During the pandemic and the Coronavirus, the market for air purifiers has grown and the interest in clean air indoors at home has come to a lot of people’s attention. Working from home has increased the demand for a small system for home and domestic use. Ikea has launched the Ikea Förnuftig, which can be translated into Sensible and it goes in hand with IKEA’s statement and beliefs.
The author has got an IKEA Förnuftig at home for the past years.
At IKEA, we believe that clean indoor air should not be a luxury for the few, which is why one of our main priorities when developing the FÖRNUFTIG air purifier was to get a low price for both the air purifier and the filters.
Henrik Telander, Product Owner at IKEA, reports
IKEA 2018 the Clean Air Survey leading to the IKEA Förnuftig
It all started with the survey done in 2018 by IKEA, 2018: the Clean Air Survey, confirming what various studies have shown, that indoor air quality in people’s homes is bad. The survey showed that people all over the world underestimated air pollution in their homes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is estimated to kill 1 in 8 people globally. 1 in 8 is massive and the symptoms and diseases related to air pollution are heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and even cancer. This resulted in giving people access to clean air becoming a priority for IKEA and the development of the air purifier IKEA Förnuftig.
The Affordable And Easy-to-use Air Purifier
IKEA is known for clever design and engineering and the IKEA Förnuftig air purifier ain’t an exception, there is little material and good use of the internal space. With this IKEA has managed to keep the costs of the air purifier low, $54.99. This is impressive compared to the price for an average air purifier in the hundreds of dollars.
The IKEA Förnuftig comes with a HEPA 12 filter that blocks 99.95% of particles 2.5 microns or larger, such as pollen and dust. There is a possibility to add a second active-carbon filter that absorbs chemicals like formaldehyde and odors such as smoke and cooking smells.
Costs of Operation
According to the manual shall both filters be replaced every four months. The filter for particle removal cost $5.49 and you need to pay $9.99 for the gas removal, resulting in about $46 a year. The year cost drops to only $16 a year if you skip the carbon filter.
The IKEA Förnuftig is still considered cheap even if you pay for both replacement filters. The filter costs can add up to a substantial amount depending on the air purifier. By comparison, replacing only the HEPA or HEPA-like filters on a regular air purifier will cost you between $44 and $110 per year.
IKEA has also designed the Förnuftig and its energy consumption low in order to keep down the operating costs for the customers. 1.5 to 16 watts depending on fan speed.
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
The IKEA Förnuftig’s clean air delivery rate (CADR) on the highest fan speed is 140 cu m/h, in U.S. CADR, about 70 cu ft/min. This is with both filters installed.
Room Size Requirements
According to the manual, the maximum room size for the air purifier is 105 square feet (or 10 square meters). Making it most suitable for a small bedroom like a child’s or guest room.
I would recommend an air purifier with a higher CADR for the living room or a larger bedroom.
Sound
The sound is important for daily use when you are at home or trying to sleep. The IKEA Förnuftig has three settings except turned off. The air purifier is not noticeable at the lowest setting I, turning it on to level II the sound profile goes up and you can hear the fan working. At the highest setting, I wouldn’t be in the room and it’s only recommended to use it when you are not at home to clean your apartment.
Design
The IKEA Förnuftig is cleverly designed so you can choose to hang the air purifier on the wall or place it on the floor by using the included floor stand. It can be hung both vertically and horizontally depending on your preference. Most standard air purifiers are built to stand on the floor and not to blend in into the room like Förnuftig. IKEA has done a great job following the design starting with the collaboration with Sonos and their speaker series.
The unit also has a handle to make it easy for you to move the air purifier between different rooms in your home and place it where it is needed most. The handle can be removed when the air purifier is mounted on the wall.
Care and cleaning
The prefilter mounted on the front of the IKEA Förnuftig can easily be removed and cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. An LED light on the top of the FÖRNUFTIG lets you know when it’s time to replace the HEPA- and the activated-carbon gas filter. The replacement interval is set to four months.
After a month of use, you can clearly see the effect of the device. Check the lines from the dust collected on the prefilter down below.
Smart Air Purifier
The IKEA Förnuftig is not a smart air purifier, there is no smartphone support or voice assistant. There are only four settings at the top of the device. What you can do is add a smart wall plug and connect the IKEA Förnuftig to it. Turning on the plug will start the air purifier in the selected setting making it possible to create scenes and scenarios depending on the home automation solution you prefer.
IKEA is planning their own Home Smart scenes, adding one of their smart plugs and you will be set to start using the IKEA Förnuftig air purifier in scenarios.
IKEA Förnuftig: Specs
| Price: | $54.99 |
| Size: | 12 x 18 x 4 inches; stand adds 5 inches to height |
| Colors: | Black or white |
| Optimal room size: | 105 square feet (10 square meters) |
| Filters: | Cleanable prefilter; disposable HEPA filter and gas carbon filter |
| Fan speeds: | Three |
| Clean air delivery rate: | 70 cubic feet per minute (max) |
| Sound: | 29 dB, 49 dB and 60 dB, depending on fan speed |
| Power consumption: | 1.5 to 16 watts |
| Replacement filters: | $5.49 HEPA filter; $9.99 gas carbon filter |
