{"id":1711240,"date":"2021-10-13T08:22:02","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T08:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1711240"},"modified":"2024-01-02T09:04:00","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T15:04:00","slug":"molekule-air-purifier-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/molekule-air-purifier-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Molekule Air Purifier Review: This Appliance Eliminates Even the Toughest Kitchen Odors"},"content":{"rendered":"I love my kitchen, but it's missing one important feature: ventilation. I don't have an external window or a range hood over the stove. Not only is it annoying to deal with lingering food odors from frying bacon<\/a> and broiling salmon, but the particulate matter and smoke are downright dangerous.\r\n\r\nIn fact,\u00a0the EPA estimates<\/a> that indoor air quality can be two to five times worse than outdoor air quality. One of the main contributors to poor indoor air quality? The kitchen. Eek! Fed up with smelling Sunday's meal prep well into Tuesday and nervous about breathing pollutants, I priced out the cost of a kitchen renovation and the numbers quickly hit four digits. Double eek!\r\n\r\nInstead of hiring a contractor, I decided to try the Molekule Air Purifier<\/a> first, to see if it could eliminate food odors and kitchen pollutants.\r\n

What is a Molekule Air Purifier?<\/h2>\r\nLike the best product recommendations, I heard about Molekule Air Purifiers from a trusted friend. My cousin has one in her Portland apartment to filter gasses, dust<\/a> and odors from new paint and pet dander. Molekules are also used in luxury hotels, like the Ocean House in Rhode Island.\r\n\r\nMost air purifiers use traditional HEPA filters, but Molekule spent 25 years researching their own filtration system, called PECO, or photoelectrochemical oxidation. It's very technical, but it just means free radicals break down pollutants, allergens, mold, bacteria and food smells (yes!) at a molecular level\u2014something a HEPA filter can't do.\r\n\r\nEven better? A 2021 study<\/a> showed that Molekule\u2019s PECO technology also inactivates flu and coronavirus strains at a rate of 99.99%. Nanotechnology allows PECO to destroy pollutants 1000 times smaller than the standard filters must meet to qualify as HEPA. And yes, it's cleared by the FDA.\r\n

Which Size Molekule to Choose<\/h2>\r\nThere are two versions of the Molekule Air Purifier<\/a>. The main difference is size. Since I needed air purification in the kitchen (and wanted to check out the app), I chose the Air Mini+.\r\n

Molekule Air Mini+<\/h3>\r\nThe Molekule Air Mini+<\/a> \u00a0covers up to 250 square feet of space, making it ideal for kitchens and nurseries. With this model, there's a particle sensor and an auto protect mode. Connect it to Wi-Fi to monitor your particle levels and adjust the speed remotely. That means you can watch TV in the living room and turn up the speed to clear out kitchen odors from the couch. The vegan leather handle is easy to transport if you want to move it from room to room to clear the air.\r\n

Molekule Air Pro<\/h3>\r\nWant to filter the air in your entire house? The Molekule Air Pro<\/a> works up to 1,000 square feet! It also has auto protect modes and a particle sensor for maximum safeguarding.\r\n

Molekule Bundles<\/h3>\r\nYou can also choose from three purifier bundles for full-house coverage. Choose from an Air Pro and Air Mini+, an Air Pro and two Air Mini+ or two Air Pro and two Air Mini+. Each bundle offers substantial savings compared to buying each purifier separately.\r\n

How We Tested the Molekule Air Purifier<\/h2>\r\nI received my Molekule Air Purifier in September 2021. Unboxing the Air Mini+ was easy. The unit arrived already assembled in a stylish cloth bag. I simply had to remove plastic wrapping, twist the base on and plug it in. I downloaded the app and connected it to my home's Wi-Fi.\r\n\r\nThis is the only step in the process where I had a bit of trouble. I had to install and reinstall a few times to get the air filter to read my Wi-Fi connection. But it was worth it. I enjoy monitoring the kitchen's air particles on the app, so I know when to turn the speeds up and down to clear the air.\r\n\r\nThe Molekule has five fan speeds. The lowest fan speed is barely audible, and the speed I keep the unit on throughout the day to clear pet dander and dust from the air. When I turn on the oven or saute garlic, I crank it up to five. It's quieter than a vacuum but not something you'd want to listen to all day.\r\n\r\nI've tested the Molekule for one year and it\u2019s on 24\/7 (though I do unplug it when I go on vacation). It lives permanently on the kitchen counter, about two feet from the stove.\u00a0The white shade and clean lines look minimalist and blend in with the subway tile. I'm not ashamed to have it displayed (unlike some less aesthetically pleasing air filters on the market.)\r\n\r\nTo really see what the Molekule could do, I turned it up to five and fried a whole pound of bacon. Bacon is something I usually avoid making because it fills my entire kitchen and adjacent living room with smoke and intense odors. Not anymore. After cleaning the kitchen, I left the house for an hour and returned. Not even a whiff of bacon! Talk about products that'll practically clean the house<\/a> for you.\r\n\r\nI've had the same stellar odor-eliminating results when grilling brats<\/a> and roasting salmon. I've also noticed a significant reduction in accumulated dust. The only downside is Molekule works so well, it also blocks fragrance from scented candles<\/a>! I unplug the machine when I want to have a candle moment.\r\n\r\nAfter the first six months of constant use at a level one (cranked up to a three or four for about an hour if I'm cooking something odorous), it was time to change the filter. The display panel indicated a filter change, and I noticed that smells weren't dissipating as quickly. Changing the air filter was as simple as swapping a water filter<\/a>, and the old filter was filled with dust and debris. Satisfying.\r\n

Pros<\/h3>\r\n