TCL breeva A3 Air Purifier – Hands-on Review & Evaluation

Full Review

In this review, I will test the TCL breeva A3 air purifier from the well-known global brand TCL. The breeva A3 is currently the largest model in this series and also the most powerful.

It’s packed with advanced features, including the ability to connect to a smart app, the breevaShield™ system, and ambient lighting.

TCL recently launched the A2 and A3 air purifiers as successors to the A1 model. While I haven’t had the chance to try the A1 model, you can find the review of the TCL A2 on the Air Purifier First website. These two new models were successfully funded on Indiegogo.

The breeva A3 has a CADR of 270 m³/h. Straight out of the box, I was impressed by its unusual and unique design, as well as the extremely high-quality plastics and top-notch craftsmanship.

The A3 offers many advanced features, excellent performance, and a very affordable price.

TCL is a globally recognized, reliable, and trusted brand known for producing high-quality products.

How We Tested the TCL breeva A3?

1. For the filter efficiency testing, we used the Temtop LKC-1000S laser particle meter, which measures PM2.5 (µg/m3), PM10 (µg/m3), Particles (per/L), and HCHO (mg/m3) in the air, and also calculates the AQI.

2. We placed the TCL breeva A3 in a 320 sq. ft. (30 m²) room. Then, we recorded the initial air quality values using the Temtop laser particle meter and let the TCL breeva A3 run at maximum speed.

3. After 60 minutes, we measured the new values using the Temtop laser particle meter and saved the data.

4. Next, we placed the TCL breeva A3 in a glass box, which we then filled with smoke. Then, we measured how much time was needed for the air purifier to remove all the smoke from the box.

5. Using a special noise measurement tool, we tested the air purifier’s noise level at all speeds. We measured the noise level on the dBA scale.

6. Finally, we measured the power usage at all speeds using an energy meter, after which we calculated how much it would cost to use the device at a particular fan speed for one month. For reference, we used an energy price of $0.12 per kWh.

I have been using the TCL breeva A3 in my living room for some time, and in the evenings, I would move it to my bedroom. I can only say that the device performed exceptionally well, and I always felt like I was breathing extremely clean air.

The breeva A3 is designed for rooms up to 246 sq. ft. (23 m²), but it also worked surprisingly well in slightly larger spaces, which is confirmed in our test that I will show in the next heading.

Testing in a 320 sq. ft. (30 m²) Room

We placed the TCL breeva A3 in a 320 sq. ft. (30 m²) room and let it run for 60 minutes at maximum speed.

For this time, it improved air quality by 94%, which is an outstanding result. It reduced PM2.5 particulate matter from 81 to 4.7 µg/m³.

This result is excellent and also confirms that the TCL breeva A3 can be effectively used in slightly larger rooms than its recommended size.

Compared to other air purifiers in the same class, it performs very well. For example, the much larger Philips 2000 Series air purifier delivered exactly the same performance in this test.

I would also like to note that the A3 continued to maintain the same level of air quality even after the initial 60 minutes, even when I switched it to fan speed 2.

Performance – Smoke Removal Test

We tested the TCL breeva A3’s efficiency in removing smoke. We placed it in a glass box, filled the box with smoke, and let the breeva A3 run at maximum speed.

It successfully removed all the smoke from the glass box in just 21 seconds, which is an excellent result.

For comparison, some much more powerful air purifiers achieved similar or slightly better results. For example, the Winix C535, which has a higher CADR than the TCL breeva A3, also cleared all the smoke from the glass box in 21 seconds.

All in all, we can conclude that the TCL breeva A3 performed well in this test.

This air purifier has four fan speeds and an auto mode. It’s relatively quiet at the lower speeds but is also louder at the maximum speed.

One feature I especially like is the sleep mode, which dims all indicator lights by 50% and sets the fan to the lowest speed when activated.

This sleep mode, combined with the beautiful warm yellow light, makes it an excellent choice for calm spaces, such as a bedroom.

At the lowest speed (sleep mode), the TCL breeva A3 produces a sound level of 41.8 dBA, which is quite good and comparable to similar air purifiers. For instance, the Electrolux Flow A3 produces 40.8 dBA at its lowest speed.

