Breathing Space prides itself on offering completely unbiased advice on all aspects of air purification since 1994. One of the most popular requests we get from potential customers is to provide an educated opinion on two of the world’s most respected brands, namely Blueair of Sweden and IQ Air of Switzerland.
It is virtually impossible to separate both manufacturers in terms of their pedigree as they have been at the forefront of the industry for decades and produce arguably the most effective hepa air purifiers money can buy. Each also has its own style. The design of the IQAir models may have less appeal than the offerings from Blueair , but ultimately aesthetics alone don’t make a good air purifier.
Aesthetics aside, what really matters is which one is going to clean the air better in your room. So, in order to help you decide for yourself, we have taken all the pertinent performance facts from three of the most popular models from each manufacturer, and set them out below in a quick comparison chart. All the figures below are taken directly from the manufacturers own openly available data sheets, we have simplified the most relevant facts for you to help compare the models as ‘like for like’.
Points of Note:
CADR Ratings / AHAM verification
Of the two brands, only Blueair publish official independent AHAM verified CADR ratings. CADR stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate and is a numerical value assigned to an air purifier based upon independent tests performed for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (or AHAM). The Clean Air Delivery Rate officially measures how much filtered air a unit actually delivers. CADR measures pollen, tobacco smoke and dust filtration effectiveness. A higher score is better.
Because IQAir have not published CADR figures, we have used their own listed airflow ratings for the purpose of comparison. This still provides a fairly accurate parallel regarding the of the size of room the units can be expected to effectively clean. Should AHAM certified performance figures become available for the IQAir models we shall publish those here.
Ozone Free
All the models on the list above are officially tested and certified as ozone free by the ARB in California. In order to achieve this classification units have to pass very stringent ozone emission tests. It is worth noting that not all manufacturers submit their machines for testing, so it is always worth asking if the purifier you are considering purchasing has official ARB certification. This can also be checked by visiting the ARB’s own website where all conforming purifiers are openly listed.
Decibel Ratings
All six units have very low decibel ratings whilst still providing excellent airflow on their lower, quieter speeds. The three IQAir units actually have an additional 'ultra low' speed setting which is even quieter than quoted above, however in each case the airflow on this setting is so reduced (50m³/hr) as to provide virtually no tangible benefit in everyday use in their advertised room sizes. In the interest of providing a creditable form of comparison we have listed the IQAir decibel ratings for their second speed setting which is consistent with typical daily use and a more accurate depiction of what the user is likely to experience.
If you have any questions regarding the above feel free to give us a call on 01207 506555, don't forget we do love to talk to our customers.
