We have tried and tested the Vitesy Eteria, a personal air purifier that uses a washable photocatalytic filter instead of replaceable HEPA filters. Our verdict? It is a real treat for the eco-conscious, but its performance leaves much to be desired.
There is plenty to like about the Vitesy Eteria personal air purifier — it is feather-light, cheap to run and small enough to fit in almost anywhere. Plus, its sensors are pretty accurate at tracking temperature and humidity, and it does a decent job of getting rid of odors. However, it is neither practical nor efficient enough to justify its relatively high price tag. Why you can trust Live Science Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best ones for you. Find out more about how we test. Most air purifiers use fans and one or more filters to suck in the air, capture airborne pollutants and blow clean air back out into the room. There are many reasons why this design is so common — for example, it allows for the purifying of large volumes of air in a relatively short time, and it removes a wide range of airborne contaminants, from large particulates like dust and pet hair to pollen, pet dander and other minuscule allergens. This tried-and-tested method has some caveats, though. Air purifiers equipped with air filters are usually big, energy-sapping and in need of regular filter replacements, which can massively add to financial costs and environmental waste. These are the key issues Vitesy Eteria is trying to solve. Vitesy Eteria is an innovative air purifier that is much smaller and more portable than most appliances available on the market. As a personal air purifier (a portable device that cleans the air you breathe while you are on the move), it is designed to go wherever you go, so it has a relatively low coverage. Another difference is that it uses photocatalytic technology instead of air filters made of fiberglass, plastic and other materials that degrade over time. In simple terms, it does not retain airborne pollutants, but instead destroys them by breaking their chemical bonds and transforming them into harmless gases (more on that later.) In addition, Vitesy Eteria promises to use less…