that's "sexy" but I wouldn't get: Dyson. I'm noticing that Dyson has been more focused on hair products and general marketing lately and hasn't been as good about product improvements. Like for vacuum cleaners, I'd much rather go with Sebo, which is a very solid, very repairable, mechanical brand, rather than a sleek Dyson, which is very difficult to repair. So I never considered getting a Dyson hepa purifier, and honestly I don't think we're missing out on anything special there."

Smart air blast (or the half sized blast mini) is probably the closest to BIFL you'll get in an air purifier. Simple solid construction with no bell and whistles (Metal box with great big fan and huge filters). They have a higher CADR (Clean air delivery rate) than most models and are quieter than most as the huge output grill allows for lower air speeds. The drawbacks are that they are large and reasonably expensive. I've own two for several years now. Other options that I'd recommend: Corsi-rosenthal boxes built with computers fans are a great option if you're reasonably handy. I can provide links discussing designs is you're interested. The Levoit core line and Coway airmega are supposed to be good but I have no personal experience with them. Honeywell tends to be a bit cheaper than similar capacity models, and works okay but my experience is they start developing interesting control quirks after a few years.