Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 review: The 2-in-1 device that's transformed my hot summer nights

With the kind of temperatures we're facing at the moment, it's no surprise that the best fans are flying off the shelves. However, that's also left plenty of room for other cooling options to shine, whether that's the best portable air conditioners, air coolers or, more interestingly, 2-in-1 appliances that combine cooling with another function. Yep, I'm talking about the Dyson Purifier Cool PC1.

The Cool PC1 (sometimes known as the TP11) is both an air purifier and cooling fan, creating a refreshing breeze whilst simultaneously circulating purified air around the room. Given the popularity of Dyson's air treatment products – and having tested a fair few of them myself – I couldn't wait to properly put this one to the test.

Price and availability

The Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 is priced at £449.99 in the UK and $549.99 in the US, and is available from Dyson's online store, Amazon and Currys.

With the current heatwave taking over much of the UK, stock has been a little scarce at some retailers, but hopefully availability will improve once temperatures start to drop.

Unboxing and set up

Setting up the Cool PC1 is a very easy process. The unit arrives fully assembled, securely packaged and wrapped in protective plastic. Just make sure you remove all of this before switching it on, particularly the packaging around the base and air inlets.

If you already have the MyDyson app, getting connected is equally as straightforward. You just open the app, tap Add New Device and scan the barcode on the unit. It'll then guide you through pairing the Cool PC1 and connecting it to your home Wi-Fi network.

I'd also recommend switching on Auto mode once you're up and running. This allows the Cool PC1's onboard sensors to monitor your air quality accurately and automatically respond, rather than leaving you to adjust the airflow manually.

After that, there really isn't much else to do. The magnetic remote sits neatly on top of the purifier, whilst both the LCD display and MyDyson app keep track of filter life for you. Dyson recommends replacing the HEPA and activated carbon filter around every 12 months for optimum performance.

Design and features

The Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 is tall and slim, measuring just over a metre high and 22cm wide, with the brand's familiar bladeless amplifier loop sitting above a cylindrical purifier base. At 4.72kg, it's light enough to move between rooms when needed, although it's clearly designed to spend most of its time in one spot. The minimalist white finish and discreet LCD display keep everything looking clean and understated.

Dyson's Air Multiplier technology can project more than 290 litres of air per second, with 10 fan speeds available depending on how much airflow you need. The Cool PC1 can also oscillate through up to 350°, helping spread purified air around the room rather than firing it in one direction. You can manually adjust the airflow angle by around 10° either way as well.

Inside the base is a 360° Glass HEPA H13 and activated carbon filter. The HEPA layer captures microscopic particles such as dust and pollen, whilst the activated carbon targets odours and gases, including VOCs. Dyson says the UK model can capture 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns.

Inside the base is a 360° Glass HEPA H13 and activated carbon filter. The HEPA layer captures microscopic particles such as dust and pollen, whilst the activated carbon targets odours and gases, including VOCs. Dyson says the UK model can capture 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns.

The small LCD display on the front gives you real-time information without needing to reach for your phone, including air quality and filter information. I'll include a guide below explaining what all the different indicators on the screen mean as well.

A dedicated Night mode is joined by sleep timers for one, two, four or eight hours, whilst noise levels range from around 50dB on the quieter settings to 61.4dB at maximum power.

Physical controls are deliberately kept to a minimum, but you do get Dyson's familiar curved magnetic remote, which as mentioned, stores neatly on top of the machine. It gives you quick access to fan speed, oscillation, Auto mode and Night mode.

Via the MyDyson app, you can remotely adjust airflow, create schedules, set sleep timers and view current and historical indoor air quality. You can also monitor filter life and fine-tune settings such as the oscillation angle and focal point. Voice control is supported through compatible Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri devices too.

Performance

When it comes to cooling, the Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 has been a lifesaver during the recent hot weather. The 10 fan speeds give you plenty of control over how much airflow you need, although, unsurprisingly, it gets louder as you move through the higher settings. I've been sleeping with it set to around level three or four and found it impressively quiet, even without switching on Night mode.

It's undeniably a large unit, but the slim design means I've been perfectly happy leaving it in the corner of my bedroom. The 350° oscillation is also useful for spreading airflow around the entire room, whilst the remote means I can change the settings from bed without having to get up.

However, air purification has been the real highlight for me. One morning during testing, there was smoke in the area from nearby fires, and the Cool PC1 quickly picked up that the air quality wasn't where it should be. I left it running and watched the reading gradually improve over the following hour, which was a reassuring demonstration of just how responsive its sensors are.

You also don't need to know much about air purification to understand what's happening either. A quick glance at the colour-coded air quality gauge tells you most of what you need to know, with green indicating good air quality and red or purple signalling that it has some work to do.

Image 1 of 2

The Cool PC1 is also incredibly easy to use, both through the controls on the unit itself and within the MyDyson app. Air quality data can quickly become overwhelming if you're unfamiliar with different pollutants and readings, but Dyson does a great job of presenting everything in a way that's clear and easy to understand.

One omission I did notice is a temperature sensor, which feels slightly surprising given that it's something you'll find on plenty of cheaper fans. Without one, the Cool PC1 can't tell you exactly how warm the room is, so there's no temperature reading to help you decide when it's time to increase or decrease the fan speed.

It wasn't a huge problem for me, as I simply relied on my Echo Show 8 to keep an eye on the room temperature instead. You could also pick up an inexpensive temperature sensor, such as IKEA's Timmerflotte, and incorporate it into your smart home setup. Depending on the ecosystem you're using, you could then use those temperature readings as part of an automation or routine for controlling the Cool PC1.

Verdict

The Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 has been a lifesaver during the recent hot weather, delivering powerful airflow whilst remaining quiet enough for me to sleep comfortably. However, it's the air purification that impressed me most. The sensors responded quickly to changes in my indoor air quality, Auto mode took care of most adjustments for me, and Dyson presents everything clearly enough that you don't need to be an air quality expert to understand what's happening. It's undeniably expensive, and the lack of a temperature sensor feels like a strange omission, but if you want excellent air purification alongside useful cooling, the Cool PC1 does both extremely well.

Alternatives to consider

If you're after a similar 2-in-1 fan and purifier, I'd recommend the Acerpure Cool Series. It combines powerful airflow with effective air purification, alongside a remote control, plenty of functionality and reasonably quiet operation – although we didn't find it quite as quiet as the Dyson.

Alternatively, if it's mainly Dyson's cooling performance you're interested in, I'm also a big fan of the Hot+Cool HF1. It's quiet, compact and combines heating and cooling in one unit, making it a particularly useful option if you want something you'll continue using long after summer is over.