Breville Smart Air Viral Protect Max review: Nothing to sneeze at

Sitting at around 12 metres squared, our testing room is significantly smaller than the 138 metres squared the Protect Max can handle. Within this testing room the device was able to clear the room from a poor level of PM2.5 particles to a “good” air quality rating in seven minutes, and 53 seconds. That is only around a minute longer than the Acerpure Pro UVC air purifier - which is currently the best air purifier we have tested. This filtration is achieved using a HEPA 13 filter which is medical grade and eliminates more than 99.97% of airborne particles, viruses, and bacteria. On top of the HEPA filter are a pre-filter for dust and pet fur, an activated carbon filter to reduce odours, and a Microbe Shield light which uses short-wave UV light to eliminate bacteria and viruses.

In a more real world example, the Protect Max currently resides in my living room/dining room/kitchen area - it is by far the largest space in the house and where the majority of life takes place. As a consequence it is also the area that ends up with the worst air quality. Smoke from the stove top, burning incense, dust and pollen from open windows, plus a variety of other craft and pet related fumes tend to congregate in this space. After a while you can feel it - whether it be a smell hanging in the air, hay fever symptoms resurfacing, or a mustiness after being out of the house a couple of days, there is definitely something in the air. Running the Protect Max in that space, on auto for the past few weeks has mediated most of these issues.

Usually it ticks away on low, which is technically around 26 dB and practically silent, but will occasionally whir to high to combat changes in air quality. When running at top speed it does get significantly louder (54dB), but these bursts never last too long, with the inbuilt air quality indicator going from red (poor air quality) to blue (good air quality) within less than 10 minutes.

All around I can tell the difference when the device hasn’t been running, but nothing has been more palpable than coming inside on a particularly polleny day. I found that getting into the main area immediately halts the worst of symptoms. Of course just being inside helps with hay fever most of the time, but the bounce back time is much shorter with the Breville Protect Max than it was without it.

Both the Protect Max and Breville’s smaller model the Night Glow share much of the same design, the Max is just scaled up. It uses a simple cylindrical design with a clever screw-bottom to conceal the filter without rocking the chassis too much. On the top there is a ring of light which also indicates the real time air quality - Breville calls this the SensAir System, and it is an easy snapshot of the current PM2.5 levels in the space.

The whole system is lightweight but even so it isn’t the easiest to move around. The device doesn’t have wheels, and the handles on the side are more like tiny finger grips - if you’ve ever been rock climbing then you know the kind of grips I’m talking about. In order to properly move it around the space I found myself giving it a bear hug and just carrying it around like that. It would have been nice to see a little bit more thought put into that part of the design.

Another place it would be good to see more thought is in the app controls. Right now the app works primarily as a remote control - it can be used to set timers, manage speed settings, and turn it on and off. These are all controls you can do directly on the device as well, so you’re not getting anything extra by going through the rigmarole of connecting to the app. I wouldn’t bother connecting with it honestly.

Although the regular retail price is $649 for the Smart Air Viral Protect Max, you can definitely find it cheaper across a range of retailers. In most places you’ll find it for around $500, which is an excellent price for an air purifier that covers this large of a space.

Replacement filters - which you’ll need every 6-12 months will set you back $99.95, which is on the higher end of the spectrum however, but the other running costs are below average. The device runs off just 12 watts, which will cost you a fraction of a cent per hour to operate.

If you’re looking to cover a large space, the Breville Protect Max is an excellent air purifier that won’t break the bank. It performs well in both structured testing, and anecdotally across a range of common issues. While its design isn’t anything special and you’ll need to be ready to give it a cuddle to carry it across the room, it is a solid pick. Plus if your hay fever has been anything like mine, with what you’re saving in Telfast, it will pay for itself.