Aura Air Purifier Review: Keep Your Air Clean and Free of Pollution
Updated: Nov. 17, 2023
Check out this Aura Air Purifier review to find out if this wall-mounted unit is the best choice for your home.
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Even with the relatively clean air where I live in Minnesota, I wonder about my home’s indoor air quality. Smoke from wildfires hundreds of miles away, fumes from construction projects, chemicals sprayed on neighboring yards, my drywall project—who knows what’s in the air I breathe?
While I don’t always know what’s in the air I breathe, I do know one thing: Breathing in air pollutants can cause problems. Think of nagging coughs, asthma symptoms, and even long-term lung conditions.
You can do two things about air pollution. First, I recommend increasing your awareness of indoor and outdoor air conditions. That way, you can stay away from harmful smoke or chemicals. Second, clean the air inside your home. You can’t always control what happens outside your home, but you can use an air purifier, like the Aura Air, to breathe cleaner, healthier air inside it.
On This Page
What is the Aura Air Purifier?
The Aura Air is an air purifier that handles about 600 square feet of living space and retails for under $500. There’s also an Aura Air Mini, a battery-powered portable unit for hotel rooms or smaller workspaces. If you’re curious about air quality where you live, enter your zip code at airnow.gov, a site created in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
VIA MERCHANT
Aura Air Purifier
Aura smart air purifier uses a unique four-stage purification process to eliminate harmful dust, pollen, mold, pet hair, micro-dust, germs, odors, smoke, VOCs and other harmful gases.
Aura Air Purifier Features
To clean indoor air, the Aura Air purifier employs a system of filters, sensors, one UVC LED light and a recirculating fan. It comes in a modern, fabric-covered case that mounts directly to the wall using the included hardware.
It’s also incredibly easy to set up, as demonstrated by TikTok user @daniklaric below.
@daniklaric i guess no more allergies 😌 @Aura Air
Filter
A prefilter snares large particles such as dust, pollen and pet hair. The unit’s larger ray filter targets the contaminants you can’t see. This filter, resembling an old automotive air cleaner, includes a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, a carbon filter to absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and foul house odors, and a zinc-lined copper fabric filter with virus-killing properties.
UVC LED Light
The UVC LED light kills pathogens in the air (this technology is increasingly common in air-cleaning devices). The Aura Air’s Sterionizer element converts oxygen molecules into positive and negatively charged atoms, which can reduce the spread of airborne pathogens.
Sterionizer
An air ionizer uses innovative technology in which negatively charged ions are expelled into the air. The ions attach themselves to small particles moving through the room. Once bonded, the contaminants get so heavy they fall to the floor or stick to surfaces—in this case, the filter.
In clinical trials performed in Japan, the Sterionizer reduced influenza H1N1 virus levels in the air by 92% after 30 minutes of exposure and 98.9% after 60 minutes. Rather than buying a separate air ionizer, the Aura Air purifier is an all-in-one product. If you are interested in purchasing an air ionizer, these are the best ones for your home.
How We Tested It
I tested the Aura Air purifier device in my home for several weeks. Once plugged in, the device goes to work immediately cleaning the air and informing me about the quality of air I’m breathing. That’s one of the manufacturer’s main goals, making the indoor air quality monitor a valuable feature.
“We want to inform and provide a solution,” said Roei Friedberg, CEO of Aura Air, in a recent Zoom video interview. “As we work to build a new standard for indoor air quality, we know that information is an important element of the process.”
Size
The Aura Air wall-mounted cube weighs about 12 pounds and measures 15 inches across. I mounted it on the wall outside my bedrooms and home office, securing it with the included hardware. Then, I plugged in the unit, downloaded the app and connected the device to my home network.
Noise Level
Once I entered my Wi-Fi password, the small light on the Aura Air turned green, and it began to work. I know that because I could hear it — it was louder than I expected. The Aura Air’s fan works hard to pull air through all its filters. The sound reminded me of a small window air-conditioning unit.
But while I explored the app and the unit settings, I noticed the Aura Air became quieter, as if it shifted down a gear or two. With the unit in Auto Mode, it will cycle as needed from low to high. I discovered I can manually set it to any mode (including Silent Mode) and program a Night Mode to quiet the device and turn off the indicator light.
