Using the MI Air Purifier to beat the Bangkok Smog

If you’ve been following my blogs then you know that over the last few years I have been trying my best to lead a more healthy lifestyle. Everything from being more active during the day to making sure I eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. I also try to only eat food that hasn’t been processed and drink bottled or filtered water. But what about the air we breathe? Shouldn’t we filter that too? I’ve been thinking about buying an air purifier for a number of years now. But I kept putting it off due to the cost of it. They are not cheap. And also, I kept asking myself, would they really make such a difference? Would I sleep better at night? But, that all changed during the Great Bangkok Smog last month. As the picture above clearly illustrates, Bangkok suddenly disappeared in the smog.

What got me thinking about buying an air purifier again was the fact that I was suffering from the smog. Like other people, I had a sore throat that I couldn’t shake off and my eyes would often sting. I was certain that it was linked to the Great Bangkok Smog. So, I decided to google air purifiers to see what improvements there have been over the last few years. One such device that caught my attention was the MI Air Purifier 2. This is made by Xiaomi who have been really innovative lately when it comes to gadgets. And most importantly, their prices have also been quite attractive. But, would it do the job?

I did a lot of research on the MI Air Purifier, reading not only information on the manufacturer’s website (see here), but also the reviews on amazon.com – though to be precise, I chose India because their smog situation is worse than Bangkok, and the reviews are all in English (see here). What I noticed straight away was that out of 157 reviews, 63% gave 5 stars and 15% gave 4 stars. Digging deeper, I saw that people were updating their reviews by saying that they had bought additional Mi Air Purifiers as they were so happy with the results. What impressed me was that it was handling the really bad smog in New Delhi. It would then surely work here in Bangkok.

I shopped around and found quite a few stores selling MI Air Purifiers on Lazada from 4,900 Baht to 6,900 Baht. The model that I bought was Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2 for 5,400 Baht. Just make sure that you go for the second generation one as it is more efficient, smaller and also quieter. There is actually a new version that is now out called Mi Air Purifier 2S. The only obvious difference is that there is an OLED display which shows realtime PM2.5 values, the temperature and also the humidity. For that you have to pay about 1,500 Baht extra. With the model I bought, you still get to see this information, but only on your smartphone. More on that later.

The Mi Air Purifier 2 has a simple but elegant design. It was all very easy to set up out of the box. In fact, there is no manual in the box. As you can see above, there is only one button. This is the power button, but it also toggles through the three different modes. However, to have more control over the device you should download the Mi Home app for your smartphone. This connects to the air purifier through your WiFi router. Like I mentioned already, you will then get a live PM2.5 reading of the air quality in the room. The best thing is that even on 4G you can interact with your air purifier.

The three modes on the device are auto, sleep and favorite. With the latter, you get to set the speed of the fan based on the size of the room. The air purifier can handle rooms up to 37 square meters. At this speed, the fan is very noisy, but it does quick work of cleaning the room. Just make sure that the doors and windows are closed. As it is difficult to watch TV with that noise, I use my smartphone to turn on the air purifier about thirty minutes or so before I go up to bed. When I go up to my bedroom, I switch it to auto mode. This is a lot quieter. This then automatically switches to sleep mode at a certain time each night which is barely audible. All of this can be automated if you wanted to by setting up parameters on your smartphone.

So, did it make a difference to my health? Yes, it certainly did. I no longer woke up with a sore throat. The only downside is that I had to then leave the house. But at least I had a good night’s sleep. Fortunately the smog situation has improved slightly in Bangkok and most days now the Air Quality Index shows it as being “moderate”. But, I still turn the air purifier on at night. In fact, I have been thinking about buying a second one for my office. But, at the back of my mind I am wondering whether the Mi Air Purifier is the best choice. After all, there are other models out there. Yes, my throat wasn’t sore any more, and the bedroom is hardly dusty these days. But how accurate is the built-in air quality sensor? Were they cheating?

Then last week I came across an AQI sensor that had been made by the guys at Makerspace Thailand in Chiang Mai. They call themselves a “prototyping and product design center”. Click here for their Facebook page. Anyway, as I have an interest now in knowing about air quality, and as I am always keen on supporting entrepreneurs, I decided to straight away buy their Air Tricorder (Portable AQI Sensor). This cost me 2,500 Baht and it was shipped to me within the week. Click here if you are interested to learn more. Look out for a review on this soon as I will be taking this air quality sensor on my trip to Northern Thailand next week.

