Although I am a travel editor, I also have a home. Not all flights are regular, and for me, it’s important to have a rest stop to recharge the batteries between flights. And when I do, I need my space to feel as clean and HEPA-filtered as my favorite five-star hotels. I realized this summer after the wildfires in Canada continued (while traveling to my home in New England) that in order to achieve this, I would need an air purifier.
And wow, did all my friends and coworkers have thoughts on this matter. After many ideas, a lot of research on my part, and a great sale on Amazon, I finally decided on the Shark HP102 Clean Sense Air Purifier – and in short, I’m not going back.
Amazon
This air purifier uses a powerful fan to filter pollutants, micropollutants, smoke, and more. from the air and has four cleaning speeds depending on how bad the air is. It looks like R2D2 but a lot better, and on his face, you can see how much cleaner the air is. It uses Clean Sense IQ technology to detect when it needs to hit high gear and automatically adjusts when the condition is poor, changing its color from red to yellow to blue to indicate that it is clean. It covers rooms up to 500 square feet; mine is in the bedroom, but I’m looking for one for the living room, too.
When I was thinking about buying this air purifier, I was very impressed that it is slightly more than HEPA (high efficiency air. [filter]) standards. According to the EPA, HEPA filters can “remove at least 99.97 percent of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.” And this Shark HP102 Clean Sense Air Purifier, with Nanoseal, captures more than that, which the brand says means “99.98 percent of fine, fine particles.”
And stats are great and all, but I’ve seen my Shark HP102 Clean Sense Air Purifier in action. When the last smoke of the fire hit, Boston was covered in a cloud of smoke, and the streets turned red (or as I like to call it “angry”) to indicate polluted air. It went into high gear, and began to improve slowly, reaching the yellow zone – at least 70 percent air quality – for the next hour and a half, which I’ll take, depending on how smoky it was outside. Even though I had a sore throat and a headache on the outside, I had to say that I felt very secure on the inside.
Amazon
But it’s not just the smoke that works hard – it has given me back when I’m cooking (have you tried using an air conditioner? It’s weird, but mine makes a lot of smoke) and this thing turns the air back to acceptable levels within an hour. And as a pet owner, I love that it also removes pet dander and fur, which is a nice bonus since my dog has tons of it.
I also appreciate that the Shark HP102 Clean Sense Air Purifier is very quiet – much quieter than my air conditioner – with little difference between high and low noise levels. I don’t have to turn up the volume on the TV if it starts working hard after dinner.
It’s so easy to set up and gives me so much peace of mind that I wonder why I didn’t buy one of these before – hello, the pandemic might be a good time to invest in one of these – but I’m glad I have it now for whatever comes to Boston.
To be honest, what convinced me to buy this air purifier was the glowing reviews. On Amazon, where the Shark HP102 Clean Sense Air Purifier has an average of 4.7 stars, consumers seem to agree on how much they like this product. An enthusiastic New Englander friend said that it “cleared the smoke from the Canadian fire” and was “very effective” clearing their place “within an hour.” One customer who said it was “just what I needed” raved about the Shark’s “good size and zero noise.” Another said it was “easy to set up” – a must for everything in my house.
Filters last anywhere from six to 12 months, and while I haven’t had mine long enough to change filters, one customer commented that it’s “very easy to change” – great. And while my allergies are the best of luck, consumers who say they suffer from allergies say they’re “reversible for allergy sufferers.”
Whether you’re a world traveler who only stays at home a few nights a month or you’re holding down the fort, I think we can all agree that the fresh air we lay our heads on is important. If you’re on the fence, I can 100 recommend the Shark HP102 Clean Sense Air Purifier for convenience and peace of mind. I’m adding another one to my cart while it’s on sale at Amazon for 35% off!
At press time, the price started at $150.
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