Every home needs this appliance going into winter - but most people overlook it

I hate to say it, but I think the summer has well and truly headed out the door. And, whilst there are lots of changes that you can make in your home to get it ready for Autumn, there's one that I think everyone overlooks.

When we cosy up and seal the doors and windows, we stop a lot of fresh air from flowing through our homes. We cook, we burn candles, we run our radiators and all that can affect the air quality in your house. In fact studies from Harvard Health show that “Indoor air quality tends to be worse in the winter months because there is often no flow of fresh air from the outside, meaning allergens stay trapped inside.” Luckily, the best air purifiers can recify that.

Now, I'm weirdly geeky about things like this, so I have been looking for the perfect air purifier to combat this. Naturally, with the new launch of Dyson's Purifier Hot + Cool HP1, I've been testing this out and it's secured its place in my home.

Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 Air Purifier review

Who would the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 Air Purifier suit?

The elegant, stylish design of the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 puts it firmly in the category of premium shoppers. However, when you look at what it does, the price is reasonably easy to justify. This is expensive for an air purifier, except it’s not just an air purifier. There’s a cooling and heating fan function which means you can use this in your home all year round.

If you looked at the specifications, you'll see that it can move 290 litres of air per second, whether it's hot or cold. That means it can cover rooms as large as 80 metres, which is seriously impressive. With stats like that, you won't be surprised when I say that this is really powerful. What might surprise you, can be quiet too, so I started using this when I was getting too hot at night in bed and wanted a cool breeze (or a blast of icy air) and I’m now using it for a warm up when I come inside with numb hands (I’m not being dramatic, I have Reynaud’s).

As I mentioned, the important element of air purifiers in this season is that a lot of impurities are getting stuck in the air in your home. Having tested the Dyson on all sorts — burnt toast, dry shampoo, candles, cigarette smoke, and the likes — I can confidently say that this is the fastest air purifier that I’ve tested. That’s not just from Dyson’s self-reporting, which is handy too, but it’s from evidence based on my tests that you’ll see listed below.

Unboxing the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 Air Purifier

Dyson is brilliant when it comes to packaging, especially when you look at air purifiers. Whilst the box looks big, it’s light and easy to move into whichever room you plan on unboxing your air purifier in. Mine arrived in pristine condition and the team agreed that the box was really nice and robust.

There’s very little assembly required once you’ve got this in your home. The base and loop come pre-attached, so all you have to do is plug it in and get the remote in your hands. Naturally, you also have a QR code if you want to connect your air purifier up to the app for cleaning and air quality updates, but you don’t have to. This can be used without any app, a nice touch if you’re not tech savvy.

There are some unavoidable elements of air purifier packaging that end up being plastic, especially around the filter. However, for the most part, Dyson kept all the packaging for the Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 recyclable. It’s actually really rare for an air purifier, so I want to celebrate it.

What is the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 Air Purifier like to use?

Dyson is famed for their simple, but powerful appliances, so you won’t be surprised to hear what this was like to use. Connecting the app to the device takes no more than a minute: scan the QR code and tap on the screen. There’s also a magnetic remote that you can use for controlling the Purifier Hot + Cool HP1, which lets you adjust the temperature, speed, oscillation, and modes (including night mode) from the sofa or from your bed.

Whilst the remote is on the small side, you probably won’t need your reading glasses to see what each button does. There are useful markings and colours that do the job wonderfully.

I tested the air purifying function as well as the heating and cooling elements and will break down each in detail below.

Test 1: air purifying

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Arguably the most important test now that we're shutting the windows and cosying up inside is the air purifier test. To get a good idea of what this is like, I have a series of tests that I run all air purifiers through. I burn toast in the kitchen, I light a candle in the bathroom, and I spray dry shampoo in front of the air purifier.

The Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 shifted from room to room, diligently making its way through the tests that I threw at it and I have to say that I am seriously impressed. I almost couldn't get a picture of the dry shampoo test because this was so quick to detect the particulates and remove them from the air. The burnt toast smell was also removed from the air in my home in under three minutes and the candle smoke disappeared as soon as it appeared. It's like there's some sort of magic.

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I also recently moved into a flat with neighbours, who have become an unknowing test for my air purifier. They smoke below my bedroom window, which means an unattended, open window in my bedroom can make the whole room smell smoky really quickly. If you have experience with cigarette smoke, you'll know how stubborn and clingy it can be. The Dyson proves its worth by completely removing the scent of the cigarette smoke from my room. I have a very sensitive nose and I can't detect the smoke after three minutes, which I think is seriously good. Obviously, if you do smoke yourself, it might take a little longer to lift the smoke from your home, especially if it's in fabrics, but I am suitably impressed.

I keep the Dyson running on a low speed now in my home on regular cycles and it's showing me that the air quality is good. This really effortlessly has delivered consistency and cleanliness to my home. I love it.

Test 2: heating

Now, because we are heading into the winter, it's important to see whether this can do a good job of keeping the room warm, even if you just want a quick blast. The Dyson can take your room temperature up to 40°C if that's what you need. It sounds like an outrageous brag, but I put it to the test.

