Air filters that use water?

May 27, 2022 2:22 PM

I really hate that medically-certified HEPA filters are my only choice for cleaning the air.

Every time I try to google and search, I get blog and web articles that say, "air purifiers that use water aren't as effective as HEPA filters." Which is great and I'm sure it's true, but for my purposes inside my own home I don't care about catching viruses, bacteria, or even VOCs out of the air. I don't even care about funky smells. I JUST want an air filter that will scrub out particulates like dust, pollen, mold.

I really don't like having to use up and discard medically-certified HEPA filters for that purpose. It's wasteful. I do not need medical-grade air. I just want cleaner air.

And I've seen a Rainbow vacuum in use, so I know from experience that it's theoretically possible to make an air filter that filters the air through water, but all of the consumer products that I can find simply do not look like serious products intended to clean the air. They look like essential oil diffusers.

Can anyone recommend anything at all?

posted by Rainbo Vagrant to Technology (6 answers total)

The Venta Airwasher is a humidifier that claims to do the thing you're asking for. Based on my experience with a secondhand model it is not particularly effective at either (and, in fact, I notice that the product doesn't appear to be called an "airwasher" anymore, at least on the US site, though it's clearly the same thing--to be super clear, I'm not referring to their air purifier, which does appear to use disposable filters). It's possible it was undersized for the space it was in.
posted by pullayup at 2:47 PM on May 27, 2022

The only air filtration units I've seen that use water are larger, industrial models. They do work with particulates specifically....but I doubt they would work well containing mold, and the industrial models I have seen in operation often exacerbate mold issues (in food production areas no less).
posted by furnace.heart at 2:49 PM on May 27, 2022 [1 favorite]

Just ignore the water bit and buy one of these? https://www.airfree.com/en-us/airfree-p

While not as effective as HEPA filtration by a long shot, it does outdo many competitors by being a device that actually works.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 3:04 PM on May 27, 2022

I've had a fine experience with the aforementioned Venta Airwasher -- consumer reports says their tests didn't bear out the "filtration" part of the sales pitch, but in my experience it does collect airborne gunk in the reservoir. The water is typically visibly less clean when I pour it out than it was when I filled it, which indicates to me it's at least helping. FWIW I was able to buy mine (as well as other air-quality products) with my FSA funds as allergy treatment.
posted by churl at 3:04 PM on May 27, 2022

Some of the honeywell air filters use washable and reusable filters, which might help because at least you're not throwing them away? I think is the one I have
posted by kbuxton at 4:51 PM on May 27, 2022

It sounds like what you want is an air purifier with a clean-able filter that will warn you to vacuum it when it gets relatively clogged.
posted by kschang at 4:51 PM on May 27, 2022