With new variants further fueling the mask mandate, LG has come out with its 2nd Gen of its LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier (2nd Gen.) mask. Let’s see how this new product keeps the user secure.
The package comes with a main unit, a face guard, a couple of H13 Grade HEPA PuriCare filters, 15 units of inner covers, a type- c charging cable, a strap extender, a portable pouch, a plastic pack which can be used as a stand for the mask. The assembly of all the components are very simple and quick. Once assembled the product weighs around 94 gm, which does appear a bit heavy until you get used to. The appearance did trigger the memories of my favorite character from Mad Max series!! The ear straps are very soft and adjustable and the strap extender further aids in relieving any pressure on your ears and you can leave the mask dangling around your neck when not in use.
The mask turns on when the power button is continuously pressed for 3 seconds. The face guard, which is made of soft medical grade silicone provides airtight protection of our nose and mouth. The face guard ensured that my glasses dint get foggy even once!! The flip side being that after some time places around your nose and mouth becomes sweaty because of the condensed air getting trapped inside. As the main unit and the faceguard protrude a few millimeters from our face, the mask tends to block the field of vision for a couple of meters, hence the user does need to exercise caution while using it!!
LG has taken utmost care to ensure breathing comfort for the user. To enable that, the main unit has a respiratory sensor, which senses your breathing and the built-in dual fans, blows air at the speed of your breathing cycle. When in use, you can sense the fans automatically blowing air the instant you breath in and stop every time you breath out. The exhaled air is let out through the exhaust vents provided underneath the mask.
Muffled voices are a major impediment when we are masked, LG has introduced an exciting VoiceON feature to overcome this problem. This feature lets the user’s voice be heard without the necessity to lower one’s mask. The VoiceON function amplifies the user’s voice using a speaker and this can be turned ON with a press of the power button. The VoiceON feature works to perfection every single time I tried using it. The sound was crystal clear even while I was on a phone call. The only aspect that I found amusing was the addition of a metallic texture to your voice, which once again rekindled the likes of Mad Max series character.
To make your breathing smarter, the mask also comes with the Bluetooth feature (which can be turned ON by pressing the power button for 7 secs), that lets you connect the mask to your smartphone via the LG Puricare Wearable Air Purifier App. The app can be downloaded from either the Google Play store or the Apple Store. This app provides insights on the battery life of the mask, validity of the replaceable parts such as the filters, face guard and the inner covers and lets you control the fan speed. The Bluetooth connection seemed quite seamless, and the graphical insights offered are useful and easy to comprehend.
The mask has lithium-ion battery which can be charged using a type-C cable. Once charged the mask does indeed last for 8 hours approximately, as committed. It also turns OFF automatically if left unused for 5 mins. The maintenance and cleaning of the mask is also easy.
The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier mask comes in black and white color’s and is available in Carrefour, Sharaf DG, Emax, ACE and soon in Amazon. This product is priced at 799 AED. The replacements such as the filters, Face Guard, Inner cover can be purchased from Al Yousuf webstore.
To conclude, The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier mask is easy and secure to use. The mask overcomes many practical daily usage problems such as the fogging of glasses and the VoiceON feature is certainly a very much wanted feature as it reduces the need to remove your mask while you are conversing with another person either in person or over phone. The smart feature lets you keep tab on the battery life, fan speed and ordering replacements. The battery life is good, and the product maintenance is simple.
LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier mask would have made a huge difference if it had come out with a design which is both trendy and light. You might have to get used to some curious looks from the passersby while you wear it in public, since it looks like some medical gadget! The protrusion does affect the field of vision which the user has to keep in mind!! The product also requires regular replacements which is another pain point in today’s fast-moving world. The recurring replacement costs added to the price of the product (AED 799) does indeed make it unattractive for the vast majority.