Swedish air purification brand Airinum will be showcasing its new Hale portable air purifier and ventilator at IFA 2024, Berlin. The cylindrical device cleans up air in the vicinity of the user by sucking in air which it then passes through a HEPA filter to clean the area around your desk or when asleep at night.
Following a successful launch of the device on Kickstarter, in March, Airinum fully funded Hale in the first two hours of the campaign. The momentum continued when the brand sold out of Hale units within a week of its soft launch in early August.
Airinum puts the positive reaction to the launch down to a growing public awareness about air quality. More people are paying attention to their lifestyles and health issues. People are more aware of sleep quality, diet, fitness and overall well-being. However, Airinum claims that the importance of the quality of air is still often overlooked.
According to the World Health Organization, 99% of the global population breathes air that does not meet recommended standards although many of us don’t often think about the quality of the air we breathe. Modern indoor environments can be filled with irritants like dust, pet dander, allergens, household chemicals and other particles that can impact a person’s general health.
Airinum says that the average person spends around 90% of their time indoors, underscoring the critical need for clean air in the home or workspace. This concern is even more acute because of the increase in environmental pollution caused by wildfires, the impact of COVID-19 and increased awareness of indoor viral transmission.
According to Airinum’s CEO Alexander Hjertström: “The power of the breath acts as a control center for our health. With Hale, we’re addressing the critical need for clean air. Inspired by feedback from our extensive community, we’ve innovated in the air purifier space, merging the insights from mask and purifier technologies into a unique personal air purification companion.”
Hale is a portable cylinder with a fan that filters air at home, in the office or inside a car. Powered by a lithium-ion battery, a full charge provides around 24 hours of continuous use, depending on the speed of its fan. Hale filters out unwanted particles and exhales a cleaner quality of air to its immediate environs.
Airinum developed Hale in collaboration with CabinAir, an industry leader in air purification and advanced air quality sensors for automotive, with high-profile clients like Volvo Cars, Polestar and other European and U.S. car makers.
“The significance of air quality extends beyond avoiding illness; it’s about enhancing physical performance, cognitive functions, and overall longevity. Clean air acts as an invisible health booster, akin to drinking clean water or maintaining a healthy diet,” says Hjertström.
Hale feels like a well-made device and it includes with a clever stand that enables the flow of purified air to be directed wherever it’s needed. The top of the cylinder can be turned with a seven-step fan setting while the user-replaceable HEPA filter inside the cylinder removes irritants like mold, dust, smoke, pet dander, allergens, household chemicals and volatile organic compounds. Hale can also reduce bad odors instead of masking smells like an air freshener.
The advanced HEPA filter inside Hale can handle particles down to 0.3 microns and is good for up to 500 hours of use. It then costs around $30 for a fresh filter. Airinum will have a subscription system for the filters so you won’t need to remember to replace the filter as the device will tell you when it’s time for a new filter.
Verdict: As with any health product, it’s hard to quantify just how effective devices like air purifiers are. That said, anything that filters the air around you can’t be harmful and could possibly help, especially with people who suffer from allergies. The use of a HEPA filter should mean Hale has the same kind of filtering efficiency as the cabin filter of a modern car. Incidentally, when was the last time you replaced the HEPA filter in your car? The only way to find out how effective this device functions is to give it a try and see if your allergies reduce or clear up. I’ve had a chance to try the unit out for a week or so and the air definitely seems to smell fresher thanks to the slight cooling effect of its built-in fan. The build quality is good and the filters are sensibly priced.
Pricing & Availability: Airinum Hale is on sale now and costs $179 / £149 / €179.
