While air purifiers were still a real niche product a few years ago, demand has increased immensely in the last two years. Here, the Corona pandemic in particular bears a great responsibility. Corresponding devices should ensure reliable air exchange and thus declare war on the notorious aerosols. Today, we want to take a closer look at a cleaning system for home use with the Boneco W400.
Why an air purifier?
Even in non-pandemic times, an air purification device is a really good idea. In doing so, the W400 isn’t just to make sure your indoor air is a little cleaner. On top of that, it eliminates the great risk of catching a cold, which is especially prevalent within our own four walls during the cold months. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the cold outside temperature that causes coughs and colds. Rather, respiratory diseases are favoured by excessively dry mucous membranes, which in turn can be traced back to an incorrect room climate.
Here also regular airing helps often unfortunately only very little. Although one gets oneself again a portion oxygen into the dwelling, at the dryness of the air changes however only in the rarest cases something. This can be attributed to the composition of the outside air. After all, it also contains very little water vapor. An air washer such as the W400 is the perfect solution for containing the spread of viruses and bacteria. This provides a remedy by not only filtering and cleaning the room air, but also humidifying it on top of that.
Scope of delivery
There is not much to say about the scope of delivery. Here, Boneco concentrates on the most important things and does without unnecessary bells and whistles. In addition to the air washer itself, the matching power supply, an instruction manual and the usual paperwork are in the chic cardboard box.
Technical details
| Manufacturer | Boneco |
| Mains voltage | 100 – 240V~ 50 / 60Hz |
| Power consumption | 3.0 – 12.7 W |
| Humidification power up to | 400 g/h |
| Suitable for room sizes up to | 60 m² |
| Max. Capacity | 12 liters |
| Dimensions | 400 mm x 280 mm x 433 mm |
| Empty weight | 6.45 kg |
| Operating volume | Stage 1: 25 dB, Stage 2: 55 dB |
| Price | € 349.97 * |
Design and workmanship
A few years ago, systems for air purification were only found in offices and other not really homely places. Accordingly, the design of the devices also looked rather bulky and very industrial. However, anyone who places an air purifier in their own four walls does not want to have precisely that. Boneco has taken this to heart with its W400 thanks to a very simple design.
The air washer does not stand out negatively and can be easily placed in any room without looking too bulky. Here, the modern and noble white color scheme also comes into its own. Apart from the design, the build quality can also score points. This is already noticeable when it comes to setting up the cleaning device. This is not only child’s play, but also makes it clear that every single part has been manufactured to a high standard.
The operation
The operation of the air washer also proves to be self-explanatory. Here you can feel that this is a product for home use, which can be easily controlled even by laymen. For the first use, one can easily orientate oneself by the enclosed Quick-Use-Guide.
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First of all, remove the water tank from the device. One fills this now up to approximately half. The tank can then be placed back into the device. Only when the water-filled tank is back in the air washer, connect the W400 to the power supply. Now you are ready to start. A simple push of a button on the large control dial is all it takes to turn on the air washer. Now you can adjust the strength to your liking by turning the knob to the left or right. To turn off the device, you just have to press the dial again.
The W400 doesn’t just allow you to clean the air. On top of that, it allows you to release fragrant odors into the air in your room. For this, you only have to drip your desired fragrance into the small compartment provided for this purpose. This can be opened with a simple click mechanism. The W400 then emits fragrant steam instead of simple water vapor. We particularly like the fact that the fragrance oil does not come into contact with the technology or the water container itself. This makes cleaning afterwards much easier. After all, you only have to clean the small compartment for the fragrance from residues.
The practical test
Enough of the theory! Once you have set up the air washer, you want to try it out right away. The W400 does not have a wide range of features, but what should an air washer do other than clean the air?! The basic principle is quickly explained. When you turn on the W400, it works as long as there is water in the tank. If the water is empty, the air washer also stops working. Since many will place an air purifier in the living room, of course the volume plays a big role. After all, you don’t want music, conversations or movie sound to be drowned out by an annoying drone. In our practical test, we could breathe a sigh of relief – at least at the lowest level. Boneco’s W400 purred like a little kitten. If you want to increase the intensity, however, the air washer can already be heard clearly.
If you operate the unit on the lowest setting, you really have to listen to it to really hear anything. But what applies in the living room doesn’t have to prevail in other parts of the home. If you need absolute silence when falling asleep, you will find the W400 to be an annoying noise even on the lowest setting. In this case, it may be advisable to let the device provide a good room climate for some time before going to bed. But how does it actually look if you use the air purifier rather moderately than regularly? It is in the nature of normal tap water that sooner or later microbes collect.
Now, if you let this water evaporate, it’s really concerning for the indoor air. The Swiss developers at Boneco obviously kept this in mind as well. After all, the company relies on a special stick for the special tub, the heart of the air purifier. More precisely, it is a special jacket with Ionic Silver. The silver ions of the stick are permanently released into the water and are intended to contain any microbial growth. Boneco itself recommends replacing this stick at least once a year to ensure maximum hygiene.
Practical gadgets from Boneco
In Boneco’s online store, you can buy custom gadgets designed to further enhance the user experience of the W400. Probably one of the most practical purchases is the thermo-hygrometer Boneco X200. With its help, you can measure the indoor climate in your own four walls. In addition to the temperature, it also shows you the humidity. Thus, it is ideal for checking which cleaning level is most suitable before commissioning.
Who wants to ensure a perfect indoor climate, should be between 45 percent and 55 percent humidity. Not only values that are below this are disadvantageous. While too dry air can be harmful to the respiratory tract, too high humidity can lead to the formation of mold. Consequently, it is advisable to carry out appropriate monitoring of humidity.
What does an air washer do anyway?
While air purifiers are on everyone’s lips, one or the other may wonder what purpose an air washer should serve. We want to explain briefly how the principle works in the W400:
The heart of the air washer is the wheel inside. This is covered with nylon. The special cover sucks itself piece by piece with the water in the water tank and is permanently moistened. The circulation of the wheel ensures that the room air is sucked in, which is located around the W400. The device is capable of sucking in ambient air even in large rooms up to 60 m² in size. The device filters the sucked air through the nylon cover. During this process, air particles such as dust, animal hair or other allergens (pollen & Co.) are filtered out of the air. They simply get stuck in the nylon cover. Since the nylon constantly absorbs liquid during circulation and remains moistened, not only pure air, is delivered, but on top of that for a more humid air is provided.
The cleaning
We had the W400 for a week in use. However, you have to think about the obligatory cleaning of such an air washer only after a few months. Nevertheless, we tried it out as a test. Again, it comes positively to bear that the Swiss manufacturer pays attention to an uncomplicated assembly.
So you can easily put the tub of the W400 in your dishwasher and clean it like your dishes. What applies to the tub also applies to the evaporation mat. You can simply remove this from the wheel and then clean it in the washing machine. Since these are the only two components of the W400 that require cleaning every now and then, maintenance of the air washer is pleasantly straightforward.
The results
Of course, the W400 also takes some time to noticeably improve the indoor climate of a living space. Thanks to a cheap hygrometer that we have in our possession, I could literally watch how the humidity in the room increased. The Boneco W400 really does a great job here. But how can we breathe in a freshly humidified room? Since the cold season is just starting again, I also like to feel a scratchy throat in the morning.
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I noticed that this was primarily due to the room air being too dry when I took my first breath in the freshly humidified room. Maybe I just imagined it, but I felt that the air was much fresher. Without further ado, I moved the W400 into the bedroom. The next morning, I really did not have a scratchy throat. However, the noise was a bit disturbing. Those who have sensitive ears while sleeping will have to do without fresh air in the bedroom or resort to using earplugs.
Practical control via app
While former products from Boneco could only be controlled on the device itself, the Swiss offer a practical app for Android and iOS to match the W400. This makes the already straightforward controls even easier. It’s just convenient to turn the device on or off, or adjust the intensity, from your couch with your smartphone in hand.
In the process, a desired humidity can even be set via app. Once set, the W400 takes care of the rest. In addition, the app offers you a number of different modes. While SLEEP does everything to ensure that you enjoy the best room climate during your well-deserved sleep, BABY creates the best climatic conditions for your offspring.
What sounds good in theory unfortunately did not translate into practice for me as an iPhone owner. After all, I was completely unable to establish a Bluetooth connection with the air washer. Even switching to my wife’s iPhone or my now somewhat dusty iPad did not solve the problem. However, I see the app more as a “nice to have” anyway. So Boneco does not afford a total failure here. Android owners may be in a better position here.
Conclusion
Should you basically suffer from too dry indoor air during the cold seasons, an air washer like the W400 is the perfect solution for you. Unlike many air conditioners of this size, the air purifier delivers measurable and also noticeable results. At the same time, the device does not stand out negatively at all thanks to its unobtrusive modern design. Operation is also child’s play. It can be set up in no time, operated at the push of a button or via an app, and cleaned in just a few steps. The W400 doesn’t really mean any work for you. However, you should not forget that the traditional Swiss company also charges a corresponding price for this quality. For the Boneco W400 you have to dig deep into your pockets with € 349.97 *.
However, the benefits should certainly quickly outweigh the costs for many people who suffer from poor indoor air. However, those looking for an air washer for the bedroom while still being a light sleeper should be aware that the device does not work completely quietly even on the lowest setting. I would also have liked to try out the extensive app features. However, I have to say from experience that you use such comfort features once and never again. Sooner or later, at least I like to switch to manual operation. All in all, the W400 does a great job. The cold season can come!
BONECO W400
Workmanship
Comfort
Performance
Value for money
85/100
With the BONECO W400, you get a strong defense against the impending cold season in your own four walls. However, the air washer could be a little quieter.
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