CE Pro April 2023 - 61

Green, Orange, and finally
Red (Get Out of the Room).
Everything is doable
from both the app and the
device, even the pairing
(though you still need the
app to register and enter
Wi-Fi information).
A toggleable Child Mode
also prevents accidental
changes to settings made
through the main device
interface. A Shared Access
feature allows multiple accounts
to control the Dreo
Macro Max S from different
devices, meaning the
account that does the setup
doesn't necessarily need
to be the one that ends up
controlling the purifier.
Honestly, I spent more
time trying to figure out
where to best place it, settling
on the living/kitchen
space. While not a completely
open concept, it is a
large, interconnected area
that gets subjected to wood
smoke from the fireplace
and cooking aerosols on a
nightly basis - perfect for
staging this review.
Performance
& Conclusions
The air quality monitor
quickly validated that opinion.
To my surprise, cooking
was the worse offender.
While residual backdraft
from the fire only ever rose
the levels to around 100,
cooking could consistently
kick it into the 300 to 800
range depending on the dish.
During those periods of
high demand, the device
certainly lived up to Dreo's
claim. Using Auto Mode, the
fans gradually ramp up based
on demand, and, during
cepro.com
periods of intense cooking, it
was able to mitigate PM2.5
levels very quickly. During
the lighting of the fireplace,
the same thing would
happen, only levels would
drop to 1 and stay there (the
lowest level) after the initial
lighting of the fire.
During the lower periods,
I also had a difficult time
determining whether or not
down the hall, there was a
light register on the PM2.5
monitor which notified me
it was time to clean the
shower. Using the toaster
also caused it to spike just
shy of 100, prompting me to
clean that out as well.
I never saw much reason
to mess with the fan setDreo's
app is used to
connect to Wi-Fi and
voice control platforms,
and delivers insights into
air quality status.
the device was active. A few
days into using it, I noticed
that the purifier came with
adaptive lighting, meaning
when light levels in the
surrounding area dropped,
the device would turn off its
interface while continuing
to run. And " whisper-quiet "
doesn't do the motors justice.
When fully engaged, it's
no louder than a fume hood.
The air quality monitor
on the Macro Max S is also
far more sensitive than I
would've imagined. For
instance, when turning
the shower about 20 feet
tings outside of Auto Mode.
The device is intelligent
enough to regulate accordingly.
In its low power draw
mode, the unit only costs
$4 per month to operate,
according to the company.
I also hooked the device up
to Alexa to test it. The setup
was instantaneous, and the
voice recognition was clean
without issue.
From a singular device
perspective, it's nice and
adds a layer of accessibility.
I find the strengths of the
Dreo Macro Max S ultimately
lie within its advanced
technology. The intelligent,
self-governing control
system, sensitive air quality
monitor, and borderline
invisible presence in the
home hit all the marks of
what a " smart air purifier "
should be.
For integrators seeking
to dip their toe in the
IAQ space but don't know
where to start, offering
the Dreo Macro Max S as
a standalone, single-room
solution for clients as an
add-on sale is a good place
to start. Once your clients
get a taste of how simple an
non-instrusive an IAQ solution
can be, it will help open
the door for possible wholehouse
solutions that can be
integrated into a full home
automation solution.
SPECS
Dreo Macro Max S
3-stage, active filtration
H13 true HEPA
electrostatic filter
Dedicated air quality
monitoring channel
Large air quality
monitoring display
Smart Wi-Fi, voice control
Works with Amazon Alexa
& Google Home
Smart filter life algorithm
24dB performance
Certified by AHAM,
ENERGY STAR, FCC,
ETL & more
Retail $219
dreo.com
CE PRO
VERDICT
PROS:
Sensitive IAQ monitor,
IAQ histories and
advanced self-governing
system make it incredibly
reliable and informative
Adaptive Lighting and near
silent motor allow it to
be placed anywhere with
near-zero disruption
Sets up and connects
to popular smart home
systems within minutes
Powerful motor and
filtration work through
contaminants quickly
even during high-demand
scenarios, such as frying
CONS:
More options for
automation would be nice
to minimize/maximize
performance
Additional readings on
the IAQ monitor may be
appreciated as well
April 2023 CE Pro | 61
http://www.dreo.com http://www.cepro.com
CE Pro April 2023

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