Blueair Blue Pure 411 vs 211+ | In-Depth Air Purifier Comparison

Choosing the correct air purifier for your home can be a long, but necessary process. Today I will be looking at Blueair`s 411 vs 211+ models, two very popular air purifiers on the market today, from a well-established brand.

My goal is to provide you with enough information so you can ultimately decide which one of these is a better fit for your situation. While the price point is quite different, each of these two air purifiers has its own optimal use. That being said, let us dive right in!

Blueair 411 vs 211+ : Product specifications

In the graph below, I have prepared e a side-to-side comparison of both air purifier models.

In terms of product specifications, both of these air purifiers are reasonable in size and do not weigh too much, with Blueair 211+ being bigger and quite a bit heavier of the two (due to components and material used). The design varies in shape and size. Still, both offer a lot of flexibility – you can put them pretty much anywhere without taking too much space. Since both of these air purifiers are from Blueair, they have pretty much the same certifications. There is 1 exception here – the Quiet Mark award, which was given only to 411, due to the very low noise levels (more on this later). As is the case with Blueair products, you get a 1-year warranty, with the possibility to extend this to 5 years, if you register your device with Blueair.

Overall, a very slight edge goes to Blueair 211+ as it offers a bit more portability/flexibility, due to its smaller size and weight. Other than that, you have two almost identical characteristics.

Blueair 411 vs 211+ : Features and effectiveness

This will be the main aspect of this comparison post. In addition to only giving you a list of differences and similarities, I will also provide you with explanations under each sub-category. I will also give my own experiences here and pick the winner in each category. My aim here is to give you as much insight as possible, so you have all the information you need.

Filtration system

Both models use the same main filtration system, which is called HEPASilent. You can think of this as a combination of electrostatic and mechanical filtration. This is not a certified true HEPA filter, but it still does match the air cleaning performance.

The advantage that HEPASilent technology has over traditional HEPA + carbon activated filters, is in the material used. HEPASilent filters are less dense and do not require as much air pressure, which results in a quieter and less energy-consuming device (yet equally as powerful!). This filtration system includes an ionizer, which can not be turned on/off separately, so keep that in mind.

Both 411 and 211 models come with a fabric pre-filter (washable), located on the outside. This is not a very “standard” setup, but it does offer a clear advantage – you can easily see when the filter needs to be washed and/or vacuumed. Going a bit back to HEPASilent, I also want to mention that the polypropylene fibers used are completely free of any chemicals and recyclable too! This is quite a unique aspect of Blueair purifiers, which I appreciate more and more every year.

Although using the same filtration system, Blueair 211+ does still have an edge over Blueair 411. The technology is exactly the same, but the small overall difference comes in the materials used. Blueair 211 uses higher quality material, giving the filters a slightly better efficiency at capturing airborne particles – 99,95% vs 99,50%. Might seem like a small difference, but those are the ones that count.

Room coverage

Blueair 411 is not a purifier meant for medium or large rooms. Let’s take a look at the CADR ratings first: 120 for dust, 105 for smoke, and 120 for pollen (cfm). These are exceptional numbers for this price point, and you will have a hard time finding any similarly-priced air purifier that comes close. Model 411 uses a very simple, yet effective fan that can change the air up to 5x in an hour (5 ACH)! This is an above-average number, which tells us that this air purifier is also a great option for anyone that has allergy problems. Despite all of these benefits, the small-sized fan does come with a downside – it is only effective for mall rooms of up to 161 square feet. Despite that, this is still better than many other popular air purifiers at this price point.

On the other hand, Blueair 211+ comes equipped with a larger and more powerful fan. It has the same number of air changes per hour (ACH) as 411 but comes with an impressive CADR rating of 350 cfm for dust, pollen, and smoke. A simple translation for this would be: you get an impressively high fan power, which enables the device to cover rooms of up to 540 square feet. Can be used in medium and large rooms without any issues. These numbers are all also AHAM verified, which means that it was officially tested and confirmed. Too many times we see other, less established brands, inflate CADR numbers as there is almost no way for the consumer to test those claims. This is where AHAM verified marks come into play.

In terms of room coverage, Blueair 211+ is the clear winner over 411, as you can use it in small, medium, and large-sized rooms. A very high CADR rating, massive fan power, and quality materials were used. Do not get me wrong, 411 is also great (it is made by Blueair after all), just limited due to the physical size of the fan.

