Product Testing
Blueair HealthProtect 7470i Air Purifier
By Mark Vander Berg
12 min read
Overall Rating:
Price Range:
Size:
Tall – Skinny
Noise:
Low – Quiet
Why Did We Test This?
Blueair was purchased by the UniLever Company in 2016, making the industry wonder what this would mean in the long-term. Five years later, we have found out that the result is the new Blueair HealthProtect 7400 Series line of products.
What is this Best for?
This air purifier is ideally for a large space (living room, master bedroom, etc.). The spiral air technology of this machine mixes the air up well and Blueair claims this air purifier works best for bacteria, viruses, chemicals, odors, and particles.
What Were Our Expected Outcomes?
We had expected that Blueair would have changed their design and made minor updates, but ultimately continue to make their products the same as they had in the past.
Features & Specs
Blue Air Model: HealthProtect 7470i
Retail Price: $699 – $799
Where Manufactured: Air purifier and replacement filters – China.
Size: 27” H x 11.75” W x 11.75” D
Weight: 27 lbs.
Speeds: 4
Colors Available: 1, White
Room Size Rating: 647 Sq. Ft. (AHAM 5 air exchanges per hour)
Filtration (one foldable filter) HEPA H13 and Carbon.
H13 HEPA Cartridge, $69.99, 12-month life, App will track.
2 removable, cleanable pre-filter screens.
Air Quality indicator.
Decibels: High = 53 dB, Whisper = 25 dB
Includes app integration
Blueair HealthProtect 7470i
Testing Process
We ran particulate level tests for the Blueair HealthProtect 7470i versus the Alen BreatheSmart 75i. The first pair of tests compared the ambient levels in the middle of a room, and the second pair of tests compared the particulate level directly at the exit vent of the machine.
First pair of tests:
The Alen BreatheSmart 75i cleaned the air a bit faster over the first 10 minutes, but both air purifiers cleaned the air to a very low level in about an hour. These purifiers would be in the same product category.
Blueair HealthProtect 7470i, Speed 3 Test
Alen BreatheSmart 75i, Speed 5
Second pair of tests:
Both units significantly cleaned the air. It took the 7470i about 25 minutes to reach the clean air level at the exit vent that the 75i reached in 10 minutes.
Blueair HealthProtect 7470i, Speed 3 Test
Alen BreatheSmart 75i, Speed 5
Pros and Cons of the Blueair HealthProtect 7470i
Pros
- Relatively quiet – particularly by Blueair standards.
- Tower design is attractive and has a relatively small footprint, taking up little space.
- Highly-tested patent-pending GermShield TM technology to kill viruses and bacteria.
- Durable wheels and hidden cord winder to make moving it easy.
- RFID chipped filter lets the app track filter life.
- Sensors for dust, VOCs, temperature, and humidity.
- Air sensors, auto-run option, and color light to communicate air quality.
- Large, robust H13 HEPA filter.
- “Spiral Air” technology seems to mix a lot of air effectively.
- Energy Star Certified.
- 60-day trial period with free return and 1-year warranty with subscription option to extend to a 5-year warranty.
Cons
- Have to use the app to access filter life, sensors, night light shut-off mode, etc.
- When plugged in, the unit is always on – multiple ionizers are always on, which is part of the GermShield technology.
- Unit is heavy.
- 20-second bootup time.
- Lights cannot be turned off.
- Relatively expensive at $699-$799.
Did it Deliver?
Particulate tests put this unit a bit lower than some competitors for the same-sized space, but ultimately it is effective at bringing the dust levels down very low. This is an all-around quality unit.
The APC Take
The Blueair HealthProtect 7470i is an attractive unit that can be used in large rooms. The noise level nearly matches that of the Alen BreatheSmart 75i, which is a very quiet 49 dB on top speed. It is distinguished by its tower format, dual filters, cord winder on the bottom, low noise, app connectivity, and GermShield technology.
The main disadvantages include that the display lights cannot be turned off, the ionizer cannot be turned off, it is disproportionately heavy, and it has a steep price.
About the Author: Mark Vander Berg
Mark Vander Berg is the Chief Product Expert at AirPurifiers.com. Mark has decades of experience in air purifier engineering. In addition to engineering and product design, he has also done extensive research and testing of many air purifiers and continues to do so for AirPurifiers.com.
