Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review: smart, precise and cooling

In T3’s Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review, I put this air purifier, humidifier and fan hybrid to the test to see if it lived up to the hype… and the hefty price tag.

Dyson has had quite a busy year, with upcoming releases like the wet-to-dry Dyson Airstrait and the high tech Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum cleaner exciting its customers. But one of its first launches in 2023 was the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde, a new fan, air purifier and humidifier to add to its extensive range of the best Dyson fans.

The Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde is the brand’s first purifying humidifying fan that senses and destroys formaldehyde, all while improving the air quality and cooling the rooms in your house. A multi hyphenate device, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde promises to do a lot of bang for its buck… so does it deliver? Let’s find out…

P.S. Looking for a new air treatment device? Take a look at our picks for the best fan, the  best air purifier and the best dehumidifier.

• Buy the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde at Dyson

Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review: Unboxing & set-up

The Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde arrived in a big cardboard box with plenty of cardboard packaging to cradle it during delivery. While there was probably an excessive amount of packaging, with some cardboard even slotted inside the device, I definitely wasn’t worried about it breaking in transit and everything was recyclable.

To unbox the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde, I had to remove a lot of blue tape that kept all the parts together. Once the tape was off, all I had to do was click together the different parts of the device. As the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde purifies and humidifies, it has a water tank at its base, which when taken out, had printed instructions on the top and a handle to carry it easily. The filter is also stored away underneath the gold exterior.

The Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde arrived with the fan, plug, instruction manual and remote control that’s magnetised to stick to the top of the device. It was easy to set up and took hardly any time at all. Once it’s plugged in, it’s ready to go and gets to work immediately.

Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review: Design & features

Measuring 92.3 cm height, 31.2cm length and 28 cm width, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde definitely isn’t something that can be shoved into the corner and ignored. It’s a pretty large device but as with most Dyson products, it’s been designed nicely. It has that classic Dyson fan design – just like the Dyson Pure Humidify+Cool – that’s very recognisable and I got to try out the stylish White Nickel Gold colour.

The Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde does an insane amount of work, including circulating purified and humidified air, emitting a cooling air flow and running a deep clean cycle to keep itself in top condition. Like most Dyson fans and hair tools, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde uses Air Multiplier technology to protect air through the room, cool or not.

Engineered to improve air quality, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde uses an activated carbon filter to neutralise gases, a HEPA H13 filter to capture 99.95% of particles and a catalytic filter to destroy formaldehyde. The latter does this by trapping and breaking down the molecules with water and CO2. The Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde has three sensors to monitor the air which is displayed in real time.

At the neck of the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde is a small circular screen which gives real time data and can be controlled with the remote control or voice commands. The remote’s buttons are easily laid out with plus and minus signs, as well as images so you can choose which function you want, customise the speed of the fan, and choose between auto, diffused, breeze and night modes.

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Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review: Performance

I mainly tried out the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde during the UK’s recent heatwave and honestly, it was a lifesaver. It releases a powerful airflow and you can easily choose from low to high speeds and settings. The higher the output, the louder it is as it pumps out more air, but compared to other fans and air conditioning units, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde doesn’t make a huge amount of noise.

I really enjoyed the design of the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde and the company has really thought of everything. On the sides of the device are two long slots which is where the air comes out from, and I liked how you can decide which side of the fan you want the air to come out and how wide you want the air to span the room. The air reaches far, it’s extremely cooling, and made my home feel a lot less muggy and humid.

The Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde’s night mode is my personal favourite. It’s almost noiseless which is perfect for light sleepers and people who struggle to sleep with a fan on. Although you shouldn’t use a fan at night, I’ve used the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde when I sleep. I’ve found in the past that using a fan at night makes my neck muscles very stiff but I haven’t experienced that at all with the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde.

I have to say that the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde certainly lives up to its promises. The only negatives are the remote and screen. While the remote is easy to use and customise, it could be tricky at times and I personally found it hard to use with the screen because of the many buttons and images. Speaking of the screen, it displays a huge amount of information that can feel overwhelming. Having said that, it’s good that the screen is so concise as it effectively communicates exactly what’s going on in your home.

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Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review: Price

Dyson air treatment devices are never cheap and the same can be said of the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde which will set you back £699.99. Is this expensive? Yes but considering you’re paying for a purifier, humidifier and a fan, it’s not too unreasonable. It’s also similarly priced to other Dyson offerings, and is available to buy at Dyson or select retailers like John Lewis.

Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review: Verdict

It’s safe to say that the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde is the best 3-in-1 air treatment device I’ve ever tried. With its purifying, humidifying and fan modes, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde does it all and it really feels like it’s taking care of your home. It looks pretty cool too and gets bonus points for making hardly any noise.

I definitely see people buying the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde despite it costing nearly £700. Once you get your head around the remote and screen, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde will become a much loved fixture in your home that’s sure to last a long time.

Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde review: Alternatives to consider

A good alternative to the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde is the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Formaldehyde. Not too dissimilar from one another, the former humidifies while the latter can blow hot air around your home… something that will come in handy when it gets colder. If you just want a fan, the Dyson Pure Cool TP04 is a good choice, and it’s also multi-functional like the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde.