Shark model comparison
Shark HP162 or HP362: compact body, different 1-ACH scale
The Shark BreatheClear HP162 and HP362 share the BreatheClear/ NeverChange approach: local air information, particle and VOC sensing, movement-aware response and a long-life HEPA claim. Their published room areas differ, but both need the same careful reading. Shark rates the HP162 up to 750 square feet at one air change per hour (ACH) on maximum fan; the HP362 is listed at 1,650 square feet at one ACH on maximum fan. Those are not 4.8-ACH room ratings and do not establish CFM CADR. Pick between them only after deciding whether one air change per hour is an acceptable basis for your room.
Room claim and body scale
The HP362 is the larger model, with a manufacturer-listed 1,650-square-foot 1-ACH area. Its reviewed Dove specification table lists a 23.38-inch height, 12.67-inch width, 13.56-pound weight and 60-watt input. HP162’s page lists 750 square feet at 1 ACH, a 14.9-inch height, 10.3-inch width, 8.32-pound weight and 25-watt rated input. The HP162 is easier to fit in a smaller floor footprint; the HP362 is the choice when you can use more capacity and have room for its taller body. Each still needs at least three inches of surrounding clearance according to its respective family guidance.
Do not translate the ratio between their one-ACH figures into a faster cleaning rate. For both, the reviewed exact U.S. pages leave a 2-ACH area, 4.8-ACH area and CFM CADR unpublished. A large one-hour number can be useful for comparing those specific one-change claims, but it cannot satisfy a strict repeated-cleaning requirement. If you need at least four or five air changes per hour, use a room figure directly stated at that rate or an independently supportable CADR and do the math from that evidence.
Similar controls, distinct evidence boundaries
HP162’s official page names a high-resolution display for air-quality, VOC and particle information, motion-triggered fan increases and a daily Sleep-mode routine. Its listed 15-page guide shows five manual fan levels and explains that Sleep runs at level one, mutes alerts and lets the display darken after inactivity. The guide is listed under HP162 by a manual library, but its cover names the HP360/HP160/HP060 family and warns that functions vary. The product page independently corroborates the central BreatheClear, sensor, motion and schedule features; exact details should still be checked against the offered finish and current guide.
The HP362 page makes similar display, VOC and motion claims and has a separate family guide on file. That guide’s cover names HP360/HP160/HP060 and omits HP362, so its speed/menu detail remains a family-level bridge rather than an exact suffix match. HP362’s numeric display claim is supported by its product page and guide; HP162’s manual describes pollutant levels and PM channels on the display, but the documented scale is Low/Moderate/High—not a confirmed numeric PM2.5 concentration. Neither model’s reviewed page establishes phone-app control or CFM CADR. Do not assume a local dashboard is an app.
Filter work and finish variants
Both products list one NeverChange HEPA-exceeding filter and a washable Debris Defense pre-filter component. Each page claims up to six years for the main media; that “up to” wording does not remove maintenance. HP162’s manual calls for checking and cleaning the mesh screens at roughly eight-week intervals and drying them completely for 24 hours if rinsed. The HP162 offers Dove, Charcoal, Dune and Sage color codes (HP162, HP162BK, HP162SD and HP162GN). Those are finish variants of the same family, not four separate performance configurations; the exact Dove specification table is not assumed to establish every variant’s electrical or physical dimensions.
The practical split is therefore straightforward: HP162 for a smaller body and lower rated input when its 750-square-foot one-ACH claim matches your use; HP362 when the larger one-ACH area is useful and the room accommodates its taller, larger body. For a 4.8-ACH minimum, strict CADR requirement, app control or numerical PM2.5 readout, neither should be treated as a match without separate documentation. Read the HP162 review for the maintenance details and the qualitative display limits.