To cut a long story short, the air quality sensor proved to me that my air purifier was doing a good job. In fact, when I turned the air purifier on, I could see how quickly the numbers on the sensor went down. But, it wasn’t going down to zero. So, after some research, I then fitted some HEPA filters in my air-conditioning unit. These are not expensive and you just cut it to size. The brand I bought was 3M which I got at Home Pro. I also did a better seal on my wooden balcony door. Overall, this helped a lot to give good readings all night. Then, in the morning I used to have a habit of opening my balcony door to get some “fresh air” as soon as I woke up. But, after seeing the air quality sensor suddenly shoot up to 120 (PM2.5) in less than a minute, I don’t do that any more. Unless it is raining like this morning.

So, I hope you found my little review interesting and helpful. If you are interested in buying an air purifier for yourself, make sure that you do your homework first. There are many different brands and models out there. Find the right one for yourself. You also need to remember that the filter needs changing. In my case, they say it lasts about six months and new ones are about 1,300 Baht or so. If you have an air purifier already, please let me know the model in the comments below. I am pretty sure I will now buy a second air purifier. And I am pretty sure that I will buy another Mi Air Purifier. But, I am also open to suggestions. Thanks.

89 thoughts on “Using the MI Air Purifier to beat the Bangkok Smog

  • February 1, 2023 at 3:01 pm
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    Do you still use this device or have you already upgraded?

    Any more recent recommendations for buying an air purifier?

    Reply
    • February 5, 2023 at 10:59 am
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      I am still using the same devices though obviously I have bought new filters!

      Reply
    • February 17, 2023 at 1:53 pm
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      I have a newer model of this purifier and it works great. It mostly runs at a very low setting in auto mode and keeps the the air clean without making a noise. If I so much as fart in the room or use spray on deodorant in the adjoining bathroom it immediately goes to Defcon 5 and kicks into high gear to remove the offending particles from the air. It has a nice display which makes a separate sensor unnecessary, but Ikea has a new one out now. https://gizmodo.com/ikea-air-quality-sensor-detector-vindstyrka-smart-home-1850117297

      Reply
  • February 12, 2021 at 9:53 pm
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    I used the word “suppose” in my previous comment. But I meant “presume” (I think in the context of my comment you could presume it 🙂 ). Sorry, my english is a little bit rusty (I am german)

    Reply
  • February 12, 2021 at 8:04 pm
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    Thank you Richard for your very interesting infos.
    You say you added some HEPA filters to your air-conditioning unit. I would like to do the same. I suppose your AC was not constructed for HEPA filters. The ACs I have here in Khon Kaen are also not constructed for them. Did you have no problems, because the resistance for the air flow through this filters is higher, so I think the amount of air is going down? And no problems inside the AC?

    Reply
  • April 2, 2020 at 3:16 pm
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    I run my Xiaomi Air Purifier Pro on automatic setting and it takes the room API from 120 to 15 in the living room, which is a large area. It costs around the same as the 2 used to cost when this article was written. Certainly not worthless on automatic setting.

    Reply
  • January 22, 2020 at 11:50 am
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    Richard,
    What do you know about the ozone generated by air purifier as by pruduct? I read that is also dangerous to lung health.

    Reply
  • January 9, 2020 at 11:41 am
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    This polution has made my family sick & pay so much costs. I wish people can stop making polution.
    Very good blog Richard, love you all !

    Reply
    • October 23, 2019 at 1:20 pm
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      It’s certainly more powerful than the one I reviewed as it is for offices and a bigger space.

      Reply
  • June 2, 2019 at 1:50 am
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    I do like this post, which gives me a lot of information and say thanks to all participants.

    My only one question, which model should I buy …

    Original New Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2s 5300 3690 thb

    Original Xiaomi New Air Purifier Pro 5300 thb

    Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier Pro (not Chinese version) 5900 thb

    and there even more.I confused .. Thaks for replay

    Reply
  • May 13, 2019 at 3:45 pm
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    So, I too bought a Mi Air Purifier 2 and I’m pleased with it… if not a bit skeptical. The read in my living room usually starts at 12-16 and goes down as low as 02 after a few minutes. Granted I live about 300 meters off Sukhumvit, in a complex with no traffic, but it seems insanely low. I even plugged it in the balcony, and the read outside was merely 20. I’m starting to wonder if it’s working okay, or if I live in a bubble and didn’t realize.
    For reference, I bought it on Lazada for 4200b, sold by ITFriendly -which now sells it for 3,700 btw.

