Sharp AIOT Air Purifier FP-S42M-L Review: There’s no doubt that given the alarming level of AQI levels during the Winter months, especially in regions like Delhi-NCR, air purifiers have become a mandatory appliance in households and workspaces alike. Now, how about an air purifier that doesn’t take up much floor space or put too much pressure on your pocket, but provides all the AI-powered smart features that you can expect from top-end models? Sharp has come up with something just right for this ask.
Sharp AIOT Air Purifier FP-S42M-L Review: Quick Pointers
What I Loved:
- Impressive Smart Features
- Mobile App Offers Handy Features
- Effective In Quick Air Cleaning
- Very effective in dealing with odours, bigger particulates
- Easy on the pocket
- Small size makes it a good fit for any space
- Super quiet operation
What I Didn’t:
- Small size also means lesser filter lifespan
Sensible Design
Some air purifier brands tend to overdo it with the design. At times, you don’t really need a towering structure to take up floor space, especially if you are planning to buy an air purifier for your office cabin. All you look for is a product that is compact but can circulate air throughout your room, from one wall to the opposite.
Sharp AIOT Air Purifier FP-S42M-L (yes, the name could be a bit mouthful for some) is more than up to the task. For starters, its 23.5 (width) x 23.5 (depth) x 37 cm (height) means it can fit easily beside your bed, between your sofas, or at the corner of your work table.
The FP-S42M-L has a coverage area of 330 sq ft, which is good enough for a small room. Moreover, its proprietary ‘Wall Fit COANDA Airflow’ ensures that air gets moved around in a somewhat circular motion from one wall to the other.
Also, unlike some other air purifiers, Sharp FP-S42M-L follows a traditional working style, which simply means that it works best when it’s placed against a wall. This facilitates the COANDA air flow, allowing wall-to-wall coverage of a small room or workspace.
Sharp has gone ahead with a minimalistic design which makes the purifier look good under almost any background.
The HEPA filters are very easy to install. All you need to do is lift the side panels, place the filters inside it, and you’re all set.
Smart Wonder
Given the entry-level price tag for the air purifier, I honestly wasn't expecting a fully stacked smart feature set in Sharp FP-S42M-L. However, I was pleasantly proven wrong.
Once you install the Sharp Air App on your phone and connect and register the air purifier via Wi-Fi, you are immediately taken aback by all the things you can do just via the app.
Be it turning on child lock to turning off the LED lights, be it setting timers to changing modes - there are a whole lot of smart features you can keep experimenting with.
Once you register the product and share the location of the device, the Sharp Air App will figure out the AQI level in your area and set the purifier mode accordingly. Now, this kind of smart assistance is usually reserved for high-end models.
The app can also use your location to calculate proximity to the air purifier, automating the process of turning on the machine when you are around. This can be perfectly suitable for those using the air purifier in their office spaces.
The app also shows how much electricity is being consumed by the air purifier, based on the electricity rate that you can set for your local supplier.
Also, the app sends you live updates of the HEPA filter conditions, so that you can have a pretty clear idea of when you need to replace the filter.
And lastly, the app shows you live data of the PM2.5 particles and other metrics in your room, which can be pretty handy.
Is It Effective?
I must admit that the Sharp FP-S42M-L is pretty effective in a small space. When windows and doors are shut, I could check that the PM2.5 levels were kept under a safe-ish level of around 50, which is commendable given Delhi’s worrying conditions.
When all the windows and doors were kept open, the PM2.5 level was maintained at around 100-120, in comparison to the 300+ levels outside.
Of course, it might not be as effective as a more powerful machine, but at this price point, Sharp FP-S42M-L can do a commendable job.
The machine uses a proprietary Ion Plasmacluster technique that can deal with airborne and adhered viruses pretty effectively, but that works best in a sealed condition.
The air purifier uses a 2-in-1 HEPA and deodorising filter that can capture up to 99 per cent of tiny particulates.
And lastly, Sharp FP-S42M-L is pretty quiet. Even when the fan is working full speed, the noise levels are pretty low - nothing that distracts you at least.
Of course, given the small size of the air purifier also means that the lifespan of the filter will be somewhat lesser. I used the air purifier for over 7 days on full power mode almost all the time, and my filter was used up within a week. Of course, that is extremely heavy usage and no one in their right mind would keep the air purifier active 24x7. Sharp's original filters start from Rs 2,600 and can go up to Rs 4,900, depending on size or model.
Sharp AIOT Air Purifier FP-S42M-L Review: Final Verdict
The Sharp AIOT Air Purifier FP-S42M-L price is set at Rs 23,990 for the 330 sq ft coverage model (Rs 21,965 on Amazon).
The modest price brings the FP-S42M-L in direct competition with the Philips 2000i Series (Rs 20,295), Forbes Smart 500 (Rs 19,999), Coway White 3-Stage (Rs 21,900), or the slightly pricier Dyson Pure Cool Link Tower TP03 (Rs 29,900).
If you’re looking for a capable air purifier for a small space with enough smarts to pretty much let it function unattended, Sharp AIOT Air Purifier FP-S42M-L could be the right choice for you.