Molecule air purifier review- Worth buying?


Diving deep into the world of air purification, one can only be left in a state of wonderment and confusion. After much debate between avid supporters and pessimistic naysayers alike, we decided to test out Molekule Air – an older model from this celebrated brand that has caused quite the stir online.

With our review below revealing what exactly makes it stand out amongst competitors, there’s no question why some are divided around its efficacy!

Molekule Air is an advanced air purifier designed to create clean, healthy air in large spaces up to 600 sq. ft., boasting a substantial physical design with its heavy-gauge aluminum cladding. Unlike other systems that rely on HEPA filtration, Molekule utilizes its patented PECO technology for superior cleaning performance – proving itself as the best of the best when it comes to giving your home or office space fresh and pristine surroundings.

air purifier Summary

Molecule air purifier

★★★★★

Features

  • Color: Silver
  • Product Dimensions: 8.25″D x 8.25″W x 32″H
  • Item Weight: ‎24.8Pounds
  • Control Method: App
  • Wattage: Ac/dc

Short Summary of The Molekule Air!

  • Perfect for larger areas, Molekule Air is designed to purify up to 600 square feet of space.
  • Boasting patented PECO technology and a pre-filter, this air purifier will provide your home with unprecedented filtration!
  • With its luxurious design and superior construction, the Molekule Air is sure to add a splash of style to any room in your house.
  • Unfortunately, the cost of this device and its upkeep may be prohibitive for many prospective buyers.
  • limited warranty of 2 years.

Specifications

Manufacturer Xiaomi
Model Mi
Dimensions 9.5 x 9.5 x 20.5 inches (24 x 24 x 52 cm)
DimensionsPre-filter, True HEPA and Active Carbon Filter
Filters6-12 months (150 days)
Filter Longevity6-12 months (150 days)
Coverage484 sq. ft. (45 m2)
Power Consumption38W
Warranty12-month

Features

Automatic Mode

Despite its namesake, Molekule Air’s “Auto Mode” is anything but not automatic. It may seem counterintuitive to have an ‘auto’ mode when there are no sensors present that can detect the quality of air and respond accordingly; however, this feature provides some surprising benefits for users.

Molekule Air Smart App

The Molekule is sold as the must-have, 21st-century air purifier and is connected with a smart app. However, many consumers have found this to be far from true in their experiences; reviews for both Android and iOS stores are uniformly abysmal.

To make matters worse – despite rigorous testing on multiple devices – I too was unable to establish any kind of connectivity between my unit and its supposed companion system. It appears that many others find themselves in applications like mine: struggling against an incompatibility glitch that renders the whole experience utterly futile!

Filter Status

Molekule provides convenience by tracking the filter replacement time, visible on both its app and touchscreen. The duration of each pre-filter and PECO filter is shown independently since they have different lifespans – making it effortless for users to change their filters!

Although the Molekule Air appears to have fewer features than other models in the series, such as being automated and automatically resetting after a filter replacement on the Air Pro, Air Mini, and Mini+ – it still has many advantages. It does not require manual resetting of the filter life indicator when replacing filters which makes for an easier experience overall.

Dark Mode

From my understanding, when the dark mode is activated on Molekule PECO technology, the air will only be filtered through a pre-filter that does not provide adequate filtration. Consequently, this feature has no function whatsoever.

After testing the feature and putting it on dark mode in a 320 sq. ft. room, I left the unit to run in boost mode for 30 minutes; however, it was not an impressive outcome as Molekule only reduced Air Quality Index (AQI) from 54 to 22 by about 59%.

Design and Size

When I unwrapped Molekule Air, my immediate reaction was one of admiration. The high-quality packaging and aluminum casing undeniably made an impressive first impression on me!

Gleaming in silver aluminum, the device’s surface is covered entirely with a casing. On its crown rest both an engaging touch panel and air outlets constructed of plastic.

The design team at Molekule has crafted the carrying handle with a vegan leather finish, blending it into their aesthetic seamlessly. Not to be overlooked: as handy as this piece is for portability, keep in mind that this air purifier carries some weight!