    Reply
    • June 28, 2019 at 7:30 am
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      Hello,

      Curious if you fixed the issue ( i.e. raised the pollution numbers to Sukhumvit level )

      Just bought a Pro model form IT Friendly and it shows 001, sometimes goes as high as 003… I wish…

      Deciding between returning it, replacing with the same model or keeping with faulty sensor…

      Thanks,

      Reply
  • March 15, 2019 at 3:15 pm
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    Hi I have just got Mi Airpuirifier and cannot connect to wifi

    Anybody can confirm what server etc they used when successful

    Reply
    • April 12, 2019 at 2:00 pm
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      You have to set the location to China, then it will find it.

      Reply
  • February 4, 2019 at 3:52 pm
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    Trying without luck so far to find where to buy Mi Air Purifier 2 replacement filter – any help greatly appreciated! Thanks.

    Reply
    • February 4, 2019 at 6:21 pm
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      Demand is too high. Just two months ago they were giving them out free when you bought an air purifier

      Reply
      • February 5, 2019 at 5:26 pm
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        Just to let you know Lazada does currently have the replacement filters in stock – got my order in quick…

        Reply
  • January 30, 2019 at 1:54 pm
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    Excellent article… wish I had seen this a couple of days earlier. I just ordered the Hatari air purifier and its already shipped so sadly I cant cancel it now and get the MI one now. Hope Hatari just justice to their name in terms of performance.

    Reply
  • January 21, 2019 at 2:15 pm
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    If I do not care price, can you tell me which air purifier is the best to buy in Thailand ? Thank you.

    Reply
  • August 1, 2018 at 5:48 am
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    People seem to look for the latest technology, even resorting to buying it from Communist China, when the ten-plus-year-old Truman Cell in OREK’s purifiers has tested best every year since its release. Built and tested in the USA, its technology works, even to US standards. My Thai fiancee has used hers for three years now in her/our 62sqm condo off Ramkhamhaeng road, and I have used two for ten years here in my/our 71sqm Dallas apartment. Now admittedly, Dallas is no Bangkok when it comes to pollution, but it is in the worst quintile of American cities. Several of my Bangkok friends have AQMs and they all walked away shaking their heads in amazement when they came in to test my fiancée’s numbers. I use two in my apartment here and we use just the one in Bangkok. The OREKS are a tad louder than the Chinese junk, but they move many more CF/M even at the almost silent lowest setting and perform amazingly well on High.
    The technology combines ionizing and electrostatic precipitation, but it all occurs within the unit, so no dust at all in the house. There is a washable pre- “filter” (more or less a fabric screen) up front, which captures about half the dust entering the unit, followed by the Truman cell doing the ionizing and precipitation, followed by a charcoal filter for the VOCs not ground up in the cell. You wash out the cell in the sink every two to three weeks (the machine tells you when), and replace the charcoal filter every six months or so (or longer if you vacuum it out when you wash the cell). An ultraviolet/Ultrablue light at the back end (I have yet to need to replace mine) kills anything surviving the previous stages. Factory reconditioned ones still run between $90USD and $110USD (generally less than 3500 baht) and new ones go for about 40% more, so the pricing is right. no filters to replace (okay maybe one day the charcoal will need replacing or the UV lamp will kick, though I only use the lamp when someone in the house is sick) but electricity is the only real cost of operation per se. While they are currently only manufactured to 110 volt standard, I hear this will change soon, and any sensible person in Thailand already has an inverter for his cherished western appliances or a line conditioner/inverter for his stereo/TV, so just plug it into your inverter and away you go. Several sellers will ship them to Thailand, including the factory, Amazon, etc. The units even look reasonably cool. I have been pleased.

    Reply
    • November 1, 2018 at 7:51 pm
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      “Communist China”! Practically everything is made in China. The Mi air purifier works really well and is amongst the best available.

      Reply
    • January 3, 2019 at 7:37 pm
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      Hi Christopher,

      Where can we buy Oreks in Thailand?

      Reply
      • January 4, 2019 at 9:07 am
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        Allan, the factory and Amazon both ship Oreks to Thailand, A friend told me Mayfair does too, but I have yet to confirm that. You won’t be disappointed, and you’ll feel better, because you won’t be supporting the stain on the face of the earth that is China.

        Reply
        • January 14, 2019 at 2:36 pm
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          Oreck’s stuff are all made in china with some assembled in the USA. So don’t know what your beef with China is. They were never made in the usa, its a lie that was been proven again and again. Back then they were able to use the label made in the usa if X number of components were sourced in the USA.

          I use to own an Oreck air purifier when I lived in the USA as well, back some 10+ years ago it was ahead competitors in terms of technology and I agree it was one of the best 10+ years ago. But I suspect it was all marketing. There were other good ones but being in college back then, the rinse and wash filter was a money saver, fact that you can see the dust felt like it was working.

