Shark—the brand developed by SharkNinja—is a pioneer in small household appliances and cleaning solutions, including home air purifiers. We’ve picked the best of its highly functional and innovative air purifier models—the HP1202, HP202, HE402, and HE601—to compare and give our honest and fair assessment. Let’s get to the review!
Shark HP102 Air Purifier with Nanoseal and True HEPA
First up is the Shark HP102, the cheapest of the bunch at just over $200. The most compact of our four contenders (8.66 inches long, 8.66 inches wide, and 14.56 inches high), it still packs a fast and powerful punch. Here are its main features:
Anti-allergen HEPA multifilter
This air purifier’s nanoseal and true HEPA filter work to catch pet hair, dander, and allergens, capturing 99.98% of all-sized particles (large, small, and micro). Smoke, carbon dust, viruses, and mold don’t stand a chance. Other HEPA air purifiers can release up to ten times more particles back into the air, making the HP102 an overall cleaner and healthier option. Plus, the filter is treated with microban, meaning bacteria growth on its surface is significantly reduced.
As well as trapping dust and dirt, the filter has an odor lock, protecting against household odors from cooking, cleaning products, tobacco smoke, etc.
Low-profile design
As we’ve mentioned, the HP102 is a compact appliance. Its discreet design fits into any home’s aesthetic and any room or space.
Full room coverage
Although small, the HP102 is a powerful air purifier and can purify up to 500 square feet per one air change per hour. This feature makes it perfect for bedrooms, nurseries, offices, home gyms, and more.
LED display
The LED display on the appliance conveniently shows the air quality of your space in particulate matter (PM). You can toggle between three particle sizes: PM10 (dust, mold, pollen), PM2.5 (smoke, bacteria), and PM1 (viruses, ultra-fine allergens).
Clean Sense IQ
This technology tracks the air quality in your home and auto-adjusts the purifier’s power to ensure clean air is constantly maintained. The appliance even goes into ECO mode to maintain efficiency.
Pure Air Microforce
The HP1202’s powerful fan generates fast, powerful, and quiet purification of your living spaces, despite the device’s compact canister design.
The Pros
As you’ve read, the HP102 is a small yet mighty air purifier. Its innovative features and true HEPA filter are perfect for households with pets and people with allergies. Users praise its power, immediately noticing the difference in air quality on its first use. They love how it’s simple and easy to use (even changing the filters) and find the LED display helpful in showing the percentage of clean air and when the filter needs to be changed. Reviewers also like the light weight of the appliance, making it easy to move from room to room when needed. Plus, it looks good, with its compact and clean design.
The Cons
Although highly recommended, the HP102 has been criticized for not including full written instructions (these need to be looked up and downloaded online), and there is no remote control, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth connection.
- POWERFUL PURIFICATION: Pure Air Microforce uses a powerful, fast fan to deliver 4 speeds of purification based...
- EXCEEDS HEPA STANDARDS: Anti Allergen NANOSEAL captures more micropollutants than HEPA standards require....
- AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS: Clean Sense IQ tracks air quality and constantly adjusts power to maintain clean air in...
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Shark HP202 Air Purifier MAX with True HEPA
How could Shark improve on the HP102? By creating the Shark HP202! Boasting the same innovative features as the HP102 but with its ability to clean up to 1200 square feet (as opposed to 500), the HP202 has the edge in terms of quality and performance. This device is only slightly larger and heavier, meaning that it’s just as sleek and portable, despite packing a bigger punch cleaning-wise.
The Pros
As we’ve mentioned, this air purifier comes with the high-quality features of the HP102, including the true HEPA filter, Pure Air Microforce, LED display, Clean Sense IQ, etc. But this model is ideal if you’re looking for an air purifier that can clean over twice the space as the HP102.
The Cons
Although reviews are overall positive for the HP202, stating that it makes an excellent upgrade for just $100 more, there is some criticism. The cons mainly point to its lack of a pre-filter, which some users expect to see at this price point. Although the HP202 can clean larger areas, no pre-filter means it’s not entirely effective in collecting hair and preventing clogging.
- POWERFUL PURIFICATION: Pure Air Microforce uses a powerful, fast fan to deliver 4 speeds of purification based...
- EXCEEDS HEPA STANDARDS: Anti Allergen NANOSEAL captures more micropollutants than HEPA standards require....
- AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS: Clean Sense IQ tracks air quality and constantly adjusts power to maintain clean air in...
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Shark HE402 Air Purifier 4
For an additional $100, you can purchase Shark’s HE402 purifier. And why the price increase? This larger appliance (17 inches by 8.9 inches by 24.29 inches) cleans up to 1000 square feet and comes with four-fan technology. The four high-speed microfans work together to distribute airflow across the purifier’s filter evenly. The result? Even more effective air purification with the power of a full-sized fan, but at an ultra-quiet volume.
In addition to this premium fan system, the HE402 includes a remote control that can operate the purifier up to 15 feet away. The remote control can customize the fan speeds, power mode, brightness, and more. Plus, you can dim or turn off the appliance’s light panels to ensure an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
The Pros
Clearly, the HE402 is a significant upgrade that’s well worth the price hike. Users can enjoy powerful yet quiet air purification for a large area with the added convenience of remote control.
The Cons
Users are unanimously happy with the HP102’s performance, with any slight grumbles directed at difficulties in obtaining replacement filters.
- 4-FAN AIRFLOW: 4 high-speed micro-fans work together to evenly distribute airflow across the filter.
- ULTRA-FAST MEETS ULTRA-QUIET: Four high-speed fans provide a remarkably quiet clean, and an incredibly fast...
- TRACKS & ADJUSTS AUTOMATICALLY: Clean Sense IQ tracks air quality and auto-adjusts power to constantly...
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Shark HE601 Air Purifier 6
Last on our list is the Shark HE601—the largest of the bunch (weighing 20 pounds) and arguably the best value for money. Like the HE402, it has multiple fans, but six instead of four for extra fast cleaning of an extra-large area. The HE601 comes with the previous three purifier’s technology, features, and remote control.
The Pros
If you want quiet, fast, efficient air purification in an extra-large space, you can’t go wrong with the HE601!
The Cons
Like the HE402, some users have complained about the difficulty in obtaining replacement filters (these need to be changed every six to twelve months). Additionally, some customers have questioned the efficacy of the purifier’s sensors (stating that it often indicates 100% good air quality when this may be doubtful). However, most users are delighted with the overall quality, performance, value for money, performance, and design.
- 6-FAN AIRFLOW: Six high-speed micro-fans work together to evenly distribute airflow across the filter.
- ULTRA-FAST MEETS ULTRA-QUIET: With multiple smaller fans, you get a remarkably quiet clean, and an incredibly...
- TRACKS & ADJUSTS AUTOMATICALLY: Clean Sense IQ tracks air quality and auto-adjusts power to constantly...
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Our Verdict
It’s no wonder that Shark is quickly becoming the go-to for many consumers wishing to purchase a good-quality air purifier for their living or workspaces. All four models we’ve discussed in this article stand up well to scrutiny, and the main differences entail the size of space they can clean and whether they come with remote control. The appliance you pick comes down to your specific requirements, but you won’t be disappointed with any of these models.
