Is Blueair Pure 121 Worth the Hype? A No-Nonsense Review

Are you looking for an air purifier that can efficiently clean the air in your home or office? If so, the Blueair Pure 121 might be the perfect choice for you.

As someone who has personally used this product, I can attest to its effectiveness in improving air quality in my home.

However, it has its own ups and downs, especially compared to other air purifier brands or units.

Read on for our no-nonsense review of the Blueair Pure 121 and decide if this air purifier unit is the perfect one for your needs.

Blueair Pure 121

Blueair Pure 121 Air Purifier: An Overview

If you’re looking for an air purifier that can cover a large room and provide clean air, the Blueair Pure 121 is a great option to consider.

In this section, I will provide an overview of the Blueair Pure 121, including its design and features, performance and efficiency, noise level and room coverage, product registration and warranty, and filter and replacement.

Specifications and Features

  • Dimensions: 28.3in H x 13in W x 13in D
  • Product weight: 22.4lbs
  • Low Energy consumption: 31 – 61 W
  • Noise level: 31 – 56 dB(A)
  • Air outlet: Top
  • Air inlet: 360°
  • Recommended room size: 620 ft2
  • Air changes per hour (ACH): 4.8
  • Clean air delivery rate (CADR): 400 cfm for Pollen, Dust, Smoke
  • 3-stage filtration system
  • 3-fan speed control
  • Washable pre-filter
  • Filter replacement indicator
  • Up to 2 years extended limited warranty

Design and Features

The Blueair Pure 121 has a sleek and modern design that fits well in any room.

What I like about it is it blends in my living room; you won’t even notice I have a running purifier in the corner!

I also liked that you can choose from 5 available colors you like, depending on the color scheme in the room.

These cloth covers also act as the purifier’s pre-filter.

Talk about style and substance!

While I only got the standard pre-filters it comes with (dark shadow and diva blue,) you can buy the other available colors for $9.99 if the standard ones are not your style.

The other choices are:

  • Lunar Rock (light grey)
  • Crystal Pink
  • Buff Yellow

I’m a pet owner. I own a Golden Retriever that sheds a lot (especially during hot seasons.)

What I noticed with the pre-filters, though, is the pet hair accumulates at the bottom part of the pre-filter.

I use the black one, and my Retriever’s hair is, obviously, whitish-gold.

The accumulated fur is really noticeable.

Not a big deal, sure, as the pre-filter is washable, but it could be a big deal for some.

Also, I have a friend who’s a cat owner and bought this unit right after me.

Her cat likes making the air purifier pre-filter her scratch post, so pet owners should beware of that, too!

The Blueair Pure 121 purifier also features a one-button operation, which is very user-friendly.

You won’t have to be confused with so many buttons as you only need to press one (found at the front and center) to operate it.

While some may find this helpful, I honestly don’t feel as much confidence in it.

I still prefer separate buttons for everything, so I’m sure I use them properly.

But that’s just me!

Performance and Efficiency

The Blueair Pure 121 is designed to clean large rooms up to 600+ square feet.

It uses a 3-stage filter system to remove particles, gases, and odors from the air.

The filters are:

  • Pre-filter
  • Particle Filter
  • Activated Carbon Filter

These filters work together to capture pollutants, allergens, and odors in your home.

The pre-filter and carbon filter are pretty standard for any purifier these days.

Their particle filter is what made this unit different.

Blueair, at least in this particular line, does not use a True HEPA filter (which might be a pretty big deal for some.)

What they have, though, is their very own patented HEPASilent™ which is said to deliver clean air faster and more quietly than a traditional HEPA filter.

This particle filter contains polypropylene fibers filter to help capture 99.97% of all allergens as small as 0.3 microns, like dust, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and fungi (which sounds a lot like how HEPA does it.)

Personally, whether the filter is HEPA or not is not a big deal for me.

The Blueair Pure 121 still cleans my open-space studio with no problem, so I’d say I’m impressed with its performance.

