Re: Nscessity Plasma UV Air Purifier NSAP-602

A Reader writes:

What can you tell me about the following unit, which seems to be supplied by a number of UK retailers: Nscessity Plasma UV Air Purifier?

Ed's Reply

Hey Reader;

Nscessity NSAP-602 Plasma UV Air Purifier's 7-stages of filtration include HEPA and electrostatic, followed by electrostatic/UV-excited Titanium-Dioxide photo catalyst.

No specifications offered as to power of UV bulb are published.

I guess 6 Watts, being generous, since the whole machine is quoted as drawing only 14 Watts.

12V DC operation uses an adapter for UK 220 mains current.

"High frequency photo-plasma" technology is meaningless jargon, photocat and biocidal UV frequencies are standardized for air cleaners.

"Destroys 90% of VOC's" suggests incomplete oxidation and partial chemical byproducts may be emitted, a danger with any photocat, especially an underpowered unit like the Nscessity.

"HEPA removes 99.97% of airbourne particulates" is too abstract to be an actual marketing claim, as this is the filter specification, not the overall efficiency.

HEPA Filters are £13-20 a pair, with 12-18 month replacement intervals.

Nscessity vendors cite a CADR rating: Smoke 50, Pollen 50, Dust 50. The company website refers to the AHAM seal, but It is very unusual for all three rates to be identical.

No Nscessity air purifier is currently AHAM CADR certified.

Fifty CADR, typical of $30US desktop air cleaners, is too weak to be the principal machine in any room size.

Room size is advertised 3 air changes/hr in 25 sq. meters, about 150 sq feet, a small bedroom. This would need to be 75 sq. ft. to get the needed 6 ACH, a walk-in closet.

Bogus "especially designed for baby" marketing, targeted at first-time parents anxieties and naivety, is a clear clue to the presence of an inferior product. This is Nscessity's core branding.

There is no such thing as a nursery air purifier, better suited for infants.

The baby's air purifier should be the best one in the home, never an oxidizer, electrostatic, photocat or other risk source.

I do not recommend cheap imports like the Nscessitys for infants.

Nscessity Plasma UV Air Purifier is very quiet, with some quotes of 15 dB(A) on low floating on the web. But with just 50 CADR on top speed it must barely blow on low.

The typical lowest advertised price, £100, converts to about $US163.00, seriously overpriced.

I'd keep looking.

Ed