Dewalt has come out with a new hanging air filtration system, DWXAF101, that is designed to clean the air of dust and particulates created during woodworking operations.
The Dewalt air cleaner has a 2-stage filter design, and IR remote control with speed selection and timer functions.
It is also advertised as having a built-in air quality sensor for automatic operation.
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The first filter is said to be of medium efficiency, and can collect more than 40% of particles down to 0.3µm. The second is a high efficiency H11 HEPA filter, capable of capturing more than 95% of particles as small as 0.3µm.
Key Specs
- 200/350/400 cubic meters per hour airflow
- 105W rated power
- 6.6 ft power cord
- 64 dB maximum noise level
- Measures 20″ x 15.9″ x 10.2″
- Weighs 20.9 lbs
- Remote has 16.4 ft control distance
It also features a folding handle for easier portability, for users that choose to place the filter on a workbench or shelf.
The air filter comes with chains and screw hooks for ceiling-mounting.
Price: $279
Discussion
This is a somewhat small air cleaner, and relatively light. It won’t cycle the air as quickly as larger air filters, such as the Jet AFS-1000B ($400 at Amazon).
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But, its smaller size makes it more portable, and it has a HEPA-rated filter. The product description says that the medium efficiency static cotton filter is cleanable, but there’s no mention about where to get a replacement HEPA filter.
At the highest of the 3 settings, the maximum airflow is 400 cubic meters per hour, which converts to around 235 CFM.
Eric Suger
I feel like I have seen this exact air filter product from multiple vendors. WEN, PowerTec, Shop Fox.
If still just a rebadge of the same product from other vendors?
Stuart
Could be, but I don’t recognize the design.
Bonnie
I don’t think the re-badges have the auto-sensor, and the way the filters clip in is definitely different (the WEN/Powertec/ShopFox don’t have the wire filter cover). They also use pouch filters and the dimensions are slightly different.
Eric S.
The wire cover vs clips is no big deal to me as it is designed to hang high in the shop. The other units I have seen go down to 1 micron ike the Jet, this one seems better with a lower rating. (If I read the specs right)
I grant you the auto sensor is a differentiator, but could be harmful. Typically I don’t want this to automatically run while I am in the shop circulating dust already in the air. I want the dust to settle out of the air not keep it airborne as it takes 30 min to 1 hour to circulate all the air in the shop.
I would urn the unit on when I am are no longer in the shop to clean the air and when you don’t have finishes drying on projects that would collect more dust from circulating air.,
Bonnie
If you let the dust settle you’re just going to kick it right back into the air the next time you’re doing anything out there.
Bonnie
Looks like a solid entry. I like the automated operation a lot, I expect that will become standard across these products. The CFM are a little low, but the filter quality is definitely higher than my Grizzly equivalent or the cheap WENs.
16×10 nominal filters are easy to find, so unless it’s a particularly odd thickness it shouldn’t be an issue to source a replacement even if DeWalt doesn’t offer branded ones in store. Though the box store filters offer a lot less filter surface so you’d probably see a drop in performance and I would hope DeWalt makes sure properly specced filters are easy to find.
MtnRanch
These devices are only marginally effective. Better to spend your money and effort capturing dust at the source instead of waiting for it to spread all over the shop and then filtering it.
These are ok if you’ve first done your best efforts at eliminating dust spreading from your tools, they should not be considered as primary collection.
Steve
Secondary collection item – makes sense. I have been looking at them. Maybe Milwaukee cimes out with one – all my stuff is team red and this would stick out like a sore thumb.
We are digging out our crawl space and creating a lot of dust. Something like this would have to help in that regard…
Stuart
This is not the type of filter you want for demo or digging work like that.
Bonnie
You want both at-source collection and cleanup collection. Even with the best suction some tools/operations are always going to be putting dust into the air.
Jack D
Correct. No matter what sort of dust collection you think you have, there is always the finer particulates. This is the sort of air cleaner you combine with fans to clean the air for an hour or two even after you leave the shop. I’m happy with my WEN, but it is good to see a brand like DeWalt put their two cents in.
MtnRanch
Correct, I use both but my point was don’t bother with “cleanup collection” until you’ve addressed source collection.
An N95 mask will do more for your lungs than this type of filter but it won’t do anything for general shop cleanliness. My Jet air filter helps but doesn’t really filter out enough to make it worth the price. My next purchase will be building a good downdraft table for dusty wood work where I can’t use a “cyclone” dust collector.
