Best Inverters in India- Reviews and Comparison 2021

An inverter is broadly classified into three types- pure sine wave, modified sine wave and square wave.

• Pure Sine Wave Inverter

The pure sine wave inverters supply alternating current from the battery in a reliable and clean form. The pure sine wave power flows in even and arching form, which is similar to that of utility supply. A crucial reason that this type of inverter is preferred is that all the appliances are designed to work on a sine wave pattern. Pure sine wave inverters are mostly preferred when you need to use an inverter for supporting high-powered appliances such as air conditioner, microwave, or TV. Pure sine wave inverters are silent, efficient, consumes less power, supports multiple devices as they adjust the voltage according to the power requirements and ideal for taking heavy loads.

• Modified Sine Wave Inverter

In contrast to pure sine wave inverter, modified sine wave inverter does not offer a smooth transition. Moreover, it takes a few seconds before shifting the phases from positive to negative. The name might resemble pure sine wave, but their functioning resembles square wave inverters. These inverters work well with many appliances and generate the lowest heat amongst all three types. Unlike, pure sine wave, modified makes humming sound. 

• Square Wave Inverter

A square wave is not as popular as the above two, but if budget is an issue, this is your go-to type of inverter as this comes at the least price. It generates a waveform in square shape and is least efficient when compared to other inverter types. Another downside is, they make a lot of noise. It supports only modest devices that have universal motors.

An important thing to check when buying an inverter is for which appliances do you need an inverter. Once you have shortlisted that, next step is to calculate the total power consumption.

A table representing the average power consumption by electrical appliances.

This power consumption is for one number for each appliance.

So, for example, you want your inverter to support 1 fan, 2 tube lights, 1 TV and 1 laptop, the total power required will be= (75*1)+(45*2)+(120*1)+(50*1)=335 watts.

Therefore, you can buy an inverter that can support a load of 350 watts.

Inverter capacity is measured in Volt-Amp (VA) and usually, total wattage is equal to the VA value. However, the power factor is not the same. Power factor refers to the efficient use of the incoming power, and it is rarely 100%.  

Ideally, 80% or 0.8 remains the power factor in case of residential use. Therefore,

VA = Total load (in Watts) / Power factor.

So, in our case, inverter capacity should be =350/0.8=437.5 VA

There is no inverter model with 437.5 VA; therefore, you can pick 500 VA capacity inverter. It is right to buy an inverter that has more capacity to offer than the actual requirement.

Battery size is essential to consider; else your inverter will not deliver the best results. Amp-Hour (Ah) is used for measuring battery size, which means the amount of current that a battery can provide in a particular time.

For example, a 1000Ah battery supplies 1000 amp current in one hour, or 500 amp of current for 2 hours. Battery size is calculated as follows:

VA rating * usage time (in hours) / input voltage = Battery size

Now, let’s say you need a 500 VA inverter for 6 hours back-up, the battery size will be:

500 VA X 6 hours = 3000VAh

To convert this into Ah, divide it by 12 as a basic inverter battery offers an input of 12 volts. So, the Ah value is= 3000VAh/12V = 250 Ah

Typically, the Ah values of inverter batteries in the market starts from 100 Ah and goes to 250 Ah, and more. In our case, 250Ah is the right battery size.

A battery is broadly divided into three types, and it is essential to find out that your inverter is compatible with which type of battery. Furthermore, if an inverter is compatible with the battery capacity, only then there will be a mutual working giving remarkable output and optimal performance. 

Three types of batteries are:

• Flat Plate

The flat plate is the first-generation and most used batteries. They are lead-acid batteries with two electrodes immersed in an electrolytic solution of sulphuric acid and water. These are light in weight and costs between Rs.9,000 to Rs.15,000. However, there are three downsides to flat plate batteries. One, they need regular maintenance. Second, they emit noxious gases; thereby, you need to place them in areas having sufficient ventilation. Third, they require more water topping. For there longer life, you need to replenish distilled water every three to six months depending on its usage.

Furthermore, they have a life span of around three years. Due to the tubular type, flat plate is losing the popularity. Amaron, Exide, Luminous are a few brands still manufacturing this type of battery.

• Tubular

The tubular battery is an improved version of the flat plate battery. They are not high maintenance batteries and are more efficient due to deep charging cycles. Unlike, flat plate batteries which have plates, tubular batteries are tube protected and hence the name, tubular. Their life is of five years and requires medium water topping, low safety measures and less ventilation.

