Xiaomi is a global brand famous for making high-quality smartphones, televisions, headphones, smart devices, and appliances.
Xiaomi has recently expanded its range of smart devices to include several new products – including the second generation of its smart air purifier.
In this review, we’re going to analyze:
design, build quality, performance, and price/value of Xiaomi’s Air Purifier 2H. telling you if this device is all hype or a deal you won’t want to miss.
Design
Our Rating: 9/10
The Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H is 40% smaller and lighter than the first-generation model (released several years ago). The new device is more compact and smart, measuring 11.4 x 22.8 x 11.4 inches and weighing just 11.02 pounds.
The Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H has a minimalistic and boxy design. It looks sleek and will fit nicely into any room in your home without appearing out of place.
On the front, the unit includes three small lights to show which mode is active. This faces the room while the back conceals a large door that leads to the filter.
You won’t find many buttons on the unit. In fact, there’s only two: one button on top to switch between modes, plus another button on the back that dims the lights.
The Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H uses a 360-degree triple-layer filter consisting of a primary filter, ultra-dense EPA filter, and an activated carbon filter.
The 360-degree design allows it to draw and purify the air from all directions. The dirty-air inlets are located at the lower half of the unit on all four sides. The top part features a fan to blow clean and fresh air around the room.
Build Quality
Our rating: 8/10
The Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H has a high build quality when compared to other air purifiers. While you won’t find any expensive brushed aluminum anywhere on the unit, you will find a secure, all-plastic exterior that is sleek and subtle.
The parts used in this air purifier are sourced from world-class suppliers. For instance, the brushless motor for the fan is supplied by Nidec, the market leader in brushless DC motors.
It’s the same story for the plastics, switches, terminals, temperature and humidity sensors, screws, and filters. These parts give the unit an extended life, as they are built to last several years at least.
Performance
Our Rating: 9/10
The CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) rating for the Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H is 310 M3/hour ( nearly 11,000 cubic feet/hour or 177 cubic feet/minute). This is an excellent rating for a unit of this size (especially for the price).
Now, let’s have a better look at the device’s three-layered filter.
PET primary filter: This filter is made with PET (polyethylene terephthalate). It traps larger particles such as hair and dust.
Ultra-dense EPA filter: This filter will trap PM10 and PM2.5 particles. PM stands for Particulate Matter, and the numbers “2.5” and “10” refer to the micrometer size of the dust particles. By this logic, this filter traps any particles small enough to enter the alveoli in your lungs.
Activated carbon filter: This filter traps VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and bad odor from cooking, cigarettes, mold, new paint, or pets. The Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H uses activated carbon in this filter, as it absorbs VOCs very effectively.
To understand more about VOCs and their adverse effects on your health, watch this video:
Next, let’s look at the Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H’s features. The model includes three modes of operation: auto, sleep, and favorites.
- The auto mode changes the fan’s speed according to how polluted the air in the room is.
- The sleep reduces the noise from the unit for sleeping, ensuring that it remains below 30 decibels (about the amount of noise emitted from whispering).
- The favorites mode allows you to adjust the fan speed at your own leisure.
Next, let’s look at the unit’s air circulation. According to Xiaomi, this air purifier can thoroughly circulate the air in a 226 square feet (21 square meters) room in just 10 minutes.
In a 300 square foot room, air will circulate in just 15 minutes. According to research by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), this perfectly suits most master bedrooms and living rooms, which have an average of 309 square feet and 330 square feet, respectively.
Finally, let’s talk about the Xiaomi app. Xiaomi doesn’t call this device an intelligent air purifier for nothing. The app is both informative and functional. It runs through Wi-Fi and works with your iPhones or Android devices.
- The Mi Home App tells you the PM2.5 concentration in the air, humidity, temperature, running, time, the amount of clean air delivered, and also the condition of the unit’s filter. The App also allows you to start/stop the cleaner and change between modes remotely.
Pairing the device with your smartphone is a painless process, though there are few instructions provided by the manual.
After you download and install the app, just press the button on the back of the air purifier for a couple of seconds until the light blinks, open the app, pair over Wi-Fi, and you’re done.
Tip: If you want to bring your Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H unit to its fullest potential, don’t tuck it in a corner. Put it at least three feet from the walls or just place it on an elevated surface like a coffee table, as this will maximize the unit’s 360-degree filter advantage.
Price / Value
Our Rating: 8/10
This unit uses 31 Watts of electricity when you run it at full speed. This is significantly better than other units, meaning it won’t drive your electricity costs up dramatically.
Like other air purifiers with removable filters, you will need to change the filter on this unit. The filter is good for 4 to 6 months, depending on how bad the air in your home is—the replacement filter costs around $US30.
While this may be expensive, you can extend the filter’s lifetime by regularly vacuuming your home and cleaning the air filter manually. While you’re at it, filter the vents, interior walls, and fan blades, too – as this will increase the lifespan of the device.
Overall, this unit is an excellent investment, as it uses little electricity, requires only twice-yearly maintenance, and will last upwards of five years.
Conclusion
If you are hunting for an air purifier that can cut the PM2.5, PM10, and VOC level in your home, the Xiaomi unit is a fantastic choice.
While Xiaomi isn’t usually the first brand people think of when they think “air purifier,” the Xiaomi Air Purifier 2H is nothing to smirk at. The unit is solid, cost-effective, and incredibly intelligent – making it a great buy.
Overall, we give this unit a solid 9/10. It’s well worth your money.
Karie is a science-obsessed writer with a sensitive nose. She has been using air purifiers for many years, and uses them obsessively to keep her home dust-free. She is passionate about helping people find the right air purifier for them.