Moving from Manhattan to Queens didn’t just equate to more living space, it also meant a heck of a lot more dust. I didn’t think 200 extra square feet of space would make such a dramatic difference, but after living with just one air purifier (the Molekule Air Mini+ $289 at Amazon at that) for a few months, I knew it alone wasn’t going to cut it. Throw taller windows facing the street and higher ceilings into the mix (not to mention the building’s age — original picture-frame molding was a huge allure in the move), and it quickly became clear my new place warranted another air-scrubbing machine (perhaps even two), especially with allergy season on the horizon.
Initially persuaded by minimalist, easy-on-the-eye designs, this time around, I was determined to dig beyond the surface. A multi-stage filtration system was music to my ears, specifically to the tune of a pre-filter (for bigger pollutants); a deodorizing filter to capture odor-causing gases (for when cooking it up in the kitchen goes awry); and, of course, a HEPA filter to eradicate micro-sized particles. (Dust! Pollen! Germs!). An affordable filter replacement was another must-have—re-equipping my pint-sized unit, despite the compact size, put a decent dent in my wallet each time around. Enter, Coway.
Coway Air Purifier sale at Amazon
- shop the entire Coway sale at Amazon
- Coway Airmega Aim 2-in-1 Fan/Purifier: was $110 now $98 @ Amazon
- Coway Airmega 240 Air Purifier: was $299 now $215 @ Amazon
- Coway Airmega 250S Smart Air Purifier: was $449 now $285 @ Amazon
- Coway Airmega 400 Air Purifier: was $456 now $349 @ Amazon
Editor's Pick
There are myriad choices from the brand, but I ultimately landed on the Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty — and right now, it’s 30% off at Amazon. Not only is it $70 less than what I paid, it also comes backed by 25,000-plus positive reviews that gush about its effective, relatively quiet work. Characteristics I can confirm. As soon as I plugged it in, the pollution sensor turned red, roaring to life. But within minutes it dimmed from purple (moderate air quality) to blue (good air quality), settling to a barely audible hum, clearing the air for up to 1,748 square feet.
It’s sensitive to kitchen work and hair spray, and as I have it situated near an old radiator, the center of two conjoining spaces (the living room and office-slash-dining room), every time it started to emit heat this winter, the purifier would kick on. (I can only assume because the act distributed more dust.) But I breathe easier knowing it’s taking care of debris and pollutants as small as 0.01 microns.
During the day, I keep it on Auto Mode and try to remember to switch to Eco Mode before bed. On the latter setting, the machine shuts off after 30 minutes free of pollution to conserve energy. Otherwise, it’s on all the time. And according to Coway, 24 hours translates into 7 cents—I’d say that’s certainly worth the cost.
Because the biggest difference I’ve noticed is when it remains plugged in throughout the duration of a trip away. Before, I'd be greeted with stagnant air and musty, stale smells upon opening the front door. Now, it’s like I never left. I’m so impressed with the brand that I’ve also since replaced my Molekule with the Airmega 240. Not only does it also happen to be priced at a really good deal, filter replacements are less frequent and cost just a little over what I was paying for one before. Needless to say, I’m quite content with now being able to put off my dusting routine a little longer.
