IQAir Health Pro 250 Air Review-Still worth it in 2021?

Where to buy for those in the UK? 

IQAir HealthPro 250 Air Purifier

IQAir produces three different air purifiers: 

• Pre Max Filter: This is a large particle pre filter. The intention is the larger particles will saturate that part of the filter instead of the other two. 
• Gas and Odour filter (V5 Cell): The V5 cell contains about 5 pounds of carbon and alumina that filters unwanted gas and particle filters (Most basic air purifiers on the market have only one pound of activated carbon), so it’s able to capture gas at a rate that is 4-5 times higher. 
• Hyper HEPA filter : That sits on top of the gas and odor filter visually is a lot thicker than a lot of HEPA filters on the market. 99.7 percent for particles 0.003 microns 

300 CFM (Cubic feet of air the air purifier processes each minute) is a substantial amount more than other top filters on the market which have CFM of around 250. 

How does it work? 

• Air enters the air purifier through the bottom of the unit, it goes through the pre filter, then the gas and odor filter, then past the particle future, and then up and out of the top diffuser. 

Pricing : 

£1000 (or for those in the US, 900 dollars) with same day shipping, no extra shipping or tax costs for those in the UK at my delivery time (please double check as EU laws on import taxes are subject to change; I purchased this filter in February 2021). 

Advantages: 

• Delivery was very fast and efficient . Out of all the air purifiers I’ve bought, this one was by far the quickest one in terms of delivery. 
• The Hyper HEPA Filter is going to last a long time because it’s so huge (you have 5 pounds of carbon there), so it’s going to require changing a lot less compared to your conventional products. 
• Swiss made – there are a lot of biohackers out there that don’t like to purchase filters from nations like China due to the reputation of contaminations of filters from chemicals and poor quality. I think it’s a good thing, certainly for me personally. 
• 10 year warranty is very substantial. Most air purifiers have a 3-5 year warranty. 
• Addition of wheels makes it mobile to move from room to room, which is great for running events or for small businesses. 
• Strong build quality – extremely sturdy
• Real good quality three stage filter system, high surface pre filter that takes the dust and debris, and then it goes through a chemical filter which is a combination of activated carbon and chemically active alumina and a true HEPA filter. 
• Every single machine, before it leaves the factory, gets a machine to certify that it’s efficiently working properly and performing well and can reduce the pollutants. This is special quality control in my opinion which I wish every company did, and I think if other companies did this, they’d get less negative reviews on Amazon.
• One of the few high end air filters which you can actually buy in Europe without having to pay outrageous taxes or shipping fees. Most high end air filtration systems are predominantly available in the US, which causes mass inconvenience in terms of pricing and in terms of sorting out replacement air filters and repairs which need to undergo additional costs as well. 
• Very little blue light emitted from the device, which as I’ve said before in other reviews, is extremely important. You don’t want a device that emits blue light and can disrupt sleep. A lot of air filters nowadays come with junk light which can be problematic for those wanting to maximise sleep quality.
• Not too loud on the lower fan speed which is hugely beneficial as you don’t want a device that is going to disrupt your sleep. The six levels means the sound can be adjusted very easily for parties and occasions which you don’t want loud noise and sound to infiltrate the room. Added to the lack of blue light, I think this is one of the best filters I’ve seen so far for sleeping. 
• It filters particles down to .003 microns, not .3, which is typical of HEPA filters. This makes it a much more efficient system compared to your conventional HEPA filter brands hence the name “Hyper HEPA”.

Disadvantages: 

• Expensive, at £1000 makes it one of the most expensive filters on the market to date. Can potentially price out for those on a budget. Also in some aspects it just simply doesn’t represent good value for money like Austin Air, which retails at around £600 including tax. With Austin Air, you get 15 pounds of activated carbon plus zeolite compared to the 5 pounds of activated carbon of the IQAir, so you’re getting three times as much gas filtration media. If you’re only looking for particle filtration and you only want a little bit of gas filtration, there are also cheaper options out there of which I’ve blogged about. 
• It’s heavy. For those who are maybe elderly, weak, or frail, carrying this around the house will be a nuisance if you want to switch floors.
• Poor energy efficiency – those three thick air filters require a lot of energy with the 300 CFM output on maximum fan speed that draws 200 watts compared to other units that get around 60-70 watts of power for the 250 CFM models, and it doesn’t seem like the extra CFM boost is really worth the extra wattage use. 
• Pretty ugly eyesore – its large size and ugly look mean it might not be the best for events and restaurants where finesse and looks matter. 
• Changing filters will be a difficult task. There are a lot of other air filters out there that are much easier to change.
• Extremely noisy at maximum fan speed – you can’t really sleep or be in the same room carrying out tasks. It’s unbearable to stand next to. When I run it at maximum fan speed, I usually just leave the room and let it do its thing. 
• There are three different filters which need to be replaced, each of them lasting different lengths of time. The replacements will total £360 and will need to be changed every 1-2 years depending on how often you use the air filter and at what strength. Its annual costs come very high compared to other brands like Austin Air and HypoAllergenic Air.  To check the price on the replacement filters, please see: 

IQAir HealthPro 250 Filter: Replacement Set

Conclusion: For European based biohackers, we are not exactly blessed with endless options when it comes to good filters. In that regard, the IQAir is a decent option, but at £1000, it prices out a lot of individuals. For that same amount of money, you can buy two Air Doctors and cover more of your home or have an Austin Air with a Molekule air mini. However, with this price, you’re getting a lot of Carbon Filtration for your money, and the 10 year warranty will ensure you have a reliable filter for years to come that can filter all types of pathogens and particles from the large to the 0.003 pm range, so it’s up to you. There’s cheaper out there, but it’s still a good option nonetheless.