Briiv 2 & Briiv 2 Pro Review – The Most Beautiful Air Purifier Is Now Better!

A few years ago, I had the chance to test one of the most interesting air purifiers I had encountered. As you may have already guessed, the device I am talking about is the original Briiv air purifier – a device designed to make improving your air quality both beautiful and sustainable. While I enjoyed using the device, it had a few notable drawbacks, too. For example, it was very costly for the performance it offered, and it wasn’t a very ‘smart’ device when it came to functionality.

So, when I recently heard about the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro, which aim to improve on both of these fronts, I was immediately intrigued. While the Briiv 2 models look quite similar to their predecessor (and share many of the same characteristics), they’re also said to be a significant upgrade in many ways. I also have to admit that, after seeing and using it in person, it’s a much better polished device than the first one.

Now, it’s important to note that in this article, I’ll primarily be reviewing the Briiv 2 Pro. However, both the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro are very similar, with the Pro version offering a few additional features. So what exactly does the Briiv 2 Pro bring to the table? Well, while the main advantage is definitely the built-in air quality sensor, it also has a few more smart features, and AI integration is a major part of its marketing. While I have some questions about how exactly AI can help improve an air purifier, I’m always open to new ideas and technologies, so this was another interesting aspect for me.

With that out of the way, today, I want to introduce the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro and take an in-depth look at how these device perform. I’ve had the original Briiv for around three years now, and I’ve had the Briiv 2 Pro for around three months. This has given me a lot of insight into how both devices perform and also how the newer variants compare to the original. Let’s dive right in by discussing the performance of this purifier!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please refer to my affiliate disclaimer. I was sent a product for review, but the article is not sponsored. All opinions expressed in this post are my honest thoughts. I only recommend products that I genuinely believe in.

Information on this blog is for informational purposes only. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information herein with other sources. Furthermore, this information is not intended to replace medical advice from professionals. This website assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information, and information is subject to change without notice. Devices mentioned on this website are not medical devices and do not guarantee protection.

Performance

Left: Briiv Original. Right: Briiv 2 Pro.

The original Briiv was quite a compact device, but it also suffered when it came to performance. While the Briiv 2 Pro improves in this regard, it’s important to note that this device is still best suited to small rooms such as offices or (smaller) bedrooms. I believe Briiv agrees with this, as I noticed the term ‘bubble of clean air’ on their website, which indicates this purifier performs best in smaller environments. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, as smaller air purifiers have their advantages, but it’s worth noting that neither the Briiv nor Briiv 2 Pro should be compared to a device like the AirFanta 3Pro, which has very different use cases.

The original Briiv was able to clean a 16m² space in 1 hour, and I’ve been told that with the Briiv 2 Pro, the time required for the same volume of air is massively shrunk to 21 minutes. Considering the Briiv 2 Pro is not much bigger than the Briiv, this claim is very impressive, and I look forward to testing it later in this section.

Since I couldn’t find an official CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) figure for either of these devices, I decided to do some rough calculations. Based on the information I was given above, I decided to find the CADR, assuming the 16m² is 2.5m high. If this is the case, we get a volume of 40 m³. Considering the time it takes for both devices to clean the room, this gives the original Briiv a CADR of around 40 m³/h, while the Briiv 2 Pro comes in at 114.3 m³/h. If you prefer the CFM (cubic feet per minute), that equates to 23.5 CFM and 67.3 CFM (close to Briiv’s official figure of 68). This is a measurable improvement, and I’m hoping I will be able to see these differences represented in my own tests!

Briiv’s official figures for the Briiv 2 (and Pro) at speed level 4.

Interestingly, Briiv’s own testing indicates an 88% single-pass efficiency (meaning that 88% of particles are removed from the air as it passes through the filter). While this is significantly less than many HEPA filters, it’s worth mentioning that single-pass performance is not the best metric to use when comparing air purifiers. On a mask or respirator, it’s vital that as many particles as possible are removed during a single pass (in other words, before they reach your lungs). However, with an air purifier, air passes through the filter multiple times, meaning that we need to consider both single-pass efficiency and how many times the air passes through the filter. This is why CADR is a better figure than single-pass efficiency for air purifiers.

