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Last Updated on: 24 Oct, 2019
After a tiring research of over 40 hours, we’re more than confident that the Mi Air Purifier 2S is the best budget air purifier for most people in India. If you are looking for greater protection against allergies or want your air purifier to cover a larger area then Philips 3000 Series AC3256/20 Air Purifier is your best pick.
Best Budget Pick
Mi Air Purifier 2S
Breathe clean, odour-free and allergen-free air with this feature-packed air purifier from Mi. Features like Air Quality Display, 310m³/hr CADR, 3-layer Filtration, Remote app control, compatibility with voice assistants, compact modern design and above all an attractive price tag, make it the best value for money air purifier.
Best High-Performance Pick
Philips 3000 Series AC3256/20 Air Purifier
Ideal for people suffering from allergies or respiratory problems and covers the largest of rooms. This air purifier offers quick and reliable air purification with all the top-line features, beautiful looks, sturdily built and 2 years warranty.
Buying an air purifier to keep yourself and your family safe from the high levels of air pollution? This air purifier buying guide aims to help you in buying the best air purifier for your home.
The WHO global air pollution study conducted from 2008 to 2016 reveals that India has 14 out of the 20 most polluted cities in the world in terms of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations. This is not only a matter of shame for us but it is dangerously alarming.
This increasing level of air pollution is posing a very big threat to the health and well being of most Indians. Hospitals are flooded with patients suffering from minor to major complications like breathlessness, coughing, throat infections, chest pain, irritation in eyes, allergy, and asthma.
The situation becomes even more severe during winters because of the thick layer of smog. And the situation is getting from bad to worse every year. Whatever steps the Central and the respective State Governments have taken, they have shown very little impact on improving the quality of air.
In winter. You might want to buy water geysers in India.
Thus it becomes very important that we ourselves employ measures, to fight the severe level of pollution, and to keep ourselves and our loved ones as safe as possible.
There are 2 things that you can immediately implement to counter this horrifying situation. Wear PM2.5 masks whenever you are outside and use air purifiers when at home or office.
But why do you need an air purifier when there is no pollution in your home?
If you too are wondering the same then you are not alone as most of us tend to think that the air inside our homes is clean.
When we think of air pollution, the first things that come to mind are industrial, construction, vehicular, crop burning and other kinds of outdoor pollution.
But, have you ever wondered how polluted is the indoor air that you breathe in your house?
Most of us spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors (whether in the office or at home) and most of the air we breathe is “indoor air.”
Several studies have revealed that indoor air can be as much or even worse than the air outdoors. There are actually various sources of pollution that have a negative effect on air quality, many of which are found in our homes and offices. From cooking residue to paints, cigarette smoke, pet dander, pollen, toilet cleaners, dust, varnishes, and insect repellents, the air we breathe indoors is often more polluted than that outside.
Therefore it becomes necessary to employ some measures to keep the air inside our homes and offices clean. Air purifiers are the easiest and most effective ways to achieve clean air inside your home or office.
You may not have heard of air purifiers a few years back, but all thanks to the rising levels of air pollution, the air purifiers are no longer bought by only those with respiratory ailments. Talking about the Capital, the demand for air purifiers in Delhi has increased three times in just 2 years (news report).
But before we talk about all the technical stuff and features that you should compare before finalizing a good air purifier for your home or office, you should consider the below things before even deciding to buy an air purifier.
Before you plan to buy an air purifier, try some simple steps to reduce indoor air pollutants, including:
- Vacuum often and thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner
- Never smoke indoors (we would advise quitting smoking completely)
- Maintain your air conditioners and clean ac filters regularly
- Minimize the use of candles, air fresheners, and incense sticks
- Use indoor air purifying plants
- Use kitchen chimneys while cooking. Use exhaust fans in kitchen, bath, and laundry areas
- Don’t store chemicals, solvents, glues, or pesticides near your living spaces
- Frequently clean your AC filter
- Keep doors and windows closed when the level of air pollution is very severe outside
Why Do You Need an Air Purifier?
If you are living in a city or area with high levels of air pollution than you should definitely consider buying an Air purifier. Below we have listed some major advantages of using an air purifier.
Air Purifiers –
- Ensure clean air to breathe and keep your lungs healthy
- Remove harmful gases and odour
- Remove airborne seasonal allergens and allergens released by pets
- Remove smoke and dust particles
- Remove up to 99 percent of airborne bacteria and viruses
- Stop sickness and germs from spreading
- Reduce the complications and problems faced by people with respiratory diseases like Asthma
Convinced You Need One? Read This First
Always keep the following things in mind before you decide to buy an air purifier for your home:
- Air purifiers are meant for air purification of one room, don’t be under the impression that any air purifier will work for an entire home
- Always measure the size of the room (preferably in square feet) in which you wish to use an air purifier
- Avoid air purifiers that release ozone. Air purifiers with ionizers and UV light typically release ozone which has adverse health effects
- All air purifiers need replacement of filters at regular intervals
- Apart from the initial cost, the cost of replacing filters and electricity consumption should be kept in mind
- For optimum results, air purifiers should be kept running as long as the room is occupied
- Air purifiers with 3 stage filtration i.e. Pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter are ideal
- Air Purifiers are a must-buy for people suffering from breathing problems or asthma or people who have a pet
Have you ever thought about the quality of air inside your car? It can be worse than the air inside your home. Using a car freshener to mask that stinking smell is not enough, it is time you considered buying the best air purifier for your car.
