Blueair Blue Pure 211 review: A no-nonsense air purifier

Let’s face it, the quality of air in major Indian cities is terrible. Depending on which city you live in, you are subjected to harmful VOCs (Volatile organic compound), pollen, auto exhaust, and chemical fumes. So, if you want to breathe in a clean air, air purifier are a way to go. This product category is still in its nascent stage, but there are already plenty of established brands fighting for marketshare. The new addition is a Swedish company Bluair. While its first feature-packed machine Classic 280i was at the higher end of the spectrum, the Pure 211 is more about simplicity and affordability.

Aesthetics and build

The Pure 211 looks a lot like Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier, but bigger. It has a simple tall-box design. It is made of two detachable parts. The bottom half acts as a filter as the top houses a fan. This makes replacing a filter an incredibly easy job. The bottom half is covered by a pre-filter fabric which comes in variety of colours such as cyan, pink, and yellow. This fabric should ideally be dusted or washed regularly.

The machine stands testimony to Blueair's minimal design language. With its understated design, the Pure 211 is a pleasant sight. It has a single button that lights up when the machine is on. The top fan outlet has an interesting pattern. While it is great to look at, people with trypophobia wouldn't appreciate it.

The air purifier is made of top-notch plastic. The attention to detail gone into every line and groove is impressive. At 5.7 kgs, the machine isn't that heavy.

Setting it up

Unlike its Internet-enabled sibling Classic 280i, the Pure 211 keeps things simple. This air purifier has no connectivity options, no apps, and no line-up of advanced controls.

To get this thing up and running, you just have to plug it in and turn it on. A toggle between High, Med, and Low fan speed is all you can control about the air purifier.

Since the air flows from bottom to top, I would recommend placing the air purifier on a table. Otherwise, there is a good chance that the machine starts pulling dust from the floor.

Performance

Except for the highest speed setting, the Pure 211's fan runs quite. Even when it is audible, it is not loud enough for most people to notice it.

The machine has a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 350 ft3/min. In simple words, the Pure 211 removes smoke, dust and, pollen from your room air at the rate of 350 cubic feet per minute.

The active carbon filter which captures dust, pollen, and traffic exhaust. Moreover, it is also effective at negating foul smells. For instance, kept near a fish tank, the Pure 211 reduced the unpleasant smell from the tank.

While cleaning the air, this air purifier also makes sure not to leave a large carbon footprint. The Pure 211 at maximum fan speed utilises 61 W. That's equivalent to what our good old table lamp bulb requires.

Blueair recommends filter replacement every six months, if you are running it 24-hours a day. So, depending on your usage, you can stretch the filter replacement cycle a bit.

Verdict

The Pure 211 lacks fancy features. On the bright side, that very thing makes it incredibly easy to use. The machine does what it says, and does it efficiently. The air purifier is expertly crafted and goes well with any modern room. So, for anyone looking for a no-nonsense air purifier, the Blueair Blue Pure 211 is worth checking out. Our only gripe with this machine though is its Rs 22,700 price tag.

Pros: User friendly; Runs quiet; Sturdy build; Elegant design.

Cons: A bit expensive.

—by Chandrakant ISI