Delhi’s Toxic Air Made Me Try This Tiny Wearable Air Purifier And Here Is My Take

If you live in Delhi-NCR or have spent even one winter here you already know the drill. You wake up to a grey sky, your eyes feel itchy, your throat feels dry and the AQI apps on your phone keep showing

'severe category' like it is a daily weather update. Stepping out for even a short walk in the Morning make you feel uncomfortable and after a point, you realise you can’t really escape Delhi’s pollution. The best you can do is reduce exposure wherever possible. That’s why air purifiers have become so common in homes and offices, but the problem is simple -- a room air purifier is meant for the room. The moment you step out, it is useless and that is exactly why I decided to try something I normally wouldn’t take seriously -- a wearable air purifier.Atovio Pebble Wearable Air PurifierThe product I tested is called the Atovio Pebble, a tiny personal air purifier that you wear around your neck like a pendant. Available at Rs 2,999 on Amazon, the device is made in India and the company also claims that it has been tested at IIT Kanpur. What makes it different from normal air purifiers is that it has no fan and no HEPA filter.

It also does not pull air inside like a big room purifier. Instead, it works using negative ion technology. This means it releases negative ions into the air around you. These ions stick to pollutants like PM2.5, dust, allergens and even some bacteria and viruses. When they stick together, the particles become heavier and fall down. Now this process helps make the air around you feel cleaner. This idea is similar to what happens in nature. Places like waterfalls, beaches and forests have more negative ions, and that is why the air there feels fresher. Atovio says the Pebble tries to create the same effect around you, but in a smaller area.Design And PerformanceThe first thing I noticed is how small and easy to wear the Pebble is. It feels light and does not look odd when you wear it. It won't give that medical gadget vibe. You can carry it anywhere without it feeling heavy or bulky and that is its biggest advantage. Inside the box, you get the Pebble unit, a lanyard, a USB Type-C charging cable, a cleaning brush and a length adjuster.Using it is also very simple. There’s a single button at the bottom -- press once and it turns on in normal mode, press again to switch to turbo mode and press once more to turn it off.

I liked how simple it is because this is not a device where people want too many buttons or settings. The Pebble is made to be easy you just wear it and let it do its job. It is also almost silent because there is no fan inside, so you won’t hear any annoying noise while using it.Battery life is another area where I was really surprised. The Pebble comes with a 400mAh battery, and Atovio claims it can last close to two days depending on usage. In my testing, that claim feels believable.

Charging takes around three hours and once it’s charged, you can use it for long hours without worrying too much. Turbo mode does drain the battery faster, but that’s expected. The bigger advantage here is that you’re not charging it every single night like a smartwatch. This feels more like a charge-and-go product, which makes sense for something you might want to wear on busy days without thinking too much.Now the main question is -- does it actually work in Delhi’s toxic air? I’ll be honest, if you think you will wear this and suddenly feel like you’re breathing fresh mountain air while standing in traffic, that won’t happen.

Wearable air purifiers have their limits and the Atovio Pebble is the same. When you are outside, especially in heavy traffic or dusty areas, it is hard to feel a big difference because the air keeps changing all the time. Wind, smoke and open surroundings can reduce its effect. That is why I feel wearable air purifiers make more sense when you are sitting in one place for a longer time. In such situations, the device gets time to work in a small area around you.PROIndoors, the tiny machine feels more useful. If you are working at your desk for long hours, sitting in an office or staying in a closed room where the air feels heavy, this is where the Pebble can help more. I felt slightly more comfortable, especially in places where I normally start feeling dryness or heaviness in my breathing after some time. To be honest, It is not a huge change, but it can feel like a helpful device, especially when there's no air purifier around you.But outside, your experience will depend on where you are and how bad the pollution is. That’s why I see the Pebble as an extra support device not a complete solution. It cannot replace a normal room air purifier and it cannot remove Delhi’s pollution completely.

But it can give some protection in your personal breathing space when you are not at home.One thing I really liked about the Atovio Pebble is that it is very easy to maintain. Normal air purifiers need regular cleaning and filter replacement. This can be expensive. With this wearable purifier, you don’t have to worry about that. There is no filter to replace and no big machine to maintain. If it gets dusty, you just need to clean it lightly and that is it. The best part is you can wear it and carry it anywhere.CONSHowever, I do have a few problems with it. The biggest issue is that there is no proper battery percentage indicator. So the device can suddenly switch off,and you won’t know how much charge is left. That’s not good for a wearable device you are depending on. The second issue is that there is no real-time proof of how much it is cleaning.

In a normal air purifier, you can see PM2.5 numbers on the display and understand what is happening. Here, you only have to trust the company and your own feeling and to be honest that is not satisfying.Also, If Atovio wants more people to use this kind of wearable air purifier, they should add an app. An app can show the battery percentage, tell you which mode is on and also track how long you have used the device. This will make it more useful and easier to trust.VerdictThe Atovio Pebble is best for people who spend long hours indoors outside home, like in offices, cafes, especially in polluted cities. You can carry it easily, very simple to use and needs no maintenance.

But it cannot replace a big home air purifier and it won’t help much in outdoor conditions. Overall, if you use it in the right situations, it can give some extra comfort and support for your personal breathing space.