The Dyson Pure Hot + Cool all-season air purifier may be a worthy product, but does it justify its premium price tag of Rs 54,900?
Khalid Anzar find out.
Air pollution is no longer a seasonal issue.
Most air purifiers do help minimise exposure to polluted air, at least indoors, but not all provide all-season utility.
That is one gap that the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool seeks to plug.
Designed by British home appliances manufacturer Dyson, the appliance doubles up as a fan and a hot air blower while also removing pollutants and harmful gases.
These make the device versatile, especially for cities such as Delhi that witness varied weather conditions.
But does the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool's all-season utility justify its hefty price tag?
Design (4/5)
This is an air purifier that doesn't look like one.
It has a tower-shaped design with an elongated ring-shaped blower on top and a circular base.
On the base is a circular colour display which uses the device's built-in sensors to show air quality information in real time.
For ease of use, it comes with a tiny remote control, with magnets to help place it at a dedicated spot on the head of the blower.
The air purifier may look complicated, but its minimal form factor makes it easy to place even in the most crammed rooms.
But do note that it works best without any obstructions near its base where the High-Efficiency Particulate Air, Active Carbon filters and suction fans are fitted.
The air purifier supports an oscillation movement (up to 350 degrees), so it circulates air across the room, not just in one direction.
Features (4/5)
Designed for indoors -- living room, bedroom or large lobby areas -- this one is a technologically advanced air purifier.
Beside filters, the purifier also has inbuilt sensors to detect pollutants like particulate matters (PM 2.5 and PM 10), volatile organic compounds emitted by paints, burning candles and materials in furniture and nitrogen.
Based on the sensors' readings, the machine automatically adjusts its fan speed to suck in polluted air.
The clean air is then pushed back in the room through the elongated ring-shaped blower, which has vents to diffuse air either from the front or back.
Performance (4/5)
Contrary to its claim, the air purifier does not cool the air as it lacks a condenser and compressor -- so don't expect it to act as an air conditioner in the summer.
For the winter, it does have a heating membrane that allows it to push out warm air.
The Dyson Pure Hot + Cool rids the air of pollutants and odours remarkably well.
It is suitable for small to moderate room sizes.
In auto mode, the machine works quietly when the indoor air quality index is within permissible limits.
It also has a night mode, which dims display brightness and makes it operate at a lower fan speed.
Complementing the machine's performance is the Dyson Link app, which can be downloaded on smartphones based on Android and iOS to remotely operate the air purifier.
The app also shows room air quality data through various visualisations.
Verdict (4/5)
The Dyson Pure Hot + Cool is expensive but worth the price.
It clearly differentiates itself from similar machines in both looks and performance.
Khalid Anzar reviews gadgets for the Business Standard newspaper.
Is the air you are breathing safe?
5 simple tips to protect your family from smog
How to survive Delhi's smog
Worried about the air you are breathing? Read this