Sharp FP-K50UW Air Purifier: Trusted Review & Specs

Sharp’s newest air purifier, the Sharp FP-FK50UW, boasts good specs but struggles to justify why it’s needed when the old Sharp FP-F50UW is still an all-around air purifier. Well, today we’re happy to introduce to you the Sharp FP-K50UW Review.

However, if you want more power, you should look for the Sharp FP-A80UW, which has been reduced in price recently.

Sharp FP-K50UW ranks B- 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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As one of the top electronics corporations in the world with more than 100 years of experience in making many household items, Sharp is the very best brand you should look for in an air purifier. In fact, the company beats Winix really hard in the Asia region, despite using similar air filtration technology. Let’s take a look at the new-gen air purifier of this Japanese company in our today’s Sharp FP-K50UW Review.

Other Sharp’s Air Purifier Reviews:

Sharp FP-K50UW Price

The Sharp FP-K50UW is one of many air purifiers designed specially for the U.S. market. It has an attractive look and a lot of great ideas, including a dual-action air cleaning system, but a lot of the tech is recycled, and it’s hard to recommend when the Sharp FP-F50UW offers a lot of the same with a Smart Sensor. Even the Sharp FP-F60UW is also available at a similar price, and I think the Sharp FP-K50UW will lose its advantage.

The top low-range segment is always the most competitive one in the U.S. air purifier market. To compete in this segment, air purifiers with high-quality air filtration systems are becoming the norm, and Sharp wants to try its hands at making an air purifier that’s more powerful than other competitors.

In the U.S. market these days, the company has gained a significant reputation for making good air purifiers with Plasmacluster technology. Though Sharp started a bit later than the South Korea-based Winix, the company is rated quite positively on Amazon, thanks to its verified air purifiers.

However, it seems the COVID-19 pandemic affected the price tag of Sharp air purifiers quite hard. I am never able to confirm the official price tag for each of its air purifiers. The Sharp FP-K50UW price is $189, which is the old price tag for the FP-F50UW model. I believe Sharp has increased the price due to high demand.

Of course, you can get the Sharp FP-K50UW at a much lower price through our deal if only it is available. The new price is much more suitable, and it gives the Sharp FP-K50UW more advantages in competing with things like the Winix C545 or the Coway AP-1512HH. If you value the Smart Sensor above the air filtration technology, you can also look for the Vornado AC550, Bissell air400 and TruSens Z-2000.

Related post: Best air purifier 2023.

Sharp FP-K50UW Design and Size

The Sharp FP-K50UW features a new design choice you won’t see on any other Sharp air purifiers on the market at the moment. It is clearly a design aimed at the U.S. market because it resembles the Honeywell HPA300, Rowenta Pure Air PU3040 and Inofia PM1320 a lot. It’s the first air purifier from the company to embrace a design with curves on both sides, and it may not be to everyone’s taste.

Surely it’s distinct from its own brothers, but I think of the Sharp FP-K50UW’s design as much more familiar to us, and honestly, I love it. Using the signature white color, the Sharp FP-K50UW looks pretty stunning from afar.

Considering the size of this air purifier to be 21.3 inches in height and 15 inches in width, it is the same size as the Sharp FP-F50UW, as well as any other Sharp models with “50” in names. It is quite easy to blend with your home’s decor.

The Sharp FP-K50UW not only comes in a traditional design style, but it also runs on the traditional bottom-to-top airflow system concept of console air purifiers. So the air will first enter the back panel, which acts as a pre-filter with small square holes. Check out the bottom tabs when you replace the air filter.

The top air control panel is quite similar to all other Sharp air cleaning systems. There are two LED indicators for both the filter reminder and Plasmacluster feature right below the control panel.

We get another Sharp air purifier with only 11 pounds in weight, and yes, there is a convenient handle on the back of this Sharp FP-K50UW.

Related post: Best air purifiers for bedroom.

Sharp FP-K50UW Filters

Running the typical 3-stage air cleaning system, it seems we will have the best air cleaning method awarded in Japan. Let’s take a look at the Sharp FP-K50UW’s air filtration system.

1. Activated Carbon filter – It helps reduce pet odors and smoke, as well as some common household chemicals.
2. True HEPA filter – The True HEPA Filter captures 99.97% of as small as 0.3 microns of particles like pollen, dust, pet dander, smoke, germs, bacteria, viruses, odors, mold, and fungus.
3. Plasmacluster Technology – This technology is one kind of ionizer, which can further reduce the amount of pollutants. Can be switched on/off.

As I’ve mentioned in many Sharp air purifier reviews, the air cleaning system of the Sharp FP-K50UW is similar to many Winix models, like the Winix C535, Winix 5300-2 or Winix 5500-2. It starts with an Activated Carbon filter, a verified True HEPA filter, and an exclusive technology named Plasmacluster. It is completely similar to the PlasmaWave, and both air purifier brands consider the technology their unique selling point.

