Native M1 Water Purifier by Urban Company Review: Better than the regular brands?

Pros & Cons

Detailed Review

First Impressions

When the Urban Company technician installed this beast in my kitchen last October, I was genuinely impressed by how compact it looked. The matte white finish does not scream “water purifier” like those bulky Kent or Aquaguard units. My wife immediately appreciated that it did not take over our entire counter space. The touch panel on front feels modern, though I will admit I was skeptical about whether the 2-year no-service claim was marketing nonsense.

How I Tested This

We have been using the Native M1 daily for almost 5 months now. My family of four drinks roughly 12-15 litres per day, and we also use purified water for cooking dal and making chai. Our Noida water TDS hovers around 450-500 ppm, which is pretty standard for NCR groundwater. I specifically tracked the output TDS weekly using a cheap meter from Amazon. We also went through two major power cuts lasting 4-6 hours during the monsoon season, which let me test how the system handles restarts.

Performance

The 10-stage filtration sounds like overkill on paper, but the water genuinely tastes different. My mother-in-law, who is extremely particular about drinking water, noticed the slightly sweet taste from the alkaline stage. Output TDS stays consistently between 35-45 ppm, which is exactly where you want it. The copper infusion is subtle, and honestly, I cannot tell if it is doing anything health-wise, but at least it is there.

The flow rate is decent at around 15 litres per hour. Not the fastest I have used, but acceptable. 

The 2-Year Promise

Here is where it gets interesting. Five months in, zero issues. No filter change notifications, no weird sounds, no leaks. The app shows filter health at 78%, which seems accurate based on our usage. Urban Company claims the filters last 6000 litres, and their tracking seems honest so far. Whether it actually lasts 2 years without any service call, I will update this review next year.

Value for Money

You are essentially paying a premium for the convenience of no annual maintenance contracts, no technician visits, and no surprise filter costs. If you calculate 2 years of AMC for a regular RO at around 8,000-10,000 rupees, the math does work out. But that initial cost is bit high.

Minor Complaints

The UV indicator light is annoyingly bright at night if your kitchen is open-plan. The app, while functional, feels like an afterthought with occasional sync issues. Also, the installation requires a dedicated power socket, which meant calling an electrician separately.

Score Breakdown

Key Specifications

Our Verdict