Are you looking for a powerful air purifier that won’t break the bank?
If you live in a busy city or next to a busy road then you might be shocked at the amount of pollution in the air inside your home.
Perhaps you have allergies and you want to feel more comfortable in the spring and summer months. Whatever the reason, there are lots of benefits to having an air purifier.
The Coway AP-1512 HH Mighty Air Purifier might be exactly what you’ve been searching for. This model is designed to remove allergens from the air, improve indoor air quality, and reduce dust mites.
Find out more about this product, in our full review below. We gathered all the information you need to know, answered the important questions, and compared the pros and cons of the Coway AP-1512HH.
Then you decide if this is the right air purifier for you.
The Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier
The Coway AP-1510HH Mighty Air Purifier is equipped with HEPA filters that trap 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger. That means these filters capture bacteria, viruses, pollen, mold spores, pet dander, smoke, odors, and many other contaminants.
The unit also features a built-in humidifier that helps to create a healthier environment inside your home.
This air purifier uses a combination of ionization and electrostatic precipitation to clean the air. The ionizer produces negative ions that attract airborne particles, while the electrostatic precipitator removes them from the air.
The result is cleaner air without having to change filters.
Coway is an award-winning company that manufactures wellness appliances and air purifiers since 1989. The company does extensive research and engineering to ensure that its products are the best.
This is how they have become well known for an affordable product that is reliable and high quality.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Before you choose an air purifier, you need to understand how they work. Their job is to remove pollutants from the air to improve the air quality inside your home. The air polluter has a fan that sucks in the polluted air.
The air is then passed through the filtration system made up of several different filters.
Each filter has a different job. Each one removes various pollutants from the air and airborne particles improving indoor air quality. The clean air is then pumped back into your room leaving good quality air for you to breathe.
It’s true that some air purifiers are better than others. Finding a good one you will experience the benefits of breathing cleaner air.
Air purifiers are great for people with allergies or respiratory issues like asthma. They also remove odors and mold spores from the air.
You might wonder if air purifiers are worth the money. We spend a lot of time indoors so it’s important to make your indoor environment as healthy as possible.
Air purifiers can vary greatly in price. So besides the features and benefits of your air purifier, you’ll need to factor in the initial price as well as the ongoing costs of the filters.
With all this being said, let’s take an in-depth look at the Coway AP-1510HH Mighty Air Purifier.
Coway AP-1510HH Mighty Air Purifier Product Highlights
Before our in-depth review of the Coway Mighty, we will give you highlights for a general idea of what it is like.
The Coway Mighty can be used in rooms up to 361 square feet in size. It has an output of approximately 250 CFM.
The filtration system uses a pre-filter, a carbon filter, and a HEPA filter for excellent results.
There is a smart sensor that detects dust particles in the air. This is a unique feature that is not available on all air purifiers.
The Coway Mighty filters can last for 12 months. The filters that will need to be replaced periodically are the pre-filter, the deodorization filter, and the True Hepa filter.
The sleek and stylish design of the Coway Mighty looks great in any room of the house.
There is a three-year warranty. So know that it is a good quality product that will last or your money back.
Now that you know the basics of the product, let’s move on to our detailed review.
Coway AP-1510HH Mighty Product Design Review
The quality of the Conway Mighty is second to none. The plastic is durable yet sleek, while all the seals are well made. Sold in either black or white, the square shape with rounded edges gives it a modern style. It fits well into any home or space.
The designated carry handle on the back makes it is easy to move the air purifier from room to room. The handle has a comfortable grip so you can move it around safely, even though it is not lightweight.
The control panel is on the top of the purifier. The panel includes power, speed, ionizing, timer, filter, and reset buttons. The symbols above each button light up, making it easy to see in any lighting. You can use multiple buttons at once which can be a useful feature.
How the Coway Mighty purifier works, by taking in air from the front, side, and bottom vents. Once this air has passed through the filters, the clean air comes out of the top of the purifier. Therefore you will need to leave 22 inches of space directly above the air purifier at all times.
The Coway Mighty measures 16.1 inches by 9.56 inches by 18.30 inches. The product comes with one air purifier, one True HEPA filter, one carbon filter, a user manual, and a warranty guide.
