About 7 years ago we reviewed the Ionmax ION450 Air Purifier from Andatech. We were so impressed with this unit that we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award.
This time the company sent us the slightly smaller but no less capable ION430 to test. Things have only improved we found…
This will be a relatively short review as in our earlier write-up we delve into the need for them and how they work.
If you’re new to the brand or the world of air purifiers, have a read first here.
The WHY
I’ll quote you just one paragraph from that article on why you should invest in an air purifier:
In our urban society we just know that we are inhaling a lot of rubbish: traffic fumes, diesel particulates, chemicals from nearby factories, smoke from cigarettes, smoke from wood fires — the list is endless. Sure, most of us will still survive well into retirement age despite all that but the quality of life can be severely affected.
Modern air-conditioning units also have filter systems, some with ionisation units. They do a great job but never down to the level that a specialised air purifier can.
With the big bush fires we had in recent years people also SAW the need with the thick smoke penetrating even our houses. Right now, early May 2022, where we live in rural WA many property owners are burning off. Likewise, I had to do my fair share of hazard reduction fires on my place.
So the need for cleaner air in our homes is evident.
The HOW
The Ionmax systems all have multiple filters that will eliminate 99+% of all allergens that float in the air.
Here’s a schematic of what’s in the ION430 unit:
The UNBOXING
The ION430 follows in the footsteps of other Andatech products we’ve reviewed: high quality, nice looking, economic in use and affordable gear. Above all: their product range is made to improve our health and safety. And specifically produced for the Aussie market.
Take the unit out of the box and plug it in. Just make sure you open the front panel first to take the plastic wrapping off the two filters. There is a warning sticker for that on the control panel. Also make sure the two tags are facing you when you re-insert the filters.
The control panel is very simple to use. Just pressing the central On/Off button gets the appliance going in continuous mode. You can customise that by selecting running times of 1 hour, 2, 4 and 8 hours. Same with Fan speeds: 1, 2 or 3 or Auto and Sleep mode.
There’s also a separate button for the UV light.
Lastly, there’s a Filter Reset button you may only have to use every once in a while when you have replaced the filters. Generally after 2000 hrs. That’s about yearly if you run the appliance 5 to 6 hours a day. The filters can be vacuumed so replacement can be done even less often. Of course, it also depends on how polluted an environment is…
The front of the unit has a circular display which shows the room Temp, Humidity and the Fine Particulate Matter levels. This last indication fluctuates constantly as it measures the tiny airborne particles which are less than 2.5 micrometres. Hence the FM2.5 on the display. For comparison: human hair is more than 30 times thicker in diameter!
Good quality air is less than 75 units on this display. If it is more than 150, go outside for some fresh air! (Unless all that bad air comes from outside…)
In our bedroom it is usually around the 10 to 20 mark. When you’re cooking in the kitchen the air quality generally will indicate increasing readings.
The TESTING
We used the ION430 mainly in the bedrooms and lounge area near the slow combustion stove.
Having had its predecessor, the ION450, in near constant use for many years, we can vouch for the effectiveness, economy and a near silent running in sleep mode.
The DIFFERENCE
We were pleasantly surprised to see that this model is a real improvement on a number of levels with the ION450 we reviewed 7 years ago.
For starters, ION430 is more compact by about 50% and lighter by about 30%.
It is also more affordable, seeing that the older model retailed for $599 and the ION430 for $489.
I like the simple control panel much better than on the bigger model. And the circular air quality indicator is a very useful addition!
The HOW MUCH
This particular model, the ION430, as we mentioned, is 489AUD. It is the top model of their range which starts at under 200 bucks.
The other thing you might ask, given that these units are often running for hours or days on end, what are the running costs?
Fortunately, it’s very economic. Max wattage is 80W – much like a light globe from the era before LED became popular. That 80W is at the highest setting. At lower fan settings or Auto it will cost a couple of cents per hour.
The other cost would be the HEPA 3-in-1 replacement filter which is $69 about every year or when the Filter Reset light flashes.
Maybe worth mentioning there is a $500 Ventilation Rebate Program running for Victorian businesses. More details on the ionmax site (see below).
The WHERE
Available online at Ionmax 5-stage HEPA UV air purifiers in Australia— Ionmax ION430 or in their store in Vermont, Victoria.
The SPECS
The ION430 is reasonably compact at 590 (h) x 360 (w) x 210mm (d) and at 7kg is easily portable to various rooms.
It can cover a large room up to 40sqm.
The SOUND LEVEL
According to the specs the sound level is 66dBA at the highest setting.
Translated in our experience: it’s near silent in Sleep mode or the lowest setting.
It becomes noticeable at Fan level 2 and louder at the Turbo setting.
I usually have it on Turbo for a short while and then switch to Auto.
The RECOMMENDATION
Our experiences over many years with the ionmax Air Purifiers have been excellent.
They work well as evidenced by us frequently vacuuming the dust of the filters.
The units are well designed, economical to use and practical to move them where they are needed.
The ION430 excels with the simplicity of the control panel and the very informative Air Quality Indicator.
Highly recommended.
Here’s the product page but also check out the other units in the Ionmax range as well as some of the other products on the Andatech site.
We hope to bring you another product review from the House of Andatech shortly that will be truly relevant for the upcoming winter season.
