An air cleaner can contribute to filtering a healthier living environment by filtering minuscule dust particles and odor from the ambient air. Over the years we have already published several extensive reviews about smart air cleaners on appletips. Now it’s switchbot’s turn, this Japanese manufacturer of smart products have launched a very special air cleaner, the Switchbot Air Purifier Table. Not just an air cleaner, but one with many extras such as a table top, wireless charger and lighting.
In recent weeks we have tested the Switchbot Air Purifier Table in practice. The review copy has been made available by Switchbot, the manufacturer of course has no influence on the content of this review.
Switchbot Air Purifier Table
Air cleaners are certainly not always the most beautiful devices, they usually have a boring cylindrical shape and do not blend at all within an interior. The Air Purifier Table from Switchbot is an air cleaner that you can use as a side table in your living room or as a table next to your bed. The air cleaner from Switchbot is equipped with a wooden table top. But that is not the case, atmospheric lighting has been added under the leaf and the table top itself has a wireless Qi charger (15/7.5 Watt). So actually it is a side table with an air cleaner incorporated. So you can place a nice houseplant or something in it without any problems.
This concept is not entirely unique, for example, Ikea has had the Starkvind In the range. However, that is not a smart device and has no wireless charger and lighting.
The Switchbot Air Purifier Table combines air purification with SmartHome functionality and a practical table top. The air cleaner is equipped with a three-layer HEPA filter system to purify the sky of fabric and pollen in a room up to 33 m². The filter absorbs particles with a diameter of 0.1-0.3 micrometer with a filtration efficiency of 99.97%. In addition, unpleasant odors from, for example, pets are filtered with the help of a layer of active carbon in the filter. The air quality is measured with an internal infrared dust sensor (PM2.5) and is visible in the Switchbot app. Despite all the functionality, the dimensions are modest, the device is only 25 cm wide and 49.7 cm high. The wooden table top has the size 42 by 29 cm.
Installation of the Air Purifier Table
Before you can use the air cleaner, you must mount the supplied table top with the integrated wireless charger and mood lighting on the basic unit. The mounting is simple, you connect a cable and place the table top on the base with the charging point on the right side, then turn the leaf in the clock in the clock so that it clicks.
You then secure the table top with two screws, these and a screwdriver are supplied. The air cleaner then connects to the mains power with the supplied adapter. The rest of the installation is done via the Switchbot App.
Install the Switchbot app if this is not yet the case and create a Switch Bot Account. With the help of the ‘+’ symbol in the app you can add a new device. This is an extremely simple process where the Switchbot App guides you through all steps. With the last step, it is checked whether a firmware update is available for the device, if this is the case, it will be installed automatically. If you want to use ‘Matter’ for a link with HomeKit, for example, you always need firmware for proper functioning.
Operation Air Purifier Table
If the air cleaner is added to the app, you will find it in your list of Switchbot devices. By tapping it you will enter the air cleaner control screen. From this screen you can switch on the device and possibly activate a mode such as automatic, pet or sleep. The status of current air quality is also shown on the control screen.
The air cleaner sucks the air around the base unit, after which it is blown out again via the top under the table top. On the lowest positions and sleep mode you can hardly notice this air flow. At higher positions, the air flow is more powerful and also felt in the immediate vicinity.
On top of the edge of the basic unit there are different LEDs and you can manually set a mode and timer using buttons. One of the LEDs indicates the status of the WiFi connection, the other LEDs have to do with the activated mode and the duration.
The air cleaner is equipped with a special pets mode. This mode ensures that smells with ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methylmercaptan, trimethylamine and acetic acid from the air as the ingredient. These substances are removed in the HEPA filter with the help of activated carbon.
Noise levels
The noise level of the air cleaner varies per position and set mode. The air cleaner has more steps in the automatic position than in the three manual positions. If the air cleaner is active in the lowest manual position then you hardly hear it. In the lowest automatic position or night position, the air cleaner is whisper quiet. This makes the device great for use in the bedroom or office.
At the higher positions, the air flow is clearly audible as a constant and monotonous sound without remarkable noises. The sound that the air cleaner produces is easy to ignore, especially if there is ambient noise in the background.
HomeKit Support via Matter
The Switchbot air cleaner supports Matter over WiFi, which makes it possible to link it to HomeKit (home app) and Google Home. With the latest firmware version you can add the device directly via Matter, with older firmware versions you need a Switchbot Hub for this.
Once added to HomeKit you can operate the air cleaner from the home app. However, this is limited to switching/off and operating the fan speed. It is also possible to include the air cleaner in scenes. This allows you to run the air cleaner at full speed, for example, if HomeKit has detected that no one is at home anymore.
Wireless charger and mood lighting
A Qi threadless charger is present in the air cleaner tabletop, which also works if the air cleaner is not switched on. If you use an iPhone, it can be charged with a maximum of 7.5 watts. If you have an Android device that supports ‘fast wireless charging’, it can be charged with 15 watts. The Qi charger can be switched off via the settings as a whole if you wish.
At the moment the lighting is also available under the air cleaner tabletop, the lighting is automatically switched on when the air cleaner is active. Via the settings you can possibly indicate that the lighting is only switched on with little ambient light. The brightness and color of the mood lighting can also be adjusted. When adjusting the color you have the choice of 10 colors. You can also choose to display the colors based on air quality.
Filter maintenance
Switchbot advises the pre-filter to clean every month, replace the HEPA filter between 6-12 months and the active carbon filter every year. The coarse pre -filter can easily be cleaned with the help of a vacuum cleaner.
The maintenance intervals are automatically kept in the Switchbot app. This records how long the air cleaner has been enabled and the filter has been used. An indication is also given how long the filter can be used before it has to be replaced. You are not bound by this and you can reset the counter from the app. The filters are not equipped with an NFC chip that register the useful time and make the filter unusable after a maximum useful time.
The suggested retail price of a new filter set for the Switchbot air cleaner is around € 45 and often with discounts for sale on the Switchbot website.
Conclusion: Air Purifier Table
Review Score
The Switchbot Air Purifier Table is an air cleaner, side table, lighting and a wireless charger in a single device. As a side table, the air cleaner will certainly not stand out in your sleeping or living room.
The Matter support makes it possible to add the air cleaner to HomeKit if you wish. Due to Matter limitations, you can only adjust the fan speed from the home app and of course switch the device on/off.
As an air cleaner the device works fine, the capacity is fine for medium -sized spaces up to 33 m². The air flow is noticeably present at higher positions, such as with every air cleaner. In the lower positions this is minimal and the device works silently.
The built-in Qi charger and the mood lighting are a nice addition and make the device much more interesting than a traditional air cleaner.
In terms of maintenance, the air cleaner is easy to clean. The pre -filter is easy to remove and clean with a vacuum cleaner. Switchbot recommends replacing the filters every 6 to a maximum of 12 months, but this depends on how intensively the air cleaner is used.
- Air cleaner, table, charger and lamp in a device
- Simple installation and operation via the Switchbot App
- Whisper quiet in the lowest positions
- Filters easy to clean
- Limited functionality via Matter
- Only predefined colors available for the lamp
Where to buy?
The Switchbot Air Purifier Table is for sale in the web shops below and has a suggested retail price of € 299. On the Switchbot website itself, special discounts and bundles are often available.