Franco
If you have a workshop where sunlight comes through a nearby window, this shows the very fine dust that is expelled into the air, despite your best efforts at capturing at the source.
Any good dust extraction system needs a good 2 fold approach. Capture at the source, mainly the medium/larger dust particles. And then something like this, but bigger, collecting the fine/very fine dust particles.
Hoser
But it doesn’t have a rounded plastic housing that is less susceptible to damage lol! The price of this unit also helps prove the fact that the air quality sensor is not expensive to add, as some conjectured with the other unit.
Baconhake
Other brands offer their lowest model moving double the CFM for 3/4 the price.
It is not a good deal, in fact it is a bad deal. The most important features are CFM and microns of filtration.
Collin
Rated at only 105 watts? I’m surprised no one’s come out with a cordless version then. A beefy 18v battery could run this for 2 hours or so. Even more with larger batteries.
Steve L
It comes with a timer with 1, 2, 4 and 8 hour settings. Same timer feature is on similar models from other brand. Start it and walk away.
Maybe it could have dual AC / Battery power but no one will use this outdoors and you don’t hold it so is mobility an issue? If you permanently hang it from a ceiling (which I think is the primary method) and use the remote doesn’t it need to be corded?
Bonnie
Air cleaners like this just aren’t designed for mobile jobsite use. They typically cycle the air within an enclosed shop space several times an hour (this size is good for about a one-car garage).
On-site you’re probably going to be trying to vent air outside with a utility blower, or using a stronger HEPA unit/air scrubber to clean the air inside much faster.
Mike West
Designed and/or intended for jobsite use or not, it’s silly to dismiss that use out of hand.
I have been shopping this type of product for months specifically for use on jobsites. I’m often doing a lot of rough and trim carpentry inside a house or garage for weeks at a time.
I can’t see how this isn’t applicable. Reduces cleanup, and increases air quality.
And it isn’t as though this is any harder to tote around than a table saw or miter saw.
Chrisk1970
I’ve got the small Grizzly like this one and have had it for years. It works great in my shop where almost all of my big tools use dust collection, I change the filters out every once and a while and they are always full.
Bob+Hinden
I followed the Amazon link and got (in red):
This product does not meet California air cleaner regulation requirements, and cannot be shipped to California
Anyone know what that means or what the issue is?
Bonnie
I think that’s out of date information in Amazon’s system. This air cleaner is listed as certified on the CARB website.
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/list-carb-certified-air-cleaning-devices
They’ve tightened regulations around ozone-producing indoor devices.
fred
Back in the 1950’s and “60’s there was an indoor air cleaner called the Puritron. Advertised heavily – the makers wanted everyone to have one plugged in on your bedside table. I recall that it actually produced ozone to purify the air. It was supposed to also rid the air of cigarette smoke, dust and pollen and get rid of odors. I had one – did not regret when it stopped working.
Bob+Hinden
Thanks. I filled out the incorrect information form on Amazon with a link to the CARB website. Perhaps they will update the listing.
Bill
Thank you kindly!! I want this puppy in my tool shed
fred
I have a somewhat ancient outside (shed attached to the house) baghouse that provides dust collection for my stationary tools. It was never perfect so my solution to what remained floating around was to use an air mover fan that exchanged the air blowing the airborne residual fine dust into my back yard. During the pandemic my wife was complaining that this setup was making the house cold and scattering dust onto some of her plantings. She probably noticed this less before because we were typically in Florida for the winter months. Anyway – I demurred and bought a Baileigh hanging air filter that is supposedly good for the 2400 square feet of my basement. It uses two 20×24 filters. I find that it keeps the house warmer – so probably has helped with my gas bill – but is not 100% effective – and I still use the exhaust fan in warmer months.
Gene L. Howerton
I have a Rabbit Air system in my shop. It was one of the best purchases I have made. When I enter the shop the next day there are no odors, just clean air. Even if you pick it up at the source, it still is in the air. The Rabbit shows different colors based on what is in the air. If rip wood and I have above and below dust collection on my table saw, the Rabbit Air will go to red, then about 5 minutes later it is back to good air and blue.
Nathan
am I missing something? I’m under the impression the only thing these are really good for is cleaning the air around a work area to keep the rest of the space cleaner.
IE sanding your item in your say 20 x 20 garage – you need a mask thing, should run collections on your sander thing – and all this will do is keep the surrounding area fairly clean from debris and dust.
or am I thinking about this all wrong?
