Air purifiers have become one more element within smart appliances. The connected home and the lower prices of these devices are making them one of the most widespread products in the world. households, especially after the pandemic. Smartmi, one of Xiaomi's secondary brands, has brought its connected home products to Spain, in which air purifiers are one of its star categories.
We have tested the Smartmi Air Purifier P1, a small size air purifier in which design and functionality go hand in hand in a product destined to occupy a privileged place at home.
Although in Smartmi Air Purifier P1 it is focused on small rooms , it has enough power for most living rooms and rooms in the home. On paper, it is a very simple device, integrated with most voice assistants, and above all intended to be a device that we can move around the house thanks to its size and portability.
Smartmi Air Purifier P1: design and functionality
Its cylindrical and compact design, with a small portable handle, allows it to be placed in any corner of the house. According to its specifications, it is capable of purifying the environment of a 10m² room in 5 minutes and a 30m² room in 20 minutes. However, it depends a lot on where it is placed.
In our tests, although it is more than enough in bedrooms and small rooms, the purification time in large rooms (and the power necessary to do it quickly), increases considerably. Perhaps it is a model more destined, as we say, to bedrooms; but it can be used without problems in any corner of the house.
In fact, in our tests it is faster for large rooms to open the windows than to activate the purifier, at least in terms of speed. Logically, this action is meaningless if the outside air is more polluted than the inside, as can happen in cities like Madrid with large pollution peaks , where the purifier will undoubtedly be the best ally for keep the environment clean.
And we say bedrooms because the star function of the Smartmi Air Purifier P1 is undoubtedly the night mode. Although the device is not at all noisy at maximum power (at least not more than many other purifiers), it is especially quiet when we activate the device at bedtime. In maximum mode power, the Smartmi Air Purifier P1 is more or less noisy like a fan, but in return it is quite fast in purifying the room. In night mode, the power and noise are minimal, but it works quite well.
Real-time sensors and app control
However, the key point of the Smartmi Air Purifier P1 is the automatic mode. This is a functionality in the device regulates the power and intensity based on air pollutants: maximum power in environments with poor air quality that decreases as the stay.
The device features PM2.5 air quality and pollen sensors, which alert the user when air quality falls below healthy thresholds for purification to be activated. In addition, being compatible with digital home assistants, all this can be automated, without having to be aware of whether or not to turn on the device when the air quality is reduced. The good news is that sensors and notifications work in real time, without delay and shows PM2.5 air quality data, on the display and in apps simultaneously. It is also capable of measuring PM10 particles, more focused on spring environments in which pollen is the protagonist.
Integration with HomeKit
As for the control, the Smartmi Air Purifier P1 can be controlled from the computer itself thanks to its integrated screen, from the mobile with its own App, or from the Apple Home app if we integrate it into HomeKit. The functionality in any case is identical in all the options: we can turn the equipment on and off, program a shutdown delay, check the air quality or automate the operating modes. Perhaps digital home apps offer greater functionality by allowing automating actions based on other connected devices, but the general functionality is quite basic (and sufficient).
Smartmi Air Purifier P1, is it worth it?
It is a fairly simple device, which when placed on automatic will do its job without having to be aware of it. In general, we have seen the Smartmi P1 as the best designed and most compact purifier for homes and small rooms, but perhaps its power is not enough for large rooms if you are looking for a quick air purification.
Given that its price is in the range of 150 euros , on the average of other more powerful purifiers, perhaps the purchase decision resides in two of its best values: design and integration with all connected home assistants, especially with Apple's, where it shines with all its functionality, and with the possibility of using its sensors to automate other actions, such as making the lights blink when the quality of the air is especially bad.
In everything else, the Smartmi Air Purifier P1 delivers if the floor / room is small. Of course, an important factor is its filters, which have a price of about 40 euros and promise a duration of six months, so it is a cost to add and take into account. In our tests, the filter has reduced its capacity by around 20% in two weeks of heavy use. Logically this depends on the environmental pollutants and the hours of use, but it is a cost associated with the purifier that must be taken into account.
The Smartmi Air Purifier P1 is the type of connected home appliance that has to do its job forgetting that it is there, in this regard, it has delivered outstandingly in everything we have asked of it.
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