Coway Airmega 1512HH Review

One of the main draws of the Airmega 1512HH is its effectiveness and ease of use. We appreciated how effortless the interface was to navigate and how intuitive the controls were. In a world of touch screens, the tactile feel of these particular buttons was a welcome change.

Performance Comparison

Air Cleaning Performance

The Coway Airmega 1512HH delivers top-notch performance, and we had no complaints during testing. We conducted several tests to evaluate its effectiveness at its most crucial function: cleaning the air. First, we put on our PPE, and then filled our test room full of smoke by burning paper until the room reached an air quality index (AQI) of at least 500, which is considered hazardous.

The CADR (clean air delivery rate) of 240 is on the higher end and provides enough power for most rooms up to 1,748 square feet. No model that we tested was particularly effective at removing odors, and the Coway Airmega actually did quite well in that regard. It put a dent in the smoky smell of our testing room, but it was still somewhat noticeable. The Airmega 1512HH was able to lower the AQI significantly after just 45 minutes. After an hour had passed, 100% of particulates were removed from the air. Very few air purifiers were able to surpass this impressive performance.

Noise

Some air purifiers can be quite noisy and cause disturbances while trying to sleep, study, or go about daily life. To help you choose a model with the least amount of sound, we tested each and every purifier using a decibel reader to gauge their noise levels.

As if top-notch cleaning wasn't enough, the Coway is also one of the quietest operators amongst our testing models. When on its high setting, it produces a medium-high hum that is somewhat loud, but the pitch tends to fade into the background, and we didn't feel it would disrupt any audio-based enjoyment like listening to music or watching TV. If you're using it in your bedroom, it can double as a pleasant white noise machine. The only slight annoyance is the lack of any type of sleep or nighttime mode. Many models we tested had this quality of life feature, but it is absent here.

Pulling the Coway back down to medium ratchets both the pitch and the volume down. This deep purr gets close to silent but is still noticeable. Kind of like the quiet hum always emanating from a refrigerator. If you click it down to low, the Coway is virtually silent. You'll likely forget that it is on, even if you're just sitting quietly and reading a book.

Ease of Use

Air purifiers provide a relatively basic function. We believe the interface should be straightforward and unobtrusive, ensuring a frictionless experience when navigating its features. Thankfully, the Coway achieved this, allowing us to breeze through the control layout with ease.

The Coway features a no-frills, clean interface with a range of straightforward controls. A series of buttons on the top of the unit allows you to cycle through fan speeds, toggle the ionizer, and set a timer for one, four, or eight hours. The fan settings include low, medium, high, and eco modes. Additionally, it has a built-in air quality meter that automatically adjusts the fan speed based on the detected air quality. We found this air quality monitor to be the most accurate among our selection. Unlike other models where the air quality meter often failed to respond to increases in pollutants, the Coway consistently adjusted its fan speed in response to changes detected by our external air quality meter. To top it off, there is also an app you can download to monitor and control this air purifier. Thanks for the great interface it's wholly unnecessary, but for those that enjoy app connectivity it's a great addition.

Weighing 13.1 pounds, the Coway isn't particularly lightweight, but it features convenient carrying handles that make it relatively easy to move around. The handle is located on the back of the machine near the top, featuring an indentation designed for gripping. It's ideal for short carries or lifts. For longer distances, you might find it easier to carry the unit from either side of the body.

Operating Cost

The Coway has a good operating cost and won't run up your electric bill. That said, there are some more economical models out there with lower operating costs.

Using only 0.01 kWh of electricity per hour of operation, it's one of the most efficient models in our testing. This factors out to about $4.16 per year in most homes. However, its replacement filters are somewhat pricey, and we typically found them for $60, though sometimes cheaper options are available. The best replacement packs come with one HEPA filter and two carbon filters, which are enough to last for one year according to manufacturer recommendations. Its list price is also a bit above average, so you have to pay a little more upfront. But, we expect that from such a high-performing machine.

Should You Buy the Coway Airmega 1512HH?

Given that the Coway excels in every test and offers an estimated lifetime cost that represents great value, we believe it's more than worth your consideration. Generally, we would expect a product of this caliber to command a premium price for its performance, but the Coway's costs are very reasonable. If you can make the initial (relatively small) investment, you'll benefit from high-end performance at a reasonable price in the long run. In other words, put this on your short list of potential devices because it's that good.

What Other Air Purifiers Should You Consider?