Last Updated on August 19, 2021 by Peter Simmons
The Medify MA-25, a more recent release than the MA-40 from Medify Air Purifiers, offers a CADR of 250 vs 330 of the MA-40. Both are large room air purifiers, but the MA-40 cleans significantly larger spaces owing to its greater air cleaning power. Shape and size-wise, the Medify MA-40 and MA-25 feature a boxy look (rectangular design), but the MA-40 is larger and heavier than the Medify MA-25.
Also, each option features a scratch-resistant tempered glass touch panel that dramatically enhances the overall look. Finally, the MA-25 offers 3 fans speeds vs 4 fan speeds for the pricier Medify MA-40 air purifier.
In this review, I stand both air cleaners side by side in an attempt to summarize how much value each device offers. You might also want to check out my Medify MA-112 vs MA-40 comparison.
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Medify MA-25 Vs 40 Air Purifier Comparison Table
Contents
Last update on 2023-09-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Features & Specs of the Medify MA-25
Product weight:7.3lbs
Air Purifier Dimensions: 8D” x 8W” x 13.5H”
CADR: 250
Purification Coverage: Up to 1,000 square feet
Power Consumption: 28W
Noise Levels: 35dB to 52dB
Fan Speeds: 3 fan speeds
Voltage: 120V; 60Hz AC
Product Warranty & Money-back guarantee: 30-day return policy &lifetime warranty
Features & Specs of the Medify MA-40
Product weight: 15.6lbs
Air Purifier Dimensions: 10.9D” x 9.9W” x 22H”
CADR: 330
Purification Coverage: Up to 1,680 square feet
Power Consumption: 54W
Noise Levels: 46dB to 66dB
Fan Speeds: 4 fan speeds
Voltage: 120V; 60Hz AC
Product Warranty & Money-back guarantee: 30-day return policy &lifetime warranty
Differences Between the MA-40 and MA-25 Air Purifiers
The Medify MA-40 and MA-25 look similar, and there’s little as far as features. Both air purifiers have a child-lock, an 8-hour timer (1h, 2hours, 4hours, and 8hours), an iPhone screen-like control panel, a sleep mode/night mode, a filter change indicator, a fan speed button, and a power button. However, the Medify MA-40V2.0(the new current version) features an ionizer while the MA-25 lacks the anion generator. Even though both MA-25 and MA-40 are CARB certified, the former is the safer bet because it doesn’t produce ozone.
Fortunately, the anion generator of the MA-40 is optional. A green light comes on automatically when you fire up the MA-40. That’s the ionizer, but pressing the ionizer button turns it off.
Another difference is that the MA-40 offers a larger air purification capacity given its larger CADR of 330 vs 250 for its smaller sibling. The last difference is that the MA-25 has a light dimmer while the MA-40 lacks it. Additionally, the MA-40 comes in at a heftier price point than the MA-25.
Design and How Each Purifier Works
Like the largest and most powerful Medify Air purifier, Medify Air MA-112 V2.0 with a super CADR of 950 and H13 medical filters
Like the MA-112, the MA-25 reels in unfiltered air, treats it in its air filtration chamber, and shoots pristine air back into the room via the front.
Similarly, the Medify MA-40 collects dirty, pollution-packed air from one side (the back), purifies the air in its massive sanitization chamber, and sends purified air back into the space via the front. So, both purifiers score the same design-wise if you’re not counting MA-25’s dual filtration.
Since both air cleaners release clean air via the front rather than the back, you won’t worry much about the best location to position each.
But hey, it doesn’t right behind a wall or curtains is the most suitable place to launch your battle against dust mites, mold spores, chemical substances such as formaldehyde, seasonal pollen, pet dander, and pet hair. Be sure to allow some clearance behind each unit to maximize air filtration performance.
Product Dimensions and Weight
While both machines have a compact design and should fit large rooms perfectly, the MA-25 has smaller dimensions. Well, the dimensions of the units’ base are almost the same, but at 22″, the MA-40 is taller than its sibling which stands just 13.5″ tall.
