Air washing is good because it not only cleans the air in the room from dust, but also humidifies it without creating steam or fog. That is, microdrops of water do not settle on furniture or walls. The desired level of humidity is not reached immediately, but it lasts for a long time.
We are testing the Starwind SAW5522 model: a laconic black-and-white cylinder with simple controls. Let’s see how to manage it and what results it will achieve in a very dry St. Petersburg room with unregulated batteries.
Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Starwind |
|---|---|
| Model | SAW5522 |
| Type | air washer |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Warranty | 1 year |
| Service life * | 5 years |
| Power | 25 W |
| Humidification performance | 300 ml/h |
| water tank | 4.5 l |
| Electrical protection class | II |
| Recommended room area | up to 40 m2 |
| Noise level | less than 38 dB(A) |
| The weight | 1.8 kg |
| Dimensions (W×H×D) | 250×380×250 |
| Network cable length | 1.6 m |
| Retail offers |
* Contrary to common misconception, this is not the period after which the device will definitely break. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its performance and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.
Equipment
From the hands of the courier, we received a glossy cardboard box with full color printing. The design is dominated by Starwind’s signature red color. The front side is decorated with a color photograph of the SAW5522 air washer, and on the side there are detailed technical specifications, a diagram explaining the device’s structure, and a QR code of the device page on the manufacturer’s website.
Inside the package, we found the assembled model itself and the user manual.
At first sight
The black and white plastic body of the air washer has the shape of a cylinder with a slightly beveled top side. The upper white half of the device is a motor unit with a fan and a filter element drive, while the lower black half is a water tank.
Air intake grilles are located on the sides of the cylinder, and above them you can see or feel the recesses that serve as carrying handles.
The entire upper side of the case is occupied by a cover with an exhaust grille in the form of a sun with divergent rays.
Under it is a fine filter – a thin disc of dark foam rubber.
Under the filter element there is another grill, and under it are the fan blades that ensure the movement of air inside the sink.
The principle of operation is simple: air enters the device through the side grilles and passes into the lower part of the housing, where a rotating evaporator drum is located, immersed in water. Dust and microparticles are retained on the rough moist surface of its discs and settle in the water tank, while the purified and humidified air leaves the device through the exhaust grille.
Partially submerged in water, the evaporation drum is a pack of thirty perforated discs.
It rests on two posts inside the water tank and is driven slowly by a large plastic gear.
Thanks to the collapsible design, it can be easily removed from the axle and washed if necessary to clean and maintain the gears and discs, and then reassemble.
Numerous rectangular holes on each of the thirty disks are designed to increase the evaporation area, and the rough surface helps to retain contaminants.
A water level sensor is mounted inside the tank, which turns off the device when the tank is empty. The sensor is connected to the motor unit by two contacts on the side.
In the air intake there is a capsule for aromatic oils – a small container with a porous material (in the photo you can see it on the right side of the tank). It allows not only to purify the air, but also to fill it with a pleasant aroma.
Instruction
The 16-page user manual is printed on thick glossy paper with good printing quality and is designed in the Starwind corporate style. The language of the document is Russian.
The instruction is prepared immediately for three similar models of air washer. It tells about the purpose of the device, its device, its management and features of caring for it. The document ends with a short list of possible malfunctions with methods for self-correcting them.
The warranty card with a place for the seller and service center marks can be found on the last page of the brochure.
Control
The air washer has two power levels, switched by means of a cylindrical knob on the front side. The third position turns off the device.
The two-color LED next to the handle lights up blue during normal operation, and lights up red in case of malfunctions (for example, lack of water or improper installation of the sink on the surface).
Exploitation
To get started, no special manipulations are required: just unpack the device, removing all packaging materials, install it in the chosen place, connect it to the mains and fill it with water.
The manufacturer does not provide any additional recommendations for choosing a place for washing in the documentation. However, experience with similar devices tells us that it is better to place it on a stable surface, ensuring free air flow to the side vents.
If there is a clear source of pollution (for example, a cage with a pet or chairs where the head of the family smokes after dinner), the sink should be placed closer to that. During the heating season, the proximity of the device to radiators is desirable: the humidification efficiency increases if the water used in the device is slightly heated.
