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Solenco Purification Pal review: an air purifier designed with babies and kids in mind
Great for improving air quality by combating allergens and viruses, air purifiers are gaining in popularity. We tested this kid-friendly model in a real family home.
By Poppy O'Neill | Last updated Feb 28, 2024
Price on writing: £70 | Buy now from Amazon
Freshens the room effectively
Easy to set up
Simple controls
Light enough for travel
Cute animal design
Quiet
Blue nightlight
Easily knocked over by little ones
Size: 17D x 25W x 25H cm | Max room size: 10m² | Filter type: H13 HEPA + Activated charcoal | Power source: Mains
How we tested
Over the course of a month, our tester Joseph put the Solenco Purification Pal through its paces in his 11-month-old's bedroom in their home. He made detailed notes on the air purifier's effectiveness, ease of use and how much of a difference it made to the air quality in his daughter's room.
Related: The best dehumidifiers for tackling damp at home
Our verdict
This is an effective air purifier perfect for improving air quality in babies' and kids' rooms. It's quiet enough to have on while sleeping, has a cute, child-friendly design with a choice of 3 animal faces, plus it makes a real and noticeable difference to your home.
With a HEPA air filter to effectively remove airborne bacteria, viruses, dust and pollens, it's useful for families with allergies as well as those who want to improve the air quality in their home due to damp issues. At just 35w, it's cheap to run and suitable for rooms up to 10m².
We have found the room feels a lot fresher, as if we have had the windows open for the day.
While we didn't love the blue tone of the night light and would have preferred a choice of colours, otherwise it's hard to fault.
How easy is the Solenco Purification Pal to set up?
Getting started with this air purifier couldn't have been easier. It's a simple case of plugging the device in at the mains, then the buttons are pretty self-explanatory:
On/Off
Nightlight
Fan speed
Timer
The Purification Pal has two light settings, three fan speeds and can be set on a 2, 4 or 8-hour timer.
What's the Solenco Purification Pal like to use day-to-day?
With condensations and damp causing issues with the air quality in our tester Joseph's home over the winter months, he wanted to try out an air purifier to make sure the air was as clean as possible for his baby daughter.
Joseph could really notice the difference the Solenco Purification Pal made to his home, saying it made the room much fresher, and was like he'd "had the windows open for the day. We have really appreciated this especially during the winter when we wouldn’t want to open the windows and let cold air in."
With the purifier's fan on its lowest setting, it was easy to sleep with the Purification Pal quietly working its magic overnight. However, Joseph found the blue light less than relaxing, so opted to turn it off during the evening and overnight. He thought a different or second colour option would be more useful as a soothing night light, as blue light isn't associated with good sleep or relaxation.
In terms of design, the cute cat face on the Purification Pal is appealing, but its round, drum-like shape meant when his daughter crawled over to investigate, it inevitably fell over and rolled about. Joseph thought a handle would make a good addition, to make it easier to pick up and move out of the way.
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Is the Solenco Purification Pal good value for money?
At £70, the Purification Pal is mid-priced compared to other air purifiers. Joseph especially liked its portable size, making it versatile enough for use at home or away. If you're looking for an effective air purifier designed especially for kids, this one comes highly recommended.
About the author
Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She's been researching and reviewing baby and child products for 3 years, with a particular focus on baby essentials, toys and books for toddlers and outdoor play equipment. From potties to paddling pools and bunk beds to bedtime stories, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the best products out there.
Poppy is also an award-winning, best-selling children's and parenting author of books such as Don't Worry, Be Happy, The Extraordinary Book That Makes You Feel Happy and Mother Power. She specialises in children's mental health and her books are used by therapists, teachers and SENCOs across the UK. She won a The Week Junior Book Award in 2023, her books have been translated into several languages and she's been featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Sun.
After earning a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Leeds and a PGCert in Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism from University of the Arts London, she worked in fashion for most of her 20s. When her children were young, she undertook an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Chichester and re-trained as an author and freelance writer.
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