Forbes Air Purifier 500 Surround 360 Smart review

The Forbes Air Purifier 500 keeps it simple with a 360° cylindrical design. It’s around 6kg, but moving it isn’t a hassle since the top and bottom sections detach. The lower half has perforations on all the sides for air intake, while the top is where all the action happens—it houses the fan, controls, and fresh air outlet. The circular filter sits in the bottom section, locked in place with a small latch.

Up top, an LED ring gives you a quick read on air quality—blue means clean, green is satisfactory, yellow signals moderate pollution, and red — time to let this thing work at full speed. The display has all the details you’d want, like AQI, PM2.5 levels, and VOC status, along with touch controls for power, fan speed, and modes. There’s also an AI button to handle settings automatically.

It is built for rooms up to 670 square feet. And, with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 500m³/hr, it gets to work quickly—within minutes, the air starts to feel fresher and lighter.

Cleaning it is easy. It lets you know when the filter needs changing, and swapping it out is as simple as detaching the top to access the built-in filter below. The pre-filter can be cleaned manually—Forbes suggests every two weeks, or more often if you’re in a high-pollution zone like Delhi NCR. Regular cleaning also helps the HEPA and carbon filters last longer. The PM sensors are tucked at the back and can be wiped down.

The Forbes Air Purifier 500 cleans the air with a four-stage filtration system. The Pre-Filter captures larger particles like dust and pet hair, while the True HEPA Filter is designed to remove 99.97% of ultra-fine particles as small as 0.1 microns, including allergens like pollen and mould spores. The Activated Carbon Filter helps absorb odours and harmful pollutants such as VOCs, smoke, and formaldehyde, and Plasma Technology provides an extra layer of protection by neutralising bacteria and viruses.

It’s impressively quiet in operation, especially in Sleep Mode, where it hums along softly without disturbing rest. The fan speed is adjustable from levels 1 to 12, and there’s a dimmer for the control lights—a thoughtful touch for night-time use. Air quality improvement is noticeable, particularly with PM2.5 and PM10 reduction, and the activated carbon filter does a solid job of tackling lingering cooking smells, smoke, and other odours. Equipped with PM2.5 sensors, it provides instant feedback on air quality through its digital display and app notifications.

The purifier’s adaptive filtration speed is another highlight. In "AI" mode, it automatically adjusts the fan speed based on real-time air quality. If it detects a sudden spike in pollutants—say, from burning incense—it kicks into high gear to clear the air quickly. Once the air quality improves (green indicator), it eases back to a quieter, more energy-efficient setting.

At its highest speeds, the purifier does get a bit loud, which could be distracting. But at mid-level settings, it runs smoothly, and in "Sleep" mode, it’s whisper-quiet, convenient for overnight use.

The Forbes 500 has some smart features that make air purification more intuitive. It offers real-time air quality monitoring, Wi-Fi connectivity, and voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant. Plus, with Smart Modes like Auto, Turbo, and Sleep, it can be used in different settings as per the requirement.

Setting it up is easy—just unseal the filter, plug it in, and you’re good to go. And, with built-in Wi-Fi and app support, you can control it remotely too.

To get started, just download the Eureka Forbes Air Purifier app and follow the on-screen steps to pair your phone. Once connected, you can control the purifier remotely—adjust fan speed, switch modes, set schedules, and more—all from your phone. The app itself is straightforward and user-friendly. While the initial setup took me a little time, once it was done, everything ran smoothly with no issues.

With an airflow rate of 500 m³/hr and 12 adjustable fan speeds, the Eureka Forbes Air Purifier 500 Smart delivers customisable air purification for spaces up to 670 sq. ft. Its AI-powered filtration system intelligently adapts to changing air quality in real-time, optimising performance without manual adjustments. While higher fan speeds can be a bit noisy, the dedicated “Sleep” mode ensures quiet operation for a restful environment. It also features app-based controls, allowing for remote management. All this at ₹19,999. The Forbes Air Purifier 500 definitely delivers performance comparable to high-end models but at a more affordable price.