3M Filtrete Ultra Clean Air Purifier Claims To Be Better Than HEPA. Amazon reviews suggest it might.

Last Updated on April 20, 2020

Air purifiers have different effectiveness levels. There is a standard which measures this. It is called CADR and it stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate. It indicates the volume of filtered air delivered by the air cleaner per time unit, adjusted with the particle removal efficiency of the air purifier. CADR is measured in cubic feet per minute. I won’t get in more detail, but this is good to know when shopping for air purifiers.

I spend so much time indoors. It almost scares me. I live with a cat. My windows face a busy avenue. There’s dust everywhere. There’s cat hair everywhere (this is a hint that there must be a lot of cat dander as well). I want to buy an air purifier, so I read about a few of them lately. I want a quiet and stylish one, but I also want it to be as effective as possible within my budget.

I’ve got two on my shortlist so far: Honeywell 50250 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier and 3M Filtrete Ultra Clean Air Purifier, FAP03-RS. They both cost less than $200, which is the maximum I want to spend. The Honeywell is based on HEPA filter technology and it removes 99.97 % of common airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns. The 3M is based on Filtrete technology which filters 99.9 % of allergens as small as 0.1 microns. I don’t know how this would make a noticeable difference, but it looks like the 3M Filtrete Ultra clean stops more of those bad little fellows that pollute our air.

Why I like the 3M Filtrete Ultra Clean Air Purifier

CADR:

• Pollen: 312
• Dust: 274
• Smoke: 224

I’ve read on the AHAM website that there’s a 2/3 rule: the air purifier should have a CADR at least 2/3 the room area, for rooms that have the ceiling 8′ high. For instance, my room is 12′ x 14′ = 168 square feet. 2/3 of that is 112. This is the minimum CARD I need. The 3M Filtrete Ultra Clean has double that for smoke and much better for dust and pollen, so it’s perfect because it will clean even faster, having to deal with a smaller air volume.

Lower noise output

Constant background noise can become annoying if you are exposed to it for longer periods of time. Most competitive models of air purifiers have 65dB. The 3M Filtrete FAPF03-RS only has 58dB. It means you can have it running and still be able to have a conversation with your friends. Another thing I like is that the air purifier has three fan speeds, so if you need more silence you can just set it on the lowest speed.

Modern design & great portability

I like the 3M Filtrete more than Honeywell purifiers because it’s smaller and it has a more elegant look. It can be easily moved from one room to another, so I can clean the air in my entire house. As a matter of fact, I’d rather buy a wall-mountable air purifier unit like this Honeywell 50250 99.97% Pure Rabbit Air MinusA2 SPA-780A Ultra Quiet HEPA for the living room and use a little one for the bedroom. This would be the most elegant solution. However the Rabbit Air usually costs about $900. Even with the smashing promotion which is now active on Amazon, it still costs $549, way beyond my budget. For the time being, I love the sleek design and the portability of 3M Filtrete.

Cheaper replacement filters

Expensive consumables can quickly add up into a regular financial pain. This is why I prefer devices that have cheaper replacements. HEPA filters and anything but cheap, so going for the 3M air purifier will save me money in the long run.

Filter life analyzer

I love appliances that indicate when it’s time to change replaceable parts such as filters or batteries. It’s unpleasant to be caught unprepared when you really need to use the respective appliance and discover you forgot to buy spare filters or whatever else needs to be changed. The 3M Filtrete Air Purifier has a state-id-the-art filter life analyzer which can recognize gradual changes and displays a signal when it’s time for replacement. Seeing gradual changes will remind you to buy new filters in time.

3M Filtrete Ultra Clean Air Purifier FAP03-RS technical details

• Dimensions: 23.4” x 12.8” x 29.7”
• Weight: 19 pounds (shipping weight is 28.2 pounds)
• Cleans rooms up to 350 sq. feet.
• Three fan speeds
• Quiet operation (58dB)
• The filter has electrostatically charged fibers which capture 99.9# of allergens as small as 0.1 microns, including pollen, dust mite debris, mold spores or pet dandruff.

What other people say about this air purifier

Amazon reviews are positive, most of them giving the purifier five stars.

I spent a great deal of time comparing different purifiers: cost, performance, ease of use, noise, filter replacement, etc. This unit is superb in every respect.

Here’s another one about the noise level:

It is quiet even on high. It sits near our tv and it has never affected our sound level.

One about efficiency:

This unit absolutely is removing dust from the air – I can see it on the filter.

One about the construction:

It is simply constructed with good quality plastics. Design of the “RS” control knob is gimmicky but complimentary to the product as well as giving a light hearted touch to the product.

One about the fan power:

It’s sort of amazing just how much power this fan has to pull in dust, fuzz …

Do you want to read more? Are you thinking to buy the 3M Filtrete Ultra Clean Air Purifier, FAP03-RS. Go to Amazon now!