Philips Series 2000i Connected Air Purifier

For families with allergies and sensitivities to air pollutants, an air purifier can provide better air quality and a more comfortable home environment. The Philips Series 2000i Connected Air Purifier is suitable for medium- to large-sized rooms and it includes both a true HEPA filter to remove air pollutants and allergens as small as 0.3 microns, and an active carbon filter to reduce gases and odours. The 2000i has three automatic settings—general mode, an extra-sensitive allergen mode, and a bacteria and viruses mode—and five fan speeds, which includes a nearly silent sleep mode as well as a powerful turbo speed. While adjusting settings can be done manually on the unit, the air purifier can also be connected to and controlled remotely with the Air Matters app, which provides greater detail than the unit's display.

In order to test air cleaning effectiveness, editors placed the Philips Series 2000i in an air-tight 8- x 8- x 4-foot space along with an ultra-fine particle counter and then sprayed dry shampoo into the space for five seconds. The Philips air purifier made quick work of cleaning the air, bringing the particulate levels down to under 100 particles per cubic centimetre (well below what's considered clean air) within 10 minutes. Editors in the Today's Parent Approved lab also looked at the clean air delivery rates, a score that indicates how quickly a device filters the air; this independent testing is carried out through the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. According to the CADR scores, it does a good job of filtering the three particulates tested (tobacco smoke, dust and pollen) in rooms up to 277 square feet.

Parent testers who tried the Philips Series 2000i air purifier out at home were also impressed with its effectiveness and efficiency. More than one tester noted improved dust levels and fewer household odours while using the device, and a couple of testers said their children slept better in bedrooms where the air purifier was used.

Whether you're running an air purifier in your living room or a bedroom, the last thing you'd want is a unit that disrupts chatting or a sleeping kid. The Philips Series 2000i Connected Air Purifier is quiet on its low speeds, and really quiet on sleep mode, making it excellent for nighttime use. While the turbo fan speed is quite noisy, it wasn't nearly as loud as the highest setting on some of the air purifiers we tested; and the reality is you're only going to use that setting when you want to clean the air very rapidly.

A product that's easy to use is also a must for families. Neither our editors nor our parent testers had much difficulty setting up the Philips Series 2000i Connected Air Purifier, and changing the filters proved relatively easy. Using this air purifier on a day-to-day basis is pretty easy, too. The interface consists of six buttons (on/off, light dimming, auto modes, fan speed, timer and reset) and a digital display to indicate the mode, fan speed and air quality, as well as a colour ring on the front of the unit that shifts from blue, indicating good air quality, to red for bad air quality. Adjusting settings is fairly easy, but both editors and some parent testers felt it wasn't totally intuitive, so you may need to refer to the manual a few times before you get used to it. Also, because there's a single button for each feature, you'd have to fully cycle through the options to go down one level (also a bit of a pain if you accidentally go past the setting you want).

A simple way to get around all the button-pressing is to connect the air purifier to the Air Matters app. Our editors and most parent testers found it very easy to pair this device with the app, and using the app made quick work of setting adjustments. The app also helpfully lets you know when it's time to change the filters. One tester, however, wished the app offered a reporting function.

FINAL WORD

Editors and parent testers were impressed with the Philips Series 2000i Connected Air Purifier. Nearly all parent testers gave it very good ratings for quality and ease of use. Though opinions were mixed when it came to value (not surprising given this model on the higher end of the air purifier price range), the majority of parents rated the overall value good or very good. Both editors and testers found this air purifier effective, efficient and quiet when running on low settings. Plus, editors appreciate that it's designed for various kinds of users. Whether you're the set-it-and-forget-it type, or someone who wants to examine air quality data and turn on your air purifier remotely, the Philips Series 2000i Connected Air Purifier gets the job done.