Alen BreatheSmart FLEX Review

Alen BreatheSmart FLEX review

The starters

The shrunk version of Classic BreatheSmart model, Alen BreatheSmart FLEX is a well-designed air purifier that comes with a smaller dimension at 15 x 25 x 8.5 in. Weight wise is 15 lb thus lighter by least 6 lb than the original, fitting quality remain unchange with zero air bypass. What’s also remain is the swappable/ changeable front cover panel where you could choose one of the ideal wood trim design to suit your home decor. Underneath the front panel you will find air inlet located at side and bottom while air outlet is located behind at top. A carrying handle is also at the back right beneath the outlet.

Shifting our attention to the top control panel, there are 6 clearly labelled round buttons and dedicated indicator lights above each button. Unlike the previous version, the HEPA air purifier has a capacitive touch panel which means each button would only require a light touch and a chime can be heard to reassure your action. To turn on the air purifier, press the middle Power button. Press again to turn off all indicator lights and again to turn off the air purifier. At this point you can start adjusting the air purifier fan speed. Press the Speed button repeatedly to loop between Speed 1, 2, 3, T (turbo). The indicator above will show you what speed you are currently in. Same goes with the Timer button that press repeatedly will cycle between 2, 4, 12 hours. Moving to the left, Filter life button allows you to reset the filter countdown timer by pressing and holding the button for 5 seconds. Do this after you have successfully changed to a new filter when the indicator light turns gradually from Green, Yellow to Red (traffic light style). Finally, you can lock the control from any modification or fiddling from your kids by pressing and holding the Lock button for 3 seconds. The 2 buttons missing out from BreatheSmart Classic and Fit50 series is the Auto and Ion button, both features are sadly omitted here.

Other common sets of features include your pre-selected HEPA filter, 4 fan speed, air quality display, basic filter replacement indicator, Child lock/ Auto-off safety feature that activates when front cover is not tightly closed, UL listed, ENERGY STAR rated and Alen’s unique Lifetime limited warranty.

Airflow, speed, and CADR

With a smaller overall size, Alen BreatheSmart FLEX HEPA air purifier has a reduced purifying coverage that by no means is poor as it stands at 700 sq. ft. Ideal for most room sizes including bedroom, kitchen, basement and typical household living hall. Airflow delivery rate also drops when compare to BreatheSmart Classic especially on lower speed; expect speed 1 at 53 cfm, speed 2 at 135 cfm, speed 3 at 147 cfm and turbo at 187 cfm. Another trade-off is the lack of Auto mode within the 4 selectable speed. Although not tested in the typical channel, Alen BreatheSmart FLEX HEPA air purifier dust, pollen and smoke CADR is equally impressive at an estimated 245 cfm overall. Regardless which or what types of air contaminants is presence, large particles e.g. dust to the smaller allergens like pollen/ mold would be completely capture by the air purifier. Smoke and odors related particles would fall into the air purifier checklist if the right type of filter is used i.e. HEPA-Fresh filter (optional addon purchase).

What’s inside count

Utilizing the same one filter kit setup, the initial velcro attached pre-filter above the HEPA filter is great at removing visible airborne particles while prolonging the HEPA filter lifespan. Moving on to the primary HEPA filter, you can select one of the 4 available HEPA filters that would trap smaller, micron-size particles with each having their unique specialty. The standard HEPA-Pure filter is cheap and effective against common household allergens but lacks any deodorization filtration. HEPA-Silver filter is very effective against mold, germ type bacteria. Our favorite HEPA-FreshPlus is great against asthma triggers chemical, VOCs and smoke, HEPA-OdorCell is best used to neutralize odors from diaper or pets. Regardless of which filter options you choose, all filter kit shares the same size and build quality as you would expect. The default Ionizer is also available in the air purifier.

Filter maintenance and care

Begin by unplugging Alen BreatheSmart FLEX HEPA air purifier to prevent electric short circuit. Then pull out the front panel starting from the 2 bottom sides of the cover. With the filtration exposed, continue removing the old filter by pulling the pull strings. Remove the plastic wrap from the new filter and place it with the pull strings facing outwards. Snap back the front panel via the top tabs and your air purifier is good to go. You can prolong the HEPA filter lifespan by washing the removable pre-filter attached to it. First, peel off the black layer foam held on with Velcro, then lightly vacuum or clean the pre-filter from any trapped particles. Stick it back to the HEPA filter once done. With only one filter needed to be change, you only need to spend 2 minutes of your time within 6 - 18 months period.

Keep it down

Even without the WhisperMax technology incorporated, Alen BreatheSmart FLEX HEPA air purifier is comparatively more silent than the standard BreatheSmart version at only 39 - 55 dB noise level. On real life scenario, you can hardly tell apart between the 2. No problem running in bedroom however, the lack of Auto mode is a bit of let-down especially in night time where you could let the air purifier run at optimal speed rather than full blast.

Moving to power consumption, at an average of 36 W rate, power usage is low on this Energy Star unit and unlike the standard Classic version, you can clearly see the difference in your electricity bill in long-run. Again, the lack of Auto mode is a stumble block, but in this air case, not a big deal.

At what cost

Alen BreatheSmart FLEX HEPA air purifier is not dirt cheap, it is still the cheapest in BreatheSmart series but with few features you would need to compromise. Other than the weaker purifying performance, the lack of air quality indicator, sensor/ auto mode and basic filter replacement indicator is also noticeable. Annual filter replacement is the cheapest in its series although is just tad lower than standard BreatheSmart. Filter lifespan wise is the same between 12 - 18 months depending on usage frequency and surrounding air quality. You could easily purchase anyone of the replacement filters online as Alen still making the HEPA filters. Ignoring the price factor, Alen BreatheSmart Classic/ Fit50 seem like a better deal as both comes with Auto mode.

Alen BreatheSmart FLEX VS the challengers

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