No noise for nothing: this air purifier is totally silent
14.7.2023
Translation: machine translated
Not a whiff, not a sound - and yet the air is purified? I test whether the Teqoya Desk can keep its promises and even lock myself in the bathroom.
Is the plug really connected to the power? Indeed it is. But I can't hear any sound. And I see no sign that the Teqoya Desk is actually running. Amazingly, the air purifier really does fulfil its first promise. It is absolutely silent.
So I put it in my home office right next to the computer without a second thought. Because unlike other air purifiers, I don't hear any constant hissing, no noise, nothing at all. There is also no noticeable draught. The device is also compact - and looks like a high-quality speaker.
Does it work? The hand test proves it
But somehow it's also a bit strange. Not even a small light shows whether the Teqoya Desk is working. Is it really running? I read the operating instructions. In fact, there are actually methods I can use to test this.
I hold the palm of my hand very close to the round openings on the front. And indeed, I can feel a gentle breeze. The headphone test is even more effective: If I hold the cable close, I hear a crackling sound, a kind of atmospheric disturbance.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Ions sound like humbug, but they're not
But can an air purifier without a filter and without a fan even work? Anyone thinking of humbug is wrong. Ionisers, for example, have been used in the food industry for decades to destroy bacteria and fungal pathogens and slow down the ripening process - for example during transport by sea.
Teqoya is well aware that many people are sceptical about this technology. This is why the manufacturer has also made a total of 28 tests and certifications available to customers on its website, which prove its effectiveness in detail.
99.9 per cent of pollutant particles are said to be effectively removed from the air. These include pollen, mould, viruses and bacteria, as well as odours and smoke. Nanoparticles up to PM0.1 and fine dust are also bound by the ions.
Don't forget to clean anyway
What you need to know: Unlike other cleaners with ions, the Teqoya Desk doesn't suck anything in, it just distributes the ions in high concentrations up to three or four metres into the room. The particle clusters then adhere to surfaces or the floor. It is therefore very important that you clean the room regularly. A small amount can also be deposited around the nozzles of the air purifier, which you should therefore dust off every few weeks.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Compact design and very economical
But what is the advantage of such an ionic air purifier? It can be built very compactly. The Teqoya Desk is less than 30 centimetres high, eight centimetres wide and weighs 460 grams. This size is sufficient for a room up to 35 square metres.
As already mentioned, the cleaner is completely silent and requires almost no maintenance. Power consumption is also minimal. We measure a constant 1.6 watts of power, which would be just over 14 kWh per year in 24-hour operation. At the current average electricity price of 27 cents per kilowatt hour, that's less than four francs. By comparison, conventional air purifiers with a fan draw between 5 and 50 watts of power - depending on the size and purification stage.
Criticism about ozone: also with the Tegoya Desk?
However, there is also criticism of ionic air purifiers: some models produce ozone as a by-product - quite intentionally - which neutralises odours, among other things. Pulmonary doctors warn against using such purifiers in living spaces, as the aerosols can produce fine dust. Fortunately, the tested Teqoya Desk does not use ozone at all - there is also scientific proof available to download here.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Feel better with ions? A matter of faith
Then there is the promise that you will feel better surrounded by negatively charged ions. This is because many negative ions are measured in nature in places such as waterfalls, in the mountains, by the sea or in the forest. Scientifically, however, a connection with well-being cannot really be established.
I'm still a little incredulous that the totally silent air purifier really works. At home with Minergie ventilation, the effect is not really noticeable in everyday life, so I set up a small test.
Included for the measurement in the bathroom
I switch off the ventilation and lock myself in the smallest room in the flat - the bathroom. A measuring device records the level of particulate matter in the air; the display shows the PM10 and PM2.5 values. These are particles that are smaller than 10 and smaller than 2.5 thousandths of a millimetre.
The value in the home at the time of the test was 2 to 4 µg/m3. For comparison: In Switzerland, the annual average limit value is 10 µg/m3. Increasing the level of particulate matter in the air is very simple. I light a candle.
After just twenty minutes, the soot becomes noticeable. I now see constant values of 60 to 70 µg/m3. When I switch off the candle, the particle density remains high for a long time. After three hours, I still measure 40 µg/m3 - still massively above the limit value.
Now we ventilate and restart. This time the Teqoya Desk is running when I light the candle. At first, the meter goes crazy as usual because the match and the lighting process release a lot of soot. After an hour, the value has levelled off at just under 25 µg/m3. After that it slowly drops. After just over two hours, I'm back at 2 µg/m3 and the soot is gone.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Conclusion: promise kept
The silent air purifier works perfectly and is economical in terms of power consumption. The air is purified not incredibly quickly, but continuously. And it's completely silent. The Teqoya Desk shows its strengths where this feature is crucial. In other words, if you place the air purifier in your bedroom or home office, where any additional noise can be disturbing. Then the rather high price is also justified.
The manufacturer Teqoya also offers other sizes of air purifiers with the same technology. The Road for in the car and the Home for rooms up to 50 square metres in size.
Do you also use an air purifier? Let me know your experiences and tips in the comments.
Cover photo: Lorenz Keller
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
Interior
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
Home + Kitchen
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
Health
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
7 comments
later