Dyson is all about multitasking tech.
Not content with purely keeping us cool during the sporadic heatwave, the label has taken the idea of a fan and run with it, producing gadgets that don’t just lower the temp, but work harder for their real estate in your home.
In the words of founder James Dyson himself “we pioneer to create cleaner air and a more comfortable environment” and when they’re not creating headphones featuring an air purifying visor, the brand is elevating its home offering.
The tech-forward home appliance brand already has fans with HEPA filters and one that’s a fan, heater and purifier, but it has expanded its range to include its first purifying humidifying fan with its own solid-state sensor for detecting formaldehyde particles.
The factually named Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04 is one multitasking device. The addition of formaldehyde fighting as part of the purifying function is an interesting and important addition. According to Gov.uk, “Inhalation of formaldehyde can lead to irritation of the nose, mouth and throat. In severe cases, respiratory distress and swelling of the larynx and lungs may occur”.
While this is the case, it is considered one of the most common indoor pollutants, a by-product of materials like plywood and fibreboard that are used in the construction of our homes as well as insulation, some household paints, wallpaper, varnishes and even some cleaning products.
Alex Knox, Vice President of New Product Innovation at Dyson explains “The off-gassing tendency of formaldehyde means that it can build up within the home and go undetected for years”. It’s also particularly tricky to remove, which may be why it’s taken some time for Dyson to finesse the ability to be able trap its particles.
We tested this new tech on the hottest day of the year so far to see if it could keep me cool, calm and collected.
Specs
- Size: H92.3 x L31.2 x 28 cm
- Weight: 8.2 kg
- Air treatment type: Purifier, fan and humidifier
- Filter: HEPA H13
- Cord length: 2m
- Oscillation: 90 degrees
- Modes: Auto, Night, Diffused, Breeze
- Humidifier: up to 36 hours of hygienic humidification
Set-up
From the exterior box alone, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04 is a sizeable piece of tech. Yet once unwrapped, this proves not to be the case with the fan measuring at a compact size, impressive given its wealth of functions. There’s nothing to set up: it’s pretty much ready to go out of the box, simply remove the blue tape and cardboard. This is a sticky process but not time consuming and once it’s done it’s a matter of plugging it in and you’re good to go. The fan comes with a charger and remote, the latter of which is offered in the same attractive rose gold hue as the fan’s base.
It is worth noting that the remote is very small, keep it safe by storing it on the top of the fan when not in use - the curvature matches up and it’s magnetic too.
There is no detailed instruction manual, just a foolproof leaflet with illustrations of each step. It details that you need to fit the filter, fill up the tank and connect to the MyDyson App. Full disclosure: I only found this after I had already got the fan up and running, so it’s all very intuitive.
The fan is perfectly functional without the Dyson Link app, so if you’re someone who’s opposed to companion apps, have full phone storage or care not about the finer details of air purification, you needn’t download it at all. But if you’re a nerd for numbers and relish the ability to monitor the particles cleansed, it’s worth downloading.
A handy thing about the app is that it allows you to control the fan from anywhere, whether you’re across the room or out of the house. It’s a clever feature, especially if you happen to misplace the remote. All your Dyson tools can be monitored via the same app.
Functionality
There are three elements of the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04 that require examination, so let’s start with its original purpose; to cool you down when temperatures are hotting up.
Across the entire Dyson range you’ll find its cyclone technology that enables the brand to produce fans that are bladeless and hair tools with reduced heat damage. It is said that the engineers went through over 5,000 prototypes before they got this just right.
One of our favourite features is the ability to operate the oscillation function and even change the direction of flow with the touch of a button on the remote. By altering the latter from forwards to back, this triggers Diffused mode. This circulates streams of purified and humidified air without lowering the temp too much - helpful in winter.
Interestingly too, oscillation doesn’t affect the base’s movement, you’ll just see the thin vents on either side move. They can also be directed to operated independently of each other. So, if you’re boiling but your other half isn’t, the fan can be personalised to cool just you: truly, state-of-the-art stuff.
When the warmer weather hits, this fan offers a powerful hit of purified air (and the addition of humidification, should you wish), but works best when you’re directly in front of it. Open plan spaces may find it challenging to feel the effects, even on the highest setting.
The same cannot be said for the air purifier function that was put through its paces in the testing process to ensure full room purification. Getting the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04 up and running requires the placing of the filters, which offer a glimpse of the inside of the base.
More closely resembling a spacecraft than a traditional household fan, it is equipped with a specialised HEPA filter that cleanses 99.95 per cent of particles - which can be as small as 0.1 microns. The Selective Catalytic Oxidisation (SCO) filter detects formaledhyde, breaking it down into water and CO2.
The device is constantly monitoring and reporting the pollutants it senses. The more recent Dyson fans (and vacuums too) are fitted with an LCD screen that details the particles captured (or dust in the latter case). This is incredibly satisfying to watch. The graph spikes up when you’re cooking or drying your hair, and down if you open the door and you don’t happen to live in the middle of London’s concrete jungle.
What sets this fan apart from the crowd is the re-engineered humidifier. Adding moisture to the air, especially when it’s dry, can be beneficial to those with dry skin, allergies and respiratory conditions, while also counteracting the dry throat-causing effect of fans, air con or central heating. Humidifiers have even been praised with fighting flu, reducing snoring, soothing itchy eyes and tackling pet dander.
How’s this for innovation? The Dyson Ultraviolet Cleanse technology means every drop of water that is being infused into your space has been treated to a hygenic clean with UV light, so it projects pollution, bacteria and mould-free H2O into the air and there’s no build-up of hard water. You can also put it through a Deep Clean to save you the chore. Auto mode takes the fuss out of programming, but you can also personalise your humidification. The expansive 5L tank means you won’t have to refill it for up to 36 hours.
All the functions can be operated independently or in tandem with one another to get a customised cooling experience.
The Night Mode drastically reduces the sound of the device to a low white noise hum which is actually incredibly soothing, drowning out the street and lulling you into a deep sleep. Fear not for your electricity bills as there’s a timer feature where you can set it from 30 minutes to eight hours.
Verdict
The multi-functional Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04 makes it incredibly satisfying to monitor the removal of allergens, bacteria and spores in your home, both through the graph and accompanying app. The fan function packs a punch but is better suited for smaller spaces.
My only bugbear? I wish it was on wheels so I could move it more easily from room to room.
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Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04
Buy now £699.99, Dyson
