Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 review: the do-it-all air purifier, heater, and fan

With allergy season in full effect, and the dust settling from a recent move, there’s always a reason to have an air purifier. And as someone with limited storage space, I appreciate multifunctional appliances that improve my quality of life, even in small ways.

That’s why I was so excited to try the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1, which works as an air purifier, heater, and fan all in one. It’s designed to capture 99.98% airborne particles like allergens, dust, and dander, making it ideal for keeping us cool or warm depending on the time of the year and helping us breathe easier year-round.

I live in a three-story townhome with lots of open space, and pollen is definitely in the air so we try to keep the air as purified as possible in our home. I also work from home so I’m frequently running between the floors, and I also tested this air purifier while dusting and before and after cooking.

Read on to get a sense of if the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 is right for you.

Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 Specifications

Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1: Price

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 retails for around $399.99 at Shark and Best Buy, but (at the time of writing), it’s available for $249.99 at Amazon and Walmart. Even at full price, this is a reasonable price (as is often the case with Shark’s home products, we’ve found), as the purifier has three functions in one., eliminating the need for a separate fan or heater.

That being said, it is still more expensive than many air purifiers on the market. You can get a reliable purifier for around $200, but that will likely have limited features and no air quality display, let alone having cooling and heating functions, too.

Unboxing and setting up the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 HC450 arrived in a large box and some cardboard inserts that were easy to recycle. It was easy to carry up the stairs and unbox, and all I needed to do was remove the filter from the sealed plastic packaging and replace the filter. This is one of the simplest home devices I’ve set up as it was ready to go in five minutes, which was much appreciated. And if you need some visual guidance, this video from Shark walks through the set-up process. The only immediate con was that the purifier doesn’t come with any handles, so it can be a little tedious to move around the home, though it’s light enough in weight that this isn’t a drawback. 

Features of the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

The air purifier comes with a control panel that also functions as a detachable remote to change the fan strength and temperature while on the go. I appreciated this feature because I could easily adjust the temperature and fan strength while in meetings or sitting on a couch nearby.  Child lock can also be enabled on the remote by holding down the timer and oscillation button for two seconds, and the same action can be used to turn it off.

The air purifier also comes with a Clean Sense IQ, which is used to monitor and display the current air quality. I appreciated that I could see the percentage visibly rising on the display while using the air purifier, which usually rose faster when the fan setting was higher.

Modes

This air purifier has three purified modes: fan, heat, and air, and all of these modes can be used with oscillation. It’s easy to switch between these modes using the dial, which can either point to the fan or heat mode or the purified air mode. Air purification will happen in all modes, but purified air offers a cleaning mode without a fan breeze. The air purifier will remove particles of three different sizes.

When eco mode is enabled, the air purifier will automatically adjust based on the current air quality, and switch to eco mode after 10 minutes of 100% purified air. The fan also has an oscillation mode as well as a timer, which can be used to turn off the filter after hour-long increments between 0 and 12.

Using the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

To use the air purifier, I started by using the top panel to power it on. Then, I used the dial to select either heat or fan/purified air mode. Air is diffused outside of the back vents when in purified air mode, and hot or cool air comes out of the front vent, which can be adjusted to point up or down, on the other modes. The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 HC450 must be kept three feet from the wall and furnishings, and the maximum run time is 12 hours. The cord can’t be run under carpeting or rugs, and it’s recommended not to place the cord in high-traffic areas. 

The display shows the temperature and air purity level as a percentage, and it’s so satisfying to see the percentage climb up in real time. You can also update the control panel display to include one of the five real-time data points: Current percentage of clean air time to clean, , room temperature, filter life,  and amount of PM1 (viruses and ultra-fine allergens), PM2.5 (smoke and bacteria), or PM10 (dust, mold, or pollen) particles being filtered. Each of the former figures reflect large, small, and micro-sized air particles that are filtered by the HEPA multi-filter. 

