your best lockdown life Upvoted Air purifiers

UPVOTED

 e ionising ingester LightAir CellFlow Mini  is portable purifi er is discreet enough to pop on a shelf next to your ‘Batman on the toilet’ themed action fi gure collection… and, while it won’t bring poor Brucie’s parents back, it uses ionisation to suck the tiniest pollutants out of the air with near-silent effi ciency. R2 800 / lightair.com  e whiff whisperer Blueair Blue Pure 411 Good for spaces up to 15m ² , the 411 activates every 12 minutes and a 360 ° air intake means you can stick it wherever you please.  e option to switch its fabric wrapper – also a pre-fi lter – means there’s a hue to suit every room, and at just 17dB it’s whisper-quiet. R4 260 / importitall.co.za  e soothing snoozer

AIR PURIFIERS Solitary social distancing fi lter claims to remove up to 99 % of airborne allergens.

R6 000 (import) / vax.co.uk 1 Get a HEPA grinder In the world of air purification, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) is the benchmark. A true HEPA filter removes at least 99.95 % of tiny particles from the air. Levoit Vista When is a purifi er not a purifi er? When it’s also a nightlight. Tap the top of Levoit’s cleansing tube and it glows a soothing shade to help you nod off . Naturally it takes care of purifi cation too, with assorted fi lters, fan speed settings and timers to deliver clean air on demand.

 e house hooverer Vax Pure Air 300 Capable of fi ltering spaces up to 120m ² , this tower is fi t for a wannabe fresh prince of swell air. Installed in your palatial pad, the cylinder can process up to 428m ³ of air per hour (translation: a lot), while its 360 °

R2 000 (import) / levolt.com

sometimes smells. Stuff swapped out its collection of Glade air fresheners for a fi ltration system to cleanse the particles fl oating around its new home offi ces  e bug blaster Dyson Pure Advanced Purifi er Blowing hot and cold isn’t traditionally a positive trait, but Dyson’s bladeless blower changes that. No indecisive oscillator, it projects 290 litres of purifi ed air per second at your chosen temperature, while activated carbon fi lters aim to eliminate 99.95 % of pollutants.

 e sniffi ng sentry Philips Series 800 Protecting you from unexpected pollution, this fi lter has an auto-purifi cation sensor to detect even the smallest changes in air quality, cranking things up to tackle fresh dust you’d otherwise inhale. It claims to remove 99 % of bacteria, 99.5 % of nano-sized particles and 99.9 % of viruses. R3 200 / philips.com  e humid hero Boneco H300 It’s not quite Alpine air, but Boneco’s box is packed with Swiss-designed smarts to purify and humidify the air in your home. Set your ideal levels in the app, and the H300 senses relative moisture before automatically adjusting its evaporator to maintain your chosen level. R7 200 / boneco.com

Rtba / dyson.com  e eggy eradicator Bionaire Designer BAP600-060 An actual egg is unlikely to improve the air quality in your home, but Bionaire’s ovoid purifi er claims to remove 99 % of airborne particles –including smoke, pollen, dust and mould spores –from rooms up to 30m ² . It uses a long-life HEPA fi lter and features a built-in blue nightlight. R2 150 / bionaire.com

2 Filter your options All purifiers have an activated carbon filter to tackle bad smells and gassy pollutants. These need to be switched periodically, so check the cost of swaps.

UPVOTED

e pollution police Solenco CF8500 Air Purifi er When you want to clean all the air in a room, with a special focus on viruses (and we’ve all got that right now) then Solenco’s budget cleaner is the one to beat. Easy setup, noticeable diff erences in air quality and intuitive touch controls are the most notable features. R3 000 / solencosa.co.za

3 Rest in peace Clean breathing might be the dream, but your fantasies will vanish into thin air if your purifier sounds like a vacuum cleaner. For a sweet night’s sleep, pick a model that runs at 40dB or less. 4 Pick your spot Purifier placement is important. Most filter in full 360 °, so you can stick them in the centre of the room, but others work best by a wall. Consider your preferred positioning before buying.