• Maintenance-free

The name describes the type of the battery very well. These are the battery which calls for zero maintenance. They don’t need distilled water at regular intervals and offers the best safety features. A unique electrolyte is used in it which needs to be replenished. Moreover, there is no emission of poisonous or harmful gases in this. They are also called as sealed batteries or Deep Cycle SMF Sealed Maintenance Free or VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid). They are typically preferred by old or busy people who do not have time to refill the water. The downside is maintenance-free batteries has a short life span and are expensive. Typically, they cost more than Rs.10,000.

Very fewer manufacturers make this type of battery, and Luminous & Okaya are two of them.

Summary Table

There is no point of buying an inverter if your home or office wiring doesn’t have the facility for back-up. Therefore, ask an electrician confirming that if your space supports the back-up facility. Moreover, usually, people exclude big and more power-consuming appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners from the inverters. Hence, it becomes essential to reach electrician and isolate these appliances.

Modern and best-quality inverters come with a bypass switch. This switch ensures that the functioning of the inverter remains unaffected in case of a blown fuse or power overload. It helps in bypassing the normal functioning of the inverter by using the power from the primary electric grid. In other words, the power doesn’t pass through the inverter, which leaves you with some minutes to resolve the issue. The switch facilitates all this without causing any interruption in the power supply to your standard appliances.

An inverter is a heavy appliance, and it needs to be deployed at ground level. Therefore, a trolley is the best thing to keep an inverter, even, battery on. Moreover, trolley enhances the safety of both inverter and battery. Additionally, keep the inverter and battery near the main supply as that will ensure there is no unnecessary hanging off the wires all over the place.

Whether it is inverter or battery, it is experts advise that go for a brand rather than buying these from a local manufacturer. A branded inverter is preferred as it ensures quality, safety features, warranty and after-sale support.

Before you buy an inverter, it is crucial to see if your home or office has proper earthing facilities to avoid unwanted situations of electrocution and short-circuits.

Good brands offer warranty and usually, two years is the minimum warranty any good brand offers on the inverter. Warranty does increase the inverter’s price but paying these few bucks takes your inverter a long way. Likewise, after-sale support service also matters. An inverter is prone to damage, hence after-sales support service is also paramount. All-in-all, buy from a dealer or brand which offers an on-site warranty, repair and maintenance.

A typical inverter will cost you around Rs. 5000. The price varies as per the brand, technical specifications and the features it offers. Also, the more efficient an inverter is, the more it will cost. Similarly, an inverter with higher VA ratings is costlier as it is capable of handling heavy appliances such as geyser, fridge, microwave, to name a few things.

In typical Indian household or office area, power cut of even continuous eight hours is a possibility. Hence, people, have started moving towards more reliable sources and non-conventional power source like solar energy. Inverters are facilitating the usage of solar panels as they are embedded with solar charging circuits and regulators.

Modern and digital inverters come with LCD or LED status indicators to display various status, including battery charge level, battery life, load, input/output voltages, water level, etc.

The old version of inverters is not equipped to stabilize the main supply. In other words, the commercial supply is routed directly to the appliances with no monitoring. Some inverters come with an in-built voltage stabilizer feature and protect the connected appliances from voltage fluctuations.

Earth leakage protector is a safety device protecting you from electric shock and your appliances from damage. Earth leakage protection circuits are inbuilt in advanced inverters which continuously monitor earth leakage and cut off the supply as and when needed for your safeguard.

The inverter should consist of modern technology and chips for excellent efficiency output. Based on the charge level, there should be the automation of the charging process, ensuring its optimization. For example, hybrid inverters can be opted for charging the battery through solar power or natural source energy. 

• Never touch the inverter or battery terminals with wet hands.

• Keep the inverter and battery out of children’s reach.

• Keep both inverter and battery in a well-ventilated area.

• Keep an inverter out of the reach of direct sunlight.

• Do not place it near any appliance that emits heat.

• Keep the battery away from flammable material.

• Do not let inverter and battery come in contact with water.

• Place the inverter in a place which is cool and dry.

• Keep the inverter and battery clean. Don’t let the dust accumulate on them.

• Clean the inverter with a microfiber cloth.

• Check battery’s water level every two months. Maintain the water level between max and min water limit. 

