South Korean firm Coway’s latest air purifier has been included in TIME magazine’s Best Inventions of 2026 list in the Household category.

The Airmega Mighty2 (model AP-1512N) was described by TIME as “the double-duty air purifier” for combining strong filtration with real-time air quality monitoring.

TIME compiled the list after soliciting nominations from its editors and correspondents worldwide. Entries were judged on originality, effectiveness, ambition and impact.

The Mighty2 is the successor to the Airmega Mighty (AP-1512HH), which spent 12 years as a top pick from the New York Times Wirecutter and was later inducted into its Hall of Fame.

Key features highlighted include:

– An upgraded three-stage filtration system with a 20% larger HEPA filter and 45% larger activated carbon filter, designed to capture allergens, dust, mould, pollen, cooking fumes and wildfire smoke.
– A MegaScan laser sensor that measures PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 particles and shows numerical readings plus a four-colour LED indicator.
– Energy use of 56W (20% lower than its predecessor) and a noise level as low as 19dB.
– Design awards from Red Dot, iF and IDEA in 2026.

A Coway spokesperson said the recognition “validates our commitment to combining superior filtration performance with thoughtful, user-centric design.”

The unit is aimed at medium to large rooms and is already on sale in North America via Cowaymega.com. Availability in Europe and Australia is planned for the first quarter of 2027. It will also be sold through Coway’s regional websites and Amazon brand stores in those markets.

Coway, founded in 1989, specialises in water purifiers, air purifiers, bidets and wellness products.