The right to clean air inside your home should not come at the price of visual harmony in your living space. Thankfully, air purifiers have evolved from utilitarian plastic boxes into increasingly sophisticated pieces of home technology. Some prioritise sheer air-cleaning performance, others bring industrial design and smart connectivity into the equation, while a few attempt to do both.
Here is our selection of the best examples that blend all of that and then some!
Perhaps the most unconventional product in this selection, the Praan Hive uses an aircraft-grade aluminium enclosure that instantly gives it a more sculptural appearance. Its compact, flat profile also allows it to be wall- or ceiling-mounted, an interesting proposition for contemporary interiors where floor space is at a premium. But it doesn’t put form over function and differs from the rest of the pack by using a dual-fan arrangement and H14 HEPA filtration, accompanied by an activated carbon filter. Its onboard sensors monitor the usual suspects like PM1, PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, temperature and humidity, while an ambient sound sensor adds another layer of environmental monitoring. The accompanying app provides remote control and air-quality information, with filter replacement recommendations based on usage and pollution levels.
Price: Rs 64,999
Key specifications:
Filter: H14 HEPA + activated carbon
CADR: Not specified
Recommended room size: Approximately 345 sq ft (8ft ceiling)
Noise: 50–75dB
Sensors: PM1, PM2.5, PM10, VOC, temperature, humidity and ambient sound
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, smartphone app
If you just want an air purifier that does its job well and gets out of the way, the Coway Airmega 250 is a good reminder that an air purifier doesn't need a touchscreen, a dozen connectivity options or a futuristic design. It’s a purposeful design, if not a particularly eye-catching one, making it easy to access the washable pre-filter via a front panel. This pre-filter traps larger particles, dust and pet hair before they reach the main filtration system.
The main filter combines activated carbon with Coway's Green True HEPA technology, while its pollution sensors automatically adjust fan speed according to indoor air quality. Smart, Sleep and Eco modes are supplemented by Rapid Mode, which increases airflow when the room needs a quicker clean-up. The controls are straightforward, although the absence of app-based connectivity feels like an omission at this price point. It regains some points for its tool-free filter replacement and its lifespan of approximately a year of daily use.
Price: Rs 31,999
Key specifications
Filter: Washable pre-filter + activated carbon + Green True HEPA
CADR: 230–261m³/h
Recommended room size: 465 sq ft at 4 ACH
Noise: 22–54dB(A)
Filter life: Approximately one year
Connectivity: Onboard controls; no smartphone app
The darling of every techie’s home, Big+Quiet is unmistakably Dyson with a sculptural and futuristic design that is meant to clean the air in a large room without the constant drone of a ventilation system. Its distinctive cone-shaped airflow architecture is engineered to project purified air up to 10 metres, helping circulate it across larger spaces.
Its integrated wheels make moving it around the house or between rooms easier than its dimensions suggest. A sealed H13 HEPA filtration system works alongside an activated carbon filter, which is particularly relevant for removing certain gases, including NO2, and household odours. The onboard sensors monitor particulate matter and gases, with air-quality information displayed on the LCD screen. The MyDyson app adds remote control, air-quality monitoring and scheduling, while the supplied magnetic remote is a convenient alternative for everyday operation.
At its price, its combination of design, filtration and acoustic engineering makes more sense for expansive living spaces than compact bedrooms.
Price: Rs 68,900
Key specifications
Filter: Sealed H13 HEPA + activated carbon
Particle capture: 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns (manufacturer claim)
CADR: Not publicly specified
Recommended room size: Up to 1,076 sq ft (manufacturer claim)
Noise: Up to 56dB(A), manufacturer specification
Sensors: PM2.5, PM10, VOC and NO2
Connectivity: MyDyson app, Wi-Fi, magnetic remote
Designed for larger residential and commercial environments, where moving substantial volumes of air matters more than having a compact footprint, the Nippo Airvue U1001S takes a rather different approach. Its claimed CADR of 600m³/h is the headline specification, theoretically giving it a coverage area between 1,000 and 1,500 sq ft. Ideal for farmhouses and duplex flats with high ceilings then.
The filtration arrangement includes a pre-filter, H11 HEPA filter, activated carbon and a nano-organic antimicrobial layer. UV-C treatment and negative-ion generation are additional features. Although, some of the latter ones should be viewed as supplementary rather than effective mechanical filtration tools. Its Sleep mode is ultra-quiet at 26dB, which is a useful spec for a machine designed to operate continuously. Nippo also quotes up to 4,500 operating hours for its filter, although Gurugram and Mumbai AQI may challenge these claims in real world use!
Price: Rs 51,999
Key specifications
Filter: H11 HEPA + activated carbon + pre-filter + nano-organic layer
CADR: 600m³/h
Recommended room size: 1,000–1,500 sq ft (manufacturer claim)
Noise: 26dB in Sleep Mode (manufacturer claim)
Sensors: PM2.5
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and companion app
The Blueair Classic Pro 9i is a substantial machine, and it doesn’t even try too hard to hide its dimensions. But the fit and finish is of a very high order, offsetting some of that dreary design. For a purifier intended to sit in a large living space where high-volume air circulation is the priority, Blueair's HEPASilent technology combines mechanical and electrostatic filtration to capture airborne particles while maintaining high airflow.
The multi-stage filtration system is complemented by particle and TVOC sensors, allowing the machine to monitor indoor air quality and respond to changes in pollution levels. The companion Blueair app provides remote operation, air-quality information and scheduling, making it more convenient to manage when the purifier is installed in a large room. It is an expensive proposition, but for those who need substantial air-moving capacity, it belongs on the shortlist.
Price: Rs 1,09,500
Key specifications
Filter: HEPASilent mechanical + electrostatic filtration
CADR: Approximately 850m³/h
Recommended room size: Up to 1,850 sq ft
Filtration: Triple-fan, triple-filter arrangement
Sensors: Particle and TVOC
Connectivity: Blueair app and onboard controls
One of the most interesting products in this group, LG's PuriCare 360° adopts a very different approach to air circulation and filtration. Rather than relying on a conventional front-facing intake, it draws air from all directions through its cylindrical filtration system. Its tall, sculptural form is designed to integrate into contemporary interiors. However, its substantial 1.1mt tall profile and over 20kg of heft won’t exactly help it blend into the background.
The twin H13 HEPA filter arrangement is supported by a multi-stage filtration system and LG's Clean Booster technology, which helps project purified air further into the room. There is also a dedicated Pet Mode designed to address pet hair and associated odours, along with UVnano technology intended to reduce bacterial contamination on the fan.
Price: Rs 86,990
Key specifications
Filter: Twin H13 HEPA 360° V-Pet filters
CADR: 810m³/h
Recommended room size: 104m² / approximately 1,119 sq ft
Sensors: PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10 and gas
Connectivity: LG ThinQ app, Wi-Fi