While it’s admittedly a very different device, the most recent small form factor air purifier that I reviewed was the SmartAir QT3. For a point of reference, the CADR of that device is 37m³/h, meaning that even the original Briiv had similar performance, while the Briiv 2 Pro should have around 3x the CADR. Again, I don’t want to compare these two devices as they have very different use-cases, but it’s good to have a point of reference in the small form factor air purifier niche.

So, all of this information and the improvements over the original Briiv begs the question: how is the Briiv 2 Pro so much more performant? Well, it mainly comes down to the second-generation device using a much larger fan, which also has an improved fin design. As you can see in the image above, there’s also a larger exhaust, meaning more air can be pushed through the device. For a device that isn’t much larger, an almost 3x improvement in performance is very good!

For my first test, I wanted to set a baseline. To do this, I first placed three air quality monitors in my ‘test chamber’ (which is just a bedroom, but it is the same room I have used in previous tests on other devices to ensure some consistency) and lit incense. Once the incense finished burning, I removed it and sealed the room. I then analysed exactly how long it took for the particles to settle naturally. Needless to say, it took quite a while, and even after 12 hours, the PM2.5 concentration in the room still exceeded 150μg/m³.

I then proceeded with the same test, but this time, I placed a Briiv 2 Pro in the room and set it to maximum speed. As you can see, it removed the particles from the air significantly faster than waiting for them to settle naturally. In fact, the Briiv 2 Pro was able to clean the room almost four times faster – it took only 242 minutes for the PM2.5 concentration to decrease below 100μg/m³ with the device running, but 964 minutes without a purifier running.

Now, I want to give a few notes about my testing procedure. While far from scientific, I did my best to not touch the room during the experiments and there was completely stagnant air in the room (minus that impacted by the air purifier). No one entered the room during the testing, and the three monitors (which I averaged for the above and following results) were used only remotely. The room I tested in is 25.6m³, so about the size of a small bedroom or office.

Anyway, now that we have a baseline, I wanted to do a few more tests. Firstly, is this actually an improvement over the performance of the first Briiv? I had to know! Therefore, I decided to test the original Briiv in the same conditions and also at the maximum fan speed. Over the first three hours of the test, the original Briiv showed a rate of decrease of 1.21 µg/m³ per minute, while the Briiv 2 Pro managed 2.89 µg/m³ per minute. In the end, it took the Briiv 2 242 minutes to reduce the PM2.5 concentration to below 100µg/m³, while the original Briiv took almost 600 minutes for the same result. With these figures in mind, it looks like the Briiv 2 performs about two and a half times better than the original Briiv at maximum speed.

Again, this test was carried out at maximum speed. However, I was able to confirm that at most speed settings, the Briiv 2 Pro performed at least twice as well as the original Briiv at the same speed setting. Therefore, while there are still many more performant air purifiers at both lower price points and similar sizes, the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro are a significant step above the original device in regards to their purification capabilities.

With that said, I would still recommend using this device close to the area you are trying to filter. Since its filtering speed is still quite limited, and it will take many hours to clean even a small room, I recommend placing this purifier on a desk or near your bed – wherever you will be spending a lot of time. If it’s on the opposite side of the room, you will need to wait a long while before you begin to feel the impacts of the cleaner air. Of course, this is also tested at the maximum fan speed, which you likely won’t want to use too often as it is quite loud.

The Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro can house a LOT of activated carbon.

It’s also worth mentioning that the filters have activated carbon woven in. While it’s hard to speak on the quantitive performance of these filters, they should assist with removing VOCs from the air. While they probably only retain full adsorption capabilities for a limited time, Briiv also offers activated charcoal grains that can be put in the purifier. While I don’t have the equipment required to test the capabilities of carbon filtration, I can imagine this might actually be a very effective implementation of activated carbon simply due to the vast surface area of the carbon grains.

