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Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H Review: Best bang for the buck smart air filter?

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Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H

For a long time I have been struggling with an allergy to pollen and mites. The intensity off this allergy depends on the air quility in the rooms of my home. That’s why I ordered the Xiaomi Air Purifier from Xiaomiproducts.nl. It is time to start to optimize the air quality!

Because I live in the netherlands, I received the purifier the next day! Read on to find out more information about the Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H.

Contents

Specifications

BrandXiaomi Mijia
ColorWhite
Product size240×240×520mm
Net Weight4.8kg
Applicable area28-48㎡
Rated voltage100-240V
Output Power20W x 2
Rated power38W
Particulate matterCADR 400m³/h

Expectations of the Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H

I already have (reviewed) a lot of Xiaomi products, so it’s not a secret I’m a big fan of Xiaomi. So my expectations of the purifier from Mi were high. A while ago we reviewed the Alfawise P1 air purifier. The P1 filter does a really decent job, but it is just a fan with a HEPA filter, nothing smart about it. I hope the Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H is smarter, and I even hope to integrate it into my Home Assistant platform!

Packaging

The big box was delivered without an extra box, but who cares, it’s a waste of paper and the product is well packed and therefor protected sufficiently.

What’s in the box?

Actually nothing much, the purifier itself and inside there was a (EU) power cord. And ofcourse a manual with the information about how to connect and to add it into the Xiaomi app. I noticed that the manual was in a lot of different languages, I was not expecting that. For other Xiaomi products it’s most of the times a little paper with Chinese text. Anyway, in the box you will find:

  • The Air purifier
  • Filter
  • Power cable
  • Manual

Features

BrandXiaomi Mijia
ColorWhite
Product size240×240×520mm
Net Weight4.8kg
Applicable area28-48㎡
Rated voltage100-240V
Output Power20W x 2
Rated power38W
Particulate matterCADR 400m³/h

Test

I have been testing the air quality meter for almost a year and noticed that the air quality in my bedroom is quite good. But while a sleep the entire night with 2 persons in the room and keeping the windows closed, the CO2 values became much higher. So there is definitely room for improvement. But unfortunately the Air purifier only measures pm2.5 pollution.
In the screen below you can see the results of my air quality meter. Because of the spikes and differences during the day, it’s difficult to compare.

air quality

Do I notice any differences?

After one week it’s difficult to say. I don’t notice a real difference yet. But I will update this review after a few weeks/months and hopefully I can say it’s improved.

Build Quality & Design

From the outside, the Xiaomi Air Purifier looks like a simple matte white magic box. With a rounded touch screen OLED screen on the front. This screen can be dimmed but also turned off completely. When on, it shows the current AQI, temperature and humidity, and of course the current operation mode. On the back there is a little physical button and the cover to open and replace the filter. On the top there is only a big fan behind a grill.
All very solid and well finished.


xiaomi air purifier oled screen

Display (stand alone mode)

The display is a round touch OLED screen. You don’t need it when using the app but it both works. The display can be dimmed and turned off, nice feature when using the purifier in your bedroom.
The screen shows several things:

  • Pollution
  • Temperature
  • Wifi state and mode.

Power consumption

Power consumption depends on the mode it runs. Idle it’s 2 Watt and full blown it hit maximal 38 Watt. But When the speed is max the noise increases, so you won’t use full speed if you are in the room.

Noise

There is a sound when changing settings on the device or by app, this is a loud beep that can luckily can be switched off.
The sound of the operation mode is very impressive. The first night I placed it in my bedroom next to my bed. I turned off the display, because I love total darkness when sleeping. But the morning after I noticed that the fan was on, on the silent mode the whole night. And I didn’t hear any sound of it.

When changing the fan speed to the max and expected some noise, of course it was much louder then the normal mode but still acceptable. I have no decibel meters so my hearing is the only measuring I can do. However full speed is not that bad, but that’s too loud for me to sleep next to.

Portability / Mobility

The dimensions are quite big (240 × 240 × 520 mm), but this says nothing about the weight. It’s easy to carry the device and to move it to other rooms in your house.