How an Air Purifier Works?
Air purifiers may look and sound like a complex innovation but the working principle of air purifiers is quite simple. Air purifiers use a fan (something similar to an exhaust fan) that sucks the air in your room. This air is then passed through a series of filters that remove harmful airborne particles like dust, animal dander, pollen, and bacteria. The purified air is then circulated back into the room. This process keeps repeating itself to give you clean and fresh air.
Air Purifier Buying Guide – How to Compare Air Purifiers to Find the Best?
Buying an air filter for your home or office is complicated. Unlike most electrical appliances, there are no industry standards in place in India for rating air purifiers. Several brands like Philips, Honeywell, Blue Star, Livpure, Dyson, Mi, LG, Kent, Samsung, Panasonic and more, are offering their range of air purifiers in India. The continuously rising demand for air purifiers has resulted in aggressive marketing and the launch of hundreds of models of air purifiers.
Air purifiers in India start from anywhere between Rs 5,000 and can go up to Rs 1 lakh. Apart from the budget, there are several other factors that you should consider before buying an air purifier. This buying guide will help you choose the best air purifier in India.
Click here for instant water heater buying guide.
Type of Filter
The effectiveness of an air purifier largely depends on the quality and type of filter. No single filter can remove air particles, gases, and bacteria. Therefore scientists have designed specific filters to remove different contaminants of air. The most commonly used filter type is HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air). It can remove 99.9% ultra-fine particles as small as up to 0.3 microns (approximately 100 times smaller than PM2.5). HEPA filters are the most effective and are therefore widely used in all popular air purifiers.
HEPA filters cannot remove the odour and gases like formaldehyde, cooking odour etc. You will have to use an air purifier with an activated carbon filter along with the regular HEPA filter to remove smoke, gas and chemical odour.
Most air purifiers also use a washable pre-filter that captures dust and large particles like animal hair. Pre-filter increases the life of HEPA and Activated Carbon filters.
Pre-filter, HEPA filter, and Activated Carbon filters can’t kill microorganisms like bacteria and viruses, but some air purifiers have filters that come with antibacterial coating. UV light is also effective in killing microorganisms but they are believed to produce ozone which is not good for health.
Bottom Line: Air purifiers with multi-stage filtration are the best. Look for air purifiers with pre-filter, HEPA filter and Activated Carbon filter.
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) tells you about how large area an air purifier can clean effectively. Ideally, higher the better but there are no regulations or standards to govern the air purifier market in India and therefore some manufacturers overstate maximum coverage area that may not be 100% accurate.
Typically measured in cubic meter per hour (m3/hr) or cubic feet per minute (cfm), CADR tells you how much air can be filtered for different contaminants like dust, smoke, and pollen.
If you are buying an air purifier for a large room then you should look for higher CADR ratings to make sure the air purifier is effective.
| Air Purifier Sizing for Particle Removal | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room area (square feet) | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 | 500 | 600 |
| Minimum CADR (m3/hr) – 9 feet ceiling | 102 | 205 | 309 | 410 | 515 | 620 |
| Minimum CADR (m3/hr) – 10 feet ceiling | 112 | 224 | 336 | 448 | 560 | 672 |
| The CADRs are calculated based on a 9 and 10 feet ceiling. If you have higher ceilings, you may want to select a portable air purifier with a higher CADR. | ||||||
Bottom Line: Make sure that the Clean Air Delivery Rate of the air purifier is equal to or greater than the area of your room.
Air Change Per Hour (ACH)
While most air purifier brands boast about the CADR and coverage in square feet, they tend to hide ACH rating. ACH is the most perfect measure of the effectiveness of any air purifier and you should always find this out before buying an air purifier.
The ACH (Air Change per Hour) tells you exactly how often the air purifier filters the air of its claimed coverage area in one hour. If an air purifier that has 4 ACH, it means that the air in the room will be filtered 4 times in an hour or every fifteen minutes.
ACH rating is important because the air keeps getting polluted regularly and the air purifier needs to continuously clean the air. Keeping in mind the pollution levels in most Indian cities, look for an air purifier that offers ACH rating of at least 4.
