These air cleaners come in all shapes and sizes and as we approach festival season, some of you might be looking to buy one. Therefore, we have curated a list of the best Air Purifiers available in India worth buying in 2021. But, before you narrow in on any one option, you must be familiar with the basics. These are really simple machines that need to be good at three things – Detecting pollution, cleaning the air by channeling it through appropriate filters, and then circulating this clean air through the room.
Contents:

Are air purifiers effective?Things to know before buying an air purifierKey Air Purifier features that you should knowThe best air purifiers in IndiaBest air purifiers under Rs 30,000Best air purifier under Rs 20,000Best air purifier under Rs 10,000Best home air purifiers price list

ALSO READ: Best 1.5 Ton Air Conditioners in India Under Rs 30,000 in 2020

Are air purifiers effective?

First and foremost, this is how an air purifier works: It pulls polluted air and releases clean, fresh air. Here are a few arguments on the benefit of having an Air purifier:

Norman Edelman, a professor of preventive medicine and internal medicine at Stony Brook University (New York), says, “When used correctly, they only prove to reduce allergy symptoms modestly.”Air purifiers are not advised as a shield against second-hand smoke or tobacco smoking in general. They are not a foolproof antidote to air pollution caused by smoking. Every air purifier works in a stipulated radius and might struggle in cleaning particles from every room in your home. Many pollutants stick to the surfaces of furniture and clothing and air purifiers might fail in filtering the non-airborne substances. So say no to smoking in and out, for reasons you know and don’t, but should.HEPA Air filters (discussed later on) can screen Asbestos particles, which range in size between 0.7 and 90 microns.The EPA also warns that contrary to claims, the air purifiers cannot cleanse all the VOCs.

Things to know before buying an air purifier

CADR vs POLAR Test – While CADR is the industry standard in India, it isn’t a true representation of actual usage conditions. This is why Dyson developed the POLAR test which is now recognized as a benchmark in markets like China. While CADR uses a small 12 square meter room with the purifier located at the center and assisted by a ceiling fan. The air quality is then monitored using a single sensor placed in the room. On the other hand, the POLAR test places the purifier at the corner of a bigger 27 square meter room. Airflow isn’t assisted by any external fan and the quality is monitored using 9 sensors placed in different parts of the room.

Coverage Area – This implies the distance which the Air Purifier can cover. First of all, know your room size and accordingly pick a purifier that claims to work in a larger room than yours. It’s even better if you can factor in the height of the room too. You are recommended to station the air purifiers in most inhabited rooms within your home and office. Needless to say, it’s better to place in a central spot, where the Air purifier stays free of any obstruction.ACH (Air Changes per Hour) – This means the number of times the purifier can exchange impure air with fresh air in an hour. It is usually denoted in multiples, viz. 2x, 3x, 4x, 6x, etcHEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) Filter – This is the most basic and also the most important filter, as it removes airborne pollutants sizing 0.3 µm (microns) or more. Human eyes can’t even see these particles. The HEPA filters are classified from grades E to A in descending order of effectiveness. They can screen dust, pollen, mold spores, mite feces, and other allergens.Carbon Filters – Activated carbon molecules bond with the pollutants to trap cigarette smoke, chemical fumes, gases, and odors.Besides the above two prominent filters, there are Ionic filters ( scatches ultra-fine particles sizing up to 0.01 microns) and Ultraviolet Light filter (which eliminates microbes like germs, bacteria, and mold) too.Noise Level – Lower dB (Decibel) value, the better!Portability and Design – You would obviously pick one that matches your indoor decor and is portable to move across rooms, if and when required.Power Consumption, Price, and Maintenance cost – I believe these are self-explanatory. You would want to pick a purifier which consumes less power, costs less upfront, and doesn’t break the bank over time in servicing and filter swapping.Features like Remote Control, the effectiveness of auto mode, carrying handles or wheels, display indicators, and integration with Google, Alexa, and Siri assistants.

So, here are the best air purifiers that offer the best price to performance quotient. Note: To get a better idea of Indoor Air Quality, especially when you are trying to cover a broader area with multiple Air purifiers, you may also invest in Air Quality Monitors like Kaiterra Laser Egg 2.

Best air purifiers in India in 2022 (suitable for homes and offices)

The market is flooded with air purifier options. You can buy an air purifier for your home or office on the basis of area, features, and budget. To help you navigate in finding the best one for your needs, we have listed the best air purifiers available in different price segments.

1. Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde

Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde Purifier is similar to Dyson Pure Hot+Cool but has an added filter to remove formaldehyde fumes that are 500 times smaller than PM0.1. This purifier has a unique catalytic coating that can break down formaldehyde into water and CO2. Other than formaldehyde, the Purifier can capture PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, and NO2 and has air multiplier technology to evenly and effectively circulate both hot and cool air in a room.

2. Dyson Hot+Cool purifier

Dyson, a British tech giant known for its revolutionary vacuum cleaners, has a slew of air purifiers in the Indian market. The Dyson Hot + Cool purifier is one of the most premium products in its air purifier lineup. Though this one will cost you a chunk more, it wields some extra benefits too. First of all, as evident from its name, it is a dual-purpose air purifier, as it automatically purifies and warms a whole room just like a heater. It features a 360° Glass HEPA Filter and Tris Impregnated Activated Carbon Filter. Here also you get the company’s in-house Air Multiplier technology which expels 360° oscillation with personalized angle support. Dyson uses the POLAR test instead, which is their in-house alternative for the CADR test. This test scales every nook and corner of a large room. Besides it also takes the airflow projection into consideration. Buy now Also Read: Dyson Pure Hot+Cool air purifier review

3. Blueair Classic 480i

The Blueair Classic 480i Air Purifier is another premium category product that justifies its costs with it performance and features. The underlining virtue of this air purifier is its whopping 510 m³/hr CADR score and how it stretches to about 434 Sq. Ft, which is also impressive. It comes with HEPA silent purification technology employing Smoke Stop Filter and a Particle Filter. The Blueair Classic 480i Air Purifier requires a 53w power supply. It also has WiFi support for wireless connectivity. Buy now

4. Dyson Purifier Cool TP07

Best air purifiers under ₹30,000 in India

The Dyson Pure Cool Link Tower is another premium air purifier that comes equipped with an Air Multiplier technology and oscillation feature, which outs purified beams of air across the entire room. There is a ‘Glass-HEPA’ filter and a carbon filter as well. There is a display for air quality indication and the WiFi connection status. If you install their Dyson companion app, then you can get AQI (Air Quality Index) reports too. Notably, Dyson doesn’t reveal any CADR score for its products. CADR test is considered a 3 decades old procedure and with the peak in pollution levels, it is not considered reliable by some. Therefore, Pure Cool Link Tower also Dyson uses the Polar test instead of CADR. It supports dual-band WIFI for IoT-based operations. You can download the Dyson Link app to operate it remotely. Buy now

6. Blueair Classic 280i

The Blueair Classic 280i is another IoT-based air purifier from a Swedish brand that makes the cut. Although the purifier is priced south of Rs 30K, it boasts of features such as 6-step filtration that can remove dust particles, mold, bacteria, viruses, pet dander, gases like NH3, VOC, SO2 & NO2 & other harmful gases from the Indoor air. It includes a HEPA filter and a SmokeStop Filter. The Blueair Classic 280i comes with a clean booster technology that smart circulation throw which allows it to replace polluted air 74 percent faster. ALSO READ: Best 1.5 Ton ACs in India Under Rs 40,000 in 2020

7. Philips 3000 AC3256

Speaking of reappearance, Philips 3000 AC3256 is here with a far better CADR score and larger room coverage. It claims to be suited for the living room/master bedroom. You get to choose or leave it to work automatically between 3 modes – a General mode, an extra-sensitive Allergen mode, and an extra-powerful bacteria and virus mode. Buy now

Best air purifier under ₹20,000 in 2022

8. Sharp FP-FM40E-B

Sharp is a Japanese multinational corporation that produces air purifiers amidst an array of electronic devices. This one highlights a passive HEPA system that traps PM2.5 particles, smoke, dust, and pollen. If you’re wondering how’s passive filtering different from active screening, then fret not since it’s the same technique used in all the incumbents of this list. The active process, which is also called ionization releases negative ions that conduct dust from the ambient air. The caveat is, however, the Ozone (O3) emission in this process. And as you know, Ozone in high concentrations can be harmful to human health. So, the passive HEPA system is better. Besides HEPA, there is a pre-filter, which sifts heavy dust particles. Lastly, one of its quirky features is the built-in mosquito catcher. Buy now

9. Philips High-Efficiency Air Purifier AC2887/20

10. Honeywell Air Touch i8

Honeywell is back again on the list and this one’s the Air Touch i8 which works in a larger radius (up to 36 Sq.m coverage area for a room with 2.74m height) with better CADR value. This one is also loaded with a three-stage filtration process, which includes a washable pre-filter, HEPA, and carbon filter. Yes, it extols an ‘Ozone Free’ shield. Buy now Now, if you are ready to spread a little more liberally, you may pick the Honeywell Air Touch-S8 air purifier.

