1 week ago
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There is something very worrying about how polluted our cities, and by the extension of that, our homes continue to be. A solution that’s collectively decoded, at least in the near-term, looks unlikely. An urgency that’s mostly lacking. I’ve often said, the use of indoor air purifiers, is the only real way to keep the air quality inside our homes in check. More than a luxury, they are an essential piece of tech in homes. Indian tech company Praan’s take on indoor air purifiers is refreshing. As I tested the Hive, it became clear the refined approach is working.
The Praan HIVE air purifier. (Official handout image.) At the Hive’s core is an HEPA H14 type filter layer, along with an activated carbon filter. Those of you who are in the know about indoor air purifiers would know this combination is par for course. But that’s where you may be missing the fine detail – the H14 type HEPA or high efficiency particulate arrestance filter, is a step or two ahead of most HEPA filters that consumer appliance brands tend to bundle with air purifiers (those tend to be H11 type, at most). This specific HEPA filter therefore slides into the category of “medical grade”. If it can be good enough for hospitals and medical facilities, it is more than good enough for homes.
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In the real-world performance, in a large living and dining hall that remains quite active through the day with generous amounts of polluted outdoor air also streaming in, the Hive (this was in manual mode, at fan speed 1) kept the air quality well within the 15-40 microns per cubic meter for PM 2.5 (by far the largest pollutant type). The PM 1.0 and PM 10 also remained within this range, while volatile organic compounds or VOCs were kept well within check too. For a purifier that isn’t exactly huge in size to be so effective in a large indoor space, points to a very well optimised product.
The reason I tested this in manual mode at fan speed 1 is because it is whisper silent. However, in auto mode, or even Standard mode, the fan becomes perceptibly audible even in a large room – that means if you are thinking of using the Hive in a bedroom or a study, the comfort level will be limited if you are sensitive to audible fan sounds.
For a price tag of ₹54,999 and that’s before factoring in another ₹7,999 for the floor stand (if you do opt for that; I tested it mounted on the floor stand), the Hive does come through with a rather unique design. It is difficult to describe the exact contours, but for most intents and purposes, the air intake is mostly through the front while the clean air emerges through vents on the left and right sides. It is imperative to keep a few feet of gap between the Hive and any pieces of furniture, for clean air to circulate properly through the room.
There is a thin, single line OLED display on the right side, vertically placed. Not too bright, even when the room’s lights are dimmed. The smartphone app (it’s actually a web app called Hive; not a specific iOS or Android app) is your port of call to control what information you see here – which air quality metric, to be specific. It is a bit disappointing that the Hive, with all its premium-ness, has to make do with a web app for its smart controls and monitoring. It works, but the Hive’s reaction to commands there can sometimes be a little slow. Secondly, it always requires you to sign-in again before the room and device details are visible.
Did I mention, the Hive’s smartness extends much beyond air quality monitoring. It has built-in ambient noise sensors as well, which monitor the decibels in the room. As well as temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels.
Hive’s design is unique. The build is aircraft grade aluminium, which should hold it in good stead even for environments that are high humidity. This can either be wall-mounted (that’s still rare for air purification devices), or the aforementioned floor stand. Everything in the package is aluminium and metal, which means the Praan Hive, once installed, is a heavy proposition (quite literally). It is that weight, which is perhaps the best indicator of its build quality.
With this price tag, Praan is taking the Hive firmly into Dyson air purifier territory. To survive there, it has the necessary substance and smartness, which starts with the design and extends to include a really capable HEPA filter layer and an array of monitoring sensors. In my experience, Praan’s attention to detail has been exemplary with the Hive. It works really well in large indoor spaces, which often aren’t easy to keep as clean as the Hive manages to. The advantage of the medical grade HEPA H13 filter is that particles, virus and other airborne illnesses as small as 0.1 micron can be captured – most purifiers can only capture 0.3 microns or larger.
