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Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: big, quiet, powerful and pricey
1:07 pm | October 26, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Air Quality Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde: Two-minute review

It was not love at first sight with the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde, but after just one day of using it in my own home, I don’t want to ever be parted from it – strong words for a rather big and bulky purifier fan, but I stand by it. It’s completely different from any of Dyson’s previous home purifiers – in terms of both design and functionality – although it shouldn’t be confused with the HEPA Big+Quiet that’s specifically for commercial spaces. 

Like its name suggests, it is big and it is quiet. It’s been made to circulate clean air in large rooms while standing in a corner instead of in the center of a space to be at its most effective. Dyson says it can service spaces that are up to about 100sqm / 1,000sqft in size, projecting filtered air up to 10m. Moreover, the angle of the propelled air can be adjusted (there are three to choose from), so it doubles up as a powerful fan as well which, at full bore, isn’t louder than 56dB.

Dyson has adopted cone aerodynamics to more than double the Coanda effect the brand uses in its other purifiers. According to the British brand, this allows the Big+Quiet to process as much as 87 liters of air per second. This is a hard metric to measure, so I’m taking Dyson’s word on this, but it’s easy to believe if you happen to be in the path of the propelled air.

At this point, I think it’s important to point out that there are two Big+Quiet Formaldehyde models identified by their color schemes. For this review I was sent what is the Dyson-exclusive model and is more expensive because it has an additional CO2 sensor and a second filter inside (see the price section below for more details). I found the CO2 sensor very useful as you can never tell if your home needs ventilating or not. I was a little horrified at how quickly CO2 can build up in a space – if I leave my windows closed for about an hour for any reason, the CO2 levels can go from under around 400ppm (which is good) to about 1,500ppm (which isn’t that good). If left in Auto mode, the Big+Quiet will dynamically change its fan speed to circulate the stale air but that’s also an indication that you need to open some doors or windows as high CO2 levels can cause fatigue, headaches and loss of focus.

What the two models share are a whole bunch of other sensors that detect several common pollutants, including dust, pet dander, pollen and formaldehyde (emitted from several household products including new furniture and mattresses), as well NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) from car fumes and volatile organic compounds (or VOCs) from aerosol sprays like deodorants. These are then filtered by a HEPA filter that complies with the H-13 standard, the highest rating for a purification system. This means that the Big+Quiet has a fully-sealed filtration system that can capture up to 99.95% of air particles as small as 0.1 microns, and Dyson promises that the filter used in the Big+Quiet Formaldehyde will last you up to five years.

A tiny onboard display can cycle through the metrics of the different pollutants it’s filtering and shows you what the levels are in your home. These metrics can also be viewed on the MyDyson app if you wish to connect your device to your phone – which is advisable as that will also push out automatic firmware updates to the machine.

That’s a lot of features that will cost you a lot of money – it is Dyson’s most expensive domestic-use purifier to date. If you have the budget for it – and, more importantly, the space for it in a corner somewhere – it could well be worth your while if you’re concerned about your health, especially during wildfire season that’s becoming more common with each passing year.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde standing in a corner

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: price and availability

  • Announced May 2023
  • Two models available in US, Australia and Singapore; UK availability TBC
  • Price starts at $999 / AU$1,499

While Dyson announced the Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde range in May 2023 globally, it was released for Australian shoppers first. 

There are two colorways – Bright Nickel / Satin Dark Blue and Satin Dark Blue / Gold, with the latter being a Dyson exclusive only and will not be available to purchase from a third-party retailer. It’s also the model that will get you all the bells and whistles the Big+Quiet can offer, including the CO2 sensor and an additional K-Carbon filter that can capture three times more NO2 than Dyson’s other purifiers. This model will set you back $1,099 / AU$1,599 (around £830).

The cheaper model – which misses out on the above two features – can be purchased from Dyson and authorized retailers for $999 / AU$1,499 (about £780).

Dyson says that the HEPA filter in the Big+Quiet will not require replacing for about five years – five times longer than the ones used in its other air purifiers – which could make it a little more cost effective than spending on, say, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde that costs $849 / £599 / AU$1,149, although this is also a heater and, thus, more versatile than the Big+Quiet.

Dyson has promised that the Purifier Big+Quiet will be available in other markets subsequently, but no timeline has been revealed and neither have the prices.

There’s no denying that the Big+Quiet range is expensive, especially when you consider alternatives like the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 – which is only available in the US at the time of writing – is $400. But if you have a large, open home whose air you’re keen on keeping clean – or at least monitoring – then this could be worth investing in.

Value score: 3.5 / 5

The bowl or cone of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde specifications

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: Design

  • Looks like a large bowl atop a cylinder
  • Needs remote control to operate
  • Designed to be left in the corner of a large room

When I first laid eyes on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde at its Sydney unveiling, I really wasn’t impressed by its looks. ‘Big’ and ‘bulky’ were the words that occurred to me. Then the Dyson engineer moved the machine… gently, with one finger. Yes, it’s big – but only compared to Dyson’s other home purifiers and bladeless fans – and looks a little clunky, but it’s not as heavy as it appears. Even then, it's a good thing there are hidden wheels that move very smoothly over hard floors (wood and tile). They don’t move as well over carpet, though, and that’s when the Big+Quiet really feels bulky.

It looks unlike any other Dyson purifier that has preceded it – it’s basically a large bowl that sits atop a perforated metal cylinder, each of which is packed separately in the box for shipping. You simply adjust the bowl over the cylinder till it clicks into place. It looks heavy, but it’s not and can easily be lifted.

The rim of the bowl is large, enclosing a smaller dome inside, in the middle of which is a square display that shows the metrics of the different pollutants it’s filtering. You can cycle through them by using the information button (denoted by a lowercase i) on the remote control. Below the display is a small power button – it’s black on black and barely visible. Between the rim and the inner dome are perforations from where the jet of clean air is propelled into a room.

Image 1 of 2

The bowl of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde on the floor beside its cylinder

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde fully dismantled to reveal the two filters

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The perforated cylinder houses the filters – two in the case of the more expensive blue-and-gold model (SCO and K-Carbon filter) and the one SCO filter in the cheaper option. When you need to replace or check a filter, you can quickly unclip the bowl using the toggle switch at the back, then lift off the cylinder by pressing on the two red buttons located across from each other on the inside. A small unperforated strip on the cylinder is where the machine’s tiny remote attaches magnetically.

As I’ve mentioned, there are wheels on the base of the Big+Quiet, but they have been designed to be invisible unless you turn the whole machine upside down. They’re extremely smooth on hard floors, needing just the slightest push to roll, but require some elbow grease to move on a low- or medium-pile carpet. I’m guessing it’s going to be nigh on impossible to move over a high-pile carpet or rug. 

While you’ll either love or hate the overall design aesthetic of the Big+Quiet, you have to keep in mind that it's been built so it can do its thing while standing unintrusively in a corner somewhere. Other purifiers will need to be placed in the center of a room and the fan kept at its most powerful for them to be at their most effective in a small space. But how many of us really plop our purifiers in the middle of a room?

Design score: 4 / 5

The remote control sticking magnetically to the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: Features

  • Three-phase whole machine filtration
  • Breeze mode
  • Modified filter and the CO2 sensor is handy to have

The top of the Big+Quiet has been designed to harness the power of cone aerodynamics that, Dyson says, more than doubles the airflow passing through the machine in comparison to its other purifiers. Dyson promises that this machine can process up to 87 liters of air per second which, while being a hard metric to measure, is easily believable when you consider the size of the machine and feel the jet of air being projected at full force.

This propelled air is supposed to be mimic the movement of a spring breeze – a Dyson engineer has apparently cracked the code on how to make this happened. I, however, am not quite sure I'd call it a 'breeze', but I found the air circulation very pleasant. 

This air movement is what Dyson is calling the Big+Quiet’s Breeze Mode and there are 10 fan levels to choose from. The air can be projected in three different angles – 0º or parallel to the floor, 25º and 50º. I found that having it set at 0º was ideal for using in the bedroom at night, while the other two suit larger spaces like living rooms. During my testing period, it hit 37ºC / 98ºF on a few days in springtime in Sydney, and I didn’t need to switch on my air conditioning as the Breeze mode was more than enough to keep me comfortable in both a smaller bedroom at night, as well as in a larger living room space with the fan going at the highest setting.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde iOS app screenshots

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The Big+Quiet’s main function, however, is air purification. Filtration here is the same three-step system we’ve seen from Dyson’s best air purifiers, but with significant improvements. It adheres to the HEPA H-13 standard, which means 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns will be captured, and it’s fully sealed so none of them can escape back into the air.

The HEPA filter, according to Dyson, is made up of 21 meters of borosilicate microfibers pleated 459 times to make it fit within the cylindrical base, while also giving it plenty of surface area to capture pollutants and last a few years. It uses selective catalytic oxidization (SCO) to break down the certain pollutants, particularly formaldehyde, and promises to capture them at a molecular level – again, something that’s not possible to test chemically outside of a lab, but I’m willing to take Dyson’s word for it.

The screen on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde displaying a metric

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

According to Dyson, the Big+Quiet’s formaldehyde sensor is powerful enough to detect molecules that are “500 times smaller than 0.1 micron”. The filter then breaks it down into CO2 and water, which then gets let out into the room as part of the stream of cleaned air. It’s important to note that the CO2 from formaldehyde breakdown is so negligible that it won’t be an issue at all.

