Xiaomi vs Novita | Xiaomi Air Purifier vs Novita A4S

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Today with drastically rising pollution and particulate levels such as in the city of Delhi more and more people are looking at how to keep their children and themselves safe from respiratory illnesses and everything else that comes with bad air quality. The environment protection agency in the United States estimates that indoor air is at least five times dirtier than the outside.

We take as many as 24000 breaths a day and spend a large amount of time indoors whether at the office or home up to 75%, Outdoor particle pollutants from industries, cars and even pollen from trees are all able to make it into our homes easily. Even indoor activities like cooking and cleaning, having pets or flowers in a vase create particle pollution.

A safe humidity level between 40 and 60 % is also required for air cleanliness, high humidity creates space for bacteria and mold which release airborne spores which can enter our lungs and cause allergic reactions and increases the chance of catching colds and flu.  

Air purifiers are one of the ways we can achieve better health, becoming an increasingly popular home essential. There are many other benefits that come with them, not just clean air.

It helps reduce odors that can be caused by pets or certain types of cooking, smoke which usually clings to upholstery is also eliminated.

They now come in a variety of sizes which can be placed discreetly in most rooms of a house and in commercial spaces as well.

We will be comparing the top models of both companies based on design, size and weight, features, power consumption, Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADR) rating, types of filters, effective coverage area, noise levels, filtration efficiency and pricing.

What’s in the box

The Xiaomi Mi air purifier Pro H comes in a tall white square box which has a product picture and features mentioned on one side and the level and type of filtration on the back.

The box includes 1 x Xiaomi Mi purifier Pro H, 1 x Dual filter, a 1.5 meter length power cable and a user guide.

The Novita A4S comes in a light brown and white box, it has product picture and its four main features listed on the front and it also displays types of filters and details of the stages they work at on the side and product specification at the back. The box includes 1 x Novita A4S air purifier, 1 x Multi-layer filter, 1 power cord and user manual.

Design

The Mi Pro H has sleek smooth curved edges, a tall and narrow design, it measures 310 mm x 310 mm x 738 mm, and its square shape allows for ideal corner placement but also looks good in a prime spot in the center as a feature itself. It is completely pure white and gives a very clean look and finish with textured mesh for intake on the front and sides, a spoke type grille on the top for the output, a round black OLED display in the center which looks good compared to the usual horizontal bar displays and the Mi logo just under the display. It weighs 9.6 Kgs.

The Novita 4 in 1 A4S has a much slimmer rectangular design, it measures 401 mm x 232 mm x 662 mm, so it is a bit shorter than the Mi Pro H but longer, the shape of this purifier is ideal to place against any wall not specifically in a corner although it would not look great and might be obstructive in more central locations. It has a white front and rear with grey bordering on the sides and bottom with a nicely angled trim on the top, it also features a round display which is offset to the top right, with the Novita logo in the center. It weighs 11.3 Kgs which makes it 1.7 Kgs heavier than the Mi Pro H a lot to move around regularly.

Materials of the outer casing are mainly plastic on both models but of good quality, they are UV treated and weather resistant and give off a more premium look compared to other products out there.

Both these air purifiers come with differently designed filters as well.

 The Mi Pro H comes with a two layer circular filter combined in a single unit, the outer is a HEPA filter made from the latest high efficiency H 13 material, which has an advertised filtration rate of 99.97 % of particulate matter (PM) with size of 0.3 micrometer in diameter. The inner filter is a column of catalytic activated carbon, the overall size and weight of the filter is more compared to previous models probably due to denser packing of filter material and more activated carbon granules, it is also taller than previous models, and these upgrades give it a good 14 month lifespan eliminating the need of frequent changes, not to mention money saved.

 The design of the Novita A4S filter is of rectangular shape and has a few more layers of filtration compared to the Mi Pro H with a four layer filter, the first is mesh layer which is washable, the second is a cool catalyst filter, the third is an activated carbon filter and a HEPA filter, it is worth noting that all these are combined to form a single unit with only the washable layer being detachable. 

These new designs come with the new brushless DC motors which are usually found only in more expensive brands, they help increase power efficiency and reduce operational noise levels quite a lot, this is a major plus, and the Novita A4S has claimed decibel levels between 38 and 65 depending on operational speed and power. The Mi pro H has claimed levels between 34.1 and 65 decibels at various speeds.

Features, Functions and Performance

The Novita A4S comes with a few extra features being a 4 in 1 model, apart from just purifying air through its filters the A4S has an ionizer, humidifier and sanitizer, although it should be noted that the sanitizing feature is performed by the humidifier by the addition of a proprietary Novita air purifying concentrate solution into the water, two of which come when you buy the product, otherwise are sold separately.