Xiaomi Air Filters

The letter H after 3 in the name means this version has a better filter. The filter can be changed by opening the back. This hides the filter which is a HEPA H13 filter with a graphite color. It is practical the only part inside the plastic housing. But this is a advanched filter, it contains three filter layers:

  • Pet (filters haire, dust and larger parts)
  • HEPA H13 – Stops bacteria, mites, pollen and PM2.5 and PM10 dust particals
  • carbon – removes unpleasant odors and things like cigarette smoke.

The purifier is equipped with an RFID reader that knows a original filter.

In the app and in the home assistant integration you can see how many hours we used the purifier and how many percentage is left before we must replace the filter. 3H is the European version and is a better Hepa filter. The filters are widely available at Aliexpress. Most of the shops have 3 different versions, so read about the differences and decide yourself. The price of a filter that hold on for about 6 months is about 30 dollar.

Replacing is easy, open the lit on the back pull on the label and you have removed the filter. Slicing back the new one and you are done for months.

Xiaomi Air purifier 3H in the Mi Home app

The app is simple but effective:

  • Turn your purifier on/off.
  • Shows the temperature and humidity PM2.5 indication and filter state.
  • You can change operational modes.
  • Display control: dimming the screen or turn it off completely.

Connecting is simple but can be hard if you have your app region in mainland China. I had it on China, because most of the other Xiaomi products always works. My purifier was not found, Until I switched my account to a Country in Europe.

  • Open mi-home
  • Choose Germany,
  • Add +, find and connect,
  • Choose your own Wifi

Home automation compatible?

The Xiaomi Mi Home app is quite good and does what it has to do. But You know us, we want everything in one Smart Home platform. In Home Assistant, keep our data private and everything from one app and platform.
Lucky for us this is possible with the Xiaomi Air purifiers. Read on to know how!

Obtain the Mi Air Purifier Token:

For adopting your xiaomi Air Purifier into Home assistant you have to obtain the Mi token.
I have done that with my android tablet. I already have integrated the air purifier into mi-home. But for obtaining the token I have to download and install: version 5.4.54
After opening this older version I signed in with the same account And i saw my air purifier.
I cannot open it because the plugin for it was missing in this version, but actually this was all needed.
Close the app.
Use a file manager to open the log:
I downloaded totalcmd (total command is a free and good file manager).
on the location: /storage/emulated/0/SmartHome/logs/plug_Devicemanager/ there is a log file with the name: date.txt mine was 2020-11-11
that was containing my token:
result={“code”:0,”message”:”ok”,”result”:{“list”:[{“did”:”313880634″,”token”:”ce448bfd0fcdc6d35ad61dc39037245a“,”longitude”:”0.00000000″,”latitude”:”0.00000000″,”name”:”Mi

Add the content to your configuration or add the file itself into your packages folder:

#======================#
#  Mi Air Purifier 3H  #
#======================#
fan:
  - platform: xiaomi_miio
    name: "Mi Air Purifier 3H"
    host: !secret mi_air_host
    token: !secret mi_air_token
    model: zhimi.airpurifier.mb3
input_select:
    mi_air_purifier_mode:
      name: Mode
      options:
        - Auto
        - Silent
        - Favorite
        - Fan
      initial: Auto
      icon: mdi:animation-outline
    mi_air_purifier_coverage:
      name: Coverage
      options:
        - 2-4 m²
        - 5-9 m²
        - 7-12 m²
        - 12-22 m²
        - 14-24 m²
        - 14-25 m²
        - 16-27 m²
        - 17-30 m²
        - 18-32 m²
        - 19-33 m²
        - 20-34 m²
        - 22-38 m²
        - 23-40 m²
        - 26-45 m²
        - 28-49 m²
      initial: 2-4 m²
      icon: mdi:texture-box
input_number:
    mi_air_purifier_favorite_level:
      name: "Favorite level"
      initial: 0
      min: 0
      max: 14
      step: 1
      icon: mdi:weather-windy
    mi_air_purifier_fan_level:
      name: "Fan level"
      initial: 1
      min: 1
      max: 3
      step: 1
      icon: mdi:jquery
input_boolean:
    mi_air_purifier_attributes:
      name: Attributes
      icon: mdi:pencil