If you opt for the more expensive Big+Quiet model, you’ll get an additional K-Karbon filter inside that uses a layer of carbon to capture odors, some organic compounds as well as up to three times more NO2 from car fumes (handy if you live on or near a main thoroughfare) than the standard SCO filter.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde iOS app screenshots

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

While you get full control of the Big+Quiet via its little remote control, you can also control it via the MyDyson app. A virtual remote control is displayed on the app and everything you can do with the physical remote, you can do on the app. You can also get graphical representations of what the machine is filtering. However, you can only get a per-day look. I wish Dyson would create a way to see a weekly or monthly report to get a broader overview of its performance.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: Performance

  • 10 fan settings
  • Auto mode is excellent
  • Quieter than Dyson’s other purifiers

You need some specialized spaces and equipment to properly test a purifier, but I used it in my own home for a couple of months before coming to the conclusion that the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde does everything it promises.

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Display on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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Breeze mode displayed on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

While you can choose a fan setting between 1 and 10, there’s an Auto mode here that can be your default setting when it’s not too hot. In Auto, the Big+Quiet carries on filtering if it needs to, but will power down to Breeze mode level 1 if ventilation isn’t needed. The moment it detects too much CO2 build up or more household pollutants while you’re cooking, the power of the fan automatically increases. If there’s nothing for it to do, it will idle but not switch off. However, the automatic increase of Breeze mode setting occurred only once during my testing period and I have since not been able to replicate this scenario… which is probably for the best as the CO2 was in the red that time.

Where other purifiers don’t necessarily pick up particles in the air unless they’re really close by, the Big+Quiet is capable of detecting pollutants from a couple of meters away. For example, it was able to pick up that there were more VOCs in the air when I was sitting two meters away using some nail polish remover. I usually have the screen displaying CO2 (which is also its default), but the display changed to the VOC screen automatically to indicate the rise and that it was actively filtering certain particles. I even found that the smell of the remover didn’t linger as long as it usually does when no purifier or fan is on.

The small remote control of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

With the Big+Quiet, I found a lot of food odors tend to stay indoors for a long while unless there's good cross-ventilation – these also disappeared quicker than before I started using the Dyson.

What I really like is how quiet it is. Considering I have to shout to be heard over the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool when it’s at full power, I fully expected to do the same again. On the contrary, the hum of the Big+Quiet, even at full bore, disappears into the background as white noise. 

I don’t have a sound meter to make accurate measurements, but by using a smartphone app to measure the decibels, I got 60dB at level 10. This is with the phone’s mic held just below the main jet of air and standing less than a foot away from the machine. In comparison, the Pure Hot+Cool, which is half the height and a fraction of the diameter of the Big+Quiet, clocked up 62.9dB. The smaller machine’s sound is also higher pitched in comparison to the big one, making it harsher.

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The toggle switch to remove the bowl of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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Clip inside the cylinder of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson says it’s been able to lower the noise levels in the Big+Quiet by redesigning the motor for its purifiers. Sharp edges have been reduced and rough surfaces smoothened out to reduce air turbulence inside the machine, thus lowering noise levels.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Perhaps the best alternative to the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde would be another Dyson – the Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde. Not only is it cheaper, it’s also a fan and heater, making it a little more versatile for a little less money. However, it won’t do as well in a large space as the Big+Quiet. You can read our in-depth Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde (HP09) review to know more.

If you’re in the US, you could consider the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 as an alternative that costs a fraction of the price of the Big+Quiet. This is also a multifunctional purifier that can cool and heat as well, and it’s quiet too. Our tester was quite impressed with this purifier – read our full Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 with True HEPA review to know more. This purifier, however, isn’t available in all markets. 

If you’re in Australia, perhaps the Breville The AirRounder Plus Connect could be a good alternative. It’s got a strange, fully rounded design, but it is quite effective in purifying, heating and cooling a space up to 40sqm. While we haven’t reviewed it on TechRadar, I tested the Breville AirRounder Plus Connect for our sister publication T3 a while back.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde standing beside a bookshelf

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

How I tested the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

  • Used every day for about two months
  • Left it running continuously for 3 days on Auto mode
  • Exposed it to various products, like deodorants and nail polish

I used the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde for about 8 weeks almost every single day. During that period, I tested it in different rooms, including a bedroom, the living room, open-plan dining and kitchen, plus a home office nook.

I tested all three Breeze modes and also left it in Auto mode to see how it would perform. During this time, I monitored how well it detected aerosols like deodorants, as well as how it handled strong odors from perfumes and food. I also had it running while I was cooking to see if the metrics changed.

I closed doors and windows to see how the CO2 sensor would perform and to see if the fan would automatically power up to ventilate the room.

I used an iOS app to measure the noise levels emitted when it was at full power (level 10) and used the same app to see how loud the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool can get when running at full bore as a comparison. I also compared the sound level to the Breville The AirRounder Plus Connect.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed October 2023]

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: big, quiet, powerful and pricey
1:07 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Air Quality Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde: Two-minute review

It was not love at first sight with the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde, but after just one day of using it in my own home, I don’t want to ever be parted from it – strong words for a rather big and bulky purifier fan, but I stand by it. It’s completely different from any of Dyson’s previous home purifiers – in terms of both design and functionality – although it shouldn’t be confused with the HEPA Big+Quiet that’s specifically for commercial spaces. 

Like its name suggests, it is big and it is quiet. It’s been made to circulate clean air in large rooms while standing in a corner instead of in the center of a space to be at its most effective. Dyson says it can service spaces that are up to about 100sqm / 1,000sqft in size, projecting filtered air up to 10m. Moreover, the angle of the propelled air can be adjusted (there are three to choose from), so it doubles up as a powerful fan as well which, at full bore, isn’t louder than 56dB.

Dyson has adopted cone aerodynamics to more than double the Coanda effect the brand uses in its other purifiers. According to the British brand, this allows the Big+Quiet to process as much as 87 liters of air per second. This is a hard metric to measure, so I’m taking Dyson’s word on this, but it’s easy to believe if you happen to be in the path of the propelled air.

At this point, I think it’s important to point out that there are two Big+Quiet Formaldehyde models identified by their color schemes. For this review I was sent what is the Dyson-exclusive model and is more expensive because it has an additional CO2 sensor and a second filter inside (see the price section below for more details). I found the CO2 sensor very useful as you can never tell if your home needs ventilating or not. I was a little horrified at how quickly CO2 can build up in a space – if I leave my windows closed for about an hour for any reason, the CO2 levels can go from under around 400ppm (which is good) to about 1,500ppm (which isn’t that good). If left in Auto mode, the Big+Quiet will dynamically change its fan speed to circulate the stale air but that’s also an indication that you need to open some doors or windows as high CO2 levels can cause fatigue, headaches and loss of focus.

What the two models share are a whole bunch of other sensors that detect several common pollutants, including dust, pet dander, pollen and formaldehyde (emitted from several household products including new furniture and mattresses), as well NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) from car fumes and volatile organic compounds (or VOCs) from aerosol sprays like deodorants. These are then filtered by a HEPA filter that complies with the H-13 standard, the highest rating for a purification system. This means that the Big+Quiet has a fully-sealed filtration system that can capture up to 99.95% of air particles as small as 0.1 microns, and Dyson promises that the filter used in the Big+Quiet Formaldehyde will last you up to five years.

A tiny onboard display can cycle through the metrics of the different pollutants it’s filtering and shows you what the levels are in your home. These metrics can also be viewed on the MyDyson app if you wish to connect your device to your phone – which is advisable as that will also push out automatic firmware updates to the machine.

That’s a lot of features that will cost you a lot of money – it is Dyson’s most expensive domestic-use purifier to date. If you have the budget for it – and, more importantly, the space for it in a corner somewhere – it could well be worth your while if you’re concerned about your health, especially during wildfire season that’s becoming more common with each passing year.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde standing in a corner

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: price and availability

  • Announced May 2023
  • Two models available in US, Australia and Singapore; UK availability TBC
  • Price starts at $999 / AU$1,499

While Dyson announced the Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde range in May 2023 globally, it was released for Australian shoppers first. 

There are two colorways – Bright Nickel / Satin Dark Blue and Satin Dark Blue / Gold, with the latter being a Dyson exclusive only and will not be available to purchase from a third-party retailer. It’s also the model that will get you all the bells and whistles the Big+Quiet can offer, including the CO2 sensor and an additional K-Carbon filter that can capture three times more NO2 than Dyson’s other purifiers. This model will set you back $1,099 / AU$1,599 (around £830).

The cheaper model – which misses out on the above two features – can be purchased from Dyson and authorized retailers for $999 / AU$1,499 (about £780).

Dyson says that the HEPA filter in the Big+Quiet will not require replacing for about five years – five times longer than the ones used in its other air purifiers – which could make it a little more cost effective than spending on, say, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde that costs $849 / £599 / AU$1,149, although this is also a heater and, thus, more versatile than the Big+Quiet.

Dyson has promised that the Purifier Big+Quiet will be available in other markets subsequently, but no timeline has been revealed and neither have the prices.

There’s no denying that the Big+Quiet range is expensive, especially when you consider alternatives like the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 – which is only available in the US at the time of writing – is $400. But if you have a large, open home whose air you’re keen on keeping clean – or at least monitoring – then this could be worth investing in.

Value score: 3.5 / 5

The bowl or cone of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde specifications

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: Design

  • Looks like a large bowl atop a cylinder
  • Needs remote control to operate
  • Designed to be left in the corner of a large room

When I first laid eyes on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde at its Sydney unveiling, I really wasn’t impressed by its looks. ‘Big’ and ‘bulky’ were the words that occurred to me. Then the Dyson engineer moved the machine… gently, with one finger. Yes, it’s big – but only compared to Dyson’s other home purifiers and bladeless fans – and looks a little clunky, but it’s not as heavy as it appears. Even then, it's a good thing there are hidden wheels that move very smoothly over hard floors (wood and tile). They don’t move as well over carpet, though, and that’s when the Big+Quiet really feels bulky.

