Are the plants really capable of purifying the indoor air? This has long been a topic of debate over there. Even though those debates, which include both academic studies and amateurish claims, have not yet settled on any concrete conclusions, some startups have developed impressive plant-based air purifier systems.
In this article on the best plant-based air purifier planters, I would like to take a look at the best innovations the global market has witnessed so far. It will help you take a look at the best technologies in the segment and let you decide whether to test one or not in your interior spaces.
Most of these plant air purifier planters are not only meant for purifying indoor air; they are also engineered to contribute some aesthetic aspect to your awesome interior. Plants have always been prestigious decoration pieces in your interior, which is indeed a fact that everybody will agree to with no controversy at all.
The benefits of plant-based air purifiers go beyond just cleaner air. They also contribute to a sense of well-being by bringing a piece of nature into our indoor spaces. Yes, greenery always adds some quality charm to your interior.
1. Vitesy Air Purifiers – Natede Basic & Natede Smart
Vitesy is an Italian brand of IoT devices. The brand offers two plant-based air purifiers, the Natede Basic and the Natede Smart.
Natede is the brand’s series of smart and natural air purifiers, which it has been selling for around five years.
The planters come with photocatalytic filters, which, as per the brand, are capable of eliminating 93% of VOCs and 99% of harmful bacteria, viruses, and other pollutants in your interior air.
What makes these plant purifiers unique from the regular HEPA filters, as per the brand, is that you don’t need to replace the filters often. Its filter will work for a lifetime and keep cleaning your interior with the assistance of the plant you have in the pot above.
In the photocatalysis process, the filter absorbs the pollutants in the air with the assistance of a centrifugal fan, and the plant converts them into nourishment thanks to the microorganisms around its roots.
The result is that the harmful pollutants in your indoor spaces are eliminated, and furthermore, you get an elegant piece of interior decor with your favorite plant.
Natede Basic vs. Natede Smart: The Differences
As you can guess, the Natede Smart is a smart, IoT variant of the air purifier plants. You can manage it from your phone via voice assistant tools like Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
Both purifiers are the same in size, weight, and other factors. Both are 1-liter self-watering planters that you can easily manage in your indoor spaces with no trouble of overwatering or underwatering.
Natede Air Purifier – Launch, Availability, and Price Details
Its maker launched the product on Kickstarter in 2018, and it received massive support from backers on the crowdfunding platform. It could attract almost 4,000 backers, and the brand has both variants of the product on its website as of now.
They are respectively priced at $199 and $329 as of this writing in August 2023.
Check out the below video to see how to install a Natede air purifier.
The video is from the brand’s official YouTube channel.
Visit the brand’s website here.
2. UBreathe Smart Natural Air Purifiers
The UBreathe is a series of natural, plant-based air purifiers from an Indian startup called Urban Air Labs.
This product also works with almost the same technology as the one from the Italian brand.
This is available in two variants: the UBreathe Mini and the UBreathe Life, with the former being the basic one and the latter being the advanced one that costs around $400.
Moreover, the brand also offers UBreathe Wall, which, as its name implies, is a wall-mounted, plant-based purifier for semi-open spaces in your home or public spaces.
As per the brand, the special design of its plant air purifiers can enhance the process of phytoremediation by 500 times.
It will help the plants in stylish planters get rid of pollutants in a room as the microbiomes around the roots can suck up the same, with the help of a fan, and convert it into their nutrients, changing the room’s pollutant levels at the end of the day.
This purifying process, as per the inventor, takes place mostly in the root zone, which is up to 85%, while the leaves can also contribute a little bit to the process, which comes to around 15%.
UBreathe Mini vs. UBreathe Life: The Differences
Of course, the Mini and Life work on the same technology, but they are designed for different room sizes. The more advanced Life is capable of purifying air at 360 degrees, and it is ideal for a room of up to 250 sq ft.
It is when the basic Mini, which comes in a cylindrical shape, is meant for a room of up to 100 sq ft. It has a size of 6.5 x 7.5 inches and a weight of 1.2 kg.
The UBreathe Life is obviously a larger device, and it comes in a more elegant square form factor. It is priced over $400, while its younger sibling is priced around $50.
Learn more about the working principles of the purifiers here.
Watch the video below to see how the UBreathe Life natural air purifier works. The video is from the brand’s official YouTube channel. Also, check out the brand’s website here, and LiveMint’s coverage of the product.
3. Koru One Plant-Inspired Air Purifiers
The Koru One is a collection of plant-based air purifiers from a Spanish startup.
The brand offers the product in different color combinations, like white and cork, black and cork, white and wood, black and wood, and more.
The minimalist design is one of the main attractions of the Koru One air purifier planters, which also work on almost the same principle as the other models on our list.
A nano-coated PCO filter is used to utilize the natural air filtering potential of the plant roots and purify the air in your indoor spaces in a natural way.
Like all the other plant-based air-purifying planters, Koru One also features smart watering and monitoring systems.
With the help of advanced sensors and AI technologies, you can manage the watering of plants without any worry. The planter is capable of taking care of the plant, so you can protect your plant from overwatering and underwatering.
You can use the planter to grow a wide range of common indoor plants, and so along with enjoying the advantage of having a natural air purification system, you can add some beauty to your interior with the stylish and smart planter and a plant of your choice.
The Koru plant-based air purifier was launched on Indiegogo in 2021. The crowdfunding project attracted over 300 contributors.
Check out the video below to see how the Koru One sustainable air purifier works.
Visit the brand’s website here.
4. Briiv Plant Air Purifier with Moss
The Briiv is another outstanding product that I can add to this list of the best plant-based air purifiers.
Unlike the above two products, the Briiv works like a regular HEPA purifier but with a filter made up of 100% natural, biodegradable materials like moss, coconut fiber, wool, and carbon.
As per its maker, a unit of the Briiv air purifier is capable of replacing up to 3043 medium-sized houseplants.
That means the little stylish device, which will perfectly suit your houseplants and interior decor, can perform the purification that thousands of plants can do.
This is also a smart air purifier that you can connect to the Internet and manage via a voice assistant tool like Amazon Alexa.
The Briiv natural filter was launched on Kickstarter in 2022, and as many as 650 backers supported the product then. It is currently available for sale on the brand’s website here.
Check out the Briiv introduction video below.
Is a Plant-Based Air Purifier Worth Buying?
A plant-based air purifier can be worth buying if it aligns with your goals for fresh indoor air, aesthetics, and sustainable living. These devices are more expensive than standard HEPA filters. The advantage is that since you get a plant-based product, it can contribute significantly to your interior styling and decor.
Vahid Vee is a full-time blogger who is highly passionate about home gardening and green products for households. As an incredible researcher and observer of smart home gardening systems and solutions, he is really excited to share with you the latest trends, fresh products, and other developments in the market. #Contact – veevahid@gmail.com – LinkedIn