Bonnie
It’s for both cleanliness and health safety. That airborn dust will settle on surfaces if not filtered or exchanged outside, but it will go right back up into the air (and your lungs) when disturbed. Unless you wear a mask 100% of the time you’re in the shop, you need to deal with that airborn dust somehow.
Nathan
I usually do all my work with the windows and garage door open.
saws point outside or have dust tubes. if the weather is nice I’ll put the mitre saw actually out in the driveway – same with the table saw when I can
Jack D
You’d be amazed how much of the finer particulates just love to float around your workspace, doors and windows besides the point. An efficient overhead cycling system with a scrubber like this in place is an eye opener…took me years to figure it out, and I’m glad I did.
Eric S.
100%. Collect Dust at the source, wear a P100 rated mask, and run the air cleaner once you leave the shop.
Avoid the occupational asthma as all costs.
JoeM
That looks like a lot of expensive replacement filter to buy on a regular basis. Maintenance on this puppy had better be in the budget for whatever you’re doing… I know custom cabinetry can be expensive to the end user, and carpenters can make good money off it, but if the filters on this are expensive, or get destroyed too quickly, that may price small-shop carpentry outside of what people might be willing to pay for the work!
Stuart
Hobbyist woodworkers also have lungs.
Are you suggesting maintenance costs would be higher for this model compared to other air cleaners?
fred
The last ones (20×24 – so larger than this Dewalt unit) that I bought were Home Depot HDX brand – FPR9 – about $230 plus tax for 12 – so an exchange costs me $40+. I think that HD offers a subscription service – that lets you save 5% off – but I’m not running the unit every day – so regular deliveries of filter would not work out for me. Along with n95 masks and other PPE , plus shop electricity it’s a cost of enjoying a hobby – while doing what you can to protect your health
Franco
When I have my shop setup, I will be getting a unit, similar to this Dewalt, just for a bigger work area. Meanwhile I have been look at these, the various brands, CFM, how many microns…etc. One thing I have noticed is that the filters are not cheap.
I do not know how frequently they need to be changed; for sure dependent on how often you use them. But if they need to be changed monthly or even every 3-4 months, it will get pricey. Some units have 2 filters and some have 3.
Not having experience with one of these, do you change all filters at the same time, or the outer most filter gets changed more often while the internal, finer micron filters get changed once every 3rd or 4th time as the outside or first filter?
If I calculated properly, somewhere in the 3-4 filter changes (if all filters are changed) will cost more than the unit itself.
Franco
Maybe a couple of users could chime in on how many hours before a filter change is needed and if only 1 filter gets changed often or if they all get changed at the same time?
Are there re-usable filters, like wash and re-use?
Eric S.
You can also check out powermatics air filter (pm1250) the doesn’t need replacements, but you pay for that convenience.
Stuart
It depends. I replace the pre filter every so often, sometime it can just be cleaned. The inner filter lasts longer in my experience.
Hours of use depends on too many factors to answer.
fred
Thank goodness that the inner filter really does last much longer. While I’ve been able to get away using HDX high efficiency filters costing about $240 for 12 as my outer filter – the Baileigh inner filter on mine costs about the same for 1.
Bonnie
The inner filters on both mine (small grizzly and large jet) are washable, and I haven’t had to replace either in the years I’ve had them (5 for the grizzly, 1 for the jet) in my hobby shop. Prefilters can be knocked off a bit, so I replace them maybe once a year. Weirdly the grizzly filters are about twice the price of the Jets ($13 vs $7 a piece) when bought in bulk because they’re a weird size only used by air cleaners.
fred
I have taken dust extractor filter cartridges outside and used a combination of air and vacuum and/or washing to remove surface debris and try to extend their life. I haven’t tried that with my air cleaner.
Better for use cleaning cannister filters IPA make multi-port air blow guns. They come in various sizes. Here’s one:
https://www.zoro.com/ipa-tools-air-comb-air-gun-8052/i/G302679437/
While I’m at it (with filter cleaning tools) – here’s a gadget for your pool filters:
https://www.amazon.com/Filter-Flosser-Most-Powerful-Cleaning/dp/B002WKS85K
Borys Medicky
The airflow on this thing is described in cubic metres, oddly enough, not CFM. A typo?
Stuart
It could be, but it depends on the OEM and where the design and testing took place. This is likely a licensed product, and metric specs aren’t out of the ordinary for overseas OEMs.