          Being 2019 their Truman model is outdated and does not filter fine particles. You would have to go for one of their models that have a HEPA filter. If you read reviews online, Oreck air purifiers have quality problems. If you have money to spend stick with Blueair, their HEPA filters are H13 levels meaning it filters out 99.97 based on European and USA standards.

          But if you are on a budget Xiaomis 2s and Pro work just as well and for a fraction of the cost.

          Reply
        • January 14, 2019 at 2:48 pm
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          Thank you for reminding me never to buy anything from the racist shithole called America. Just ordered my communist Mi.

          Thank you Richard for this great thread. Unfortunately, these devices seem to become necessities.

          Reply
  • April 5, 2018 at 3:31 pm
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    Dear Richard, thanks for this news. I bought my Honeywell HAP 5010 in 2008. Filters are not available anymore to this model. Some salesmen told me that I can still use it, but it does not clean air so well anymore. So, I use this more or less as a “fan” which circulates the air in my tiny little working space at home. (Actually I have been able to adjust the temperature of the air con from 25 to 27 when this old air purifier circulates the air in the room). This model is also abit too noicy even with the silent mode.

    I am thingking of bying a new one. I have been comparing models which are approximately THB 15000 and with this price range Sharp, Blue Air or Daikin would be available. This model you have now reviewed looks also worth checking more carefully.

    The most difficult thing in this matter is whether to trust the manufacturers’ web sites telling how goog their products are.

    Reply
  • April 4, 2018 at 5:49 pm
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    Hi everyone,

    Just bought one of these and it arrived today. Cannot get it to connect to any WiFi network. I have an AIS Fibre router and it won’t connect at all. Even tried setting up my phone as a wifi hotspot to try and get it to connect to that. Any ideas?

    Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • April 5, 2018 at 5:48 pm
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      Did you get it to work?

      Reply
      • April 6, 2018 at 5:34 pm
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        No. Tried it so many times with different WiFi networks and it just wouldn’t connect. Returned it to Lazada. Annoying as I was looking forward to using it :/

        Reply
  • April 3, 2018 at 9:31 am
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    Thanks so much Cheryl for the kind words.

    Reply
  • April 3, 2018 at 4:02 am
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    This new Italian made purifier, the BRID uses Nano tech & LED’s to purify-

    When I ordered 3 weeks ago it was under $300. Looking now the price has nearly doubled.

    It works w/o a Hepa filter, & It’s pre-filter is washable too- which turns into a big savings over time. They are similar tech to the Molekule ( which is $100/year in Hepa replacements costs alone ) but cheaper.

    I had several emails with the developers & they sent lab test reports for PM2.5 & more. They are somewhat modular & come in several sizes.

    I don’t work there by the way- just think it’s a cool breakthrough product and wanted to share— I am waiting for my order…. they started shipping in the last month. ( and will ship globally )

    From:
    https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/brid-the-forever-nanotechnology-air-purifier

    BRID the Air Purifier uses an exclusive multi patented version of PCO / Photocatalysis technology to literally vaporize: POLLUTANTS, CARBON MONOXIDE, NOx, ODORS, REDUCE BACTERIA, FORMALDEHYDE, MOLD SPORES and more, transforming them into harmless substances. It does so extremely efficiently and with a multitude of technological advantages compared to older and conventional existing PCO products.“

    Reply
    • October 2, 2018 at 11:23 am
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      How did the BRID work out for you in the end?

      Reply
    • January 14, 2019 at 4:27 pm
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      Nice design and concept, but the only flaw I see that is that the fan can only push out 215 m3/h of air. It takes too long for it to clean the air, they don’t list a CADR number yet. But if you have a bigger room, their solution is to stock more filters? It doesn’t make sense. The features are very impressive though.

      Again based on air purifier review websites, and independent tests. The key to having clean air is to be able to circulate and clean the air fast enough. If you compare this to the Coway 1512hh which is one of the best budget air purifiers. Brids fan air flow is around half of that of Coways, which means it circulates the air at half the output.

      Always buy an air purifier where you have local parts and technical support too.

      Reply
      • June 23, 2019 at 5:40 pm
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        Rarely see mentions of it, but I’ve traveled with world with a SikverOnyx which has worked very well for me.

        5 lbs (so I can carry it in my checked luggage), very quiet on setting 2, and gets the job done (I’ve seen it in action on some bad days, taking the room from 30ug to 5ug very quickly).

        The ultimate limiter on air quality is leakage: if you have central AC with a polluted supply, your air is going to stay right about 70% of outside air. If you have leaky doors and windows, same thing. The only way to truly reduce pollution is internal split-inverter AC that doesn’t recycle your air across other units, and very tightly sealed windows, doors, balconies, etc.