It looks unlike any other Dyson purifier that has preceded it – it’s basically a large bowl that sits atop a perforated metal cylinder, each of which is packed separately in the box for shipping. You simply adjust the bowl over the cylinder till it clicks into place. It looks heavy, but it’s not and can easily be lifted.

The rim of the bowl is large, enclosing a smaller dome inside, in the middle of which is a square display that shows the metrics of the different pollutants it’s filtering. You can cycle through them by using the information button (denoted by a lowercase i) on the remote control. Below the display is a small power button – it’s black on black and barely visible. Between the rim and the inner dome are perforations from where the jet of clean air is propelled into a room.

Image 1 of 2

The bowl of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde on the floor beside its cylinder

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Image 2 of 2

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde fully dismantled to reveal the two filters

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The perforated cylinder houses the filters – two in the case of the more expensive blue-and-gold model (SCO and K-Carbon filter) and the one SCO filter in the cheaper option. When you need to replace or check a filter, you can quickly unclip the bowl using the toggle switch at the back, then lift off the cylinder by pressing on the two red buttons located across from each other on the inside. A small unperforated strip on the cylinder is where the machine’s tiny remote attaches magnetically.

As I’ve mentioned, there are wheels on the base of the Big+Quiet, but they have been designed to be invisible unless you turn the whole machine upside down. They’re extremely smooth on hard floors, needing just the slightest push to roll, but require some elbow grease to move on a low- or medium-pile carpet. I’m guessing it’s going to be nigh on impossible to move over a high-pile carpet or rug. 

While you’ll either love or hate the overall design aesthetic of the Big+Quiet, you have to keep in mind that it's been built so it can do its thing while standing unintrusively in a corner somewhere. Other purifiers will need to be placed in the center of a room and the fan kept at its most powerful for them to be at their most effective in a small space. But how many of us really plop our purifiers in the middle of a room?

Design score: 4 / 5

The remote control sticking magnetically to the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: Features

  • Three-phase whole machine filtration
  • Breeze mode
  • Modified filter and the CO2 sensor is handy to have

The top of the Big+Quiet has been designed to harness the power of cone aerodynamics that, Dyson says, more than doubles the airflow passing through the machine in comparison to its other purifiers. Dyson promises that this machine can process up to 87 liters of air per second which, while being a hard metric to measure, is easily believable when you consider the size of the machine and feel the jet of air being projected at full force.

This propelled air is supposed to be mimic the movement of a spring breeze – a Dyson engineer has apparently cracked the code on how to make this happened. I, however, am not quite sure I'd call it a 'breeze', but I found the air circulation very pleasant. 

This air movement is what Dyson is calling the Big+Quiet’s Breeze Mode and there are 10 fan levels to choose from. The air can be projected in three different angles – 0º or parallel to the floor, 25º and 50º. I found that having it set at 0º was ideal for using in the bedroom at night, while the other two suit larger spaces like living rooms. During my testing period, it hit 37ºC / 98ºF on a few days in springtime in Sydney, and I didn’t need to switch on my air conditioning as the Breeze mode was more than enough to keep me comfortable in both a smaller bedroom at night, as well as in a larger living room space with the fan going at the highest setting.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde iOS app screenshots

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The Big+Quiet’s main function, however, is air purification. Filtration here is the same three-step system we’ve seen from Dyson’s best air purifiers, but with significant improvements. It adheres to the HEPA H-13 standard, which means 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns will be captured, and it’s fully sealed so none of them can escape back into the air.

The HEPA filter, according to Dyson, is made up of 21 meters of borosilicate microfibers pleated 459 times to make it fit within the cylindrical base, while also giving it plenty of surface area to capture pollutants and last a few years. It uses selective catalytic oxidization (SCO) to break down the certain pollutants, particularly formaldehyde, and promises to capture them at a molecular level – again, something that’s not possible to test chemically outside of a lab, but I’m willing to take Dyson’s word for it.

The screen on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde displaying a metric

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

According to Dyson, the Big+Quiet’s formaldehyde sensor is powerful enough to detect molecules that are “500 times smaller than 0.1 micron”. The filter then breaks it down into CO2 and water, which then gets let out into the room as part of the stream of cleaned air. It’s important to note that the CO2 from formaldehyde breakdown is so negligible that it won’t be an issue at all.

If you opt for the more expensive Big+Quiet model, you’ll get an additional K-Karbon filter inside that uses a layer of carbon to capture odors, some organic compounds as well as up to three times more NO2 from car fumes (handy if you live on or near a main thoroughfare) than the standard SCO filter.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde iOS app screenshots

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

While you get full control of the Big+Quiet via its little remote control, you can also control it via the MyDyson app. A virtual remote control is displayed on the app and everything you can do with the physical remote, you can do on the app. You can also get graphical representations of what the machine is filtering. However, you can only get a per-day look. I wish Dyson would create a way to see a weekly or monthly report to get a broader overview of its performance.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review: Performance

  • 10 fan settings
  • Auto mode is excellent
  • Quieter than Dyson’s other purifiers

You need some specialized spaces and equipment to properly test a purifier, but I used it in my own home for a couple of months before coming to the conclusion that the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde does everything it promises.

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Display on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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Breeze mode displayed on the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

While you can choose a fan setting between 1 and 10, there’s an Auto mode here that can be your default setting when it’s not too hot. In Auto, the Big+Quiet carries on filtering if it needs to, but will power down to Breeze mode level 1 if ventilation isn’t needed. The moment it detects too much CO2 build up or more household pollutants while you’re cooking, the power of the fan automatically increases. If there’s nothing for it to do, it will idle but not switch off. However, the automatic increase of Breeze mode setting occurred only once during my testing period and I have since not been able to replicate this scenario… which is probably for the best as the CO2 was in the red that time.

Where other purifiers don’t necessarily pick up particles in the air unless they’re really close by, the Big+Quiet is capable of detecting pollutants from a couple of meters away. For example, it was able to pick up that there were more VOCs in the air when I was sitting two meters away using some nail polish remover. I usually have the screen displaying CO2 (which is also its default), but the display changed to the VOC screen automatically to indicate the rise and that it was actively filtering certain particles. I even found that the smell of the remover didn’t linger as long as it usually does when no purifier or fan is on.

The small remote control of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

With the Big+Quiet, I found a lot of food odors tend to stay indoors for a long while unless there's good cross-ventilation – these also disappeared quicker than before I started using the Dyson.

What I really like is how quiet it is. Considering I have to shout to be heard over the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool when it’s at full power, I fully expected to do the same again. On the contrary, the hum of the Big+Quiet, even at full bore, disappears into the background as white noise. 

I don’t have a sound meter to make accurate measurements, but by using a smartphone app to measure the decibels, I got 60dB at level 10. This is with the phone’s mic held just below the main jet of air and standing less than a foot away from the machine. In comparison, the Pure Hot+Cool, which is half the height and a fraction of the diameter of the Big+Quiet, clocked up 62.9dB. The smaller machine’s sound is also higher pitched in comparison to the big one, making it harsher.

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The toggle switch to remove the bowl of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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Clip inside the cylinder of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dyson says it’s been able to lower the noise levels in the Big+Quiet by redesigning the motor for its purifiers. Sharp edges have been reduced and rough surfaces smoothened out to reduce air turbulence inside the machine, thus lowering noise levels.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Perhaps the best alternative to the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde would be another Dyson – the Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde. Not only is it cheaper, it’s also a fan and heater, making it a little more versatile for a little less money. However, it won’t do as well in a large space as the Big+Quiet. You can read our in-depth Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde (HP09) review to know more.

If you’re in the US, you could consider the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 as an alternative that costs a fraction of the price of the Big+Quiet. This is also a multifunctional purifier that can cool and heat as well, and it’s quiet too. Our tester was quite impressed with this purifier – read our full Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 with True HEPA review to know more. This purifier, however, isn’t available in all markets. 

If you’re in Australia, perhaps the Breville The AirRounder Plus Connect could be a good alternative. It’s got a strange, fully rounded design, but it is quite effective in purifying, heating and cooling a space up to 40sqm. While we haven’t reviewed it on TechRadar, I tested the Breville AirRounder Plus Connect for our sister publication T3 a while back.

Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde standing beside a bookshelf

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

How I tested the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde

  • Used every day for about two months
  • Left it running continuously for 3 days on Auto mode
  • Exposed it to various products, like deodorants and nail polish

I used the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde for about 8 weeks almost every single day. During that period, I tested it in different rooms, including a bedroom, the living room, open-plan dining and kitchen, plus a home office nook.

I tested all three Breeze modes and also left it in Auto mode to see how it would perform. During this time, I monitored how well it detected aerosols like deodorants, as well as how it handled strong odors from perfumes and food. I also had it running while I was cooking to see if the metrics changed.

I closed doors and windows to see how the CO2 sensor would perform and to see if the fan would automatically power up to ventilate the room.

I used an iOS app to measure the noise levels emitted when it was at full power (level 10) and used the same app to see how loud the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool can get when running at full bore as a comparison. I also compared the sound level to the Breville The AirRounder Plus Connect.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed October 2023]

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus review: a self-emptying robot vacuum that won’t clean out your wallet
1:00 am | October 25, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Robot Vacuums Smart Home | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus: One-minute review

The Tapo RV30 Plus is TP-Link’s flagship robot vacuum cleaner model in its smart home range. It can vacuum, mop and then self-empty its dustbin into one of the biggest dust bags that I’ve seen in any robot vacuum cleaner brand.

I’ve tested robot vacuum cleaners with 2L and 3L dustbags in their auto-empty docks, but this is the first time I’ve come across a 4L replaceable dustbag. And that means the number of times you need to replace it reduces, potentially saving you money in the long run.

