GermGuardian AC4820 Air Purifier: Trusted Review & Specs

Who knew the low end could be so good? Guardian Technologies, in particular, has a line of low-cost air purifiers with UV-C light and high efficiency. One of them is the GermGuardian AC4820, which is completely overshadowed by its successful brother, the GermGuardian AC4825.Today, we will have a proper GermGuardian AC4820 Review.

Update: The flagships of this brand are the GermGuardian AC9400W and AC9600W. But if you are looking for a smart air purifier, you should search for either the GermGuardian CDAP5500BCA or the GermGuardian CDAP4500BCA.

GermGuardian AC4820 ranks C+ in our air purifier ranking list. We give the biggest and most thorough database of air purifier reviews in the world.

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Guardian Technologies has made the GermGuardian AC4820 an ozone-free backup of the most popular GermGuardian AC4825 in the family. But does it work? We’ll find out soon enough in our GermGuardian AC4820 Review.

Other GermGuardian’s Air Purifier Reviews:

GermGuardian AC4820 Price

After all the glory the GermGuardian AC4825 has brought to the Guardian Technologies family, the eventual unveiling of the GermGuardian AC4820 as the 100% ozone-free air purifier turned out to be less of a sensation than some had expected.

However, it isn’t simply an AC4825 without the signature UV-C light filter. But judging from its appearance, there’s no way you can separate one from another. That’s why we need our in-depth review to know the differences.

Back to the price, our GermGuardian AC4820 has increased to $129 today. Again, you can follow our link to get this air purifier for as low as $89!

Besides the common alternatives from Guardian Technologies, like the GermGuardian AC4900CA or GermGuardian AC4300BPTCA, there are lots of competitors at the same price point, like the Airthereal APH260 and Levoit Vital 100. For a classic product like the GermGuardian AC4820, it is reasonable for you not to choose it.

Related post: Best air purifier 2023.

GermGuardian AC4820 Design and Size

There’s nothing exciting about the GermGuardian AC4820’s design and size. It is just the pure 22-inch GermGuardian AC4825, which everyone can mistake when looking from the outside.

Source: Amazon.com

There is no white version available for only the best seller in the Guardian Technologies family, so if you see a white one, it is definitely the AC4825.

The GermGuardian AC4820 runs the same back-to-front airflow system concept as any other member. The front air outlet is made of perforated holes, but mainly for aesthetics, not for increasing efficiency.

The top control panel is similar to the predecessor’s, with a knob and a filter reset button. The classic model of GermGuardian is meant to be simple to use, right?

For the weight, the GermGuardian AC4820 is only 8.5 lbs., and you can move it easily with the convenient back handle.

Related post: Best air purifiers for bedroom.

GermGuardian AC4820 Filters

As I said earlier, the GermGuardian AC4820 follows discretely with the old product line, like the PureGuardian AC2200CA or PureGuardian AP2800CA, without a UV-C light filter. That’s why it just uses the simple 2-stage air cleaning system described below.

1. Pre-filter – Using an activated carbon filter, this layer of air filter can remove the majority of large pollutants and reduce odors caused by smoke, cooking, and pets.
2. True HEPA filter – GermGuardian AC4820 makes use of a True HEPA filter to capture 99.97% of microscopic allergens, dust, and mold spores down to 0.3 microns in size.

But don’t worry, the GermGuardian AC4820 retains the same performance in trapping ultra-fine pollutants as its siblings. I ran a test for this device in the same 100-square-foot room in under an hour to help you see the results clearly. Yes, our GermGuardian AC4820 can trap 99.9% of any particles down to 0.3 microns, which is just the same as the GermGuardian AC5000 or GermGuardian AC4825.

We still use the FLT4825 filter B for this GermGuardian AC4820, which costs you $34. Remember to change the air filter every 6–8 months for optimal performance.

Related post: Best air purifiers for allergies.

GermGuardian AC4820 Room Coverage

As a 22-inch tower air purifier, the GermGuardian AC4820 has similar room coverage as its brothers and can be used in rooms of only 158 square feet.

The ACH of GermGuardian AC4820 is 5X. A signature GermGuardian air purifier will clean your room 5 times per hour.

The CADR of GermGuardian AC4820 is 112 Dust/ 102 Smoke/ 131 Pollen (cfm).

Related post: Best large room air purifiers.

GermGuardian AC4820 Sound

Well, we have an “ultra-quiet operation” air purifier from Guardian Technologies. But the company still doesn’t officially state the noise level of the device, so I believe this air purifier won’t be better than any classic air purifiers from the same manufacturer.

The noise level of the GermGuardian AC4820 ranges from 40 to 55 decibels (dB), depending on the fan speed. If you want to keep it in the bedroom, you should switch the fan power to the lowest.

Related post: Best air purifiers for baby.

GermGuardian AC4820 Power Consumption

To be one of the best air purifiers, a device must strictly pass our Breathe Quality test after long-term use. Also, one of the most frequently asked questions in Breathe Quality is, “Do air purifiers use a lot of energy?” We can all agree that power consumption is one important criterion to review to determine if this air purifier is worth your money or not.

GermGuardian AC4820 has a very good power consumption of only 42 watts, compared to 53 watts for GermGuardian AC4825. The CADR/watt rate of this air purifier is also higher, which proves its Energy Star rating.

It would cost you only $15 per year to use a GermGuardian AC4820 for 8 hours per day.

Related post: Best air purifiers for pets.

GermGuardian AC4820 Additional Features

Just like the GermGuardian AC4825, the GermGuardian AC4820 doesn’t have any additional features to show off. It only has one LED indicator for filter replacement, which is nice to have. Once again, we must remind you that this air purifier was superseded by the latest GermGuardian CDAP4500BCA long ago, and the new device has all the smart features you want.

Related posts:

1, Best air purifiers for smoke.

2, Best air purifiers for dust.

3, Best air purifiers for mold.

GermGuardian AC4820 Customer Service

There is not much to say about the brilliant support from Guardian Technologies’ customer service. Anyone can get active support from the American brand. The company also makes the instruction manuals available online to help you answer common questions on your own. But if you can’t find a solution, just contact customer service via phone at 866-603-5900 or via email at support@guardiantechnologies.com. Just like any other brand, the office will be open from Monday to Friday.

Guardian Technologies occasionally offers free shipping as well as a significant discount on all products (typically 10% to 20%). Whenever you find the air purifiers are not as great as you had thought, you can return them within 30 days of your original receipt of the order. And don’t worry about the warranty policy of Guardian Technologies, as it warrants its products to be free of defects in materials or workmanship. You can register for a warranty for up to five years.

For the GermGuardian AC4820, you will have a 3-year warranty.

Our verdict

The GermGuardian AC4825 has been certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to be ozone emission-free, and its price has dropped below $79, making the GermGuardian AC4820 obsolete.