It’s that time of the year again when people living in and around Delhi-NCR are gasping for air. AQI is rising again, with levels going above 500 in many parts of the region. As I am writing this article, looking out the glass window, I can see a blanket of hazy sunlight even at 1 pm. As it happens, many of us who can afford often turn on our air purifiers during this season. Or we finally get one. Air purifiers have become as important in a polluted city as room heaters are in cold cities. This time, like last year, I’m using the Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 in hopes of keeping the air in my room breathable.

Now, Dyson is an option. But it’s expensive, I said so in my review last year. You can read it here: Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 review: Makes Delhi livable amid winter pollution.

The main question, as we are again dealing with increased air pollution, is: should you get a low-cost air purifier or should you get something like a Dyson, which is going to be more expensive. And if you get something like the Dyson, does it somehow justify its price? My long-term experience with the purifier Cool Gen1 has been that this does happen.

As much as the Purifier Cool Gen1 made my life livable last winter, its usefulness to me did not stop even after the smog went away. In fact, unlike some other seasonal appliances – the room heater, for example – the Cool Gen1 never went back into its box. This worked for all four seasons. And this machine has helped me keep the indoor air of my house clean during all the four seasons and monsoon. In my opinion, it’s worth spending on, especially for someone with respiratory issues living in a highly polluted city like me. Why do I say that? Let me explain:

Beyond winter and into summer and spring

In an area like Delhi-NCR, the usefulness of an air purifier in winter is obvious. But I realized that even when winter ended in February, with clear air and golden sunshine, the Cool Gen1 continued to provide good value. Every time I switched it on, it made me aware of the polluted indoor air. The purifier detects pollutants such as pollen, records them through its sensors and displays them in a small LCD screen.

You see, in summer we Indians often open windows and doors for ventilation. But instead of fresh air in cities, we mostly get vehicle emissions. Summer and then spring is also nature’s time of reproduction, so there is an influx of pollen as well as bees. As someone with a tendency to have allergic reactions and mild breathing problems, the pollen from blooming flowers is never any fun for me. Then sandstorms sometimes occur during this season, raising huge amounts of dust, making the situation even worse.

In summer and spring I often found that the AQI outside the room and house was less than 200 – quite good for a city like Delhi, terrible for anywhere else – inside it was often close to 300 and sometimes even 350-400. Had my friends been upstairs or someone was smoking. Solution? I leave Cool Gen 1 on often. It cleaned the air, and even provided some cooling air on days when the air was not extremely hot in summer.

During monsoon, autumn and winter

With summer coming to an end, I hoped the monsoon rains would clear the city’s air. This happened to some extent. On days when there were less clouds, I could see the blue color of the sky, which is a rare sight in a gray city like Delhi-NCR. But rain brings its own troubles for me. This is again somewhat related to my allergies. Increased humidity brings about mold, which adds pollutants and spores to indoor air. There is something strange about the humid and heavy air during monsoon. Indoors, this air stinks and makes rooms feel stuffy, especially when particles from cooking in the kitchen – frying pakodas and paranthas – get mixed in with it. There were days when I recorded indoor pollution ranging from 800 to 999 AQI.

Once again I realized how useful Cool Gen1 is for me. I literally reached for my inhaler less often this year, had fewer attacks, otherwise I would have needed to nebulize myself. For me this alone justified the cost of the Cool Gen1 as it was not only effective in dealing with indoor pollutants but was also very helpful in showing me where the air needed to be cleaned by collecting data through its sensors . Because if I just looked at what the air outside felt like, I would get the impression that the air was clean.

With monsoon over, it’s time for the “pollution season” to officially begin in Delhi-NCR. Keeping the air clean in this season is the job of any good air purifier. The Dyson Cool Gen1, as mentioned earlier in the review, does a commendable job of making the air breathable.

What about operating costs?

Now, as I’ve mentioned many times, the Dyson Cool Gen1 is expensive compared to others. However it also has a design that is sleeker, better and definitely easier in my eyes. Its year-round performance also makes me happy because there has never been any glitch in it throughout the year. Last winter it was relatively quiet and running efficiently. And is still doing the same.

Surprisingly, it hasn’t required a filter change yet. I was expecting its filters to last about six months. But after months of regular use, the air purifier has yet to indicate the need for replacement. However if you live in dusty areas like Rajasthan or have pets, your experience with the life of the filter may vary.

But more than the cost or overall quality of the air purifier, for me it’s the simplicity and reliability of the Cool Gen1 that has been the most impressive part of it. As someone who is extra sensitive to polluted air, this has in many ways been a tool that has made a tangible difference in the quality of my life. For me it is worth its high price.

At Rs 32,900, the Kool Gen1 is a big investment but after using it for over a year, I feel it is a solid option and worth the money. However, there is one drawback – the Cool Gen 1 releases cold air, which may not be ideal for winters. During the colder months I found myself moving it to a corner. But Dyson has recently launched a Hot+Cool Gen 1 model, which solves this problem. Of course, it costs more and demands new premiums.