Noise levels

Here is where things get interesting and where Blueair really shines amongst its competitors. I already mentioned that both Blueair blue pure 411 and 211+ use HEPASilent air cleaning technology. As the name already suggests, HEPASilent is indeed that – silent. It enables the reduction of noise to some really impressive numbers.

Blueair 411 has a noise range between 17 – 46 dB. Taking everything into account – the unique filtration system, impressive fan power (for such a small device), quality components…make these low noise numbers unbelievably impressive. You will not find a quieter air purifier with similar characteristics, period. Even on max fan speed, you can place this device in your living room and unless are a really light sleeper, it will not bother you at all. The lowest fan speed emits only 17 dB of noise, which is unheard of. A true gem when it comes to silent air purifiers.

Blueair 211+ has a noise range between 31 dB – 56 dB (decibels). The exact number depends on which of the 3 fan speeds you have selected. The higher the fan speed, the noisier it will be. I will give you a point of reference – any noise level above 45 dB is loud enough to possibly disrupt us while sleeping. This means that on maximum fan speed, 56 dB is noticeable, but still quite quieter than other air purifiers that have a similar fan power. Looking at the bigger picture – these noise levels are impressively low for such a powerful and huge fan. That being said, the low (and possibly medium) fan speed setting is still a great solution for using this air purifier in your bedroom, without having to worry if it will wake you up.

In terms of noise levels, Blueair 411 is the clear winner here. This incredible quietness can be attributed to HEPASilent technology and is more prominent in model 411, as it uses a smaller fan than Blueair 211+. Even the high fan speed is considered very quiet, making this the ultimate choice for your bedroom or study room.

Control panel

The control panel (or lack of it) of both Blueair 411 vs Blueair 211+ is a very unique aspect of the whole “Blue” air purifier family. It is made with one simple goal in mind – simplicity and ease of use. You get one button that controls the whole device: fan speed control and LED filter replacement indicator, that is it. This goes for both the 411 and 211 models, although the button does differ in style and placement.  Check out the picture below to see the difference in design and placement.

While this is a simple and straightforward approach, it does come with a few things that I do not like. There are no other settings that you would expect from an air purifier. There is no timer option, no ionizer on/off button (despite using one), no smart features, or any else, really. You can only control the fan speed by pressing the button the appropriate amount of time. Since Blueair 211+ is also at a higher price point, it would have been nice if it came with some smart features like an air quality sensor or automatic mode, like most of its competitors. Regardless, some people do prefer this simplistic type and that is exactly what both of these models can give you.

In terms of the control panel and settings, there is no clear winner. It all comes down to your personal taste, whether you prefer the button style and placement of Blueair 411 or Blueair 211+. Other than that, there are no differences or other settings that one model has, which the other one lacks. Sidenote: Bluepure does offer a variation of the base 411 models, called “Blue pure 411 auto” which does come with an auto mode and LED Air Quality Indicator.

Blueair 411 vs 211+: Conclusion

We have reached the end of this comparison and now it is time to pick our winner. We have two really great air purifiers for their respective price points. Both are made by Blueair and belong to the same “family” of air purifiers, which is why they have a lot of characteristics in common. The HEPASilent air cleaning technology is a breath of fresh air, which adds extra value to both of these devices in terms of lowering the overall noise and adding simplicity.

Overall, the winner here is Blueair Blue Pure 211+, without a doubt. It is very energy efficient, has a higher CADR rating, bigger and more powerful fan, and can be used in small, medium, and large rooms. It has everything you would want in a mid-tier air purifier, with the only exception being a lackluster control panel. The air-cleaning performance is great, the device is reasonably quiet and a great addition to any home. 5 ACH makes it suitable even for anyone that has major allergy problems, as it can completely clean the air every 12 minutes. A great long-term investment.

That being said, Blueair 411 still has its own niche use, where it excels. It is cheaper than Blueair 211+ (therefore more affordable) while sharing most of the same features like a filtration system and similar components. The smaller size and weight offer a bit more flexibility and overall portability of the device – you can bring it with you on vacation much easier, for example. Consider taking Blueair 411 over 211+ if you are looking for a more budget-friendly air purifier, that you plan to use for specifically small rooms only. The amazingly low noise range makes this a perfect fit for your bedroom or a smaller study room, as you can leave it on at maximum fan speed for the best performance.

You can check the latest price and availability of Blueair 211+ here:

You can check the latest price and availability of Blueair 411 here: