For the last few weeks, I have been reviewing Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet. It’s very different from any of Dyson’s previous home purifiers — in terms of design and functionality — and it shouldn’t be confused with the company’s other offerings in the category.

When I unpacked the box, my 13-year-old thought I was up to another mischief and this time I had brought in a device that appeared to “communicate” with spaceships. It’s nothing like I have ever used before.

We are living at a time when the air quality across the country has deteriorated greatly and it’s no longer surprising to hear paediatricians connect air quality to the health of children. Even senior citizens are having a tough time.

Space consideration

Investing some money on an air purifier that will last a few years makes sense. But before we come to the setup process of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet, let’s look at what kind of space you have. The Dyson model is meant for larger spaces, up to 1076 sqft, and has been designed to be quiet, which I think is an important factor.

Adjust the angle of airflow at zero, 25 or 50 degree, or mimic the feeling of refreshing air indoors using Breeze mode

When buying an air purifier first consider where you’re going to use it. For small to medium-sized rooms, like your bedroom or study room, you can consider up to 400sqft coverage, for medium to large size rooms, like living and dining room, you can consider coverage of 400 to 800 sqft, and for larger spaces, you can consider upwards of 800 sqft.

Next, determine what type of filters are used. Air purifiers have three main types of filters — pre-filters help in removing large dust particles which extends the life of the more expensive HEPA filters. Then comes the carbon filter which helps reduce odours from smoke, cooking, incense sticks and also volatile organic compounds, like the smell of paint. Some people have an issue with formaldehyde in the air, which usually comes from items used in interior decorations, like wallpaper and insulation. It can cause irritation in the eyes, nose and throat. Dyson is known to tackle the problem easily. And then comes the HEPA filter, which helps reduce the minutest particles from the air. True HEPA 13 and HEPA 14 filters are the best ones and are able to capture particles that are as small as 0.3 microns in diameter with over 99.95 per cent efficiency. But stay away from “HEPA type” filters.

Replacement of filters depends on how long you use the machine each day. Dyson is known to offer a good replacement cycle, meaning it works for a longer time.

Filters and working

The Dyson offering is designed to work from the corner of a room, using what Dyson calls Cone Aerodynamics to project and circulate air, as well as draw distant pollutants back to itself through its air filters. Airflow angles can be adjusted to zero, 25 or 50 degrees and there is a Breeze mode to mimic the feeling of refreshing air indoors.

A hygienic replacement mechanism allows you to dispose of the HEPA filter in one click

Cone Aerodynamics, which is an energy-efficient low-pressure air delivery system, can throw purified air up to 10 metres. Compared to the previous generations of Dyson air purifiers, it delivers double the amount of airflow.

Dyson has made the point in the past that many of their competitor’s air purifiers don’t circulate the air of a room properly, making them less efficient at exchanging the air in a room. So, the Dyson Big+Quiet is the answer to that problem. While it is powerful enough to be used for large spaces like office spaces, its design and other features make it ideal for homes as well. For example, it’s been acoustically engineered to stay at a low noise level, and in our tests, we found it to be exceptional with the machine producing a lot of airflow while staying quiet. The acoustically-engineered motor bucket records just 56dBA of sound power at full speed, with no compromise on performance. Machines from most rival companies easily go beyond 65dBA.

It also has hidden wheels underneath its base, making it easy to roll to another location. There are more features on this machine than literally any other air purifier we’ve tested.

The company’s unique algorithm cross-checks data every second, analysing the air at a molecular level — automatically reacting to purify and display live results on the LCD screen and in the MyDyson app.

The product comes with a HEPA H13 grade particle filter and sealed filtration system that can handle outdoor and indoor pollutants like tobacco smoke, and building materials. There are 21 metres of borosilicate microfibres, pleated over 459 times, allowing it to capture 99.95 per cent of particles as small as 0.1 microns. The carbon filter captures gases such as benzene and NO2 and removes building odours.

A tiny onboard display can cycle through the metrics of the different pollutants the device filters; it shows you what the levels are in your home. These metrics can also be viewed on the MyDyson app if you wish to connect your device to your phone — which is advisable as that will also push out automatic firmware updates to the machine.

On the MyDyson app view which particles have been captured, set schedules, browse reports, and more

Make the call

The device comes in a massive box and when you take out the different components you may even get the heebie-jeebies. But Dyson is known to make the assembly process simple. It’s just about putting the smaller component inside the larger one and everything clicks into place automatically. It will take hardly five minutes to get everything together.

Though the device may look over the top, it’s money well spent if you need an air purifier that not only provides detailed air quality data but also quickly and quietly purifies air in large rooms. Plus, it’s really quiet and there is the promise to last for years, helping save money on replacement parts compared with most air purifiers.

At a glance

Device: Dyson Big+Quiet

Price: Rs 66,900 (on Dyson.in)

High notes

Very quiet

Easy to assemble

Purifies the air in larger rooms easily

Recognizes several pollutants

Powerful fan

Very easy to move around

Muffled note

It’s on the larger side