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COWAY Air Purifier for Large Room Whole Home Up ...

By Coway · Air Purifiers · Home & Workspace · More from Coway

  • Coverage 1,256 sq ft (2 ACPH) / 2,512 sq ft (1 ACPH)
  • CADR 285 smoke / 306 dust / 339 pollen
  • Noise 22-52 dB
  • Power 57 W max
  • 21.4 lbs

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Summary

A four-stage HEPA purifier that has been Wirecutter’s longtime recommendation since 2015, with some of the lowest OEM filter costs in its class. Check the top speed before you buy: it is loud, and the base model has no app or Wi-Fi.

Strengths

  • Wirecutter has recommended it since 2015, longer than any other standalone purifier.
  • Independent tests agree on strong particle removal.
  • OEM Max2 filters are cheap, at about $57-60 a year.
  • Quiet on the low and medium speeds.
  • The flat-square design keeps a small footprint, and there is a carry handle.
  • Owners report 4-5+ years of continuous use without performance loss.

Weaknesses

  • The top speed is loud at 60.1 dB measured, and the unit vibrates.
  • The base AP-1512HH has no Wi-Fi or app control.
  • The indicator lights cannot be dimmed, and there is no child lock.
  • Odor and VOC removal is weak: the carbon filter is impregnated fabric, not pelleted carbon.
  • Two different filter schedules to track, carbon at 6 months and HEPA at 12.
  • Power jumps from about 9 W at speed 2 to 75 W at speed 3.

Verified specifications

ModelAP-1512HH (Coway Airmega Mighty).
Region/electricalUS 120 V, 60 Hz only.
Coverage361 sq ft at 4.8 air changes per hour, 874 sq ft at 2, and 1,748 sq ft at 1.
CADR (manufacturer)224 smoke / 248 dust / 232 pollen.
CADR (AHAM / ENERGY STAR, 2013 test)233 smoke / 248 dust / 232 pollen.
Filtration4 stages - washable pre-filter, deodorization carbon filter, True HEPA filter and bipolar ionizer.
Filter lifedeodorization filter every 6 months, HEPA filter every 12 months.
Fan speeds3 manual speeds plus Auto and Eco modes.
Timer1, 4 or 8 hours.
Noise (manufacturer)24.5-54.9 dB.
Noise (HouseFresh, measured at 3 ft)38.9 dB at speed 1, 44.4 dB at speed 2, 60.1 dB at speed 3.
Power74 W; measured 3.7 W at speed 1, 8.7 W at speed 2, 75.3 W at speed 3, 0.3 W on standby.
Dimensions16.8 x 18.3 x 9.6 in.
Weight12.3-13 lbs.
Ozone9 ppb in AHAM CADR testing, below the 50 ppb California CARB limit.
CertificationENERGY STAR certified.
App/Wi-Finone on this model.
Warranty3 years.
Full research notes and sources

Filters and running costs

Coway’s Max2 filter set is one HEPA filter plus two carbon filters, replaced on separate schedules, carbon every 6 months and HEPA every 12. An OEM set costs $57-60 from Coway; generic filters run $15-20 but may hurt performance. Estimated annual running cost is $80-124. HouseFresh put it at $123.63 a year, split as $83.64 for electricity and $39.99 for filters, while TechGearLab estimated $82.58 a year and about $1,056 over 10 years. The particle sensor also needs cleaning every couple of months to keep Auto mode accurate.

Noise, power and the ionizer

The strongest complaint across the tests is the top speed. Low and medium are quiet enough for a bedroom. Power use rises sharply above speed 2, from about 9 W to about 75 W. The ionizer is a separate function that can be switched off, but it puts out 9 ppb of ozone in AHAM testing, below the 50 ppb California CARB limit.

Is it worth it?

Coway lists the AP-1512HH at $230 and sold it direct for $169 in June 2024. At sale prices of $140-200 it is a strong value for buyers who want proven reliability and low filter costs over smart features and a quiet top speed. The main tradeoffs are the loud high setting, weak odor filtration and the missing app. If you want app control, Coway sells the AP-1512HHS as the smart version.

Which model this is

This page covers the Coway Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, ASIN B01C9RIARQ. Coway also sells the AP-1512HHS (MightyS) with app and voice control, the AP-1512N (Mighty2) successor, and the AP-1512HHC in beige; they share filters but differ in features. This unit is the flat-square Max2 design, not a cylindrical tower.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

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