When it comes to vacuuming, there’s up to 4,200Pa of suction power available and, while the default Standard suction is fine for relatively clean hard floors, I thought leaving it in Turbo was the best option. And even in Max mode it doesn’t drain too much of its ample three-hour battery life.

However, you will need to keep in mind that the breeze from the rotating side brush can scatter strands of hair and microscopic dust particles instead of pushing it towards the bar brush below the machine.

Mopping, however, is a lot more basic. While it can pump out three different water levels when you attach its mop plate, even the Max output isn’t enough to clean up dried, caked-in dirt and stains. There’s no agitation here like there is with some other robot vacuum cleaners like the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni or the Deebot X1 Turbo.

Where it really shines is how much control the companion app provides. From no-mop zones to customized cleaning routines, the Tapo app is excellent and the robovac follows all the instructions perfectly. If you have mixed floor types – hard floor as well as carpet – you can set no-mop zones and the RV30 won’t even enter that zone to vacuum if the mop plate is still attached. You can later remove the plate and send the machine back to do a spot clean. You can vacuum a space up to three times, meaning you will have a clean floor when it’s done – as long as you don’t have caked-in stains anywhere.

The RV30 is the same size as most other circular robot vacuums, but it looks large in comparison to its own auto-empty docking station, which is actually quite compact considering it houses a 4L dust bag. So you will still need a decent amount of floor space to store the whole machine.

And if you can pick it up during a major sale event, there’s some really good bang for buck here.

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus robot vacuum cleaner charging in its auto-empty dock

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus review: price and availability

  • Announced early 2023
  • Priced at £599.99 / AU$999 (US pricing TBC)
  • Available now in the UK and Australia; yet to be released in the US

As a flagship model, the Tapo RV30 Plus isn't what we would call ‘cheap’, but it isn’t as premium as some other brands like iRobot’s Roombas. At the time of writing, the RV30 Plus is available to buy in select markets, including the UK and Australia, but not in the US. It will set you back £599.99 / AU$999 respectively at full price but can be picked up from Amazon UK and Amazon AU at a discount during major sales.

While it’s listed on Tapo’s US website, the RV30 Plus isn’t available to buy just yet in America. The closest alternative from TP-Link would be the Tapo RV10 Plus that will set you back $399.99 on Amazon US and misses out on the newest lidar navigation tech and its suction isn’t as powerful in comparison to the RV30 Plus.

In Australia, you can also buy the Tapo RV30 itself without the auto-empty dock for AU$799 from Amazon AU.

The RV30 Plus offers good value for money at its price point, considering it can vacuum, mop and empty its bin itself. What makes it stand apart from the crowd is its relatively large dust bags in the auto-empty dock – a whopping 4L, so you don’t need to worry about replacing it too often. Replacement bags will cost £17.99 / AU$49 for a pack of three. You can also find replacement kits for the bar brush, side brush and the filters on Amazon in your country.

  • Value score: 4 / 5

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus robot vacuum cleaner in its auto-empty dock

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus: specifications

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus review: Design and features

  • Familiar, circular design with 2-in-1 dustbin and water tank
  • Compact auto-empty dock with 4L dust bag
  • Voice prompts; plus Google Home and Alexa support

The 2-in-1 dustbin water tank on the undercarriage of the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The RV30’s design isn’t anything new – it’s the familiar circular robot vacuum cleaner with the lidar navigation system installed in the dome on top. Like a lot of other models, the RV30 is also white, with its front bumper a translucent black. There are three buttons in front of the lidar system – one for start/stop, a spot-clean button and the send-to-dock control. If it wasn’t for the Tapo branding on the top of the lidar dome, it could be any robot vacuum.

What is surprising is how much wider the vacuum itself is compared to its auto-empty docking station. While the RV30 has a diameter of 34.1cm, the auto-empty station has no docking plate, is a compact 19.1cm wide, and still manages to hold a 4L dust bag in its tank. 

On the undercarriage of the RV30 is a bar brush which, unfortunately, isn’t anti-tangle and will require regular maintenance to keep it working optimally. If you have pets or people with long hair in your household, I’d recommend checking it after every one or two cleans in case it needs detangling. 

Unlike some other robot vacuums, there’s only a single side brush here, placed just ahead of the bar brush. The bristles on the side brush are long and I was pleasantly surprised that the bot can get close to walls to effectively clean room edges, although it will miss corners like pretty much every other robovac.

Three buttons on the top of TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Also on the underside is the 2-in-1 dustbin and water tank. Yes, it’s the one transparent plastic container for both and accessible by picking up the robot – not from the top as in other brands. Despite being a 2-in-1 compartment, you still get a standard 350ml dustbin, plus a 300ml water tank that’s enough to mop up to 200 square meters (or 2,100 sq ft). The recharging sensors are on the rear of this compartment, so if you’ve taken out the tank to empty and dry, the RV30 will not be able to juice up.

There are plenty of voice prompts on this machine – from telling you if it’s stuck to when it’s starting to charge. There is Alexa and Google Assistant support here, so you can use voice commands to start and stop the machine, even send it back to charge, but it doesn’t recognize commands for specific cleaning routines however – it just does a default full home vacuum.

There’s up to 4,200 pascals of suction power here, which is pretty good for a robovac at this price. There’s also a whopping 27,000Pa of suction in the dock that leaves only the lightest of fine dust sticking to the sides of the bin compartment.

There’s also a generous 5,000mAh battery pack inside that can let you vacuum a decently-sized one-bedroom apartment up to three times in Turbo mode, plus mop once at the highest water level and still have something left over in the tank.

  • Design and features score: 4.5 / 5

The auto-empty dock open to reveal the dust bag of the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus review: Setup and app control

  • Well-designed, easy-to-use app
  • Lots of customization options
  • Wi-Fi 4 standard, plus Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity

As with any robot vacuum cleaner, if you want to make the most of the RV30, you’re going to need to download TP-Link’s Tapo app available from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store for free. You will need to create an account if you don’t already have one (which you would if you already use another Tapo smart home device), then just add the Tapo RV30 Plus from the list of robot vacuums that show up on your screen. All of TP-Link’s smart home devices have separate tabs in the app, so they’re easy to locate and control individually.

After that, follow the instructions on screen to pair the RV30 once it’s been plugged into a power socket. These instructions include removing all protective strips on the machine, plus powering it up by using a switch on the side of the bot.

Tapo app screenshots for the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

It’s all real simple but, in my case, it just refused to accept my Wi-Fi password despite it being correct each time I entered it. It took about seven tries for my review sample of the RV30 Plus to pair up with the app. This is likely an isolated case and I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Once connected, though, you never have to worry about re-pairing it again even if you don’t use it for a long time and it completely drains its battery. This has happened to me with other smart home devices where inactivity has removed the device from its app, but I was pleasantly surprised that the Tapo app remembered the RV30 after a month of inactivity (while I was testing other vacuums).

Once you’re all set up, you can give your robot vacuum a name if you want, and give it a location, after which the app automatically checks for firmware updates and, if any, you’ll be asked to install it. Future updates can be set to automatically install overnight.

The next step in the app is to get your home mapped. You just start it and the RV30 creates an accurate map of your home remarkably quickly. Note that no cleaning takes place during the initial mapping process, so don’t worry if you find the bot not going close to walls or furniture. Mapping on the RV30 is via both gyroscope sensors and lidar, which results in a very accurate map that you can edit easily in the app. You can divide or merge rooms that bot has created, plus assign them names – you can do this at any time after you’ve started using the RV30. Importantly, you can save multiple maps, which is handy if you live in a duplex or multi-story home.

Tapo app screenshots for the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

You can set up no-mop zones and, if the mop plate is attached, the RV30 won’t enter that space at all, even to just vacuum. This is a good failsafe as the mop plate doesn’t rise and, although water will stop pumping, your carpets could get damp from the wet mopping pad. You can always set up a spot clean for the no-mop zones.

You can create different cleaning runs – in my case, for example, I have one daily cleaning routine that’s vacuum-only for the whole home, plus a mop routine that includes three vacuum runs and a mop.

I really like the Tapo app – everything is laid out neatly and it works very well. You get control over the volume of the voice prompts from the bot (which is very loud out of the box), plus you can set up schedules, see cleaning reports and even move the RV30 manually to a specific spot using the Remote Control feature.

  • Setup and app score: 5 / 5

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus review: Performance

  • Excellent lidar and gyroscope navigation
  • Powerful suction for both vacuuming and cleaning out the bin
  • Good battery life

I’ve already mentioned how well the RV30 can vacuum. With up to 4,200Pa to tap into, there are four suction levels to choose from and you can set each room to be vacuumed up to three times in the app. Leaving the bot in its Standard mode was enough for my test space which was a mix of hard floors and carpet (plus a rug) as the RV30 automatically boosts suction when it senses it’s on a carpet or rug. If you aren’t too impressed with the Standard mode, you can always set your vacuuming routine to be at Turbo via the app.

I found that the side brush can scatter hair, fur and some lightweight dust instead of sweeping it towards the bar brush – getting the bot to run over your floors multiple times means you get good results. The flip side to the scattering of hair and dust by the side brush is that sometimes the dirt can get pushed under low-lying or heavy, unmovable furniture and there’s not a lot the RV30 can do about that.

As excellent as the vacuuming is, the mopping functionality isn’t anything to write home about. While it vacuums and mops at the same time if the mop plate is attached, it’s more a wipe than a scrub with the RV30, so you won’t be able to get rid of caked-in stains. In fact, during my testing, dusty footprints occasionally got left behind after a mop and, sometimes, even after repeated spot cleans, some stains remained because there’s no agitation applied to the mop plate so it’s unable to buff a floor.