However, at maximum speed, the TCL breeva A3 is among the loudest air purifiers in its class, producing a sound level of 65.8 dBA.

Overall, I would say the TCL breeva A3 is well-optimized for noise at lower speeds but becomes too loud at the maximum speed.

The TCL breeva A3 is an air purifier with a power consumption of only 38W. Considering its CADR of 159 CFM (270 m³/h), I would say it has a fairly good power-to-CADR ratio.

In standby mode, the A3 consumes about 1.2W, and at Speed 3, about 28.8W. You can see the energy usage for other speeds in the table below.

If you turn on the ambient light, the device uses about 2.4W more power, and activating breevaShield adds about 1W more power consumption.

This also means that if you were to run the breeva A3 at its maximum speed 24 hours a day, it would cost you approximately $2.52 per month, which is quite affordable.

Looking at the chart provided, you can see that it ranks somewhere in the middle for energy efficiency. For comparison, the Winix A231 would cost about $3.56 under similar conditions.

Another cost to consider is the replacement filter, which needs to be changed every 3 to 6 months. Although the filter isn’t too expensive, its relatively short lifespan increases the overall maintenance cost of the TCL breeva A3.

Filtration Technology

Basic 3-in-1 Filtration

Filtration is an essential part of any air purifier. Without a high-quality primary filter, the air purifier can rarely work satisfactorily.

The TCL breeva A3 uses a 3-in-1 filter, oval in shape, and hollow through the middle. This is the primary filter in the device.

The first stage of filtration is the pre-filter; its primary purpose is to collect large dust particles, pet fur, and any other large particles, thus preserving and maintaining the life of the HEPA filter.

The second stage of filtration is the H13 HEPA medical filter, which captures up to 99.97% of allergens and pollutants.

The third level of filtration is the activated carbon filter, which is responsible for neutralizing gases and odors.

breevaShield System

The breevaShield system is the name given to the particular filtration layer that comes with breeva air purifiers. breevaShield is switched off by default and can be switched on by pressing the breevaShield button.

When this option is switched on, the device switches on the Ionizer and UV-C light during filtration, which means that at this moment, this air purifier is working with a five-stage filtration.

The A3’s latest UV-C sterilization certificate from SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing, and certification company, has taken A3 for laboratory testing and confirm that the A3 has a virus kill rate of even more than 99.99%.

When it comes to the Ionizer. I have received confirmation from TCL that the device is safe and does not produce unauthorized amounts of ozone. This product meets the maximum permissible ozone concentration of 0.050 parts per million by volume (ppmv) over 24 hours.

The TCL 3-in-1 filter combined with breevaShield removes dust, pollen, pet dander, odors, smoke, VOCs, and particles from the air.

How to replace the TCL breeva A3 filter?

The TCL breeva A3 filter lasts for 2160 hours of operation. This means that if you use the unit 24 hours a day, the filter will last for 3 months. However, in my experience and needs, you rarely use the air purifier all day, especially at maximum speed, so my estimate is that the filter will last between 3 and 6 months.

Of course, there are many elements at play here, whether you use the air purifier very often, whether the air in the room where you use it is very dirty, and how often you clean the pre-filter.

You don’t have to worry about the timing of the filter change; the filter reset indicator lights red to indicate that it’s time to change the filter.

Total time: 10 minutes.

Design

The TCL breeva A3 is a modern air purifier with a premium look. The plastic is of top quality, and the build quality is outstanding.

The A3 has a very unusual design, which is essentially made up of two parts. The lower part is perforated and contains the filter. While the upper part contains the motor and the driving force of the A3 air purifier.

In the middle is the ambient light, which lights up in a beautiful yellow color, enhancing the air purifier’s experience.

At the bottom of the unit is a non-slip mat that prevents the unit from sliding on slippery surfaces. The breeva A3 is available in a stylish black color. With its unusual, futuristic design and slightly luxurious look, I think it will blend into almost any ambiance.