The carbon filter needs to be changed every 6 months. We would have preferred the unit to come with two carbon filters. Because the other two filters last for 12 months. This way you would have a full year’s supply.
There is a filter reset indicator, that will tell you when it is time to replace a filter so you won’t need to mark your calendar. You can always check the level of dirt on the filters in between replacing it.
To get the best performance possible from your air purifier, we suggest using only genuine Coway filters.
Air Quality Sensor
We found the air quality sensor on this purifier is very impressive. You are able to change the sensitivity of the sensor when you need to with a simple touch of a button.
You can choose from sensitive, standard, or insensitive. This will change how the sensor measures the air quality in the room.
The air quality indicator is beside the filter reset button. This shows you the current air quality with three different color indicators.
Blue light means: good, Purple light means: polluted, and Red light means that the air is very polluted.
The default setting is for the air quality sensor set to standard sensitivity. You can change this if you are not happy with the air quality in the room.
To change the setting, hold down the speed button and the ionizer for two seconds until it beeps. The speed indicator will blink to show you the sensor sensitivity. Press the speed button to adjust the sensitivity.
When you are happy with the sensitivity level you have chosen, you can hold the ionizer and the speed button for two seconds again. The purifier will then work as normal in your chosen setting.
We suggest cleaning the air quality sensor every two months in order to keep the purifier running smoothly. You can locate this sensor underneath the sensor cover on the side of the purifier.
We found it best to clean with an ear cleaning brush, as the sensor is small and delicate.
The brush will remove any dirt and dust from the sensor and keep it working as it should. It only takes a few minutes but it is important to do to maintain the air purifier.
Auto Mode, Eco Mode And Timer
You can choose to leave the air purifier on auto mode. The Coway Mighty will automatically adjust the speed of the device. It gathers data collected by the air quality sensor and changes the speed as needed.
In Eco mode, the sensor is constantly monitoring the air quality. If the air quality stays at a good level for 30 minutes, then the air purifier will turn off.
This will save electricity, reduce the noise in the room, and also preserve the life of your filters. The air quality sensor continues to run and the purifier will turn back on if the air quality dips too low.
Using the air purifier in a smaller room takes a lot less time to clean the air, therefore using less power .
Eco mode is excellent to use overnight in the bedroom, or in the living room for an extended period of time.
Auto mode is also a great function, but if you want to save money, we suggest using Eco mode.
Finally, you can choose to set the purifiers timer for 1, 4, or 8 hours. After the time has elapsed, the purifier will automatically turn off.
We still recommend using the Eco mode, but you might want to use the air purifier for a specific amount of time, then this is a good feature.
Filtration And Ionizer
The Coway Mighty has four stages of filtration. It begins with the pre-filter, then moves on to the carbon filter. The third stage is the HEPA filter. Finally, there is the ionizer.
The pre-filter aims to capture the larger particles of dust, hair, and any animal fur that might be in the air.
The pre-filter needs to be cleaned every two to four weeks. This is because it collects the larger particles and can become blocked quickly.
The cleaner you keep the pre-filter, the longer the other filters will last. If you have pets then you will want to clean the filter perhaps as often as every week.
Some carbon filters are made of carbon pellets, but not this one, it has a carbon coating. Made from a fibrous material, it is also called a deodorization filter that removes odors from the air.
These odors can be cigarette smoke, pet and food odors. The carbon filter also can collect harmful gasses.
There is a debate whether carbon pellets are better than a carbon coating, but we found that this filter works well.
The third stage of filtration is the HEPA filter. This filter is there to collect any allergens from the air.
Allergens include pollen, dust, microbes, smoke, dander from pets, and mold spores. This filter can catch even very small particles. You cannot clean a HEPA filter, they need to be replaced periodically instead.
The ionizer can be turned on or off with a button on the control panel. The ionizer adds an additional step to the filtration process. An electrochemical response is produced by the bipolar ionizer in order to reduce air particles.
The particles in the air are made bigger and therefore easier to catch. The ionizer does not automatically come on, so you will switch it on or off as needed.
Please note that some people choose to keep the ionizer off, as it produces a small amount of ozone. However, it does comply with the maximum allowable concentration of ozone and passes all regulations. It is safe to be in the same room as the air purifier when the ionizer is on.
