Six years ago last month, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Today, while many people have returned to “normal,” some of us understand that our pre-COVID normal is gone. As someone who is immunocompromised, I continue to take precautions. (But even if I wasn’t I’d still be careful. Because every time you get a COVID infection, there’s a chance of developing Long COVID, and I definitely do not want that.)
I mask with a KN95 or N95 on public transit, in medical facilities, and crowded spaces. And as I mentioned in this post about outdoor dining in Philadelphia, I try to eat outside. But that’s not always possible. Last summer, I attended a conference where the only dining option was an indoor cafeteria. In advance of my trip, I began researching personal air purifiers.
My search led me to AirFanta, which was founded by Adam Wong, a Chinese engineer who began designing air purifiers in 2022 to protect his loved ones from COVID. I was particularly interested in the AirFanta 4Lite, a portable, battery-operated HEPA air purifier.
Please note that this review is not about the efficacy of the AirFanta 4Lite. For that, I recommend watching this video review, which includes testing. This post is about my experience with it — what it’s like to travel with it, carry it around, and use it.
** This is an unsponsored review. I bought this air purifier myself. **
How the AirFanta 4Lite Works
I was skeptical about whether a personal air purifier could even be effective if you’re in a large space like a cafeteria. After all, the air purifiers I use at home draw in air, filter out allergens and pollutants, then push that air back out. It takes time to clean all the air in a room.
But the AirFanta 4Lite uses a different technology — laminar flow — generating a narrow stream of clean air. It works nearly immediately by providing clean air within 10 seconds of activation, according to AirFanta.
Design & Interface
For an air purifier, the AirFanta 4Lite is pretty attractive with a minimalist aesthetic. And it’s easy to use. It only has two buttons: a power button and a speed button. To turn it on, press the power button for a couple seconds. (No need to press it hard or for a long time.) Then, toggle among the speed options, of which there are three. Which speed to use depends on far away the air purifier is from you.
Within 1 foot/30cm: use L (low)
Between 1-1.6 feet/30-50cm: use M (medium)
Over 1.6 feet/50cm: use H (high)
The closer it is placed to you, though, the better the protection. The user manual says, “For optimal filtration, the device should be as close to the nose as possible, ideally within 12 inches and operated at a low speed.” To turn it off, click the power button briefly.
After turning on the power button (top), click the lower button to choose the speed.
Placement of this air purifier is key for effectiveness. Not only does it need to be close to you, but it should face your face so that you’re directly in the path of the clean air it’s generating. This means that if you turn your head away from the purifier (to talk to a server, for example), you are not protected. The purifier is designed with an aluminum stand that allows you to swivel the purifier 360 degrees so that it can be angled at your nose. As it swivels, it makes a satisfying clicking sound.
The air purifier can swivel 360 degrees.
Air Flow & Noise
When I first turned on the AirFanta 4Lite at the lowest setting, I wasn’t sure if it was working because the airflow felt so light. But apparently this is normal. You should feel air gently blowing at your face.
At the lowest setting, the AirFanta 4Lite is quiet-ish, though not silent. It sounds like a fan. On medium, and especially high, though, it’s kinda noisy. It’s not so loud that it disrupts conversation. But keep in mind that if you want quiet, you’ll want to use this air purifier on its lowest setting, which means you’ll need to keep it within a foot of your face.
How Portable is the AirFanta 4Lite?
The AirFanta 4 Lite comes in a paper case with magnetic closure.
Traveling with it: The AirFanta 4Lite comes in a paper case with a magnetic flap closure and short handle like a brief case. Foam inside with an AirFanta 4Lite-shaped cavity ensures that it’s secure. I can fit the entire case in my carry-on luggage, along with my clothes. However, on more recent trips, I’ve taken it out of its case and packed it directly into my carry-on luggage in order to free up space for other things.
Carrying it around: The paper case is not practical for carrying around, at least not for me. If you were just going from your car in a parking lot directly to where you needed to be, then the carrying case is probably fine. But as someone taking public transit and walking quite a bit, I prefer to use a backpack or tote bag so that I can put it on my shoulders instead of carrying it by hand.
Weight: The purifier weighs 2.9 lbs, which is similar in weight to other small air purifiers. It weighs a little more than a 13″ MacBook Air (2.7 lbs). So while it’s not heavy, it’s not super lightweight. I find carrying my laptop around for an extended period of time tiresome, and the same is true of this air purifier. Also, at 2.95″D x 7.48″W x 11.81″H, it’s a sizeable object that takes up some space. To be honest, the size and weight is sometimes a deterrent to my wanting to use it, particularly if I’m going to be out for many hours going from place to place. But then I think about getting sick and suck it up.
Battery Life: AirFanta says that this purifier, with a 74Wh built-in battery, can hold a charge for up to 24 hours. I don’t use it all day every day, so I can go a week without charging it. The indicator light above the power button will turn red when the purifier has less than 20% battery life left. The first time I charged it, though, it seemed to take a really long time. So, I tend to charge it overnight to ensure a full battery. While it’s charging the power indicator light will flash, so if you’re sleeping in the same room where it’s charging (like a hotel room) and you’re sensitive to light, you’ll want to turn it right against a wall or otherwise cover up the light.
Cost
At $200, the AirFanta 4Lite is not cheap. And of course, there is the ongoing cost of filters. Replacement HEPA filters, which are sold in packs of six, cost $59. (F
Closing Thoughts on the AirFanta 4Lite
The AirFanta 4Lite retails for $199.99 and has a two-year warranty. If you buy more than one, though, there is a discount. Save 5% on two and 10% on three.
So far, I’ve only encountered one issue with the AirFanta 4Lite. One time I unplugged it while it was still charging because of last-minute dinner plans with a friend. At the end of the meal when it came time to return it to my tote bag, I couldn’t get it to turn off. The power button didn’t respond. This happened two more times. However, it seems to work fine now lately. So, IDK, maybe it was just a fluke. Or maybe user error.
Overall, I find the AirFanta 4Lite simple to use, and while not exactly easy to carry around for petite me due to its weight, it’s manageable. When you take this air purifier out in public be prepared to get questions. People often want to know what it is. I don’t mind being asked about it as that gives me an opportunity to share that I’m immunocompromised. Maybe they’ll think a bit about what that’s like and be empathetic towards those of us taking precautions. (Or maybe they won’t, but one can hope.)
Though it’s pricey, I’m glad I bought it as it makes it safer for me to be out and about in the world. It has allowed me to have coffee meetings, attend conferences, and meet friends for dinner. In short, AirFanta has given me some semblance of normalcy back, even though I know things won’t ever go back to “normal.”
