IQAir Atem Personal Air Purifier: Product Review

I don't know if you've heard, but apparently, at least for us folks here in Canada, quite often the air in our homes is poorer quality than outdoors.

Since we are a congested bunch in this house, with various seasonal allergies, this concerns me. So I was thrilled to be sent an Atem air purifier from IQAir to try along with the IQAir AirVisual Pro thingamadoodle.

The Atem removes small particulate matter from the air that comes from outdoor pollution, and indoor toxins (cooking, cleaning products, etc.). The potential health risks range from eye and nose irritation, breathing problems, to asthma, cancer and heart disease.

In particular, I worry about our basement, because although we don't usually get any water seepage, it is humid, and Adam and I spend a lot of time down there because that's where we have our home gym, one of our bathrooms (where Adam and I usually shower), and Adam's study.

The purifier is about the size of a medium fan but is incredibly quiet. You have to assemble it when it arrives, but even I had no problem with it. They also sent a travel case for it, but I don't think I will be taking it anywhere...though it might be worth it to bring to my office now and again.


The AirVisual Pro is a pretty cool gadget (thingamadoodle), that can also be linked to your phone through an App. I don't really use Apps because, according to my children, I am an old person. But I know lots of people my age who do, and who will love this.

Here is all the info it provides:

PM2.5
PM2.5 are tiny particles that damage your throat and lungs. This pollutant is particularly dangerous as its small size allows particles to directly enter your bloodstream from your lungs.


Indoor & Outdoor Data
See your indoor air quality next to outdoor readings from the nearest official monitoring station.


CO2
High CO2 levels mean you need fresh air. Stagnant air has less oxygen, and more bacteria, mold, and other harmful fumes.


Forecast
Plan ahead to minimize pollution exposure and discomfort outdoors. We’ll keep you informed with air quality and weather data up to 3 days in advance.


Temperature
Make sure your environment is comfortable, as well as healthy.


Alerts
Receive notifications when air quality fails to meet standards. Smart integration allows you to control smart home devices with action-based rules.


Humidity
Dry air contributes to irritated sinuses, sore throat, itchy eyes and skin aging. Meanwhile, overly humid environments can bring about biological air pollutants such as dust mites and mold.


Advice
We take all of your air quality data into account so you don’t have to. The AirVisual Pro learns from your indoor and outdoor environments to provide you the most productive and cost effective recommendations.

This information is extremely important for people with compromised immunity, allergies or breathing issues.

Ironically, the person who loves this thing the most in our house is Little A, who is the only one who doesn't seem to have seasonal allergies. But she has to know the weather forecast and temperature every morning first thing, so she runs downstairs and turns it on to find out.

In Canada, the Atem retails for $489 and the AirVisual Pro is $399, so these are sizable investments. Do I recommend them? If you have the bucks and air quality is a concern for you, absolutely. I love how quite the purifier is and the AirVisual Pro is very useful to have, especially for me, since I cycle a lot, but try to avoid doing so and days with very poor air quality.

Disclosure: I was sent these products to review, but all opinions on this blog are my own.