A few seconds after dialling up the heat, the neat strips on the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 were shooting out hot air. I could feel it on my hands and the room very quickly also benefitted from the outrageously hot air being blasted out. After five minutes, the temperature of the room had risen from 18°C to 24°C, which is really impressive. Other fans have taken at least twice the time to achieve the same results, so now you know why I think this is a fan worth shouting about.

In my day to day life with the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1, I've found myself reaching for it to give the room (mainly me) a quick blast of heat. I love how almost instant the hot air is, so when I come home with numb hands (a result of having poor circulation), I can get them warmed up best with the Dyson. Even my oil radiator doesn't do the trick as well as this.

Test 3: cooling

For all I say about having cold hands and the winter being on its way, night sweats and hot sleepers don't always get good relief when winter comes. The Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 does have a night mode, which turns off the lighting display and slows the fan speed down until its almost silent. As sensitive sleepers, both my partner and I were impressed at how little disruption this created in our room. Neither of us noticed it when we were trying to fall asleep or when we woke up, although it's worth noting that this has a timer that automatically turns off during the night anyway, so you don't need to worry about your bills running sky high.

You can tilt and oscillate the fan to hit the perfect position, directing air exactly where you need it on hotter sweatier nights. I had this in my home when the weather was still warm and it was a godsend for staying cool. Obviously, it can't prevent hot flushes and night sweats, but the blasts of air can come out as cool as 1°C according to the fan and I have to say that they do feel pretty icy. So, if you need instant relief, it'll be there and waiting.

In the daytime, I played around with the cooler temperatures and, as with the heating mode, this can get surprisingly chilly very quickly. It only takes a few seconds to blast out really bitingly cold air. My partner sits himself in front of it after HIIT sessions to cool his sweaty self down and he says it's the best one I've tested. Given how it performs in the night, I have to agree.

Cleaning the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 Air Purifier

There are a few elements to think about when you're looking after the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1. First, aesthetically, you've got a tower fan on your hands and that needs to be cleaned. If you've read up on how to clean a tower fan, you'll know that it's very simple. A damp, soft cloth should wipe away the dust that will gather in different places and that's all you need really. The white loop on the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 does show dust a little quicker than other colours, but it's equally easy to clean with a quick wipe down.

The air purifier elements are also low maintenance. Both the fan itself and the app will notify you when the filters need to be changed or rinsed, which shouldn't be more than every 6 months. They'll talk you through everything, which is nice and easy. I'm yet to clean this one, because I haven't had it for long enough, but I've cleaned the predecessor and it was really simple. If you need more help, we also have a helpful guide on how to clean air purifiers.

How does the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 Air Purifier compare?

If you're all-in on having an air purifier in your home (welcome to the club), you might have perused Dyson's offering. They do have other models, so if you want an idea of how these differentiate, you're in the right place. I've tested them all.

The closest competitor is the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool Formaldehyde, which was the first Dyson that I really loved. This is £150 more than the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 and you'll see why below, but I'll give you a mini summary here too.

The Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool Formaldehyde, as the name suggests, can also filter formaldehyde out of the air. You're likely to have these gasses in your home as they are released by pressed wood products (particleboard, plywood), certain glues and adhesives, paints, varnishes, insulation, permanent-press fabrics, cosmetics, and household products like dish soaps and some cleaners

The Dyson Formaldehyde removes these nasty gases from the air does this using some clever technology that actually doesn't need replacing, because it turns the gasses into water vapour. Alongside this, it's a little bigger and slightly more attractive. The white and gold finish looks ultra premium and certainly comes with the price tag to match it.

There aren't any other appliances that combine air purifying, heating, and cooling to a standard that I can confidently recommend. However, if you're happy to separate out the functions, I have a buying guide dedicated to the best cooling fans and a separate one for the best air purifiers. They're all tested, reviewed, and approved by me and our team of experts.

Should you buy the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 Air Purifier?

There's no denying that the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 is an impressive, elegant addition to any home. I can't stress how important an air purifier is in your home, especially over the autumn and winter, which is why this what I'm singling out as the appliance to bring into your home as it gets colder. Nobody else can do what this does to the same standard. Yes, it's expensive. However, it's one of those instances where I genuinely believe you're getting good value for money.

How we test

At woman&home, all the products that we test have to go through the same series of challenges before we write up a review. The Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 falls into three categories - a heater, a cooling fan, and an air purifier - so I needed to test this across all of those.

I treated each function as its own review and rigorously put the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool HP1 to hard work. I scored how it performed against other products dedicated to each function, ready to write up here. I also looked at other factors, such as the price, how it compares, whether it's easy to clean, and all the other elements that would help you to choose whether this is the right model for you.

I hope that by the end of this review, you have a good idea of exactly what this is like. However, if you want to know more, don't hesitate to email me. You can also have a look at how we test air purifiers and how we test cooling fans to see a bit more behind the scenes.