lge.puricarewearable-Profile
Hey Guys! Happy New Year to everyone. This is the 1st review posted for the year 2022. Now coming back to the review, LG Electronic had sent the 2nd generation of the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier in Dec 2021. This is a long review where the device was tested for at least 3 weeks.
With the COVID-19 epidemic across the globe, LG Electronics has been at the forefront of research and development to increase its technological capabilities and better understand the science behind air quality. They created their 1st LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier mask and launched in IFA 2020 in November 2020.
We had the opportunity to review the 1st Gen device and the product was great and everyone who saw it on me was curious and wanted to know more about it and looked like I was the center of attraction with the device.
Now in Dec 2021, LG released the 2nd generation of the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier with some lot improvements. Looks like the LG research team has been hearing the consumers and reworked on design and features.
Design and Specs (Model -AP551ABFA)
The newly improved LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier (2nd Gen.) has been released in 2 colors – Black and White. The design also is changed the Dual inventor fans with the HEPA-13 filter is now embedded in the body of the mask compared to the earlier version. The Air Volume (LPM) Liter Per Min is 10~55. With a single charge of the battery (1000mAh), you get 8hours of usage. Recharging of the batteries takes 2 hours.
It comes with a USB Type C charging pin. The fan speed is now automatic compared to the earlier 3 levels of speed. The device has Bluetooth 5.0 and its size has also become more compact with the dimension of 142 × 109 × 52. It weighs 112g (including L size Face Guard). It has got a respiratory sensor and most important addition the voice activation, so people can hear you. This has been a great improvement.
The Review
The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier (2nd Gen.) was used for more than 3 weeks since I had received the product. I had received the black color unit for review. The device came in an eco-friendly pack much more compact and compared to the earlier one.
The box included the face mask, washable faceguard pad, a set of HEPA 13 filters, 10pcs inner disposable filters, USB Type C cable for charging the unit, an artificial leather carry bag, and headband.
The device weighs less compared to the earlier version. The earlier version had the dual fans access from the front and you could see the dual fans once the covers were removed from the body.
The new Gen2 version has the dual fan embedded into the body of the mask and can be accessed from the inside of the mask and also the HEPA 13 filter has to push in from the side. I presume this new design change was done as maybe the HEPA filter and cover must have been falling off from the earlier version as the cover was secured with 2 clips and also would reduce the weight of the mask.
Now the new design is smooth with LG PuriCare branding on the left side of the mask with 2 mesh cover holes for the speaker. In the new design, the airflow is pulled from the side and behind the mask compared to the airflow earlier version used to be pulled from the front of the mask.
The air is pushed into the mask and sent to the center towards the nose and the air flows out from the bottom same as the earlier one. The inside inner filter purifies air further once the air passes through the HEPA13 filters. The respiratory sensor is now automatic, so the fan will work faster if I am running as I would require more airflow compared to walking or sitting. The earlier version had 3 levels of airflow – Low, Medium, and High. On the bottom, you will come across the USB Type-C for charging the 1000mAH battery.
The bottom also has the push switch ON/OFF button for switching on the mask and voice activation. There is a beep sound for the consumer to know the mask or voice activation. One short beep air flow switched on and second time longer to activate the voice speaker with 2 beeps. The mask faceguard pad is similar to the earlier version made of silicone rubber with vented holes for comfort and less sweating around the nose area. The washable Faceguard pad is attached with magnetic clips on 3 sides.
The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier (2nd Gen) is secured on the face with adjustable 2 bands which are washable and can be replaced like the HEPA 13 filter, inner thin filter, and faceguard. The mask is secured around the ears and you have also the option to wear it with the headband clip which will help you secure it around your neck or head while wearing the mask for a longer time. The headband clip also helps to reduce the load on your ears when wearing it for longer hours.
The 2nd Gen mask comes with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Download the LG Wearable App from Google Play Store or iOS App Store, connect your 2nd Gen mask by pressing the Power ON for more than 7 seconds, and white light blinks which indicate the pairing mode. Open up the App on the phone and follow the procedure to connect the mask with the App. Once connected, not only switch On/Off the mask from the App, you can control the Fan speed and mic volume of the mask. You also get information about the amount of clean air breathed in the mask. This also helps to know the filter life. You also get the day, week, month, and year usage report.
Most of important improvement
Firstly, the 2nd Gen mask is lighter compared to the earlier version. This was possible by reducing the no of parts and making the mask ergonomically and compact on the face.
The addition of a small speaker is quite audible and helps the user to communicate better. In the earlier version the voice used to get muffled in the mask and if you are the listener would have trouble understanding the words especially in a noisy environment or while speaking on the phone.
The Bluetooth connectivity with the mask. You can control the mask with the App and also get information on air quality, airflow, control of the mic and fan speed, and usage of the filter.
LG says the new Gen2 has 8hours of usage on a single charge, earlier one had 4 – 8hours as there were 3 levels of speed. With the auto respiratory sensor, the fan’s speed is controlled by your breathing. The battery is also improved from 820mAh to 1000mAh.
Overall Experience
The new LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier (2nd Gen) mask is lighter, better, ergonomically designed, and compact, fitting on your face with jutting out of your face. The Voice addition is the best improvement to the mask. And now you get more information about the usage of the mask and overall usage. I have used the Gen2 mask for a long period of time from 2 hours continuously. For testing, I have used the device for walking of 10,000 steps and at the start was a little awkward but later got used to breathing via mask. The auto respiratory sensor increased and reduced the airflow of the dual fan and helped with breathing while during the walk. But somehow the battery would drain when I am not using the device even it was switched off especially after downloading and connecting to the App. Maybe the Bluetooth is draining the battery even while not using the mask.
Conclusion
Overall it is a great protective air breathable device especially with the latest COVID variant Omicron virus spread across the globe. It is expensive for the average consumer to afford for regular daily life. But for the consumer who gives priority to protection for health and can spend money to protect will not mind spending some extra money.
The new LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier (2nd Gen) (Model -AP551ABFA) can be purchased from certain retail outlets in UAE and can be purchased from online e-commerce websites. It is priced at AED 799.
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