Alen A350 and A375UV Air Purifier Review

The Alen A350 air purifier and Alen A375UV air purifier models will deliver very clean air for medium to large room sizes at a decent price. Not only are they efficient at removing particulates including allergens and pathogens, they will remove gases, chemicals, and odors at the same time. Each model gives you the choice of upgrading to the silver ion HEPA filter to increase the elimination of bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, the UV and PCO filter on the A375UV model increases the performance of gas, bacteria, and virus removal.

PARAMETERS	STAR RATING
1. Airborne Particulate Filtration
2. Gas, Chemical & Odor Filtration
3. Room Coverage
4. Noise Rating
5. Filter Life & Replacement Costs
6. Ease of Operation & Filter Replacement
7. Quality of Construction: Air-tight design, no off-gassing
8. Electronic Filter Life Monitoring
9. Manufacturer’s Credibility, Warranty & Return Policy
10. Quality of Filters
11. Value for Price

Pluses

• Complete air purification includes removal of over 90% of particulates like allergens, dust, bacteria, mold, viruses, pet dander and smoke, plus the removal of gases, chemicals, and odors including VOCs.
• Will clean a good size room up to 800 square feet, however for those with severe allergies room coverage is more like 200 to 400 square feet.
• Easy to replace filters: uses of a combination filter means only 1 filter to replace which saves time and money
• Push button controls with digital LDC display make the air purifiers easy to operate
• Auto-setting (on the A375UV only) is ideal for those who want a “set it and leave it” air purifier that will efficiently clean the air according to the air quality
• Replace filter indicator monitors the filter life so you don’t have to
• Lifetime warranty is one of the best in the industry
• Compact design is ideal for those with minimal floor space. These models can also be mounted to a wall.

Minuses

• Though quiet on speed 1 and 2, these units are louder on speeds 3 and 4. Most people will only use these higher speeds for quick cleaning, or when no one is in the room.

Summary

Both the Alen A350 and A375UV air purifiers come with the same carbon enhanced HEPA filter and ozone-free ionizer. They offer complete air filtration removing allergens like dust and pet dander as well as common household odors and gases. During our testing both models removed over 90% of the particles in the air on the first filter pass. Since they use a combination filter that includes the pre-filter, HEPA and carbon, filter changes are quick and easy requiring less than 60 seconds of your time. The lifetime warranty requires the filter to be changed every 6 months to keep it valid. This means a maintenance cost of $118 per year, or more if you use an upgraded filter replacement such as the silver ion HEPA filters for germ and virus control. If you do not run the air purifier constantly everyday, and only run it at night or during allergy season, then you will find that the filters actually last much longer than 6 months. If you care more about efficient use of your filters than about the lifetime warranty, you might as well save some money and only change the filters when indicated by the air purifier’s filter change indicator.

The Alen’s are easy to use with clearly labeled push button controls. Their slim box-style design fits nicely up against a wall and out of the way. They each have 4 fan speeds and have the same square foot coverage; 800 sq. ft. as stated by the manufacturer. These units are not CADR rated and based on the delivered cfms, we feel they are better suited for a room size of 200 to 400 sq ft. In a room of this size, they will be able to achieve 4 to 6 air changes per hour depending on what fan speed they are running on. The more times the air is circulated through the filter the cleaner the air will be. For an allergy or asthma sufferer we recommend 6 air changes per hour.

The noise level on the A350 and A357UV is average. The first two speeds are relatively quiet and speed 3’s quietness would be subjective depending on your noise sensitivity. When you get to speed 4, it is noticeable noisy and generally only used for quick cleaning of stagnant air or if there is an abundance of dust, pollen or odors present.

So far we have talked about both the A350 and A375UV as if they are the same, however the two units are different, hence their prices. The main difference between the two models is the amount of technology they include. The A350 is the more affordable option but still includes all the necessities, plus features commonly only found on more expensive models, such as a filter change indicator, remote control and programmable timer. For a fairly large jump of $200 more, the A375UV offers advanced filtration technology including 2 UVC germicidal bulbs that work in conjunction with a permanent titanium dioxide (TiO2) grid to produce Photo Catalytic Oxidation (PCO Technology).

The PCO Technology decomposes odors, volatile organic chemical (VOC) pollutants, and kills viruses and bacteria. This additional technology does mean more maintenance and more maintenance cost. However, only the UV lamps require replacing and this needs to be done just once a year with a cost of $59. Luckily, the TiO2 grid does not need to be replaced and will continue to work effectively as long as the UVC bulbs are working effectively. To further justify the A375UV’s higher price, it features independent particle and odor sensors. These sensors regulate the fan speeds to efficiently operate the unit in accordance with the air quality of the room. This “auto-mode” setting is a must-have feature for those who run their air purifier constantly and desire the most effective and efficient air filtration at all times. This feature provides efficient use of energy and keeps the unit running on the quietest setting when air quality is good. It only increases fan speed as needed when an increase in particles or odor is detected by the sensors.

We are pleased to give the Alen A350 and A375UV their earned 4.5 star rating.

Links: Alen A350 Air Purifier | Alen A375UV Air Purifier | Air Purifiers | Alen Air Purifiers