Medify MA-15 Vs IKEA FÖRNUFTIG – Trusted Comparison (2023)

When we decide to purchase a home improvement product, we usually search for the one that best fits our needs. Sometimes it’s the product loaded with various features, but sometimes we just like to keep it simple. Well, in today’s comparison, we have both kinds of appliances. 

Coming from an air purifier company, Medify MA-15 is a sleek and functional air purifier that promises to cover up to 138 sq. ft. of your living/working space. You can find this air purifier in two shades, silver and white. I can’t say I was thrilled by the plastics it was made of, but I had a good feeling about this device from the very beginning. Also, a few additional features offered will be more than enough to satisfy your needs.

On the other side of this comparison is IKEA FÖRNUFTIG, a plain air purifier that covers up to 108 sq. ft. room. Since it comes with no additional features and is in black/white version, we can consider it a basic version of an air purifier. The good thing is you can connect it to a smart plug, and, best of all, you can mount it on a wall. 

I have always been a fan of a True HEPA filter, but I can’t put aside the fact that many air purifiers have had outstanding performances despite not having this filter. 

Now, let’s see which air purifier gets to be called a Winner!  

In the table below, you will find a detailed comparison of these two air purifiers’ features, specifications, test results, and other characteristics.

Medify Vs IKEA Specifications

IKEA Vs Medify Features

As I mentioned earlier, IKEA FÖRNUFTIG and Medify MA-15 are two different air purifiers that deliver the same outcome. IKEA is the basic version of an air purifier, with no additional features, while Medify’s features can satisfy every average and curious mind of a tech-lover. 

Timer

Having a Timer feature is one of those options you don’t need very often, but when you need it – you need it now. It’s just like cooking on an induction cooktop when you don’t want your lunch to burn. By simply turning the Timer ON your device will shut down at a proper time.

IKEA FÖRNUFTIG comes without this option, but with Medify MA-15, you can set the Timer to 1h, 2h, 4h, and 8 hours of continuous air purifying. One less thing to worry about. 

Child Lock

Another helpful feature that comes only if you buy Medify MA-15, is a Child Lock. If you have a child or guests coming over, you can easily use this button. All it takes is a 3-second hold for activating/deactivating. Simple as that. 

Dimmer

Like in our Smart cell phones, sometimes you just need to adjust the brightness level to make the screen less visible. That is what the Dimmer feature is for in Medify Air MA-15. You can set 4 levels of brightness by simply pressing the button until the lights dim or turn OFF. 

Though useful, IKEA doesn’t have this feature. 

Filter Replacement Indicator 

It is always a relief to have some sort of reminder of the tasks that need to be done. For example, if you just can’t keep track of the dates when your filters need to be replaced, you can rely on the Filter Reset Indicator.  

Medify MA-15 can be used for up to 4 months before filters demand a replacement. At the same time, the IKEA FÖRNUFTIG air purifier lets you use it for up to 6 months, depending on how often you use it. 

Airflow

Even though both IKEA FÖRNUFTIG and Medify Air MA-15 air purifiers are rectangular, filters within each are located differently. 

MA-15 has filters placed on the left/right side, while the IKEA air purifier has filters on the front side. Once the air is filtered, it gets out into the room through the openings on the upper side of MA-15. 

IKEA air purifier uses its front fabric as a pre-filter, after which it gets filtered and dispersed into the room.  

Warranty

When it comes to warranty issues, it’s one of those check marks we all need while purchasing any product. What is the point of buying any device if there is no warranty? Well, the IKEA air purifier is one of those products. You see, if you decide to buy this air purifier, you should know that there is no warranty whatsoever. 

On the other hand, Medify offers lifetime support and a warranty. However, this kind of support doesn’t come without some terms. 

First, you need to register on their website 30 days after the purchase. OK, that shouldn’t be a problem. But you also have to commit to buying original filters and replace them in due time. This means you will have to buy new filters every three-four months, and it’s going to cost you. 

Now, personally, I don’t like being conditioned in any way, but I also don’t like not having a warranty at all. So, this is not a win-win situation. 

