The Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier Pro H is a big air purifier. It will clean 600m3/hr of particulate matter and 220m3/hr for toxic gases. And at the special price of $459, it is close to unbeatable.
Xiaomi is better known for its smartphones, where it has been a global top-5 player for some time. The brand is gaining a strong foothold in Australia via Panmi as its authorised Australian distributor. It will range an all-out assault on the Australian market with its premium and value range of 5G phones. It also makes routers, smart devices, and so much more.
Panmi also distributes Viomi (a Xiaomi ecosystem partner), Segway electric mobility devices, Ninebot electric scooters. Yeelight smart LED, Aqara smart home, Black Shark gaming, HIMO electric bikes, imilab security cameras, and ZMI mobile power accessories.
Review: Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier Pro H
- Website here
- Price: Normally $599.95 but on special for $459 plus local shipping
- Warranty: 12 months ACL
- Elevator Pitch: efficiently purifies large areas and has an optional added value control app
- Filter: Replacement: $129.95 and good for at least a year of continuous operation
- Country of Manufacture – China
What is a purifier, and what to look for?
Most true air purifiers use a mix of filters – pre-filter (for larger visible particles or <PM10), HEPA (High-efficiency particulate air for micron-sized <PM2.5) and activated carbon (for noxious gas absorption). Some add UV and other sterilising light. Others have OLED screens and apps for remote use and monitoring.
Currently, no filter traps more than 99.X% of everything. We are extremely suspicious of any filter that claims it traps and kills COVID or a similar virus because they don’t.
Filters generally quote a CADR (clean air delivery rate in m3/minute or hour). For example, a typical bedroom 3x3x2.8m (about 25m3) has 25,000 litres of air to clean. If you can close the windows and doors, CADR is not such an issue as once purified; it remains that way until more ‘dirty air’ enters the room.
The higher the CADR rating, the more air it cleans and the more suited it is for larger open space designs that Aussies love.
First impression – big and quietly elegant
This is a largish unit – 738 x 310mm (a square with rounded edges) weighing in at 9.6kg. It is an interesting design in that it uses a cylindrical filter for 360° filtration explaining how it achieves a much higher CADR (clean air delivery rate) per m3.
It can go almost anywhere – there are input vents (holes) on three sides and a flat back.
The OLED touch screen is a nice addition, and the Mi Home app (not mandatory for use) gives nerds something else to monitor. It is extremely accurate – on a par with the Dyson data (and we all trust Sir James Dyson’s precision).
It is very easy to use. Plug it in and press on for automatic use. Or download the Mi Home app for Android or iOS and link to your Wi-Fi and smartphone.
Privacy
The air purifier’s only data is telemetry from its air quality sensor and laser sensor for particulate matter, humidity, temperature, and hours of use.
The Mi Home app collects user information at sign-up, but it is not intrusive. Note that it only requests the permissions it needs to make the appliance work. It does not access contacts, phone records, calendar, logs etc.
Xiaomi’s mi Home app has hundreds of millions of installs, and it is constantly evolving. It covers almost every imaginable smart device. The app had stability issues, and I have noticed it is far more reliable. Frankly, it has a fair way to reach perfection as it covers so many types of devices.
We suggest carefully reading the Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions that you must agree to before using any product.
CADR – clean air delivery rate
This can filter 600m3/hr or 10m3/minute – that is one of the highest rates of any we have tested. Of course, that is at a maximum fan speed of three. Auto is the best setting as it adjusts speed to the air quality. The night mode is whisper quiet.
Note that Xiaomi base its CADR figures on 200m2/hr or an area of 15m x 15m. This, in effect, means a 3x air turnover per hour – an excellent ratio as most only quote 1 to 1.5x turnover.
Noise
- Night mode <30dB
- Auto varies from <30 to 48
- Fan 1/2/3 42/48/53dB
(Note Xiaomi quotes dBA that is different from my test 1m away from the device’s front).
Filter Efficiency
The filter is an ultra-large single unit comprising an outer pre-filter (vacuum cleanable), HEPA filter and inner activated charcoal core. Cleaning down to PM 2.5 is fairly standard, e.g., 99.97% efficiency. Any bacteria, pollen, gasses etc., is trapped in the filter.
It should last 10-14 months of continuous use or about 4000 hours of casual use.
The replacement reminder comes from a timer in the unit. It is more of a guide.
The filter cost is $129.95 from Xiaomi. It may seem expensive, but it is well-priced compared to others of a similar capacity.
Voice control
The mi Home app can be voice-controlled. We did not test this, but we expect it has limited functions like turn on/off or adjust fan speeds.
Airflow
Air is sucked in three sides and out through the top. It is not a fan unit like a Dyson.
Indicators – controls
Highly intuitive OLED touch screen and an app adds a couple of extra features, including
- Schedule and timer
- Parental controls (this locks the device so kids cannot change it)
The OELD screen and app shows PM levels, temperature and humidity.
Safety – PASS
The unit weighs 9.6kg and has no lifting handles. It should not be an effort to move it. It has sliders rather than castors, so be careful on polished timber or shag carpet surfaces.
We exerted a 20kg weight on one side, and it is stable – it should support 20kg child leaning on it.
Power
On Auto, it consumers about 4-5W per hour. On fan ‘3’ it is 15W. Power consumption is negligible. It would take 200 hours to use about 30 cents of power.
GadgetGuy’s take
Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier Pro H is a great piece of low-or-high-tech equipment.
Out of the box, it is a low-tech device. Plug it in and run it. The app is not mandatory, and frankly, most will not use it or miss it.
It is easy to use, and during the month-long test, there was a noticeable build-up of residue on the pre-filter. I am a severe hay fever sufferer, and I noticed the difference.
Build quality is excellent.
The outstanding feature is the very high CADR rate.
It is one of the better air purifiers we have tested and earns a high recommendation.
Rating
It is almost perfect whether you use the app or not. It has outstanding value and receives our buy recommendation.
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