Airgle AG500 Review

Key features

• 3-stage filtration
• Permanent aluminum pre-filter grill
• 38 sq. ft. HEPAfast filter
• 2.2. lbs of enhanced special blend carbon filter
• 5 speeds with Auto mode and Sleep/ Night mode
• Pressure sealed aluminum body with casters
• Variable timer (1 - 12 hours)
• System control setting (against heavily polluted environment)
• Programmable LCD display
• Air quality monitoring
• Filter Life Monitor
• Remote control (Power, Auto, Speed, Timer)
• Five years warranty

The starters

Airgle AG500 shares the exact same design as AG600, which mean exceptional build quality with 100% pressure-sealed aluminum housing comes standard. At a smaller 15 x 20 x 16 in (38.1 x 50.8 x 40.6 cm) dimension and 33.1 lb (15 kg) weight, Airgle AG500 is not bulky as its counterpart but weight is still very heavy. You would have to rely on the casters to move the air purifier around. Moving on to controls and usability, Airgle AG500 comes with 4 different buttons and a large dial knob. You can turn on/ off, adjust the fan speed via the dial knob, Activate Auto mode, timer, filter reset and IR via each dedicated button. On the left you have a rather busy programmable LCD panel that display air quality, filter lifespan and control system setting in status bar form (to alter the air purifier characteristic). Other features that we did not mentioned including a 3-stage filtration, 5 fan speed, Auto/ Sleep (Night) mode, Ultra-quiet motor, remote control (Power, Mode, Speed, Timer), 1 – 12 hours timer, auto safety shut-off, ozone-free, AHAM Certified, ENERGY STAR Rated, CARB Approved, ETL Listed and 5 years warranty.

Airflow, CADR and everything in between

Airgle AG500 is the "entry-level" to Airgle lineup but the price and airflow performance might suggest otherwise. The standard 5 speed + Auto mode is more then adequate for the 50-260 cfm airflow output that in return delivers a respectable 369 sq. ft. coverage. Compare with the higher end AG800, airflow purifying coverage drop almost to half so this model is probably best suited for small to medium room size. CADR is also adequate for its coverage but below par when compare with AG800. You have the Dust at 253 cfm, pollen at 239 cfm and Smoke at 238 cfm. See more about other air purifiers CADR via the comparison table above.

What’s inside count

^ Airgle AG500 filters/ technologies/ lifespan

Like AG800, Airgle AG500 uses a standard 3-stage filtration that includes a pre-filter, carbon filter and HEPA filter. Firstly the aluminum Pre-filter grill from the rear would trap dust and hair from flowing pass, follow by a 2.2 lbs enhanced special blend carbon that captures gases and odors. With gases like tobacco smoke, cooking smell, pet odors out of the way, all is left is germs, bacteria and allergens which the 38 sq ft HEPAfast Filter would have no issue capturing it. Combining all that, Airgle AG500 would operate at a remarkable efficiency rate of up to 40% cleaner air.

Keep it down

Airgle AG500 33 - 47 dBA noise level is not loud but also not its strongest suit despite having a completely sealed body with Ultra-quiet motor technology. At lowest speed Airgle AG500 produced a mild fan noise that is louder than most air purifiers; at max speed noise is actually lower than average although in real-time you barely can tell the differences. 49 - 192 W Power consumption is not at ideal level either even though Airgle AG500 is ENERGY STAR rated. We recommend keeping the air purifier on Auto mode during operation and on standby mode when not in use to better manage the energy efficiency.

At what cost

At the point of this writing, Airgle AG500 is the cheapest in Airgle lineup so it has the biggest advantage in price factor. Is it "cheap" enough for the common folks? Short answer NO. And then you have the annual filter replacement ritual. Again cheapest among the bunch yet not cheap enough to recommend. If you are looking for something with similar features and attributes, considered the challengers below.

The challengers

Verdicts and ratings

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