As revealed above, most brands tend to hide the ACH rating while showcasing an inflated CADR and coverage area. But it does not make any sense at all, because if they are mentioning high coverage area but if the ACH is just 1 or 2, then it will be ineffective.
But how do you find the ACH rating if the same is not mentioned in the product specification? Worry not, because it is very easy to find using a simple formula. Read how to find ACH rating of an air purifier.
Bottom Line: Look for an air purifier that offers ACH rating of at least 4 for your room size.
Room Size
The size of the room where you plan to use the air purifier should always be kept in mind before choosing an air purifier. Small rooms will need smaller air purifiers with smaller CADR and vice versa. For best performance, the best way is to go for an air purifier that is designed to cover an area that is 20-30% more than your room size.
Bottom Line: Look for an air purifier that covers 20-30% more area than your room size at an ACH rating of 4 or more.
Price
Apart from the initial cost, the cost of replacement filters and their life should always be checked. Filters can cost anywhere between Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000 with a lifespan of three months to a year. Apart from the cost of filters, you should also check about the availability of filters because the biggest complaint that we came across online was the problems faced by users in finding the replacement filters.
Bottom Line: Replacement filters should be easily available, best if available online, and should not be too costly.
Energy Usage
Considering electricity costs, try to hunt for an air purifier with energy star ratings. Most good air purifiers in India consume around 50-60 W power. Mi Air Purifier 2S has the lowest power consumption of 29 W only.
Bottom Line: If you are confused between two models that have same features and price but the power consumption of one is higher than the other then you should ideally choose the one with lower power consumption.
Noise Level
Noise level is important, especially if you are planning to use the air purifier in your bedroom or office. All air purifiers will make more noise when the fan is running at maximum speed.
You can do two things to avoid getting irritated by the noise, one is obviously to go for an air purifier that makes little noise even at top speed and the other is to pick a larger air purifier and run it on lower speed. The later solution will ensure both effectiveness and quietness.
Most air purifiers nowadays come with a sleep mode that lowers the fan speed and noise.
Bottom Line: Ideally, noise level should be around 50 decibels when the fan is running at the top speed. Stay away from air purifiers with noise level above 75 decibels.
Filter Change/Clean Indicator
If the filters are congested then the air purifier will become inefficient. Some air purifiers feature filter change or filter clean indicators to inform when the filters need to be cleaned or replaced.
Carrying Handle
Most home air purifiers are designed to be easily portable so they can be easily moved from one room to the other. The carrying handle makes it easy to hold and carry the air purifier. Make sure the air purifier has a carrying handle or in-built grip for easy portability.
Variable and Auto Speed
Never buy air purifiers that run on a single speed. All good air purifiers provide you an option to change the speed as per your requirement. You can lower the speed during the night for quieter operation and increase when you are playing with your pet.
Air purifiers with auto speed use dirt and/or light sensors to automatically adjust the speed.
Bottom Line: Always look for variable speed and auto mode air purifiers.
Air Quality Display
Air purifiers that come with a digital air quality display give you the level of particulate matter in the air inside your room. The display also gives you a clear idea of the effectiveness of the air purifier and keeps track of how clean your air is. Apart from the air quality, some models also display temperature and humidity levels. Though the display does not have any effect on the effectiveness of the purifier but it definitely keeps you better informed and enhances the look and feel of the machine.
Bottom Line: Air quality display keeps you in control and better informed about the air in your room.
Remote or App Control
Though air purifiers are meant to run unattended without you having to make any frequent changes in settings, remote control provides you with a little extra convenience to change the settings lying on the couch or bed.
Smart air purifiers or Wi-Fi enabled air purifiers, like Mi Air Purifier 2S, let you monitor the operation and control the settings from an app.
Bottom Line: Features like remote control or mobile app are good additional features but do not fall in the trap of marketing gimmicks because a good air purifier is meant to quickly and effectively clean the air. Never compromise on the efficiency for these fancy features.
Washable Pre-filter
Pre-filter in air purifiers is just like the filters used in your Air Conditioners. Air purifiers that come with a washable and reusable pre-filter are quite good as they increase the life of HEPA and Activated carbon filters by collecting large particles. This reduces the overall costs. Air purifiers with washable pre-filter are great for people with pets or people living near under-construction buildings.
Bottom Line: Air purifiers with washable pre-filter are good because they increase the life of HEPA filter and carbon filter,which reduces the cost of maintenance.
With all the above information in mind, you are now ready to find the best air purifier for your home.
Best Overall Air Purifier for Home/Office
Recommended for Budget Shoppers and for Small Rooms up to 300 Sq. Ft.
1. Mi 2S Air Purifier Review
Mi has now become a household brand, all thanks to its range of highly popular and very affordable range of smartphones and LED TVs.
Mi is known to disrupt the market and set new standards in every product segment that it offers. And that is so true for the topic of this discussion, the air purifiers.
