Here's what we thought of the new Blueair air purifier.

Air purifiers might seem like luxury items, but once you’ve put one in your home, it quickly becomes evident they’re as much of a necessity as any household appliance. As someone with allergies, I can say with 100 percent certainty that a Blueair Air Purifier can be the difference between sleepless nights and excellent rest.

I can also swear by them as a pet owner who deals with shedding, dander and smelly litterboxes. Sure, I could use an air-purifying plant, but the technology behind these miracle machines has consistently improved over the years. They’ve become quieter, more effective, and, in the case of the newest Blueair air purifier model, exponentially more attractive.

When discussing the best air filters, Blueair always comes up, and for good reason. The Blue Pure Max is the newest model, and here’s what happened when I put it to the test.

What is the Blueair Air Purifier?

Blueair is a Swedish manufacturer of air purifiers that filter and clean air with exclusive HEPASilent technology—removing pollutants, allergens and contaminants from the air while keeping noise to a minimum. The company has five different lines of air purifiers that combine mechanical filtration and electrostatic charging to eliminate at least 99.97 % of airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns.

Not only are they effective, but they’re whisper-quiet too. Being a fan of both form and function, I was impressed with the sleek Scandinavian design of the newest model. Plus, every Blueair air purifier is made from responsibly-sourced and recyclable materials and runs on less energy than a lightbulb. What more could you ask for?

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How We Tested It

Considering all the cooking I do and the number of pets in my home, I was more than eager to test the Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max, which is ideal for small spaces. I focused on three major irritants—smoke, pet hair and odor—in real-life conditions: My own loft apartment.

Smoke

Smoke is a perpetual issue in my kitchen, and unless you have an industrial-strength range hood, you’ve likely struggled with this too. Searing foods properly requires cooking them in lightning-hot pans, so if you’re planning on cooking a steak the right way, you can almost always expect your smoke alarm to go off, even with all your windows open.

To test the Blue Pure Max’s efficiency in the kitchen, I positioned it on the counter next to my stove every time I cooked for one month, setting it at its highest speed. While it didn’t clear the air like a high-powered exhaust fan, it did make a highly noticeable difference. Cooking meats like skin-on chicken thighs, ribeye steaks and bacon produced a ton of smoke, and the air purifier was able to significantly reduce the amount that filled the kitchen.

In fact, it minimized the smoke so much that my smoke detector didn’t go off once, which is a massive win in my book. By the time I had finished eating dinner, the air was smoke-free and smell-free, which made cooking highly-odorous foods like onions and fish possible in my tiny kitchen.

Pet Hair

I love my fur babies, but even with regular brushing, I still end up with plenty of cat hair floating around the house. My cats mostly hang out in the living room, so for one week, I set my Blueair up in a central spot and let it run constantly on the lowest setting. I noticed that less cat hair accumulated on both my couch and floor.

The Blue Pure Max comes with a washable cloth cover that collects pet hair, and after leaving it mostly untouched for a week, it needed a light cleaning. The pet hair is easily removed with a lint roller, damp cloth, or by handwashing.

Odor

It’s easy to become “smell blind” in your own home, so even if you don’t notice anything amiss, visitors and guests might. Since I wouldn’t be able to precisely tell if the Blue Pure Max was making a major difference in the way my place smells, I decided the best way to test it would be to introduce an extremely potent, unmistakable smell—incense. To drive the stakes up even higher, I used one with an odor I find intolerable and set up the test in my bedroom.

I placed the Blueair air purifier atop my desk, put it on the automatic setting, lit a stick of cheap incense and walked away, closing my bedroom door behind me. I checked the Blueair app on my phone, which showed my air purifier was hard at work cleaning the air. About 90 minutes later, I reentered my bedroom and couldn’t smell the incense at all.

Performance Review

I have nothing but outstanding things to say about this air purifier. It is effective, easy to use, simple to clean and pretty darn good-looking too. The app is simple to navigate to adjust to the perfect settings, and the setup is foolproof. Simply plug it in, press a button and let it clear the air.

But what I might love most about the Blueair is how lightweight it is, so I can move it around my apartment almost effortlessly. During the day, I keep it in the living room and the kitchen. At night, I bring it into my bedroom to keep allergens from interrupting my sleep and listen to the soothing white noise it emits when at its highest setting. When set to low speed, the Blue Pure Max is so quiet you won’t even notice it’s on.

Pros

• Removes at least 99.97 % of airborne particles as small as 0.1 micron
• Low settings are whisper-quiet
• HEPASilent dual filtration technology clears the air quickly
• Simple two-button design
• Can be controlled via a smartphone app
• Made of recycled materials
• Energy-efficient
• 60-day home trial

Cons

• Filters aren’t reusable and need to be replaced every few months (exact frequency depends on usage)
• Other cloth color options, if available, must be purchased separately

What Other Reviewers Had to Say

The new Blueair Air Purifier has been racking up stellar reviews since its release, with many customers raving about the noise level and reduction in allergy symptoms.

Jonathan Lane swears they’ll never go back to anything else in their five-star review. “Admittedly, the customizable exterior colors were part of what sold me (versus the shiny plastic I see on many conventional air purifiers, which totally ruins the more subdued, matte aesthetic in my room), but this thing works like an absolute charm. It is quiet (not like a jet engine with my previous air filter), energy efficient, actually does its job, and is now the thing I’m unequivocally sticking with. Strongly recommend.”

Verified purchaser Audra B. echoes Jonathan’s sentiments and says, “I bought this for my daughter’s room. She has seasonal allergies and it makes it hard to sleep. Since having this on all the time, her allergies have drastically improved. She sleeps better and feels better throughout all of allergy season. Definitely would purchase again!”

FAQ

Does Blueair get rid of dust?

The Blueair Blue Pure Max that I tested captures at least 99.97 % of airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns in size, including dust. For additional dust protection, spring for a purifier from Blueair’s DustMagnet line, which catches airborne dust before it settles.

Does Blueair detect mold?

Blueair Air Purifiers don’t detect mold, but they do remove it from the air. Use a mold test kit if you suspect you have a problem.

Where is the best place to put a Blueair air purifier?

The best place to put an air purifier depends on where you want to clean the air the most. When using it in the kitchen or bathroom, position it close to where the air pollutants originate, like the stove, trash or litter box. In living spaces, place it somewhere where airflow won’t be obstructed. If using it in a bedroom, keep it within a few feet of where you lay your head to ensure you’re breathing clean, irritant-free air all night long. You can even place it in basements to increase the air quality in those lower-level rooms.

Where to Buy a Blueair Air Purifier

Clear the air in your home with the Blueair Blue Pure Max on the Blueair website and on Amazon as well. Get smarter, faster and quieter air purification for you and your family.

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