Xiaomi Air Purifier 4 Lite Review

Our Verdict

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is an entry-level model in Xiaomi’s air purifier line. After carefully testing and evaluating, we agree that this purifier has good performance, features, quiet operation, and is easy to use. It has a lower CADR and coverage area than other products in the line. It also doesn’t have an air quality or laser particle sensor. Nevertheless, it is still a popular choice because it offers good value for the money. In this review, we will take a closer look at the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite and see how it compares to other air purifiers on the market.

Why Can You Trust Our Review?

At Beforebuy, we take pride in giving our readers honest and unbiased reviews of the latest products and services. We thoroughly test and experience each product before writing our reviews, and the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is no exception.

Placing a product in real-life scenarios allows for the most authentic experience and evaluation. That’s why we tested this unit for two months in various environments, including small apartments, offices, and homes with pets. We also compare the device to similar air purifiers on the market to see whether it is worth purchasing.

Notably, our product test team includes experts with many years of experience in the field. We use rigorous testing methodologies for objective and subjective criteria. For Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite, our product testing method is based on various factors, including its aesthetics, air quality improvement, filters, noise level, intelligent control features, ease of use, and value for the price.

Our Analysis and Testing Results

Expert assessments

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is a good choice for those who suffer from allergies or asthma or live in places with high levels of air pollution. It is pretty quiet and best for small to medium-sized rooms (about 43 square meters). It’s also simple to use and inexpensive.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind. This air purifier has a lesser CADR (clean air delivery rate) and coverage area than some of the other models on the market. It also doesn’t have an air quality or laser particle sensor, so it isn’t easy to know how effectively it is to filter the air.

Additionally, filter replacement costs can add up over time, and there have been some reports of sign-in issues in the app.

Thus, the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is suitable for people with small to medium-sized rooms and who are on a budget. Yet, if you need a more powerful air purifier or one with more features, look into another option.

Product specifications

Key features

Design

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite has the same design as the rest of the brand’s air purifiers. It has a simple yet stylish look, a rectangular white body with rounded corners. It has a large front air intake grille made of fine mesh that prevents large particles from entering the air purifier. A smaller back air outlet grille of coarser mesh allows the cleaned air to flow freely. On the top is a small control panel with a few buttons for controlling the power, fan speed, and mode.

This air purifier is also very compact and lightweight. It is 240 x 240 x 533.5mm and weighs only 4.8kg, making it ideal for use in the home or workplace. It’s made of high-quality ABS plastic that’s durable, anti-oxidant, and easy to clean. It boasts an LED indicator that displays the level of air quality. The indicator shows green when the air quality is favorable, yellow when it is moderate, and red when it is terrible. The device also includes a built-in Wi-Fi module, allowing us to control it remotely using the Mi Home app.

Air cleaning performance

Xiaomi advertises that this air purifier can filter up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. To verify this information, we tested the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite for two months in various environments, including apartments, offices, and homes with pets. We evaluated its air cleaning performance regarding removing PM2.5, pollen, and other pollutants. This process is in small rooms (approximately 20 – 35 square meters). We measured the air quality before and after using this air purifier using a variety of air quality sensors. 

Our testing results showed that the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite can effectively reduce the levels of PM2.5 in the air by up to 95%. It also reduced the levels of pollen and other pollutants by a significant amount. Overall, we were impressed with the air-cleaning performance of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite. Notably, this unit has been proven to effectively filter out allergens in the air by the authoritative TÜV Rheinland.

However, we would like to point out that the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite has a lower CADR and coverage area than some other air purifiers on the market. This means that it is less suitable for large rooms. To assure reliability, we created this chart to compare the CADR quality rank of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite to other similar air purifiers on the market today:

Noise level

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite has a deficient noise level, operating at only 33.4 dB at its lowest setting. This sounds like a library or a soft wind. We measured the noise level of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite in a quiet room with a background noise level of 30 dB. We looked at the noise level at the air purifier’s front, back, and sides at the lowest and highest settings.

