LG PuriCare Air Purifying Mask, Analysis with Features, Video and Price

After having been using them for almost a year due to the pandemic, we believe that we are more than qualified to test and analyze masks, especially if they are equipped with technology like this LG PuriCare Air Purifying Mask, which incorporates two Hepa H13 filters and a ventilation system to purify the air we breathe.

It is available from today in Spain through the LG official website and we have already been able to test them.

LG PuriCare Air Purifying Mask, spec sheet

What is it and what is it for

LG’s initial idea was to build a mask for use in highly polluted cities, something very typical in large cities in Southeast Asia. In fact, this LG PuriCare has been in use for some time in South Korea, the manufacturer’s home country.

However, the coronavirus has given a new utility to a product that, otherwise, surely would not have reached our market.

It is a mask that purifies the air we breathe. It does so through a ventilation system and two high-efficiency Hepa H13 air filters. This is everything that is included in the pack of the mask that LG sells in Spain:

• Mask
• Face shield made of medical grade silicone
• 2 Hepa H13 Filters
• 10 TNT filters
• Mask strap extender
• USB-C charging cable
• Carrying case

Additionally, through the same LG website in Spain you can buy:

• Hepa H13 filters (2 x € 12). LG estimates that each of these filters lasts around a month (with 8 or 10 hours of daily use).
• Internal filters (10 x 12 €). LG ensures that each filter is valid for 7 days with about 10 hours of daily use.
• Charging case (€ 120). In addition to charging the mask, it is capable of sterilizing it through ultraviolet light. It can be connected to LG’s ThinQ app and will notify you when the filters need to be changed.

How does it work

The Hepa H13 filters are placed on the sides, where LG has enabled two compartments for it. It is very easy to insert them thanks to some tabs that hook and unhook very well.

The mask would not be very useful if it did not create a watertight compartment in our nose and mouth. For this the protector facial, made of medical grade silicone, which is a separate piece that must be mounted within the mask frame. It has hooks that adapt to the mold, so the assembly is also quite simple.

In addition, it is in this face shield where we place the inner filter, TNT type, which is the usual one we are used to seeing in conventional masks.

Once our mask is assembled, the next step is to adjust it to our face. It has straps that are attached to our ears like the rest of the masks. They can be stretched more or less depending on what we need and, in addition, an extender is included in the pack in case even more size is needed.

To start the mask, it has a button on the right side. When pressed, the ventilation system is turned on, which has three speeds:

• Baja, which LG recommends for when we are seated. The battery life in this mode is the maximum, about 8 hours, according to the manufacturer.
• Media, which LG recommends for walking at a normal pace. The battery lasts in this mode for 6 hours, according to LG.
• High, which the manufacturer recommends for walking at a high pace (it does not explicitly say running). Here the battery lasts 4 hours.

What is the difference between one mode and another? The mask blows extra air into us when we breathe, and for that it has a respiration sensor. It detects when you breathe in and then it gives you more air. When you expire or when you just don’t do anything, it doesn’t give you air.

Therefore, depending on the mode you are active, it will give you more or less amount of air. It is a curious feeling, but it is true that it seems to help you, especially when you are walking down the street at a fast pace. It should be especially useful in highly polluted, dusty environments or even in spring, where allergy sufferers suffer from particles such as pollen.

Here LG ensures that the mask eliminates 97.3% of viruses and 93% of bacteria. Important: does not have the corresponding approval certifying its effectiveness against coronavirus. They confirm that the procedure is requested and they hope to get different types of approvals in the coming months, but for now this is what there is. Technically, according to LG, it has everything necessary to filter viruses and bacteria but, as we say, it does not have the official seal that certifies it (FFP1, FFP2, FFP3, etc.)

As a curiosity, the ventilation system produces a sound very similar to that of Darth Vader from Star Wars, not so exaggerated, but perhaps it serves to get an idea of ​​how it works.

It is comfortable?

Keep in mind that it is a mask that weighs almost 130 grams, which is much more than any other conventional mask.

It’s hard to avoid feeling like a hulk when wearing it, but still In my tests I have not felt discomfort, itching or have noticed that it leaves marks. It adapts well to the face and is easy to adjust, although you do notice that you lose a little field of vision in the lower part, so to look at the ground you have to tilt your head a little more (something not very recommended when street is a huge chunk of ice).

In his favor plays the anti-fog effect that LG advertises, especially for those of us who know what it is to wear glasses and a mask. It is not 100% effective, but it is much more effective than any other mask I have tried so far. I have been using anti-fog chamois for a while to solve this problem and with this LG device I could almost leave it at home, although with the low temperatures we are having in Madrid now, especially at night, it is worth taking it with you just in case because some mist is still being generated.

Alternating between one ventilation mode or another when you are walking down the street is simple. Of course, you should have familiarized yourself with the position of the button first, but once you know where it is, it is easy for you to find it without looking or without having to remove your mask. Since it protrudes a bit from the surface of the mask, it doesn’t leak much. In addition, LG identifies each mode with audible prompts. One beep means you are in mode 1 or low; three beeps, mode 3 or high.

Something that does not convince me too much is the mask button light, which is always on. If it is already difficult to go unnoticed with a mask of this size, it does not help that it also has a constantly lit light. This is something that made me uncomfortable especially at night, where this is much more exaggerated for obvious reasons:

Verdict

LG has dared to put technology in such a simple product (a mask) that a priori we thought it did not need it. The design is much more cumbersome than a conventional mask, but instead offers a ventilation system that is helpful when walking and can be very useful for people with respiratory problems, allergies or who live or work in environments with poor quality of mask. air.

Technologically, perhaps it could have incorporated some extra extras, such as an air quality sensor or some type of component that would make it “intelligent”. For example, it could be connected to the mobile and made a diagnosis of our breathing or the quality of filtered air. That would validate and justify its use much more considering the cost of comfort you sacrifice when wearing it.

In addition, today it does not have official approval against the coronavirus and although according to the manufacturer it is technically capable of being effective in eliminating viruses and bacteria, for something as delicate as this it is possible that many people prefer to be cautious.

Without a doubt, it is an interesting device that has clear uses, but its price, 150 euros, can be another barrier to entry for the general public.

This product has been provided by LG Spain. You can check our company relations policy.