Review: Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier

We've just had a bad case of the haze recently, and it was just awful. The air was so bad outside, we couldn't open the windows and I didn't let my son to go to school for four days straight. This recent bout of air pollution makes me glad that I bought an air purifier a few months back. At least, even with the windows closed, the air inside my home was cleaner. 

View of the evening sky from a friend's apartment, before and during the haze.

For some time now, I've been reading about how the air indoors is actually worse than the air outside, and that there's such a thing as "negative ions," which are invisible to the eye, but are good for us. According to Ionic Balance, in nature, negative ions are generated by evaporating water, ocean surf and waterfalls. Since not all of us can live by the ocean or a waterfall, we need to use man-made ion generators to bring these good ions into our homes and offices.

There are lots of types of air purifiers with ion generators on the market, but I've had my eye on Sharp's range of "plasmacluster" air purifiers for some time, because it's a brand I trust. They have a range of air purifiers to suit your space and budget, so I decided on the FUA28E, as it's one of the cheapest they had. With a coverage area 19 metres square, it's meant to remove mold, odour, viruses and allergens, as well as deodorising the air. 

So, is plasmacluster technology for real, and do air purifiers really work? Or is it just a bunch of marketing hoopla? I found Sharp USA's web page on air purifiers to be particularly informative. I know it may seem kind of silly to invest in something that doesn't really seem to be doing anything, but I wanted to improve the air quality in my home. Although no one in my family suffers from bad allergies, my son and I are quite sensitive to dust. But, before I go on with my review, let's learn more about plasmacluster ions... Check out this video:

Buying one online and for the best price

Satisfied with what I had learned through my online research on the effectiveness and durability of Sharp air purifiers, the next step was to buy one, for the best price possible. I found that at Tesco, the air purifier I wanted retailed for RM364.65 (see below) and on the online store Lazada, it sold for RM319. In the end, however, I ended up buying mine on Lelong, because it was the lowest price in the market - RM289 to be exact, inclusive of delivery.

So, how has the air purifier performed in my home? Here's my two cent's worth...

Dust: If you expect your home to be dust-free by using this device, you'll be sorely disappointed. I find my home to be as dusty as it ever was, maybe even dustier. But, maybe that's due to the amount of air pollution in the room, and not the fault of the device. However, I've noticed dust collecting on the back of the device, which I suppose is a sign that it does do its part to remove some dust particles from the air. 

Noise: It's relatively quiet, unless it's at maximum.

Light: The bright blue indicator lights on this device can be pretty darn bright and annoying at night. I'm thinking of sticking some tape on them.

Conclusion: When the air purifier's running, I can't really tell if it's "working" because it kind of just sits there and blows air out from the top end. However, I trust Sharp and their technology, and I have to say that it gave me some peace of mind during the past few hazy days. 

Thankfully, today, the skies cleared up... nothing beats seeing the clouds and feeling the sun on your skin...

The skies above the food stalls where I ate lunch today.