Put an end to pollen allergies: test air purifiers for at home

One push of a button and the allergy symptoms disappear? That is exactly what air purifiers promise! But is it really that simple? We tested one of the leading air purifier models.

All allergy sufferers know this only too well: "Juhuuu - finally spring!" To then notice in the next moment: "Damn it - there was something else in spring!"

The joy of the warm weather, the first rays of sunshine and the trees in bloom are therefore only temporary. Because at the same time it means the start of the pollen allergy season. More and more Austrians suffer from one or more allergies - more than a third of the population is now affected.

Air purifier: take a deep breath, even in the allergy season

What many do not know: The indoor air in your own four walls is also polluted with pollen, allergens and air pollutants, even two to five times more than the outside air. With up to 24,000 breaths per day, the air in our homes can affect our health and is a major factor in allergies, asthma and respiratory diseases.

Because if allergens inevitably get into closed rooms through ventilation, they can cause problems for longer because they are longer in the air due to air turbulence (children running, vacuuming, etc.). This can lead to the discomfort at home, even after the pollen season. At home, however, you want to feel good and relax from everyday work. After all, your own home plays an important role when it comes to wellbeing.

Air purifiers promise better air quality in the blink of an eye, free of allergens and pollutants - so that you can breathe freely again. But can this promise also be kept? We tested it!

In the test: Philips AC2887 / 10 air purifier (for allergy sufferers, up to 79 m²)

The Philips air purifiers promise to remove 99.97 percent of ultra-fine particles and airborne allergens like pollen, dust, mold and more from the air. A study by ECARF, one of the world's leading organizations in allergy research, also confirms that significantly fewer symptoms of a pollen allergy (sneezing, red eyes, itchy nose, etc.) occur with the Philips air purifier in the case of pollen allergies.

Clean air for the home to alleviate pollen allergies? Yes, please

And now there is the little white helper at my home that should finally make spring bearable for me. Thanks to a massive pollen allergy, I usually suffer from runny nose, cough, itchy palate and swollen eyes up to conjunctivitis in March and April. Will the air purifier go away and let me sleep peacefully?

First of all: the "installation" is very easy. According to the instructions for use, a little plastic is first removed from the interior so that the filters - which should be cleaned under running water every few weeks - can really work. The settings are also easy to understand - apart from the fact that there aren't that many buttons for operation.

So I activate my little robot - because my new housemate reminds me a little of the friendly "droid" R2-D2 from "Star Wars" - in allergy mode and I wait with excitement to see what happens. A gentle humming begins, the device analyzes the current air quality and adjusts the intensity of its work accordingly: If there is less exposure to dust, pollen and the like, the air purifier hums quietly, the more pollution there is, the louder and more diligent it is to filter. The degree of soiling is also displayed in color - although the red level looks a bit threatening. All the more reassuring, however, when the device then works down to the normal blue state.

However, this lighting can also be deactivated so that you can sleep undisturbed at night. And the background noise can also be reduced in idle mode. However, this didn't bother me too much, even though I had placed the air purifier right next to my bed. Very sensitive ears should perhaps use ear plugs if necessary or switch the device off before going to bed.

My conclusion on the Philips air purifier:

The symptoms of my allergy did not completely go away, but there was definitely improvement and relief - for example, I also had to take less medication. And just knowing that if I press this button now and my new friend then devours all the bad pollen in my apartment was a big plus for my mood, which was rather bad at that time …

Philips AC2887 / 10 air purifier for 289.99 euros.