11. Coway AirMega 200

This one works well in Large Bedrooms, kitchens, and Drawing Rooms. Additionally, here you also get Auto Mode, which automatically enhances the air quality using specialized dust sensors. It also offers – single-touch airspeed adjustment in four levels (1-3, Turbo). Moreover, there is a real-time air quality indicator that shows whether the air is Clean, Low Pollution, Medium Pollution, or High Pollution. Buy now

12. Coway Sleek AP-0509

Coway is a South Korean brand with 30 years of experience in the field. It offers 3 years warranty on the air purifier motors and 1 year on electrical parts. It’s best suited for Bed Rooms and Small Offices. It sports 3-layer filtration including a Pre Filter, a Patented Urethane Carbon Filter (that deodorizes the air as well), and most importantly the multi-layered Green Anti-Flu HEPA Filter. The latter in particular claims to be effective in removing cigarette smoke, H1N1 viruses, influenza, and many other viruses. There is a single-touch airspeed adjustment in three levels (1-3). Buy now

Best air purifiers under ₹10,000 for Indian homes

These variants board the AeraSense technology which gives you real-time monitored data on the PM 2.5 measurement. Plus, you get larger coverage and CADR performance. The latter vaunts to aid in removing the H1N1 virus, amongst bacteria, dust, pollen, and more.

13. Mi Air Purifier 3

Editor’s recommendation: Best Smart air purifier under Rs 10,000 The air purifier is recommended for use in living rooms and bedrooms. Its 3-stage filtration comprises a washable pre-filter, HEPA Class 13, and an Activated carbon filter. It claims to be completely Ozone-free and capable of removing formaldehyde, toxic gases, VOCs & odor. Buy now

14. Philips 1000 AC1215-20

No introduction is needed for Philips. The global electronics giant has a wide range of healthy lifestyle products. This one, in particular, is underlined to work best in bedrooms. It brings 2 years warranty on the product. It has bagged a list of accolades for its patented VitaShield IPS (Intelligent Purification System) Technology, certified by multiple bodies. There is an Auto Mode, Allergen Mode & NightSense (automatic light sensing) mode and claims to cleanse 99.97% allergens & ultra-fine particles. It embellishes an extra-thick NanoProtect TRUE HEPA Series 1 Filter. You will also get a touch-panel UI with a 2-color panel display that presents 4-color air quality indicators for real-time feedback & child lock features. Buy now You may also consider Philips 2000 AC0820/20 or Philips AC2887/20

15. Realme TechLife Air Purifier

Editor’s recommendation: Cheapest Air to buy The newest progeny from Realme TechLife is its Air Purifier. This one’s brandished as “designed in India for India”. It flaunts 360-degree air intake coupled with a dual filtration mechanism. The company claims the filter swapping is now DIY in under 10 seconds – using a one-button control. It comes with a 3-layers filtration structure that includes a HEPA H12 filter and a 60+ layer mountain fold structure. The HEPA H12 filter is expected to give 99.5% filtration efficiency. The air purifier features an innovative air duct design that meets the demand for high efficiency allowing a 330-meter cube/hectare to be achieved even with a 180-degree air inlet angle. This one features a high CADR of 330 metric cubes/hectare enabling a clean air output of 330 cubic meters per hour and taking 14.4 minutes for purification in a 30-metric cube area. It has 5 wind mode settings- sleep, soft, normal, strong, and auto. It is equipped with a high-precision Japanese Sharp air quality sensor that can detect the concentration of PM2.5 in the air. A tiny indicator shows the air quality in three different stages, namely clear air, moderate pollution level, and severe pollution level. This one caters to the basics on a budget. It is priced at Rs. 7999 and the first sale will be held on October 2 through the Realme website. It will also be available at a discounted price of Rs. 6999 during Flipkart’s Big Billion Days Sale. Buy now

Home Air Tips and Tricks: How to tackle Air Pollution Indoors?

Technology can be an enabler in living a healthy life. However, you could inculcate small habits and take these steps to tackle air pollution within your households and offices:

Avoid smoking indoorsEnsure proper ventilation, especially in the kitchenUse exhaust fans where ventilation is not feasibleKeep your pets cleanKeep Indoor pantsUse doormats but avoid unnecessary carpeting and curtainsVacuum or clean oftenSafely store the chemicals, paints, pesticides, etc.Keep humidity at checkChange expired filters of air purifiers

 

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