The humidifier has a filter semi immersed in water, it absorbs moisture and releases it into the air to help improve relative humidity in the area.

The ionizer produces millions of negative ions like Superoxide anion, Hydroperoxyl radicals and Hydroxide radicles that are released, these negative ions are highly reactive and attach themselves onto the surfaces of viruses and bacteria, the attached ions extract the hydrogen atoms from the protein and cell membranes, water vapour is created and dispersed back into the air as a result of the combination of the extracted hydrogen atoms and hydroxide radicals, with damaged membranes they are unable to survive and cause harm, as for allergens the ions attach themselves to positively charged particles and make them too heavy to stay in the region we breathe.

It has an infrared particle sensor which can detect PM of 2.5 micrometers and displays the count of a two minute average, it also has a coulour coded light indicator, red for poor, purple for moderate, green for good and blue for excellent, this offers an indication of your air quality at a glance.

The A4S also comes with features like a three mode program, an auto mode which uses sensor data to set the optimum operating level on its own, in this mode it also has a smart night feature which detects the level of surrounding light, if dark for 30 seconds or more all indicators except the power button switch off, the power button illumination also reduces to 30 % to save on energy as well, a turbo mode for quick action and a silent mode for quiet nights. It has a total of five fan speed settings.

It also has a filter diagnosis system which asses average daily air quality in the surroundings and has a filter replacement indicator to keep you updated. 

The Xiaomi air purifier Mi Pro H does not come with a humidifier and ionizer but that’s ok considering their price difference, it does what it is designed to do, cleanse air, and does so really well. The Mi Pro H is an improved model of the earlier 2016 one, it has a very accurate laser sensor that can quickly detect particles and eliminate them. Six smart modes are available, favorite, night and auto mode, the other three are one touch setting for low, medium and high speeds. It has a touch control OLED display which is very clear and easy to use.

The Mi Pro H like all other Xiaomi products comes with their built in smart functions, which allows all Xiaomi home devices to be controlled with their app on any smartphone, all you have to do is scan the QR code in the manual and download the app. Once the Mi Pro H is connected to a Wi-Fi network you can operate it completely from your smartphone, even if you are not at home!

I think this is a huge plus especially if the purifier is located somewhere to the side or when you want clean air as soon as you enter home. The Mi pro H also comes with support for Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant.

The filter on the Novita A4S is four level filter, the first washable screen captures the largest particles like dust, hair and pet fur, it helps to protect and increase the life of the other filters, second is the cool catalyst filter which produces oxidants that react and break down contaminants to carbon dioxide and water, third is the activated carbon filter that helps pull chemicals and bad odours from the air, the fourth is the HEPA filter which removes most airborne particles 0.3 micron in diameter.

The Mi pro H comes with only a dual layer column filter but is very large and can be run for a long time without worry. The outer layer is HEPA with an inner layer of activated carbon granules.

 The HEPA filter rating on both models is 99.97% of 0.3 micron PM.

The A4S HEPA filter advertises a 24 month life where as the Mi Pro H does so for 14 months. Although the Mi Pro filter costs just 7000 INR, the A4S filter costs around 12500 INR to replace.

The clean air delivery rate (CADR) for PM is 600 m³/hr on turbo on the A4S and also on the Mi Pro H at maximum. The effective coverage area is a good 1291 Sq ft with the A4S and is 775 Sq ft with the Mi   Pro H both on maximum, Power consumption is 99W for the A4S and 70W for the Mi Pro H at high levels. 

Verdict

The Novita A4S does come with more functions than the Mi Pro H like the ionizer and humidifier and higher area coverage but at a considerably higher cost, at 60000 INR for the A4S and 25000 for the Mi Pro H. Replacement filters being half the price as well compared to Novita. Service outside Singapore is also very limited for the A4S, well as Xiaomi it is easy to find all most all over the world.

Novita and Xiaomi have both experience and good research and development to deliver quality products, the air purifiers they manufacture share this aspect and do the job well and is worth the investment.

Novita is a Singapore based company and brand launched on July 2009,  it has quite a few models of air purifiers on the market, the latest ones being the NAP200, NAP606, A8 and the newest is a 4 in 1 the A4S.

Xiaomi is a Chinese company and is well known for its smartphones and lifestyle products which include air purifiers. The 2C, 2S, Mi air purifier 3, 3C, 3H, Mi air purifier pro and Pro H are some of their latest models on sale.

Keeping all this in mind I personally think the Mi Pro H is the better buy.

Also Read :

• Comparison of Different Types of Purifiers
• Types of Air Purifier Filter
• Xiaomi Air Purifier vs Philips Air Purifier