Acerpure Pro UVC Review: A wolf in black sheep’s clothing

Rated to cover up to 116m2, the Pro UVC is stacked with extra purification features like UVC LED, a 4-in-1 HEPA+ filter, and a hefty fan. The filter includes a pre-filter, a HEPA Plus filter, a HEPA 13 filter, and an activated carbon filter. Combined these filters eliminate >99.99% of bacteria and viruses including formaldehyde, and bundled with its powerful fan the Pro performed impressively in our testing.

We pressure-test air purifiers by burning incense in a control room, and timing how long it takes for the device to clear the air and show a ‘good’ rating. Incense sends off tiny PM2.5 particles, its smoke muddies the air, and some can contain formaldehyde which is released as it burns- this combination of factors sends air purifiers in a tailspin and can push PM2.5 ratings up to 400+ according to more purifiers. How quickly an air purifier can clear the air of these elements is a great indication of how powerful and effective it is. The Acerpure Pro UVC cleared our control room within 6 minutes and 41 seconds on Turbo mode, placing it in the upper echelon for performance.

Despite Acerpure claiming that it is “whisper quiet” the Pro does get very loud in Turbo mode. According to the specs it maxes out at 57dB which is apparently about the same level as a dishwasher, but anecdotally it felt much louder. I would equate it more to a powerful vacuum or a blender. Luckily you would rarely need to have the Pro pumping away on Turbo mode, but while it does you may want to step into another room.

Apart from the commanding fan, and the ‘look at me’ sound, the Acerpure Pro has a more covert purification strategy - UVC LED lights. Invisible to the human eye, UVC light is an effective disinfectant due to the density of its wavelength. When the light hits microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses it doesn’t kill them, but it stops them from being able to duplicate or reproduce. Effectively this stops the spread. While we can’t actually see, or test these claims in house, the testing results from Taiwan are readily available on site and back up the numbers.

The Acerpure Pro UVC has a commanding presence. Sure the sound and power have something to do with it, but it is hard to ignore the subversion of its design. Most air purifiers come in light colours; whites and light blues chosen to accentuate that feeling of cleanliness and purity. Then comes the Pro UVC, dominating the space in a black number with hints of rose gold.

Standing tall at 78cm high, and around 34cm wide and deep, it is a hard product to ignore. It looks more like an immense speaker than it does the typical air purifier. Suiting perhaps since this design choice really does have something to say. Its otherness makes the Acerpure Pro stand out- rather than giving out the energy of serenely cleaning the air, it looks like it might just beat the microorganisms over the head with a mallet instead. It’s the difference between the ‘Clean Girl’ aesthetic, and Goblin Mode. While this might deter some people, I think it's pretty rock and roll. 

Despite the prevailing stature, the actual device is relatively lightweight. Similarly to other Acerpure products like it’s Lite Vacuum, and the Cool 2-in-1 air purifier and fan, the plastic is very thin and can feel quite flimsy. While this cuts back on the overall heft of the machine it can make it feel a bit cheap. Considering the price tag on this mac daddy air purifier I would have liked to have seen sturdier materials in the construction. When you’re paying a premium price, you should get premium finishes. It also comes with wheels on the bottom to make moving the air purifier easier, unfortunately these aren’t nimble enough. They got stuck on carpet and linoleum alike, and simply picking up the device ended up being the best option most of the time. 

Acerpure Pro UVC Air Purifier retails for $1,599 in Australia, and is available from just Acer and Bing Lee.