Never before has wellbeing been such a point of focus. The pursuit of wellness has been enjoying increased interest for the past five years, and the events of the past two have made supporting our health a priority. One factor that’s newly relevant for the wider public is air quality, as we’ve come to understand the role it plays in our wellbeing.
We now understand how important ventilation is, and the tools we can use to remove harmful air particles from our environment. Beyond viruses, there are also myriad pollutants in the air around us — emissions, mould, pollen and smoke. The average adult breathes in over 10,000 litres of air every day, and with each breath can inhale between five and 50 million pollutant particles directly into the lungs. One way to reduce these particles is by using an air purifier, something poised to become a household must-have.
New Zealanders are becoming keenly aware of the impact air quality can have on their wellbeing. Our verdant cities and rural towns, though beautiful, can also impact our wellbeing, with many New Zealanders experiencing hay fever and seasonal allergies. While pollen can be visible to the naked eye, it’s the smaller particles that present a great deal of concern — bacteria or virus pathogens, carcinogenic pollutants — and can be hard to keep out. And though we might feel safer in our homes, indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than the air outside, and with 90 per cent of our time spent indoors (and 14 hours a day in the home) the math starts to stack up, and it doesn’t look good.
T?maki Makaurau, home to around 1.72 million people, is famously humid throughout the year. For anyone who has lived in a damp old villa or bungalow — or, unfortunately common, a home beset with mould — will attest, in addition to being unpleasant, damp homes can make us sick. Indoor mould and dampness can contribute to asthma, respiratory tract infections and bronchitis. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ (ARFNZ) estimates that there are 700,000 people living with respiratory disease in New Zealand. The community impact is significant; respiratory disease costs the country $7 billion a year, and contributes to 87,500 hospital admissions annually.
Air purifiers could help, improving the health of our homes. And with our focus on wellbeing only set to continue they are positioned to become a common household item. Vacuum cleaners and dishwashers are now deemed essential for many people, where once a dustpan or dish brush would suffice. With the stick Dyson vacuum famously sought-after, it’s no surprise that the brand is also set to lead the way in the air purifier category too.
In layman's terms, Dyson Air Purifiers automatically sense pollutants, capturing and trapping them, leading to cleaner air in the room. The range is designed to appeal to those with an eye for aesthetics and uncompromising standards for their home. With a sleek, cylindrical shape that’s minimalist and futuristic, the various models come in an array of finishes, including silver, black nickel, and gold.
The range comprises of a Pure+Cool™ or Pure+Hot+Cool™ (essentially a purifier that is also a fan, or a heater as well). The hero of the range is the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool™ Formaldehyde, a multi-functional MVP that operates as a purifier, fan and heater, while also capturing formaldehyde1. However, all of Dyson's Air Purifier technology draws in air with its Air Multiplier™ technology, removes pollutants, dust, allergens, gases and odours and fills the whole room with purified air 2. Unlike others, the whole machine is sealed to a HEPA H13 standard3 to trap bacteria, allergens and smoke without leaking particles back into the air — HEPA means high-efficiency particulate absorbing filter — it removes 99.95 per cent of particles (as small as 0.1 microns 4) making Dyson the only brand to achieve this standard. The brand's rigorous processes see it go beyond the industry standard test (the 28.5m2 CADR chamber ) and instead utilises the 81m3 Dyson's POLAR test chamber reflective of real living environments.
While you can let your Dyson quietly and autonomously do its job in the corner, for those who are interested in their air quality, it provides communication around the levels of pollutants in your home (proof of cleaner air) with sensors diagnosing them at a molecular level, displaying live air quality results on screen, as well as on the handy Dyson App5. Don't want to use your phone or get up to fiddle with the machine? There's a hands-free option, thanks to Dyson's voice activation technology. The temperature capabilities are smart too — with heating ceasing automatically once your target temperature is reached. This is all very appealing for tech-savvy gadget fans, but also makes things a breeze for those who are less switched on.
It’s all smart stuff, and air purifiers are one of many in the company’s lengthy history of innovation. Established by James Dyson in 1991, the company has always focused on design-led problem solving, rigorous testing, and facilitating a good-looking home. This all combines to make Dyson one of the most sought-after brands for household appliances, with status-symbol products (the aforementioned stick vac and famous hairdryer come to mind). Air purifiers are set to join them, as air quality gains more attention and investing in a healthy home is prioritised by families in Aotearoa, and we look to improve our lives for the future.
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1 Third party full machine testing based on GB/T 18801-2015 formaldehyde cumulative clean mass testing with continuous injection until plateau of formaldehyde CADR is achieved. Results may vary in practice. 2 In maximum setting. Tested for air projection, purification coverage in a 81m3 room and heating performance in a 35m3 room. 3 Particle challenge by DEHS oil specified in EN1822 within a chamber specified in ASTM F3150. Tested in Max Mode at IBR US, for whole machine efficiency above 99.95%. 4 Tested for filtration efficiency at 0.1 microns (EN1822). 5 Standard data and messaging rates may apply. Requires 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi connection and app-enabled device. Requires iOS version 14.0 or above, or Android version 8.0 or above. Your mobile device must have Bluetooth 4.0 support.
