Air Pura C600 Air Purifier

It seems that each week, more research is published that shows the link between chemicals or air pollution and negative health effects. A quick search will yield scores of research papers showing a link between vehicle emissions and asthma, but with chemicals and their vapors so pervasive, many people are left wondering how to even begin removing them. This is where the AirPura C600 and C600DLX air purifiers excel. With a thick bed of activated carbon, these air purifier specifically tackle the VOCs, smoke, odors and chemical vapors that cause problems for people coping with asthma, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, COPD, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory problems. What other features make these units ideal for these pollutants, and how do they compare to AirPura and other air purifiers?

What I like about the AirPura C600  Air Purifier

Before we begin, let's go over the differences between the standard C600 air purifier and the C600DLX model. From features to functionality, these two machines are nearly identical. The key difference lies in the carbon filter and more specifically, what's in each carbon filter. The standard AirPura C600 uses their standard activated carbon, derived from a coconut shell base. The C600DLX uses this same carbon but blended. Compared to other air purifier brands, this specific carbon filter is very similar to the VOCARB filter (from AllerAir). The blend broadens the filtration range of the carbon, allowing for better adsorption and oxidization of a greater number of chemical pollutants. So, the amount of carbon is the same but blend of carbon is different. This difference makes the C600DLX better suited for a wider range of applications. While in most homes, the C600 will do just fine, the C600DLX will perform better in nail salons, smoky bars, or in spaces where industrial solvents are used.

For the appropriate task, the C600 or the C600DLX is hard to beat. So what is the appropriate task? Removing tobacco smoke, fumes from cooking and cleaning, pet odors, exhaust emissions, chemical vapors in nail salons, odors from newly finished floors or freshly painted walls, and off gassing from things like new furniture - in short, chemical and smoke abatement. From having a smoker in the home to removing odors from a home renovation project to use in commercial nail salons, restaurants, bars, and other settings with high concentrations of chemicals, VOCs, industrial solvents, and smoke, the AirPura C600 air purifier can remove a wide variety of the pollutants that traditional HEPA filtration will miss. It accomplishes this with three things, a powerful motor, efficient airflow, and an extra thick activated carbon filter.

The powerful motor and superior airflow are a unique combination to AirPura. Other air purifiers can and do have powerful motors, but no other has the simplistic yet highly efficient internal design of the AirPura. Not only does the motor produce powerful airflow but the design allows air to move, largely unobstructed, through the machine. So unlike comparable models, a greater volume of air actually moves completely through the machine. This is why you will see the coverage area of AirPura air purifier outpace Austin, AllerAir, IQAir and other top brands.

The carbon filter is three inches thick and contains a full 26 pounds of activated carbon. This thicker filter provides the needed dwell time for pollutants in the air to bind with carbon. This high amount of carbon also means you can use the C600 longer before needing to change the filter, an average of two years (depending on your specific conditions of use). Over the course of its lifestrong, this filter can trap up to 60% of its weight in chemical, smoke and vapors. That would be like removing nearly 16 pounds of contaminants from the air you are breathing every day. Since all AirPura carbon filters start with a coconut shell base, each is well suited for use by even the most sensitive people. Lastly, each carbon filter has a Micro-Suppress filter on each side. These serve a few purposes. First, they keep the carbon contained, so there is no dust or granules that can escape the filter. Second, they act as an additional layer of particle filtration, and lastly, they keep the carbon filter cleaner and free of microbes and mold spores that could proliferate on the filter media.

The AirPura C600 is also very quiet. On its lowest setting, it is quiet enough for use classrooms, bedrooms, and even libraries. The noise produced is less than almost any other air purifier available. This low noise level is ideal for light sleepers.

While the C600 does not offer full HEPA filtration, it does offer three stages of particle filtration that remove most of the visible and ultra fine particulate in the air. The large particle prefilter traps visible particles while the two layers of Micro-Suppress filter media tackles microscopic particles. Lastly, a HEPA Barrier filter targets the very fine particle allergens. For chemical, vapor, smoke and odor filtration, the removal of large and microscopic particles is essentially an added bonus.

The separate filters mean greater efficiency and savings. With combination filters, the carbon can often stop working (adsorbs as much gases, vapors and smoke as it can hold) long before the HEPA filter needs to be replaced. So you have a dilemma, forego smoke/odor/chemical filtration and continue to the filter until the HEPA media needs to be replaced as well OR spend more money and replace the entire filter and not get as much use out of the HEPA filter as you could have. The AirPura C600 eliminates this problem. After a year, replace the HEPA Barrier and prefilter. Then, after two years, replace all three (HEPA Barrier, prefilter and carbon filter).

Finally, the Air Pura C600 is a very simple machine to use and maintain. Set the desired fan speed, and you're basically done! As for maintenance, once every few months, vacuum the outside of the grille to remove any large debris that may be collecting. This is common amongst most air purifiers and does not require you to take anything apart. After one year, remove the four screws in the base and replace the prefilter and HEPA barrier filter, and at year two, replace these two filters and the carbon filters. The carbon filter life can vary some depending on use, including how frequently as well as what type of environment you use it in (think smoky bar or nail salon vs. bedroom or office).

What I do not like about the AirPura C600 Air Purifier

The lack of a true HEPA filter is easily the biggest drawback with this unit. When you consider what the C600 was designed for, the HEPA filter is somewhat less important. The HEPA Barrier will does a respectable job in lieu of a true HEPA filter, and in reality, there simply isn't enough room inside the C600 to fit a three inch carbon filter in addition to a two inch HEPA filter. If particle pollutants and allergens are the primary concern (with vapors, smoke and VOCs secondary), then the AirPura R600 or P600 are likely better options. While neither will filter vapors/smoke/VOCs as well, both will filter particles better.

For the removal of smoke, chemical vapors, odors, fragrances and VOCs, there are few better choices than the AirPura C600 air purifier, and for the broadest filtration range of VOCs, the C600DLX is that extra bit of filtration needed for particularly heavy chemical abatement. The thick carbon filter provides comprehensive filtration of these pollutants and usually gives you a full two years of service before needing to be replaced. While the particle filtration of C600 is not as good as HEPA, it will remove many of the common particle allergens that can cause sneezing, congestion, coughing and wheezing. Like other AirPura models, the C600 is solidly built machine that is amongst the absolute easiest to use. There is really only one other major brand that even compares to it when it comes to noise level, and warranty is on par with the best in the industry. For smoke, odor, and chemical abatement, the Air Pura C600 is a very solid choice.