There’s something so hopeful about spring. There’s gentle heat in the sun, new life on the trees around town and the air just feels different — all those subtle changes in humidity, pressure and temperature combine for a palpable feeling of newness. I tend to approach the season as a bit of a hard reboot, undertaking the mandatory spring clean, dusting off summer-weight blankets, putting away winter clothes, airing everything out. I also take a renewed approach to my health, reflecting on how I’m feeling after winter; this year has been particularly rough — with long bouts of illness and, consequently, a lot of time indoors — so physical and mental wellbeing is a real focus for me. Unfortunately, the combination of all of the above means that my allergies are particularly troubling right now.
My hay fever flares up multiple times each year, depending on what flowering and pollination are going on around me, so of course spring, with all its blossoms and new growth, is a bonanza of allergens. Add to that, the dust flying around from all that cleaning, and those unworn clothes pulled out after six months, and it’s a perfect storm for an allergy attack. When my allergies are at their worst, I wake up (as I did last weekend) with a pounding headache, blocked ears and sinuses, vertigo, and a general feeling of exhaustion. At least I’m not alone. Many New Zealanders also struggle with seasonal allergies — a cluster of symptoms also known as allergic rhinitis — and it’s a common problem.
Seasonal allergies can be caused by myriad environmental factors. Pollen is the most common cause of allergies but it can also be caused by dust mites, pet dander, grass and mould. The symptomatic reaction is caused by our body’s immune system releasing histamine in response to the allergen. These all combine to reduce the quality of the air inside your home, and with 90 per cent of our time spent indoors (and 14 hours a day in the home) these allergens can have a significant impact. While pollen may seem like an outdoors problem, indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than the air outside.
Learning that the Dyson Pure+Cool™ air purifier could help alleviate symptoms of allergies, my interest was piqued, and I embraced the chance to test drive it for myself — I'll try anything.
It’s very easy to set up, even for someone like me who can't use the television remote. The Dyson Pure+Cool™ comes with only a few bits to assemble (you add the filters to the base, and the covers, and that’s pretty much it) then place it in the best location for you — we chose the bedroom, hoping that it would alleviate the morning allergy symptoms. Use the controller or Dyson phone app to control the appliance — choosing air flow speed, direction, oscillation — and learn valuable insights into your air quality, with the app telling you the temperature and humidity both indoors and out, as well as the air quality. It’s quite fascinating.
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 1. The whole machine is sealed to a HEPA H13 standard2 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 3) and it goes 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. Impressive stuff.
Speaking of real living environments, as far as usage goes, we’ve been running the Dyson Pure+Cool™ during the daytime when we aren’t in the bedroom, and turning it off to sleep (although it does have a night mode, a very quiet function) and I found that my head was noticeable clearer the next day. As the weather gets warmer, its cooling function is also a helpful addition to our home, and a multi-functional appliance is great for those who may be looking to consolidate heating and cooling with improving their air quality. In fact, I can see this becoming a popular product. Dyson is already such a trusted brand for appliances — I have friends who are dedicated to their hair dryers and famous Airwraps, or won’t stop talking about how much they love their stick vacuum.
And with air quality becoming increasingly important, as we understand the impact it can have on our wellbeing, I firmly believe air purifiers are poised to become a normalized fixture in homes and workplaces. When it comes to choosing one of your own, starting with a trusted brand like Dyson is a smart idea. Personally, I don’t rush into purchases, and like to read as many reviews as possible, buy from a well-known brand, and discuss my decision with people I know and trust. As we have a small home, we don’t bring new things into it lightly, so anything that deserves a spot needs to have earned it, or have a tangible purpose. For me, deciding what to invest in when it comes to the home comes down to quality, convenience, and whether it will make life a bit easier — all things that Dyson aims to do.
Find a Dyson Air Purifier that’s right for your home at Dyson.co.nz
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Advertise with NZME.1 In maximum setting. Tested for air projection, purification coverage in a 81m3 room. 2 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%. 3 Tested for filtration efficiency at 0.1 microns (EN1822, ISO29463)