When it comes to weight, both devices are highly portable even though they don’t have casters like their Medify MA-112 air purifier. And they don’t need wheels at all. The heavier purifier weighs in at 15.60 lbs while the smaller MA-25 is much lighter at just 7.3lbs.
Control Panel
When I saw the sleek control of the Medify MA and MA-25, I was blown away. This part alone amps up the appeal of these air purifiers dramatically. The material used to create these glass panels is the exact same material used to make cell phone screens.
If the device accidentally falls over and the glass panel breaks, it wouldn’t shatter into shards with sharp edges that could hurt children, pets, or anyone else as happens with regular glass. That’s the beauty of having tempered glass on your portable room air purifier.
Compare that to plastic control panels seen on most competing air purifiers, and you’ll want to whip out your card now and order 2 MA-25 now! You’ll want to replace that eyesore that’s dominated your living room for ages with an air cleaning solution that combines great air filtration technology, space-saving design, and exceptional purification mechanisms.
Replacement Filters of the MA-40 Vs MA-25
Speaking of filter replacement, the replacement filters for these devices are pricier than most, but they’re still affordable.
And how long do the filters of the MA-40 and MA-25 last? The replacement filters for the MA-40 cost more than those of the MA-25, and they’re supposed to remain active for 3,000 hours, or roughly 6 months. In contrast, the replacement filters for the MA-40 supposedly remain functional for 2,500 hours, or 3-4 months. But I’ve not noticed any real difference between the two air purifiers as far as filter longevity.
Filter longevity Determined by Overall Air Quality
But as someone who’ve used (and continue to use) these Medify air purifiers, I can tell one thing: these filters get clogged up pretty quickly if you put them to work in a demanding environment.
During the summer when the air is full of dust and god knows what else, these filters need to be replaced a lot sooner than is normally the case. I’ve found that shutting them down when we’re prepping a meal in the kitchen helps a lot. We keep the sliding door to our bedrooms closed all day, and we almost never open the windows when the units are running. That’s how we maximize their efficiency.
On day 60 after installing the purifiers, I took their 3-in-1 air filters out of the machines and inspected them. Yes, the filters come in a single cartridge that’s very easy to insert and remove. Be sure to remove the plastic packaging from the filters before use, though. The filters were extremely dirty; they looked like filthy blankets that’d been left unwashed for a decade!
Vacuuming Medify Replacement Filters Helps
I didn’t have the money to order filters just yet, so I got down to work. I shook the cartridges vigorously for a couple minutes, and a whole ton of loose debris and dirt fell out.
Then, I vacuumed them for a few minutes using our True HEPA vacuum and clicked the filters back in place, then cranked the machines up again.
It worked. The filters’ filtration performance had begun kind of declining, but I noticed a sudden improvement upon vacuuming these filters.
But there’s only so many times you can vacuum a HEPA filter and expect acceptable air filtration performance, right? In the end, everyone buys replacement filters. For me, that was after month 7 for both air purifiers. I can’t say either purifier wins as far as filter longevity. But cost-wise, it may be better to buy the MA-40.
If you want really comprehensive 3-stage HEPA filtration even if that means spending more on replacement filters, the MA-25 is clearly the winner. But remember: the MA-25 air purifier is designed to clean smaller spaces than the MA-40. So, be sure this option would be suitable for the space you wish to sanitize.
Can I Wash Medify MA-40&MA-25 Air Purifier Filters?
It’s unwise to wash the air filters of either the Medify MA-40 or MA-25. They’re just not washable, but they’re cleanable as explained above. Washing HEPA filters often is counterproductive and usually degrades the filters.
If you’d rather save your replacement filter money, check out the Honeywell HFD-120Q air purifier, but NOTE that this Honeywell air purifier uses HEPA-Type rather than True HEPA air filters. If you have asthma, you’d be better served using a True HEPA air purifier.
So, stop listening to all the shameless marketers out there who pretend their air purifiers have True HEPA filters while those filters aren’t designed to capture the smallest traces of air pollution (PM2.5).
