As we emerge from a coronavirus pandemic-enforced shutdown, we’re out and about in our pickups or vans, often sharing them with a work colleague. Wouldn’t it be good to be able to filter and purify that shared air to minimise the chances of catching something untoward?
While Osram doesn’t make any specific claims about coronavirus, its new AirZing Mini air purifier does have a claim that it’ll kill 99.9% of viruses — it’s been tested and meets Chinese GB/T 18801-2015 standards, and the filtration technology is tried and tested, so we don’t doubt its efficacy.
Of course, a laboratory and the cab of a Ford Transit Trail are very different places, but the AiurZing Mini packs quite a punch. With corporate responsibilities constantly expanding and the duty of care extending to drivers, is a product like this now an essential purchase?
Osram AirZing Mini: How Does It Work?
The AirZing Mini purifies the air in a vehicle’s cabin by using a small fan to draw the air through a small opening, where it’s filtered and sent back into the cabin.
To get more technical, it pulls that air through a nickel filter with a titanium dioxide coating that is irradiated by 11 UV-A light-emitting diodes. Operating at a wavelength of 360 to 370 nanometres, this ultraviolet light creates a photonic-catalytic reaction, which breaks down viruses and bacteria in the air.
The filtered and cleaned air is then returned to the cabin, free of odours and malevolent bugs. With an airflow rate of 6.5m3 an hour, it’s big enough to filter the air in a standard van or pickup cabin every 20 minutes or so.
A standard USB cable powers it, so it can be plugged into most vehicles with a spare port or in a 12v socket with a suitable adaptor. The device end of the cable has a USB-C connector, making it impossible to fit the wrong way around. There’s no reason why any other USB cable wouldn’t work either, just so long as it’s got a USB-C connector.
A clip is included that slots onto most air vents, with a magnet built-in that will hold the AirZing Mini in place.
Osram AirZing Mini: What’s It Like?
It’s easy to set up, taking no more than a few seconds of grappling with the clip to attach it to a suitable air vent. Once that’s done, you place the AirZing Mini in front, and the magnetic mount clings on, and route the cable to the nearest USB socket. At just 8cm in diameter, it’s compact enough to find a place in most vehicles.
The power cable will lead to a less-than-ideal aesthetic, though, as a wire dangling across a dashboard is never a good look, but for those wanting to have a semi-permanent solution, a few clips or even the opening of some dashboard panel gaps to hide the cable in will tidy things up.
In operation, there’s just a small glow from the OSRAM logo in the centre, indicating that it’s on and working. The company says it creates less than 25dB of noise, which is equivalent to a whisper, or some rustling leaves. In reality, once you’ve got the engine running and the radio on, there’s no way of hearing it operating.
Maintenance is easy, too. The filter is removable and washable using nothing more complicated than water. Give it a clean, let it dry, and slot it back into place.
Osram AirZing Mini: Does It Work?
Osram claims up to 99.9% of viruses can be defeated by the AirZing Mini, although it’s careful not to claim coronavirus can be killed off this way. It also claims to remove 90% of odours from the cabin, providing clean, smell-free air.
After eating a bacon sandwich in a Ford Transit for a while, we plugged the AirZing Mini in and let it do its work. A bit later, the distinctive bacon aroma had disappeared, although the same effect could have been achieved simply by opening the windows.
But the real appeal is for clean, safe air in an environment that is often shared with coworkers – and often one’s you don’t know. In that situation, it’s good to have the added reassurance that the cabin air is being cleansed and sanitised as you go along, killing off any harmful viruses or bacteria.
We’ve got no way of measuring its effectiveness, but the science is sound, and the technology being used isn’t revolutionary.
Osram AirZing Mini: Price and Availability
The Osram AirZing Mini Air Purifier is available now with a recommended price of £59.99
(although it’s just £13 at Amazon.co.uk right now) and is backed by a two-year Osram guarantee.
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