Shark just solved the biggest (and most expensive) problem I have with air purifiers – and this new model is set to be my new summer must-have

Shark has just dropped a brand new appliance into its lineup: the Shark BreatheClear with NeverChange6 Air Purifier (£269.99 at Shark). And as someone who tests air purifiers for a living, it’s got me pretty excited.

Of course, Shark has already proved it has what it takes to produce some of the best air purifiers on the market, understanding that UK homes crave an appliance to tackle dust, odours, and other airborne nasties that can affect our air quality.

But this new model solves the biggest (and most expensive) problem I have with this summer essential: how often you have to change your air purifier filter. And as the name suggests, the BreatheClear with NeverChange6 filter doesn’t have to be replaced for a whopping six years…

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Shark impressed me last year when I tested the predecessor to this new model, the Shark NeverChange5 Air Purifier. With this older appliance, Shark had designed a reactive, powerful, and incredibly easy-to-use model.

The new Shark BreatheClear with NeverChange6 Air Purifier, however, takes what I loved about the NeverChange5 and supercharges it, offering a larger recommended room size and air changes per hour (70m2 with 1 air change per hour and 14m2 with 4.8 air changes per hour).

This makes it suitable for medium-sized rooms if you’re wondering how to choose an air purifier for your home. It also comes with an anti-odour cartridge to enhance the benefits of air purifiers, and it is available in two colourways to suit your home and style.

Personally, I still can't decide if I like the overall modern design or if it’s a bit too robotic for me. But that's all personal preference.

But the real selling point is that the advanced HEPA filter, which captures 99.98% of particles, doesn’t need to be replaced for 6 years. And this will save you a lot of money, as most air purifier filters need to be replaced regularly - costing you an extra chunk of money at least once or twice a year.

To calculate just how affordable that is over six years compared to other air purifiers, you can use the following formula: the price of the air purifier + (the price of the filter × 12). This is based on the assumption that you should generally change your air purifier filter every six months. However, it’s important to note that the exact lifespan depends on your usage.

But if you don’t want to do the maths, I’ve worked out a few examples below that compare the cost of the new Shark BreatheClear Air Purifier with the Blueair 3250i, which is Ideal Home's best overall air purifier, and our top budget model, the COWAY Airmega 50.

So, while it’s fair to say that you’ll have a higher upfront cost with the new Shark air purifier, it works out even cheaper than a budget-friendly model in the long run.

However, it’s important to note that this comparison only compares the air purifier's price and doesn’t account for its features and specifications. It may be that a different model will better suit your specific air quality requirements, so I’d still suggest doing your own research, depending on whether you want an air purifier to stop dust, tackle cooking smells, combat hay fever symptoms, or reduce pet dander.

But if you’re basing your air purifier purchase on price alone, I do think Shark’s new model is a worthy contender and my new unexpected hero of the summer.

Will you be snapping one up?