Dyson tackles indoor air pollution with Pure Cool purifier

Dyson's Air Multiplier tech has been around for a while now. It's that unmistakable blade-free design that defines the brand's fans, heaters and humidifiers . As of today, the team is adding a new product to the Multiplier platform -- an air purifier-fan hybrid called the Pure Cool.

If you happen to live in a place where pollution is particularly prevalent, your local media may issue occasional smog alerts suggesting that you stay home. Unfortunately, indoor air quality can be a concern as well.

According to Dyson, "The problem is microscopic particles suspended in the atmosphere. When we breathe them in, they cluster on the lining of the lungs. Ultrafine particles can travel even further into the lungs - their small size meaning they can collect in the smaller branches and gas exchange regions of the lungs. They've been linked to respiratory problems, heart attacks, and even skin aging." That certainly doesn't sound good.

This new air-purifying fan is supposed to fix most of that. It boasts a 360-degree glass HEPA filter that claims to be able to rid your home of 99.95 percent of those "ultrafine particles." Dyson says it put the Pure Cool to the test with cigarette-smoke-enveloped rooms and more, but that the performance of the filter and DC motor remained steady.

The Pure Cool is scheduled to make its retail debut in China and Japan in April, with availability in the US and elsewhere to follow. Pricing is set at CN¥5,190 in China (roughly $835, £565 and AU$1,090 at the current exchange rate), and ¥69,984 in Japan ($580, £390 and AU$760). In Singapore you'll pay S$999 ($725) with replacement filters setting you back S$79 ($54).

Given that there's a pretty significant difference between CN¥5,190 and ¥69,984, it's a little tough to lock down reliable estimates for other countries right now. Dyson's existing Air Multiplier products range in price from $300 to $450, so I'd expect the Pure Cool to be priced somewhere in that ballpark. We'll be sure to keep track of international availability and update this piece when we learn more.