The brushes and mop plate on the underside of the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

If you do have carpets or rugs that you want to avoid getting wet, you will need to remember to either remove the mop plate or set up no-mop zones. However, a no-mop zone means the vacuum will never enter that space while the mop plate is attached, even to only do a vacuum run, so you can alternatively use virtual boundaries in the app. In my case, I preferred the no-mop zones, and then followed it up with a spot-clean vacuum session for those spaces.

The suction of the auto-empty docking station is excellent as I only found the lightest of fine dust layering the sides of the dustbin. This, however, isn’t washable, but it’s so light that it’s easy to ignore. While the dustbin gets emptied automatically as soon as the RV30 has docked, you can trigger another suction via the app if you find it hasn’t done a good job, although I never found this to be necessary.

What does need maintenance is the bar brush as hair can get tangled around it very easily. My unit didn’t come with a cleaning blade, so you will need a pair of scissors to cut through the tangles. In the three months that I’ve used the RV30, I found that doing a quick check after every cleaning run ensured the bar brush didn’t get too difficult to clean.

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus robot vacuum in its auto-empty docking station

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The HEPA filter inside will also need dusting out regularly – note that it isn’t washable. You can wash the mopping pad though, and I’d highly recommend at least setting it out to dry, if not wash, after each mop run. Leaving the mop plate on overnight can make the wet pad start to smell.

With a 5,000mAh battery under the hood, there’s plenty of juice here to vacuum and mop a large home. TP-Link promises the RV30 will give you up to three hours of runtime, and I never needed it to go on that long during my testing. In my test space, which was a 40 sqm (430.5 sq ft) one-bedroom apartment, a 52-minute cleaning session only drained the battery to 71%.

  • Performance score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the TP-Link Tap RV30 Plus?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Not sold on the prowess of the Tapo RV30 Plus? Below are a couple of alternatives that you can consider.

How I tested the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

  • Used as main vacuum cleaner for two months
  • Tested space included carpets and hard floors
  • Scattered grains in its path; dropped sauces on kitchen floor

TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus robot vacuum cleaner on a colorful carpet

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I’ve had the Tapo RV30 Plus for a while now and used it intermittently for the first month. After a gap of a few weeks, I set it up as my main vacuum cleaner and used it in my inner-city apartment that contains both hard floors, plus carpet in the bedroom.

To test the vacuuming prowess, I spread some small grains like rice and oats in the path of the vacuum, also allowed some hair to gather on carpets over a period of time before testing the automatic suction boost on it.

To test the mopping abilities, I dropped some green Sriracha sauce on the kitchen floor and allowed it to dry. I also had some dusty footprints in the living room.

I set two custom cleaning routines, set no-mop zones and did quite a bit of spot cleaning as well. I washed the mop cloth in the washing machine to see if it held up.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed October 2023]

Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the US, the UK, Germany and India
5:42 pm | October 22, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

This week the world welcomed the OnePlus Open, so we have a look at its pre-order offers and how it compares with other horizontal foldables. There are flip foldables too, some of them at tempting prices, and no shortage of bar phones in the flagship and mid-range categories. USA The UK Germany India USA The OnePlus Open was announced this week and there is a short pre-order period before the company’s first foldable becomes available next week. You can put down a $100 deposit now to secure a $200 discount when sales start. You will also score a free pair of...

Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the US, the UK, Germany and India
5:42 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

This week the world welcomed the OnePlus Open, so we have a look at its pre-order offers and how it compares with other horizontal foldables. There are flip foldables too, some of them at tempting prices, and no shortage of bar phones in the flagship and mid-range categories. USA The UK Germany India USA The OnePlus Open was announced this week and there is a short pre-order period before the company’s first foldable becomes available next week. You can put down a $100 deposit now to secure a $200 discount when sales start. You will also score a free pair of...

Philips Hue Lustre White smart bulb review: ambiance-creating smart bulbs with Bluetooth bonus
8:30 pm | October 21, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Philips Hue Lustre White: one-minute review

The Philips Hue White Ambiance Lustre colour-changing smart bulbs are ideal for use in bedrooms and living rooms where they can add an intimate feel or provide suffused light for reading or gentle wake-up calls. 

Philips’ expertise with producing some of the best smart lights on the market really comes into its own, with these simple-to-set-up bulbs that use Bluetooth or ZigBee to connect to a Wi-Fi network. Setup and subsequent light control is managed seamlessly through the Philips Hue app. Here you can adjust scenes, routines and light levels individually or as a cluster of up to 10 lights, plus connect to other smart devices. 

Philips Hue smart bulbs are compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and smart speakers, adding voice control functionality to the mix. Although this is ‘only’ a white smart light bulb, Philips expertly demonstrates just how many subtleties and shades and how many lighting effects can be created using a single base colour. I’ve already promised myself additional Hue lights for around the house. In most instances, I see myself choosing the calming light options offered by the Hue Lustre White in any case.

The Hue Lustre is compatible with Philips’ Hue Bridge so you can control multiple smart devices in the range centrally, but if you’re only after a couple of fancy coloured smart lights, these Bluetooth-enabled, app-controlled ones will fit the bill handsomely. Though considered as among the best smart home devices to invest in, they are more of an impulse buy than a considered purchase, making the addition of Bluetooth something of a power move on Philips’ part in this competitive market. 

Philips Hue Lustre White: price & availability

  • From £19.99 / AU$54.95
  • Available in the UK and Australia at the time of writing
  • Warm-to-cool-white and colour versions available

The Philips Hue Lustre smart bulbs have the advantage of cost. This entry-level smart bulb is affordable for most people. 

A single bulb costs £19.99 / AU$54.95, but the twin-pack is even better value. I’m sure I won’t be the only one mentally working out where else I could justify an extra Hue bulb or two, or snapping up another twin-pack for its great value. A twin pack costs £29.99, whereas the warm-to-cool-white version costs the same amount for a single bulb and the warm-to-cool-white-and-colour version is £54.99 / $99.95. 

TechRadar’s main gripe about the original Philips Hue range was that individual bulbs were expensive, making it unlikely customers would replace all their lights to be part of such a system. Here, however, we’re looking at bulbs costing £15 apiece when bought as a pair, rated for 25,000 hours of use and ready to use minutes after unpacking. 

Unfortunately, while the Hue Lustre smart bulbs are available in the UK and Australia, it’s not being sold in the US at the time of writing.

  • Value: 4.5 / 5

Philips Hue Lustre White: specifications

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Philips Hue Lustre White: design

  • Range of light fitting versions
  • Bluetooth connectivity for straightforward setup
  • Provides powerful 470 lumens illumination

In just 10 years, smart bulbs have become mainstream enough that early versions can often be acquired for a song in electronics stores, no longer feature-laden enough to satisfy the discerning customer. Statista predicts the smart lighting market to increase tremendously and quadruple to around US $44 billion by 2030 from its 2020 value of $11 billion. 

Philips was early to the smart lighting game and quickly carved out a name and handsome share of the market for its Hue range. Now, it is upping the ante with bulbs that contain more of the smart elements, cutting out the need for additional hardware to connect and control their pretty lighting while also reducing entry-level bulb prices. 

Whereas the original Hue White smart bulb was sold mainly on the ability to control it as part of a home network, here those controls are via Bluetooth, not only simplifying the installation but also adding a rich app experience. The Philips Hue Lustre White is a stunning showcase for this additional functionality without compromising on the ease of use you’d expect from a premium consumer electronics brand. 

Philips Hue smart bulbs come in several versions to accommodate different light fittings, as well as offering a choice of Candle and Lustre shape bulbs and colour options. This version, soft warm white, is the sort you’re likely to need for table lamps, wall lights and small pendant lamps, marking it out as a smart bulb for intimate spaces and cosy nooks. The top half of the lamp is translucent white glass while the lower half is encased in plastic. 

Although this may look like a generic light bulb, the Hue Lustre is capable of running the gamut from a strong 470-lumen intense light for when you need to fully focus to becoming a subtly glowing orb with a warm colour temperature of 2600K. Philips also sells Hue filament bulbs for use in situations where an exposed bulb is desirable, but since the Hue Lustre is likely to be placed within the housing of a fixed down- or uplighter or hidden within a lampshade, its plain appearance doesn’t much matter. 

The need for fiddly switches has also been overcome by embracing Bluetooth, further simplifying setup and control. Voice control functionality can be added using Amazon Alexa or the Google Home app. However, Apple HomeKit users will need to invest in a Hue Bridge in order to use the Hue smart bulbs with the Apple Home system. Microsoft Cortana is also only supported via the Hue Bridge, but other smart home connection options include both ZigBee and the increasingly widely-supported Matter.

  • Design: 4 /5

Philips Hue Lustre White: setup & app

  • Attractive design and easy to navigate
  • Rich user experience with plenty of preset light options
  • Google Home, Amazon Alexa and ZigBee supported

Setting up the Philips Hue Lustre light was barely more complex than changing a regular light bulb. The E14 bulb screw fitting meant it could be used with my pretty Moroccan fretwork lamp and the second E14 lamp I bought to better enjoy my Hue smart bulbs. After screwing the Hue Lustre bulb into position I just needed to switch on the lamp at the mains and flick its on switch to make it visible on my Wi-Fi network. Standby mode uses a modest 0.5Wh. 

The Philips Hue app is great! It requires only minimal personal information to set up, and I found its précis of terms stating that privacy is respected by default refreshing and reassuring. It took care of finding both Hue Lustre bulbs on the system and labels them by name and order in which they were added to the smart home setup. A few seconds later I was able to toggle the lights on and off individually or, as is the default, as a group.

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Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)
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Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Scene selection and previewing was another one-touch task: the Hue lamp immediately responded by switching to the selected option, and the inclusion of seasonal settings – currently spooky Hallowe’en ones – made me feel I’d go back and check for new scenes having been added to the Gallery once in a while. Mood-based and time of day, focus or relax defaults made it easy to choose something appropriate without dithering. It might have been handy to have options not available to the particular Hue smart bulb blanked out, but seeing the array offered may also be a spur to splurging on a pricier edition. 

