Toshiba Tower-Shaped Air Purifier – Hands-on Review (2023)

Toshiba is a renowned brand in the electronics industry with a global presence. What I find most interesting about it is their extensive range of air purifiers. In this review, I will test and evaluate the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) tower-shaped air purifier, which features an old-fashioned design, affordable price, and outstanding filtration technology.

The CAF-Z45FR(K) model I’m testing is designed for the European market. The most significant difference between this model and the one sold in the US is that the US version has the ability to connect to Amazon Alexa, providing additional features.

One of the main features of this air purifier is its 3-stage filtration technology, which includes an activated carbon filter, an H13 True HEPA filter, and UV-C light. This filtration technology ensures that the air purifier effectively removes various pollutants such as dust, pollen, smoke, and even some bacteria and viruses. It can cover rooms up to 222 sq. ft. (21 m2), making it ideal for medium-sized rooms.

Although the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) doesn’t boast any additional features, it is competitively priced, easy to use, and maintain. Overall, I believe this will be an interesting review, and I’m excited to share my conclusions with you.

Specifications

The table below provides a simplified overview of the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) specifications.

Setup and Installation

The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) air purifier comes with a filter included and is almost ready to use. However, some preparation steps must be completed before you start using it.

Firstly, remove all protective tapes from the device. Then, open the cover on the back of the device and remove the filter. Unpack the filter from its plastic cover, then put it back into the air purifier.

With these steps, you have completed everything necessary to use the device safely. Now, place the air purifier in a desired location, plug it into the power socket, and turn it on.

Design

At first glance, the Toshiba air purifier seemed like an outdated device featuring old-fashioned design principles that are no longer trendy. The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) is a tower-shaped air purifier that reminds me of other similar air purifiers I’ve tested before, such as the GermGuardian AC4825, in terms of its appearance.

However, despite its traditional design, this Toshiba air purifier is made of high-quality plastic that is durable, sturdy, and well-crafted. I particularly like the handle on the back of the device, which is a helpful addition since the air purifier is somewhat heavy. Moving it from one room to another without a handle would not be easy.

This air purifier is available in white and black. I tested the black model, which had no additional details. While taste is subjective, I must say that it doesn’t exhibit the most modern design I would expect from a contemporary air purifier. However, I’m confident it will find a place in your home and blend in with your decor.

Controls and Indicators

The control panel and indicators are located on the top of the Toshiba air purifier. This device uses regular buttons that are not touch-sensitive. Essentially, the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) has only three buttons for control: the On/Off button, the UV button, and the Fan Speed button.

It’s pretty obvious what each button does, but I would like to emphasize that the UV button is also used as a filter reset indicator, while the On/Off button is used to connect the device with Amazon Alexa, which is only available for the US market.

Above the UV and Fan Speed buttons, there are indicators that show the current status of these two options. This air purifier is very minimalistic, with no advanced features except for Alexa compatibility, which is only available for the US version of this air purifier.

It’s worth mentioning that the Toshiba air purifier remembers the last used fan speed, so when you turn it on again, it will continue to work at the previously used speed.

Overall, while the control panel and buttons may seem basic, they are very functional and easy to use. The simplicity of the design may be a plus for some users who don’t want to deal with complicated controls or unnecessary features.

Airflow

Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) is a tower-shaped air purifier that operates on the principle of drawing in air through the openings at the back of the device, which is then filtered and released through the openings on the front. 

Regarding airflow, it’s essential not to obstruct any openings for air intake and output. Blocking these openings can reduce the air purifier’s efficiency and may even damage the device.

Additionally, it is recommended to place the air purifier in a central location in the room and keep it away from walls and other objects. This allows for maximum airflow and ensures that the air purifier works effectively to clean the air in the room.

Size and Dimensions

The size and dimensions of the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) air purifier are as follows: it weighs 15.45 lb (7 kg) and measures 10.1 x 6.9 x 26.6 inches (25,6 x 17,5 x 67,5 cm). Essentially, the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) is a large air purifier. However, it doesn’t take up much floor space, but its height can potentially be a problem and make placement difficult. Therefore, you should take its height into consideration before purchasing.