Controls and Indicators

The control buttons for the A3 air purifier are located on the top of the unit. They are arranged in a linear, horizontal pattern. The light indicators with which the buttons are enriched allow you to easily distinguish whether a particular option is active or not. After connecting the device, the indicator of the power button lights up all the time, but the brightness of this button is halved.

The buttons are touch-sensitive, intuitive, sufficiently sensitive, and large enough. In addition, they are very precise, and you will have no problems using them.

The buttons you will find on the device are power, mode, timer, filter, air quality indicator, filter reset indicator, breevaShield button, child lock, and ambient light.

Press and hold the Wind Speed button for 3 seconds to change the lights on/off on the button panel. When the control board lights go off, the rest of the button will light 50% when touched. If no action is taken within 10 seconds, the lights will turn off again.

Airflow

The TCL breeva A3 is circular in shape, and divided into two parts. The lower half of the unit is occupied by the filter, which is 360 degrees.

This means that A3 draws air through the openings in the lower half of the device on all sides because it is circular in shape.

The air is then filtered with the classic 3-in-1 filtration, but if the breevaShield Ionizer and UV-C light are on, they also help the filtration. The filtered air exits through the grilles on the top of the unit.

Size and Dimensions

The dimensions of the device are: 25 x 25 x 48 cm (9.8 x 9.8 x 18.9 inches).

The breeva A3 is not a small-sized air purifier, so I cannot claim that it is very compact, but it is not a very bulky device either.

What’s in the box?

When you buy the device, you get a TCL breeva A3 air purifier, adapter, 3-in-1 filter, happy card, and user manual.

Please note that the filter is supplied in a plastic bag and must be unpacked before using the device. Otherwise, the motor may overheat, and the device may not work correctly.

Features Overview

The TCL breeva A3 air purifier contains many advanced features. This is perhaps the most significant difference when compared to the smaller model, the breeva A2. Below I will describe some of the most essential options that this model has. Some are standard and already seen in many air purifiers on the market, but some are unique and set the TCL air purifier apart from the rest.

Laser Dust Sensor and VOC Sensor

I have tested many air purifiers so far, and I have rarely seen a device with a dust and odor sensor.

As for the shortcomings of some models, for example, the Winix 5500-2 or the Winix C535 have a sensor that only detects odors, and practically in automatic mode, these devices are not so effective if there is a lot of dust in the room.

Some other devices, such as the Coway Mighty or the Levoit LV-PUR131, only use a dust sensor, so in rooms where noxious gases are more of a problem than dust, they are less effective in automatic mode. I think I have explained this well and that you understand the advantage of this kind of dual sensor, which detects all particles literally.

The sensor is located on the lower half of the device, inside, right next to the primary filter. So far, I am used to some air purifiers that use sensors with separate motors. As the laser dust sensor is located next to the filter on the A3 air purifier cap, no additional small motor is needed, as the air will definitely pass through the sensor due to its good location inside the air purifier.

It bothers me that a large amount of air passes through the sensors, which could make it dirty quickly. I recommend that if you notice that the automatic mode is not working well or that the air quality indicator is not giving a precisely accurate result, check the sensors and clean them. In addition, I definitely recommend cleaning these sensors from time to time to prolong their life and to always get the most accurate results from them.

Air Quality Indicator

The air quality indicator works in combination with smart sensors to show the current air quality in real-time. If this indicator lights up white, the air quality in the room is excellent. If the color of this sensor is yellow, the air quality is medium. And if the color is red, the quality is poor.

Automatic mode

An automatic mode is also an option that works in combination with the smart sensor. When the device is in automatic mode, it automatically switches the fan speed according to the current air quality in the room.

Auto mode switches between speed 1, speed 2, and speed 3. This is an excellent option for turning on the air purifier and letting it do everything for you. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.

breevaShield Technology

This is a technology specific to the A3 air purifier. BreevaShield is a technology that includes an ionizer and UV-C light in its active state to further improve filtration, helping to make the air in your room even cleaner.

To be honest, I didn’t use this option too much because the traditional filter was enough for me. I explain this technology in detail below, in the section on filtration.

Ambient Light

Breeva A3 uses ambient light, a very warm yellow color that soothes and brightens the room. Mainly if you use it at night, in the bedroom, as I did.