Again, while I can’t prove this (as measuring absolute concentrations of VOCs is very difficult with low-cost sensors), I feel like this may be quite an effective device for filtering VOCs. I’ve never seen an air purifier that includes activated carbon with such a vast surface area, and if someone has the capability to test the performance of the VOC filtration on the Briiv, I would love to see the results!

Sensor

Most air purifiers these days also include some form of sensor. However, while most of these generally opt for cheaper (and less accurate) particulate matter sensors, Briiv has done a great job in this regard and one of the biggest advantages of the Briiv 2 Pro (over both the Briiv 2 and original Briiv) is that it also houses quite a decent air quality sensor. While the team at Briiv asked me not to name the particular sensor in use, I can say that it’s from Sensirion and that it’s an all-in-one sensor.

This means that the Briiv 2 Pro actually houses quite a decent air quality sensor, which allows it to partially double as an air quality monitor. While there are still quite a few limitations to this sensor compared to a traditional air quality monitor (for example, you can’t export data from it), it’s nice to see such a good sensor included in a category of device that normally cheaps out in this area.

I will discuss the sensor and its capabilities more in the Application & Connectivity section of this article, but it’s worth noting that the sensor used is also used in many dedicated air quality monitors, meaning (besides some limitations we will discuss soon) this is almost a 2-in-1 device. The Briiv 2 does not house this sensor, and it’s only found in the Briiv 2 Pro.

Design

One of the biggest appeals of both the original Briiv and the newer Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro is the design. This is undoubtedly one of the most aesthetically pleasing air purifiers on the market, and unlike most air purifiers, this is a device that can act as a centrepiece or feature piece in a room. While I was a big fan of the original Briiv’s design, there was no denying that there was room for improvement, and I think the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro are a good improvement in most respects.

The most obvious difference that is apparent at first glance (at least when the devices are side by side) is the size. While the original Briiv was a compact device, and the Briiv 2 Pro still is, it is also noticeably larger. While this might be seen as a downside by some, I think this larger size was much needed. As you can see in the image above, the bigger base has largely been dedicated to giving the fan more room to push air out, and with the device having a larger diameter, the fan size was also able to be increased.

On top of this, the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro feel like they’ve been built to a much better standard. One complaint that I had in my original Briiv review was that the touch interface and mesh felt quite cheap. At the time, I was willing to overlook this as it was a fresh-from-Kickstarter device and one that was very much first generation (but I still loved the design, regardless). However, with the Briiv 2 series, this ‘cheaper’ build quality is vastly improved. While the design is still primarily plastic (albeit recycled plastic), it feels much more solid, and the mesh feels significantly higher quality.

Moving on to those buttons, despite looking like a uniform cylindrical device, there is a clear front and back to the purifier. This is marked by one of my least favourite changes – the addition of a built-in USB cable. Where the original Briiv used a Micro-USB cable (which I was not a fan of, but I do like removable cables), the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro use a non-removable USB cable. This cable connects to the back of the device, and directly opposite it, you will find the control buttons for the purifier.

On the Briiv 2 Pro, the LED colour also indicates air quality!

The touch buttons will allow you to turn the air purifier on or off and perform other basic functions, and they will also allow you to cycle between the four speeds that the device offers. While you can opt to use the app instead, it’s nice to have at least some controls on the device. Despite being touch, the controls are quite responsive, and I had no problem navigating the device. Also, unlike the first-generation device, I had no problem with ‘ghost touches’ where the purifier would react as if I had tapped twice when I only tapped once. Again, a good improvement on this front!

Since the second generation has a slightly larger radius, it means that the original Briiv filter system is not interchangeable with this device. While I wish there was some cross-compatibility for those who already have Briiv filters, I understand the need for a change – especially if it results in a larger and more efficient fan being used. As such, I don’t mind this change, but it is important to keep in mind. Please note that both generations of this device use different filters.

