Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Air Purifier: Trusted Review & Specs

The Rowenta PU4020 (also known as Rowenta Intense Pure Air) is a fine addition to Rowenta’s remarkable budget line up and offers just enough new and exciting features to help it stand out from the sea of budget air purifiers flooding the market. With the exclusive German technology, will Rowenta PU4020 get the same success like other European air purifier brands, typically Blueair and Philips? We will find out in our Rowenta PU4020 Review.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 ranks B in our air purifier ranking list. We give the biggest and most thorough database of air purifier reviews in the world.

Updated: If you are looking for a large-room solution, you should check the Rowenta Intense Pure Air XL PU6020 or Rowenta PU3030.

In Breathe Quality, we have reviewed all air purifiers under these sections. Also, we guarantee that:

• We do give honest reviews (both pros and cons) so anyone will guarantee to have the wisest choices.
• We do not (and never) exaggerate one product just to let you click the links and buy that product blindly.

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The world of air purifiers sees the fierce competition between the native American companies and Asian companies, both in terms of price, exclusive technology to performance. Meanwhile, some European companies like Rowenta, Dyson or Blueair have established their firm position, thanks to a long-standing history and extra-active customer service. Rowenta, with more than 100 years on the market, has spent 10 years to research an exclusive technology, that they claimed to destroy 99.99% of formaldehyde lingering in the air. Let’s first check their most affordable product in our today Rowenta PU4020 Review.

Other Rowenta’s Air Purifier Reviews:

1, Rowenta PU6020 Review.

2, Rowenta PU3040 Review.

3, Rowenta PU3030 Review.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Price

Years of researching in a French laboratory shared by the CNRS (the French National Center for Scientific Research) led to the development of an unique technology, applied to all Rowenta air purifiers. This technology is so-called NanoCaptur technology, which is capable of permanently destroying the formaldehyde.

Rowenta’s venerable budget line has been disrupting the budget and mid-range air purifier markets for quite some time now. The Rowenta PU4020 is the first and most affordable product you can get from this German air purifier brands. The problem is, well, it is always unavailable in many popular e-retailers for the U.S market.

When it’s hard to get one, it’s even difficult to check the right price of the device. Rowenta doesn’t announce anywhere for the exact price tag of Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020, so you can check the authenticity of a deal. This Rowenta PU4020 sometimes can go as low as $275, but I recommend you to check our deal for the most exact result.

I believe you should check for an used item, because Rowenta PU4020 can go really low, sometimes below $100 price point. With decent fan power for small rooms, as well as the exclusive NanoCaptur technology, the Rowenta PU4020U2 is a strong competitor to the Okaysou AirMax8L, Vornado AC350 and Vornadobaby Purio.

Related post: Best air purifiers 2023.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Design and Size

Attractive design seems not to be a strength of a German product, however, the Rowenta PU4020 feels strong, capable and practical. The combination of thick body and strong but compact base allows to be used anywhere in your home. So to say, Rowenta has bolstered the strength of the air purifier with this design, and it works pretty well.

With 21.25 inches in height and 11.8 inches in width, the Rowenta PU4020 is obviously smaller than the its brother Rowenta PU6020, which shares the same design concept as our today reviewed unit. From the dimension, you can imagine the Rowenta PU4020 to be a little chubby, but it keeps small base, enough for a small room.

The combination of white and black colors has a very German feel to it, and combines well with the other elements. This air purifier is simple and ready to use.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 uses the traditional bottom-to-top air flow system concept, with the front air intake behind the plate, which can be removed before changing the filters. Top air outlet is made with wavy grills, which is quite stylish and contrary to the overall Bauhaus design.

Most importantly, you can adjust the position of the air outlet grill manually. Rowenta recommends to set the angle to 45° for optimum performance, and 90° for maximum performance.

Above all, you can find a simple control panel on top, with an air quality indicator at the center. It is simple with only symbols and no text.

Rowenta PU4020 weighs only 12.6 lbs, which is surprisingly light for a chubby air purifier. You can use the integrated handle to lift it anywhere in your home easily.

Related post: Best air purifiers for bedroom.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Filters

To check the performance of one air purifier, normally we will check the quality and quantity of its air filters, as well as the air filter types being used. Any Rowenta air purifiers, including of this Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020, run a powerful 4-stage air cleaning system, made by the German company only.

1. Pre-filter – A washable pre-filter traps the larger objects of pollutants like fur, hair and large dust.
2. Activated Carbon filter – The honeycombed carbon filter catches odors, gases and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
3. True HEPA filter – With the True HEPA filter, this air purifier can capture 99.95% of as small as 0.3 microns allergens, virus particles, pollen, mold and fungi particles.
4. NanoCaptur filter – This exclusive patented filter can permanently destroy formaldehyde, at rate of 99.99%.

If there is a title for the best air purifier for destroying formaldehyde, any Rowenta air purifiers can easily be the best. The NanoCaptur technology is their proudest filtration system, which consists of minuscule granules made of nanoporous materials. Rowenta coats the surface of these pores inside the materials with probe molecules, which chemically react with formaldehyde, resulting in a permanent destruction.