Filtration Technology

With these two air purifiers, you will get a regular 3-stage filtration process. With Pre-filter and a Carbon filter, the only difference refers to the second stage, where Medify MA-15 has a True HEPA filter and IKEA FÖRNUFTIG a HEPA filter. 

Pre-filter that comes in Medify MA-15 is a nylon mesh attached to a True HEPA filter that serves to protect it from all the greater particles. On the other hand, IKEA has this interesting pre-filter, which is actually a fabric stretched over the plastic frame. Don’t be mistaken, this fabric pre-filter is not washable, but you can vacuum it once in a while. 

The True HEPA filter is most definitely one of my favorites since it is capable of collecting a variety of allergens plus purifying the room from smoke particles. This filter is only available in Medify MA-15, while IKEA has a simple HEPA filter as its second filtration stage. The HEPA filter is very good as well, but not as good as a True HEPA.  

The third stage belongs to the Carbon filter, the kind of filter that gets the credit for odor elimination. 

Medify MA-15 comes with an integrated Carbon filter that uses carbon pellets, while IKEA’s air purifier does not. Don’t mind it, because you can buy it and install it yourself. I recommend you do that as soon as you buy the appliance. 

How To Replace Filter On Both These Devices?

Thanks to the Filter Replacement Indicator, both will notify you of the replacement time.

Keep in mind that none of these air purifiers have washable filters, which means you’ll still have to clean them at least twice a month.

With an IKEA air purifier, it should take about 4-6 months before you need to replace the filter, while Medify filters need a replacement quarterly. 

Follow the links below if you want to see more on how to do a proper replacement.

Noise Tests

A common thing for both air purifiers is the number of speeds, which counts down to the basic three. No additional speeds or modes to highlight.

Both air purifiers, Medify MA-15 and IKEA FÖRNUFTIG produce tolerable amounts of noise while on the minimum fan speed. The Medify turned out to be even more silent than IKEA, which makes it easier to work or spend some quality time indoors along with this air purifier. As for the second fan speed, I find both air purifiers are solid, with Medify being a little quieter than IKEA. 

As you already know, air purifiers deliver the best results while running at top speed. This is sometimes contrariant to the level of noise they produce. In this case, both air purifiers are far noisier than they should be at maximum speed level. Especially the Medify MA-15 air purifier. With the 61.1 dBA level of noise, I am not sure you could be in the same room with this device running. 

Performance Tests

As I mentioned in the first lines of this comparison, Medify MA-15 covers up to 138 sq. ft., while IKEA FÖRNUFTIG covers a bit smaller size, which is 108 sq. ft. As you can see, the rooms are not that different in size, so I decided to put both air purifiers to various tests.

To make test results reliable, I had to leave each air purifier running for 60 minutes on maximum fan speed. 

194 sq. ft Room Tests

To be able to truly compare test results, I have chosen to test both air purifiers in a 194 sq. ft. room size. Although 89% air quality improvement seems low, compared to the initial coverage IKEA FÖRNUFTIG still didn’t fail. However, Medify MA-15 managed to improve the air quality by 92%, which is great. 

Other Tests

I wanted to give IKEA one more chance to see if it could get better, and I was right to do so. That is why I had IKEA tested in a 120 sq. ft. room. As it turned out, the 91% was quite a good result in the air purifying process. 

As for the Medify MA-15 air purifier, I decided to test it in a 320 sq. ft. room, and by the end of the process, the air quality was 90% improved. Compared to the 194 sq. ft. test, this is more than an outstanding result. 

Operating Costs

One of the imperatives while buying a home improvement product is definitely the total cost and I am not talking about the product price, but the cost in general. For example, Medify MA-15 has a 25W motor, while IKEA FÖRNUFTIG has a 19W one.

If you left each air purifier constantly running for a whole month, at max speed, by the end of the month, you would receive 2$ and 1.2$ bills, respectively. 

Now, you might think this cost is not that big of a deal. But, if you take into consideration the filter price and the replacement rate, you can figure out the total cost on your own. Specifically speaking, Medify’s filters need to be replaced more often than IKEA’s, and with the initially higher filter price, it could cost you more than you’d expect.

So, IKEA FÖRNUFTIG turns out to be a more affordable air purifier in annual terms.