DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier review
The Sciaire+ HEPA air purifier is a powerful tool to help you maintain clean and germ-free living spaces. Equipped with 16 ion generators producing plasma ions, this purifier actively seeks and bonds with airborne particles, which its manufacturers say achieves a remarkable 99.99% elimination of bacteria and viruses. The 3-in-1 filter, consisting of a pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter, effectively removes 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns, including pet dander, pollen, dust, allergens, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are harmful chemicals emitted by household products.
Key Specs
Dimensions: H 35.4 in, W 13.6 in, D 13.6 in
Weight: 31.4lbs
Filters: Three-stage filtration system and dual air deodorization process
Max noise: 51dBs
Max power use: 80 watts
Coverage: Up to 452 square feet
Modes: 3 fan speeds, auto mode, sleep mode
Warranty: 2-year limited
Energy Star Certified: No
Smart features: Wi-Fi enabled, app control, works with Smart Home assistants
Along with these impressive features, the Sciaire+ HEPA features a dual air deodorization process that breaks down odors, while the activated carbon filter neutralizes unpleasant smells, such as ammonia and formaldehyde. It can purify up to 452 ft² of air at 4.8 times per hour or 1094 ft² twice every hour, covering most large spaces effectively. Its makers say it’s ideal for homes with large rooms near busy roads or polluted areas.
Don’t expect a small and compact appliance, though – this air purifier is a beast! Measuring 35.4 inches high and 13.6 inches in diameter, you’ll need to make room for the Sciaire+ HEPA. Given its size, we tested it out in our largest room at home, which measures around 210 square feet. Find out how we got on during our testing process.
We were really impressed with the overall performance of this air purifier, and it features in both our best air purifiers and best air purifiers for allergies guides.
DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA: How we tested
We tested the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier in a 210-square-foot living and dining room. We used an air particle meter that detects tiny particles from 0.3 to 10 microns to measure air quality through a series of tests.
Before turning on the Sciaire + HEPA, we checked the ambient air quality in the room, then turned the air purifier on using its lowest setting, measuring the air quality after 30 minutes. To compare thoroughly, we repeated the same process with the highest setting.
To challenge the Sciaire + HEPA, we introduced larger particles into the air by lighting matches and burning incense cones. Before and after running the purifier for 30 minutes on both the lowest and highest settings, we measured the particle levels. This helped us determine how well the Sciaire + HEPA handled these larger particles.
DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA: Functionality
The DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier offers an impressive array of features, including:
- Significant coverage: Purifies spaces up to 426 sq. ft., ideal for spacious rooms.
- Easy-to-use app: You can control the purifier from your Smartphone, selecting fan speed, setting timers and countdowns and turning the plasma function on and off.
- Eliminates bacteria and viruses: Actively wipes out 99.99% of bacteria and viruses using a Hypochlorous Acid (HOCI) solution, a natural antioxidant.
- Removes airborne pollutants: Removes 99.97% of contaminants, including dust, pollen, smoke, and pet dander.
- Enhanced odor control: Acts as a natural deodorizer, reducing odors caused by ammonia, formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by household products.
- Wi-Fi connectivity: The purifier can be voice-controlled by Google and Alexa devices.
- Warranty: Comes with a 2-year limited warranty.
DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA: Design
The DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier isn’t the right air purifier for you if you want a discreet or subtle appliance. This is a big old air purifier, measuring over 35 inches in height and with a base diameter of around 14 inches, plus a weight of 31 lbs. While it’s not heavy to lift and move around, it does tower over other furniture, such as armchairs and coffee tables, so you’ll need to be committed to having an air purifier of this size in your home.
Apart from that, we quite liked the design. It has a futuristic, monolithic feel, rather like a Dalek from Doctor Who! Encased in matte, white plastic, the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier features a perforated base that extends to around half the height. Within this is the hefty three-stage filtration system. It’s easy to remove the back of the air purifier and pull out the filter to take a look at the layers, which include a pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter to remove 99.95% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns.
The purifier gently graduates to a smaller diameter of around 9 inches. The PlasmaShield technology, which eliminates bacteria and viruses, sits above the filter, though it’s not visible to the user. At the top of the purifier is a molded black plastic air vent through which purified air is pushed out. Just above this is an LED ring. This is probably the most impressive part of the design. As well as lighting up during operation to allow you to choose fan settings, auto mode, night mode and set timers, it also features a handy real-time air quality indicator. Depending on your indoor air quality, this will be blue for good, orange for moderate and red for poor. Blue and red are easy to discern, but we found orange hard to distinguish.
DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA: Performance
We tested the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier at home, beginning with assessing its impact on ambient air quality. Using an air particle meter, we measured air particles before and after running the purifier for 30 minutes on the lowest fan setting. We repeated the procedure using the highest setting.
The initial results for the lower setting were disappointing, with a 70.5% reduction in 0.3-micron particles and just 40% reduction in 2.5-micron particles after half an hour. However, the outcomes significantly improved using the highest fan setting, revealing a much better 94.6% reduction in 0.3-micron particles and a 100% reduction in 2.5-micron particles within the same time frame.
We decided to use the automatic setting for the incense test to see if it could cope with the particles emitted by burning incense cones. We measured air particles after burning three cones in a sealed room for over 10 minutes. At the 15-minute mark, it achieved an 83.5% reduction in 2.5-micron particles and a 79.7% reduction in 10-micron particles. These numbers further increased to 94.9% and 97.9%, respectively, at the 30-minute mark.
Moving on to the match test, we lit matches to check the purifier’s efficiency in capturing particles from burning. On the lower setting, it successfully eliminated 78% of 0.3-micron particles and 79% of 2.5-micron particles in just 30 minutes. It did much better in auto mode, removing 99.2% of 0.3-micron particles and 99.7% of 2.5-micron particles. It also removed 100% of the larger harmful 10-micron particles.
Overall, we were pretty impressed by the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier’s performance during these tests. However, we’d recommend that purchasers use the automatic fan setting, or the medium and high fan level settings, rather than relying on the lowest fan setting.
DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA: The good
The DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier is the first air purifier we’ve tested that uses Hypochlorous Acid (HOCI technology) to clean air. Much like the natural defense mechanism of your immune system that targets germs, this solution dismantles microorganisms upon contact. While it’s impossible to test this at home, we found plenty of good-quality evidence that it is an effective disinfectant, such as this 2020 review into the use of Hypochlorous Acid.
We also enjoyed how easy it was to operate the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier, with simple controls, and an easy at-a-glance air quality indicator. The app is also super-easy to use, and we liked the ability to connect it to our Alexa.
Overall, the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier performed well in our at-home testing, especially when we left it to its own devices on auto mode.
DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA: The bad
While this is undoubtedly down to personal taste, the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier is simply too large for our home. It might be better in a large airy space, such as a loft apartment, large kitchen-diner or even an office space.
We also thought the orange air quality indicator could be more noticeable, as that’s a good warning sign to increase your fan settings if you don’t have the purifier on auto mode.
DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA: User reviews
The DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier has an impressive average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and more than two-thirds of satisfied customers have given it a perfect 5-star rating. In fact, not a single purchaser has rated it with fewer than three stars. Despite its size and relatively expensive cost, users rate this air purifier. They enjoy how easy it is to set up and start using immediately. Many love the large design and glossy screen at the top, with one user commenting, “First impressions were that this purifier looks superb – a sleek silvery tapered tower design that’s the polar opposite from an industrial box.” They also enjoy how quiet the purifier is during operation.
While there are few negative reviews, some grumbles from customers mention that it’s probably better suited to commercial premises rather than a domestic setting because of its size, and others point out that the cost of replacing filters can be very expensive.
Should you buy the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA
The DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA Air Purifier could work well for people with large, airy homes or commercial premises. If you have a small house, it may be too big. However, it performs well and is super easy to set up.
If the DH Lifelabs Sciaire + HEPA isn’t for you
If you’re in the market for an air purifier that combines style with subtlety, consider the Sensibo Pure. This budget-friendly air purifier features a modern, neutral design that seamlessly blends with home decor. Our at-home testing revealed impressive performance as well.
The Dyson Purifier Cool could be perfect if you don’t mind a large air purifier but want something sleeker. Its stylish design makes it a talking point in any room, and the neutral white and silver color scheme means it can blend in with most interiors. We also like that it can double up as a fan when the weather gets warmer.
Or, if you prefer an air purifier that offers excellent value for money, the Levoit 400S air purifier is an affordable appliance that’s easy to use and quietly efficient. From the intuitive app with its wide range of functionality to its stylish, sleek design, the Levoit 400S packs a lot for a mid-range purifier.