Touch Panel

The extraordinary Molekule Air is outfitted with a singular touch panel that sits atop the device. Responsive to even light touches, this rotating circle provides effortless control over your air purification needs.

I’m not a fan of this touch panel because it’s too small and doesn’t recognize my finger movements. I often get frustrated when instead of swiping to another display device, I accidentally press a button due to the panel’s limited responsiveness.

All the necessary options are readily available on the touch panel. The first screen displays a menu for choosing either Silent, Auto, or Boost mode. With just one more click, you’ll have access to Dark Mode and Power buttons; flipping through again will get you to an indicator of your current filter wear status.

Size and Dimensions

I was astonished by the build quality, appearance, and weight of the Molekule air purifier. Weighing in at 18 lbs with a size of 8.25 x 8.25 x 23 inches, I didn’t expect it to be so light!

Room Coverage

After conducting numerous tests, it’s been determined that the Molekule Air purifier best performs in smaller spaces of up to 300 sq. ft., although its design is meant for rooms as large as 600 sq. ft. For optimal results and a cleaner environment, take advantage of this powerful machine in more intimate settings!

Filters

PECO Filter

PECO stands for photoelectron chemical oxidation. 

For decades, PCO technology has been used in industry to clean contaminated air or water. However, the process was limited in its effectiveness as it sometimes created other harmful gases during filtration. PECO is a boosted version of this same technology – using UV light to break pollutants on a molecular level with increased safety and efficacy for removing airborne particles (including nasty kitchen odor). It’s an advancement that could help us keep our homes cleaner than ever before!

Pre-filter

Pre-filter is nothing special; it is a simple MERV-12 pre-filter that we used to see in other brands. The main job of the pre-filter is to capture large particles, VOCs, dust, and other pollution before air hits the PECO filter.

Noise Test

The Molekule Air offers three fan speeds: quiet, boost, and automatic modes. Though the volume of the machine is bearable in quiet mode, efficiency is low; however, turning up to maximum speed -boost- not only increases sound levels but also surpasses many other air purifiers on power output.

With a noise level at 67.4 dBA, while operating in boost mode, it may be too loud for some users’ preferences yet remains one of the strongest performers tested today when considering both sound levels and airflow rate.

Speed Value (dBA)

Silent Mode 42.0 dBA

Auto Mode (ranges) 42.9 – 48.8 dBA

Boost Mode 67.4 dBA

Performance

Molekule Air is designed to purify the air in large rooms, up to 600 square feet with a CFM of 100. However, you can even customize the optimal environment for your unit at start-up by selecting one of three options: less than 200 sq ft; 200 sq ft – 400sqft; and more than 400sqft. So no matter what size room you have, Molekule Air will get the job done!

320 sq. ft. Room Test

To test the effectiveness of Molekule Air, I checked a 320 sq. ft. room and observed its current air quality before and after placing the device in it.

I keep the Molekule in boost mode for a full hour and then assess to see if there has been any improvement in air quality.

Molekule Air drastically improved the air quality by 88%, reducing AQI from 131 to 16. Though I wish that it had performed better, especially due to this space being nearly two times smaller than the recommended size, these results are still very impressive.

power consumption

I am left wanting more by the Molekule Air’s 80W motor, as it offers a degree of power that is common to air purifiers with greater airflow. Unfortunately, this motor does not seem to be optimized for maximum performance in the Molekule unit.

Remarkably, the power consumed by ultraviolet light in PECO filtration is only 13.3W!

When in standby mode, Molekule uses approximately 1.2W of electricity; at maximum speed it consumes 69.3W. Running the device on full power for 24 hours a day over one month will cost only about $6 in electricity!

Conclusion

The Molekule air purifier has been met with a variety of reactions among consumers, but I can confidently say that the product’s high-quality design and construction are impressive. Despite my enthusiasm after testing it out initially, there were many shortcomings in performance that couldn’t be overlooked; overall concluding that improvements are necessary for this device to truly excel as an exceptional home appliance.

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Author
Sreeram

The author is an Air purifier expert with overall knowledge of air and ionizers.