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-   -   The Home Air Purifier Thread : Reviews & Comparisons (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadgets-computers-software/228686-home-air-purifier-thread-reviews-comparisons-2.html)

I like the concept of plasmacluster in Sharp purifires. Thought haven't used it yet. I'm using Mi 2S which in my opinion does not make any difference (I can say this because I'm asthmatic).

I think I'll either buy a Sharp or IQ Air purifier next.

Completely agree. I use a Blue Air 211. Has nothing but a Carbon + Hepa filter, a fan and one button to control fan speed. Comes with a pre-filter and I change filters twice a year.

Everything else is just bling.

The only thing that i am unsure of is whether the environmental footprint is any worse than the others.

It would be extremely helpful if you could point me in the direction of a good aq monitor. Currently, I’m using AirVisual app for aq readings.

I have two air quality monitors. One is a bulky one from Airveda which costs around 10k. It provides pm 2.5 and 10 readings. The battery on it lasts just a few hours and even when it is off, it loses charge after a few days. It is quite bulky as well. The second one I have is a Xiaomi air quality monitor. I bought it for around 3k from Aliexpress. It provides only pm 2.5 readings but the battery lasts for over a year of occasional use! It is small and compact as well. If you want to buy locally, I would recommend Laser Egg. It is a little bulky but has great reviews and it has an advantage that no other monitor does. See, the monitors lose their accuracy after a few months and need to be recalibrated. I always try to check my monitors against reliable government sensors to see how they compare. The Laser Egg has an auto calibration feature. It checks the US embassy New Delhi’s air quality data from their BAM (an expensive accurate device) and supposedly auto calibrates itself. That is definitely a very important feature. There are 3 versions of this egg and they range from 8k to 15k plus.

I used Xiomi Air purifier for few weeks, when i had acute coughing related issues however it made no difference to air quality of the room. So if someone is looking to buy such machines for health related issues, then please avoid.

I beg to differ. I have 3 Xiaomi air purifiers. They are excellent machines.
Using the air quality monitors, I can see how they reduce the pm 2.5 and pm 10 concentration in the room really well. I find myself bretahing and sleeping much better with the cleaner air. Of course you have to keep the room closed and well sealed for them to be effective.

Have you ever benchmarked its accuracy?

Monitors lose accuracy because of two factors - sensor drift, and clogging of the sensing element. If you have enough engineering knowhow and data points, there are solutions for both. Unfortunately they are not implemented for monitors like Laser Egg.

I have my reservations about how the monitor 'auto calibrates' itself. If your monitor is at home and reading 100, how does calibrate compared to a far-away sensor in Chanakyapuri? Air quality is hyperlocal, and not a static measure across geographies. Also, two BAMs or e-BAMs positioned next to each other will not have the same readings. Plenty of literature on this. :)

I have vaguely checked the accuracy by reviewing it against the local government BAM which is about 2 kms away. It is generally similar. Of course when the levels are very high it can over read a bit but for readings between say 20 to 500, it is fairly similar. In addition, I have taken the monitors as close as possible to other BAMs and compared the readings. Obviously it isn’t exactly the same as the BAMs are on the top of the building while I am on a street but it provides a general idea. If the BAM is say 170 and my device is between 160 to 180, I am satisfied.

Coming to your issue with the Laser Egg, yes the calibration is not 100% precise but having a reference level from at least the same city or the same area is better than nothing. It is better than no calibration or the original one done in China. Sensor clogging is avoided by me by keeping the device off except to take brief readings a few times a day. Other times I keep it in a case in a clean environment. Hopefully this will extend its life by minimising dust accumulation.

I am also using same Coway model for almost a year now. Lot of construction around my home in Pune. From the time we started using it, bought couple of more and now all bedrooms have this running 24 hours. To my family this has helped with several dust related allergies. I really like its simplicity and no nonsense working with really good quality filters. Filter costs and availability is also reasonable.

I picked up a Sharp Dehumidifier Plus Air Purifier this pandemic.
Reason is the enormous humidity of Mumbai is bad for allergy patients and also creates havoc on walls, furniture, leather, clothes, camera lenses etc.
It apparently also flushes out known allergens from the air.
What’s interesting is how quickly the 4.7 litre water tank fills up.

Can you give the reference of the doctor if you don't mind, I'm back in Delhi after ages and my allergies/reaction have shot up crazy.

Thanks in Advance

You're clearly a guru compared to a random OCD dude like me - do share more insights chief!

Sukarsan - thanks - agree heavily with you!

1. The study is correct but not comparable to my protocol of regular gentle cleaning. I do agree on your SOP though - has been my rule as well due to similar concerns that cleaning could damage the filter. My room goes from red to blue in 2-3 mins on turbo mode! When i open the window, within a minute it turns red and the air gets that distinct smell (atleast right now with the stubble)
2. You saw my photo - you tell me!
3. Hell yeah - no two ways about it. My son is now 9 and if there were more sensitive or at risk folks, I would not risk it.

however, being the mad environmentalist who reuses every coffee pouch, every plastic or jute bag - I think I can take that risk

I will tabulate my results similarly over time and pay close attention.

DHARM - how far were you from the purifier and how well sealed was the room? air purifiers are known for having a bubble effect and if the room isnt sealed, you will see no outcomes. I hope you found relief, regardless of the tool used, eventually

I have
2 x Mi 2s
1 x Mi 3
1 x Philips 1215

All for more than one year.

I find the Mi 3 to be the most effective and silent and Philips to be the most inconsistent in terms of its sensor and frequent fan speed changes.

For people who get disturbed with slightest of sound changes at night, you may stay awake with Philips changing speeds too drastically on most winter nights.

Mi are added to my google home and work really well in getting the air prepared before you enter or otherwise just turning on or off the entire house's purifiers.

You don't need to change the Mi filter even after its 0%, it keeps running just fine, in fact it is troublesome to reset the warnings on the Philips, which stops working completely.

I haven't measured, but to me Mi is clearly quieter compared to Philips, and Mi 3, very clearly.

As for Mi's hard plastic filter, I agree is difficult to dispose off, but it is clearly more durable and seems like the recyclable type of plastic too! (I could be wrong!)

I have nothing against Philips or anything for Mi, I actually bought the Philips first and then the 3 Mi, I clearly see Mi as the best at this price-point/ segment.

Evidence that I have both, this is from Diwali 2018.

Always use an air purifier in a room cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. Otherwise, you'll clog the filter of the air purifier with dust and reduce its usable life. Therefore, consider purchasing a robot vacuum cleaner along with an air purifier, and automate the cleaning and purification process. You'll see a marked difference in air quality while reducing the speed and noise from the air purifier.

Agree on the auto mode - I keep mine at turbo to start with, and then 1 or 2 depending on the AQI.

Good point on google home - Mi is unmatched there!

Good to know about the Mi working even after filter is zero% - I am happy to note my apprehension is unfounded.

As for philips - I haven't had any warnings in the last two years since I started my monthly preventive cleaning cycle. The filter reset is annoying - agreed but its a minor hassle and timely reminder for dusty places like Gurgaon

As of mi filter - I will be shocked (not surprised) if it is recycleable in any way esp in bharat. It is HARD plastic - you can sit on it and it can take a light person's weight. it is too beautifully made for something that has a limited shelf life.