Blueair 503 Review Summary
The Good:
The silent Blueair 503 consumes little energy and is rated as one of the most effective air purifier in the market due to it’s filter technology.
The Bad:
You need to change the unit’s 3 filters every 6 months.
The Bottomline:
This a solid air purifier for everyday use provided you don’t have any serious smoke, odor and molds problem. If peaceful sleep is a major concern, this is one of the machine you should consider. But it is not cheap to own or maintain.
What we like about Blueair 503.
The filters:
The major difference between BlueAir machines and other air purifiers that uses a HEPA filter lies in the technology called the HEPASilent.
The HEPASilent has larger holes than a normal HEPA but before dirty air is sucked through the filter, the machine uses ion brushes to charge if first. So, while air cleaners made by other companies force the air through their filter, the Blueair 503 makes the charged contaminants attracted to it’s filter.
Because of this, the machine is quieter and more effective than most air purifiers in the market. If a HEPA can trap contaminants 0.3 micron and bigger, this filter can trap smaller airborne contaminants of 0.1 micron or larger.
Filter is easy to change: You can change the filter without a screwdriver or any other tools.
Practical: The unit is made of galvanized steel and can be moved around using it’s castors. There’s also a timer that counts down from 6 months to remind you when to change the filter. And because it so quiet, there’s a blue power on light to let you know if it’s on operation.
Uses little electricity: An Energy Star qualified, it only consumes 35 Watt on low and 120 Watt on high speed.
Works faster: The 503 diffuses filtered air from the sides and top. And because the filter doesn’t block the air, clean air is delivered faster.
It’s silent: Since air is not blocked, the motor doesn’t need to work hard. Coupled with noise-muffling steel for the housing, you’ll get a quiet machine that lets you sleep peacefully.
Safe for kids and pets: This air purifier shuts down automatically if it’s door is opened. Important feature if you have curious kids or pets around the house.
But, we are concerned that :
- It’s not cheap: The price says it all.
- The filter cost: If you replace it every 6 months as advised by the company, you’re looking at around $160 a year. It’s bigger sibling, the Blueair 603 costs the same but covers bigger area.
- Warranty : You need to change your filter according to the schedule or you’ll void your warranty.
- No pre-filter : Most air cleaners come with pre-filter to stop bigger airborne particles from entering the main filter. But this one lacks one. We suggest you vacuum your filter regularly.
- No auto sensor: You need to adjust the fan speed manually because there is no automatic sensor to detect pollution and adjusts the settings.
- No remote : Because it is not a digitally controlled machine, there’s no remote control.
Same Model, Different Filter
There is another machine called the 503 with SmokeStop filter.
The only difference is the 503 with the SmokeStop comes with a slightly different filter to filter gases, smoke and odors apart from everyday pollution that the basic filter can capture.
The filter has 5.3 lbs. of activated coconut shell carbon impregnated with Potassium Iodide (KI), Phosphoric acid (H3PO4), and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH).
While the normal price of a 503 is $550, the SmokeStop version is $700. The filter will costs you $300 per year.
Blueair 503 Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 10 years (provided you change your filters every 6 mth) |
| Filter Type | HEPASilent filter |
| For Room Size | 580 sq ft |
| Noise Level | 35 db on low, 71 db on fast |
| Size | 26"H x 20"W x 13"D |
| Power Consumption | 35 - 120 Watt (on max) |
| Weight | 35 lbs |
A simple indicator that shows you when you should change the 3 filters
About Blueair
Blueair is a Swedish company founded in 1996 by a former Electrolux executive, Bengt Rittri.
The company initially struggled but was saved by the introduction of Blueair 501 (revised to become 502 and 503 now). Stemming from this success, Blueair introduced similar but bigger models like the 601.
Product Quality
Blueair focuses a lot on design, durability and ease of use.
The housing is made of galvanized steel while the fan and blower are manufactured by a German engineering company.
While many air purifiers are not designed to be stylish, Blueair machines have received the Excellent Swedish Design award and the Blueair 501 air purifier is displayed as an exhibit at the Swedish National Museum.
Different Filter
Most companies are happy to use standard HEPA filters. Blueair, on the other hand uses a HEPA-like filters that they claim work better and quieter.
Known as the HEPASilent, Blueair’s filters have larger holes and do not resist air flow like a normal HEPA.
To make it efficient, an electrostatic charger is positioned before this HEPA to charge airborne pollutants. This way, the particles will first be charged and end up attracted to the HEPASilent. This is different from standard HEPA machines which force air through the filters.
Reputation:
- The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) awarded Blueair air purifiers the highest CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) in it’s category in 2004. This means its’ air purifiers clean polluted air faster than other machines tested.
Blueair’s headquarters are in Stockholm, Sweden, and Chicago, Illinois.