Air Quality Data
With the app and my connected Aura Air, I have access to loads of data about indoor and outdoor air quality. Information about particulate matter, VOCs, and the overall air quality index is important to those suffering from asthma or allergies. The Aura Air monitors CO and CO2 indoors and reports on nitrogen oxides, ozone and sulfur dioxide in the outdoor air. It also works as a smoke detector.
Pros
- Relatively quiet operation
- Reduces VOCs, smoke, mold and viruses
- Eliminates larger particles like allergens and pet hair
- Easy-to-use controls
- Several modes to choose from
- Built-in air quality data monitor via app
- Long-lasting battery life
- Voice controls available via Alexa
- Each filter lasts six months
- Sleek design and wall-mounting capabilities
Cons
- Produces trace amounts of ozone
- Does not remove formaldehyde
- Must use app to control the unit
FAQ
How does the Aura Air work?
Like other modern air purifiers, the Aura Air includes both a HEPA prefilter and active carbon filters. The four-stage purification process tackles big particles like dust, pollen, mold and pet hair. The activated carbon filter eliminates tiny particles like micro-dust, pet dander and germs as small as 0.3μm. The carbon filter absorbs odors, smoke, VOCs, and harmful gases.
The Aura Air’s biggest selling points, however, are the UV LED and Sterionizer. The UV LED “zaps” pathogens in the air, while the Sterionizer acts like an ionizer. It uses electrostatic charging plates that produce negatively charged ions. These ions attach themselves to tiny airborne particulates, like cigarette smoke and other toxins, as they move through the air.
How do I change the filter on my Aura Air?
Aura’s connected app alerts users when it’s time to change the filter. The filter change process is relatively simple. To wash the prefilter, remove the top cover, pull out the prefilter and use water to rinse it off. Ensure that it’s fully dry before replacing it in the machine.
Replacing the Ray filter is similar. Just unplug the Aura Air, remove the cover from the base, then gently pull out and replace the filter. Swap out Ray filters every six months or so.
How to install Aura Air?
The Aura Air is so easy to install. To set it up on the wall, follow these steps:
- Place the Smart jig on the wall and drill three holes
- Remove the device cover with the Ray-Filter and connect the DC adapter to Aura Air
- Mount the base using the included screws and washers
- Close the device cover and plug Aura Air into an electrical outlet
- Pair Aura Air to your Wi-Fi network via the app—the device will show as Aura- xxxxxx in your network list
What Other Reviewers Are Saying
Verified reviewer Andrew P. purchased his Aura two years ago. He enjoys his Aura Air and cannot imagine life without it.
“It gives you a sense of well-being considering it detects the constantly changing air quality,” he says. “Recently, we have had air quality alerts due to the fires in Canada. We were forced indoors. Our Aura Air was picking up on this air quality issue before any alerts were issued by our local government. We are sold on this unit. It gives us a sense of peace and safety. Absolutely recommend.”
Product Comparison
Compared to other air purifiers we’ve tried, the Aura Air is the only one that uses both an ionizer and UVC LED light for purification. Because it gives off trace amounts of ozone (albeit very low levels), some folks may feel more comfortable opting for a simple HEPA air purifier instead.
Ringing up at around half the cost of the Aura is the Honeywell air purifier, which offers similar coverage at about 500 sq. ft. However, the Honeywell’s large footprint may not fit smaller spaces. For that, we recommend the significantly tinier BlueAir purifier.
For about the same price, Dyson’s air purifier removes most air impurities, including formaldehyde—a compound that the Aura has no effect on. Those looking for a more budget-friendly air purifier with ample features should consider the uncomplicated Levoit 400S.
Final Verdict
The product is easy to set up and use. It provides helpful information about indoor air quality, allowing users to see it working in real-time. The Aura Air purifier works as promised, and I highly recommend snagging one if you’re concerned about indoor air quality.
Nabbing an Aura Air beats buying a separate HEPA purifier, ionizer and air quality monitor—everything comes baked right in. Plus, it’s easy to use thanks to an intuitive app and smart features.
Where to Buy the Aura Air Purifier
So, what are you waiting for? The Aura Air Purifier is available for purchase on Amazon and Walmart for under $600.
VIA MERCHANT
Aura Air Purifier
Aura smart air purifier uses a unique four-stage purification process to eliminate harmful dust, pollen, mold, pet hair, micro-dust, germs, odors, smoke, VOCs and other harmful gases.
