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Airdog X3 Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

We review quite a few air purifiers here at Modern Castle and have learned a thing or two about the wide variety of methods used for air purification. Most are made up of a unit with intake, outtake, and a paper-based filter.

But the Airdog X3 brings a new take to the air purifier. Combining a dishwasher-safe filter and an electric field, the Airdog is able to tackle pollutants with a new kind of approach.

Low Maintenance Air Purification

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Airdog X3 Air Purifier

The Airdog X3 air purifier takes a different approach to indoor air purification, using a paperless filtration system to clean the air. This unit is low maintenance and also performed well during our tests. It was able to remove 90.5% of indoor air particles and improve overall air quality by 86.4% (based on PM2.5). The unit looks modern and the build quailty appears to be excellent, especially the filters. The X3 is a refreshing and solid performing air purifier.Check Price

Pros

  • Filter is dishwasher safe
  • Uses electric field to kill bacteria and viruses instead of trapping it
  • 4 different filter steps
  • Low maintenance costs – primary filter plate is washable and carbon filter can be refreshed in direct sunlight

Cons

  • In the early stages of production and crowd-funding so units may not be readily available
YouTube video

AirDog X3 Design

The Airdog purifier is a medium-sized purifier with a white, matte shell and a black top. There are carrying handles located on the left and right side for easy carrying.

Design of the Airdog X3 air purifier

How does it work?

Air enters the unit through the intake vents located at the bottom of the purifier. As it travels through the system, the air is treated using a bacteria-killing electric field as well as a washable filter tray that captures any loose debris.

3rd Party Report See the full report from the Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology. Confirmed the X3’s ability to kill 99.99% of the flu virus.

Once the air is clean, it exits the system out of the vents located at the top of the unit and distributed throughout the room.

Airdog X3 exhaust on top of the unit
Airdog X3 exhaust vent on top of the unit

Airdog Technology

The Airdog uses Two Pole Active (TPA) technology (aka Sallen-Key), which is a system that is proprietary to Airdog as a way of filtering the air.

Instead of trapping pollutants as a HEPA filter would, the TPA system uses ionic technology to destroy the toxins.

The Controls

Similar to other units, the controls for the Airdog are located on top of the purifier. It is a simple display in the lower right corner that shows exactly what level the purifier is on.

Controls and display on the Airdog air purifier

The display includes the following controls and information:

  • Power: turns the purifier on or off
  • Adjust fan speed: select from a range of varying speeds
  • AQI – displays you the air quality index level
  • Filters – reminds you when it’s time to wash the filter collecting plates
  • Errors – can output an error code if there is a problem with the machine

Does Airdog X3 create ozone?

Any time I see an air purifier with an ionizer, my red flag goes off. Ionic air purifier technology has the potential to create ozone in some circumstances.

Ozone in high quantities is harmful to human health. In fact, you may have already read about the lawsuit that bankrupted The Sharper Image due to the Ionic Breeze air purifier. That product created harmful levels of ozone.

One of my first questions to Airdog was how much ozone does the X3 create. They sent me this report from an independent testing lab, the SGS.

Airdog X3 ozone report
Airdog X3 ozone report

The report shows that the X3 does create ozone, however, only at a level of 0.0053 ppm (parts per million). The CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety & Healthy (NIOSH) recommends ozone exposures limits of 0.1 ppm (source).

Based on the NIOSH’s recommendations and the SGS lab findings the Airdog X3 appears to be safe with respect to ozone exposure.

Laboratory Tests

In addition to lab testing against ozone, Airdog also had Gmicro Testing conduct lab tests on the Airdog X3 versus the flu virus (H3N2).

Airdog X3 vs flu virus
Airdog X3 vs flu virus

You can find the complete lab report here.

According to the Gmicro Testing lab, the Airdog X3 was able to remove >99.99% of all flu virus.

Size & Dimensions

The X3 is a medium-sized purifier that is designed to sit on the floor in a medium to large sized room.

Size of the Airdog X3 air purifier

Exact dimensions of the Airdog X3 are as follows:

  • Height: 14.5″
  • Width: 12″
  • Weight: 12.7 lbs

What’s in the box?

Here’s what you’ll get:

The pre-filter is the first filter. It is designed to remove large particulates like lint, hair, dust, pet danger, and others. It’s also washable (just rinse with cold water).

Airdog X3 pre-filter
Airdog X3 pre-filter

The electrode generator is the next line of defense as pollutants and bacteria enter the purifier. This device uses electric power to kill bacteria instead of trapping it in a traditional filter.

Electrode generator on the Airdog X3Electrode generator on the Airdog X3
Electrode generator on the Airdog X3

The filter plate captures any debris that is not caught by the first two filters. As this filter gets dirty, you can simply pop it out and toss it in the dishwasher or wash with dish detergent and warm water.

Filter plate on the Airdog X3
Filter plate on the Airdog X3

The carbon filter is used to remove odors or unwanted smells, including but not limited to food, smoke, or pets.

Carbon filter on the Airdog X3
Carbon filter on the Airdog X3

Using the Airdog X3

Getting up and running with the Airdog is pretty simple and can be done in just a few minutes.

