Students and others with limited incomes shouldn’t feel helplessly left out of the eternal expat discussion regarding air purifiers. I mentioned before but will stress again, given the recent weather: there’s a very decent and affordable Taiwan/U.S.A.-made HEPA air purifier which is perfect for small dorm rooms, offices and bedrooms. It’s the Hunter 31125 model, which you can buy for only 1238RMB at the Sundan electronics store at the Sanlitun Village. You can also order it online here. The replacement filter is also cheap, only ~140RMB every few months. (UPDATE, Nov. 29: this model seems to be retired; read the comment section below for other low-cost options…) This is a true HEPA filter, rated for 99.97% filtration, and reportedly is good for rooms up to ~30 square meters. In my recent piece discussing BlueAir vs IQAir, I mentioned my own personal findings regarding this Hunter purifier, which did very well. I have this in my small office, about 10 square meters, and use it 24/7.

In my readings with a particle monitor that I borrowed from the IQAir team, the Hunter 31125 routinely eliminated 50-70% of pollution even with the constant door opening. These real-world percentages are quite similar to the improvements I got at home with my Blueair and IQAir machines. By the way, do not use the ionizer setting, it’s not considered healthy anymore by most reviewers. That goes for any air purifier models. Don’t Forget You Can Resell It One good way to look at the cost-benefit of all air purifiers is to feel quite comfortable that all the top foreign air purifiers can be easily resold when you leave Beijing, for quite a reasonable resale value. I guess you can think of items like IQAir and Blueair as the Patek Philippe of air purifiers; you “merely look after it for the next generation”. I suppose the Hunter 31125 is more like a Honda Civic — it’s a bit boring but reliable, and if you take good care of it you can pass it along to your kids for a few more sturdy years.

Most students can easily afford the Hunter 31125, use it for a year or two, and quickly resell it to another student for a high resale value. Don’t Forget Plants, and N95 Masks Plants aren’t nearly as efficient as a good air purifier, but they can help clean the air a bit, and they also help with industrial indoor chemicals like formaldehyde which are common here. There’s a triad of common and cheap houseplants which really help, but any plant is better than nothing. And for all you students who bike or walk to school; you should definitely buy a few of those N95 masks and always use them during your commute when the air is bad. These masks are reusable at least a few times, and they’re only a few kuai. Most stores and pharmacies started to stock these N95 masks after the swine flu scare last year. I have a collection of my top air pollution posts at the top of the page, but you can access it here as well. Anyone Have Data on Other Machines? I’m sure there are a few other lower-end HEPA models which could be fine as well, I’m simply reporting on what I’ve used.

I would love readers to leave comments below discussing real-world results with other models.Hunter 30378Hunter has long been famous for producing fans with exceptional quality, and they have used their technology to produce one of the most effective air purifiers currently on the market. The 30378 will replace the air in a room sized 400 square feet up to 6 times per hour. air cleaners for muscle carsThis is something that not many other manufacturers can boast within this price range. best air purifier for nail salonsThe 30378 doesn’t just purify the air, it does the job very quietly as well.home air duct cleaning do it yourselfReview DetailsNot only can you expect one of the quietest air purifiers on the market with the Hunter 30378, you can also expect high quality air purification.

This model comes with a HEPA tech filtration system. This means the HEPA filter will remove up to 99.97% of airborne pollutants as small as 0.1 microns in size. It’s also equipped with a carbon activated pre-filter that’s designed to trap large particles such as hair, lint and pet dander. In addition it will reduce the level of odors such as tobacco, food smells and pet odors by up to 30%, and also acts as a trap for particles that pass through the HEPA filter. Designed to filter up to 99.97% of airborne pollutants, the 30378 will capture particles as small as 0.1 microns in size. The carbon pre-filter acts as a defense against common household odors and also has an optional ionizer that sends negative ions into the air making for an even fresher feel. The Hunter 30378 has easy to use digital controls and LCD pre-filter and a filter change reminder. In a room up to 400 square feet in size, this handy model will change the air up to 6 times per hour. Using fan technology synonymous with Hunter, the 30378 comes with 3 speeds and can barely be heard during operation.

The replacement filters for the 30378 can be a little pricey, and it’s not energy star rated, so it can cost a little more in electricity if it’s being used 24/7. Some consumers complain this model is not as effective as advertised. However it’s vital you check the room size prior to purchase. The 30378 has been designed to handle rooms no bigger than 400 square feet. ConclusionThe Hunter 30378 is compact in design and will not take up valuable space. Its quiet operation makes for much cleaner and healthier air without the consumer knowing (apart from less allergy symptoms and odors). Considering the price range, the fact this unit will trap particles as small as 0.1 microns and will purify the air up to 6 times per hour, it’s very good value for money. Hunter 30378Coverage Area:Auto-Adjust to Pollution Levels:Pre-Filter:HEPA Filter:Non-HEPA Particle Filter:Activated Carbon Filter:Electrostatic Filter:Ionizer:Ultraviolet Sterilization:Thermodynamic Sterilization:CADR Rated: