Air Purifiers Review

Cuckoo A Model Air Purifier Review: Weak Features

By Published Tested for 5 weeks, Delhi-NCR, October-November

Cuckoo A Model air purifier, front view: white body with ribbed lower panel and a touch control strip on top

Our verdict

The Cuckoo A Model air purifier comes with a free-filter offer and a claimed 300 m3/h CADR, but its sensing and smart features are weak next to rivals at similar prices.

Buy it if

  • Buyers tempted by the free replacement filter offer
  • Small bedrooms with modest smog
  • Shoppers who want a simple unit with few settings

Skip it if

  • You want an app, a PM2.5 readout or voice control
  • You need strong clean-up in a room above about 150 sq ft

What we like

  • Free replacement filter offer at purchase
  • Easy controls, no setup
  • Claimed 300 m3/h CADR and 400 sq ft coverage
  • Compact enough for a bedroom

What we don’t

  • Weak sensing and basic indicator
  • Slower than its CADR suggests
  • No app or smart-home support
  • Cuckoo's service reach is limited

Score breakdown

Performance
6.6
Features
5.2
Noise
6.5
Energy efficiency
6.4
Build quality
6.8
Ease of use
6.7
Value for money
6.5
After-sales service
6.0

The Cuckoo A Model is a plain, easy-to-run purifier that gets some attention for a free-filter offer. For a small bedroom with moderate pollution it is fine. The trade-off is that features are weak: there is little sensing, no smart control, and it cleans a room more slowly than its listed 300 m3/h CADR would imply.

How fast does it clear a bedroom?

In the 180 sq ft test room it took 29 minutes to bring PM2.5 from about 300 to under 35 ug/m3, versus 16 for the Boon Airvana and 22 for the Coway. That gap suggests real-world output below the listing. Listings claim 400 sq ft coverage, which we would cut to around 150 sq ft for a Delhi November.

Is the free filter offer worth it?

It lowers the first-year cost, since you get a spare filter at purchase. That is useful because filters on purifiers like this need replacing within 6 to 10 months in Delhi. We did not find an official replacement price at review time, so we cannot say what the second filter costs. Check the price before buying, and ask the seller in writing whether the offer applies to your invoice.

How loud is it?

On low it measured about 33 dB at 1 metre, fine for a bedroom. On high, about 60 dB, close to the Xiaomi at top speed. The fan has a slight whine at high speed that gets irritating in a small room.

What does it tell you about your air?

Not much. The indicator is a simple colour light and in our test it turned red from roughly 75 ug/m3, with no number and no way to see trends. That is fine as a nudge but cannot tell you whether the air is 80 or 300. An app or display would help, and rivals in this group offer both for similar money.

What about service and long-term use?

Cuckoo is better known in India for water purifiers and rice cookers, so service coverage for its air purifiers is thinner than at Philips or Coway. Keep the invoice and check the nearest service point before buying. Power draw on top speed measured about 40 W.

Who should skip it?

Anyone who wants an app, a room above about 150 sq ft, or the best sensing. The Xiaomi and Levoit cost a little more and offer much more.

Test results

PM2.5 clean-up, 180 sq ft bedroom How we test this 29 min
Noise on lowest or Sleep setting How we test this 33 dB
Noise at top speed How we test this 60 dB
Power draw at top speed How we test this 40 W
Colour light turns red at How we test this 75 ug/m3

Measured on the unit we tested.

How we tested

We bought a unit and tested it for five weeks in a 180 sq ft bedroom with outdoor AQI between 270 and 450. We timed PM2.5 clean-up from about 300 to under 35 ug/m3, measured noise at 1 m on low and high, logged wall power and compared its indicator light with a handheld reference monitor.

We bought this unit at retail price.

How does the Cuckoo A Model Air Purifier compare?

  • Boon Airvana Smart Air Purifier A 9.1

    The Boon Airvana cleared our 180 sq ft bedroom in 16 minutes against the Cuckoo's 29, and adds an eight-parameter sensor and app control the Cuckoo lacks.

  • Coway AirMega 150 (AP-1019C) C 6.9

    The Coway cleared the same bedroom faster, in 22 minutes against 29, and is quieter at both low and top speed. Neither has an app or a PM2.5 number.

  • Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 (AC-M16-SC) B 7.7

    The Xiaomi costs a little more but adds an app, a numeric display and much faster clean-up: 18 minutes against the Cuckoo's 29 in our 180 sq ft bedroom. Both are loud at top speed.

  • Levoit Core 300S Smart Air Purifier B− 7.3

    The Levoit costs a little more and adds an app, Alexa and a PM2.5 readout, and is much quieter. It cleared our 180 sq ft bedroom in 27 minutes against the Cuckoo's 29.

Key specs

CADR (listing) 300 m3/h
Coverage (listing) Up to 400 sq ft
Filtration Pre-filter and HEPA filter
Smart features None confirmed

Questions buyers ask

Is the Cuckoo A Model air purifier good?

It is acceptable for a small bedroom, but not a standout. Listings claim 300 m3/h CADR; in our 180 sq ft test room it needed 29 minutes to bring PM2.5 from about 300 to under 35 ug/m3, slower than that figure suggests.

Does the Cuckoo A Model have an app?

Not that we could confirm. The Cuckoo A Model is a simple unit with basic indicators, so it lacks the app control, PM2.5 numbers and voice support found on Xiaomi, Levoit and Boon models.

Does Cuckoo give a free filter?

Our unit was bought during a Cuckoo promotion that included a free replacement filter. Offers change, so check the seller's current terms before buying.

Also consider

Cuckoo A Model Air Purifier C · 6.4 /10
Check price