Our test results are shown in the table below:

As you can see, this unit is tranquil at its lowest setting. Even at its highest setting, the noise level is still relatively low. Overall, we are very impressed with the noise level of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite. It is one of the quietest air purifiers on the market. Let’s check this chart to see its quietness compared to other items today:

Smart control features

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite has several intelligent control features, including voice control and connection with the Xiaomi Home ecosystem.

With voice control, the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is compatible with voice assistants, including Alexa and Google. This function improves the user experience by allowing us to change settings or check the air quality without using a smartphone app or physical buttons.

For home integration, the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is designed to smoothly link with the Xiaomi Home ecosystem, Xiaomi’s centralized smart home control platform. This integration has various advantages:

• Control via Xiaomi Home App: You can control and monitor the air purifier’s status through the Xiaomi Home mobile app. This app allows you to adjust fan speed, set timers, and monitor real-time air quality data.
• Automation and Scenes: Xiaomi Home allows you to create automation rules and scenes. For example, you can set the air purifier to turn on automatically when the air quality drops below a certain threshold or when you arrive home.
• Compatibility with Other Xiaomi Devices: If you have other Xiaomi smart devices like smart lights or cameras, you can create a cohesive smart home ecosystem where these devices work together. For instance, the air purifier can automatically turn on when the Xiaomi Home security camera detects smoke or pollutants.

Ease of use

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is generally easy to set up and use. The mobile app provides a user-friendly interface, and voice control adds convenience. Maintenance and filter replacement is relatively straightforward, and user support resources are available for assistance. It can be said that even our children, who are under 10 years old, can easily use Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite.

Here is an ease-of-use ranking chart of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite compared to other similar models on the market today:

Xiaomi’s High-Efficiency Filter

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite has a three-stage filtration system, including a primary filter, Xiaomi’s High Efficiency Filter, and activated carbon filter. Among them, the most worth mentioning in our opinion is Xiaomi’s High Efficiency Filter. Initially, we thought it was similar to a HEPA filter. But no, just like what Xiaomi claimed, this filter is actually more effective than the HEPA filter. Of course, the difference is not too much but still enough for us to feel after a period of use. Furthermore, compared to the HEPA filter, we also found that Xiaomi’s High Efficiency Filter operates quieter and saves more power.

Ongoing costs for the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite

Operating/Electrical cost

According to Xiaomi’s website, the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite consumes 33 watts of power. This means it would consume 0.8 kWh of energy per day if running continuously for 24 hours.

Assuming an electricity rate of $0.13 per kWh, the operating/electrical cost of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite would be $0.10 per day. This is a very reasonable cost, especially considering the benefits of having clean air in your home.

In addition, the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite also has a sleep mode that reduces its power consumption. It also has a timer function, so you can set it to turn on and off automatically, which can also help to reduce the operating cost. Let’s look at the chart below to see the annual electricity cost of the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite compared to other items:

Filter cost

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite uses a three-in-one high-efficiency filter that needs to be replaced every 6-12 months, depending on usage. The filter costs around $20-$30 to replace.

This is a very reasonable cost for a replacement filter, especially considering the fact that the filter is very effective at removing pollutants from the air.

We’ve created a breakdown of the annual filter cost for the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite:

• Filter replacement cost: $20-$30
• Filter replacement interval: 6-12 months
• Annual filter cost: $20-$30 / filter * 2 filters/year = $40-$60 per year.

Xiaomi Air Purifier Comparison

To see whether the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is worth buying, we’ve carefully evaluated and compared it to the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4, Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Pro, Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 MAX, and Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Compact:

The Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is the best choice if you are on a budget. It is a very affordable air purifier that still offers good performance. It has a CADR of 360 m³/h, sufficient for a small to medium-sized room. It also has a three-in-one high-efficiency filter that removes many pollutants from the air, including PM2.5, pollen, dust mites, and pet dander. In addition to its good performance, the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite is also very easy to use and maintain. It has a simple control panel, and the filter is easily replaced.