If you are looking for a new air purifier then chances are you must have already heard of Mi Air Purifier 2S because of its popularity and positive ratings. Ever since it’s launch, Mi 2S has consistently been ranked among the top 10 air purifiers in India.
Here we will tell you why buying Mi Air Purifier 2S makes sense.
Design
Mi Air Purifier 2S features an ultra-modern and compact tower-structure design. Over 900 intake holes in front and sides maximize the air intake and improve the filtration capacity. Poor quality air in your room is sucked through the tiny intake holes by a high-quality fan mounted on the top. This air then passes through a triple-layer filter which removes all the air pollutants. Pollutant free air is re-circulated in your room from the top.
The striking OLED display at the front displays the real-time air quality inside your room. Apart from the PM 2.5 levels, the display also shows the temperature and humidity levels. The display not only lends a sophisticated look but it also provides you with very useful data about the quality of air and effectiveness of your air purifier.
The technology behind this live air quality data is a laser particle sensor on the top that senses the particles as small as 0.3 μm and displays the level on the OLED screen.
The highly compact design and light-weight of just 4.5 kgs make Mi Air Purifier 2S highly portable and you can shift it from one room to another quite effortlessly. It does not feature any handle or grip for, though not much required, but a handle or grip would reduce the chances of accidental slip during shifting. Detachable power cable makes storing the unit easy, when not in use.
The filter compartment is given at the bottom and you can easily open the filter cover given at the back. Removing or replacing the filter is very easy. The inside of the cover features complete instructions on how to remove the filter and clean the dust sensor.
Filters
Mi Air Purifier 2S comes with a 3 layer filter, the outer layer removes large airborne particles such as dust and hair. The middle layer removes micron-sized particles and harmful bacteria. The inner layer, made of high quality activated carbon, effectively removes bad odour, formaldehyde, and other harmful substances.
Filtration Capacity
Talking about the technical specifications, this air purifier offers a CADR of 310m³/hr and claims to be effective for a coverage area of up to 400 sq. ft.
The company claims it can purify the air inside a room in 10 minutes.
Let’s see if that’s true or just a marketing gimmick.
This claim is based on the results according to Guangzhou (China) Industrial Microbiology Testing Centre’s CADR test report. The test was conducted in approximately 226 sq. ft. room, with a ceiling of 7.87 feet.
Ceiling size of 7.87 feet? They must be kidding.
So how do you find the actual effectiveness of Mi Air Purifier 2S? As detailed in our air purifier buying guide, the correct way to find the effectiveness of an air purifier is to look at its ACH rating.
Let’s find out the filtration capacity of Mi Air Purifier 2S. But before we do that we would like to reiterate that you should always look for an air purifier with minimum ACH rating of 4, this is even more important for people living in cities like Delhi (that have a high level of air pollution).
The below table lists the ACH rating for different room sizes.
| Mi Air Purifier 2S Filtration Capacity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptable | Not Acceptable | |||
| CADR (m³/hr) | 310 | 310 | 310 | 310 |
| Room area in square feet (ceiling height is assumed as 9 feet) | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 |
| ACH Rating | 12.15 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
As you can see in the above table, this air purifier offers ACH rating of 4 up to a room size of 300 sq. ft. If you have a high ceiling of let’s say 10 feet than the effective coverage area would be 270 sq. ft.
So the claim that this air purifier can cover up to 400 sq. ft. area is more of a marketing gimmick.
Smart Features
Taking the lead from its range of smartphones and smart LED TVs, Mi has built a lot of smartness in the air purifier as well.
Mi Air Purifier 2S is IOT (Internet of Things) enabled and can be monitored and controlled remotely with the Mi Home App. The air purifier connects to your home Wi-Fi and sends all the data in real-time to the app. You can check the air quality, temperature and humidity, adjust the fan speed and set a timer to power on the purifier. The App also automatically lets you know when it’s time to replace the filter.
It also works with voice assistants like Google Home and Amazon Alexa. That means you can control this air purifier with your voice.
Another smart feature of Mi Air Purifier 2S is its ability to automatically adjust the brightness of OLED display according to the light in your room. The OLED display would be very bright during day time and would automatically reduce it’s brightness when you switch off the lights. You can also switch the display off by tapping on the display button given on the back.
Noise & Energy Efficiency
In sleep mode, the sound produced is hardly noticeable, but the noise at the highest fan speed can go up to 70 dB (slightly more than the noise of your AC). The purifier consumes maximum power of only 29W and only 4.8W power in normal mode, which is very efficient.
Filter Replacement
The filter lasts for 3-6 months depending on the quality of air. The Mi Home App will automatically alert you when the filters need to be replaced.
The filter is very easy to remove and replace and is easily available online at Rs. 2,199.