As with the previous generation device, there are three (or four, if you opt for it) layers to the filter. The first is the filter media itself, which comes in a cardboard square. This is slotted into the bottom of the device and is corrugated so as to ensure the best airflow. On top of this, you will place the coconut husk layer, which further filters PM2.5 (although I can’t confirm this additional efficacy myself). According to Briiv, this layer has a lifespan of approximately one year. Finally, on top of this, you will place the final, plant-based layer, which can either be reindeer moss or Yorkshire moss, depending on which you opt to purchase.

Under the coconut filter, there is also an area where fragrances (such as essential oils) can be placed. While I never tested how well this works as I’m not a big fan of essential oils (and the VOCs they emit), this seems like a nice addition for anyone who appreciates a nice smelling room. Either way, there’s no harm in including this as you can always choose to not use it!

Now, I mentioned a fourth optional layer, which can also be added. This is the activated carbon layer, and, interestingly, for the Briiv, this is pretty much loose carbon. I actually quite like this approach as it exposes more surface area to the air and means the activated carbon should be quite effective at adsorbing VOCs that pass through the filter. While I don’t know if the device is intended to hold both the carbon and moss filter at the same time, you can fit both layers in the device at the same time if you wish.

As mentioned in the Performance section of this article, is worth mentioning that the fabric filters also contain activated carbon, but the limited surface area means they will be relatively restricted in how much they can adsorb. On the other hand, being able to place grains of activated carbon directly in the device likely means the adsorption capabilities and longevity will be far better.

When it comes to changing these layers, the process is very easy. You’ll first want to remove the moss before taking off the glass dome. After this, you can remove the coconut filter and get to the fabric filter. The reverse process can be used to put in new filters and layers, and it’s an effortless process. Really, the only issue I had with this was that I often found myself getting fingerprints on the glass.

On one hand, there aren’t many changes between the original Briiv and the Briiv 2 when it comes to design. However, on the other hand, despite looking quite similar, there are many improvements in the design of the newer generation device. While it’s hard to explain this through writing and pictures, there is no denying that the second-generation device has a much better build quality, and the touch buttons feel much better to use. I’m very happy to see the improvement here, and the Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro are a definite upgrade over the original.

Before I forget, the sound generated by this device is quite minimal at the lowest speed, but so is the performance. In a room with an ambient noise level of 37 dBA, I measured around 38 dBA with the Briiv 2 Pro on its first speed (and the noise recorder located 30cm away). At the second and third speeds, I recorded 45-46 dBA and 53-54 dBA, respectively. Finally, at full speed, I measured 63 dBA with the measuring device located 30cm away.

At the first and second speeds, I found the device was quiet enough to use, even if it was on my desk, less than a metre from where I work. At the third and fourth speeds, I wouldn’t want to be so close to the device, and I would recommend these speeds only if the device is at least a few metres away from you.

App & Connectivity

The Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro use the same app that the original Briiv device used, and I appreciate this continuity. However, let’s first take a step back – how do the Briiv air purifiers actually connect? All of their devices, regardless of generation, use 2.4ghz WiFi (they do not support 5ghz) and can be connected to your local network. While connecting isn’t as smooth as Bluetooth tends to be, WiFi has many advantages and is far better suited for an air purifier. For example, you won’t need to be in the same room to monitor or control this device, which is often the case for Bluetooth devices.

I found the general setup process very straightforward, and it was easy to connect my Briiv 2 Pro to the application. Once set up, I was able to view my device on the home screen. I also took this chance to connect my first-generation Briiv again, and it was nice to be able to control and monitor both purifiers from one central app. On that note, while the app looks similar to what I remember from a couple of years ago, I feel like the performance of the app has improved a bit, and it generally felt nicer to use than what I remember from previous experiences with it.

Once you’ve added your monitor, you will be able to tap on it to adjust the speed, see the air quality, set a schedule, enter the settings screen, enable boost mode, and also see the remaining lifespan of the different filtering components. It’s a very simple screen, but I don’t believe that anything else is needed here.

