If you’re looking for an air purifier to handle an enormous space, keep reading for our review of the Medify MA 112 air purifier. This hard-working air purifier has a thorough filtration system and intelligent features for clean air in 2020.
Just like the recommended room size, the price is pretty big, so we’ve reviewed every aspect so you can make the smartest choice for your home, wallet, and family.
* Note that Amazon offers a 2-pack as this is a smart idea for large, multi-floor office buildings or large homes with extremely allergy-prone residents.
What is the Medify MA 112 best for?
Extra-large spaces: the Medify 112 air purifier is designed for gigantic spaces up to 3700 square feet, excellent for huge loft apartments, office buildings, and entire homes.
Asthma and allergy sufferers: the true-HEPA filter and pre-filter capture large, medium, and tiny allergens including dust, dander, pollen, dust mites, and bacteria. Even the nastiest allergens such as asbestos and cigarette smoke are captured by the H13 filter. For keeping on top of allergies and asthma, the Auto mode comes in handy as it switches fan speed when allergen levels increase.
Smokers: the MA112 has a generous amount of carbon in the true-HEPA 2-in-1 filter, effectively filtering cigarette, wildfire, and kitchen smoke and the associated odors.
Homes with pets: pets come with fur, dander, and odor, and the Medify MA112 can tackle all three, with true-HEPA and carbon filtration. Many positive customer reviews rave about the incredible difference in pet-related smell, visible fur, and allergies since using the MA112.
Size, Weight, Coverage, and Ratings
CADR ratings: The Medify MA112 can clear a 3,700-square foot room in one hour, 2,500 square feet in 30 minutes, and 1250 square feet in 15 minutes. The unit has an overall CADR unit of a massive 950cfm.
CADR refers to “clean air delivery rate” and indicates how fast the air purifier takes to clear a certain room size.
Size: 28.3 x 15.7 x 15.4 inches
Weight: 33.5 pounds
Coverage: up to 3700 square feet
Energy-Star certified? Yes
Filtration System
We’re impressed by the MA 112 filtration system because it includes the three key stages an air purifier should have: pre, true-HEPA, and carbon filters. This unit is very well covered with filtration, as there are two sets of filters (each set has a pre-filter and true-HEPA/carbon filter) one on each end of the machine.
The marketing materials refer to the filters as “medical grade” as they are categorized as H13 true-HEPA. This means that they can capture 99.9% of particles as small as 0.1 microns (as well as the standard 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns), including asbestos, virus carriers, and cigarette smoke.
The other filters are:
Pre-filter: we like that the pre-filter is washable, saving money in the long run. This filter catches large particles such as pet hair and dust.
Carbon filter layer: the carbon layer is attached to the true-HEPA filter for 2-in-1 convenience when changing filters. It absorbs odors and helps to refresh the air.
Ionizer: the ionizer is optional and can easily be switched off. The ionizer sends negative ions into the air, attracting particles and sticking to them. This causes the particles to either stick firmly to the filter, or drop to the floor or surfaces so they’re no longer airborne and able to be breathed into your respiratory system.
Does the Medify MA112’s ionizer produce Ozone?
It is hard to figure out exactly how much ozone this model produces, if any, as it is not disclosed by Medify as far as we know. However, we do know that it is ETL-certified which means it has passed strict requirements for safety.
If you are concerned or unsure, you can always switch the ionizer off, forget about it, and simply enjoy the pre, true-HEPA, and carbon filters alone.
Style, Operation, Modes, and Features
The Medify MA112 has a fresh, white exterior and a square shape with rounded edges. It’s an attractive machine with a neutral enough design to fit easily into most homes and offices.
The air inlets are located on the two outer sides (with filters inside each), with a large clean air outlet at the top, releasing great amounts of fresh air (as you’d expect considering the recommended room area).
It’s great that there are no inlets or outlets at the back of the unit as it means you can tuck it more discreetly against walls to make up for the large size.
The control panel sits along the top edge and is easy to decipher, with clearly-marked symbols. We like that there is a child lock button, as it keeps your settings safe if little kids play with the control panel.