        Reply
  • April 2, 2018 at 4:56 pm
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    Great blog, I’m just looking into getting a filter so it was good timing
    thanks

    Reply
  • April 2, 2018 at 10:35 am
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    HI Richard,

    Are you running an air conditioner in your room at the same time? Some air conditioners are able to clean the air with an ionizer. In short an ionizer makes the PM 2.5 and below particles heavier so they just essentially drop to the ground. That could explain a lower microgram count in your room. My aircon seems to clean the air in my room with the Blueair off to an extend.

    As I mentioned earlier, the Xiaomi AP2 is only effective at high speeds. The best thing to do is a room test overnight. I will bring my Xiaomi in my room the next bad air day in Saigon and run an overnight test. The AirVisual Node will provide the data.

    Now, something to ponder, all air purifers are, essentially, are just a fan blowing air through a HEPA filter. I am using my BlueAir because I bought it first in Shanghai then brought it to Saigon. If I had done my research, I would have just used some Xiaomi AP2s with DIY air purifiers running most of the day.

    For AQMs, even the LaserEggs and Nodes are considered cheap air quality monitors by the US EPA. I think they are good for monitoring the air inside the house. Outside they are not due to humidity but newer AQMs will get better. I am definitely interested in reading more about Thai AQM. Which sensor do they use? Plantower is the most common for Chinese AQMs.

    Reply
    • April 2, 2018 at 1:56 pm
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      That’s an interesting point about the air-conditioning unit. Yes of course it’s on. It’s Thailand. I’m away for the week and so I cannot test yet what it can do without the Mi Air Purifier 2 turned on. However, I do know that in my office where I don’t have a purifier, the AQI reading is usually around 100 with the Air-con turned on. But that is an older a/c unit.

      Reply
    • February 4, 2019 at 7:08 pm
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      Just got the same results as yours using Air IQ monitoring tool . Only got noticeable reduction of particles in my 30SQM room when turning the Xiaomi on max power. In sleep or automode, I could not see any noticeable improvement versus not using the purifier at all (PPM remained at. ~80-90PPM.) Disappointed and now looking for a more industrial HEPA/Fan filter type.
      Purifier was a Xiaomi 2S (model : AC-M4-AA ) purchased 2 weeks ago on Lazada for 6900THB.

      Reply
      • February 4, 2019 at 7:13 pm
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        You need to help it out. Make sure the room is air tight. I have a balcony but never open the door on smog days. I also put in extra filters in my air con unit. I bought my second air purifier (Xiaomi 2S) about 3 weeks ago on Lazada just before everyone else for 4,500 Baht. I’m happy. Wanted to buy another one but prices now too high.

        Reply
  • April 1, 2018 at 7:11 pm
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    Hello Richard,

    I was forwarded to your article by a mutual friend. Need to make some clarifications in regards to your post.

    First, the Xiaomi Air Purifier 2 is a Chinese product. Hence, it will follow the Chinese AQI standards which is more liberal to air quality when compared to the US and WHO. For example, the US AQI considers good air at 12 micrograms PM 2.5 or below while the WHO sets it at 10 micrograms. China sets it much higher at 35 micrograms or below. That 3-3.5 times higher then the US and WHO standards. 35 micrograms is borderline Moderate and Unhealthy for Sensitive Users in the US. If you measured the air quality of your room using US standards, you will find your room to be around 36 micrograms when the Xiaomi AP2 automatically switches to automode.

    SmartAir China did tests and found that the Xiaomi AP2 leaves the air unsafe 86% of the time. That is because this air purifier always switches to automode after 3 hours. Mine switches after about 1 hour, sometimes 2. If you want to make sure it is cleaning the air in your room, it needs to be kept at high power. Both the IOS and Android MiHome apps, you can set Favorites to make sure the AP2 is always running at high power. At other speeds, the AP2 is worthless as an air purifer.

    For me, I just use the AP2 as a backup air purifier. I primary run a Blueair in my bedroom which can clean the air in my whole apartment. One bad air days, I switch on the AP2. I have a couple DIY air purifiers for my other rooms. The DIY AP models do much better job during the day then the AP2 since they stay at one mode. If you need help making one, just ask. They should be easy to make one in Thailand.

    Putting a HEPA filter on your air conditioner has NOT proven effective yet. It is better not to. It will just use more power which will ultimately generate more pollution. Most air conditioners will have an ionizer now which “cleans” the PM 2.5 by making them heavier (they literally fall to the ground). In big shopping centers, the air is purified by using MERV filters. The square business ceiling air conditioners seem to clean the room as well. In Shanghai I had one of these air conditioners that cleaned my Mac Lab.