Bluetooth connectivity built into the Hue smart bulbs is a game-changer, but it’s worth noting that the Philips Hue app only supports 10 lights at once. This is likely to be plenty for most homes, but centrally controlling additional Hue-enabled devices including outdoor lights, plus working with Apple HomeKit are beyond the app’s scope. This is a neat teaser to tempt upgraders to add a Hue Bridge to their smart home setup, and would also fix the other issue with the Bluetooth and app-based controls for the Hue Lustre range: you can only tweak settings and directly control the lights while you’re connected to the same network. 

  • Setup and app: 4.5 / 5

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Philips Hue Lustre White: performance

  • Ample brightness, very responsive
  • Lovely range of light effects
  • Needs Bridge to work with Apple HomeKit

The brightness of the Philips Hue Lustre smart bulb turned out to be ample to illuminate a dark spot in the lounge where I’d usually have a floor-standing lamp, making that corner of the lounge feel immediately cosier. And adjusting the settings for an individual bulb just meant tapping on it in the app and then either using the slider to manually adjust the light levels by percentage, or choosing a scene. 

Since this bulb works only in the white colour space, there are far fewer permutations than for the more expensive colour and warm-to-cool-white variants. However, scenes such as Nightlight, Dimmed, Energize and Relax are offered in the Default section, and I was still able to select and apply intriguing gallery options such as Spellbound even though the effects are less pronounced. 

Having selected Nightlight mode, I was immediately drawn to the soft white light inviting me to curl up with a book or nestle alongside the radio. I also admired the way the Hue Lustre bulb created intriguing shadows and pools of light, adding depth and interest to a fairly plain front room. 

Image 1 of 2

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)
Image 2 of 2

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Adding voice controls to the Hue Lustre lights was straightforward too. I was quickly and easily able to set up and start using my Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker by connecting it with the Philips Hue app and then issuing voice instructions to switch the Hue Lustre smart bulbs on and off.  

I was able to use the Hue app to make both the Hue Lustre smart bulbs turn on and off by calling out ”Alexa, turn off first light; turn on second light” and also turn off all lights at once. Although Philips suggests that the speaker can only be used to voice control the Hue smart bulbs if the device is in the same room, once set up I was able to use voice commands to activate the lights from neighbouring rooms separated by a brick wall, and to do so from different Alexa speakers. 

I also really liked the routines that can be set up to gently wake you with light that increases in brightness over the course of 20 minutes. A discreet but audible notification on my iPhone confirmed that the Hue app had clicked into action. There’s an equivalent routine for Night Time whereby the Hue lightbulb automatically turns off at a preset time having dimmed over the duration of several minutes, helping you nod off. 

Since I’d set up my Hue Lustre smart light bulbs in different rooms, I made use of the option to tailor the app settings so only the bulb in my bedroom applied these Wake Up and Night Time routines. By toggling which smart bulb I wanted to customise, I was also able to apply settings for the downstairs light to come on at set times, effectively using it to suggest someone is at home.  The countdown timer is a neat idea, but I wandered out of the room at the critical moment that it visually reminded me to check on dinner by flashing the nearest Hue bulb on and off for 30 seconds. I’ll stick to my Alexa kitchen clock for that task.

  • Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Philips Hue Lustre White?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed September 2023]

Philips Hue Lustre White smart bulb review: ambiance-creating smart bulbs with Bluetooth bonus
8:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Philips Hue Lustre White: one-minute review

The Philips Hue White Ambiance Lustre colour-changing smart bulbs are ideal for use in bedrooms and living rooms where they can add an intimate feel or provide suffused light for reading or gentle wake-up calls. 

Philips’ expertise with producing some of the best smart lights on the market really comes into its own, with these simple-to-set-up bulbs that use Bluetooth or ZigBee to connect to a Wi-Fi network. Setup and subsequent light control is managed seamlessly through the Philips Hue app. Here you can adjust scenes, routines and light levels individually or as a cluster of up to 10 lights, plus connect to other smart devices. 

Philips Hue smart bulbs are compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and smart speakers, adding voice control functionality to the mix. Although this is ‘only’ a white smart light bulb, Philips expertly demonstrates just how many subtleties and shades and how many lighting effects can be created using a single base colour. I’ve already promised myself additional Hue lights for around the house. In most instances, I see myself choosing the calming light options offered by the Hue Lustre White in any case.

The Hue Lustre is compatible with Philips’ Hue Bridge so you can control multiple smart devices in the range centrally, but if you’re only after a couple of fancy coloured smart lights, these Bluetooth-enabled, app-controlled ones will fit the bill handsomely. Though considered as among the best smart home devices to invest in, they are more of an impulse buy than a considered purchase, making the addition of Bluetooth something of a power move on Philips’ part in this competitive market. 

Philips Hue Lustre White: price & availability

  • From £19.99 / AU$54.95
  • Available in the UK and Australia at the time of writing
  • Warm-to-cool-white and colour versions available

The Philips Hue Lustre smart bulbs have the advantage of cost. This entry-level smart bulb is affordable for most people. 

A single bulb costs £19.99 / AU$54.95, but the twin-pack is even better value. I’m sure I won’t be the only one mentally working out where else I could justify an extra Hue bulb or two, or snapping up another twin-pack for its great value. A twin pack costs £29.99, whereas the warm-to-cool-white version costs the same amount for a single bulb and the warm-to-cool-white-and-colour version is £54.99 / $99.95. 

TechRadar’s main gripe about the original Philips Hue range was that individual bulbs were expensive, making it unlikely customers would replace all their lights to be part of such a system. Here, however, we’re looking at bulbs costing £15 apiece when bought as a pair, rated for 25,000 hours of use and ready to use minutes after unpacking. 

Unfortunately, while the Hue Lustre smart bulbs are available in the UK and Australia, it’s not being sold in the US at the time of writing.

  • Value: 4.5 / 5

Philips Hue Lustre White: specifications

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Philips Hue Lustre White: design

  • Range of light fitting versions
  • Bluetooth connectivity for straightforward setup
  • Provides powerful 470 lumens illumination

In just 10 years, smart bulbs have become mainstream enough that early versions can often be acquired for a song in electronics stores, no longer feature-laden enough to satisfy the discerning customer. Statista predicts the smart lighting market to increase tremendously and quadruple to around US $44 billion by 2030 from its 2020 value of $11 billion. 

Philips was early to the smart lighting game and quickly carved out a name and handsome share of the market for its Hue range. Now, it is upping the ante with bulbs that contain more of the smart elements, cutting out the need for additional hardware to connect and control their pretty lighting while also reducing entry-level bulb prices. 

Whereas the original Hue White smart bulb was sold mainly on the ability to control it as part of a home network, here those controls are via Bluetooth, not only simplifying the installation but also adding a rich app experience. The Philips Hue Lustre White is a stunning showcase for this additional functionality without compromising on the ease of use you’d expect from a premium consumer electronics brand. 

Philips Hue smart bulbs come in several versions to accommodate different light fittings, as well as offering a choice of Candle and Lustre shape bulbs and colour options. This version, soft warm white, is the sort you’re likely to need for table lamps, wall lights and small pendant lamps, marking it out as a smart bulb for intimate spaces and cosy nooks. The top half of the lamp is translucent white glass while the lower half is encased in plastic. 

Although this may look like a generic light bulb, the Hue Lustre is capable of running the gamut from a strong 470-lumen intense light for when you need to fully focus to becoming a subtly glowing orb with a warm colour temperature of 2600K. Philips also sells Hue filament bulbs for use in situations where an exposed bulb is desirable, but since the Hue Lustre is likely to be placed within the housing of a fixed down- or uplighter or hidden within a lampshade, its plain appearance doesn’t much matter. 

The need for fiddly switches has also been overcome by embracing Bluetooth, further simplifying setup and control. Voice control functionality can be added using Amazon Alexa or the Google Home app. However, Apple HomeKit users will need to invest in a Hue Bridge in order to use the Hue smart bulbs with the Apple Home system. Microsoft Cortana is also only supported via the Hue Bridge, but other smart home connection options include both ZigBee and the increasingly widely-supported Matter.

  • Design: 4 /5

Philips Hue Lustre White: setup & app

  • Attractive design and easy to navigate
  • Rich user experience with plenty of preset light options
  • Google Home, Amazon Alexa and ZigBee supported

Setting up the Philips Hue Lustre light was barely more complex than changing a regular light bulb. The E14 bulb screw fitting meant it could be used with my pretty Moroccan fretwork lamp and the second E14 lamp I bought to better enjoy my Hue smart bulbs. After screwing the Hue Lustre bulb into position I just needed to switch on the lamp at the mains and flick its on switch to make it visible on my Wi-Fi network. Standby mode uses a modest 0.5Wh. 

The Philips Hue app is great! It requires only minimal personal information to set up, and I found its précis of terms stating that privacy is respected by default refreshing and reassuring. It took care of finding both Hue Lustre bulbs on the system and labels them by name and order in which they were added to the smart home setup. A few seconds later I was able to toggle the lights on and off individually or, as is the default, as a group.

Image 1 of 2

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)
Image 2 of 2

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Scene selection and previewing was another one-touch task: the Hue lamp immediately responded by switching to the selected option, and the inclusion of seasonal settings – currently spooky Hallowe’en ones – made me feel I’d go back and check for new scenes having been added to the Gallery once in a while. Mood-based and time of day, focus or relax defaults made it easy to choose something appropriate without dithering. It might have been handy to have options not available to the particular Hue smart bulb blanked out, but seeing the array offered may also be a spur to splurging on a pricier edition. 