Air Filtration Performance
It’s time to discuss each unit’s rated purification performance. The more expensive MA-40 wields a clean air delivery rate of 330 compared to 250 of the MA-25.
If let to do its magic in a room measuring 1,600 square feet, the MA-40 would change the air once every hour, 2 times every 30 minutes in a 800 square feet room, and 4 times in a 400 square feet room.
In comparison, the Medify MA-25 is designed to take out allergens and air impurities in smaller rooms. If left to purify a 1,000 square feet room, this air cleaner would demonstrate 1 air circulation in 1 hour.
And if committed to clean a space 50% smaller (500 square feet), you’d get 1 air change every 30 minutes, or 2 air changes every 60 minutes. In an even smaller area, say 250 square feet, the MA-25 should easily pump out 4 roomfuls of air every hour, or a full exchange every 15 minutes.
Evidently, the MA-40 wins in terms of how much air volume it moves in a specified amount of time. Use it for larger bedrooms, ,living rooms, open offices, and small basements. And for regular size bedrooms, family rooms, dorm rooms, apartments, offices, and baby nurseries go with the cheaper MA-25. Yes, you can use the MA-25 in the nursery since it doesn’t spew out ozone.
The Air Filtration Process
Each of these air purifiers offers 3-stage air filtration made possible by the pre-filter that takes out larger particles including pet fur, tiny dirt clumps, skin flakes, fibers/lint, and more. Then the medical grade HEPA filter, a H13 filter steps in and does what it does best: capturing PM2.5 particles, as small as 0.1 microns in size.
There’s also the activated carbon filter that commits to eliminating household odors, VOCS, tobacco smoke, wildfire smoke, and a whole lot. *While air purifier help with smoke and other gaseous air pollutants, they’re less efficient in this activity than they’re when eradicating other airborne particles (particulate matter).
Many True HEPA air purifiers are AHAM-rated. And according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a True HEPA filter demonstrates its ability to remove at least 99.97% of air particles in the 0.3 microns range.
However, many people out there have concerns that True HEPA filters let the smallest airborne particles pass right through. And let’s not even talk about where all that air pollution ends up!
But you know what? There’s a reason True HEPA filters have become sort of like the air filtration Gold Standard: They Work!
The Greatness of True HEPA Filters
The EPA clearly states that a True HEPA filter works even better for particles larger than 0.3 microns as those smaller than 0.03 microns. Now, that’s profound. It means you’re missing out on a whole lot of advantages when you buy air purifiers that lever air filtration technologies other than HEPA technology.
True HEPA Vs H13 HEPA Filters
One constantly misunderstood fact about regular True HEPA filters is that THEY ACTUALLY REMOVE 0.1 micron particles. Yes, I know that’s a bold statement, but that’s not my opinion, it’s the EPA’s opinion.
Medify, an air purifier brand that designs their devices in the United States, agrees with the EPA. The company states that regular True HEPA filters which belong in the H10-H12 air filtration grade, have the ability to capture 0.1 micron particles.
According to Medify, HEPA filters in the H10-H12 grade range eliminate 85%-99.50% of 0.1 airborne particles. By comparison, H13-H14 HEPA filters (medical grade) outperform H10, H11, and H12 HEPA filters, demonstrating a filtration efficiency of 99.95% – 99.995% of particulates as small as 0.1 microns.
Conclusion: The only difference between True HEPA and H13 filters is that H13 filters offer medical grade filtration capabilities. Which means these are the finest air purifiers for asthma and allergy sufferers and anyone else concerned about all the PM2.5 particles suspended in the air.
Both the MA-25 and MA-40 Use H13 Medical Grade HEPA Filters
The Medify MA-25 and MA40 both count on medical True HEPA filters to sanitize the air. And if there’s one amazing street about medical grade True HEPA filters, it’s that they’re exceptional when it comes to removing the tiniest air particles.
Medical Grade Air Purifiers Are Insanely Pricey, Though
But it’s extremely hard to find a U.S.-made medical grade air purifier that’s as insanely affordable as Medify air purifiers are.
