Coway Airmega 300S Review: Smart air purifier + covers 1256 sq. ft. + works with Alexa!

Airmega 300S review

The starters

A modern and quality product from Coway, Airmega 300S its basically 300 version with added Wi-Fi integration for IoCare app and Amazon Alexa support. Sharing the same dimension as 300 at 13.6 x 21.2 x 13.6 in/ 21.4 lb weight, the build quality is second to none with no visible gap or ozone off-gasing. Front design is as clean as it gets with only prominent LED ring indicator that shows surrounding indoor air quality. The air quality indicator will lit in blue and green when indoor air is good, green and yellow when indoor air is moderate, yellow and pink when indoor air is unhealthy, lastly pink and red when indoor air is very unhealthy. Instead of just one back air inlet in typical air purifier design, the air purifier utilize dual air inlet that sucks air on both sides. Speaking of that, you will also find two built-in handles on each side of the air purifier for easy transporting.

Unlike most air purifier that places its control panel at front, controls are located at the top black panel that is only accessible up close. Separated into two sections, On the left, you will find a Wi-Fi button, Light button, Pre Wash button and Max2 change button plus a round light sensor. Wi-Fi button enables connection to nearby Wi-Fi network. The Wi-Fi LED indicator will blink when there is no connection or undergoing pairing. Once the air purifier is connected to a Wi-Fi network, the LED light will stay constant. Next to it is the light button that activates/ deactivates air quality indicator light. The bottom two buttons (Pre Wash/ Max2) will lit once the filters require cleaning (Pre Wash) or change (Max 2). To reset the button indicator light, press and hold the buttons for 2-3 seconds. The small Light sensor is not a button; it detects the intensity of the surrounding light and activates Sleep mode if the condition stays more than 3 minutes. This function can be overwritten if the air purifier is not in Smart mode (manual speed) or high pollution level is detected. On the right, you have a big Power button, a small Air speed/ mode button, and five small indicator light to reflect on the current operating mode. Power button will obviously turn on/ off the air purifier (hold for 2-3 seconds), Air speed/ mode button will cycle between the 3 fan speed, Smart mode, and Sleep mode. The air purifier pollution sensor’s sensitivity can be adjusted too, but it requires a combination of 2 buttons. First, press and hold on to the light button, then press the Air speed/ mode button repeatedly until the desired sensitivity is selected. 1 fan bar = sensitive, 2 fan bar = normal, 3 fan bar = less sensitive. On the whole, there are plenty of dedicated button controls that is well-indicated for easy access.

Here is where the differences play it part. Coway Airmega 300S comes with Wi-Fi support which allows you to manage your air purifier via Airmega mobile IoCare App. Available in both iTunes and Google Play, pairing the air purifier is pretty straightforward for both iPhone and Android phones especially on higher end model once you are used to the standard procedure. Through IoCare app, you can remotely control your air purifier fan speed, switch to Smart/ Sleep mode, real-time air monitoring plus Indoor/ Outdoor Air Quality Report and scheduler/ timer. While timer comes with pre-set 1, 2, 4, 8 hours setting, scheduler is no doubt our favorite where you could program up to weekly schedule to turn on or off the air purifier. Also works with Amazon Alexa where you could link it via devices like Amazon Echo. Standard list of voice command includes activating/ deactivating the air purifier, switching to Smart/ Sleep mode, altering the fan speed, set timer, check filter life status and air quality.

To repeat, here are the standard features available in the air purifier. A 4 stage filtration, Smart mode (Auto/ Sleep/ Eco), 3 fan speed, Wi-Fi enabled (IoCare app/ Alexa) separate pre-filter/ HEPA filter indicator based on runtime, scheduler/ timer, air quality indicator, 30 days satisfaction money back guarantee, and 5 years manufacturer warranty.

Airflow, speed, and CADR

Comes in standard 3 speed + Smart and Sleep mode, Coway Airmega 300S has a toned down airflow performance and purifying coverage compare with its 400 series. At 1256 sq. ft. with 2 air charges every 30 minutes and 628 sq. ft. with 4 air charges every 15 minutes, there is still plenty of airflow punch even if you opt for the higher 4 air charges purifying speed. Pollution sensor functions accurately thanks to the adjustable sensitivity. Smart mode will automatically set the right speed based on surrounding air quality while Sleep mode would set a lower speed to reduce noise and power. Great for residential home at living hall, basement or even bedroom (with Sleep mode). Airmega 300S CADR is also equally impressive at a rounded high 260 cfm for dust, pollen, and smoke. There are no differences in airflow performance VS 300, but there is a clear gap between the 400 series. Nonetheless, anything above 200 cfm would be good enough for all types of indoor irritants including dust, microbes allergens, and smoke.

What’s inside count

^ Airmega 300S filters/ technologies/ lifespan

The familiar 4-stage filtration setup found in every other Airmega models, Coway Airmega 300S works exactly like 300 with dual Pre-filter on both sides, a Green True HEPA filter and Activated Carbon filter in its core. Whenever the air purifier pulls air into the machine, the first-stage pre-filter on each side would block out large, airborne contaminants and leaving only small particles alone in the journey. With only microscopic allergens left, the Green True HEPA filter would unconditionally trap allergens and germs as small as 0.3 microns with an effective rate of 99.97%. For smoke, odor, and chemical gases, the Activated Carbon filter comes into play with an efficiency rate of 99%, before releasing purified air back out. Like any of the Airmega models, there is no ionizer or similar technology intact, so the air purifier solely relies on the quality of its Max2 filters.

Keep it down

Coway Airmega 300S 22 - 52 dB noise level might not be the quietest air purifier around, it is still considerably silent especially at sleep/ low speed and only audible background noise at higher speed. You can still use the air purifier in a bedroom although it's a little bit overkill at this stage. Power consumption wise, 6 - 57 watts is not too shabby given the number of airflow output; expect slightly lower consumption rate if this Energy Star air purifier remains engaged in Auto/ Sleep mode. Autonomous will prevent the fan speed from going above unless the air quality is not at an ideal level. Also, there is Eco mode where the air cleaner will automatically stop the fan from spinning if the surrounding air quality is good for at least 10 minutes.

At what cost

Coway Airmega 300S air purifier is not your typical budget-friendly model with cut-down specification. In fact, it is the complete opposite thus is even pricier than its peer models. Is the Wi-Fi enabled feature worth the extra dollar for an identical specification to Airmega 300? Only you can decide. On to maintenance cost, the mandatory filter replacement is not the most expensive in its class. You just need to replace the filter set on a yearly basis. The Max2 replacement filter is packed with Green True HEPA filter and Activated Carbon filter that you can easily purchase online.

Airmega 300S VS the challengers

Verdicts and ratings

More on Airmega 300S review