Bluetooth connectivity built into the Hue smart bulbs is a game-changer, but it’s worth noting that the Philips Hue app only supports 10 lights at once. This is likely to be plenty for most homes, but centrally controlling additional Hue-enabled devices including outdoor lights, plus working with Apple HomeKit are beyond the app’s scope. This is a neat teaser to tempt upgraders to add a Hue Bridge to their smart home setup, and would also fix the other issue with the Bluetooth and app-based controls for the Hue Lustre range: you can only tweak settings and directly control the lights while you’re connected to the same network. 

  • Setup and app: 4.5 / 5

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Philips Hue Lustre White: performance

  • Ample brightness, very responsive
  • Lovely range of light effects
  • Needs Bridge to work with Apple HomeKit

The brightness of the Philips Hue Lustre smart bulb turned out to be ample to illuminate a dark spot in the lounge where I’d usually have a floor-standing lamp, making that corner of the lounge feel immediately cosier. And adjusting the settings for an individual bulb just meant tapping on it in the app and then either using the slider to manually adjust the light levels by percentage, or choosing a scene. 

Since this bulb works only in the white colour space, there are far fewer permutations than for the more expensive colour and warm-to-cool-white variants. However, scenes such as Nightlight, Dimmed, Energize and Relax are offered in the Default section, and I was still able to select and apply intriguing gallery options such as Spellbound even though the effects are less pronounced. 

Having selected Nightlight mode, I was immediately drawn to the soft white light inviting me to curl up with a book or nestle alongside the radio. I also admired the way the Hue Lustre bulb created intriguing shadows and pools of light, adding depth and interest to a fairly plain front room. 

Image 1 of 2

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)
Image 2 of 2

Philips Hue Lustre White during testing

(Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Adding voice controls to the Hue Lustre lights was straightforward too. I was quickly and easily able to set up and start using my Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker by connecting it with the Philips Hue app and then issuing voice instructions to switch the Hue Lustre smart bulbs on and off.  

I was able to use the Hue app to make both the Hue Lustre smart bulbs turn on and off by calling out ”Alexa, turn off first light; turn on second light” and also turn off all lights at once. Although Philips suggests that the speaker can only be used to voice control the Hue smart bulbs if the device is in the same room, once set up I was able to use voice commands to activate the lights from neighbouring rooms separated by a brick wall, and to do so from different Alexa speakers. 

I also really liked the routines that can be set up to gently wake you with light that increases in brightness over the course of 20 minutes. A discreet but audible notification on my iPhone confirmed that the Hue app had clicked into action. There’s an equivalent routine for Night Time whereby the Hue lightbulb automatically turns off at a preset time having dimmed over the duration of several minutes, helping you nod off. 

Since I’d set up my Hue Lustre smart light bulbs in different rooms, I made use of the option to tailor the app settings so only the bulb in my bedroom applied these Wake Up and Night Time routines. By toggling which smart bulb I wanted to customise, I was also able to apply settings for the downstairs light to come on at set times, effectively using it to suggest someone is at home.  The countdown timer is a neat idea, but I wandered out of the room at the critical moment that it visually reminded me to check on dinner by flashing the nearest Hue bulb on and off for 30 seconds. I’ll stick to my Alexa kitchen clock for that task.

  • Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Philips Hue Lustre White?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed September 2023]

Huawei Watch GT 4 review: Huawei’s best smartwatch yet could use third-party support
7:22 pm | October 20, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Smartwatches | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Huawei Watch GT 4: One minute review

I really like the Huawei Watch GT 4. It’s an impressive-looking device with a wide variety of materials and colorways available, and every one of these iterations looks fantastic. The big AMOLED screen’s refresh rate is nice and smooth, colors pop, and the speaker is loud – embarrassingly loud, if you leave workout notifications on during a class. 

It’s functional too, with highly accurate metrics. TruSleep tracking was accurate and the metrics in the Huawei Health app were pleasantly detailed, although I was missing some actionable advice on that front. Huawei’s TruSeen 5.5+ algorithm offers great heart rate tracking that extends to workout tracking, too, and the GPS was comparable to the best smartwatches (we tested it against an Apple Watch Ultra 2), so you’ll get great results on runs and rides. 

Having said all that, I won’t be using it again. Under normal circumstances, I’d be giving such a watch a glowing review, perhaps even full marks, but it’s languishing on 80% here. The watch itself is fantastic, but it’s impossible to ignore the frustrations that come with it being saddled with Huawei’s baggage. 

The limits imposed by the US and every smartphone manufacturer, and Huawei’s refusal to abandon its AppGallery store, which most phones will only support in-browser, means you have a watch that can’t interface with lots of popular apps. Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Spotify, and more are on the no-go list, although others like Strava were fine. 

However, if you can get over these flaws, you’ll find a gorgeous watch waiting to be loved. If you already have a Huawei phone and are used to a few workarounds, it’s probably the best smartwatch for you. 

Huawei Watch GT 4: Specifications

Huawei Watch GT 4: Price and availability

Huawei Watch GT 4

(Image credit: Future)
  • From £229.99 in the UK
  • From €249.90 euros in the EU 
  • Unavailable in the US and AU

For starters, let’s address the elephant in the room: Huawei technology is unavailable in the US or Australia, due to ongoing disputes with the Chinese telecoms manufacturer (and the Chinese government) over security concerns. 

The UK has removed Huawei devices from its 5G network but hasn’t banned the sale of these devices entirely. The EU still allows Huawei devices to be sold. While UK and European fans can access Huawei tech, some functionality, such as NFC contactless payments, is limited. 

It’s a shame because the Watch is terrific value. Both the 46mm with silicone black strap and the 41mm with silicone white strap cost just £229.99 in the UK and €249.90 in the EU, which is a great price for a chunky fitness watch with a stainless steel case. Prices rise with a variety of different options, including a rose gold version with Milanese straps or leather straps on the 46mm. 

The most expensive is the 41mm steel-and-gold edition watch, which costs £349.99 / €399.90 euros, followed by the stainless steel 46mm with stainless steel strap, which costs £299.99 / €369.90 euros. It’s a very well-priced watch that looks gorgeous and could be an absolute powerhouse with the right support; it’s just a shame about the lack of availability. Unless you’re an existing Huawei user, there’s almost always a better option.

  • Value score: 3/5

Huawei Watch GT 4: Design

Huawei Watch GT 4

(Image credit: Future)
  • Seven different looks
  • Beautiful, premium designs belying price
  • OS is simple enough to use

From an external style standpoint, Huawei watches as a whole have virtually no consistency. When comparing the Watch GT 4 models to the thick, boxy, plastic cases on the gimmicky Huawei Watch Buds and Huawei Watch D, it’s like night and day. Whereas the Watch D and Watch Buds were quirky at best and unsightly at worst, Huawei Watch GT 4 models look fantastic, with in-built microphones and speakers allowing you to take and receive calls on-wrist. 

These watches evoke different styles of traditional watches, from delicate circular fashion and dress watches to field and diving units. The unit I tested, the 46mm with stainless steel strap, looked very much like an analog dive watch when I picked the right face. Like all the GT 4 models, it has a circular digital crown on the top right and a secondary button on the bottom right, which combined with the very responsive touch-screen, made it easy to navigate around the watch. It was a pleasure to use. 

The screen gets a lot of real estate, and it’s a fantastic screen on both sizes of the watch. The full-color AMOLED screen offers a fantastic refresh rate, ensuring a smooth swiping action, and pops with color. The AMOLED screen was better than many Garmins (although not quite up to Apple’s Retina Display) and output around 600 nits of brightness. This is enough for most people, though it’s a far cry from the Apple Watch Series 9, which can output an impressive 2,000 nits. 

Some watch faces (the free ones, at least) are pretty dross, but I found one I liked that echoed an analog watch face and carried several on-face complications, including step count, the moon’s current phase, and a calendar. It echoed a classic chronograph and complemented the stainless steel aesthetic. 

Speaking of the stainless steel, I have to share a grievance about changing the band. It might be because of my short nails, but after removing the silicone band, applying the stainless steel band to the watch took 15 minutes of effort, accompanied by lots of grunting and profanity. It was not a painless experience, but the watch looks ace with it on. 

  • Design score: 5/5

Huawei Watch GT 4: Features

Huawei Watch GT 4

(Image credit: Future)
  • Lots of workout profiles
  • Lacking payments in many regions
  • Forced to sideload apps

The Huawei Watch GT 4 is entirely dependent on the Huawei Health app, which isn’t available on the iOS or Google Play store, but can be easily downloaded via your browser and the QR code provided. From there, you can customize your watch faces, toggle various notifications streams on and off, and view all your health data in greater detail. The Huawei Health app is excellent at what it does, showing you comprehensive information and offering actionable advice on your workout and sleep.

For example, I am a light sleeper, so Huawei Health recommended I cut out caffeine in the evening before bedtime – not groundbreaking advice, but nice to have. The Watch GT 4 has a load of workout profiles, from outdoor and indoor cycles to pool and open-water swims that count your strokes and lengths as you go. 

The workout profiles interact with Huawei Health nicely and offer bonus features like AI-generated plans to help you train for specific goals in common exercises such as running, which you can follow along on your watch. TruSleep and TruSeen 5.5+ sensors offer advanced heart rate monitoring and ECG functionalities. A temperature sensor, blood oxygen measurement, and a stress metric round up the useful suite of health features on offer here.

