Dioxygen (O2), is what makes it possible to affectionately dub our planet the beautiful Blue Marble. To get technical for just a second, it is the composition of gases in our atmosphere, of which O2 makes up a significant portion, that gives Earth this cool hue. (Blue Sky explanation by NASA). A red sky, in contrast, is more apparent in dustier environments for the same reason. I suppose, if we want our cosmic spaceship remain looking Earth rather than Mars, we need more pure, sweet O2.
Dyson’s all new “Pure Cool”
For a supply of that pure sweet O2 at home, there’s the new Dyson “Pure Cool” bladeless fan that filters the surrounding air with a HEPA filter by Dyson. Ironically, with small, enclosed apartment type dwellings, the need for an air filter might be even more pressing. Indoor air pollution, can be more hazardous than the outdoor variety spewed by combustion engines and factory effluence (Indoor Air Pollutants). Especially worth monitoring are microscopic particles, the kind which we were introduced to by the haze, because of links ranging from lung cancer to skin aging. You might just be keeping toxic air in, rather than keeping it out.
The Trials
Having been presented with this interesting new product, I set out to put it through its paces with a battery of real world scenarios.
1. Baking/Grilling
The one place where burning takes place is the kitchen. Incomplete burning pumps particles into the air, not to mention spews acrid smoke into the house. I put some chicken wings into the grill pan, knowing that the oils and juice burning on the pan below would puff out some food fumes. Dyson’s “Pure Cool” could clear up the smell, given some time and after having turned off the oven, much like the cooker hood filter would. In this instance, it was handy to have the Dyson as portable filter to position the “Pure Cool” filter strategically for maximum effect.
2. Wok/Pan-frying
Cooking on the frying pan produced an amount of food fumes that the “Pure Cool” could handle. Again, the portability of the unit really came in handy. An added bonus was that this contraption was also a fan, and we all know how slaving over a stove is hot, sweaty, gruelling work.
3. Burning – Cigarettes, Haze, Incense, BBQs and Other Combustion
Having set up a bonfire in the back yard to simulate various types of burning, I would have to say that the Dyson “Pure Cool” works best indoors and when the source of odour and/or fumes has been put out.
4. Pets
My lovely Maltese-Dachshund-mix pet dog helped me out here. I was not able to tell if the circulation of the air created by the fan function helped to disperse the unwashed mutt smell, but my pooch loved the breeze.
5. Rotting Matter
To simulate this, I heated fish sauce, sambal paste and tom yam paste, each in turn. Once again, acting much like a stove top filter, the “Pure Cool” was adept at keeping the smell from entering the living room area. It was perfect for this as the air intake, before going through the filter, is taken in from 360 degrees. What I could then do was face the Dyson towards the kitchen to blow the odours away from the living room while sucking in bad air from the same direction.
6. Renovation Dust
Having just moved into my apartment, there was still an enormous amount of dust floating around in my house. I have mopped and hand-wiped every surface every alternate day but each time I come home, my eyes will smart and tear. I would have to fight my way to the other end of the house to open the windows. I left the Dyson “Pure Cool” in the living room, and let it run throughout the time I was at work. On the day I did this, there was a perceptible reduction of irritation to my eyes when I returned home.
7. Fragrances
I sprayed some of my wife’s perfume into the air. The Dyson was not so able at flushing the scent out.
8. Toilet Odour
From the porcelain throne to the laundry basket, there are some stinky items in the toilet. The circulation of air created by the “Pure Cool” kept the sweat tang at bay effectively.
9. Shoe Cabinet
Dark humid places like the store room and shoe cabinets are breeding grounds for mold and fungus. All too often, opening the doors to these areas will be accompanied by a moist, musty smell. The Dyson is too big and impractical to fit into these storage areas but once again, its ability to circulate and filter the air at the same time would see me using it to refresh the air in these confined spaces from time to time.
The Machine
The Dyson bladeless fan has been in the stores for some time. The Air Multiplier technology refers to this bladeless technology which James Dyson purported has the ability to “multiply” air 15 times, expelling 118 gallons of smooth and uninterrupted air every second.
The Dyson “Pure Cool” is an uncomplicated fan and air filter hybrid. It is made up of three major parts – the base which contains the motor and fan blades, the HEPA air filter capable of eliminating 99.5% of harmful ultra fine particles (up to 0.1 micros across) and the air foil hoop.
Each piece snaps sturdily into place on top of one another and from there, it’s just plug and play. The fan can be set on timer and can oscillate. It can be programmed with up to 10 different fan speeds. It is also smaller than other air purifiers currently on the market and is the only one awarded with the “Quiet Mark”, a standard of quieter technology, accredited by the Noise Abatement Society, and DEFRA.
The “Pure Cool” has no external buttons and is controlled solely by the sleek designed remote control finished in the same colour. Priced around SG $999, this essential and effective product can be purchased before the haze season at most major electronics shops.
