Medify MA-50 Review

Pros

• Good area coverage; cleans up to 1,100 sf in 30 minutes, 550 sq ft in 15 minutes
• 4-sided air intake and 3-stage HEPA filtration
• CADR rating of 500m³/h

Cons

• Replacement filter is costly
• No Auto Mode or real-time air quality detection
• Lacks app control or smart integration

Scoring

🧪 Performance

The performance of the Medify MA-50 air purifier was good and greatly improved the indoor air quality in the space.

Here is an overview of the results:

Within 1 hour the Medify air purifier reduced PM2.5 down to 0.1 µg/m3 and reduced PM10 down to 0.2 µg/m3. From our experience, anything equal to or less than 0.3 is considered to be solid performance.

What is µg/m3? This unit stands for micrograms per cubic meter. It’s a more exact way to measure how much of a particle is present in the air.

The particulate count was reduced by 91.6% and the AQI went down to 1 (which is fantastic).

How do we test?

When we test any air purifier, we use the same procedure to gather results. First, we use the Temtop LKC-1000S+ professional air quality detector to get a baseline reading for the existing air quality.

Then we let the purifier run for an hour and take new measurements.

The difference between the baseline and post-run data gives a solid picture of how well the air purifier is able to improve indoor air quality.

🧬 Design

The design of the Medify MA-50 air purifier is simple and sleek. It has a matte white body with rounded corners and black accent trim. The base of the purifier has perforations on all four sides to allow for air to flow into the unit for filtration.

On the interior, there is also a 4-sided HEPA filter that quickly treats the air and then directs it out the top of the purifier and distributes it around the room.

FAQ: What is a HEPA Filter?

The Controls

There is a digital display on the front of the Medify air purifier that makes it easy to adjust fan speeds or change modes.

Controls for the Medify purifier include:

• Turn purifier on or off
• Set a timer (2, 4, 8, or 12 hours)
• Adjust fan speed (4 different speeds)
• Dimmer (rotates through 4 brightness levels)
• Child lock
• UV sterilization

Although it’s not an icon control, this purifier also has a filter indicator to let you know when it’s time to replace the filter.

Our Thoughts

The controls and display on the Medify are extremely basic, which was a bit of a surprise for a purifier as expensive as this.

It doesn’t have any clear indicator as to what mode you are actually on, but does provide an audible beep when you’ve activated that button / mode.

There is a display on the front of the unit to show current fan speed, but overall it just didn’t feel intuitive.

When the button is activated on any mode it illuminates solid blue.

The Filters

I try to avoid using the word “unique” because it so rarely applies. But in this case, this filter truly is unique. It’s basically 4 HEPA filters in 1. Air is pulled through all 4 sides of the unit and then up through the top vent.

A filter this large means that it can treat up to 1,100 square feet in only 30 minutes or up to 550 square feet in only 15 minutes.

Unfortunately, more filter coverage doesn’t mean that the filter lasts any longer.

The manufacturer still recommends replacing the filter every 3 months.

And furthermore, the larger filter size means more waste and higher filter replacement costs compared to other purifiers of similar size.

FILTERS: Click here to check the cost for a replacement filter.

Build Quality

Build quality on this purifier feels pretty good in general, though I’m not all that thrilled by the display. 

I would have liked to have seen some additional features to increase the quality of the controls and display as well as to make the unit a bit more intuitive.

Size & Dimensions

The Medify air purifier is moderately sized and maybe even a little smaller than expected considering its larger coverage area.

Ideally, it would sit directly on the floor, but it could also just sit on a counter or table.

Here are the exact dimensions:

• Width: 9.5″
• Depth: 9.5″
• Height: 21″
• Weight: 7 lbs.

Accessories & Parts

The Medify comes with basic parts for regular use. The complete list includes:

• Medify MA-50 air purifier
• HEPA H13 filter (one filter, four-sided)
• User Manual / Quick Start Guide

👍 Usability

Setup and usability on the Medify air purifier are fairly simple and it only takes a couple of minutes to get up and running.

Here’s a complete step-by-step process:

1. First, unbox the purifier and remove all excess packaging.
2. Pull down the tab on the front panel
3. Make sure the filter is installed correctly and remove any packaging on the filter if needed.
4. Reinstall the front panel.
5. Plug it in and get to work.

Is the Medify MA-50 a Smart Purifier?

The short answer is no.

Although it did great during our performance tests, it is lacking a few critical features that most other smart air purifier have.

Two of the biggest smart features that it lacks includes:

1. Auto Mode: This purifier does not have the ability to detect indoor air quality and adjust fan speed automatically. This also means that it can’t tell you real-time air quality readings or any history of AQI in the space. Fan speed can only be adjusted through manual settings or
2. App Control: There is no way to adjust fan settings using an app or your smartphone.

Considering the relatively high price point, I was a bit surprised to see that the Medify lacked these features and it’s a pretty decent hit to the overall usability in my opinion.

💰 Maintenance

Maintenance on the MA-50 purifier is not unlike maintenance on any other purifier.

The short checklist of things to do boils down to two quick tasks:

1. Wipe down the air intake and outlet grills with a dry, lint-free cloth
2. Replace the filters as needed, every 3 months according to the manufacturer.

How to Replace the Filter

To replace the HEPA filter, pull down on the plastic tab at the panel on the back. This releases the panel and allows access to the interior filters.

The filter is somewhat flexible, which does make it a little more difficult to reinsert into the unit. It took a moment to make sure the sides are properly lined up so the filter can slide back into the unit.

Is the Medify a good value?

So all things considered, is the Medify worth the cost? Generally, I would say yes unless you are looking for specific features.

It offers solid performance, easy setup, and large coverage with quick results.

But it lacks smart integration, app control, and an Auto Mode.

For some people, the lack of these features may be deal breakers, as you can usually find these features pretty easily from another brand for the same price point if they’re important to you.

CADR Comparisons

Another win for the Medify is its CADR rating, which is much higher than other CADR ratings we generally see.

For a quick comparison, I’ve listed some CADR rating below:

• Medify: 500 500m³/h
• Mila: 447m³/h
• Dyson TP04: 90m³/h
• Molekule: 88m³/h

What is CADR?

CADR stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate. It is a metric that was developed as a way of measuring the performance of residential air purifiers.

📰 Specifications

🥇Summary

I would recommend the Medify MA 50 if you’re looking for an air purifier with the following features:

• Quick performance: The MA-50 purifier can treat up to 1,100 sf within 30 minutes or up to 550 sf within 15 minutes. This is incredibly fast and would be a great option for quickly treating large, open-concept spaces.
• 4-sided HEPA filtration: The Medify uses a 4-sided filter, which is one of the only purifiers we’re tested to date with this design.
• Adjustable fan speeds: You can choose from 4 different fan speeds on the Medify which makes it easy to manually adjust based on the size of your room. However, this purifier does not have an Auto Mode.

For more information or to buy the Medify air purifier, click here.

ChangeLog

• March 24, 2021 – Initial version of the page was published.