Replacing The Filter
It is very important to change the filters when the light indicator comes on. This will maintain your air purifier and keep it working properly. Changing the filter is simple and easy.
First, turn off and unplug the air purifier. Open the front cover of the purifier by pulling it from the top.
Remove the pre-filter first, and make sure it is clean. Behind the pre-filter will be the other filters.
Once you remove all the filters use a vacuum to clean the inside of the purifier and remove any loose dust or dirt. There is no point in putting clean filters back into a dirty purifier.
Unpack the new filters and put them back into the air purifier and close the front panel.
To reset the filter indicators, press and hold the power button for two seconds. Your Coway Mighty purifier is ready to use.
Performance Tests And Noise Tests
Considering a Coway Mighty air purifier, now let’s look at how well it performs.
One of the key performance points of an air purifier is its sound. Nobody wants it to add unnecessary noise to their home. The Coway Mighty has different speed settings that affect the sound.
We found that in the first setting, you can barely hear the purifier at all. This settings sound is around 41.4 dBA. The second speed is a little bit louder, but still bearable at 44.6 dBA.
The third and final speed setting is very loud at 63.5 dBA. We thought it was noisey to be in the room. The good thing is you shouldn’t need to use the third-speed setting very often and it can run for extra air cleaning when you are not in the room.
Overall, the engine is very well made and doesn’t make any unnecessary buzzing or tapping noises.
The overall performance of the air purifier and how well does it purify the air in the room was tested. In a 320 square foot room, running for 60 minutes on the fastest speed setting, the Coway Mighty improved the air quality by 96%.
The air purifier was tested in a room of the same size for 60 minutes on Auto Mode with the air quality sensor set to standard. The air quality improved by 90% in one hour.
In a 150 square foot room, the particle concentration was lowered from 10,000 to 1000 particles per cubic feet in only 10 minutes. This is largely due to the efficiency of the HEPA filter.
When the New York Times tested the Coway Mighty, they found that in 30 minutes it reduced heavy smoke pollution in a 135 square foot room by 96.6%. It has also been tested in smaller rooms and much larger rooms, and the performance didn’t get worse even as the filters become more used.
These results are very impressive compared to similar products on the market. Even better is that the Coway Mighty is very reasonably priced.
Operating Costs Of The Coway Mighty
The engine for the Coway Mighty is quite powerful at 77W. It does not use as much energy as you might think, especially in Eco Mode. But even outside Eco Mode, it is a fairly energy-efficient air purifier.
If the air purifier runs at fan speed three all day for 30 days then it will have less impact than you think on your energy bills.
Using Eco mode reduces the energy used, but does not eliminate it. On standby in Eco mode, it will still use a little bit of energy and the ionizer uses additional power as well.
Customer Service
The Coway Mighty comes with a three-year warranty. We know that the warranty of a product is only as good as the customer service provided by the company.
First, register the warranty online. We found contacting Coway via email and they usually respond quickly and efficiently. You can also contact them via Facebook or by telephone, but email gave us the fastest response.
Note: At one time, some customers had an issue with a few faulty units that had an imbalanced fan. Coway issued a statement about the defect and gave all affected customers a replacement unit.
Pros And Cons
With all this great information about the Coway Mighty, wanted to gather all the pros and cons in one place. Hopefully, this will better help you make your decision.
Pros:
– The Coway Mighty has four stage filtration including ionization
– You have a choice of Auto Mode, Eco Mode, or using a timer
– The Air Quality Sensor is very advanced
– You can monitor the air quality in real-time
– The Filter reset indicator tells you when to change the filter
– You can choose from different colors to suit your home decor
Cons:
– There is no information about the ionizer technology in the manual
– The purifier only comes with one carbon filter which needs to be replaced after 6 months
– It can be very noisy on the third-speed setting
How To Choose An Air Purifier?
If you’ve never bought an air purifier before then you might not know where to start. Here is a quick guide of what to look for when choosing an air purifier.
First research the air purifiers filtration system. A good quality air purifier will have several filtration processes, with different filters designed to catch different particles in the air.