By releasing both negative and positive ions, the Plasmacluster not only anchors down the pollutants, but it also forms hydroxyls that decompose the protein and suppress the activity of the viruses. As a result, the Sharp FP-K50UW returns invisible water molecules, which are harmless to people. The Sharp FP-K50UW has a common density of ions of 7000 ions/cm³.

Source: Amazon.com

And don’t forget the high-quality HEPA air filter from Sharp, which can last up to 2 years. It is still efficient enough to remove 99.97% of any airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, meaning it can completely trap the PM2.5 particles.

The Sharp FP-K50UW seems to be powerful in its suggested 150-sq-ft room size, as this air purifier can clean 99.93% of all particles down to 0.3 microns in only 1 hour. It is near the performance of the more expensive Medify MA-40, and it is better than the Bissell air220, Medify MA-25 and Mooka GL-FS32 in the same conditions.

The Sharp FP-K50UW runs quite the same filter as the Sharp FP-F50UW, under another name: FZ-K50HFU. The filter can run for as long as 2 years, which is pretty impressive. 

Related post: Best air purifiers for allergies.

Sharp FP-K50UW Room Coverage

When you buy an air purifier that costs around $200, you will expect it to cover around 200 to 300 square feet. The Sharp FP-K50UW is in the middle of this recommendation, with 259 square feet of room coverage. It is quite similar to the performance of the Sharp KC-850U.

The ACH of Sharp FP-K50UW is 4X. It is able to clean your room up to 4 times per hour.

The CADR of Sharp FP-K50UW is 171 Dust/ 167 Smoke/ 188 Pollen (cfm). The Sharp FP-K50UW is verified by the AHAM for its performance. Considering it is a high-level low-range segment and it needs fan power to distribute the Plasmacluster ions, this CADR rating is a bit disappointing. However, it is better than the Sharp FP-F50UW, which practically costs more.

Related post: Best large room air purifiers.

Sharp FP-K50UW Sound

Surprisingly, the LibraryQuiet technology is truly good in Sharp air purifiers. The standard noise level test showed that the Sharp FP-K50UW can run as quietly as 22 decibels (dB). This result is a lot better than most air purifiers in the same price range, and I believe it is even better than some Chinese compact air purifiers.

Turning the fan power to the highest speed, the noise level is only 51 decibels. It is just like the normal conversation at home, and I think this is truly the power of Sharp’s LibraryQuiet operation. You get advanced technology that allows for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Related post: Best air purifiers for baby.

Sharp FP-K50UW Power Consumption

One of our most FAQs is “Do air purifiers use a lot of energy?” In fact, air purifiers must be used for a long time to be efficient. And power consumption is one important criterion for reviewing how much energy this air purifier will consume.

Sharp is widely certified both by the Energy Star and the AHAM for its energy-saving efficiency. The Sharp FP-K50UW is one of many models rated as Energy Star, with a power consumption of only 41 watts. It is actually better than the compact Sharp FP-F30UH in terms of energy savings.

For running the Sharp FP-K50UW for 8 hours per day, you need to pay only $15 per year.

Related post: Best air purifiers for pets.

Sharp FP-K50UW Additional Features

One important notice: the Sharp FP-K50UW doesn’t have the necessary Smart Sensor. Perhaps Sharp wants to cut costs for its newest air purifier, and the removal of the dust sensor is quite reasonable. You should head to the Sharp FP-F50UW and Sharp FP-F60UW for this luxurious additional feature.

It still features many common functions of a Sharp air purifier, like the Quick Clean mode, to thoroughly clean your home in the shortest time possible. The Sharp FP-K50UW allows you to dim the light, including that of the Plasmacluster indicator and filter reminder.

There is a timer setting for this air purifier to schedule the timer to turn off after 2, 4, or 8 hours. Finally, you have a simple LED indicator for filter replacement.

Related posts:

1, Best air purifiers for smoke.

2, Best air purifiers for dust.

3, Best air purifiers for mold.

Sharp FP-K50UW Customer Service

Sharp is a huge brand; of course it is. But this brand is not as popular in the U.S. market as it is in the rest of the world. Yes, marketing is one aspect of this unpopularity, but it also implies a difficulty in finding good customer service if you live in the United States.

But don’t worry, as the U.S. subsidiary of Sharp is quite active and would like to hear from you. You can reach its customer service toll-free at 800-237-4277 or via email through the “Product Support” page. Sharp’s customer service is available to you 24/7, every day.

However, for air purifiers, the company only provides a 1-year warranty. For most situations, I believe this warranty is enough to cover your device.

Our verdict

The Sharp FP-K50UW knows where it sits in the market, a little right below the Sharp FP-F50UW, by exchanging the additional features for good use: better fan power, quieter operation, and more energy-saving power. It also takes a lot of what made the FP-F50UW model a great device.