All the Huawei-native stuff is great: it’s the lack of compatibility with other phones and operating systems that’s the problem. You can get WhatsApp and email notifications, but not respond to them, and good luck trying to use apps like Gmail without considerable sideloading jiggery pokery. Want Google or Apple Maps on your watch? Tough, you’re stuck with Huawei’s own Petal Maps. Unless you live in a country that supports Huawei NFC payments, you won’t be able to use contactless cards on your watch either. As I used the watch, I noticed more and more features either missing or not gelling, and while getting a Huawei phone would go some way towards solving this (if you don’t live in the US or Australia), in the UK you can’t use Huawei telecoms devices on a 5G network, so the phone won’t live up to its potential. 

  • Features score: 3/5

Huawei Watch GT 4: Performance

Huawei Watch GT 4 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2

(Image credit: Future)
  • Great battery life
  • Excellent sleep/workout metrics
  • GPS matched an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for accuracy

During my time testing the Huawei Watch GT 4, the battery life performed as expected. I tested it over five days, and each day the watch depleted between five and 10 percent, depending on GPS usage. I’m very satisfied the watch lives up to its bold claims of up to 14 days, and I can see the average user getting 10 days out of the watch with a few GPS workouts thrown in. 

Sleep and workout metrics held up very well, and I was happy with the results I got. Running Ability index, Training Load and Training index metrics take a lot of your stats (if you’re a runner, of course) and boil them down into simple numbers. Running Ability will tell you if you’re running, for example, 44% better than users of a similar age, gender, height, and weight. Huawei is good at condensing complex statistics into easily accessible nuggets of information – it’s reminiscent of the best Fitbit watches in this way.

When I tested the GPS tracking against an Apple Watch Ultra 2, the main noticeable difference was that the Huawei Watch GT 4 took far, far longer to connect to a network. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was almost instantaneous, while the GT 4 took at least two and a half minutes, during which it encouraged me to be in an open area, probably at the place the workout is starting. It doesn’t sound like much to ask, but you either stand stationary for around 150 seconds in front of your house before you start running, or you just run and the watch starts tracking you halfway through your first kilometer. 

Other than that, the Watch GT 4 matched the Ultra 2 closely in terms of both heart rate and distance covered when I wore them simultaneously, so I’m satisfied with the watch’s accuracy.   

  • Performance score: 4/5

Huawei Watch GT 4: Scorecard

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Breville the InFizz Fusion review: a fizzing fantastic way to carbonate all things
6:25 am | October 16, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Breville the InFizz Fusion: Two-minute review

The Breville InFizz Fusion – which would be the Sage InFizz Fusion when it makes its way to the UK – is a SodaStream alternative that can do more than just make sparkling water. It one-ups its popular competitor by allowing you to carbonate any drinkable liquid… as long as it’s not a hot beverage. Whether it’s a juice you want to add some fizz to or prepare a big batch of sparkling sangria, the InFizz Fusion can handle it.

There is a risk of overflow when you’ve mistakenly over-carbonated a particular beverage and are about to open the bottle, but the InFizz Fusion has an unique solution for that. Breville calls it the FusionCap and it’s essentially the gas delivery system as well as the cap that holds the carbonation inside the bottle till you’re ready to serve. It’s a solidly built screw cap that features a tube that’s just about long enough to dip into a minimum of 600ml of liquid and a locking mechanism on the top.

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The FusionCap fits into the InFizz Fusion via a simple tilt-and-twist action – you just align the two arrowheads (one on the cap, the other on the machine) and twist a little. When you’re done fizzing your beverage, move the tilt head up and twist the bottle to release it.

If you’re worried about over-carbonating a drink, listen carefully for a slight popping sound when you press the lever – that’s an indication that ideal fizz levels have been reached. Anything more and you’ll see froth build up inside the bottle.

To serve your drink, simply move the red switch on top of the cap to the center position before opening – this releases any extra pressure from within the bottle and prevents overflows by reducing the foam inside. When the hissing has stopped, move it all the way to the right to unlock the FusionCap. There’s a failsafe here if the foam rises too quickly to the top when you’re releasing the pressure – you just move the red switch back to the left position to lock the FusionCap in place again to prevent mishaps.

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Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Image 2 of 3

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The FusionCap – as good as it is – takes a little getting used to. It’s not always clear whether you’ve locked the cap in place correctly when screwing onto the bottle, and occasionally the fit into the machine may not be accurate either. The bottle doesn’t fall when it’s not locked into the machine, so there’s no visual indication you’ve done it correctly. I learnt this the hard way when I was re-fizzing some flat Coke and half the bottle overflowed the moment I pressed the carbonation lever.

There is a pictorial user guide in the box but, like a lot of manuals, it doesn’t always make things clear. Once you get your head around using the FusionCap – which for me was largely experimentation than help from the user manual – you’ll be fizzing up drinks in no time at all!

Image 1 of 3

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Image 2 of 3

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

During my testing, I fizzed up orange juice (which isn’t very nice I have to say), some apple, pear and watermelon juice (all three of which I would highly recommend), coconut water (the jury is still out on whether this is good or not) and some wine. I carbonated bottles (700ml) of rosé and an Italian Lambrusco.

The former was a light carbonation to make sparkling wine and I was able to save the remaining in the Breville’s bottle with the FusionCap on to save some of that carbonation after serving myself a glass. It stayed in the fridge for a couple of days. The Lambrusco, on the other hand, was already lightly carbonated, and adding more fizz brought out the flavours and made it a little sweeter.

There aren't specific fizz levels on the InFizz Fusion – you can repeatedly press the carbonating lever till you hear the pop sound and go beyond too, but watch out for the foam getting too much inside the bottle. For light carbonation, a single push on the lever can suffice, but it's all up to you.

Carbonating a drink – alcoholic or non-alcoholic – drops the overall pH of the beverage and makes them sweeter. It’s exactly why sodas are so sweet and addictive.

Breville has opted to use any standard screw-type 60L gas canister for the InFizz Fusion (and the InFizz Aqua, its sparkling water maker; see the price section for more information). While the machine itself doesn’t ship with a gas cylinder when you purchase it, you can get a 60L screw-type SodaStream canister to use with the Breville. These are easy to refill or exchange for a new one at several stores in most markets.

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

As well as being a good beverage maker, the InFizz Fusion is also a good-looking appliance. It’s available in three finishes – I was sent this Brushed Stainless Steel version for this review – and, at first glance, you’d be forgiven for wondering why a kitchen faucet handle is on top of a beverage maker. But that’s the carbonation lever and, honestly, it’s a design aesthetic that easily grows on you. There’s a drip tray carved into the base and is hidden under a filigreed magnetic cover. It’s not boxy, like a lot of SodaStream models, and would look good on any kitchen countertop or home bar.

As with any Breville or Sage kitchen appliance, the InFizz Fusion isn’t cheap. It’s a lot more expensive than a SodaStream alternative, but I think it’s worth the extra cost considering it’s more versatile than being just a sparkling water maker.

Breville the InFizz Fusion review: price and availability

  • Announced October 2023, first in Australia
  • US and UK availability and pricing TBA
  • Australian RRP of AU$299

The Breville InFizz Fusion was first released in Australia on October 15, 2023, just in time for summer Down Under. It hasn't yet been launched in the US or the UK, but it’s possible that it might be available to purchase in other markets by June or July next year when summer comes calling in the Northern Hemisphere. We'll update this review when we know more about global availability.

There are two models in Breville’s InFizz range – the InFizz Aqua that makes only sparkling water like a SodaStream, and the InFizz Fusion that has been reviewed here. The former is cheaper at AU$249 (US and UK price TBA, but that converts to about $160 / £130), while the InFizz Fusion will set you back AU$299 (around $190 / £155).

The InFizz Fusion ships with a 1L plastic bottle that is not dishwasher safe, plus a long-handled bottle cleaning brush, a strainer (or sieve) and a funnel.

Additional bottles can also be purchased – a 2-pack of 600ml bottles is priced at $39.95 (about $25 / £20) and a 2-pack of 1L bottles is $49.95 (about $32 / £26).

It’s important to note that the Breville InFizz machines do not come with a gas cylinder. This will need to be purchased separately and will cost $14.99 / £12.99 / AU$35. The good news is these can easily be refilled at several stores or petrol/gas stations and you just pay for the gas.

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Breville InFizz Fusion?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

There aren’t too many big brands making sparkling beverage makers, but SodaStream is the closest and most popular competitor. There are quite a few SodaStream models to choose from, and they’re all priced quite reasonably. We have done the SodaStream Spirit One Touch review here at TechRadar but are yet to try other options, but considering we gave it four stars, we think most SodaStreams are a good purchase.

Another alternative would be the Twenty39 Qarbo, that’s available from Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon Australia. We haven’t tested this brand for ourselves, but we have seen it in action and tasted a beverage at an Amazon event in Sydney in July 2023.

Note that both brands are specifically only sparkling water makers, so you will need to purchase flavourings to get creative.

How I tested the Breville InFizz Fusion

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
  • Used it for a few days each week for three weeks
  • Carbonated different types of cold beverages
  • Purchased flavourings to make my own beverages

When I heard that the Breville InFizz Fusion could be used to fizz up any kind of drinkable liquid, I decided to put that to the test as much as I could. While I did make sparkling water for highball cocktails quite often, I also carbonated different store-bought fruit juices. These were specifically orange, apple, pear and watermelon. I also fizzed coconut water once.

I also carbonated a bottle of rosé wine lightly, then was able to store it in the fridge for a couple of days with the FusionCap to seal in the fizz. I did the same for an already-sparkling Italian Lambrusco wine. I think a lot of non-dry whites and moscatos would be great with a touch of carbonation for summer, while some chilled reds can be fizzed up to make refreshing sangrias.

I usually have a batch of homemade cold-brew iced tea at home when it gets hot, and I fizzed about 600ml of this as well. 

While I had to handwash the bottle each time I made a drink, it was good to know that the smell from the previous drink does not get absorbed by the plastic as it is wont to do on some food storage containers.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed October 2023]

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