Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Link (2017) review

Keeping your home cool in the summer and hot in the winter usually requires two completely different products or heating and cooling systems. But Dyson has packaged up the tech needed to cool, to warm and, as an added bonus, to purify, into one package: the Pure Hot + Cool Link aims to give you everything in Dyson’s fan-related arsenal. 

Before bringing out this model, Dyson had already impressed us with its popular Hot + Cool fans. But the Pure Hot + Cool Link improves upon Dyson’s original range in almost every way imaginable. 

Not only do we now have a Hot + Cool fan with a purifier built right into it, ensuring that the allergen-filled, stuffy air in your house is recycled into clean, fresh air, but you can now take full control of the device from your iOS or Android device. 

With this control, you can even monitor the air quality, temperature and humidity of your home from anywhere in the world.

Though it’s undoubtedly one of the most ambitious and advanced consumer products that Dyson has ever designed, it’s not cheap, priced at a hefty $619.99 (AU$779.95/£499.99). Ambitious as it is, there are some factors to consider when deciding whether the Pure Hot + Cool Link is the right fan for you.

The first thing it's worth mentioning straight away is that in Dyson has released an updated version of its Pure Hot + Cool Link which, while almost identical to last year's model (the one we're reviewing here), features an even better filter to help keep the air in your home pure. 

So fresh and so clean, clean

Whether you’re aware of it or not, pollens, allergens and bacteria are everywhere in your household, especially during the summer months. While they may not be making you noticeably sick, they’re certainly not helping, either. Some of these harmful particles are microscopic, making it easy for them to be ingested into your body. 

And, if you have pets, you’re doubly vulnerable to allergens, with pet dander (microscopic flecks of skin) likely to be found in every corner and crevice of your home.

To combat these microscopic invaders, the Pure Hot + Cool Link uses a 360° Glass HEPA filter, which Dyson claims will capture 99.97% of the allergens and pollutants floating around your living area.

In a Dyson-led demonstration, the bottom half of a Pure Hot + Cool Link unit was placed in a glass case which was then filled with smoke. Before long, the smoke inside this transparent box started to dissipate, illustrating just how hard the device’s filter was working to remove toxins from the air.

And it's only been improved for the 2017 model – this year, Dyson has upgraded the device's filter with an extra layer of activated carbon for improved gas capture. 

Thanks to the inclusion of Tris-coated activated carbon granules, it's now possible for the Pure Hot + Cool Link to capture even more harmful pollutants, including formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and napthalene. These pollutants are commonly found in pressed wood products, building and insulating materials, paints, adhesives, vehicle emissions, lacquers, tobacco smoke and other harmful substances. 

Unfortunately, this kind of purification filter cannot be cleaned, meaning you’ll need to replace it once it’s reached its pollutant quota. Each filter should provide you with around 4,000 hours of fan time (you can monitor this from the new Dyson app), which will probably last you a year or so, depending on how often you leave the fan running. 

Thankfully, the filter is remarkably easy to access – simply hold down the two buttons on either side of the unit and lift the fan portion off to reveal the Pure Hot + Cool Link’s innards. 

Large and cylindrical in shape, the filter slips out easily, and slotting a new one in its place is as just as straightforward as it sounds. 

Though this year's Pure Hot + Cool Link comes with the new and improved filter with an extra layer of activated carbon, owners of last year's model are able to get the same purification experience by simply purchasing the updated replacement filter from Dyson for AU$99.95 (US and UK price unknown).

Appy days

Sure, you can take Dyson’s word that the Pure Hot + Cool Link is improving the air quality in your home, but you’re better off monitoring it yourself in real time with Dyson’s iOS and Android app.

Setting up the app will take a few minutes, as you’ll have to find your new Dyson device, name it, and then connect it to your Wi-Fi network (2.4Ghz only). To do this, you have to set the fan to Wi-Fi mode, then discover it from your phone or tablet. Near the base of the unit, next to the power button, you’ll find a connection password. Once connected, your unit will be listed under ‘My Dyson machines’ in the Dyson app – simply tap on the device to control it, adjust its settings and monitor your air quality.

The first time we checked the air quality in our room, we got back a yellow ‘Average’ rating, illustrating to us that it was far from the best it could be. However, after a single day of running the Pure Hot + Cool Link, the room achieved top marks with a green ‘Good’ rating. If you really want to stay on top of your air quality monitoring, the Dyson app also offers daily and weekly status reports which you can flick through at your leisure. 

The Dyson app’s scheduling system also makes it possible to maintain a consistent level of air quality year-round. This means that you can set aside specific hours of each day in which the unit will switch itself on and start purifying – you can select the fan speed, temperature, oscillation mode, jet focus control and more in any way you see fit.

App connection issues

For some reason, I was unable to complete the device’s setup from my Samsung Galaxy S7, as it’d always fail during the Wi-Fi connection process. However, once I went through the process on an iPhone 6, the Pure Hot + Cool Link connected immediately. It was only once that initial Wi-Fi connection was established that I managed to access the fan from my Android phone. 

Unfortunately, my Android connection problems didn’t stop there. Though I could initially control the unit from the app on my S7, allowing me to adjust settings like fan speed, heat and oscillation, after a few days the control portion of the app became unresponsive, with none of my setting changes registering on the device. Still working flawlessly on iOS, I ended up having to delete and reinstall the Android app, which also forced me to go through the connection process again. Thankfully, the Pure Hot + Cool Link comes with its own remote that magnetically snaps to the top of the fan, so you’ll always have control if the app is giving you trouble. 

While these issues will likely be fixed by an app update, they did offer some frustration. I was able to get past this roadblock because I had an iOS device on hand, but not everyone is going to have that luxury.

Sleep a little better

As someone who likes to use a fan while sleeping, my biggest issue with previous Dyson models has always been their ridiculously bright displays that could not be dimmed in any way. Capable of brightening up a darkened room, these lights will scorch themselves into your brain if not covered in some fashion. 

In the past, I’ve been told that strategically placing a teddy bear in front of the unit will block the light, though this doesn’t work well when the fan is oscillating. The only solution that ever worked for me involved the buying of a tennis headband that I could stretch out and place over the display area. Sure, this blocks the fan’s retina-searing luminosity, but it also covers its infrared sensor, meaning you’ll have to get up and slide the headband up to use the remote. 

Thankfully, Dyson has finally addressed this make-or-break issue by introducing a ‘Night Mode’ which can be set with either a single button press or on a schedule. When switched on, the mode will automatically dim the display and shut it off after a few seconds. A small light will remain to let you know the fan is powered on, but it’s nowhere near as bright as the ‘alien tractor beam’ level that previous models regrettably achieved.

Verdict

Without a doubt, Dyson’s Pure Hot + Cool Link is one of the most advanced products that the company has ever developed for consumers. 

Its smart functionality changes the fan experience for the better and its purifying capability is extremely impressive. Though it easily eclipses previous Dyson fans in terms of functionality, there are still some things to consider before purchasing the Pure Hot + Cool Link. 

For one, you will need to occasionally replace the Link’s filter, which is quite a pricey endeavour. Secondly, the device has some niggling connectivity issues when it comes to Android devices. If you’re willing to overlook these potential issues, the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Link is the greatest fan the company has ever released. It certainly has a fan in me.