switch:
  - platform: template
    switches:
      mi_air_purifier_led:
        friendly_name: "Display"
        value_template: "{{ is_state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'led', true) }}"
        turn_on:
          service: xiaomi_miio.fan_set_led_on
          data:
            entity_id: fan.mi_air_purifier_3h
        turn_off:
          service: xiaomi_miio.fan_set_led_off
          data:
            entity_id: fan.mi_air_purifier_3h
        icon_template: mdi:lightbulb-outline
      mi_air_purifier_child_lock:
        friendly_name: "Child lock"
        value_template: "{{ is_state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'child_lock', true) }}"
        turn_on:
          service: xiaomi_miio.fan_set_child_lock_on
          data:
            entity_id: fan.mi_air_purifier_3h
        turn_off:
          service: xiaomi_miio.fan_set_child_lock_off
          data:
            entity_id: fan.mi_air_purifier_3h
        icon_template: "mdi:lock-outline"        
      mi_air_purifier_buzzer:
        friendly_name: "Buzzer"
        value_template: "{{ is_state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'buzzer', true) }}"
        turn_on:
          service: xiaomi_miio.fan_set_buzzer_on
          data:
            entity_id: fan.mi_air_purifier_3h
        turn_off:
          service: xiaomi_miio.fan_set_buzzer_off
          data:
            entity_id: fan.mi_air_purifier_3h
        icon_template: "mdi:volume-high"

sensor:
  - platform: template
    sensors:
      mi_air_purifier_temp:
        friendly_name: "Temperature"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'temperature') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "°C"
        device_class: "temperature"
      mi_air_purifier_humidity:
        friendly_name: "Humidity"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'humidity') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "%"
        device_class: "humidity"
      mi_air_purifier_air_quality_pm25:
        friendly_name: "Air quality (AQI) PM2.5"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'aqi') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "μg/m³"
        icon_template: "mdi:weather-fog"
      mi_air_purifier_avg_air_quality_pm25:
        friendly_name: "Average air quality (AvgAQI) PM2.5"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'average_aqi') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "μg/m³"
        icon_template: "mdi:weather-hazy"
      mi_air_purifier_use_time:
        friendly_name: "Time used"
        value_template: >
            {% macro phrase(value, name) %}
            {%- set value = value | int %}
            {%- set end = 's' if value > 1 else '' %}
            {{- '{} {}{}'.format(value, name, end) if value | int > 0 else '' }}
            {%- endmacro %}
            
            {% set weeks = (state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'use_time') | int / 604800) | int %}
            {% set days = ((state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'use_time') | int - (weeks * 604800)) / 86400) | int %}
            {% set hours = ((state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'use_time') | int - (weeks * 604800) - (days * 86400)) / 3600) | int %}
            {% set minutes = ((state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'use_time') | int - (weeks * 604800) - (days * 86400) - (hours * 3600)) / 60) | int %}
            {% set seconds = (state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'use_time') | int - (weeks * 604800) - (days * 86400) - (hours * 3600) - (minutes*60)) | int %}
            {{ [ phrase(weeks, 'week'), phrase(days, 'day'), phrase(hours, 'hr'), phrase(minutes, 'min'), phrase(seconds, 'sec') ] | select('!=','') | list | join(', ') }}
        icon_template: "mdi:heart-pulse"
      mi_air_purifier_filter_used:
        friendly_name: "Filter used"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'filter_hours_used') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "hrs"
        icon_template: "mdi:heart-off"
      mi_air_purifier_filter_remaining:
        friendly_name: "Filter remaining"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'filter_life_remaining') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "%"
        icon_template: "mdi:heart-outline"
      mi_air_purifier_purify_volume:
        friendly_name: "Purified volume"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'purify_volume') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "m³"
        icon_template: "mdi:warehouse"
      mi_air_purifier_speed:
        friendly_name: "Motor speed"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'motor_speed') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "rpm"
        icon_template: "mdi:speedometer"
      mi_air_purifier_led_brightness:
        friendly_name: "Led brightness"
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('fan.mi_air_purifier_3h', 'led_brightness') }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "lx"
        icon_template: "mdi:brightness-5"

