Review – ALEN BreatheSmart 45i & 75i True HEPA Air Purifiers

People with sensitive lungs and allergies have long had a secret weapon to help them breathe easier at home or in the office: air purifiers. Early models were simple and were basically fans with a filter. Some had electrostatic elements to increase the ability to disrupt bacteria and viruses but for the most part, they weren’t very “smart.” Fortunately, technology has advanced the common air purifier to new levels of comfort, ease of use, and filtering ability. 

If you feel like there is “something in the air” this time of year, it might not be your imagination! In addition to the springtime magic swirling about, there are many irritants and allergens lurking in the air we breathe in our homes and offices, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are emitted by many common household products – including paints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, and even furnishings. These can cause headaches, cough, nose and throat irritation, and even more serious symptoms. Now is the time to treat yourself by purifying the air in your living or working spaces with Alen BreatheSmart True HEPA air purifiers.

BreatheSmart 75i operates with a True HEPA (H13) purifier. The medical-grade filters capture up to 99.99%of harmful particles as small as 0.1 microns including mold and other harmful airborne particles. The 75i model is ideal for large spaces up to 1300 square feet, such as living rooms, master bedrooms, or apartments. For smaller areas up to 800 square feet, the best-selling BreatheSmart 45i will do the job, and also has a True HEPA filter. 

We tested both the 75i and 45i models, and found that they quickly made a noticeable improvement. MaceditionRadio’s founder and publisher Harris Fogel has long had allergy issues, and as much as he loves his feline family members, his eyes tend to get a bit red after a long day at home with them. After installing the smaller 45i model in his office, he noticed a definite improvement. We used the 75i downstairs in our dining room, where I do a lot of writing and which gets its fair share of cat fur, despite vacuuming with a Omni Power UV+ Cordless Vacuum from Raycop with UV-C capability. That model is among the finest HEPA-level vacuums on the market, and among the few with a UV-C light in the base, offering serious cleaning and sanitizing capability.

Even with daily vacuuming, the difference when using the Alen 45i and 75i was noticeable. One way to quickly judge the effectiveness of the unit is to check out the pre-filter which is designed to grab dust and larger particles such as cat fur and dander. We found that after a week or so, it was quite full so we needed to take it outside and blow it clean, a testament to how much dust it was picking up before filtration from the more serious filter elements.

Just how smart are the Alen air purifiers? When the BreatheSmart units sense and rate particle levels, their advanced particle sensor technology allows you to see the status of the air quality in five bright LED colors. The soothing “Whisper Quiet” pink noise is tuned to help induce sleep when used in a sleeping area. Alen recommends that the filter be changed every six to twelve months. They also offer a filter subscription which saves a bit of money and ensures you’ll have a new filter on hand right when you need one. It was a bit of a parlor game to watch the LEDs change color, such as when our cats came to visit and when they left the room – immediate visual indicators of the almost invisible souvenirs our furry felines leave in every room they visit.

Alen stands behind its air purifiers; in fact, they provide the “Forever Guarantee,” which means they will support your purchase with lifetime peace of mind. A further vote of confidence comes from the Recommended ratinggiven by Consumer Reports.

The only tough thing about using the Alen air purifier is deciding on which model to purchase, and how many. For example, we really needed two for the downstairs area – a 75i unit in the TV/Audio room, another 75i in the formal dining room. We also needed another upstairs in the master bedroom. We ended up carting the units around, depending on where we were spending the most time, which is easy to do as they are very portable.

We would suggest that one for each occupied bedroom in your house plus one in your home office will work best. Ideally, most household users would be best off with a total of three Alen units: a large one for the primary living or working spaces, another for the primary bedroom, and a third for the office. In addition, these air purifiers work very well in commercial spaces where pets are not traditionally common, with the exception of veterinarians’ offices and the set of “We Bought a Zoo.”

If you have a family member with asthma or allergy issues, then perhaps prioritize that room first. One other feature we liked is that the air seemed fresher, without spraying chemical deodorants or disinfectants into the air. They are aesthetically pleasing, stylish units with a gentle curved white face so they almost blend into the room (and are also available in a variety of finishes including warm natural oak and the more industrial brushed stainless. An unexpected use proved their worth last fall during Hanukkah, when the smell of oil and latkes can last far longer than eight crazy nights! We set one up near the kitchen for the first time, we noticed the house didn’t have that funky used oil smell – a blessing unto itself that we will repeat for the 2022 holidays.

The Alen BreatheSmart 45i & 75i True HEPA Air Purifiers come highly recommended, and the most difficult decision isn’t whether or not you should purchase one, but how many.

Nancy Burlan with Harris Fogel, Posted 4/15/2022 (originally posted 12/11/2021, but lost to the Gods of Drupal)

For more information on the Alen BreatheSmart True HEPA 45i & 75i Air Purifiers visit: https://alen.com

For more information on the Raycop UV-C line of HEPA vacuums visit: https://raycop.com