    For air quality monitors, just check the micrograms. Your AQM follows Chinese standards again. Hence it will match your AP2. I put a link below, take your readings and follow the US AQI standards. Thailand should have their own standards as well. Note that any cheap AQM will just give you an approximation of the PM 2.5, it will not give an accurate number. Those machines costs $5000 USD or more. Humidity seems to through the actual reading off as well. LaserEggs and AirVisual Nodes are the two most popular AQMs now. They all tend to use the same air sensors too.

    Below are some links in regards to the points I made above. Best of luck in breathing clean air. Ask if you have any questions.

    1. Difference between US and Chinese AQI standards: http://support.airvisual.com/knowledgebase/articles/1130419-what-is-the-difference-between-china-us-aqi
    2. SaigonNezumi Review of Xiaomi AP2 Automode: https://saigonnezumi.com/2017/10/25/xiaomi-air-purifer-2-test-in-auto-mode/
    3. SmartAir Review of Xiaomi AP2 Automode: https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/xiaomi-auto-mode-leaves-air-unsafe-86-hours/

    Reply
    • April 1, 2018 at 7:17 pm
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      Thanks for your detailed reply. I am still very new to the air quality game which is why I post blogs like this and invite others to share their knowledge. I will take a look through your links later. Thanks. About the AirVisual sensor, are you saying that is a better one as I was actually thinking about buying it. It is good to have a second opinion with this.

      Reply
      • April 1, 2018 at 8:29 pm
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        AirVisual Node uses an older sensor now. The LaserEgg 2.5 is a better sensor. AirVisual Node and LaserEgg 1 uses an older Plantower sensor. Just put a little cigarette next to all three and you will find that the LE 2.5 updates faster. In my apartment, though. I use two Nodes and one LaserEgg. My other friend uses the LE2 and some Chinese AQMs.

        Reply
    • April 1, 2018 at 7:22 pm
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      “Worthless as an air purifier?” Surely, that is an exaggeration. It must be better than nothing, right?

      Reply
      • April 1, 2018 at 8:32 pm
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        Only on the highest setting. When it switches to automode it is worthless. Hence you will need to set up the AP2 to stay in high mode all the time. That is why I use it only as a backup. It is a good air purifier, do not get me wrong.

        I recommend a DIY air purifier running at the same time. Let the AP2 purify the room fast, DIY to maintain the clean air.

        Reply
        • April 1, 2018 at 8:36 pm
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          I know absolutely noting about this, and you seem to know a lot, but it just seems to me that it must be doing something, even on the lower setting?

          Reply
          • April 1, 2018 at 8:49 pm
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            Sadly, it does little. You can get a LaserEgg to confirm. The best is always to do self tests..I really liked the Xiaomi AP2. It was popular in Shanghai due to its price when compared to the $500 USD Blueairs.

          • April 1, 2018 at 8:57 pm
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            I disagree with your statement that “it does little”. I think it actually does a lot. Maybe not as much as your Blueair purifier which is three times as expensive. But I have seen an improvement in my health since I started using it. And it’s not only that, the amount of dust it sucks out of the air is making a difference. Just ask my housekeeper! I know you think that the air quality sensor that I bought is not accurate, but it shows me that the quality of the air does improve greatly when I turn the purifier on. And it remains good in the morning when I wake up.

            I am not trying to say here that my Mi Air Purifier 2 is just as good as your Blueair. Nor am I trying to say that my Air Tricorder is just as accurate as your LaserEgg. I am just saying, that the purifier has improved my health and the air tricorder has made me more aware of pollution in the house. So, money well spent in my book.

          • April 1, 2018 at 9:19 pm
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            Good to confirm, as mine is on its way! I haven’t any symptoms, but the black crap that accumulates on my ceiling fan and my used-to-be-white curtains tell me that I must be breathing in some nasty stuff. It can only help, certainly not do any harm!

        • March 13, 2019 at 2:28 pm
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          So it is worth it to buy the Ap2 and keep it on high mode all the time?

          Reply
          • March 13, 2019 at 2:30 pm
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            I use the app to turn it on high mode about an hour or so before I go to bed. I just need to make sure the door is closed. Then when I go to bed I change it to night mode as it’s a lot quieter.

        • December 12, 2019 at 1:41 pm
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          Sorry but I don’t follow you here: if the AP2 switches to “automode” after it’s cleaned the air in the room and given the room is sealed (doors and windows closed) then at that point the air inside should stay reasonably “clean” (until open the door or the window). So, why the AP2 should be useless at that point?