To fill the tank, the motor block must be removed. The tank does not have carrying handles, so you should also take a jug or something like that for filling. The manufacturer recommends using distilled, purified or softened water, the temperature of which should not exceed 40 ° C: if it is higher, there is a high risk of deforming and damaging the device.
It is not very convenient to carry a filled device: the side handles on the motor unit make it easier to move the upper half of the body, and the tank with the filter element that is not attached to it should be carried separately. At the same time, you should be careful not to splash water from a heavy container.
If desired, you can add a few drops of essential oil to the aromatherapy capsule – then the device will not only purify and humidify the air in the room, but also fill it with a pleasant aroma.
Care
If necessary, wipe the outer surface of the humidifier with a damp cloth or sponge without the use of abrasive detergents. Use of weak solution of neutral detergent is allowed.
The manufacturer recommends treating the tank and working chamber once a week with a mild detergent, and then rinsing thoroughly.
The use of hard water can cause mineral deposits to form on the tank walls, drum and humidifier element. To get rid of them, you should briefly leave a solution of citric acid in the tank.
The aromatherapy capsule has a pad to absorb the oils. During operation, it may become contaminated. The manufacturer does not offer replacement sponges and recommends using standard cotton pads, shaping them accordingly.
Our measurements
The weight of the main components of the Starwind SAW5522 air washer is given in the table.
| Detail | Weight, g |
|---|---|
| Top cover with motor block | 2061 |
| Base with water tank | 630 |
| filter block | 1055 |
A water tank filled to the maximum level holds 4.1 liters. Thus, the dry weight of the appliance is 3746 g, and the weight of the fully equipped sink is 7.9 kg.
The power consumption and noise of the device depend, of course, on the mode of operation.
| Power | Night mode | Standard mode |
|---|---|---|
| Power, W | 14.3 | 26.4 |
| Noise, dBA | 36 | 38 |
The maximum moisture evaporation achieved by us during the test operation was 240.5 ml/h.
Humidification of the living space
To check how effectively the air washer saturates the atmosphere in the room with moisture, we turned on the device at maximum power in a room of about 18 m² with a ceiling height of 2.5 m. The test was carried out in March Petersburg, so the batteries were still working at full capacity.
To minimize the influence of external factors, we tightly closed the doors and windows in a room thoroughly ventilated before the test. Measurements of temperature and air humidity were carried out automatically, there were neither people nor animals in the room.
After starting in a ventilated and very dry (26% Rh) room, in the first nine hours, the air washer raised the relative humidity to 35% and kept it for a long time: the device reservoir lasted almost a day. After the device automatically turned off, the humidity dropped to the original values.
The relatively low value of the achieved humidity is explained by the difficult conditions of the experiment: the central heating batteries turned on at full power raised the temperature in the unventilated room to 27 °C, and the spring sun peering through the windows increased it by almost one and a half degrees (this peak is clearly visible on the red graph).
The manufacturer reminds that when you turn on the humidifier for the first time, furniture, walls, floor coverings, plants and other objects in the room will first of all absorb the moisture produced by the device, compensating for the level of humidity they need, and it will take from 7 to 10 days of continuous operation of the humidifier to achieve the desired values.
Indeed, with continuous operation of the device for a week, we were able to further raise the relative humidity in the room to approximately 45% and maintain it at this level.
findings
Air washer Starwind SAW5522 purifies the air in the room from dust, while gently humidifying it. The device does not generate water mist or steam, as is the case with ultrasonic or steam humidifiers.
The device is very economical, simple in design, it is easy to operate, it is easy to take care of it – it is enough to monitor the cleanliness and filling of the tank. The disadvantages of the device, we will attribute perhaps not too convenient transportation of the air washer in a filled form. But with the right choice of installation location, this will have to be done infrequently.
Pros :
- low price
- simultaneous humidification and purification of air from dust
- simple control
- low power consumption
Cons :
- the device filled with water is not very convenient to move from place to place
In conclusion, we suggest watching our video review of the Starwind SAW5522 air washer:
Our video review of the Starwind SAW5522 air washer can also be viewed at iXBT.video
