Re: NeoAir Enviro 68108 and Coway AP-1008

A Reader writes:

Greetings Ed,

I started with a simple table top Sharper Image model for my bedroom to help with breathing through my nose at night (which gets stuffed up without air purification).

While silent, and seemed to work ok compared with nothing at all, it wasn't exactly the best air purifier ever.

I've decided to take it up a notch and have been reading your website extensively with interest.

As an engineer, I find your detailed reviews to be excellent.

After a ton of research I initially decided on the Blueair 270E - HEPA, automatic controls, a bit huge, and supposedly whisper quiet at 32 db's on the lowest setting.

As it turns out, 32 db's sounds a whole lot like a quiet forced air blower, not the "you wont even know its on" I was expecting.

The Blueair is a truly great air purifier that helps me breath at night, but I'm still looking due to the noise.

Found two models, one which you gave a glowing review, and the other which it appears you have yet to examine.

The Neoair Enviro is very quiet at 12.74 db's on low setting and you seemed to like it, though it didn't make it into your top 10 "asian invasion" list.

Another "asian invasion" I'm looking at is the South Korean Coway AP-1008 Series.

The models have bldc motors, automatic controls, multistage filtration, appealing design, and 20.7-22.4 db's on the lowest setting (depending on the exact model).

The size/design and db's on the lowest setting give it an edge over the Rabbit Air, at least based on spec.

Coway Air Purifier

Questions:

Do you still feel good about the Neoair?

Have you ever considered the Coway?

What would the difference in 12.74 db vs 22 db really be in terms of what I will hear while in bed at night (compared to 32 db)?

Any advice on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

Ed's Reply

Hey Reader;

I wouldn't call my review of the little NeoAir 68208 "glowing."

It is rated 84/100, acceptable, due to it's very competitive price/performance ratio. I still like the NeoAir Enviro, it is on my top 10 page.

Enviro's persistence while so many imports in its class have faltered in the great recession gives proof of viability. Importantly, replacement filters are still shown availbale on the web.

But this is a very low powered machine, for small bedrooms only, and not directly comparable to the too-noisy Blueair.

In all Blueair reviews, I warn buyers of the whistling sound some find seemingly louder than the published decibel readings.

But you could run the Blueair you already have during waking hours, relying on NeoAir alone while sleeping.

Coway AP-1008 is a product of Korean giant Woongjin Coway Corp.

Coway air purifiers have just begun to be marketed under the home country brand, but a couple sold under other brands are reviewed here.

Idylis, Coway's value brand, sold at Lowe's

Idylis, sold at Lowe's

And Coway's flagship, disguised as the RabittAir MinusA2 SPA-780A

RabittAir MinusA2 SPA-780A

The 25.6 dB(A) Rabbit Air MinusA2 700 or 780A, is very similar to the Coway AP-1008. The Rabbit is a rebranded Coway AP-1004AH, very similar to the current Coway AP-1005AH.

The newer Coway AP-1008 just doesn't have the market penetration to justify or support a full review. A new machine will have a few vendors, whose websites parrot the builder's marketing brochure. Little real world info will be available to build a review - no user ratings or reports, ect.

The new Coway has been picked up, and rated 4.5 stars, by respected vendor AllergyByuersClub.com.

But buyer interest is low. Google adwords keyword tool shows only 78 searches last month for "Coway air purifier," and none for "Coway AP-1008."

AP-1008 is automated, mid powered, well built, modern, quiet, and stylish like the Coways reviewed here, which I have praised.

But the Koreans will have a hard time getting away from importers like RabittAir and Lowes to provide brand identity and support.

At $499.00, lacking UV, photocat, or plasmacluster type gizmos, AP-1008 faces some headwinds in the US.

As an engineer, you recognize the logarithmic basis of the noise benchmark Decibel scale.

13 dB(A) is virtually inaudible, and 22 decibels is much quieter than 32.

Best luck, keep us posted on any progress.....

Ed