| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Price | $50.99 |
| CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) rating | Not listed |
| HEPA filter? | Yes |
| Energy Star certified? | No |
| Area coverage | 140 square feet |
| Dimensions | 10.8 x 8.1 x 16.4 inches |
The True Air falters when it comes to more serious purification duties; this device isn’t built to handle strong odors or allergens, and is ineffective in medium or large rooms.
Read the full review below.
- Inexpensive
- Sufficient range for small bedrooms
- Adequate for light pet-related smells and allergies
- Not powerful; very limited device
- Ineffective against strong odors and heavier allergens
- Can’t handle medium or large rooms
FULL REVIEW:
The Hamilton Beach TrueAir Compact Pet Air Purifier is the most inexpensive air purifier we’ve reviewed so far — and certainly one of the cheapest HEPA air purifiers on the market.
As you’ll see, this device has its uses – but don’t expect a whole lot, because you get what you pay for.
And what you pay for, in this case, is an air purifier that is situationally adequate but, more often than not, very limited.
Buying on a Budget
Cost is this purifier’s biggest selling point. At a tick over $50, the TrueAir is one of the cheapest air purifiers on the market.
In fact, this is a really inexpensive unit in more ways than one; beyond the sticker price, the long-term costs (energy usage; filter replacement) are also extremely low.
The product picture might be a little deceiving, but this is a very small device; it’s dimensions are 10.8 x 8.1 x 16.4 inches and it weighs 6 pounds – in other words, this is the type of purifier you’ll be putting on the corner of your desk.
Since the device is small, it doesn’t use all that much energy – you can run it all day and you probably won’t see a spike in your electric bill.
The TrueAir has low maintenance costs, too; the pre-filter is permanent, so you shouldn’t ever have to replace it.
The HEPA filter is also permanent – you’ll be able to vacuum the filter to keep it in pretty good shape – which is a major dollar-saver, given that some people spend $100’s of dollars per year on HEPA replacement filters alone.
The carbon filters – there are two – are not permanent, and you’ll have to replace those every three months. It costs $10 for a pack of three, or $5 for one. You are best served spending $20 on two packs of three; that way, you’ll have enough filters for the next 9-12 months.
Performance
As the name implies, this purifier focuses primarily on allergens and allergy-related air issues.
The TrueAir has a three-stage filtration process:
1) A pre-filter, for capturing larger particles like hair and dust
2) Two carbon filters, which tackle light odors (like “litter box smell” and “wet dog” scent)
3) A HEPA filter, designed to capture smaller particles down to 0.3 microns in size.
According to the manufacturer, this device covers areas up to 140 square feet – so, a room about 12 ft. x 12ft. As we mention in a lot of our air purifier reviews, the manufacturer tends to estimate on the high side. In this case, I think that number is a little generous and should be skewed lower; the TrueAir is really designed to perform best in small bedrooms (90 – 120 square feet; or about a 10 ft. x 10ft. room).
In small bedrooms, the device performs about as well as you’d expect from a budget-buy purifier. It adequately reduces dust levels, and you’ll likely notice a difference in the amount of pet hair on your floor – although the TrueAir certainly leaves some behind (the TrueAir just isn’t strong enough to get everything, nor is the pre-filter high-grade enough).
(Note: I was a little surprised that this device was a legit HEPA air purifier; but not all HEPA filters are created equal, and this device is no exception – it just isn’t all that powerful.)
As far as odors, the TrueAir will alleviate some common pet smells – but it will leave many odors behind; the device does nearly nothing when it comes to chemical odors or cigarette smoke. (That’s to be expected – you need strong carbon filters to tackle tough odors, and the TrueAir’s carbon filters are pretty lightweight.)
Is It Right For You?
When all is said and done, the TrueAir is an adequate device for people looking for situational purification.
If you are:
1) looking to use in a small bedroom
2) looking to alleviate mild allergies
3) looking to reduce light pet-related smells
Then, the TrueAir is an adequate device for the job.
However, this unit is NOT adequate for people with serious purification needs; if you are planning on using this device in medium-large rooms or looking to solve real allergy issues, turn around and run away.