By tapping on ‘Air Quality’ (only available for the Briiv 2 Pro), you will reach the screen shown below (shown on the right). This is almost like a data screen from an air quality monitor app, and I appreciate the level of depth here. While you can’t export data (which I would love to see), you can view historical data for a wide range of pollutants. While I’m unsure how long data is actually retained, you can view about one week’s worth of data for any of the metrics covered by the sensor.

From the device control screen, you can also set a schedule for your Briiv device. This is very simple, and I appreciated the UI, as it simplified a process that can sometimes be overly complex. Perhaps more importantly, Briiv supports more than a 24-hour schedule and actually allows you to schedule the device differently depending on the day.

If you would prefer, you can also use Canary Mode – however, please note that this mode is only available on the Briiv 2 Pro and not the Briiv 2 or Briiv original. Canary mode will allow you to set an AQI level, and once the device reads air pollution exceeding that level, it will ‘boost’ from its previous settings until the AQI level drops below your set threshold. This mode also works in conjunction with Zone Mode, which I will discuss now.

Zone Mode allows you to attach multiple Briiv devices – as long as one of them is a Briiv 2 Pro. Using this mode, you can essentially make both Briiv and Briiv 2 devices ‘smart’ as they will operate in conjunction with the Pro unit. Therefore, if you have a larger room with multiple units inside, the Briiv 2 Pro can run in Canary Mode and alert the other devices when they need to speed up. Even within a zone, you can have separate schedules for the purifiers, and they will only activate together when the boost function is used or when triggered by Canary Mode.

Overall, the Briiv app remains simple, but it’s also easy to use and has the features I would consider essential. While the Briiv 2 Pro does admittedly add a lot of functionality here, and you will want the Pro device if you care about air quality monitoring or the ‘smart’ modes, it’s nice to see the app still be compatible with the original Briiv. I tested this app on iOS and never had any crashes or other issues with it.

Price & Lifespan

When I reviewed the original Briiv a few years ago, the price was £299, and in that review, I mentioned how that was far from a cheap device. Since then, it seems that the original Briiv has increased in price to £329 – something I hadn’t noticed before. Interestingly, the Briiv 2 has also been released at this same price point – £329 – and is being sold alongside the original Briiv. The Briiv 2 Pro sits at an even higher price of £399.

I’m curious why the Briiv and Briiv 2 sit at the same price, and I believe this must just be to sell the final stock of the original Briiv. Seeing as the Briiv 2 seems like a replacement for the original Briiv rather than a model to be sold alongside it, I have to imagine the original Briiv can’t be sold at the same price for long because there is no reason to opt for it instead of the Briiv 2. That said, while the Briiv 2 is a very big improvement over the original Briiv, the £329 price point is very high – especially considering the device’s performance.

Let me be frank: if you want the most performant air purifier for this price, it’s not the Briiv. In fact, you can get air purifiers that can purify far larger rooms quicker at less than $150. However, people who are looking for the best performance shouldn’t be looking at any of the Briiv devices in the first place. Instead, these purifiers exist in a small niche for people who want clean air but who value sustainability and aesthetics highly. It’s hard for me to say whether this device is worth the money because I believe it really comes down to you and what you value.

When it comes to the price difference Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro, I actually think the price increase is quite reasonable. Is the Briiv 2 very expensive to begin with? Yes, for sure. However, just adding the air quality sensor to the Briiv 2 Pro likely costs around £30, and with the other features added to the Briiv 2 Pro, I believe the £70 premium is quite reasonable. Again, this isn’t to say that this is cheap, just that the price difference between the two is reasonable, in my opinion.

Alongside the air quality sensor (which, as discussed earlier in this article, is actually quite decent and one of the best I’ve seen in an air purifier), you get the ability to control multiple purifiers automatically (and only one of these needs to be a Briiv 2 Pro) and filter lifespan monitoring. While I don’t know how useful filter monitoring actually is (especially considering the original Briiv already had this), the first two features can be quite useful. It’s also worth noting that if you have an original Briiv, you can make it ‘smart’ by connecting it to a Briiv 2 Pro – this makes this device an interesting proposition for anyone with the original device.

