Morento HY4866-WF Air Purifier review: Little footprint, big impact

Best Prices Today: Morento HY4866-WF Air Purifier

We don’t often see air purifiers with Wi-Fi support below the $100 mark, but Morento’s HY4866-WF can–for the moment, anyway–be yours for roughly $78, thanks to a deep discount available via Amazon (be sure to clip the coupon before checkout). 

Befitting its rock-bottom price, the Morento unit features a small-fry design that feels built for in-the-corner or under-the-desk deployment.

If you don’t mind a little noise, the Morento HY4866-WF is an exceptionally good deal. 

Design

The squared-off device is 16 x 12 x 7 inches (HxWxD), with a weight of 8 pounds. Air is pulled in through the front of the unit, passes through a HEPA filter (no rating specified), and emitted through a central vent on the top of the device.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best air purifiers.

The design features a clinical, off-white shell with a mismatched but not unattractive gray grille on top, and my test device featured two large stickers adhering to the front of the device. One left a significant amount of residue behind after I removed it. 

Controls and display

Operationally, the unit offers few immediate surprises. Controls are all mounted on the top of the device and include access to four fan speed modes, an auto mode setting that ramps up power based on ambient air quality, and a sleep mode button. Three countdown timers–2, 5, and 8 hours–are available here, as is a child lock button.

On the front panel of the unit is a status display that provides a numerical measurement of PM2.5 levels, ringed by a color-coded band corresponding to either green (good), orange (moderate), or red (bad) AQI levels. These levels match up closely with the EPA’s AQI grades.

Beneath the PM2.5 reading is a visual indicator of remaining filter life. Once the horizontal line of dots disappears, it’s time to replace the filter. Filters are rated for 2,000 hours or running time; replacements run about $24 for a two-pack.

Air purification

While small in stature, Morento does market this purifier as suitable for “large rooms,” boasting a maximum coverage area of 1,076 square feet. A single CADR rating of 176 cubic feet per minute is impressive for a device of this size, though to get there you’ll need to crank up the blower.

Even on its lowest standard setting, the unit puts out more noise than I’d like, emitting a low-level, slightly rattly hum that isn’t quite a nuisance but is definitely noticeable, while in sleep mode the fan is functionally inaudible. At its fastest fan speed, the volume level is certainly loud but not overwhelming, and the purifier was quick to clean dirty air based on my tests with smoke. 

Mobile app

Morento includes a mobile app, or, I should say, it works with one: the Havaworks app, which is a kind of do-it-all smart home device ecosystem that supports an array of products. The app connects to the purifier quickly via a Bluetooth connection and bridges to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network without complaint.

The app itself could certainly use a little attention. While the hardware controls are replicated within the app dutifully, some layout problems mean that some options (like the fastest fan speed) aren’t easily visible without scrolling, and labels (like 1F through 4F as indicators of fan speed) haven’t been effectively converted into English. 

A five-day history of PM2.5 levels–both inside and outside–is a nice addition to the main page, but outdoor temperature is displayed in Celsius despite my settings being configured for Fahrenheit.

A scheduling function–the only additional operational feature in the mix–is extremely basic, requiring you to set up separate schedules for “on” and “off” rather than setting running times all at once. The unit does connect to both Alexa and Google Home, however, which offers greater scheduling flexibility.

Lastly, you can also opt to receive push notifications in the event that air quality hits moderate or heavy pollution levels. I found that all of these functions worked well and quickly during my testing. 

Aside from the noise issue mentioned above, my only complaint with the purifier is that its sleep mode function doesn’t dim all the lights on the unit, only the front panel. The pair of status lights on the top of the unit aren’t bright, but a proper sleep mode should have no lights visible at all. At least it’s a problem that can be solved with a little electrical tape. 

Specifications

Dimensions: 16 x 12 x 7 inches (HxWxD)

Weight: 8 pounds

CADR: 176 cfm

Filter type: HEPA

Wireless: Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only) and Bluetooth

Mobile app: Yes

Smart home integrations: Alexa and Google Home

Should you buy the Morento HY4866-WF air purifier?

Morento’s HY4866-WF carries a $160 MSRP, but its current price of just $70 makes it a massive bargain considering effectiveness (given its small size) and mobile app support.

If you don’t mind a little noise (and hacking your way to a lightless sleep), it’s actually an exceptionally good deal. 

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