Smartmi Air Purifier E1 review

Smartmi knows a thing or two about design. This Chinese brand has been around for less than a decade, but it has already gathered many industry awards, all praising the style and functionality of its appliances. The new Smartmi Air Purifier E1 continues the winning streak — in 2023, it won both the prestigious Red Dot Design Award and the iF Design Award. This wall-mountable air purifier could easily pass for a piece of artwork thanks to its colorful pre-filter designs (sold separately) — but can it also impress in the performance stakes?

The Smartmi E1 may be one of the best air purifiers for small and tight spaces. It is exceptionally light and compact, but it can cover up to 194 square feet (18 square meters), and thanks to its H13 HEPA and activated carbon filters, it can trap a wide range of airborne particles. Priced at $96 on the US Smartmi website, the Smartmi E1 is also relatively affordable. And in the spirit of the brand's name, this air purifier is compatible with smart home apps like Apple's HomeKit.

Smartmi Air Purifier E1 review

Smartmi Air Purifier E1: Design

• Small, featherlight and easy to move around
• Decorative pre-filters sold separately
• Pre-filter, H13 HEPA filter and activated carbon filter

“Purify air, decorate life,” says the slogan for the Smartmi E1 — and indeed, this air purifier could easily pass for a piece of wall artwork with its narrow build and a range of decorative pre-filters. Even the default gray pre-filter has a nice shade and pattern to it, giving the whole appliance a premium feel. This artistry does somewhat clash with the pale plastic frame and bright orange buttons of the E1, but it’s not necessarily a deal breaker. If there is anything that an affordable air purifier should prioritize it is the quality of the filters — and Smartmi did that right.

This air purifier features three filters: the aforementioned decorative pre-filter that can trap larger particles like dust and hair, an H13 True HEPA filter able to remove up to 99.97% of airborne pollutants, and an activated carbon filter that can reduce odors and gaseous substances like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is not common to see all three filters in an air purifier that costs below $100.

The Smartmi E1 is also easy to use. There are only two controls on the unit — an on/off power button and a button that switches between three fan speeds — and the air purifier itself can be either placed upright or mounted on the wall. All installation tools and manuals are provided in the package.

Changing the filter is also straightforward, and the whole process takes seconds due to a handy magnetic attachment. Replacement filters are affordable, too. The colorful three-pack of replacement filters costs $97, which brings down the cost of a single unit to $32 — somewhat cheaper than most competitors.

Smartmi Air Purifier E1: Features

• Limited voice and Smartmi app control
• Compatible with HomeKit and other smart home apps
• Three fan speeds, but no auto mode

Feature-wise, the Smartmi E1 does not impress. It has three fan speeds, but no auto mode or a built-in air particle monitor, two features that are now becoming standard even in some of the most affordable air purifiers. The smart features do not make up for the limited functionality, either.

The Smartmi E1 can be controlled via a Smartmi Link app, or connected to the HomeKit and other smart home apps. However, the Smartmi app is more equivalent to a remote control than the kind of handy user hubs that we saw with brands like BlueAir or Molekule. For example, the app will only show you air quality readings if you connect it to an external air-monitoring device. We would also argue that the Smartmi E1 has limited functionality for people who do not use smart home apps.

Smartmi Air Purifier E1: Performance

• Great air-cleaning performance in ambient tests
• Impressive smoke-trapping capabilities
• Quiet and unobtrusive

What the Smartmi Air Purifier E1 lacks in features, it makes up for in performance. This humble-looking air purifier made a tangible difference to air quality in our home, without making much noise or creating a disruptive airflow. When we measured it with a Sound Meter decibel-counting app, we did not note more than 45 dB — which is equivalent to library sounds or quiet conversation, and much quieter than most air purifiers in this price range. We also liked that its LED light indicators are not bright or disruptive. It is easy to switch on the Smartmi E1 and forget about its existence.

We put the Smartmi E1 through a series of performance tests using the Perfect Prime air particle monitor, a device capable of detecting airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns. We started with an ambient air quality test, where we ran the Smartmi E1 on the lowest fan speed for 30 minutes in an enclosed medium-sized room, and noted the differences in the air quality readings over time. After 15 minutes, it removed 61% of particles measuring 0.3 microns and 68% of pollutants measuring 2.5 microns. After half an hour, these values rose slightly — to 69% and 77%, respectively.

Then, we repeated the test at the highest fan speed. After 15 minutes, it trapped 82% of 0.3-micron particles and 88% of 2.5-micron particles. After 30 minutes, these values increased to 84% and 99%, respectively. No particles measuring more than 10 microns were detected during these tests. These are very promising results for an air purifier this size.

The Smartmi E1 also did a good job of trapping smoke particles. During the first smoke test, we burned 10 matches in an enclosed medium-sized room, then ran the air purifier on the highest fan speed for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, the Smartmi E1 hoovered up 91% of 0.3-micron particles, 98.4% of particles measuring 2.5 microns, and 98.8% of all the pollutants larger than 10 microns. 15 minutes later, these values rose to 99.8%, 99.9% and 100%, respectively. When we repeated the test with burnt incense sticks, we obtained similar results. Again, for an air purifier this size, this is a notable achievement.

Smartmi Air Purifier E1: User reviews

The Smartmi Air Purifier E1 was a relatively new product at the time of writing, so there were not many user reviews available. For example, European Amazon customers gave it a 3.7 out of 5 stars rating, but that was based on just 12 reviews.

Should you buy the Smartmi Air Purifier E1?

✅ Buy it if: You are looking for a budget-friendly air purifier that can easily fit into tight spaces. The Smartmi E1 is compact, easy to use and, most importantly, its air-cleaning performance matches far pricier models. Thanks to its colorful pre-filter designs, it will also add a touch of artistic flair to the home.

❌ Don't buy it if: You need an air purifier that can collect air quality data and adjust its fan speeds to match the pollution levels. Even though it is smart-enabled, the Air Purifier E1 has relatively few features.

If Smartmi E1 is not for you

If you are looking for a well-performing air purifier that can fit into small spaces, consider the Sensibo Pure. Tastefully designed and compact enough to fit on a tabletop, this app-enabled air purifier features a True HEPA filter, air quality sensors and an auto mode. However, it is slightly more expensive than the Smartmi E1 — it costs around $139.

If you are looking for something bigger and more powerful than the Smartmi E1, take a look at the Levoit Core 600S. This smart-enabled air purifier covers up to 1,588 sq ft (148 sq m), and comes with a three-stage True HEPA filtration system, voice control and Energy Star certification. Priced at $299, the Levoit Core 600s offers great value for money.

For those who prioritize aesthetics, we would recommend the RabbitAir A3. This beautifully crafted air purifier is available in more than 10 colorful designs, and just like the Smartmi E3, it can either be placed upright or mounted on the wall. However, it is also far more expensive, costing around $740.

How we tested the Smartmi Air Purifier E1

We spent over two months testing the Smartmi Air Purifier E1, looking at its design, features, performance, ease of use and value for money. We also measured how loud this appliance was at different fan speeds using a Sound Meter decibel-counting app, and checked the cost and availability of replacement filters.

Lastly, we assessed its air-cleaning performance by conducting a series of tests using the Perfect Prime air particle monitor, a device capable of detecting airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns. We started with an ambient air quality test, where we ran the Smartmi E1 at different fan speeds for 15 and 30 minutes, and noted the differences in the air quality readings over time. Next, we performed smoke tests to see how this air purifier handles heavy pollution. We burned matches and incense sticks, then recorded the changes in air quality readings after running the Smartmi E1 for 15 and 30 minutes at the highest fan speed.