If you’re living in any metropolitan city across India, then your well-being is being threatened by air pollution. As per the World Health Organisation, out of the world’s 20 most polluted cities, more than half are Indian cities. What this means is Air Purifiers are now essentials.
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 purifier
- Key Air Purifier features that you should know
- Best air purifiers above 1 lakh
- Best air purifiers under Rs. 50,000
- Best air purifiers under Rs 30,000
- Best air purifier under Rs 20,000
- Best air purifier under Rs 10,000
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, etc
- HEPA (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 that 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 2023 (above 1 lakh)
The market is flooded with air purifier options. You can buy an air purifier for your home or office based on 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. Alen BreatheSmart Classic Large Room Air Purifier
Price-Rs. 1,27,568
Available on-Amazon
The Alen BreatheSmart Classic Large Room Air Purifier might seem pricey for many, but the purifier is worth every penny offering impeccable performance. The device is a good choice for large spaces and offers coverage of up to 1100 square feet. Along with steadfast power, minimum noise and efficiency purifier continuously monitors your air quality with its 3-color ring and laser sensor. The Breathe Smart Classic AQM Bundle sends information to your Alen app so you can read air quality conditions in real-time and also look at records.
Buy Here
2. Blue Pure 121 Air Purifier
Price-Rs. 1,32,271
Available on- Amazon
The Blue Pure 121 Air Purifier is a brilliant option for purifying the air when pollution levels are at their peak. It can cover rooms up to 121-620 square feet and offers three-stage filtration to tackle pollen, dust, mold, smoke, and more. It makes air breathable for everybody, especially allergen sufferers. It has a 360-degree air intake so you can place it anywhere without compromising performance. The purifier has a compact and lightweight design that makes it easy to move and place wherever suits you.
Best air purifiers under ₹50,000 in India
3. Dyson Air Purifier Cool TP010 Cool Gen 1
Price- Rs. 31,899
Available on- Amazon
Dyson Air Purifier Cool TP010 claims to remove 99.95% of particles using HEPA and activated carbon filtration. It comes with air multiplier technology that generates the circulation to purify the whole room and a powerful stream of purified airflow cools you during warmer weather. The purifier operates quietly to monitor and purify your room while you sleep and 350-degree adjustable oscillation projects purified air around the whole room. The Air Purifier can be controlled by remote control and captures gases and ultrafine particles. It weighs 4.7 grams and has a compact design.
4. Coway Professional Air Purifier for Home
Price-Rs. 39,900
Available on- Amazon
Coway Professional Air Purifier specializes in Air Care with a focus on Superior Quality and Intuitive design. It comes with a unique filtration process: pre-filer, and Max 2 filter with longest filter life of 8500 hours. The Max 2 filter traps 99.99% of allergens, bacteria, viruses, bad odor, VOCs, and cigarette smoke. The purifier comes with a filter replacement indicator which blinks when it is time to change the HEPA filter and carbon filter. The Air Quality indicator shows real-time indoor air quality through intuitive colors and the intelligent auto mode automatically adjusts the speed of the air purifier based on Air Quality. The Night Mode turns off mood/AQI light for complete room darkness and the air purifier can be controlled by the app as well.
Best air purifiers under ₹30,000 in India
5. LG PuriCare 360-degree Air Purifier
Price- Rs. 25,709
Available on- Amazon
LG PuriCare 360-degree Air Purifier gives you clear air that is free of bacteria, viruses, ultra-fine dust, allergens, and even harmful gases in the air. It is designed to purify the air in rooms up to 667.36 square feet making it suitable for bedrooms, living rooms, and small to medium-sized spaces. It has a compact and convenient design and weighs 6.75 kg. The 360-degree cylindrical design covered with smart small air holes helps suck air from all directions and fills your room with fresh air. The purifier comes with a 1.0 PM sensor, smart sensor technology, HEPA, ionizer, antibacterial filter, quiet operation, odor elimination, smart connectivity, and more.
