Breville Viral Protect Max review
Our pick for smoke season. The fastest unit we cover, from an Australian brand.
Best for smoke
4.6/ 5$599
Good for
- Large living areas up to 65 m²
- Bushfire and burn-off smoke
- Local support and filters
Not for
- Tight budgets
- Small rooms, where it's overkill
Verdict
A 530 m³/h clean-air rate is the highest on our list, so it brings smoke levels down quickly. There's a proper carbon stage for smoke smell, and the PM2.5 sensor reacts when smoke drifts in. Breville is an Australian company, so filters are easy to get mid-season.
If smoke is your main worry and you have a big living area, this is the one.
Specs and running cost
| Price | $599 |
| Realistic room | 55 to 65 m² |
| Clean-air rate (CADR) | 530 m³/h, maker's figure |
| Filter | HEPA-13, 4-stage with carbon |
| Filters a year | $100 |
| Three-year cost | $986 |
| Sensor | PM2.5, with colour light |
Three-year cost includes the unit, filters and power at 12 hours a day. Change the settings.
How big a room?
| Problem | Air changes an hour | Room it handles |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday dust | 3 | 74 m² |
| Pollen and allergies | 4 | 55 m² |
| Smoke or asthma | 5 | 44 m² |
At a 2.4 m ceiling. Check your own room.
How it handles Perth's air
- Bushfire smoke: excellent. Fast, with real carbon. Keeps a 44 m² room clear at smoke-day rates.
- Pollen: good. Plenty of speed for a closed living area.
- Dust: good.
- Pets: good.
Watch out
We haven't found an independent lab CADR test, so the 530 figure is Breville's own. The “138 m²” coverage claim is very optimistic. It's also the second-dearest unit we cover.
Alternatives
- Winix Zero+ Pro: similar coverage and an H14 filter for about $170 less, but no published CADR.
- Levoit Core 400S: half the price, for rooms up to 40 m².
- Compare: Breville vs Winix.
Sources
- Breville: product specifications.
- CHOICE testing of the Breville range (members only).