BUY WITH YOUR HOME IN MIND
Start with the filter you want to clean
Choose the Vital 100S-P if you prefer a removable mesh pre-filter behind a front cover. Choose the Blue Pure 511i Max if you prefer a round body with a washable fabric outer cover. Both have automatic fan settings, app controls and replaceable main filters.
These are two small-room choices. Their current advertised room ratings are close enough that shape, filter access and controls are more useful deciding factors than a small difference in CADR.
Front panel or fabric cover?
On the Vital, you remove the front cover to reach the pre-filter. That separate screen can be washed without putting the main particle/carbon filter in the sink. It is a straightforward arrangement if you want to remove a layer of hair and lint, rinse the screen and let it dry.
The Blueair’s fabric cover sits around the outside of the body. It catches larger debris before it reaches the main filter and can be washed according to its care label. You may like the softer appearance, but visible hair and dust can become part of what you see between cleanings.
Neither approach makes the whole filtration system washable. Keep the main filters dry and buy the correct replacement for the exact model. A plain Blue Pure 511 filter is not a safe substitute just because its name looks similar to 511i Max.
Check the shape beside your furniture
The Vital is wider across the front and shallower from front to back. The Blueair has a round footprint. Compare the body dimensions in the table with the space you have, then add the clearance required by the manual.
Leave access to open the Vital’s front cover. Keep the Blueair’s surrounding intake clear. Curtains, bedding or a sofa pushed against the vents can defeat a tidy-looking placement.
The narrower-looking unit is not automatically the easier fit. A rectangular space next to a desk may suit the Vital, while an open corner may suit the Blueair. Measure before choosing by the product photo.
Treat the room ratings as a starting point
The comparison uses current room ratings at 4.8 air changes per hour. Do not compare one unit’s repeated-cleaning figure with the other’s much larger one-hour coverage claim.
Both are reasonable candidates for a small bedroom when the room size and ceiling height fit their ratings. A higher ceiling or an open doorway into a much larger area changes the job. Neither is the right choice simply because its listing says it covers a large area eventually.
CADR is normally a high-speed figure. Sleep or Night mode moves less air, so the quietest setting is not maximum cleaning capacity. We would not choose a winner for overnight quietness from low-speed noise claims paired with high-speed airflow.
Apps and automatic settings
The Vital uses VeSync; the 511i Max uses the Blueair app. Both also have controls on the unit. Check the features you need, such as scheduling, before choosing, and expect an internet connection and account setup for connected functions.
A manual speed gives you a more consistent fan setting. Auto adjusts it according to the sensor. The sensor and indicator are useful controls, but they do not establish that a room has no odors or that every airborne particle is gone.
Which would we choose?
For a pet owner’s room where removing a mesh screen to wash it sounds easiest, the Vital is the more natural fit. For someone who prefers a round unit and a washable fabric cover, the Blueair is worth considering. Both have favorable review themes around straightforward use and quiet operation; those accounts do not establish a measured head-to-head winner.
Check replacement-filter prices for both before buying. A small purchase-price difference may matter less over time than filter costs and whether you keep up with cleaning. If the room needs substantially more airflow, move up a size rather than switching between these two compact models.
Looking for more room capacity or different controls? Our air purifiers for homes with pets guide includes six options, with larger-room choices from Levoit and Coway.
For help keeping the parts straight, see our guide to washing air purifier filters, with separate advice for the washable outer layers and main filters.