The bottom part (where the filters are) absorbs air 360° before venting out the filtered air at the top.

This works for me as I place it between my kitchen and living room.

The Blueair Pure 121 also has a CADR rating of 400, which is pretty high, and can clean the air in a large room at a fast speed.

This unit is also Energy Star certified, which means it can be operated 24/7 without a high cost.

Noise Level and Room Coverage

One of the benefits of the Blueair Pure 121 is its quiet operation.

The air purifier has a noise level of only 31 decibels at low speed, which is quite reasonable for its size.

If you’re someone who loves to sleep with white noise in the background, this could be the perfect purifying/white noise machine for you.

I’m a light sleeper, however, and I only use this machine in the living room/kitchen.

I find it effective in purifying the air circulation in my studio.

Since I have an open-plan layout, the cooking odors from the kitchen often cling to the couch and other furniture in the living.

All I need to do is turn the air purifier on for about an hour, and it’s as if I didn’t cook at all once it’s done.

Filter and Replacement

Just like any other air purifier filter, it’s best to replace your Blueair Pure 121 filters every 6 months for optimal performance.

Blueair Pure 121 Filter Replacement

However, this will still depend on the quality of the air your purifier is filtering. It might last shorter or longer than 6 months.

What I like about Blueair’s services is that you can subscribe to their filter club, so you won’t have to remind yourself to buy a replacement every now and then.

You could have it automatically delivered every 3, 6, or 9 months.

This way, you’ll save about 15% on the replacement cost, and very convenient, too!

But if this doesn’t appeal to you, you can easily buy the filter replacement on Amazon for $73.94 (at the time of the review.)

Also, you can rely on the filter replacement indicator.

When the LED light behind the single button turns red, it’s time for a new filter.

Oh, by the way, don’t panic if the LED light turns yellow.

This only means you have about 1 month before the filter needs replacement, so you’ll have enough leeway to buy.

I’ve also already mentioned that the pre-filter is washable (see Design and Features above.)

What I do is vacuum the exterior first to remove the dust and fur that clung onto it before washing it in the machine.

Just remember to use the low-temperature cycle. I also let it hang dry overnight before putting it back on.

Warranty

The BlueAir Pure 121 comes with a 1-year limited warranty that covers any defects in materials or workmanship.

But if you register your device on Blueair’s app or website, you can extend this for up to a 2-year warranty.

Additionally, the particle and activated carbon filters come with a six-month warranty.

Blueair Pure 121: Pros and Cons

When it comes to buying an air purifier, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of the product.

In this section, I will share with you what I liked and disliked about the Blueair Blue Pure 121 air purifier based on my personal experience and customer reviews I’ve read online.

Pros

  • Effective air purification
  • Large coverage area
  • Low noise level
  • Easy to use
  • Washable pre-filter & different colors to choose from
  • Energy Star certified

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Bulky design
  • Limited filter life, costly filter replacement
  • No automatic shut-off
  • No air quality indicator

Blueair Pure 121: Final Verdict

Overall, the Blueair Blue Pure 121 Air Purifier is a decent investment for anyone looking to improve the air quality in their large space, either at home or in the office.

Although it lacks most of the features I would want on an air purifier (Wi-Fi enabled, smart sensor, automatic fan setting, etc.,) I like the fact that it’s still effective in cleaning the air.

While the BlueAir Pure 121 does not have a True HEPA filter, it still manages to provide relief from minor allergy issues and keep bad odors at bay.

However, if you are looking for a unit with a True HEPA filter, you may want to consider the Blue Pure 211 Auto, Blue Pure 311, or Blue Pure 411 Auto.

I also like that this device is quiet, considering its size.

Overall, I would recommend the Blueair Blue Pure 121 Air Purifier for anyone looking to improve the air quality in any large room if you don’t need to lug it in between rooms, if you don’t mind operating it manually, and if you have the budget for it.

I hope this review helps you decide whether this unit is for you!

Check out our reviews of other air purifier units on the website.

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