This light is so soothing that I had no desire or need to turn it off while using it in my bedroom. It is interesting to note that the ambient light is switched on and off by pressing the same name button. However, to make advanced adjustments to the light intensity, you need to connect the device to a smartphone app.

Child Lock

This is an excellent option if you want to temporarily lock your device and prevent accidental button presses from changing the mode, turn the device off, or something else. To turn this mode on or off, hold your finger on the child lock button for 3 seconds.

Timer

A timer is a perfect option if you want the device to switch off after a specific period.

Breeva A3 offers the possibility to set the device to switch off in 1h, 2h, 4h, or 8h. With the TCL Home app, you can select the timer between 1h and 8h.

Smart App, Alexa, and Google

You can connect the TCL breeva A3 to the TCL Home app, making it easier to use the air purifier and unlocking some advanced options that are not possible directly on the device.

In addition to connecting to the smart app, you can connect this device to Alexa and Google Assistant.

Filter Reset Indicator

A filter reset indicator is a great option, so you don’t need to think about when it’s time to change the filter. The device calculates and sets the time to change the filter by making this indicator light red and beep three times. In addition, this button is used to reset the filter reset indicator.

Certificates

Breeva A3 is certified by SGS and CADR, proving the performance and room coverage of this model. I hope that they will soon receive CARB certification, thus further confirming that the A3 does not produce illegal amounts of ozone.

TCL Home App

It is also worth mentioning the smart app for controlling the A3 air purifier. The TCL Home app is available for Android and iOS devices.

Before using and connecting the app, you need to take a few preliminary steps. First, you need to download the app to your smartphone. Then create an account.

The great thing is that you’ll be able to control your devices from any location on earth as long as you have the internet on your phone, making the air in your room fresh to welcome you.

As I mentioned earlier, the breeva A3 can be connected to Alexa and Google Assistant. I won’t dwell much on uploading and creating accounts, so I’ll list below some of the basic features offered by this app. I’ll leave the rest of the options and detailed research to your imagination.

Linking A3 breeva to the Smart App

Simply press “Add Device” to open the screen and add a new device.

You need to allow the app to use Bluetooth and then follow all the steps on the screen. You must connect both the air purifier and your smartphone to the same Wi-Fi connection. In addition, my recommendation is to keep the smartphone as close to the air purifier as possible when connecting.

The process is straightforward, and if you encounter any problem, the app offers you a solution. If you are still unable to connect, please leave a comment at the bottom of the text or contact me by email, and I will be happy to help.

AQI, Basic Information and Control Commands

Once you have successfully connected your device to the smart app, new possibilities open, and the ability to take complete control of your device using the smart app.

When you select a connected device, you have a lot of settings on the home screen. Initially, you can see the air quality sensor readings and the current indoor air quality status.

In addition, you can see many informative items in the app, such as filter lifetime and indicators for almost all the options the device has. You can do almost everything with the app, for example, change the mode, turn on or off the panel lights, adjust the intensity of the ambient light, and turn on or off the breevaShield and child lock.

There is also a favorite mode that allows you to customize the settings of your favorite device and then switch the device to those settings with a single click.

Room Coverage & CADR

Breeva A3 is designed for rooms up to 246 sq. ft. In my opinion, you can use this device in any room, slightly larger or even smaller. During the testing, I used it mainly in a somewhat larger living room than recommended. I can say that I am delighted with this device’s performance and capacities.

With a powerful CADR of 270 m³/h, the Breeva can tackle almost any corner and can effectively cover a room with an area of up to 246 sq. ft. It can also clean up to 5X more air per hour than a conventional air purifier.

Technical Support and Warranty

I have tested TCL’s technical support, and I can say that despite being a global company that probably has many inquiries per day, they have responded to all the messages I have sent them relatively quickly and clearly.

You can contact them via their Facebook page, by email, or by calling them directly on the phone. My suggestion is to use the Facebook chat or contact them directly from the smartphone app.

TCL provides a 12-month warranty on this product. After purchasing the air purifier, you need to register it through the registration form on their website. You can also find this form on the TCL Home app if you find it easier.

FAQ on TCL breeva A3