          Reply
      • February 4, 2019 at 6:48 pm
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        I had the same thought as you had. Unfortunately, looks like Kevin Miller is actually right. His actual statement was that “At other speeds (other than max speed”), the AP2 is worthless as an air purifer.”

        I just happen to have bought the Xiaomi Purifier and also have a particle counter in my room. When pollution outside was at ~150ppm last week, I got about 80~90 ppm without any filtering except my AC being on. With Xiaomi set on Automatic or Sleep mode, PPM still shows ~80-90 i.e improvement is barely noticeable to “almost non existent. However when turned on full on mode (“little HEART symbol” on their screen, ) air particles go down to ~20~25 PPM within ~30 minutes. So looks like Kevin is spot on when it stated that “”At other speeds (other than max speed”), the AP2 is worthless as an air purifier.”
        My next purchase will likely be for a more industrial air purifier (read big fan, with big filter (50x50cm or 100x50cm) and unfortunately bigger cost ; (

        Current setup

        IQ Air : particle counter
        Room size : 30 square meters
        Purifier : Original Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 2S

        Reply
        • February 4, 2019 at 7:00 pm
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          I use remote access to turn on my air filter on full blast two hours before I go up to bed. Then when I go up I switch it to night mode as it’s a lot quieter. PM2.5 is always less than 10.

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          • December 12, 2019 at 1:48 pm
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            That’s interesting Richard, how’s is your opinion after some time you’ve been using the Xiaomi?
            I also live in Samut Prakan and was considering buying one but I see conflicting opinions and cannot make up my mind…

            PS: I’m not an expert about air quality

        • January 17, 2021 at 9:28 am
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          Would like to know which industrial air purified you choose. BlueAir strikes me as a prettified niche product at a premium price, no matter how well it works. I want a purifier like the ones they use in photo labs or hard disk recovery units or…Amersterdam coffee shops!

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    • April 1, 2018 at 8:35 pm
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      Thank you Kevin for your in depth report on air filter ratings and capabilities.

      Reply
      • April 1, 2018 at 8:55 pm
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        Research is key here. Many companies try to sell expensive air purifiers but you can make your own for under $50 USD. I applaud Xiaomi for their efforts but they have to follow Chinese regulations. They cannot even offer a US AQI option.

        Research DIY HEPA air filters.

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        • November 1, 2018 at 7:32 pm
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          AQI doesn’t matter. Mi air purifier displays the actual PM 2.5 count. You can take that and make your own judgement. The air purifier works really well.

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          • December 12, 2019 at 2:00 pm
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            Are you talking about the Xiaomi? Un considering it but how do we know the readings displayed are accurate? I read the real PM2.5 meters are pretty much expensive

      • October 15, 2019 at 12:10 pm
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        Sharp Air purifiers are very good. They are incredible quiet and energy saving and some of them use a H14 HEPA filter…

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    • July 13, 2018 at 4:13 pm
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      Dear Kevin –
      I would like to have your kind help in doing a DYI Air Purifier. Do you live in Bangkok? Where can you source the materials?
      Thank you !

      Reply
    • September 23, 2018 at 1:13 pm
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      Keep in mind that your website that that all “the air tests” is selling their own products. So YES there is a HUGE BIAS on that site and in essence PROPAGANDA against an air purifier that costs about the same they are selling. Also the “scientist” who performed the tests as a degree in social science, which means he is NOT QUALIFIED. Unfortunately, I cannot trust their test and never will.

      Reply
    • January 14, 2019 at 3:57 pm
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      I have read other folks who have used a PM2.5 to take readings and compare it with the Xiaomi air purifiers 2s and PRO. Folks have said Xiaomi works just as well as Blueair for a fraction of the cost.

      http://www.stiwe.com/is-it-worth-to-buy-xiaomi-air-purifier-pro-review/
      http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/china-public-health/my-quest-for-the-ideal-air-purifier-is-over-xiaomi/

      The key to having constant clean air it to be able to filter the air continuously. So ideally Smart Air’s product is indeed the most cost efficient, strap a good Hepa filter to a fan. This is what an air purifier is after all without the bells and whistles, but who wants that right?

      I have to say the website is very bias and does portray Blue Air and other brands unfairly in a negative light just to sell their stuff. I would take what they say and their data and judge yourself.

      CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) number is very important. The more air you can filter per minute means you will have continuously cleaner air. So ideally for the price of one Blueair 203/205, you can buy three Xiaomi 2s and have cleaner air (not to mention, replacing 3 filters cost less than one Blueair filter).

      If you look at air purifier review websites, those high ranking air purifiers most have very high CADR numbers.

      Reply
  • April 1, 2018 at 7:03 pm
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    Great review, thanks for sharing your experience. Does it significantly reduce dust?