Here’s a quick rundown of the setup process.

  1. Unbox the unit.
  2. Remove all packaging.
  3. Make sure all filters are installed properly.
  4. Turn the unit on.

You can manually adjust fan speed, but for the best performance you may want to go ahead and set up the app on your smartphone.

For app-based control, follow the steps below:

  1. Download the Airdog app onto your smartphone.
  2. Follow the prompts to pair the unit to your phone.
Installing the Airdog X3 filters

In the app you can adjust settings or check out the overall performance. Using the app, the X3 can track and show air quality in real-time on the unit display and on your smartphone.

Auto mode also allows the unit to make automatic adjustments when indoor air quality dips below a certain level. The real-time air quality is displayed via an LED light bar at the bottom of the unit.

RELATED: Best Air Purifiers We’ve Tested

Maintenance

Maintence is one of the categories that helps to set the Airdog X3 apart. Instead of requiring costly replacement filters, the Airdog takes a difference approach.

Of the three filtration systems installed in the unit, none ever need to be replaced.

The electrode generator does not need frequent replacements (only if you break / damage it) and the filter plate is dishwasher safe.

Even the carbon filter will work for the life of the unit. Simply place outside in direct sunlight to allow it to recover.

Filters of the Airdog X3 air purifier

This is easily one of the most maintenance friendly units we’ve tested to date.

Airdog X3 Performance

So how did the new filtration approach actually perform when it came to cleaning the air? Well, we put it to the test.

To evaluate the performance of the Airdog X3, we ran this unit in an enclosed room for an hour, tested air quality before and after the run.

What were the results?

Starting Baseline

  • PM2.5: 2.7
  • PM10: 4.4
  • Particles: 726
  • AQI: 11

After 1 Hour

  • PM2.5: 0.4
  • PM10: 0.6
  • Particles: 69
  • AQI: 1

After an hour, the Airdog air purifier removed 90.5% of air particles from the medium-sized room we tested in (~12×12′). It was able to improve PM2.5 air quality by 86.4%.

Is the Airdog X3 worth it?

Alright so we’ve reviewed the specs, features, performance and more… all things considered is the Airdog worth it? Overall, I would say that the Airdog is definitely worth what you pay for it.

Here’s a quick list of some of its best features:

  • Auto mode
  • Variable fan speeds
  • 3-stage filtration
  • Good performance

In addition, its innovative filtration system helps to keep the maintenance costs low with the washable filter plate and electrode generator.

Perhaps the most significant factor that makes the X3 such a good value is the washable filters. The pre-filter and collecting plate filter are washable, so you really shouldn’t need to ever replace those.

Not only will that save you money in the long run, but it helps reduce waste.

Airdog X3 Specifications

Specifications
ManufacturerAirdog
ModelX3
Width (inches)12"
Depth (inches)12"
Height14.5"
Weight12.7 pounds
Filters4; pre-filter, electrode generator, carbon, and filter plate
Wifi CompatibleYes
Area Coverage20 square meters
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1 year
PriceTBD

Should You Buy the Airdog X3?

I would recommend the Airdog X3 if you’re looking for the following in an air purifier:

  • Great performance: The Airdog X3 did an excellent job of cleaning the air during our performance tests. It was able to remove 90.5% of air particles and improve PM2.5 air quality by 86.4%.
  • Low maintenance costs: The washable filter plate and electrode generator technology helps to keep the annual maintenance costs extremely low for this unit. Even the carbon filter won’t need to be replaced (just let it refresh itself in direct sunlight).
  • Want Auto Mode: The Auto Mode is a convenient feature if you want to plug it in and not think about it again. This unit can self-adjust the fan speed based on indoor air quality. Additional in-app features will always keep you informed or a simple LED colored light bar at the bottom of the unit will display a different color for varying air qualities.

Click here to reach more or to check the price of the Airdog X3 air purifier.

Updates

  • November 2, 2020 – Added lab flu virus testing report and data provided by Airdog.
  • September 24, 2020 – Corrected an error regarding the lifespan and maintenance of the carbon filters. Added warranty information. Added coverage information. Added a report on the virus killing tests.
  • September 18, 2020 – Initial version of the page was published.
Excellent Performer & Value
  • Design - 98%
    98%
  • Performance - 90%
    90%
  • Quality - 98%
    98%
  • Usability - 100%
    100%
  • Value - 95%
    95%
96%

Summary

The Airdog X3 is an air purifier with 4 filter steps, including pre-filter, electrode generation, collecting plate, and carbon filter. The filter process works together to eliminate large and small particulates, kill bacteria, and remove offensive odors. In our tests, the X3 performed well, reducing PM2.5 to 0.4 and total particulates to as long as 69. Having a high-performance air purifier with a washable filter is a refreshing change, and not something we’ve seen much elsewhere. While the X3’s performance wasn’t quite to the level of the most high-end HEPA purifiers we’ve tested, it was reasonably close. Reasonably close, while also not having to buy replacement filters every 6-18 months, is a big win in our book.

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.