Sharp's new air purifier KC-G40M can help reduce suffering in bad weather

No time of the year is free of pollution — not if you live in and around Delhi. It’s the beginning of May and the PM 2.5 and 10 levels are in the “very poor” category. The timing of the launch of Sharp’s new air purifier is, therefore, not unusual. What’s unusual, though, is its ability to control humidity besides ridding the air of pollutants in a closed space. Let’s see how this product fares:

Design (3/5)

The KC-G40M comes with wheels, so you don’t have to worry about its weight. To keep it stationary, you can lock the wheels with its caster stopper. Its clean aesthetics (white colour and rectangular shape) work with all interiors. The control panel is on the top, the display panel’s in the front and there’s one air vent next to each. The back houses the filters and the left side comes fitted with a humidifying filter, a tray and a water tank, which has to be manually removed and filled. That is a hassle.

On the bright side, the display goes dark automatically as soon as the room lights are dimmed or turned off.

Performance (3.5/5)

While air conditioners save you from the summer heat, they tend to dehumidify the air, which may cause dryness and irritation over a period of time. It gets worse for people with conditions such as sinusitis and dye eye. The humidifying function of the KC-G40M maintains the level of moisture in a room at roughly 60 per cent, which also helps in reducing skin and throat dryness.

Its core function, however, is to clean the air. While the unit indicates the level of humidity (in percentage), clean and polluted air is indicated not through a PM 2.5 number but blue and red light, respectively. That’s a disappointing miss.

 

The red changed to blue in a matter of a minutes for my standard-sized bedroom when the PM 2.5 levels outside were over 200. The pre-filter coupled with a HEPA (for PM 2.5) and a deodorising filter does a fine job with a Clean Air Delivery Rate of over 300 cubic metres per hour, which meets the average industry standards. Many brands shy away from even giving out that number. 

Sharp’s propriety plasmacluster technology also claims to counter toxic fumes — but not cigarette smoke. The filters can be cleaned and can last up to five years depending on usage and conditions.

Overall (3/5)

At Rs 33,000, the KC-G40M is recommended for those prone to allergies or suffering from conditions such as asthma, which a humidifier and Sharp’s plasmacluster technology can help counter. People looking for basic air purifiers should look at cheaper options or check out models from Samsung and Dyson that come with better designs and are comparable in performance and price.