One thing to emphasize again as a significant benefit is a handle on the top of the device, which is an ideal addition and makes it much easier to carry the machine from room to room.

What’s in the box?

When you purchase the device, you will receive Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) Air Purifier, 2-in-1 filter (included),  UV Light (included), and  User Manual.

The Toshiba air purifier comes fully equipped with all the necessary filters, ready to use right out of the box. However, it is recommended that you read the detailed installation guide and all recommended settings before starting the device for the first time.

Features Overview

The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) is a minimalist air purifier that lacks advanced features. Unlike other air purifiers on the market, this device doesn’t have an air quality sensor, air quality indicator, auto mode, or similar features. This air purifier only offers a filter reset indicator, which will notify you when it’s time to replace the filter.

However, suppose you decide to purchase the US version of this device. In that case, you’ll get one more option – the ability to connect to Amazon Alexa and control it through voice commands. But overall, this is a minimalist device, similar to the IKEA FÖRNUFTIG, that can’t boast any advanced features.

In my opinion, in the sea of smart air purifiers, this is a significant drawback, and it could be a reason for potential buyers to choose another air purifier equipped with at least basic features such as a timer, sleep mode, display lock, and more.

Although the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) is a simple device, it can still be an excellent choice for those looking for a no-frills air purifier that does the job well without any extra bells and whistles.

Room Coverage & CADR

When it comes to room coverage, it’s always important to consider an air purifier’s CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate). The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) has a CADR of 240 m³/h, which makes it ideal for rooms up to 220 sq. ft. (21 m2) in size. In a room of this size, the Toshiba air purifier will clean the air 4.8 times per hour, which is essentially an industry standard.

However, it’s worth noting that this means the air purifier will only clean the air 2 times per hour in a room of up to 543 sq. ft. (50 m2). If your space is not highly polluted, you can still use this air purifier in rooms slightly larger than the recommended size.

But room coverage is not the only factor to consider when deciding where to place an air purifier. Because the Toshiba air purifier does not have a sleep mode and does not perform as well on noise tests, it may not be the best choice for use in a bedroom. However, this air purifier would be a great choice in living rooms, offices, and other similar spaces. It’s important to consider all of these factors when deciding where to place your air purifier to ensure that it works effectively and suits your needs.

Filtration Technology

The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) air purifier uses a 3-stage filtration technology comprised of an activated carbon filter, True HEPA filter, and UV light.

The filter is rectangular in shape, located at the back of the device, and covers almost the entire surface of the rear panel.

In my opinion, one of the significant advantages of this filter is that it has a high-quality True HEPA filter, although I would also like to see it have a pellet-based carbon filter. The filter is not washable, meaning that it should not be washed under any circumstances, but I recommend regular maintenance, which includes cleaning the filter at least twice a month.

Activated Carbon Filter

The activated carbon filter is the first stage of filtration on this device, which also serves as a pre-filter. Essentially, this filter has two purposes: first, to neutralize bad odors, which are not at a very high level, as I explained in detail in the following review, where I talk about performance tests.

The second purpose is a pre-filter, which essentially collects all large particles of dust and other debris, thereby protecting the HEPA filter and extending its lifespan.

True HEPA H13 Filter

The True HEPA filter is the second stage of filtration on this device. This stage is essential and primarily responsible for the performance that the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) achieved in performance tests.

This filter will remove 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns in size, such as smoke, pet dander, mold, pollen, allergens, and dust from the air.

Frankly, I believe that without this stage of filtration, this device would not have achieved performance results even close to the current ones. In my opinion, the HEPA H13 filter is the biggest asset of this Toshiba air purifier.

UV Light

UV light is the last stage of filtration.

The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) uses a 2W UV light, whose primary purpose is to (according to the manufacturer’s words) kill germs and airborne viruses such as influenza, staph, and rhinovirus. The UV light is located on the top of the device, well-protected, so you do not have to worry about coming into direct contact with the UV light, which could be harmful in that case.