The best thing about the filters of this air purifier is you won’t find any inferior quality duplicate filters as each filter comes with a unique RFID tag. The purifier will only work if the filter is genuine.
Other Features
This air purifier offers three different modes like Auto Mode, Sleep Mode, and Favourite Mode. In auto mode, the air purifier automatically adjusts the speed of the fan according to the air quality. In sleep mode, the fan runs at the lowest speed to avoid any noise and the brightness of the display is reduced.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Displays real-time air quality, temperature, and humidity | Not that effective for rooms over 300 sq. ft. |
| Ideal for rooms up to 300 sq. ft. | The air quality reading can be incorrect sometimes |
| Can be monitored and controlled remotely with the Mi Home App | No washable pre-filter |
| 3 Layer filter with RFID tag | |
| Works with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home | |
| Compact and lightweight | |
| Alert for filter replacement | |
| Filter is easily replaceable and easily available |
Best High-Performance Air Purifier
Recommended for People with Allergies and Large Rooms up to 400 Sq. Ft.
2. Philips 3000 Series AC3256/20 Air Purifier Review
If you are looking for a high-performance air purifier that provides effective coverage for large rooms or if you or any of your family members suffer from respiratory diseases then Philips 3000 Series AC3256/20 is a good choice.
This air purifier from Philips not only covers a large area but also comes with advanced features and 2 years warranty.
Design
Philips 3000 Series AC3256/20 features the popular tower design with a hollow ring in the top middle part. The powerful fan sucks the polluted air into the three large size air intakes provided on the sides and bottom.
This polluted air passes through a high-performance multi-layer NanoProtect filter which removes all the ultrafine particles as small as 0.02 microns, bacteria, viruses, odour, and harmful gases.
The purifier weighs around 10 kgs, the extra weight can be attributed to a high-performance fan that offers larger area coverage. Keeping the little higher weight in mind, Philips has provided a big handle at the top for easily moving the air purifier from one room to the other. However, we feel wheels at the bottom would have made it much more portable.
The top part features the sensor touch UI with a big numerical display that shows the real-time indoor air quality in the form of a numerical PM 2.5 value. Apart from the numerical value, 4-step color ring feedback also provides feedback on indoor air quality. The blue color ring means good air quality, blue-violet means fair, red-purple is unhealthy and red is very unhealthy.
The sensor touch UI features controls for power on/off, child lock, light on/off, fan speed/auto mode/allergen mode, 24-hour timer and reset.
The front panel houses the 3 filters and can be easily removed when you need to clean or replace the filters.
Filters
Philips 3000 Series AC3256/20 comes with extra thick NanoProtect HEPA filter, activated carbon filter and a pre-filter that provides superior purification and lifetime against airborne particles.
Pre Filter removes all the large particles like dust, pollen, dust mites, and hair etc. Pre-filter is washable.
Activated Carbon Filter removes bad odours, harmful gases and TVOCs (Total Volatile Organic Compounds).
HEPA filter removes ultra-fine particles up to 0.02 micron (100 times smaller than PM 2.5) like H1N1, PM 2.5, dust mites, pet dander & other bacteria, viruses. It removes 99.97% common airborne allergens and 99.9% bacteria.
The filters have a long life-time and would need replacement every year or so.
Filtration Capacity
This Philips air purifier offers a high Clean Air Delivery (CADR) rate of 393 m3/hr, which makes it effective in large rooms.
The company claims that this air purifier is effective in coverage areas ranging up to 1027 sq. ft.
Let’s find out the effectiveness of their claims.
| Philips 3000 Series AC3256/20 Air Purifier Filtration Capacity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptable | Not Acceptable | |||
| CADR (m³/hr) | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 |
| Room area in square feet (ceiling height is assumed as 9 feet) | 200 | 300 | 400 | 1000 |
| ACH Rating | 7.7 | 5.13 | 3.85 | 1.54 |
As you can see in the above table, this air purifier offers ACH rating of 4 up to a room size of 400 sq. ft. If you have a high ceiling of let’s say 10 feet than the effective coverage area would be 350 sq. ft. If you are living in a high air pollution area and are suffering from respiratory diseases then it will be most effective up to 400 sq. ft.
However, you can use this air purifier for larger coverage areas provided you are living in an area that does not have severe air pollution.
Smart Features
With this high-performance air purifier from Philips, you will always feel in complete control with its advanced particle sensor that always gives you very close to the actual level of PM 2.5 in your room. The display shows the numerical value for the PM2.5 level and the 4-step color ring also provides instant feedback on the indoor air quality.
Unlike the other air purifiers available in the market, this air purifier uses a professional-grade sensor. Termed as Philips AeraSense technology, this air purifier is highly effective in sensing even the smallest change in indoor air quality. When in auto mode, the air purifier automatically adjusts the fan speed when it detects any change in the air quality.