Take IQ air, for example. These U.S.-produced air cleaners use medical grade filters called HyperHEPA filters. IQAir claims that their HYPERHEPA filters capture contaminants down to 0.01 microns! Yes, 0.01 microns…let that sink. I’m taking about ultrafine particles here.
If that assertion is true, such air purifiers can take out super small particles such as viruses, bacteria, and smoke particles, and VOCs with great ease.
If you’d be interested in checking out an exceptionally good medical grade smoke removal air purifier, I recommend the IQAir GC MultiGas air purifier from IQAir. But you know what? This air purifier will set you back roughly $900!
Electricity Consumption
Air purifiers these days consume much less energy than a few years back. That’s because many are Energy Star rated appliances and use considerably less energy than purifiers without the Energy Star rating.
Both the MA-40 and MA-25 are Energy Star certified and consume much less energy than comparable air cleaners without the Energy Star rating. But while each boasts this Mother Earth-friendly energy efficiency rating, there’s a difference in terms of actual energy usage.
Whereas the MA-25 expends just 28W, the larger MA-40 air purifier is power rated for 54W. That’s a huge power consumption difference, and MA-40’s greater air cleaning ability explains that efficiency performance gap.
In dollar terms, the MA-40 would reduce your annual personal cash flow by $23.65. My assumption here is that you won’t run the air purifier longer than 12 hours each day. By comparison, the MA-25, a more efficient power consumer, would set you back $12.26 if operated 12 hours each day. Evidently, the MA-25 wins the power usage contest, but that’s mainly because its airflow is less powerful.
Certifications
Since the Medify MA-25 and MA-25 are ETL certified, you can plug them in without worrying that a disastrous electrical accident might happen. Additionally, both units have the CARB certification, meaning they should ship to California without issues.
But some allergy and asthma sufferers out there in California have reported they couldn’t buy these products. And the only likely reason could be Prop 65 problems.
I’m not from California, and I honestly don’t know what the shipping situation is like. However, I know for SURE that both Medify air cleaners have fully met CARB’s product safety standards regarding emission of potentially harmful compounds such as ozone and others.
Product Warranty and Guarantee
Both the MA-40 and MA-25 come with a lifetime warranty that remains effective for the entire lifespan of the product. But you’re to nee to register the warranty after purchasing as well as exclusively use the relatively expensive Medify air filters.
Medify MA-40 Vs Medify MA-25: Verdict?
Not only does the Medify MA-25 cost significantly less (over 50% cheaper!), but it’s also quieter, lighter and less bulky, and consumes less energy. Additionally, it looks great, just like its larger sibling. But it features a more compact design that fits smaller spaces suitably.
It’s cheaper and its filters are cheaper, too, but they’re not like the cheapest H13 True HEPA air filters you’ve ever seen.
Overall, both Medify air purifiers are great, and unless you need to clean a much larger area, the MA-25 is the better choice.
Thank you for this very informative review. We have decided on purchasing the MA-25 purifier. Our condo is 915 square feet. I keep reading different opinions about square foot coverage. According to your experience, would one purifier be sufficient for our condo. Our new condo seems to be more dusty than our home was. I hope this purifier helps with that.
Thank you.
Hi Laura, thank you for stopping by. I’m sorry for taking too long to respond back, I’ve been too busy with life that this fell through the cracks.
Now on to your question: would one MA-25 be sufficient for our condo…the simple answer here is no. Because of two reasons. 1.
The Medify MA-25 isn’t powerful enough to pump out clean air 4 times (which is the recommendation air change rate for most people) each hour in a 915 square feet room.
2. Even if this medical-grade purifier were able to perform effectively in a 915 sq. ft condo, it wouldn’t work very well unless your condo had an open-floor design, which typically isn’t the case for condos.
If you have 2 bedrooms and a living room, I suggest that you buy 3 MA-25s, 1 in each bedroom and one in the living room.
Note: if your new home is too dusty, I strongly suggest that you introduce other ways of dealing with the dust such vacuum cleaning more regularly and dusting surfaces around the home such as countertops, tables, etc
Because filter replacement for this unit can be dang expensive if you’re buying it every other week because there’s too much dust around.