Essentially, this is a decent addition that positively affects the overall efficiency of this device.

How to Replace Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) Filter?

As mentioned earlier, the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) doesn’t use washable filters, meaning the filters on this device need to be replaced periodically.

The lifespan of the filters is somewhat specific, with the True HEPA filter lasting about 12 months and the carbon filter lasting approximately 3 months. Fortunately, this air purifier has a filter reset indicator that will alert you when it’s time to replace the filter.

Essentially, it is the same indicator as for the UV light, except that when it notifies you that it’s time to replace the filter, this indicator will flash.

Noise Test

The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) air purifier offers three different speed settings for operation. However, one major drawback I noticed is that this device lacks sleep mode. This is a significant disadvantage, especially considering that even on the low-speed setting, this air purifier produces a sound level of up to 45.3 dBA.

Compared to the average sound level of air purifiers that I have tested so far, this result is far from satisfactory. This could all be remedied if the device had a sleep mode.

On the other hand, what positively surprised me is the sound level that this air purifier produces on its high-speed setting, which is only 55.4 dBA. This is significantly quieter than its competitors.

Overall, I cannot say that the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) is particularly quiet or particularly loud. Therefore, I would conclude that this air purifier is not suitable for a bedroom but rather for a living room, office, or similar space, where it is still not too loud at medium and high speeds.

Performance Tests

In addition to the standard performance tests that I conduct on all air purifiers, I spent some time using the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) in the rooms where I spend most of my time. As I expected, due to its not-so-high-quality carbon filter, this air purifier isn’t particularly effective at neutralizing bad odors. Specifically, it struggled to combat the smell of matches being struck and the smells that arise from cooking in the kitchen.

However, when it comes to dust, allergies, and other pollutants, this air purifier is more than capable of doing the job thanks to its high-quality H13 True HEPA filter. In addition to these tests, I also tested the Toshiba air purifier in two rooms of different sizes, which I’ll describe in more detail below.

194 sq. ft. (18 m2) Room Test

In the first test, I used the air purifier in a room that measures 194 sq. ft. (18 m2), slightly smaller than the recommended room size for this model. To my delight, it achieved fantastic results by improving air quality by approximately 94% over the course of 60 minutes at high speed.

This is an excellent result and demonstrates the effectiveness of this air purifier.

320 sq. ft. (30 m2) Room Test

In the second test, I used the air purifier in a room measuring 320 sq. ft. (30 m2), slightly larger than the recommended size. Despite this, the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) still produced impressive results, improving air quality by approximately 91% over the course of 60 minutes at high speed.

Overall, I am pleased with the testing results, but I stand by my earlier assertion that this air purifier is not the best solution for neutralizing bad odors.

Operating Costs

The Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) is a medium-sized air purifier with a motor of 53W for the EU market and 58W for the US market. Although this isn’t a lot of watts, I have to be honest and say that I have tested many air purifiers with higher CADR and motors of slightly lower power. For example, the Levoit Core 400S has a much smaller motor but almost double the CADR, which is clear evidence that the engineers could have done a better job optimizing the motor on this Toshiba air purifier.

When operating at High speed, the Toshiba air purifier uses about 50.5W, which means that if you left this air purifier on High mode, 24 hours a day, for a month, your electricity bill would increase by about $4.4. Although this is not a huge expense, it is still slightly higher than some competitor devices. In addition to the cost of electricity, there is also the cost of replacement filters, which need to be changed on average twice a year.

Let’s take into account that the cost of replacement filters, as well as the cost of electricity, is slightly higher than that of competitors. We can say that the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) could have been more cost-effective to maintain annually.

However, it’s important to note that the high-quality H13 True HEPA filter in this air purifier is very effective at removing pollutants, which may make the slightly higher maintenance costs worth it for some users.

FAQ on Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K)

Pros and Cons

To revise, here are the advantages and disadvantages of the Toshiba CAF-Z45FR(K) air purifier:

Final Thoughts