IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus

Bottom line

The IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus gets rave reviews from experts and owners alike for its superior allergen-removal capabilities. Recent upgrades to the IQAir HealthPro models mean these units can remove particles even smaller in size than standard HEPA filters can handle. The Plus portion of this unit is the addition of a V5 filter for odor and chemical removal. Though this version is quieter, some reviewers say it still gets pretty loud on the highest setting.

Performance

Upgrades make a great product even better. Multiple reviews, both professional and owner-written, say the IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus is the best home air purifier for people with severe allergies or living in areas with serious air pollution. IQAir models use a HyperHEPA filter to capture particles tinier than a normal HEPA filter can -- down to 0.003 microns in size. IQAir is the educational partner for the American Lung Association and was used by the Hong Kong Hospital Authority during the 2003 SARS outbreak.

Ease of use

Advanced controls with presetting features. The IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus comes in sturdy packaging and is easy to set up. The package includes optional casters for moving the unit from place to place easily if needed. The IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus offers advanced controls that are intuitive to use, navigating the unit's six speed settings and other features. Editors at AllergyBuyersClub.com say, "While we did not see the need for the remote control, we were impressed with the ability to set the machine to go on and off at certain pre-designated times and fan speeds. The four key touch pad displays the programming timer status, filter life and status, and fan speed."

Noise

New Edition is quieter, thanks to upgrades. A few owners and experts say this air purifier can be loud when run on its highest setting. Most reviews, however, focus largely on the performance of this model, noting that noise is a small trade-off for the advanced filtration and particle-removal capabilities the IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus offers. Upgrades over the previous IQAir HealthPro Plus have made the New Edition version 32 percent quieter.

Cost of ownership

Multiple filters to replace. The IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus is expensive, and it has several filters that need to be replaced periodically: the prefilter (Est. $60) every six to 18 months, gas and odor filter (Est. $90) every one to two years and the HyperHEPA filter (Est. $190) every two to four years. A few reviews point out that because the filters are all on different replacement schedules, it does offset the cost of having to replace multiple filters simultaneously.