Deal | Wi-Fi-enabled Proscenic A9 air filtration system now on sale for $169 USD with Google Home and Amazon Alexa support

The app itself is easy to use with no learning curve involved. Users can choose one of five manual speed settings, a timer, Google Home or Alexa control, and even a Child Lock mode which disables all the other buttons on the unit itself. Auto mode will automatically set the fan speed according to the current air quality. In essence, you'll never need to touch or look at the actual unit until it's time to replace the filter since all of its controls and indicators are found on the app. 

Speaking of filter replacement, a design disadvantage with the A9 involves the filter itself which actually comprises of four sub-filters: the pre-filter, nano-silver ion filter, HEPA filter, and carbon filter in that order starting from the outermost wall. The pre-filter extends the life of the other three filters, the ion filter neutralizes bacteria to inhibit mold, the HEPA filter purifies the air of smoke, pollen, and dust, and the carbon filter captures more toxic chemicals like formaldehyde. The problem is that all these sub-filters have their own unique life expectancies and they each cannot be purchased individually. Thus, you'll have to replace the entire filter if even just one sub-filter has reached end-of-life. We suppose this makes filter replacement easier for end-users, but we can't say it's the most resourceful approach.

Next, we wanted to test the noise of the our medium-sized A9 versus popular alternatives like the Germ Guardian AC4825E and Winix 5300 2-in-1. We placed our microphone exactly 12 inches in front of each device and then tested each fan setting. Our results below show that the Proscenic is quietest when at lower settings, but it is just as loud as the Germ Guardian or Winix when at higher settings. 

There are a couple of features that we would like to see on the A9. Firstly, there is no ambient light sensor unlike on the Winix which means that the unit will only go to low-power mode when scheduled. Secondly, the "lights off" mode turns off all the LEDs on the unit except for one which somewhat defeats the purpose of the mode in the first place. And thirdly, the schedule feature works only for setting fan speeds meaning you cannot toggle "lights off" mode with the scheduler. There are also no convenient handle bars on the A9 unlike on the Germ Guardian or Winix which makes transporting the Proscenic a bit more cumbersome.

The A9 is still a great filter especially on lower fan settings where it can be quieter than expected given the size.

The A9 is still a great filter especially on lower fan settings where it can be quieter than expected given the size. Black or gray color options would have been nice to see depending on the home office setup.