Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 review: a Dyson fan that's also a very luxe humidifier

The T3 Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool review in a sentence: a premium home appliance that kills three birds with one stone, with considerable style.

This multi-faceted air treatment device could sit in our best humidifier list, our best fan top 10 and our best air purifier hall of fame. Oh, and come to think of it, we have a guide specifically to the best Dyson fans, and you'll find it in there too. However, since it's the only humidifier Dyson makes, it's that element that people will probably be shopping for. 

According to American Scientist's article on Optimal Conditions for Viral Transmission, ‘Viruses survive well at both low and high relative humidity. But in the intermediate, like between 40 and 70 percent relative humidity, you will find that the droplets still evaporate quite rapidly, but they are able to maintain a little bit of liquid. And at this time there are components in the droplet that are harmful to the virus. So at this intermediate relative humidity range, we have a lot of virus decay.’ 

In other words, get the humidity spot on in your home and you will have a more pleasant – and healthier – environment.

Anyway, the Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 humidifies the air, purifies it and blows it in your face. Three products in one, in other words – and that is reflected in the price, to a degree. We will now try to get under the skin of this stylish triptych of air-processing goodness.

• Are Dyson fans worth the money?
• Also peruse: Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Formaldehyde review
• Or our Dyson Cool AM07 Tower Fan review

Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 review: price and availability

Dyson's three-in-one costs £599 in the UK and $799 in the USA. It does not appear to be available in Australia. It's on the pricier end of the scale, when it comes to fans but then it does three times as many things as other fans. It's worth checking our Dyson discount codes page to see if you can lower the cost. 

Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 review: design

The body profile of the Pure Humidify + Cool is very similar to that of the Purifier Hot + Cool, only the base itself it much wider (32.2cm vs 22cm) while the top fan section remains much the same size. This gives the Pure Humidify + Cool a slightly out of proportion appearance that I feel would have looked better with a wider fan portal on top. But what do I know?

What I do know is that Dyson’s Air Multiplier technology is one of the very best air expulsion systems on the market. There are no visible fan blades to cut little fingers and the moisturised air that comes out of its hidden vents feels cool on the face. Moreover, it’s far and away the easiest system to keep clean – simply wipe around the portal and the job is done.

Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 review: humidifying function

Humidifiers have been selling like hotcakes for the past 14 months which is no surprise since it’s been scientifically proven that a correct level of humidity has an affect on viruses floating in the air. 

However, humidifiers do come with a number of problems attached, the main one being bacteria growing in the water tanks they use. This usually occurs when the machine isn’t used for a few weeks and the tank still has water in it. To make sure the water tank is always sterile, Dyson uses two anti-bacterial technologies in the Pure Humidify + Cool.

First, its 'revolutionary' ultra-violet (UV-C) light assembly kills 99.9% of bacteria in the water (UV-C, as Dyson puts it, 'damages bacteria in water by denaturing their DNA so they can no longer multiply’). In addition, the tank is lined with a 'biostatic', silver-threaded fabric that further inhibits bacterial growth. Silver antibacterial technology is a well-proven method found in everything from fridges to washing machines. It's also apparently used 'in surgery and childbirth as well as burn treatment and water disinfection.’ Rather usefully, the Dyson Pure Humidify+Cool incorporates a self-cleaning function that you need to run about once per month, depending on use and water hardness. 

Unlike almost all other humidifiers that expel moisture upwards, usually as visible puffs of ‘smoke’, the Dyson vapour outlet faces outwards like its fans and that ensures the moisture it expels is blasted over a very wide area. It also means you can feel a cooling effect on your face if sitting close by. The fine mist it expels is just invisible in average light, but if you shine a torch from behind it you can easily see it streaming from the front vent, like circular vapour from a jet engine. It’s a brilliant optical effect that would look even more amazing with a row of blue LEDs hidden just inside the circular outlet.

You get 10 air speeds here with correspondingly higher volumes of vapour and an auto mode that uses a humidistat to measure the level of moisture in the air. In this mode the fan stays on and vapour is only emitted if required. However, if you are one of those people who likes to tinker with things, you can use manual settings, if you must. A full tank of water lasts about 18 hours which is very good indeed.

You can control the Pure Humidify + Cool using either the supplied magnetic remote that sits on top of the unit or the excellent Dyson Link app. The remote is easily the best option but I suggest you don’t lose it because the machine only features an on/off button.

Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 review: air purifying function

The PH01 is fitted with two glass HEPA and Activated Carbon Filters for full surround cleansing – according to Dyson, they capture 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns while a layer of activated carbon also removes odours and gases including VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). By comparison to the humidifying function, the air purifier section is generally very low-maintenance – you just need to replace the two filters every year or so or when the Dyson Link app tells you to. 

I was very impressed with this model’s air purifying function because it automatically detected the amount of crap in the air and reacted accordingly. Hence, when I blew a puff of smoke in its direction, the intake fan speed changed from a gentle purr to full blast, cleaning the air in the room in swift shrift. Mind, it was pretty noisy at full tilt so I had to reach for the remote to lower the fan speed when watching telly. 

Once the air was purged of dander, smoke, pollen and other stuff, the fan speed returned to its previous setting. Rather handily, you can see the state of the room’s air by glancing at the small circular LED display on the front or, better still, reach for the Dyson Link app which gives you much more information, including schedule settings.

The Pure Humidify + Cool offers two levels of oscillation (45˚ and 90˚), plus a Breeze mode which varies the airflow to mimic a refreshing breeze. It can also be set to port the breeze out of the back instead of the front; something Dyson calls ‘draught-free diffused mode’. This is handy for winter use when you don’t want a gale hitting your face.

Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 review: verdict

In a brief nutshell, the Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool PH01 is the best do-it-all air treatment device I’ve ever used. Yes, it’s a tad expensive but then you are getting three brilliant functions in one tidy and exceedingly elegant package. If you’re looking for a single product that’s a dab hand at fully conditioning the air in an average-sized room while keeping you cool to some extent, then this is the model for you. 

If you haven't been persuaded by the usefulness of humidifiers, this could be the device that convinces you – especially when summer is over and heating your house is causing it to become unpleasantly dry.