Skip to main content

The Airy Box uses plants to purify your air, no electricity required

In addition to sprucing up your home, some studies have found that plants can improve indoor air quality. Airy, a plug-less air purifier, recently developed a new version of its air cleaning system, the Airy Box.

First introduced on Kickstarter back in 2015, the Airy system is a plant pot that also serves as an air purifier. The Airy Box, currently available on Indiegogo, is nearly 20 inches wide and designed to hold two or three plants, which allows each individual system to have more air-cleaning power. The air purifier uses the chimney effect to draw dirty air into the bottom of the pot and uses substrates to filter out larger particles. The roots pull toxins out of the air better than the leaves, the Airy team claims.

Recommended Videos

Inventor Helge Knickmeier and the Airy team say that indoor air can more harmful for some than outdoor air, a claim supported by the  . Airy claims its system makes it so a plant filters air up to eight times more effectively than a plant in a regular old pot. NASA research supports some of these claims. “The plant root-soil zone appears to be the most effective area for removing volatile organic chemicals. Therefore, maximizing air exposure to the plant root-soil area should be considered when placing plants in building for best air filtration,” according to NASA Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement report, which was published back in 1989.

Since the company’s official launch in January 2016, they have shipped roughly 20,000 original Airy units to 50 countries. The original Airy is priced at around $55 on Amazon and the new, larger version of the Airy is priced at $79 on Indiegogo.

As always, it’s a good idea to exercise caution with crowdfunded products. Backing a product is not the same thing as buying it from a place like Amazon, even if it has a history of releasing similar products like the Airy.

Erika Rawes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Erika became a professional writer in 2010, and her work is published all over the web on sites ranging from USA Today to…
10 tips to make the most of your air purifier
Ikea Starkvind air purifier

If you’re looking to keep your home free of pollen, dander, and other airborne particulates, you’ll want to invest in a smart air purifier this spring. These devices make it easy to combat seasonal allergies and ensure you’re breathing healthy air throughout the entire year.

To help you make the most out of your air purifier, here are some tips and tricks to extend the life of your device and eliminate as many pollutants as possible. Of course, your results will vary widely by product. And if you need some help finding the right one for your home, be sure to check out our list of the best air purifiers of 2023.
When should you use an air purifier?

Read more
Can a robot vacuum work as an air purifier?
iRobot Roomba S9.

Robot vacuums put out a lot of air, especially the high-powered models.

For example, the Neato D10 can practically knock you out of your seat.

Read more
Can you run an air purifier and essential oil diffuser at the same time?
URPOWER Essential Oil Diffuser.

At first glance, air purifiers and essential oil diffusers seem like they would be natural opponents. One is designed to take particles from the air in your home, and the other is designed to add (pleasant-smelling) particles instead. If you’re running them both in the same room, it’s understandable to wonder if they’re canceling each other out.

Fortunately, it’s easy to clear this confusion up. Let’s take a look at some FAQs about these two home air devices and what you should know about using them both at the same time.
What's the difference between an air purifier and an air diffuser?
An air purifier uses a filter or series of filters to remove unwanted particles from your home’s air. They are commonly used to get rid of airborne allergens, smoke, and dust, and they can also help remove bacteria and viruses from the air. The best air purifiers use true HEPA filters that can remove particles down to the size of 0.3 microns, and some newer models can remove particles as small as 0.1 microns.

Read more