purOxygen P500 review | Live Science
The purOxygen P500 is touted for its impressive performance, claiming to eliminate 99.98% of indoor airborne contaminants through its advanced four-stage filtration system. This system comprises a pre-filter, HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, and cold catalyst filter. The air purifier also offers convenient features such as WiFi control via an app, an air quality indicator, sleep mode, and a filter replacement indicator. It comes with a 1-year warranty upon product registration. It can also link to Smart Home Kits.
Key Specs
Dimensions: H 20 in, W 13 in, D 7 in
Weight: 9.5 lbs
Filters: Four-stage filtration system
Max noise: 61 dBs
Max power use: 55 watts
Coverage: Up to 1650 square feet
Modes: 3 fan speeds, auto mode, sleep mode
Warranty: 1-year limited
Energy Star Certified: No
Smart features: Wi-Fi enabled, app control
While it’s not the most stylish air purifier available, the purOxygen P500 does have plenty going for it, so we were excited to try it out at home.
We tested the purOxygen P500 in our home using a series of air quality tests over a week. Find out how we got on and how we rated this air purifier on performance, features, functionality and design. Plus, we look at how other users rate their purOxygen P500.
We were disappointed with the overall performance of this air purifier, so it didn’t pass muster for our best air purifiers and best air purifiers for allergies guides.
purOxygen P500: How we tested
We tested the purOxygen P500 Air Purifier in a 140-square-foot bedroom to see how well it could improve the air quality. Armed with an air particle meter that detects tiny particles from 0.3 to 10 microns, we embarked on our at-home evaluation.
First, we checked the initial air quality in the room before firing up the purOxygen P500. We ran it on the lowest setting for 30 minutes and then rechecked the air quality. For comparison, we repeated the process on the highest setting.
Unfortunately, when we turned the air purifier to its highest setting, we found an unpleasant plastic smell started to emanate from the purifier, and then the purOxygen P500 shut down! We tried turning it on several times, but it continued to shut down after a few seconds of operation. So we couldn’t complete our testing involving burning matches and incense cones and checking how well the purifier absorbed the harmful particles released during these activities.
purOxygen P500: Functionality
The purOxygen P500 air purifier offers a variety of features and functions that aim to enhance the air quality in your home.
- High performance: Its manufacturers say this air purifier can remove 99.98% of indoor airborne contaminants, such as pet dander, dust, mold and pollutants.
- Four-stage filtration system: It features a pre-filter to identify and filter out dust, hair, and dander, a HEPA filter to capture particles above and even below 0.3 microns, an activated carbon filter to remove airborne pollutants and odors from the air, and a cold catalyst filter to control and neutralize pollutants under normal living conditions.
- WiFi control via the app: You can change modes, set timers and schedules, link the purifier to your Smart home kit and set up a child lock, all via the app.
- Air quality indicator: Offers real-time data about the concentration of particulate matter in your indoor air via a digital display and four light indicators.
- Sleep mode: Turns off LED lights and operates at low speed with low noise.
- Filter replacement indicator: Lets you know when it’s time to check and replace your filter.
- Warranty: Comes with a 1-year warranty if you register the product.
purOxygen P500: Design
Upon unboxing the purOxygen P500, the first thing that caught our attention was its size. Measuring 20 x 13 x 7 inches, it’s not exactly compact. You’ll need to consider where you want to place it in your home. Thankfully, it has two handles at the top, making lifting and moving around easier. Surprisingly, despite its dimensions, it weighs only 9.5 pounds, so you can move it from room to room if you want to.
The filter that comes with the air purifier is reassuringly thick, with a pre-filter, HEPA filter, activated carbon filter and a cold catalyst filter sandwiched together into one high-performing filtration system. This is impressive and probably one of the thickest filters we’ve seen while testing dozens of air purifiers.
In terms of design, though, the purOxygen P500 could be more visually appealing. It’s a basic white rectangular box with a silver trim, a black grille, and an LED display. While everything appears to be constructed with good quality, durable plastic, this air purifier doesn’t boast any remarkable aesthetics, so let’s focus on its performance instead.
purOxygen P500: Performance
We wanted to evaluate the purOxygen P500 air purifier by subjecting it to a series of tests at home. Our first task was to assess its ability to enhance ambient indoor air quality. We used an air particle meter to measure the number of airborne particles before and after operating the purifier for 30 minutes on the lower fan setting. Then, we conducted the same test using the highest fan setting.
