Pure Enrichment PureZone 3-In-1 Review
Pros: Quiet, low operating costs
Cons: Mediocre power, few settings
Manufacturer: Pure Enrichment
Our Verdict
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 This Product
Pure Enrichment PureZone 3-In-1 | |||||
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| Awards |  | ||||
| Price | $100 List $99.98 at Amazon | $90 List $76.48 at Amazon | $100 List $99.99 at Amazon | $40 List | $60 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Quiet, low operating costs | Quiet, low operating costs, excellent price | Good air cleaning performance, low overall cost | Inexpensive, low operating costs | Not terribly loud, compact |
| Cons | Mediocre power, few settings | Lower power for larger rooms | Somewhat expensive replacement filters | Poor air cleaning performance, flimsy construction | Poor air cleaning performance, high operating costs for a machine of its size |
| Bottom Line | An inexpensive, decent overall machine with few notable qualities | It's quiet, well designed, and relatively inexpensive, but is suitable for smaller room sizes | A great combination of good performance and low cost make this a great budget option | A low cost model with correspondingly poor performance | A compact model with relatively poor performance and no redeeming attributes to make that up |
| Rating Categories | PureZone 3-In-1 | Levoit LV-H132 | GermGuardian AC4300... | Holmes HEPA Type De... | Hamilton Beach TrueAir |
| Air Cleaning Performance (40%) | |||||
| Noise (25%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (25%) | |||||
| Operating Cost (10%) | |||||
| Specs | PureZone 3-In-1 | Levoit LV-H132 | GermGuardian AC4300... | Holmes HEPA Type De... | Hamilton Beach TrueAir |
| Dimensions | 10.8" x 6.9" x 12.1" | 7.5" x 7.5" x 13" | 8.88" x 6.38" x 22" | 13" x 10" x 5.5" | 9.5" x 7" x 15" |
| Weight | 6.5 lb | 8.45 lb | 9.45 lb | 4.7 lb | 4.9 lb |
| CADR | 80 CFM | 110 CFM | 100 CFM | 70 CFM | N/A |
| True HEPA | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Estimated Lifetime Cost | $279 | $323 | $495 | $143 | $573 |
| Airborne Particulate Reduction After 1 Hour (%) | 93.58% | 95.66% | 99.39% | 89.49% | 89.49% |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Air Cleaning Performance
The PureZone 3-in-1 was an average performer in our air cleaning tests. When placed into our smokey, 150 square foot testing room, it struggled a bit to get going, removing only 83% of the airborne particulates over the first half-hour (for comparison, the top-performing Coway removed over 99% in the same time span). After an hour, it increased that reduction to 96%. The PureZone is capable of keeping small bedrooms (~100 square feet) mostly allergen-free, but it will likely struggle a bit in larger spaces. If you need more cleaning power on a budget, the GermGuardian AC4300BPTCA is a worthy alternative.
The PureZone also offers a UV light that is meant to kill microorganisms in the air moving through it. While this technology has been proven effective in industrial-scale units used in hospitals, this technology is largely unproven in household units. Also, UV lights can sometimes produce ozone, which is a lung irritant. If you want to err on the side of caution, you might want to keep this feature turned off.
Noise
This is where the PureZone really shines, as it is nearly silent on its low setting. It emits a fairly low-pitched hum on medium and high that certainly isn't offensive, and some may even find it to be a pleasant white noise. This again adds to its usefulness as a small bedroom machine, as you'll likely be sleeping in close vicinity to the machine. If quietness is your first consideration in buying a purifier, we think the PureZone is the best deal you're going to find.
Ease of Use
The PureZone offers an average user experience. Setup is a breeze, and the simple control panel lets you easily dial in your preferred settings. We also really liked that this more basic machine offers an automatic off timer. It's really nice to know your purifier will shut off when you head to work, even if you forget to do it yourself. At 8.45 pounds, the PureZone is also relatively light, and is easy to move around due to the built-in carrying handle.
The only downside of PureZone's user experience is that it lacks many of the bells and whistles of the higher-priced models. That means no remote control, only three fan speeds, and no built-in air quality meter. These features are by no means necessary, but they do add a degree of convenience.
Operating Cost
The PureZone is a decently economic machine. With a relatively low street price of $100, inexpensive $17 replacement filters, and fairly efficient electricity usage of 0.02kWh per hour, we calculated an estimated lifetime cost of $323 (assuming a lifespan of five years). This is well below the average.
Value
There is one situation where the PureZone is a good value: if you both plan to use it in a small (~100 square foot) room, and you are sensitive to noise. In that case, you get a nearly silent machine that will effectively clean the air in your room for a reasonable price. However, if you need more power than that or don't care about a slightly louder fan, the GermGuardian AC4300BPTCA is a more powerful machine at the same price.
Conclusion
Apart from its very quiet operation, the PureZone 3-in-1 is an average performer. If you're sensitive to noise and plan to use your purifier in a small (~100 square foot) bedroom, it will probably serve you well. It's somewhat of a niche product — it offers a good value for use in a small room with noise-sensitive occupants. Otherwise, there are better models available in the same price range.
— Buck Yedor, Max Mutter, and Steven Tata