Sharper Image Ionic Breeze SI637 Air Purifier - Works, But At A Price
Written: Apr 12 '05 (Updated Sep 01 '05)
Product Rating:
Durability:
Ease of Use:
Effectiveness:
Pros: Low energy consumption, long warranty, no filters to replace, silent
Cons: Price, frequent cleaning required
The Bottom Line: The Ionic Breeze air purifier works well removing dust and smells from the air. Although it is pretty expensive, it doesn’t draw much power...
I had considered the so-called Professional Series GP model that has an UVC light that supposedly kills bacteria, mold and spores as the air passes through it, but it costs $550 and it is a bit too much for such a simple device with unproven benefit of the UV light.
Just as the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze Compact, the full size Quadra air purifier is quite unconventional. It has no moving parts and the air gets moved by charging it, without the use of a fan, pretty much silently. The purifier does not even have a conventional filter, but rather uses static electricity (as I understand) to attract dust to the metal grid inside the unit and make it stick to it until you clean the grid.
The advantages of these unconventional technologies are low power consumption (10 Watts), lack of noise and no need to buy replacement filters (you wipe/wash the metal grid once a week or so).
It looks unconventional too: instead of the rectangular box, it resembles a little slotted tower, available in several colors. The full-sized Ionic Breeze looks very similar to the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze Compact, but is about 1/3 taller.
Based on larger size and increased power consumption, I estimated that the full-sized version would be about 30-50% more effective in cleaning the air. Obviously, I cannot measure the exact difference, but below are my observations on the device’s effectiveness overall.
Since the purifier looks and operates the same as its compact cousin, I didn't even bother reading the manual. After receiving the purifier, I just plugged it into the wall outlet and turned it on.
The purifier has a large control button on its top surface and three green Air Cycle LEDs for High, Medium and Low filtration. The button cycles through the above mentioned three modes and the Off mode (no LEDs are lit). An additional red LED above them is titled Cleaning Indicator. It illuminates if cleaning is way overdue. I have never seen it illuminate since I clean the grid on time.
Pictures
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Ionic Breeze in Action
Upon powering on, the purifier started producing a constant light stream of air. The device doesn’t seem to increase the air temperature. The Ionic Breeze is supposed to be operated constantly, which is not a problem since it only draws 10 Watts of power and stays cool as a result.
After about an hour, I could smell the slight scent of ozone in the air. The purifier produces low concentrations of ozone, but the ozone level is low and is not harmful. I feel no discomfort with ozone. On contrary, I like it and like the fact that it helps fight odors. My living room definitely smells better now that the device is working 24/7.
Cleaning
The manual states that the devices should be cleaned about every 7-10 days. The indication that the cleaning is due is the sound that appears when the grid gets too dirty/dusty. The sound is either humming or, more frequently, the buzzing sound similar to the electric device used to kill insects.
The cleaning is pretty simple: you pull the handle on top of the unit, removing the grid (that is actually three metal bars that run through the length of the unit), wipe the grid with a wet paper towel, slowly flip the unit housing a couple of times (there are a couple of wires inside with little plastic spheres that move along the wires when you flip the unit, cleaning the wires), wait until the grid dries and re-insert it.
The grid gets pretty dirty. I usually find fine black dust, white dust and even larger clumps of white dust on the grid (and I can see some dust on the wires before flipping the unit as well). The dust is not very easy to remove from the grid as it clings to it and requires several passes with a wet paper towel or sponge.
Recently I discovered that you can forgo the towel wiping - you can put the grid under a stream of water and the dust disappears pretty quickly - without the need to even touch the grid. No need to even wet you hands!
You have to make sure that the grid is completely dry before re-inserting it (I usually wait about 4-6 hours). Also, make sure that you do not burn oil lamps in the room when the device is in operation. The outside of the device gets a bit dirty as well, but requires slight cleaning only once a month or so.
Performance
I have discovered that the grid gets dusty/dirty within about 10-15 days. The device starts making buzzing or humming sounds and you can pull out the grid (after turning it off) and see quite a lot of dust, fine and larger. When I wipe the grid with a wet paper towel, the towel turns black, which makes me happy that this stuff was removed from the air I breathe. The stuff on the towel actually looks pretty scary!
There seems to be less dust accumulation on the bookshelves and my electronics now that I have the Ionic Breeze running 24/7. I also feel less symptoms of allergies. My allergies seem to subside when I am home, unless the windows are open. My symptoms are not gone entirely, but I feel that Ionic Breeze helps a lot.
It also makes the air fresher, reduces odors in the room.
Pricing and Warranty
The units came with a 5-year warranty, which is a good thing with such an expensive appliance. The pricing is quite high. The Ionic Breeze sells for $350 each and you can get either a 50% discount on the second device or a small bathroom air purifier free with purchase.
The price is pretty high, but the low power consumption and no need in replacement filters should make them cheap to operate. The warranty is also reassuring.
Bottom Line
The Ionic Breeze air purifier works well removing dust and smells from the air. Although it is pretty expensive, it doesn't draw much power, can be run 24/7, stays cool and requires no replacement filters. A good choice for people with allergies or to reduce dust and smells in the air.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 230 Noise Level: Almost noiseless
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