This exclusive technology has a clear advantage over the traditional active carbon filter, because the latter can only capture the formaldehyde, therefore it can release the chemicals back to the environment. Rowenta’s NanoCaptur filter, however, can destroy the formaldehyde right after the trap. The chemical reaction is visible, and when you see the yellow granules turn to brown. There is a color chart on the filter to help you check.

Still, Rowenta PU4020 shows great German engineering in making air filters, and the unit can capture all airborne allergens, up to 99.95% rate. In our test of 100 square feet, the Rowenta PU4020 scored 99.9% of trapping all particles down to 0.3 microns, which is similar to the performance of GermGuardian AC5600 and Honeywell HPA100, and a lot better than the Envion Ionic Pro Turbo.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 uses a powerful HEPA air purifier, which can last for 3 years. It costs around $26 for the HEPA filter, and $19 for the carbon filter. Remember to use only genuine Rowenta air filter for peak performance.

Related post: Best air purifiers for allergies.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Room Coverage

All Rowenta air purifiers are sent and certified by the most reputable organizations, like the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). The Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 is recommended for small rooms of only 116 square feet.

The ACH of Rowenta PU4020 is 2X to 4X. At the most optimized room, the Rowenta PU4020 can exchange the air four times per hour, once every 15 minutes.

The CADR of Rowenta PU4020 is 84 Dust/ 75 Smoke/ 95 Pollen (cfm). It is much better than the PureZone and Levoit LV-H132, which are the most popular air purifiers in the same price range.

Related post: Best large room air purifiers.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Sound

First rule of thumb for using air purifiers is the compact size means quieter operation by using small fan power. The Rowenta PU4020 is exactly the case for a budget air purifier, with low fan power and whisper-quiet operation. Therefore, it is recommended to be used in bedroom.

Lowest noise level of Rowenta PU4020 is recorded to be 22 decibels (db), which is just like the sound of rustling leaves. You basically can’t hear any sound from this air purifier while operating on lowest speed.

On highest speed, the Rowenta PU4020 still keeps an excellent noise, to be lower than 45 decibels. This is quite like the noise at library, and you can run the highest fan speed even while sleeping.

Related post: Best air purifiers for baby.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Power Consumption

One of our most FAQs is “Do air purifiers use a lot of energy?” In fact, air purifier must be used for a long time to be efficient. And power consumption is one important criteria to review if this air purifier is good or not.

You should remember that Rowenta PU4020 is one of a few air purifiers certified by the Energy Star, for energy-saving performance. With the rated power of only 30 watts, you can run this air purifier 24/7 without worrying about the electricity bill.

For quick math, if you run the Rowenta PU4020 8 hours per day, you only need to pay $11 each year.

Related post: Best air purifiers for pets.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Additional Features

Another of Rowenta PU4020’s big strength is the diversity of its additional features, and they will probably be completely available on all other Rowenta air purifiers. The big hitter is obviously the Smart Sensor, which can not only track the air quality index, but also auto control the air purifier with Auto Mode, adjusting the fan speed accordingly to the environment.

Moreover, you can change the setting for the Smart Sensor. For example if the unit indicates air quality to be good, but the air appears to be polluted, you can set the sensitivity to force the Rowenta PU4020 to run at your desired fan speed. For your information, the Rowenta PU4020 only has a dust sensor. To have the gas sensor, you should check the Rowenta PU6020 model.

It has simple Night Mode feature, to adjust the fan speed for a whisper-quiet airflow, and reduce the light intensity. This mode doesn’t override the Auto Mode, but it only lets the fan speed change slightly to avoid disturbing your sleep. You can also manually dim the light with one button.

Rowenta PU4020 has a simple Timer function, to schedule the time off after 1, 2, 4 or 8 hours. This air purifier also features the LED indicator for filter replacement, to remind you when to change the air filters.

Related posts:

1, Best air purifiers for smoke.

2, Best air purifiers for dust.

3, Best air purifiers for mold.

Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 Customer Service

For any long-standing companies, especially an international brand like Rowenta, the customer service is always the utmost priority. Rowenta is a well-known brand for nearly 40 countries in the world, and they are very helpful at supporting the customers.

You can check Rowenta website for any instructions to use, or frequently asked questions within minutes. Rowenta website has a huge knowledge base to support their customers in using their products perfectly.

To reach the customer service of Rowenta, you can submit the form on their Contact Us page, or call them directly at 800-769-3682. They are available from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm EST.

All air purifiers of Rowenta are only covered by a 1-year warranty, but Rowenta offers to repair the products even after the guarantee period. Check Rowenta website to find the nearest repair center.

Our verdict

The Rowenta Intense Pure Air PU4020 is a really great device that’s hampered by a few elements, preventing me from lauding it as a truly standout air purifier. However, I must admit the German technology is really great at purifying the indoor air, and it can truly destroy formaldehyde.

I love the Smart Sensor, and with some used deals, you can get a powerful personal air purifier with just only $100. In some cases, it is even better than most new compact air purifiers on the market.

There are some which genuinely impress me, and I want to see more of that. Perhaps the Rowenta Intense Pure Air XL PU6020 is the correct answer.