Aura Air Purifier Review: A Wall-Mounted Wonder with Limited Smartness
The air purifier market in India is booming, with brands like Dyson, Philips, Samsung, and Xiaomi offering a variety of options. Enter Aura, a newcomer aiming to disrupt the scene with its unique wall-mountable air purifier. Priced at Rs. 37,500, the Aura Air Purifier promises a blend of simplicity and smart features. But does it deliver on its lofty promises, or is it just another expensive gadget? Let’s delve into this comprehensive review to find out.
Aura Air Purifier: Design and Features
Unlike most floor-standing air purifiers, the Aura Air Purifier stands out with its wall-mounting design. The included screws let you hang it conveniently, saving precious floor space. However, it’s not exclusively wall-mounted; the device can also stand upright on a tabletop.
The Aura Air Purifier is considerably large, with the electronic components at the back and the replaceable air filter at the front. The rear panel features a grille design that allows purified air to be exhausted out the back. Surprisingly, the device has only one button positioned discreetly on the front, which is used for resetting. There are no dedicated controls for power or fan speed on the purifier itself; it runs continuously once plugged in and can only be turned off by disconnecting the power supply. App control allows for adjusting fan speeds.
The front panel features a cover over the fan, with gaps along the edges for air intake. A small light at the bottom indicates power and connectivity status.
The sales package includes the power adapter and cable, wall-mounting screws and anchors, and a pre-installed filter system. Aura’s patented filter technology comprises four elements: a pre-filter, the HEPA Ray filter, an ionizer, and UV LEDs to eliminate bacteria and viruses. A spare filter is included, and replacements are priced at Rs. 5,000 each.
Aura Air Purifier App: Simplicity Meets Limited Control
The Aura Air app, available for Android and iOS, offers minimal control over the purifier. Instead, it functions more as an informational platform, providing insights into the device’s activity and effectiveness.
The only major controllable aspect is the "device mode," which essentially governs the fan speed and noise level. You can also schedule a "Night Mode" for quieter operation. "Auto mode" automatically adjusts fan speed based on detected air quality.
Other app features include LED light control and the ability to manually reset the filter’s day count when a new filter is installed. Aura claims that a new filter lasts up to 180 days of continuous use. The app also supports setting up and viewing statistics for multiple Aura devices across different locations.
The app integrates with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Siri, and other voice assistants. While integration functionality varies, most platforms offer controls over power modes and provide air quality information through voice prompts.
Air quality monitoring is the app’s core strength. It displays both indoor and outdoor air quality measurements based on AQI (requires location permission for outdoor data). Detailed daily and weekly charts show various air quality levels measured by the purifier, including:
- AQI
- Carbon monoxide
- Carbon dioxide
- Volatile organic compounds
- PM10 and PM2.5 levels
- Humidity
- Temperature
These charts are user-friendly, and the app itself performs smoothly on iOS.
Aura Air Purifier Performance: Delivering on Purification but Limited on Smartness
Ultimately, an air purifier’s effectiveness is measured by its impact on your well-being. While most air purifiers suggest continuous use, the Aura Air Purifier’s design almost forces this behavior. The absence of a power switch means the device turns on automatically when connected to power.
Unlike the similarly priced Dyson Purifier Cool, the Aura Air Purifier lacks airflow capabilities for use as a fan. Instead, air is purified from the front and blown out the sides, theoretically improving air intake and outflow volumes.
The app effectively displays air quality improvements. In my living room, noticeable improvements were observed within 10 minutes of operation. "Auto mode" proved ideal, adjusting operation based on the room’s air quality.
However, the purifier can become quite noisy when handling high impurity levels. It quiets down over time as the air quality improves.
Night mode ensures silent operation, but takes longer to improve air quality. During the day, with windows and doors to other rooms closed, the device successfully maintains good air quality levels while remaining quiet.
Open windows obviously increase the purifier’s workload. While the always-on mode suggests it can handle open windows, this may lead to more frequent filter replacements than expected.
It’s challenging to assess the Aura Air Purifier’s purification effectiveness objectively. Subjectively, the air felt cleaner on days with the purifier running compared to days it was off. The app’s air quality charts consistently showed marked progress and improvement in both short and long-term measurements. Varying room conditions accurately reflected in the charts.
Verdict: A Promising Purifier With Room for Improvement
The Aura Air Purifier boasts an attractive design, delivers effective air purification, and is user-friendly. However, it falls short in terms of smart functionality and customization options. The simplified approach, while appealing in theory, feels oddly restrictive in practice.
Moreover, the Aura Air Purifier seems overpriced for its features, with even filter replacements being expensive. It might appeal to those seeking a wall-mountable purifier with decent performance, but competing options from brands like Dyson, Philips, and Samsung offer more compelling features in the premium segment.
Price: Rs. 37,500
Ratings (out of 10):
- Design: 8
- Performance: 8
- Value for money: 5
- Overall: 7
Pros:
- Wall-mountable
- Good purification performance
- Provides valuable air purification insights
Cons:
- No power button, limited control options
- High price for device and replacement filters
- Somewhat noisy during normal operation
