While the Instant brand is most known for its popular Instant Pot multicookers and related kitchen appliances, the manufacturer is entering a new field with the Instant Air Purifier, designed to help users remove unwanted contaminants from the air.
The Instant Air Purifier, which is currently available for sale for $240, may seem like an odd move for a brand that exists primarily in the kitchen, but the expansion is timely: Instant designed and tested the Air Purifier specifically for dealing with issues like potential COVID-19 virus particles in the air. It uses a three-in-one filtration system with a HEPA-13 filter, a carbon filter to help remove odors, and an antimicrobial filter to prevent the growth of bacteria in the purifier. An additional plasma ion filter helps to sterilize potential harmful particles and reduce particle numbers.
Lab tests have shown that the Instant Air Purifier removes 99.9% of ultra-fine particles, including the COVID-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2 That’s not going to prevent catching coronavirus (that’s what the vaccine is for), but it could reduce the chance of transmission when used properly, and may bring welcome peace of mind in homes, care facilities, classrooms, and a variety of other locations. Plus, the HEPA filtration system will also bring traditional purifier benefits like cutting down on allergens or odors in the air.
When it comes to settings, the Air Purifier does share a couple of features with its Instant Pot cousins. Notably, it’s smart, designed for ease of use with a simple learning curve for busy users that want results fast. A particulate sensor tests the air for particulates and automatically adjusts the fan speed for the best results, while a light sensor quiets things down and turns off the display when the environment gets dark so the purifier can keep on working without creating a disturbance. When the display is on, it can show current air quality with a color mode, or provide alerts for when filters need to be replaced.
To be clear, the Instant Air Purifier isn’t particularly different from many modern smart air purifiers, which also offer similar features like multi-level HEPA filtration, carbon filters, ionic filters, and replacement alerts — but the hands-off features do make it particularly easy to use, and the proven testing with COVID-19 lends some assurance that’s a good fit for 2021.