Air quality indicator and PM2.5 indicator: a strip of light sits on the front-facing side, changing between blue, green, and red according to how contaminated the air is. A small digital screen displays a number that indicates the PM2.5 level, (PM2.5 are particles smaller than 2.5 microns).
Auto mode: automatically switches fan speed according to air quality as determined by the sensor (red = bad, green = average, blue = good). You can also change the fan speeds manually (there are 4 levels) if you’re not in the mood for auto.
Sleep mode: switches fan speed to the lowest, quietest level and dims the control lights. When the unit is in Auto mode, it will automatically switch to sleep mode when the room has been dark for 3 continuous minutes.
Timer: set the machine to run for 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours before switching off automatically.
Maintenance and Filter Requirements
For such a large and powerful machine, the MA112 is surprisingly easy to maintain. All it requires is to be wiped with a dry, soft cloth to remove dust from the exterior casing and the air inlets and outlets.
How often do the filters need to be changed?
The true-HEPA/carbon filter should be changed every 6 months, or after 3000 hours of usage, (there is an indicator light that tells you once 3000 hours has elapsed).
Can the filters be cleaned or washed?
Only the pre-filter can be washed, but the carbon/true-HEPA filter cannot be exposed to liquids. However, the carbon/true-HEPA filter can be gently brushed or vacuumed to remove any built-up dust between filter replacements.
Where can I get replacement filters for the Medify MA112 and how much are they?
You can find the Medify MA112 true-HEPA and carbon replacement filter for the best price on Amazon in 2020 here. Remember that one pack contains 2 filters, one for each side of the unit (so one 6-month usage per pack). The filters are expensive, but they can be justified when you consider the size of the unit, the vast space it covers, and the overall effectiveness.
The unit is missing a manual, is there an electronic one?
Find an electronic copy of the manual here.
Medify MA112 Air Purifier vs. Medify MA40
Medify describes the MA40 as “a smaller version of the popular MA112”. It is certainly a far more affordable option, while still catering to larger spaces. However, “large” in this case means 800 square feet, a fair sight smaller than the MA112’s recommended room size.
One small difference is that the MA40 has 3 fan speeds while the MA112 has 4. Apart from that, they have the same filtration system (pre, H13 true-HEPA, carbon, and ionizer), and the same features (auto mode, sleep mode, timer, child lock, and PM2.5 sensor).
Noise and Light
A blinding, loud air purifier is enough to get on anyone’s nerves, so it’s important to find a suitably discreet one. The Medify MA112 has a maximum noise level of 70 decibels (at the highest fan speed) which is equivalent to regular radio or TV audio, or a vacuum cleaner. Clearly, this is loud, as confirmed by customer reviews.
However, you won’t necessarily always require the highest fan speed. What’s more, if it’s set in a large office or home, the noise is likely to be drowned out. Fan speeds 1-3 are considered quiet by most people’s standards, even for sleeping and watching quiet movies.
The lights cannot be dimmed or switched off without the unit being in sleep mode, which also switches to the lowest fan speed. This is great for light sleepers, but might be a downside if you want to use the higher fan speeds and enjoy a completely dark room at the same time.
Pros & Cons
Pros 👍
✔ Covers a huge area
✔ Effectively reduces allergy symptoms
✔ True-HEPA filtration
Cons 👎
✘ Fan speed 4 is very loud
✘ Expensive maintenance costs
✘ Lights cannot be dimmed without using sleep mode
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes with a lifetime warranty if you change the filters every 6 months.
Yes, the H13 true-HEPA filter catches mold spores as they are between 1-100 microns in size. The H13 filter captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, and 99.9% of particles as small as 0.1 microns.
The MA112 has concealed wheels on the bottom of the unit so you can move it from room to room without lifting it. It weighs 33.5 pounds so you may need some help lifting up stairs.
- What is the Medify MA 112 best for?
- Size, Weight, Coverage, and Ratings
- Filtration System
- Does the Medify MA112’s ionizer produce Ozone?
- Style, Operation, Modes, and Features
- Maintenance and Filter Requirements
- Medify MA112 Air Purifier vs. Medify MA40
- Noise and Light
- Pros & Cons
- Frequently Asked Questions
