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Huh? This cardboard cactus is an air purifier? Apparently so, and, according to the description, it breaks down “bacteria, fine dust and pollutants” with filters and a fan inside the cardboard structure. A particular surface treatment plus the use of chitosan and titanium dioxide (with an ultraviolet LED) all combine to make the surrounding air a little cleaner. Anyone interested in testing the efficacy of such technologies?
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You may be needing a humidifier to combat the dry winter air or to provide some relief from seasonal allergies. This little mini 11+ Bottle Humidifier promises to supply enough humidity for any personal space, all powered via USB. Skeptical? That’s understandable, due to its compact size, but it is powerful enough to use in a bedroom, office, or living room. There’s also the regular sized Bottle Humidifier ($69), if you prefer a bigger size.
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It’s a little sad when an air quality monitor is considered a useful tool to have in the home. However, for those of us that live urban areas or have annoying allergies, we can’t ignore the fact that air quality directly affects our health. So, meet the Awair Air Quality Monitor. It reads five data points in the air: temperature, humidity, CO2, VOCs, and dust. After analyzing aggregate levels, the air quality is determined and an Awair Score (0 to 100 color-coded scale) is assigned. Tell it what concerns you the most (allergies, sleep, etc.) and it will give you recommendations (via the app) on certain changes you might make based on daily air quality levels in specific rooms.
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A small, unobtrusive humidifier is just the thing to combat dry air. You won’t trip over it, nor will it disturb your perfectly calibrated interior setting. The 11+ Bottle Humidifier does its job without causing any fuss; a small dimming LED shows its operating status and it automatically shuts off when the water runs out. It’s also easy to clean and powered by USB.
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If the dry air is getting on your nerves, get yourself a humidifier. And, as we’re in the business of selecting well made items that have a pleasing appearance, you should probably take my advice* and buy the Chimney Humidifier designed by Takeshi Ishiguro. The slim profile and tall chimney blend in with a room’s furnishings easier than other large humidifiers, and, using a silent, ultra-sonic system, the mist is emitted at a height that humidifies the whole room instead of one particular area.
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If you travel often to dry climates, you might be familiar with some of the portable humidifiers out there in the marketplace, but have you ever seen a house shaped humidifier that works with any water bottle or glass? No? Well, set your eyes upon this little house with its purifying filter. It’s around 3 inches square- making it a pretty compact choice for your travel needs.
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If you hadn’t seen the title, would you have known what this was? This guy is probably one of the more elegant humidifiers out there, as it allows water to diffuse into the air through its thinly sliced hinoki (Japanese cypress) ‘mast’, thus accelerating moisture diffusion tenfold. Of course, if you need a beefier, electronic humidifier, do consider the Drop ($49), the Anton Ultrasonic Humidifier ($139), or the Takumi Chimney ($200).
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So, air purifers. I used to think I had no need for one, but after living on a busy London street for about 2 years, I saw enough dust and grime to make me believe otherwise. This purifier by Humanscale removes more than 99% of airborne particles and employs a silent, breeze-free and ozone-free operation. Those attributes combined with its smallish size (13″ W X 9″ D X 14″ H) hopefully means it would all but disappear when cleaning the air.

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Why yes, that is one Big Ass Fan. There’s no doubt in my mind it packs a punch in air circulation, because it’s huuuge. 12 feet diameter huge. While most of the pictures of these fans are shown in large retail spaces, I thought this shot of Wayne Coyne’s (of the Flaming Lips) living room really gives you the correct sense of proportion. Now, whether you need something this big or not is completely up to you, but if you’re curious to hear Wayne and his wife’s thoughts on how their Big Ass Fan is perfect (plus some images of their interesting home), see below or on youtube.

Shown above: Element Fan, approx. 12′ diameter
Backed by a 100%, non-prorated 10 year warranty.
Price available upon request.

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Hmm, you might want to consider the new ANDREA as a possible choice for an air filter for your home. It purifies the air by utilizing plants… sounds good, right? (If you have a green thumb, that is.)

Andrea is a revolutionary new air purifier engineered to significantly improve the air filtration capacity of natural plants. This living filter accelerates the removal of harmful VOC’s and toxins through the active infrastructure system of a plant to continuously clean and oxygenate the rooms in your home or office. Andrea naturally purifies air by drawing it in with a whisper quiet fan to propel it through the leaves and root system of a plant, then out through the water and soil filtration and back into the room. Works with any household plant. Ozone free operation. No replaceable filters.

Invented by designer Mathieu Lehanneur with David Edwards.
12.2 x 12.2 x 16.2 inches

Whoa, this baby is on sale for half of its regular price. Not too shabby if you’re in the market for an air purifier.

Slim and unobtrusive, Henry quietly purifies the air with its five-stage hepa/carbon filter which stops unwanted dust, pollen, odors, viruses, and bacteria. Includes an automatic shut-off function and filter indicator. Covers up to 250 sq. ft. Made of ABS and polypropylene plastic and a zinc base. Simple assembly required.

Matti Walker, 2006
Size: 50.5h x 7″diam.; Cord: 69″l
reg. $300.00

(No longer on sale.)

Yep, James Dyson is at it again. Leave it up to him to improve upon a fan by making it completely bladeless. That’s right, no blades. It instead amplifies and accelerates air (see below) so that it expels 118 gallons of smooth air every second. Very clever.

Air is drawn into the base of the machine. The air is forced up into the loop amplifier and accelerated through the annular aperture, creating a jet of air that hugs the airfoil-shaped ramp. While exiting the loop amplifier, the jet pulls air from behind the fan into the airflow. At the same time, the surrounding air from the front and sides of the machine are forced into the air stream, amplifying it 15 times. The result is a constant uninterrupted flow of cooling air. The Dyson Air Multiplier fan is powered by an energy efficient brushless motor and air speed can be precisely adjusted with a dimmer switch. No blades mean no need for a grill and it’s safe and simple to clean.

10″ Blue/Iron ($299.00), 10″ Silver/White ($299.00), or 12″ Silver/Iron ($329.99, shown)

Compared to the other air purifier we’ve posted, this one gets a thousand points for looking less like it came off a spaceship and more like something that would blend in to the background.

“Enjoying a healthier lifestyle without sacrificing your sense of style may sometimes seem an impossible task when shopping for home appliances. Not to worry – you can now breathe a bit more easily with an air purifier that looks great while cleaning the air.”
Cleans 25 square meters of space.
17″W x 5.25″L x 16″H

Here’s a mid-sized desktop fan that’ll help keep your work area cool (and cool-looking).

The Propello, by Black and Blum, is a desktop fan with user-friendly design features. Its soft, rubber blades and directional, adjustable airflow take the I’m-too-close fear out of personal fan comfort. When off, the Propello is so good looking, your cool look will always be admired.

Available in Blue or Grey.
Height 10.63 in., Diameter 10.24 in., Depth 7.09 in.

$140.00,

Buy it here.

Naoto Fukasawa is well known for his product design skills; now we can all rest easy knowing he’s taken care of the fan category.

“Don’t be deceived by your first look at this fan as it’s not your average appliance. With a protective cage that wraps completely from front to back to protect the motor as well as the blades, along with an extra feature that allows you to put it on a timer, the design of the ordinary fan has been drastically updated. Though practicality rather than aesthetics were key to the design… there’s definitely something wonderfully sleek about the new look.”

14.5″W x 10.75″L x 16.75″H

FYI, designboom has a good interview with Fukasawa.

This item is no longer available from the original retailer.

[posted by katie]