The smallest particles will be picked up by a HEPA filter. This should be medical-grade quality, like an H13 HEPA, a HyperHEPA filter, or an Alen BreatheSmart 75i.
There should also be a carbon filter to remove odor and a pre-filter for the larger particles.
Each air purifier will have a CADR – a Clean Air Delivery Rate. The higher the rating, the more efficient the air purifier is. The CADR tells you how good the air purifier is at removing smoke particles, dust particles, and pollen particles.
The CADR is decided by a series of independent tests. You can compare the CADR of the different products you are choosing between to help you decide.
Noise levels are another way to compare air purifiers. They are usually kept in the bedroom or the living room, so you don’t want them to be too noisy as they can disturb and distract you.
The last thing you need is your air purifier keeping you from a good night’s sleep.
If the air purifier runs quietly this usually means it has a well built engine. Remember, even a good-quality air purifier is likely to be noisy on the highest speed setting.
You should definitely consider your budget and the price of the different air purifiers. Air purifiers range from $200 to up over $1000. The price will depend on what features you want. We think that the Coway air purifiers are priced reasonably between $190 to $750.
Price and performance are not directly correlated, but it is usually a good indicator. The cheaper air purifiers tend to be less reliable and have a less efficient filtration system.
Remember, to consider the ongoing cost of running the purifier, which includes energy bills and the cost of replacement filters.
You might want to consider the color choices of different air purifier products to make sure that it goes well in your home. The shape and design of the air purifier can also make a difference in how it looks.
Functionality and price are most important, but if it’s going in your bedroom or living room you want it to look nice too.
Why Are HEPA Filters So Important?
HEPA is an abbreviation of high-efficiency particulate air. It is a very useful, affordable technology. The filter has different size gaps, while the clean air passes through without issue, the fibrous web traps different sized pollutant particles.
High efficiency particulate air filters are used to remove dust from the air. A HEPA filter captures 99.97% of particles 0.3 micrometers or bigger. This includes bacteria, viruses and mold spores.
These filters are widely used in hospitals and medical offices. They have a high efficiency rate because they are made of very fine fiber.
Most of the particles go through the filter without being trapped by the fibers. But a few particles go through the filter and stay stuck in the fibers. This causes the filter to be clogged up. That is why the filter should be cleaned frequently.
HEPA filters are very good at removing small particles from the air. They trap airborne allergens like dust, pollen, mold, mildew, fungal spores, dust mites, soot, tobacco, pet dander, and many more particles.
They also capture airborne pathogens like bacteria and viruses. Clean air will benefit anyone who uses the purifier but it is especially useful for people with allergies or asthma and even skin problems.
How To Set Up An Air Purifier
To make the most of your air purifier, you need to make sure that it is set up correctly. Remove all the packaging and plastic wrap. This includes the filters!
The filters on some air purifiers are wrapped in plastic and need to be removed. You can check the instruction manual for guidance on opening up the purifier to access the filters.
You need to make sure you choose the correct placement for your air purifier in the room. It needs to be 18 inches away from any furniture to give the fans enough room to draw in the air.
It also needs to have plenty of space above it for the clean air to get out. Ideally you should use an air purifier for each room. This is not always possible due to your budget, so choose to use it in the space you spend most of your time in.
You can move the purifier from room to room, but keep in mind that it will take a little while for the air to clean. Moving the air purifier into the bedroom, you might want to move it 30 minutes before you go to bed, to give it time to clean the air before your sleep.
Make sure that you have enough square foot coverage from your air purifier for the space that you need. It is better to get one that covers more area than your space. The purifier can then run at a slower speed, saving money and noise.
Remember that the advertised square foot coverage is usually based on the purifier running at maximum speed, this can be quite noisy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do Some People Think Ionization Is Bad?
This is a hot topic when it comes to the modern features of an air purifier. Why do some people think ionization is bad? And why do others love it? Let’s go through a few of the main points of contention first.
Ionizers use negative ions to help clean the air, and they claim that they can remove harmful chemicals from the air. They also say that they can improve the quality of indoor air by removing odors and pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia, and other gases. This is true, but there are two sides to every story.
