expert evaluation
Strong Points
- Solid performance for the price
- Easy and streamlined setup
- Plenty of in-app options
Cons
- Minimal onboard controls, not including actual manual mode
- No countdown timer, no logs
- Uses proprietary air filters instead of HEPA
our verdict
This is primarily a general purpose purifier designed for small spaces, but its smart features work well and it’s priced well to take on the go.
Price at time of review
$79.99
Today’s best price: Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Compact
$79.99
I’m sure you’ve seen this product before.It’s a compact, no-frills water filter that’s easy to move wherever you need it. So what’s the difference?
Xiaomi makes a range of large air purifier products with this member of its compact line designed for smaller spaces. The cylindrical, all-white device is just 14 inches tall, 9 inches wide, and weighs just under 5 pounds. The cylindrical filter (which slides in from the bottom of the water purifier) isn’t his HEPA filter, but a proprietary one made from “meltblown PP fibers using electrostatic technology” instead of the regular fiberglass used in HEPA designs. ‘s filter.
This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth article on the best smart air purifiers..
Like us, you’re probably so familiar with HEPA air filters that you wonder why Xiaomi had to come up with their own standard.
Christopher Null/Foundry
Xiaomi says its filters are better than HEPA and I’m not sure if that claim can be easily verified but the specs Xiaomi says are similar to a HEPA based water purifier with similar capabilities Specifically, the company claims a CADR (clean air delivery rate) of 135 cubic feet per minute for particulates (no further breakdown) and a maximum coverage of 516 square feet. It boasts an area. Considering the small size of the device, this is an impressive CADR.
Operation is very simple, air is drawn in through the base and released upwards through the top. The control panel is mounted in the center of the top panel and has three basic functions: power, dimming buttons, and buttons to toggle between auto, sleep and manual modes. You cannot change the manual mode power on the device itself. For this you have to use the Mi Home mobile app. The app allows you to adjust the fan speed to your liking using a slider. The button on the hardware itself simply selects the latest speed you chose within the app.
The top of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Compact has a simple set of touch controls.
Christopher Null/Foundry
The water purifier hardware also includes one additional feature. A color-coded air quality indicator that can display one of four levels of PM2.5 concentration ranging from green (best, below 35 ppm) to red (worst, above 150 ppm). Filter life is 6-12 months. The replacement cost has not yet been announced.
Connecting your Xiaomi water purifier to your home network is easy. The Mi Home app automatically detects your device via Bluetooth and quickly bridges it to your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. As mentioned above, the app offers finer-grained manual control, as well as a collection of additional features such as child locks, simple scheduling features, and more complex “smart scenes” features that can be set up for multi-device automation. To do. If you have multiple compatible devices.
With the app of Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Compact, you can easily integrate it into your typical smart home environment.
Christopher Null/Foundry
With this IFTTT-like system, you can link your equipment however you like. For example, turn on the light when the water filter is running. You can also schedule automations, but the standard scheduling options are sufficient for most people. Curiously, the app has no countdown timer and no long-term logging capabilities. However, you can connect your device to Alexa or Google Home for further fine-tuning.
At full speed, the Xiaomi water purifier makes a loud noise, but it’s not deafening at all, and at half power or less, it’s barely noticeable. Even better, with a street price of around $100, this is one of the most affordable water filters on the market, especially one with smart features. I can’t comment on how effective the proprietary filter is compared to a true HEPA filter, but at least it appears to be effective and its specs are impressive. That claim is always a bit fishy, but there’s no reason to believe that this device doesn’t perform as well as at least one.
