We are in the midst of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and face masks have become necessary for everyone’s health and hygiene. However, wearing a face mask can disrupt breathing patterns, leaving you feeling dizzy or winded. Thankfully, LG has recently come out with a solution, which is the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier. You might notice our national badminton player, Lee Zii Jia, wearing that to tournaments. Yup, it’s that one. The second-generation model (AP551AWFA) is now available in Malaysia, and I happened to be wearing it for quite some time. Without further ado, here comes the full review!
LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier Specs
- PuriCare Filter: H13(2EA) (99.95%)
- Sensor: Respiratory Sensor
- Air Volume (LPM): 10~55 (Max)
- 1,000mAh battery
- Bluetooth: Yes (BLE 5.0)
- Dual Inverter Fan: Yes
- Operation Noise (dB): 35 (Min) ~52 (Max)
- VoiceON: Yes
- Weight: 94g
It’s Thick, Really Thick!
Compared to a regular face mask, the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier is definitely a lot thicker. This is because it comes with lots of features and tech in it. Despite being a pretty thick wearable device, it actually comes with an ergonomic design that fits and seals to your face while minimizing air leakage.
Setting up the product for the first time is pretty easy and straightforward. First, you need to open the filter case on the left and right to insert the HEPA H13 filters. Next, insert the inner cover then snap the face guard by just sliding it into the places where the magnets are. It comes with the L size face guard by default, you’ll need to purchase separately if you wish to have a smaller size face guard.
The bottom of the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier houses the USB-C port, power LED indicator, power button, and Bluetooth LED indicator. You long-press the power button to power on the product, and pressing the power button for 2 seconds will turn on/off the VoiceON feature. To turn off the product, all you need to do is long-press the power button again.
Weighing at 94g, obviously, you will feel uncomfortable and the strain after wearing it for a long time. During my time of wearing it, I found that it rested on the bottom half of my face most of the time.
Now You Can Breathe Better
The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier comes with dual fans that blow air at the speed of your own breathing as the respiratory sensor senses your inhale and exhale. Having the dual fans actually prevent a common problem for those wearing glasses, keeping their lenses from fogging up when exhaling.
In exchange for breathing fresh air, the inverter fans will kick in every time you inhale, and the sensor works pretty well as it always managed to detect when I’m inhaling. However, you can definitely hear the operation noise when the fans kicked in.
And Speak Louder
The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier comes with the VoiceON feature, which is a built-in microphone and speaker that automatically recognizes when you are speaking and amplifies your voice out. It felt weird at first, but it works and definitely makes your voice easy to be heard. It also comes with Bluetooth connectivity that lets you track your breathing and product maintenance. Unfortunately, the app is still not available at the time I’m writing this review.
You’ll Need To Charge It, Though
Since it is a smart product, not surprising that you’ll need to charge it. The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier packs a 1,000mAh battery, which can be charged via the USB-C port. It’ll take two hours to fully charge the device, and every single charge will provide an 8-hour of battery life. There’s also the case that is sold separately, which allows you to charge and disinfect the device.
Also, it is recommended to change the HEPA H13 filters after 1 month of use based on 6 hours of use a day. The inner cover is recommended to change every day. That actually adds up the cost, just like a normal air purifier ensuring you get fresh air all the time.
Final Words
Currently retailing at RM799 for the standard package, the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier is a different kind of approach for you to protect yourself. Nope, this is not a face mask, it’s an air purifier that you can wear for better breathing, as well as making your voice easy to be heard, which basically solves two major problems from wearing face masks. If you have the budget and don’t mind everyone looking at you when you are outside, this is a suitable product for you.
Buy Here! (Affiliate Links)
Yay
- Better breathing
- Easy to hear your voice
- Comes with smart features to track your breathing and product maintenance
Nay
- Might feel uncomfortable after wearing it for a long time
- Need to recharge
- Higher maintenance cost