Test your config, then restart Home Assistant, So Home assistant knows your device.
In the Home Assistant Community store (HACS) is also a frontend card: purifiers. After installing you place the card in your lovelace and choose the already added entity. Another option is to add the code below:

cards:
  - cards:
      - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_air_quality_pm25
        max: 200
        min: 0
        name: AQI PM2.5
        severity:
          green: 0
          red: 150
          yellow: 75
        type: gauge
    type: horizontal-stack
  - entities:
      - entity: fan.mi_air_purifier_3h
      - entity: input_select.mi_air_purifier_mode
    show_header_toggle: false
    type: entities
  - card:
      entities:
        - entity: input_number.mi_air_purifier_favorite_level
        - entity: input_select.mi_air_purifier_coverage
      type: entities
    conditions:
      - entity: input_select.mi_air_purifier_mode
        state: Favorite
    type: conditional
  - card:
      entities:
        - entity: input_number.mi_air_purifier_fan_level
      type: entities
    conditions:
      - entity: input_select.mi_air_purifier_mode
        state: Fan
    type: conditional
  - entities:
      - entity: input_boolean.mi_air_purifier_attributes
    type: entities
    show_header_toggle: false
  - card:
      entities:
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_temp
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_humidity
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_air_quality_pm25
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_avg_air_quality_pm25
        - type: divider
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_use_time
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_filter_used
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_filter_remaining
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_purify_volume
        - type: divider
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_speed
        - entity: sensor.mi_air_purifier_led_brightness
        - type: divider
        - entity: switch.mi_air_purifier_led
        - entity: switch.mi_air_purifier_child_lock
        - entity: switch.mi_air_purifier_buzzer
      show_header_toggle: false
      type: entities
    conditions:
      - entity: input_boolean.mi_air_purifier_attributes
        state: 'on'
    type: conditional
type: vertical-stack

Xiaomi Air purifier 3H can be controlled by Google Home

When the Xiaomi Air Purifier can be controlled in the Xiaomi Mi Home app, it’s very simple to add it into google home and Alexa. In Google Home app, add your Mi-Home and you are ready. I personally don’t used this, because Home Assistant pushed the xiaomi Air purifier already to google. And honestly: I prefer Home Assistant.

Complementary Products / Alternatives

Where to buy?

Most of the times we refer to shops like Banggood or Gearbest or the biggest platform for gadgets and other tech stuff from China: Aliexpress. But this time we bought this product from a shop in the Netherlands: Xiaomiproducts.nl. xiaomi products

A dutch Online shop that sells a lot of Xiaomi products for a fair price. When bought the Air Purifier 3H they shipped it the same day, and because I live in the Netherlands I did not have worry about of the customs and import fees.

Alternative

We reviewed the Alfawise air purifier. It is much cheaper but compared to the Xiaomi it’s a product in a lower range. The Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H wins in all the areas: a bigger and better filter, Smart Home compatible, and it can clean more air.

Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H Review 149
  • Design
    (5)
  • Quality
    (5)
  • Usability
    (5)
  • Home-Automation compatibility
    (5)
  • Price
    (5)
5

Summary

The Xiaomi Air Purifier 3 is one of the most affordable purifiers out. And in Europe the H3 is officially available. This purifier is also app controlled and much smarter than most of the competitors. Controls on device but also in the app are simple but effective. Not only in the Xiaomi app but also google home support and it can be integrated in Home Assistant. This combines with a fair price make this product a must have.

Pros

  • minimalistic design
  • display that can also be turned off
  • affordable
  • Smart-Home compatible
  •  

Cons

  • not clear that an europe xiaomi connection in app is needed.
User Review
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Likes gadgets. Does not like cheese, unless it's on a pizza.
xiaomi-air-purifier-3h-review-best-smart-filterThe Xiaomi Air Purifier 3H model is available in Europe. Works with Xiaomi Mi home app, can be integrated in Home Assistant and has a beautiful design. The letter H at the end means that the product has an improved filter.