Which is Better – the Alen BreatheSmart 75i or the Shark Air Purifier Max?
Both Alen and Shark make quality air purifiers. But which is better? We compared the Alen BreatheSmart 75i and the Shark Air Purifier Max because they are similar in operation and coverage area.
Before we begin: it is important to note that there are difficulties comparing the two machines. While both air purifiers cover similar square footage, the Alen BreatheSmart 75i does two air exchanges per hour while the Shark only does one air exchange per hour. This means that the Alen BreatheSmart 75i is working twice as hard to clean a room of the same size. The Shark is a budget machine by comparison that performs fewer air exchanges.
Despite these differences, the Alen BreatheSmart 75i wins out in our head-to-head comparison in our opinion.
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Features and Price
When it comes to price, the Shark Air Purifier Max has the Alen BreatheSmart beat. At around $330, Shark is $400 less than the 75i. The 75i runs around $750, but can cost as much as $780 depending on the filter you choose. Both Alen and Shark offer a financing option for their machine through Affirm.
Both machines are easy to set up and use and similar in how they operate and perform. You can adjust, change or program the machines with a simple touch of the button. Both are equipped with air quality indicators. Multiple fan speeds will let you address any type of pollutants floating in the air.
Unique Features of the Alen BreatheSmart 75i
The Alen BreatheSmart 75i has a sleek look, but more of a boxy design and comes in six different colors – making it easy to match any color scheme in your home. The cost starts around $750 dollars and is a good option for large rooms or open floor plans – covering up to 1300 square feet. .
The 75i can be run through Alen’s app, so you can monitor the air quality and control the air purifier remotely. It constantly monitors the air quality in the room with its laser-sensing technology and will adjust the fan speed accordingly. The LED color-coded panel easily lets you know how clean the air is inside your home. It is Energy Star certified, so you shouldn’t see much, if any, difference on your electric bill. And the lifetime warranty gives you a sense of reliability that few companies offer.
Unique Features of the Shark Air Purifier Max
Shark is a well-known brand in the home appliance category, and their air purifiers are well-made. The Air Purifier Max is a great option for a large room or open floor plan, since it covers up to 1200 square feet. It’s reasonably priced at $330. Most air purifiers that cover large spaces are more expensive, including the Alen BreatheSmart 75i.
The Air Purifier Max is Energy Star certified, so even if you run it all the time, as recommended, you shouldn’t see a difference in your electrical bill. It only comes in one color, charcoal gray, but its tower design may make it easier for you to place or fit into the décor of a room.
It’s easy to set up and use. Just take it out of the box, and plug it in. And it’s equipped with an air quality indicator so the air purifier identifies impurities by measuring particle sizes in the air. It will automatically adjust the fan speed accordingly to clean the air. The control panel will display the data in real time, so you know the machine is working.
Filter Performance
When it comes to buying an air purifier, you only want to consider brands that run with HEPA filters. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air and the filters are designed to pull up to 99.97% of the airborne contaminants out of the air, allowing the air purifier to send cleaner, more breathable air back out. That means things like dust, pet dander, pollen, bacteria, viruses, and mold can be eliminated from the air in your home, which is especially important if you or a family member suffer from allergies.
Both the 75i and the Air Purifier Max use True HEPA filters, making them strong choices if you’re looking for an air purifier. Alen has three filter choices to pick from – Pure, Fresh and Pet HEPA filters. All three work to pull the allergens, dust, germs, and mold out of the air. The Fresh filter also removes cooking odors, smoke and VOCs and the Pet filter is designed to also take away pet dander and odor. The Pure filter costs $100 to replace, the Fresh filter is $130 and the Pet filter is $140.
Shark gives you two choices for filters. In addition to pulling harmful particles out of the air, both NANOSEAL filters are equipped with carbon to help eliminate odors and VOCs. The basic model costs around $70. For around $90, you can get a NANOSEAL filter that’s treated with Microban to reduce bacteria growth on the filter’s surface.
Just like any other type of filter, air purifier filters need to be replaced regularly. The Alen filter lasts up to 15 months – and that’s running your purifier 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Shark’s filters for the Air Purifier Max don’t last as long. When they’re run continuously, they’ll need to be replaced every six to 12 months. Regardless, you will want to check your filters regularly because there’s always a chance they’re dirtier than you expected and will need to be replaced sooner.
Fan Speeds and Noise Levels
One of the biggest reasons people don’t use their air purifiers regularly is because of the noise the machines generate. That’s why companies that make air purifiers have focused a lot of research and effort into lowering the noise level. After all, what good is an air purifier if you don’t use it?
Generally speaking, the higher the fan level, the louder the machine is. Alen has put a lot of effort into engineering a quiet machine – no matter the fan speed. The 75i has five fan speeds and they all generate pink noise, which is known to help to improve sleep. The 75i is designed to be whisper quiet at all fan speeds, running between 25 and 49 decibels, depending on the setting.
The Shark Air Purifier Max is equipped with four fan speeds. It’s a relatively quiet machine on all fan speeds, topping out between 58 and 63 decibels at the highest setting.
Dimensions and Room Coverage
When it comes to room coverage and size, the 75i has the advantage. While both machines are similar in coverage size, the 75i can cover a little more space – up to 1300 square feet. And it will purify the air in that size space every 30 minutes on the highest fan speed.
The Shark’s coverage area is a little smaller – up to 1200 square feet. And it takes the machine longer to clean that size space, performing only one air exchange an hour. It will clean a smaller space more often, which is worth keeping in mind.
The 75i is also just a bigger machine. It stands 27 inches tall and 18 inches wide. The Shark Max is smaller – standing a little over 22 inches tall and around 11 inches wide. So, depending on where you plan to put the air purifier, those few inches can make a difference.
Customer Service
When it comes to warranty, you can’t beat Alen’s lifetime guarantee. Shark offers a two-year warranty – which is fairly standard in the industry. In order to receive the lifetime warranty, you have to register the product with Alen and subscribe to the filter replacement program.
Both Alen and Shark offer a 60-day, money back guarantee. If you aren’t happy with the air purifier, you can return it within 60 days to receive a full refund.
If you have a problem you need to address with Alen, you can contact them online, by phone or through the company’s website chat feature. Alen customers are generally very satisfied with the company’s products. You’ll find high praise for the air purifiers on trusted consumer websites like TrustPilot. Alen is registered with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), has an A+ rating and has very few complaints filed against them.
Shark is accredited by the BBB and has an A+ rating with the consumer organization. You will find hundreds of complaints filed against Shark with the BBB, but most of them have to do with other products the company sells. You will find, by and large, most customers are very happy with their Air Purifier Max calling it a powerful and quiet machine.
Shark offers live agent support by phone six days a week. It has a thorough troubleshooting section on its website to help customers figure out what may be wrong with their unit.
Final Verdict – Does the Alen 75i or the IQAir HealthPro Plus Have the Advantage?
While the Alen 75i may be more expensive, it edges out the Shark Air Purifier Max in our opinion. The 75i performs two air exchanges per hour, offers a lifetime warranty, and has more features that make it the better choice for a quality, long-lasting air purifier making the air in your home easier to breathe.