Depending on the air quality, the ring outside of the display will be red (poor air quality, 0 - 69%), yellow (fair air quality, 70-84%), or blue (good air quality, 85-100%). The display has three brightness settings of full brightness, partially dim, or fully dim, with fully dim being suited for use at night so it doesn’t disturb your sleep.

Performance of the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

The purified air mode was virtually silent, making it seamless to run in the background while I was on calls, cooking, or reading without feeling disturbed. The fan modes were audibly louder when at levels 3-6, though higher modes filtered the air more quickly and offered a noticeable breeze on warmer days. I typically used levels 3-6 when filtering the air while cooking or vaccuming, and used a level 2 when on meetings or in the background so the sound was less noticeable.

On particularly warm days, I appreciated the feeling of the fan setting from the air purifier, but it didn’t do much to reduce the temperature of the room. I found that the air purifier, specifically the fan setting, was ideal for airing out the kitchen after cooking. After cooking yakisoba, our air quality had dropped down to 60% clean air, but it was back up to 80% after running for five minutes with a pretty strong fan setting, and back up to 100% in 30 minutes. I noticed that the smell of food went away much faster when using a purifier versus a kitchen exhaust fan alone, which makes this a great item to use after cooking fragrant food in the oven or on the stove. The eco mode is nice if you prefer a “set it and forget it” air purifier that will adjust based on auto-detection, but my air quality was usually around 98% unless I was cooking, dusting, or had the windows open for a while, so I preferred to use it when needed. 

The heating mode was a welcome addition in rooms where I didn’t want to run my home heater but still wanted to raise the temperature. I appreciated that there was a small red light below the round display to signify when the heater was on, though I wish the indicator was more prominent so there’s a lower chance of leaving a heater unattended in a room. I used the heater to raise the temperature 5 degrees in an 80 square foot room, and the temperature went up 4 degrees in 9 minutes. The temperature change was more noticeable than typical space heaters  while purifying the air, and I could feel the heat from across the room. There’s also a “high” mode for particularly cold days.

No matter what mode I used, I often had to move this air purifier between floors of my three-story townhome to make the most of it. Although the air purifier was relatively light, it lacks handles so it can be a little awkward to carry it around. If you live in an apartment or place with an open floor plan, this may be a much better fit as you can make the most of it by keeping it in one place. 

Cleaning, storing, and maintaining the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

Filter life can be maximized by turning the filter update down every 3 months to equalize the distribution of particles, and the interior can be cleaned to remove excess dust and debris using a vacuum or microfiber cloth. The air purifier itself can also be cleaned by being wiped with a microfiber cloth to remove excess dust.

The filter needs to be changed every six to twelve months, with the more frequent cadence being better for people with allergies. The air purifier also tracks filter life and will notify you when the filter life is at 0% and in need of a new filter. Once replaced, all you have to do is hold down the info button for three seconds.

Who is the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 good for?

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 HC450 is great for people who are looking for a multifunctional product since it functions as an air purifier, fan, and heat all in one. It’s also great for people who have or use air purifiers in smaller spaces like apartments as it can cover areas up to 500 feet. 

How does the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 compare?

If you’re looking for an air purifier that covers a larger surface area, consider the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier Max, which is designed for spaces up to 1400 feet and saves you recurring filter replacement costs with its reusable HEPA filter. If you’re looking for a more cost-effective air purifier that will still clean your air, the Levoit Core 300 (available at Walmart) is a great option at a much lower price point, though its display is much simpler and lacks a heat setting. And if you’re looking for something quieter and lightweight, try the Morento Air Purifier.

Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1: Verdict

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 does it all as a fan, heater, and air purifier, making it the perfect addition for anyone who needs a multifunctional and powerful device. If you have a home or space under 500 square feet to cover, this fits the bill.

The best air purifiers capture super-fine particles and allergens in the air, as the best cordless vacuums do for our floors.