I Tried the Mila Air Purifier, and It’s the Best I’ve Ever Used

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect air purifier for quite some time. After all, since I have seasonal allergies, sensitive skin and eyes, and a tiny NYC apartment that retains the smell of salmon cooked two days ago, clean air is a priority. And while I’m a bit of a nerd that actually enjoys researching the best of the best products and gadgets, the air purifier market is tricky, confusing, and… not so fun. Saturated with complicated terms and acronyms and flashy marketing, it’s easy to succumb to advertising that tricks you into buying more than you actually need.

Enter the beautiful and thoughtfully designed Mila Air Purifier, a game changer dreamt up by three dads living in Shanghai, a city all too familiar with air pollution. Mila flips the air purifier game upside down, making a unique product that’s smart, simple, user friendly, and (stay with me here) hilarious.

What makes Mila different? For starters, instead of offering a line of models with different room-size capabilities, Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADR), and functionality, Mila makes just one high-performance unit that fits seven different filters, each designed to match breathing needs based on your lifestyle. The filters are constructed with different HEPA filters and carbon filters depending on your intended use. Think The Big Sneeze for people with allergies, The Critter Cuddler for homes with pets, The Mama-to-Be for when you’re breathing for two, and The Overreactor, which is billed as “the most neurotic filter around.” (Yup, I knew right away that the last option was the one for me, so that’s what I started with.)

I love that Mila is extremely simple to set up. As I opened the box, instructions were laid out simply on each fold of the box — no manual to leaf through! Pairing the device to my smartphone only took a few minutes, and the directions were easy to follow. In fact, this is the easiest app I’ve ever used when it comes to air purifiers.

Not only does the Mila app identify the particles in my air, it also explains what they are and how they impact my health. She (yes, I personalized her) gives me information about my air quality compared to what the air is like outside, actually showing me how well she’s working. Whether she’s telling me that she “detects weirdness” when I’m pan-frying salmon or lets me know she’s bored because my apartment’s been at an AQI of zero for a while, Mila has my back. She’ll even alert me to the presence of carbon monoxide inside if I’m ever in danger.

I typically leave my Mila on the automagic (aka automatic) setting, and moments after I spray hairspray, turn on my oil diffuser, or start cooking, she adjusts to rid the air of harmful VOCs and unpleasant odors. There’s also a manual setting where you can adjust the fan speed to your liking, as well as several modes that I’ve found helpful, like Bubble Boy, which rids the room of all particles regardless of how loud it may get; and Turndown Service, which activates an hour before bedtime for a deep clean that reduces nighttime allergens.

Since using Mila, my apartment no longer retains yucky smells, and I’ve found myself sneezing less and sleeping much more soundly. Not only is Mila an efficient, smart solution, but she somehow manages to make air quality fun!

Buy: Mila Air Purifier, $408