Allergen Mode is a specially designed feature that effectively removes all the common airborne allergens. This mode is very useful for people suffering from respiratory diseases like Asthma, Chronic Cough etc.
Apart from the Auto Mode and the Allergen Mode, this air purifier offers five different levels of fan speed settings which is quite good. You can also set the timer from 1 hour to 24 hours for automatic shut off.
Noise & Energy Efficiency
Given the powerful performance and wider coverage, one would think that this air purifier would be quite noisy. This is where the Philips technology and research comes into play.
We are quite surprised by the ultra-silent performance of this purifier. Under sleep mode, the noise (33 dB) is hardly noticeable and even at the highest speed, the maximum noise level is around 64 dB.
The air purifier consumes less than 0.5 W when in stand-by mode and during operation the power consumption varies between 11 W to 60 W, depending upon the operation mode and fan speed.
Filter Replacement
The filters are very easy to remove, clean and replace. The activated carbon filter costs around Rs. 2,000 and HEPA filter costs around Rs. 3,300 and are easily available on Amazon.in. The use of pre-filter increases the life of HEPA and Activated Carbon filter and the two would easily last for a year or more.
The air purifier automatically alerts you when it is time to replace the filter or clean the pre-filter. The air purifier would stop functioning if the filter is not replaced in due time. This makes sure your air purifier is always working effectively and efficiently.
Other Features
This air purifier is tested and certified by leading organizations like AHAM, ECARF (for allergy-friendly) and Airmid (for removal of H1N1 virus).
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Very easy to operate, auto mode requires almost no changes | Wheels at the bottom for easy movement would have been a plus |
| Beautiful and sturdy looks | Remote control or App control is missing |
| 5 different fan speed levels | |
| Auto mode & Special Allergen Mode | |
| Child lock & 24-hour digital timer | |
| Option to turn on/off the LED ring light and display light | |
| Good performance and low noise level | |
| Protection from H1N1 virus | |
| 2 Years Warranty | |
| Washable Pre-filter increase the life of HEPA filter | |
| Alert for pre-filter wash and filter change |
Bottom Line: This high performance air purifier gives you purified air that is 99.97% bacteria and airborne particles free making the air inside your home safer and healthier. 2 Years warranty keeps you covered against any possible malfunctions and breakdowns. The price is a little high but if you are looking to keep your family safe from allergies and dust then this is the best air purifier for you. Philips AC3256/20 is also a great buy for people who are prone to allergies or suffering from respiratory diseases like Asthma.
Phillips is also making top electric kettle in India.
Our Top Picks for Best Air Purifiers for Home in India
The detailed and in-depth air purifier reviews (given below) will help you pick the best air purifier for your home or office.
3. Honeywell Air Touch A5 HAC25M1201W Air Purifier Review
This clean and compact air purifier from Honeywell is one of the best sellers on Amazon, and we are not surprised at all. The award-winning design, reliable air purification, and useful features along with an attractive price make it the best value for money air purifier.
The intelligent 3D Air Flow design ensures that the air purifier sucks-in the polluted air from both sides and the bottom of the purifier. The fresh, purified air is released from the top at an angle that ensures optimum air circulation in your room.
This Honeywell air purifier is easy to use. You can easily replace the filters yourself and the replacement filters are easily available online on Amazon.in and other online stores.
It features 3-stage air purification that removes over 99% PM 2.5 particles in the air. The 3-stages of filtration are: washable pre-filter, HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. The washable pre-filter gets rid of larger dust particles and pet hair/dander, etc. HEPA filter removes any microscopic pollutant and allergens above 0.3 microns including PM2.5 and pollens. The activated carbon filter removes formaldehyde, toxic gases, VOCs & odour.
The product specifications show the CADR rating of 250 m³/hr and coverage area of up to 323 sq. ft. Let’s see how the Honeywell Air Touch A5 fares in our ACH calculations.
| Honeywell Air Touch A5 Air Purifier Filtration Capacity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptable | Not Acceptable | |||
| CADR (m³/hr) | 250 | 250 | 250 | 250 |
| Room area in square feet (ceiling height is assumed as 9 feet) | 100 | 200 | 250 | 323 |
| ACH Rating | 9.8 | 4.9 | 3.92 | 3.03 |
So, that means the Honeywell Air Touch A5 is most suitable for room size of up to 250 sq. ft.
The filter life is around 3,000 hours, so if you use the air purifier for around 8 hours every day then the filter should last for about 1 year. However, the filter life in high pollution areas like Delhi will be less.
The LED around the power button changes colors, from red (poor air quality) to orange (moderate air quality) to blue (good air quality), to show the air quality inside the room.
It features manual 3-level fan speed and an auto mode. Under auto mode, the fan speed changes from high to low according to the air quality of the room. The night mode or the sleep mode automatically switches the fan speed to the lowest level and turns off all the lights.