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  • April 1, 2018 at 5:31 pm
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    Thanks for this very informative review!

    Could you possible give a little bit more context about your location, where readings ‘shoot up to 120 (PM2.5) in less than a minute’ when you open the window. Are you located very close to a main road or this a more residential area with low traffic?

    Reply
  • April 1, 2018 at 4:53 pm
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    Thank you for the review and tips. I was wondering about interior vs exteriors levels of pm2.5… are they mildly the same ?

    Reply
    • April 1, 2018 at 4:54 pm
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      No, not really. Can vary a lot. Just depends on how much you air your house. I’ll be posting a review soon of my air quality monitor.

      Reply
  • April 1, 2018 at 9:38 am
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    I bought one from the Official Xiaomi Store on Lazada for 4790 baht, then used a promotion code on the Lazada app for 7%, so paid 4335 baht and it will arrive Monday or Tuesday!

    Reply
    • April 16, 2018 at 10:42 am
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      Hi, Andrew. I am looking at buying one from the Xiaomi Official Store on Lazada as well but was wondering whether yours arrived and looked legit. I’ve had some experience with products not working well when purchased from Lazada so was curious about this store specifically.

      Reply
  • April 1, 2018 at 7:59 am
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    That’s pretty interesting. Always assumed they would be a waste of money. Obviously not.

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  • April 1, 2018 at 7:58 am
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    Interesting review. It convinced me get the Mi Airpuirifier for my home. I already have a Blueair 211 for my office but it costs around 12,000 THB and has no sensor. The problem is that the Mi is always sold ouy in the Xiaomi shop in Pantip

    Reply
  • April 1, 2018 at 7:42 am
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    Thanks for the article. I live in India and the pollution (all types) is awful. So this will help me as I review air purifiers for home and possibly the office.

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  • April 1, 2018 at 1:59 am
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    Just purchased Portable AQI Sensor from https://makerspace-thailand.myshopify.com . Will probably invest in air purifier after measurements.
    Thanks for sharing! How high was the AQI in your bedroom before you applied aircon filters, sealed windows, and turned on air purifier?

    Reply
    • April 1, 2018 at 6:58 am
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      Usually around 80 (PM2.5). Putting filters on the air-con seemed to help it.

      Reply
  • March 31, 2018 at 10:52 pm
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    Thanks Richard. This is a very interesting article.

    Having been to Delhi twice in recent months (work) I can confirm the pollution there is horrendous and makes the air in Bangkok seem vety clean and fresh!

    I would be interested to know in which areas you all live. I stay near Saphan Taksin and know that the pollution on Charoenkrung road is dreadful, but it doesn’t seem too bad on the other side of the river. Maybe I should support the makerspace guys in Chiang Mai and buy one of their AQI sensors to test the air at my place!

    Reply
    • March 31, 2018 at 10:21 pm
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      I’m afraid I cannot remember exactly which one I bought it from in the end. I find Lazada so confusing. I spoke to the guy on the phone and we met in the car park of Tesco Lotus. I’ll try and find the paperwork. BTW, someone just posted a link to one on 11 Street.

      Reply
  • March 31, 2018 at 10:10 pm
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    Richard,
    An important point you did not cover.
    What is the size of the space in which your air filter was efficient? I have found that air filters can be effective, some more or less but only in a confined and relatively small space. An ordinary bedroom say.
    Please say more so we can consider if your experience would be applicable to the situations of others.
    Do you use an A/C in the room, seems your bedroom, concurrent with the filter.

    Reply
    • March 31, 2018 at 10:13 pm
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      I thought I did. It can do up to 37 square meters. My bedroom is smaller than that as it is partitioned at night. Yes, I have an air-con turned on, but I added filters on it to make it more efficient

      Reply
  • March 31, 2018 at 9:39 pm
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    Thanks for the info. We were teetering between the BLUE and Mi. This review along with others pushed us ofer the edge. The cost of the unit along with filters maintenance costs being low – easy win. With two growing kids in the house and a third one just arrived (2 days ago), these are priority for our family.

    Any further instruction you can give on the Hepa “custom” filters you rigged up to your AC units. Cost? Size? Serial #? Picture of it? We have ancient monster units hanging around and I’d love to “custom” fit some filters there, too.

    Cheers

    Reply
    • March 31, 2018 at 9:42 pm
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      I don’t think you will regret having one. As for the filters for the air-con units, I’m going to Home Pro tomorrow and I will let you know what they have.

      Reply
      • April 4, 2018 at 9:58 am
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        Thanks, chief. Appreciate it. Saw your follow-up.

        Enjoy the trip.

        Reply

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