IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier Review 2023 | Medical Grade Unit - Gadget Review
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IQAir is a well-respected indoor air quality educational partner of the American Lung Association, backed by the ALA's president as a company that shares the same passion for protecting the public from polluted indoor air, and the IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier sets a standard reflective of that commitment with its industry-leading, safe, mechanical particle filtration. Read more about the best air purifier for mold here.
Our review of the GC Multigas Air Purifier, IQAir's flagship machine for multiple chemical sensitives, volatile organic compounds, gas, and odor filtration, demonstrates superior consumer air purification that straddles the line between industrial and retail machines. After the break, check out our full IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier Review and see why it is among the top-rated air purifiers.
Overview
WHY IT'S A TOP PICK: One of the best air purifiers for VOCs and smoke that consumers can buy.
Price: $1299 on Amazon
Available: Now
Model: GC Multigas
Summary: The IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier is a phenomenal, pure-mechanical air purifier that uses a medical-grade HEPA and multi-cylinder activated carbon filters to remove allergens, dust, pollen, gases, smoke, and VOCs from the air. The only thing you have to ask yourself is how much electricity does an air purifier use? Will it be a drain on your energy?
What We Liked
- Simple control elements that remove the guesswork
- No ozone output
- Heavy-duty carbon filtration
- Sturdy machine (you can easily see why this unit costs $1299)
What We Didn't
- A little too bulky – users unable to perform their own maintenance may require assistance
- No smart features – control only available on the machine itself
IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier Specifications
 | |
|---|---|
| IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier | |
| Max Coverage | 1125 Sq Ft |
| Weight | 29 lb |
| Max Noise | 63 dB |
| Max Electrical Consumption | 400 Watts |
| Height | 28″ |
| Width | 16″ |
| Depth | 15″ |
| Warranty | 10 year |
| Price | $1299 |
| Buy Now | |
Design
Dressed in attractive yet professional packaging, the IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier comes well protected in several layers of plastic wrap and Styrofoam with its user manual, quick-start instructions, testing certifications, and authenticity information at the top of the box. Once removed from the shipping container, the air purifier boldly states that other machines will struggle to compete. It looks like something you would see in a doctor's office – not necessarily bad if you value indoor air quality. Blue support struts run vertically along two sides of the purification structure and can be snapped out of place to remove filter housing substructures within the unit. Caster wheels come with the unit and can be installed to facilitate easier relocation of the very large machine. For those looking for a car air purifier, then our IQAir Atem car review should be of value.
Much like the Alen BreathSmart air purifier, IQAir's GC Multigas Air Purifier is designed for large areas requiring a powerful purifier meant to remove the air's densest smoke, gas, and VOCs. Meant for rooms as large as 1,125 sq ft, the machine pulls air through a proprietary HyperHEPA IQAir GC Multigas pre-filter (located at the bottom of the unit in a removable tray), upward through multiple activated carbon cylinders which remove VOCs and odors, a secondary stage of the carbon filters which treats via chemisorption to destroy harmful chemicals in the air like formaldehyde, and finally through a post-filter sleeve which prevents activated carbon particulate from escaping from the air that's returned to the treated environment. You can also check out our IQAir Healthpro Plus air purifier review for an almost similar yet effective air purifier. Or, pick up the best air purifier for VOCs and formaldehyde.
Watch this video of IQAir's president demonstrating the effectiveness of a HealthPro Plus model (a step below the GC Multigas for its ability to filter smoke) with smoke grenades:
The purifier measures 28″ (h) x 16″ (w) x 15″ (d) and can fit comfortably in most living spaces, although, we recommend having an area picked out before setting up the purifier. In our testing, we found that our participants preferred using this machine in either a large bedroom, or kitchen. If you need one for a smaller room, check out our Airocide air purifier review.
It's a relatively lightweight machine compared to other comparable air purifiers that we've reviewed (29 lbs vs Austin Air's Healthmate at 45 lbs), but because of its bulkiness, most of that benefit is lost. In that case, read our Air Oasis 1000 G3 review for a smaller, less bulky unit.
Filter replacement is relatively simple. The blue struts along each side of the machine snap out of place to remove the top cover housing the activated carbon filters and unlock the bottom tray with the HyperHEPA filter. Expect approximately 7000 hours of use (nearly one year) from filter assemblies before needing to replace them. IQAir GC Series replacement filters for this machine and other IQAir models can be found on its website.
Total Estimated Annual Maintenance and Operating Costs: $656
IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier cartridges (the cylindrical activated carbon filters) need to be replaced at the same time as the post-filter sleeves (the white wraps around the cylindrical cartridges), and the HyerHEPA filter to ensure that the air purification process isn't inhibited by a bottleneck. Consider an air purifier with a washable filter if you'd like to save on maintenance fees, though it involves more hands-on work. But, you don't need to question does this air purifier work for allergies, since it's perfect for allergy sufferers.
Control
The GC Multigas user interface is simple to use and offers a variety of options for scheduling air purification cycles. We've taken shots below of some of the control screens, but if you're looking for a more in-depth solution to a control issue, we suggest you check out the IQAir GC Multigas manual here.
Similar to the Honeywell True HEPA air purifier, the unit's physical interface is straightforward. A power button does what it should and activates/deactivates the unit when depressed. A selection button to the right of the power button allows users to navigate through menus. The menu button returns users to the previous menu. And the enter button helps users enter and select desired settings, or pre-programmed control functions.
To the right of the LCD display, a diagram of the unit displays filter life based on LED color indicators (green, orange, and red representing three levels of performance).
IQAir HealthPro Plus vs GC Multigas
As demonstrated in the video above, IQAir's HealthPro Plus unit is very capable of removing smoke from an environment – so what's the big difference between these two IQAir products?
It's the activated carbon filter assemblies, mostly. The GC Multigas is a beast when it comes to adsorbing toxic chemicals and volatile organic compounds from the air it's treating. I've worked in industrial settings that require massive air adsorbers to treat incoming air to electrical control rooms and I can tell you without hesitating, that this thing's assembly is the closest I've seen to an industrial machine. If you need serious at-home, or office, air purification that's meant for everything else plus VOCs and smoke, the GC Multigas is the unit you want.
Wrap Up
Overall, the IQ Air GC Multigas air purifier is an excellent machine that deserves a place among some of the highest performing, consumer-grade air purifiers on the market today, including the Levoit air purifier for large rooms. We highly recommend this purifier for family rooms, large bedrooms, or kitchens that want an air cleaner for medical-grade control of allergens, dust, pollen, gases, and VOCs. This machine also works quite well in doctor's offices.
Expect to spend approximately $376 every 7,000 hours on filter replacements. Energy consumption varies based on the fan speed setting, but expect consumption to fall around 400 Watts. At 7,000 hours, expect electrical consumption to cost approximately $280 per year (using a $0.10 per kWh base figure).
IQAir manufacturers some of the best air purifiers on the market, testing each purifier independently before shipping from the manufacturing facility to ensure that systems meet stringent air purification specifications.
The IQAir GC Multigas Air Purifier is a Gadget Review top pick for any consumer looking to buy a large, powerful, and effective air purifier for their home, or office.
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