It is quite compact and lightweight. The in-built handle at the back lets you easily shift it from one room to the other. The touch controls at the top are very responsive and need a soft tap.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| 3-layer filtration: Pre-filter, HEPA filter, and Activated Carbon filter | Does not show the real-time air quality reading |
| Washable pre-filter | No remote control |
| Compact and lightweight | Noise level is high on full fan speed |
| Indicator for filter replacement | |
| The filter is easily replaceable and easily available | |
| Affordable price | |
| Auto mode and sleep mode |
4. Philips 1000 Series AC1215/20 Air Purifier Review
This intelligent air purifier from the renowned brand Philips removes 99.97% allergens & ultra-fine particles as small as 0.02 microns (100 times smaller than PM 2.5).
Philips 1000 Series air purifier uses 3 stage filtration, called Vitashield IPS, that clears the air inside your room of ultra-fine particles and harmful gases like formaldehyde and TVOC. This Philips air purifier uses a washable pre-filter, activated carbon filter and HEPA filter. Though the company has not provided any estimated filter life, but after reading a lot of customer reviews we can say that the filters would last for anywhere between 6 to 12 months, depending on the pollution level and duration of use.
The professional-grade air quality sensor can effectively detect PM 2.5 levels and the color ring on the touch panel gives you a real-time view of the air quality. The ring changes its color from red (bad allergen & particle level) to blue (good allergen & particle level).
It features 4 different levels of fan speed along with three auto modes. Unlike most air purifiers that have a single auto mode, this Philips air purifier features 3 auto modes: General, Allergen, and NightSense.
When you turn on the General auto mode it automatically adjusts the fan speed according to the air quality. If the air quality is severely bad then the fan speed automatically changes to the turbo (the highest fan speed) and if the air quality is good then the fan speed changes to level 1.
Night sensing mode is another very useful feature that lets you sleep peacefully while the air purifier is working round the clock. When this mode is activated, it senses the light in the room and automatically changes the fan speed and dims or switches off the air purifier lights.
Allergen mode is good for people suffering from breathing problems or if you have a pet at home or there is a lot of pollen in the air.
Another intelligent feature is the healthy air protect alert that quickly tells you when the filters need to be replaced. The air purifier stops functioning if the filters are not replaced in the due time. This maintains the quality of air purification and ensures that you are never breathing polluted air.
The full touch control panel with a digital display makes it really easy to use. Child lock makes sure the settings are not accidentally changed by a naughty kid in your home.
The compact and lightweight design makes it truly portable. The lightweight design and the in-built handgrip make it very easy to shift it between different rooms in your house.
Apart from all the features and attractive design, what impressed us most is the large-size of filters. The size of the intake and large filter surface area really add up to trap all that bad stuff in the air.
Coming to the figures of coverage area and clean air delivery rate, the product specifications show the CADR rating of 270 m³/hr and coverage area of up to 677 sq. ft.
Let’s see how the Philips 1000 Series AC1215/20 fares in our ACH calculations.
| Philips 1000 Series AC1215/20 Air Purifier Filtration Capacity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptable | Not Acceptable | |||
| CADR (m³/hr) | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 |
| Room area in square feet (ceiling height is assumed as 9 feet) | 100 | 200 | 270 | 677 |
| ACH Rating | 10.58 | 5.29 | 3.92 | 1.56 |
So, that means the Philips 1000 Series AC1215/20 is most suitable for room size of up to 270 sq. ft.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| 3-layer filtration: Pre-filter, HEPA filter, and Activated Carbon filter | Price is a little high |
| 4 manual fan speed settings | No remote control |
| Air quality indicator | |
| Washable pre-filter | |
| Compact and lightweight | |
| Indicator for filter replacement | |
| The filter is easily replaceable and easily available | |
| 3 auto modes: General, Allergen, and NightSense |
Air Purifier – FAQs
The ideal answer to this question depends on whether you spend most of your time at home or outside.
If you or one of your family members always remain at home or the air purifier room is always occupied then it should ideally be left turned on. We are saying this because the air inside your home gets contaminated again if you turn off the air purifier.
The only drawback, of keeping an air purifier always on, is the cost. This is quite understandable, as the air purifier consumes power and the filters will have to be replaced earlier if the air purifier is always on. This will increase the operating cost.
If you are someone who won’t mind a little increase in electricity bill and spending more on the replacement of filters then you should always keep the air purifier on, until and unless you plan to leave for a holiday and there is no one at your home.
However, if you remain outside for most of the time then you can switch off the air purifier before leaving your home. But if you are leaving your home for a few hours only then it is best to leave the air purifier on.
This is where air purifiers with auto mode or the ones which can be controlled through a mobile app, are so useful. When in auto mode, the air purifier automatically adjusts the fan speed according to the air quality. The fan will run at high speed initially and then gradually slow down as the air quality improves.
