If you’ve reached this post, then chances are that you are confused between Honeywell i8 vs i9 air purifiers. Two great air purifiers but whose difference is not very easy to get. Earlier we published a detailed Honeywell Air Touch i9 Purifier review. It has a sleek design, affordable price range and performs excellently as advertised. We’ll soon bring out a review of Honeywell i9 air purifier too. Both of which are two best Honeywell purifiers with a perfect HEPA filter, aesthetic build and noise-free operation. This article serves as a one-stop answer to knowing the difference between i8 and i9 air purifiers. Hence, brace up for a solid Honeywell Air Touch i8 versus i9 review.
HONEYWELL i8 vs i9 – Compare Air Touch i8 and i9
Honeywell company and its products do not need introduction to the Indian users. However, here’s one so that you feel well-informed about them. Honeywell was founded in 1906, and today is one of the Fortune 100 companies. They manufacture in 4 different arenas and are known for their cutting edge technology. They have become quite popular in India and have 50+ centres here to cater to customers. Just visit their product page and you’ll be surprised to see so many products they make. When it comes to air purifiers AirTouch i8 and i9 are two of the optimum models. They have a good coverage area which would suffice for most Indian homes. Plus, both of them have a digital real-time pollution indicator, one feature I like the most to see in the air purifiers I review. All this and some more information is what you can expect to see in this Honeywell i8 vs i9 air purifier post.
HONEYWELL AIR PURIFIER AIR TOUCH SERIES
Air purifiers remove harmful toxins and allergens from the air. So obviously you want the best for you and your family! Who doesn’t want to live a healthy lifestyle within their own home? If you have an allergy or suffer from asthma, this is an absolute must-have item. Living in a large home? No problem. The Honeywell Air Touch series has some of the better air purifiers models. Take for instance the various models- Air Touch A5 (HAC25M1201W), Air Touch i5, Air Touch i8, Air Touch i9, Air Touch i11, Air Touch P, S8 and so on. One would literally sweat out in knowing the differences between them apart from the apparent price gap. There is a lot of confusion around the models as they are identified by model numbers and not names mostly.
Honeywell Air Touch i9 is an upgrade from the previous i8 version. Air Touch i9 can cover a whopping 400 sq. ft. of space! Living near a dusty or construction zone can be a nightmare. No issues as far as you own one of these two air purifiers. The Air Touch series air purifiers have a Honeywell proprietary HEPA filter.
Below, we’ve covered the major differences between these two products. While their prices vary, both models have some advantages and disadvantages as compared to one another. Without further ado, lets take a look and decide the best fit yourself!
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HONEYWELL i8 vs i9
1. COVERAGE AREA
- Honeywell Air Touch i9 has a slightly larger coverage area than i8. Air Touch i9 can cater to 415 sq.ft. (39 sq.m) while i8 can clean 387 sq.ft.(36 sq.m). Higher versions like Air Touch i11 can cover up to 42 sq.m. The company states that for rooms of areas up to 300 sq. ft. or 29 sq.m, these products can bring down the AQI to an acceptable level within 15 minutes of usage. However, customers in places with perilous air conditions stated the in Auto mode, the purifier kept running at full speed continuously.
2. PRICE Honeywell AirTouch i8 Versus i9
We know this is the first thing on your mind.
- There is no difference in price between Honeywell Air Touch i8 and i9 models. As per Honeywell’s own websites, they are priced the same. But remember air purifiers needs their filters replaced periodically. Currently, the cost of a replacement filter for Air Touch i9 is INR 300 more than the replacement filter cost for Honeywell Air Touch i8 version. The company suggests that filters be changed annually. No real difference therefore.
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3. WEIGHT AND SIZE DIFFERENCE
Both models have quite similar looks with an oblong, cylindrical body and a glossy finish. They stand 60 cm tall and it is advised that the purifiers are placed at least 30 cm away from walls to ensure good airflow.
- The Honeywell Air Touch i8 weighs 7 Kgs while Air Touch i9 is lighter in weight despite having a sturdy build.
4. DESIGN
There is no difference in the design of the air purifiers as far as air cleaning is concerned. Both products have vents on the sides for sucking in air which passes through the filters. The fan is positioned just like an exhaust fine. The airflow is such that a 3-dimensional airflow is generated. All air purifier controls are placed on the top console. Both devices have similar control panels. In the center, there is the LED display and on either side, there are 3 buttons. Child lock feature is present in both models and it is safeguarded with an anti-fall design.
5. SMART MODE
Only the Air Touch i9 is equipped with a Smart Eye Technology. This means that it can automatically sense and monitor the pollution level of the room. In this smart (or auto, if you will) mode, when the amount of PM2.5 in the air falls below 25 µg/cu m, the device automatically turns off. It will still continue monitoring the PM2.5 level at regular intervals and will resume working once it crosses beyond 75 µg/cu m. Over time, this can save up on costs. Both products have a power consumption of 42 watts.
6. FILTERS
Comparing Honeywell i8 vs i9 on the basis of filters does not yield much. Both use a pre-filter to filter out larger dust particles greater than PM10. Inside, there is a HEPA 11 filter with a HiSiv activated carbon filter to remove formaldehyde and odour. The filters have a total life of around 3000 hours, but this is subject to the amount of pollution where you live.
7. COLOR OPTIONS
Honeywell Air Touch i8 is currently available in two colors – White and Champagne Gold. While Air Touch i9 is only available in Gold as of yet. Both products have a white top and base with a black control panel on the top face.
ALSO READ ON: HONEYWELL AIR TOUCH A5
COMMON FEATURES AND BUILD
There are some similarities between both the Honeywell Air Touch i8 and i9 models. Both i8 and i9 uses a three-stage advanced filtration system that removes pollutants with more than 99% efficiency. Both have digital displays located on top which shows the current PM2.5 level of the room. These two models use a side-to-top airflow where the fan pulls polluted air from the side mesh and emits pure air from the top grill. The product body is made from ultra-durable polycarbonate. Neither Air Touch i8 nor i9 releases any harmful gases and are 100% ozone free.
Other Features Common To Both The Models Are As Follows-
- The LED digital display shows the current pollution reading and it is also signified with the help of an LED light that can flash 3 colors. Laser sensors continuously monitor your home.
- Sleep mode is present. With this, you can be assured of minimal noise.
- The sound emitted by the products range from 38 to 63 dB. 63 dB as several user reviews claim translates to quite a bit of noise at higher speeds.
- Indicator lights are present to remind users to replace filters on time.
NOISE AND SLEEP MODE
Honeywell Air Touch i9 was identified by most customers as generating quite some noise at higher fan speeds. In sleep mode, you can choose to switch off all the LED lights. This is a boon for light sleepers who are bothered by lights. A problem some users faced was that if the device was left on Automode at night, then it would suddenly become loud (go to higher fan speed) as required by the AQI and this is disturbing to those who wake up easily.
WHICH IS THE WINNER? HONEYWELL i8 vs i9
Overall, Honeywell i9 performs better and is lighter. Smart Mode can save energy in the long term. The only choice users will have to make is whether the more expensive replacement filters every year is something they are willing to make or not. Honeywell AirTouch i8 is quite a celebrated product and has good performance filters as well. Over time, replacement filter costs can obviously add up.
