When it’s not busy turning into a lake in the monsoon, Gurgaon is a fairly dusty city, which makes it the ideal place to test air purifiers. Now, I’m someone who begins to sneeze at the mere sight of dust, so when I got my hands on the Philips 3000i AC3059/65, I’ll admit, I was pretty stoked. Priced at ₹35,995 during its launch, this air purifier lands in the same segment as the Dyson Purifier Cool TP100 (₹39,990 during launch) and because of that, I couldn’t help making comparisons. Does it make sense to buy this marginally cheaper unit or just spring for the extra 4 grand and bring home the Dyson? Let’s find out.
Philips 3000i AC3059/65
₹35,995
What Is Good?
- Cleans air quickly and efficiently
- Filters are easy to replace
- Sleek design
- IoT controls with Alexa and Google Home
What Is Bad?
- Filter replacement cost is high
Build Quality and Design
The Philips 3000i has a cylindrical shape with soft, rounded edges. It is equipped with a touch control panel that allows for easy operation. The controls are intuitive and minimalistic, complementing the overall design. Like I said, Gurgaon is pretty dusty, so any appliance that doesn’t have nooks and crannies for dust to collect is always a win. The front of the purifier features a real-time air quality display, so I could easily glance over and see what was going on. This display shows the level of allergens, gases, and PM2.5 particles, which can be monitored in both numerical form and through an intuitive colour ring—ranging from blue (good) to red (poor)—indicating the air quality at any given time.
Filters and Air Quality Testing
Most air purifiers these days come with a multi-layer filtration system at the very least so the 3-layer filtration in the unit isn’t totally a surprise. We’ve got the NanoProtect HEPA filter, Dust filter, and an Activated Carbon Filter. What makes the NanoProtect HEPA technology unique is its electrostatic charge, which attracts and traps pollutants more efficiently than traditional HEPA filters. This filter is supposed to clean up to 2X more air compared to standard HEPA H13 filtration while using less energy. Additionally, it’s certified by the European Center for Allergy Research Foundation, ensuring that it meets high standards for allergy relief. Great news for me and my super-sensitive sniffer.
Air Quality Testing
Corner Test
AQI and PM2.5 Readings:
| Time (Minutes) | AQI | PM2.5 (µg/m³) |
| 10 | 65 | 164 |
| 20 | 33 | 65 |
| 25 | 33 | 38 |
For the corner test, I placed the Philips 3000i in my room around noon. The room had an initial AQI of 100 and PM2.5 levels recorded at 400 µg/m³—pretty bad, to say the least. The Philips 3000i significantly reduced the AQI from 100 to 33 and brought the PM2.5 levels down from a dangerous 400 µg/m³ to 38 µg/m³ in just 25 minutes. This rapid reduction in particulate matter was impressive, especially in corner placement, where air circulation is not always optimal.
In comparison, the Dyson Purifier Cool TP100 brought the AQI down to 36 in 25 minutes while bringing the PM2.5 levels down to 90 µg/m³ from 323 µg/m³ in the same time frame. The bargainer in me certainly lit up at the thought of a cheaper product (albeit only slightly) outperforming a brand that’s typically associated with luxury. But, of course, we still had the centre test to conduct.
Centre Placement Test
AQI and PM2.5 Readings:
| Time (Minutes) | AQI | PM2.5 (µg/m³) |
| 10 | 66 | 167 |
| 20 | 32 | 58 |
| 25 | 33 | 40 |
When placed in the centre of the room, the Philips 3000i continued to deliver strong performance. It lowered the AQI from 100 to 33 and reduced PM2.5 from 400 µg/m³ to 40 µg/m³ over the course of 25 minutes. These results were comparable to the corner test, indicating that the purifier works efficiently in any room position. In comparison, the Dyson only manages to bring the AQI down to 42 and PM2.5 down to 106 µg/m³ in 25 minutes. Ding, ding, ding, we have a clear winner.
Ease of Changing Filters and Cost
Philips boasts an easy-to-change filter system, and thankfully, it was pretty easy. All I had to do was remove the back panel, slide the filter out, and then slide the new one. It was as easy as changing the batteries on my Xbox controller. The cost of the replacement filter is ₹5,495, which is not exactly steep if you consider that the brand claims it lasts up to 3 years.
Noise Levels
At its peak, the Philips 3000i is as noisy as a refrigerator humming in your kitchen. You barely notice it at 56.7 dB(A). The minimum sound level at a distance of 1 foot is 39.2 dB(A), which is quiet enough for nighttime use, allowing for undisturbed sleep while the purifier runs.
IoT Integration and Features
You can connect the Philips 3000i AC3059/65 to the Philips Air+ app and monitor the air quality from anywhere in your home. Since most people tend to sit in the same room as the air purifier, this specific app feature isn’t that remarkable or usable. There are, of course, niche situations (such as an ailing parent in a different room with the air purifier) where this level of micromanagement makes sense to me. But i’m not likely to check the readings on my phone if the unit is right there.
It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, which makes it a good choice for a smart home.
Final Verdict
The Philips 3000i is a top-notch option for those looking for a premium air purifier, and even beats its Dyson competitor without breaking a sweat. It brought down the AQI and PM2.5 levels to a healthy range in just 25 minutes, and proved to be worth the price tag. Additional features like the clean display, minimalist design, and IoT integration bring value to the table for users who want the most bang for their buck.
Another thing to note is that this air purifier is equipped with specific technologies proprietary to the brand, such as the AeraSense technology (this scans the air 1000 times per second to detect ultra-fine particles and adjusts the purifier’s settings accordingly) and Vitashielf IPS, which is meant to get rid of particles as tiny as 0.003 microns. The only way we see these technologies in action is through the results the unit delivered, so I guess they’re doing a good job.
Are there cheaper units that come close to its performance? Well, the Coway Airmega 250 brings the AQI down to 38 and PM2.5 down to 44 µg/m³ in corner tests, and while it’s close, you do end up sacrificing the IoT features and end up with a shorter warranty. In the end, it boils down to exactly what you expect from your device. If you want an air purifier that offers efficiency, a sleek design, and modern features, the Philips 3000i is a good one to consider.