On the one hand, ionizing systems can produce ozone (O3), which is a gas that has been linked to respiratory problems and even cancer. Ozone is formed when ultraviolet light breaks down oxygen molecules into their constituent atoms. Unfortunately, the amount of ozone produced by an ionizer is very small, and if you live in an area with high pollution levels, then you may still need to invest in a whole-house air purifier.
On the other hand, ionizers don’t actually emit any ozone themselves. Instead, they rely on the presence of oxygen molecules to create ozone. Therefore, they aren’t responsible for producing any ozone directly. In fact, the EPA says that “the average person exposed to ozone concentrations below 0.05 ppm per hour does not experience adverse health effects.”
So, although ionizing systems can produce small amounts of ozone, they don’t cause harm to human beings. If you’re worried about the potential side effects of ozone, then you should look for a whole-house air purification system instead.
What About Allergens?
Another common concern among consumers is whether an air purifier can effectively reduce allergens. After all, this is the primary reason that people buy them. However, the truth is that air purifiers are more effective than traditional air cleaners at reducing allergens.
Allergens are tiny particles that stick to surfaces and become airborne when disturbed. These particles include dust mites, pollen grains, pet dander, mold spores, and bacteria. When these particles enter our lungs, they can trigger allergic reactions such as asthma attacks.
Air purifiers are designed to capture these particles and keep them out of the air. As a result, they can significantly reduce the chances of your allergies getting worse.
How Does An Air Purifier Work?
Air purifiers work by using filters to trap contaminants in the air. The most important thing to remember here is that the filter needs to be replaced regularly. Otherwise, it will quickly clog up and stop working properly.
Filters come in various shapes and sizes. There are several types of HEPA filters, including pleated, fiberglass, and electrostatic. Each type works differently, so it’s best to check the specifications to make sure you choose the correct kind.
The size of the filter will determine how much dirt or dust gets trapped inside. Smaller filters tend to catch smaller particles, while larger ones collect larger items. You’ll want to find a filter that fits well within the space available.
The material used to construct the filter affects its ability to trap particles. Some filters are made of activated carbon, which can absorb some of the particles. Other filters are coated with aluminum oxide, which helps prevent particles from sticking to the surface.
Finally, the shape of the filter can affect airflow. For example, a cylindrical filter may have a higher resistance to airflow than a rectangular one. It’s always better to get a filter with a low resistance rating.
How Can I Know If The Coway Mighty Is Right For Me?
There are many factors to consider when choosing an air purifier. Here are some things to think about:
Size: How big do you want your air cleaner to be? A large unit will take up lots of room, but it might also provide a lot of power.
Power consumption: Do you need a powerful machine? Or would a simple model suffice?
Noise level: Will it disturb others around you?
Price: How much money are you willing to spend?
Performance: What features are essential to you?
In general, the bigger the device, the less likely it is to be energy efficient. This means that it will use more electricity than necessary. Also, the more powerful the fan, the louder it will run.
If noise isn’t a problem for you, then you probably don’t need a high-powered unit. Likewise, if you live alone, you probably don’t need something that uses a lot of power. Instead, look for a small, quiet unit that won’t cost too much.
What are airborne particles?
Allergens are tiny particles found in the air. They’re often invisible to the naked eye, but they can cause problems for people who suffer from respiratory conditions like asthma.
These particles include dust mites (which are actually arachnids), pollen grains, pet danders, mold spores, and bacterial cells.
When allergens enter the body through the nose or mouth, they can trigger allergic responses. Asthma attacks are just one example of this. In addition, these particles can irritate the eyes, skin, and sinuses.
Coway AP-1510HH Mighty Air Purifier, Should You Buy It?
So, is the Coway AP-1510HH Mighty Air Purifier the right air purifier for you?
When it comes to quality, you won’t get much better than Coway. The purifier is built very well with excellent materials. It performs well and we thought it was an impressive device.
The control panel is easy to access and use. The purifier can be picked up easily and moved from room to room with the carry handle.
Choosing various speeds, settings, and modes makes this purifier adaptable for any home. You also have different colors, that will give you the look that you want.
When it comes to price, it is very competitive compared to similar products on the market and has a three year warranty.
We don’t think you will be disappointed with Coway AP-1510HH Mighty Air Purifier.