Unfortunately, when we cranked up the air purifier to its highest setting, we were hit with a nasty plastic smell coming from the device and, to make matters worse, the purOxygen P500 abruptly shut down. We tried turning it on several times, but it stubbornly continued to shut down. As a result, we couldn’t finish our testing.
purOxygen P500: The good
We were impressed with the four-stage filter system that the purOxygen P500 air purifier offers. It comprises four layers of filtration:
- The pre-filter is responsible for trapping particles that are one micron in size or larger, effectively capturing dust, hair, and dander. This prefilter works in conjunction with the HEPA filter layer.
- The HEPA filter is designed to capture particles above 0.3 microns, achieving a remarkable efficiency of 95% to 99% in capturing particles below 0.3 microns.
- An activated carbon layer, which, when combined with the HEPA filter, effectively eliminates almost all airborne pollutants, including pet odors, household odors, and smoke smells.
- A cold catalyst layer that serves to control pollution in typical living conditions. According to purOxygen, this layer helps decompose harmful gases such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde, smoke odors, and fumes from decorations.
We also enjoyed how easy it was to operate the purOxygen P500, while it worked!
Whether we used the LED display or the handy app, everything was easy to understand and control.
Added extras, such as the child lock, timer function and air quality indicator, are features we’ve come to expect from a good air purifier, so we were pleased to see them included here.
purOxygen P500: The bad
Needless to say, overheating and shutting down during our testing was a negative point for us. While this may be down to a fault with the individual appliance, this was a first for us, having tested dozens of air purifiers for Live Science and other websites. We attempted to contact the manufacturer to gain comment on the fault, and test another unit, but received no response.
Prior to the unit shutting down, we were were able to evaluate how well it improved air quality on its lowest setting. We found that within 30 minutes the purOxygen P500 removed 75.9% of airborne particles measuring 0.3 microns and 75% of particles measuring 2.5 microns. Although this is fairly decent, the purifier was pretty noisy, even on the lowest setting, clocking in at around 44 decibels (dB). Unless you enjoy white noise at night, this may be too loud to using in a bedroom.
purOxygen P500: User reviews
The purOxygen P500 has received an impressive average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and a whopping three-quarters of satisfied customers have given it a perfect 5-star rating. Users absolutely love this air purifier, considering it great value for money and praising its powerful performance. The digital display, which counts down the pollutants as it cleans the air, has also garnered a lot of positive feedback.
One particular feature that users are raving about is the P500’s ability to eliminate pet odors. One customer shared their experience, saying, “I purchased this to tackle the smell from our pet rats, and boy, does it work! Within an hour and a half, it transformed the air quality from 500ppm (bad air quality) to 15ppm (excellent air quality).”
However, there are a few minor gripes. Some users criticize the dust purifier function, suggesting that the dust sensor may not be well-placed. One user mentions that they would appreciate the ability to adjust the fan speed in night mode. Others experience patchy performance when controlling the air purifier via the app.
Overall, the purOxygen P500 has garnered a strong following of satisfied customers with its impressive performance and value for money.
Should you buy the purOxygen P500
It isn’t possible for us to recommend the purOxygen P500 to purchase, given our testing problems. However, this air purifier has other positive reviews, so you may still consider buying one.
If the purOxygen P500 isn’t for you
If you’re searching for an air purifier that’s more stylish and compact, the Sensibo Pure is an affordable air purifier with a sleek, neutral design that fits into any home decor. Plus, it impressed us with its performance in our at-home testing.
Another option is the Levoit H132, which boasts a compact and simple design. Standing just over 12 inches tall, it features an H13 True HEPA filtration system, three timer settings, and a dimmable night light, providing comprehensive air purification.
If you’re looking for a straightforward air purifier without fancy extras or the need for smart app connectivity, the Coway AP-1512HH could be the perfect fit. It offers effective air purification without any bells and whistles. One standout feature is the Eco mode, which automatically adjusts the purifier’s power based on the level of air pollution, saving you energy and money.