Buy Here
6. Sharp Room Air Purifier with FP-J80M-H
Price- Rs. 28,399
Available on-Amazon
Sharp Room Air Purifier comes with FP-J80M-H High-density plasma cluster Ion Technology and true HEPA and Active Carbon filters that emit charged ions into the air to more effectively remove contaminants and odors than simple filtration alone. It can cover about 600 square feet of area and helps in the quick removal of VOCs, contaminants, and static charges to offer sterilized air for your loved ones. It has PM2.5 monitoring, auto mode, anti-dust mode, anti-pollen mode, and Haze Mode to suit your environment.
ALSO READ: Best 1.5 Ton ACs in India Under Rs 40,000 in 202
Best air purifier under ₹20,000 in 2023
7. Agaro Imperial Air Purifier
Price- Rs. 14,699
Available on- Amazon
Agaro Imperial Air Purifier is suitable for homes, bedrooms, and other spaces. The purifier comes with 3 adjustable speed settings- low, medium, and high. There is a sleep mode and a 7-stage purification system for cleaner and healthier air. It can be operated using a combination of auto mode and manual mode and comes with an advanced HEPA 14 Filter, and Green True technology. Long filter life ensures up to 8500 hours of continuous purification and the purifier claims to trap 99.9% pollutants, bacteria, and viruses in your home.
8. Kent 15008 Alps+ UV Air Purifier
Price- Rs. 11,000
Available on- Amazon
Kent Alps+ UV Air Purifier is designed with UV LED and purity indicator for improved air quality that helps you breathe easily. It reduces bacteria and viruses using UV LED that emits a powerful light and helps reduce bacteria, viruses, and germs. It comes with an advanced HEPA Technology coated HEPA filter, filter changer indicator, timely air quality monitoring alerts, user-friendly design, and a CADR of 400-meter cube per hour. It can cover an area of up to 430 square feet and has a white body design. It has a compact design and a smart touch control panel as well.
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.
9. Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite
Price- Rs. 9999
Available on- Amazon
Xiaomi is known for making the latest technology accessible to every Indian household. Following the trend, the brand is retailing Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite for a price of under 10k in the country. The air purifier comes with 99.97% filtration of particles, smaller base areas than an A4 size paper, filter replacement reminders, and an advanced LED display. It can cover 269 to 463 square feet of area and has a silent operation with 33.3dB noise levels. It is TUV Rheinland certified and offers 360-degree air filtration. The purifier comes with triple-layer filtration, a True HEPA filter, odor elimination, smart app control, and multiple modes.
10. Philips AC1215/20 portable Room Air Purifier
Price- Rs. 9499
Available on- Amazon
Philips AC1215/20 portable Room Air Purifier comes with an advanced NanoProtect Filter that delivers all-around protection. It gives superior protection that can be applied to max 63 square metre area. There is a special auto mode, quieter and constant clean air delivery, healthy air protect alert for filter lifetime with accuracy, child lock, and a night sensing mode designed for the bedroom. It comes with a HEPA Series 1 filter, real-time air quality feedback, and ECARF and Airmid certification.
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 indoors
- Ensure proper ventilation, especially in the kitchen
- Use exhaust fans where ventilation is not feasible
- Keep your pets clean
- Keep Indoor pants
- Use doormats but avoid unnecessary carpeting and curtains
- Vacuum or clean often
- Safely store the chemicals, paints, pesticides, etc.
- Keep humidity in check
- Change expired filters of air purifiers
CADR is the best and proven in real time or real homes. Dyson Polar test is done on lab too, they never installed that much sensors on customer homes and tried out, that’s why they use heavy fan inside the machine so that anyone in room can feel the air. Sensors cost a lot of money, have used Dyson and with the help of different air quality monitors from mine & borrowing neighbors, their air purifying sucks, one of the worst performances ever. They are good at designing machine not air purifying. The fact is either CADR or POLAR, the real truth comes down to whether it can clean the air in room or not. The result is DYSON air purifier takes lot of time to clean the air inside the room, irrespective of the claim they do. Please don’t just write anything because you are being paid to and put the costliest one at the top. The fact is they have tried out CADR test and it perform worst and when being asked they will say or focus on their Polar test.