Therefore, I think there are two groups of people who might want to consider the Briiv 2 Pro instead of the Briiv 2. Firstly, if you don’t already have a dedicated air quality monitor, I think this is quite a unique proposition. While there are some decent air quality monitors you can purchase for £70, having a single device for both purposes might be preferred by some people. Secondly, if you already have an original Briiv (or a Briiv 2), the Briiv 2 Pro unlocks a feature that could be quite useful, depending on your use case.

Again, I can’t really say whether or not this air purifier will be worth it for you. If you are a big fan of the design and the environmental and sustainability focuses of it, you may be willing to pay the extra price for this device over something likely more performant and at a lower price. However, if you want raw performance, this is not the device to opt for. One thing that I am glad for, however, is to see an environmentally-focused air purifier that looks beautiful among a sea of large, plastic devices that are often quite unsightly.

When it comes to ongoing costs, the Briiv pricing begins to become, perhaps surprisingly, quite reasonable. For £35, you can purchase a filter pack that will last you one year – and you will only need to purchase one of these packs after 12 months, as the filters included with the device are designed to last you for the first year. The filters themselves should be replaced every three months, while both the coconut husk and moss can be replaced annually.

If, instead, you opt for the carbon filter set (all of the individual filters have carbon, but this set comes with chunks of activated carbon for far more effective VOC removal), you are looking at £45 annually. I haven’t tried this carbon filter, and I can’t speak to how long it actually lasts, but for effective VOC removal, this is a relatively affordable price compared to other options on the market.

Conclusion

The Briiv 2 and Briiv 2 Pro are worthy successors of the original Briiv. Where the Briiv 2 is an upgrade in almost every way, and enters at the same (albeit increased) price as the original Briiv, the Briiv 2 Pro is a device with a few extra features that makes the upgrade worth considering.

However, these devices are still similar to the original Briiv in a few key ways. Namely, they’re still very expensive and have significantly lower performance than other air purifiers in the price and size range. While they do also have some very unique aspects – such as their focus on sustainability and, of course, the beautiful design – these are relatively niche features and this means that there will be people who believe Briiv is far too expensive for what it is, while there will be others who find the price justifiable. For this reason, I can’t really state whether or not Briiv is worth it.

However, I hope this review has given you enough information to make an informed decision about whether or not a Briiv air purifier is worth picking up. This is by far the best-looking air purifier I’ve ever used (it even looks better than the first-generation device), and I do appreciate what Briiv is trying to do here regarding sustainability and decreasing filter waste.

If you want an air purifier for a smaller space, this is worth considering. Personally, I use it on my desk in my home office, and I appreciate having it there because it can both purify my air and it’s a beautiful device to look up at. I’ve read research saying that simply adding plants to an office space can increase productivity, and I feel like this device might be doing the same thing as I always enjoy looking at it, and it brings many of the benefits that plants do.

If you’ve read this review and have any remaining questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments down below. Or, if you’ve tried either the Briiv, Briiv 2, or Briiv 2 Pro yourself, I would love to hear how you’ve found the devices. Thank you for reading!

Briiv 2 & Briiv 2 Pro FAQ

Briiv 2 & Briiv 2 Pro Review - The Most Beautiful Air Purifier Is Now Better!

A detailed review of the Briiv 2 Pro air purifier, examining its design, performance, smart features, and how it compares to the original Briiv model.

Product Brand: Briiv

Editor's Rating:
3.5

Pros

• Beautiful, nature-inspired design fits well in modern spaces
• Sustainably built with recyclable and biodegradable materials
• Improved purification speed over the original Briiv model
• Includes a decent Sensirion air quality sensor
• App connectivity and smart controls for automation
• Low annual filter replacement cost (£35–£45)
• Improved touch controls with no ghost touches

Cons

• High upfront cost compared to performance
• Limited to small spaces – not suitable for large rooms
• Performance still lags behind similarly priced competitors
• Built-in USB cable is non-removable, limiting placement flexibility
• No data export option from the air quality sensor
• Touch controls may not be ideal for all users
• Filters from previous Briiv models are not compatible