Review of IQAir HealthPro Plus

The IQAir HealthPro Plus is a high quality air purifier that combines both HEPA and carbon gas filtration. It is considered the best air purifier on the market for overall particle and low-level gas removal. Our team of product experts evaluated the IQAir HealthPro Plus for its ability to work under standard conditions. Our evaluation is highlighted below. As one of our best selling products, we recommend the IQAir HealthPro Plus for its exceptional ability to remove allergens, chemicals, and odors from the air while maintaining a quiet and efficient performance. The convenience features, durability, and performance guarantee set this air purifier above its competition. However, please note that the unit is priced higher than the average unit on the market, and it is not appropriate for people diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivities or those who have a particular gas-focus area that they would like to target, such as tobacco smoke.

Overall Performance
Although there are more specialized units that target specific gases and odors, for all around filtration this unit ranks in the top of its category for general allergy and asthma solutions. The filters used in this unit target overall particle and low-level gases and odors.

If you are looking for a system to filter dense tobacco smoke, this is not the unit for you. The filtration configuration is not designed for the saturation that tobacco smoke causes in carbon granules, which will become overly saturated and lose their effectiveness. If you are looking for a unit more aligned to this purpose, please see the Friedrich C-90A/B or the IQAir Multigas GC.

Advanced Features
This unit has features unique to any of the air purifiers that we have reviewed. It has 2 sets of controls: an LCD display panel (with digital control buttons) on the top of the unit and a separate remote control.
The LCD screen provides accurate and timely readouts of filter life and efficiency.

• Filter life in hours: The unit gives you an indication of how many hours are left in the 3 filters inside the unit. This eliminates the guesswork about filter replacement.  

We have yet to see another high-end unit with this type of technology. The LCD screen counts down the hours until filter replacement is necessary. Three rectangular LED lights warn you when the filter life on any of the 3 filters is getting low or when one of the filters needs to be replaced. It’s a reminder calendar, keeping you abreast of your maintenance needs. We believe this small feature has great benefits in the long run, as a unit is only as good as its filters, and it is very easy to forget to replace filters or waste money by changing them too often. With the LCD screen, you can save money and hassle by knowing your filter efficiency at any given time.

The LCD screen also displays fan speed, timer, and corresponding CFM (cubic feet per minute) air output.

• Fan speed: Displays current selected fan speed and corresponding CFM air output. The fan speeds can be toggled up and down through 6 differing speed levels.
  
  
• Timer: You can schedule the unit to only run on specified days or during certain hours. This can be very useful if you know that nobody will be home from 9am - 5pm, so you can adjust the unit to turn off and save both energy and filter life. In addition, this feature is also useful for light sleepers as the unit can be set to turn on automatically once the person has reached a state of deep sleep.

The unit comes with a remote control. At first, we questioned the usefulness of such a device; however, we became aware that this feature can really be helpful depending on your circumstances. For instance, this unit can be wall mounted/elevated if necessary (for cooking odor control), and it can also be placed in slightly hard to reach areas of the room. In those hard to reach places, having a remote control can be a great convenience.

• Construction: The exterior of the unit is made of a very durable hard plastic, which will ensure protection of the filtrations system. The system arrives double boxed for safer delivery. Additionally, given the solid construction of the unit and the double boxing, we believe you will have no problems with initial shipping or subsequent moving.
  
• Design: The base of the unit is arched to allow air to flow into the unit from the floor level, and the top has vent fins running all along the four sides. This is an important design factor for several reasons. The intake is separated as far as possible from the exhaust, to avoid simple "recirculation" of already cleaned air. In addition, the exhaust does not "kick up" dust from the floor, as the air is dispersed evenly in an upwards direction. Another benefit of the vented top is that the even dispersal of air results in lower sound output.
• Physical characteristics: With casters on, the unit measures 30" tall; with the casters removed, the unit measures 27.5". It is 15" wide and 16" deep, and weighs 35 pounds with filters in place. The coloring is a light gray (neutral), so it blends seamlessly into its surroundings.  

• Prefilter: The prefilter serves to catch large particles (e.g., large dust particles) in order to preserve the life and effectiveness of the more expensive HEPA filter. This filter has a mini-pleat design with solvent-free separators and has 25 square feet of filter area.
  
• Carbon Filter: Following the prefilter is the V5 gas & odor filter. This filter has 5 pounds of activated carbon pellets and alumina impregnated with potassium permanganate (to disinfect). This filter serves to filter out gases as well as odors.
  
• HEPA Filter: Lastly, the dense pleated HEPA filter provides particle filtration with 40 square feet of filter material. This HEPA filter has undergone European Norm EN 1822 testing and is of the highest quality. It filters not only the standard .3 microns at 99.97% (which many HEPA filters are rated at), but additionally it filters close to 99% of all particles .01 microns or larger.

These 3 filters operate in unison to effectively filter out large particles, gases, odors, and smaller particles. The placement of the V5 gas & odor filter before the HEPA filter ensures that any loose carbon granules will be filtered out of the exhaust. The separation of filters into different cartridges allows for easy replacement of individual cartridges as they need to be changed, which is a significant benefit as many combined cartridges have to be replaced when only one layer has become saturated.
The filters and the specialized enclosed housing that surrounds them provide the IQAir HealthPro Plus with the highest quality of overall filtration of any air purifier in its class. The unique housing construction ensures that air is properly channeled through the actual filters themselves versus simply being recirculated through the unit without proper filtration.

Filter Life
The filter life on the units vary depending on usage and pollution levels. The stated filter lives are:

• PreMax Filter: 6-18 months,
• V5-Cell Filter: 1-2 years,
• HyperHEPA Filter: 2-4 years.

Fan, Coverage Area & Accessories
The fan inside the unit is one of the most powerful in its class. It has been newly upgraded to the "red label" fan, which is more efficient and quieter. This fan is strategically located between the filter cartridges, helping to further buffer any sound.

The thick filter materials reduce airflow from 700 CFM down to an intake/exhaust of 240 CFM, with the filtered air having to pass through multiple levels of thick filtration to ensure quality output. This thickness means the unit is able to effectively purify a maximum area of up to of 900 square feet, with 8.5 feet ceilings. Beyond this point of maximum efficiency, the unit will assist with room filtration but will not be operating at its optimal level of air purification.
Another nice feature of the IQAir HealthPro Plus is its configuration/adaptability. Additional attachments are available to create under or over-pressure environments in the coverage area.

(View all IQAir Purifiers)