Product specification:
Wifi
HEPA filter
Three settings - Auto, Max Sleep
Carbon monoxide detector (C)O)
Suitable for rooms up to 100m2 (approx 10sq ft).
Aroma diffuser
Real time multi sensor system
Real time Air Quality display
Dimensions: 317 x 280 x 575mm (LWH)
Available from: https://www.hooverdirect.co.uk/collections/air-purifiers/products/air-purifier-500
RRP £399.99
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The Hoover H-Purifier 500 air purifier at a glance
The Hoover H-Purifier 500 is a great way to deal with pollutants and seasonal allergies and helps create a safer and healthier home environment for you and your family.
This is quite a large unit but surprisingly and pleasingly lightweight, so it's no bother to shift it from room to room. There are two recessed handles either side to make it easy to carry but it would be even better if it had castors. Sturdy, so not easy for children/pets to knock over plus there is a child lock on the display to prevent little fingers from interfering with the settings.
It's easy to take the filter in and out and it has a long life - it recommends you vacuum clean the outer grid/filter when it gets blocked up.
When you switch it on the unit defaults to Auto mode which is the recommended setting. It also has an illuminated ring that shows one of four colours to indicate the level of quality of air in your room, green being 'Excellent' through to red which is 'Very Poor'. Once it has detected your air quality, it sets to work purifying the air until the indicator goes green. You can press the Max button to put it into overdrive and purify the air more quickly but once it reaches green, it turns into Eco mode and pauses purifying but monitors the air constantly so it can kick back in if needed. It's clever stuff and somehow feels very reassuring.
The unit runs on Auto for most of the day. Sleep Mode activates the air purifying at the lowest silent power setting and the Sleep mode button, along with the other lights on the top of the display, dim or go out so not only is it whisper quiet, but there are no lights to disturb your sleep. I thought the fan would be really noticeable but it's not. I kept checking to make sure it was still on as it was so quiet.
I decided to try it out first in my bedroom as I often wake in the mornings with a very stuffy nose. Our house faces a busy road and I always sleep with the window open regardless of the weather. We also have a cat who likes to sleep with us so that makes for a fair amount of allergens.
I woke the next day and told myself that the air in the bedroom felt clean/sharper/clearer and I could definitely breathe more easily. I thought that perhaps it was me imagining it but when my husband commented the exact same, I knew it had had an effect. There were also no stale odours you get when there have been bodies sleeping in a confined room for 8 hours with the door shut!
I then brought it downstairs to see how it would cope in the kitchen with the moist air and odours of cooking. Sunday lunch involved cauliflower, renowned for the odour hanging around in the air long after lunch. These sorts of strong odours tend to rise over the course of the day and you end up lingering in your upstairs rooms.
First off, it said the air quality in the kitchen was 'Poor', probably down to steaming pans and odours but within half an hour the ring on the unit had turned green, meaning the air quality was now 'Excellent'. Result!
In order to access the full range of functions you need to download the hOn App (on Google Play or the App Store). You have to register/make a profile and click a link that is emailed to you to set your password. Although simple to operate, you could actually get away with NOT using the App and just press the control panel on the top of the unit, but there are more functions via the App and it also provides you with a lot more information. Pairing the App on your phone with the unit via Bluetooth is simple enough (eventually!) just make sure you follow the printed instructions in the manual before you attempt it.
The Pollen Allergy Mode is useful if you suffer from hayfever and can only be activated via the App. You can set up your User Allergic profile which lets you input what pollens set you off so the unit can respond accordingly and tailor its output to your needs. I do not have any specific allergies but I do find pet hair a bit of a problem so it's worth trying out this mode. It works by detecting any high concentration of your specific allergens then it automatically kicks in.
The multi sensor system continuously monitors the air in your home and there is also a built-in carbon monoxide (CO) detector that emits a loud noise from the unit as well as an alert on your phone via the App if CO is detected. Temperature and humidity levels are also monitored to keep your home at a pleasant and safe ambience and the 360 degrees cylindrical design of the unit ensures the purified air reaches all corners of your room.
There is a Diffuser which can be used with the supplied H-Essence or H-Biotics collection of essential oils to freshen/fragrance your rooms but as these types of things often give me a headache, I didn't try either of them out. Also, I feel that a diffuser may interfere with the purifying of the air. However, the H-Biotics is said to be based on probiotics that keep your room' bio-hygenised by inhibiting the growth of bacteria or microbes' so if you have a problem room (eg damp or mould), it may well be worth trying this out to see if it makes a difference.
Would you recommend this product?
Yes! I really did notice a difference in air quality, it's lightweight so very portable, quite aesthetically pleasing, whisper quiet, and has a built-in carbon monoxide alarm which means I can do away with my old wall-mounted one.
Would you choose this product above all others on the market?
It's a tad expensive at almost £400 but it's an efficient and portable air purifier that does an excellent job. If you suffer from allergies, wake up feeling bunged up or even live in an older property that suffers from mould and condensation, then this is worth the outlay. If you're on a budget, or just want it for your bedroom, then something more basic and inexpensive may do the job.
What changes would you make to this product?
You need time and patience to download the hOn App and have to register/make a profile - all the usual stuff when making an account. Pairing it with my bluetooth took quite a few attempts and was frustrating and, annoying enough, the App sometimes gives false alerts, saying there's an error when there isn't but you could turn those off and just check the App when you want to. Refining the App would improve the product.
Oh and castors for wheeling it from room to room would be a welcome addition!