Air purifiers with app control can be turned on/off from any location. Let’s say you leave for work in the morning, you can turn off the air purifier when you leave home and turn it on an hour before you come back. This will ensure the air quality is good when you return back to your home.
Yes, because you never stop breathing whether you are sleeping or awake.
Air purifiers are also believed to improve the quality of sleep. This is because an air purifier removes dust particles and allergens from the air and makes it easier to breathe. When you breathe fresh purified air your mind and body tend to relax better.
Most air purifiers come with sleep or night mode which runs the air purifier in low speed, reducing the fan noise, and turns off or dim the air purifier indicator lights.
Air purifiers are not harmful if you choose wisely. Air purifiers that use washable pre-filters, HEPA filters and activated carbon filters are completely safe to use.
But some air purifiers, that work on technologies like ozone air purification, air ionizers, and UV, have side effects because they produce Ozone. Ozone is harmful to humans and has various side effects on your health.
No, air purifiers do not change the humidity level in your air. Air purifiers only suck the air inside your room, this air passes through multi-stage filters which trap the pollutant particles like dust, dust mites, pet hair, pet dander, mold, pollen, etc. And the cleaned air is released back in the room.
Air purifiers cannot reduce the moisture in the air.
For your better clarity, here we will talk about whether air purifiers with HEPA filter are good or the ionizers.
Without any doubt, HEPA air purifiers are much better than ionizers.
Let’s see why.
Air purifiers with HEPA filters suck the indoor air through a high-quality, tightly-woven filter to trap all the pollutants. The purified air is released back into the room. If the HEPA filter is changed on time, then there is no chance, theses trapped pollutants can enter your air again.
On the other hand, ionizers do not use any filters to trap airborne pollutants. They throw electrically charged ions in the air which stick to the airborne pollutants and become heavy. Therefore all the particles either fall on the floor or are attracted to a charged collection plate. These particles can re-enter the room air if the floor or the collection plate is not cleaned in time. You need to manually clean the pollutants from the floor surface or the collection plate.
However, ionizers are much more affordable as you do not have to replace costly filters and the initial cost of ionizers is also low as compared to HEPA air purifiers.
But when it comes to the quality of air purification and ease of use, HEPA air purifiers are much better than ionizers.
There is absolutely no comparison between an air purifier and a dehumidifier as both of them are made for different purposes.
Air purifiers clean your indoor air and have no effect on the humidity level in your air. And a dehumidifier is used for reducing the humidity level in the air, it does not purify the air.
If you want clean air buy an air purifier and if you want to reduce the humidity level then go for a dehumidifier. If you want both, you can choose an air-purifying dehumidifier, like this one from Sharp.
And now we come to the end of this long and detailed post on finding the best air purifier for your home in India.
Apart from air purifiers, you can also use special indoor plants that are very effective in purifying the indoor air. These air purifying plants absorb gases through their pores on the surface of their leaves and roots. Some of these plants include Peace Lily, Weeping Fig, Snake Plant, Boston Fern, Aloe Vera, Spider Plant etc.
But each one of us must understand that using air purifiers is not the permanent solution or your safeguard against this worsening level of air pollution. The fact that India has as many as 14 out of the top 20 polluting cities in the World is a cause for serious concern and a matter of shame for all of us.
Should we simply put the blame on the Government? Along with the Governments, rapid industrialization and urbanization, we ourselves are to be equally blamed for all this mess.
And nothing will change until we all take a pledge to stop contributing to this menace of ever-growing air pollution.
The time is running out and we must act now to give better air to our future generations. We all should:
- Stop using diesel vehicles
- Start Carpooling or use public transport
- Plant and nurture as many trees as possible
- Do not burn waste or crop residue
- Use clean fuels like CNG, PNG, etc.
- Stop using Diesel Generators
Air purifiers are only effective indoors but you can not always stay inside. If you are living in a city that has a high level of air pollution then you should also wear protective N95 masks whenever you step out.
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I am looking for an air purifier in Delhi. As you know the air pollution in Delhi is among the highest in India and in the world. So can you please recommend the best air purifier for Delhi’s air pollution. The size of the room is approximately 200 sq. ft.
Keeping in mind your requirement, we recommend buying an air purifier that has at least 3-level filtration: washable pre-filter, HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. If you have a pet at home or if there is a high level of dust particles in your home then you must make sure that the air purifier has got a washable pre-filter. Without a washable pre-filter, your main filters will get choked very early and you will have to spend more on filter replacement.
The second thing that you must note is, the CADR rating should be 200 m³/hr or higher. We recommend going for an air purifier with CADR of at least 250 m³/hr because of two reasons: it will purify the air in your room quicker and if required, you can shift the air purifier to a bigger room also.
Having said all that, we have two recommendation for you: Mi 2S and Honeywell Air Touch A5.