• Use distilled water in the battery and not the tap water or rainwater as it contains excess minerals and impurities.

• Use the battery regularly. If there is no power cut in a long time, discharge the battery thoroughly once a month and then recharge it.

• Keep the battery terminals corrosion-free. If the terminals get corroded, pour hot water + baking soda solution on the corrosive area and use a toothbrush for further cleaning.

• Vents around battery should be open and dust-free. Blocked vents lead to hydrogen gas accumulation, and that can lead to bursting of the battery.

• Never overload the inverter.

• Leave 12 inches area around the unit in the case of an inverter with fan cooling.

• Take error messages, beep sounds, alarms and other displays seriously. Consult an electrician if required.

• Check for changes in the environment in which the inverter is installed.

• Check for dust, gas, unusual water dropping, increase or decrease in room temperature.

• Conduct regular checks on the parts and units.

• Do not ignore unusual noises, smell, discolouration and vibration in the inverter.

• Check if any wire terminals are loosened. If any, tighten it with a screwdriver.

• There should neither be poorly clinched part nor overheated clinch in wire terminals.

Luminous Zelio is the clear winner considering the features and customer’s rating & reviews. It has earned its spot with not only primary features but also modern functions in terms of safety, usability and protection. It is a pure digital sine-wave type of inverter and safe to use for high powered appliances.

It has a single battery system and VA rating is 900 (756 watts) which allows you to run multiple appliances at one time - 3 CFL, 3 ceiling fan, 3 tube lights, 1 TV & 1 air cooler/refrigerator. Furthermore, it is a fast charging and noiseless inverter. It has both LED display and battery electrolyte level indicator. The LED display shows power back-up status, battery charging time in hours and minutes. It is a supreme quality inverter that comes with safety features and provides protection against deep discharge, overload, short circuit, reverse polarity and input mains through MCB.

Zelio offers 8 hours of back-up time and it weighs 10kg. Moreover, the bypass switch allows it to supply uninterrupted output from the primary electric grid in case of home UPS faults. Last but not least, inverter supports all three types of batteries.

The Microtek UPS 24×7 Hb 950Va hybrid inverter is a superior product and has an ergonomic design. It is a durable inverter and can be used for both home and office.

It is a pure sine-wave inverter and comes with two technologies- hybrid Technology and IBGM technology. The former facilitates noiseless operation and improves the performance with longer back-ups and battery life. In comparison, the latter technology enhances battery life and its performance by maintaining correct battery gravity.

The hybrid inverter has 950 VA rated capacity and 760 W output power. You can use it for all AC electronic devices as it has been designed that way and also, it prevents fluctuations. It comes with battery charging current selection switch which offers two charging modes- Standard (10 Amps) & Fast Charging (14 Amps) Mode. The advanced 7 segments digital display indicates both input and output voltage and the bypass, which provide a constant supply even in case of UPS failure.

This inverter comes with two years warranty and supports flat plate and tubular battery type. The battery is not provided along with it and it has 5 – 6 hours of powerful battery back-up.

Luminous is a global leader when it comes to providing inverter UPS systems and with Hkva 2 Kva Sine Cruze Wave UPS Inverter they have proved it again.

Home UPS 2 KVA Cruze is a comprehensive digital sine wave output system. With 2000VA rating and 1600 W rated power, this is an ultra heavy duty inverter that needs double battery support. It is an ideal inverter to run heavy loaders - geysers, air conditioners, refrigerators, heater.

It is an inverter of safety and protection. This home UPS inverter provides complete protection from surges, short-circuits, battery overcharge/deep charge, input mains through MCB and reverses polarity. The Adaptive Battery charging control system technology used in it enhances battery life and offers faster battery charging.

It is compatible with all three types of battery- Flat Plate, Tubular & VRLA (SMF) and battery charging time usually remain 10-12 hours. This double battery inverter has 24 months of warranty and doesn’t make noise while operating.

V-Guard is another renowned brand in the electrical appliances market. This premium brand is quite famous for its inverter and UPS line-up. Prime 1450 is a pure digital sine-wave UPS inverter that comes with all the advanced features in terms of usability, safety and protection. This is primarily a 960-watt heavy-duty inverter and is compatible with both flat plate & tubular battery.

With 9 hours of back-up time, it can provide continuous support to 6 fans, 10 lights, TV, computer, and mixer grinder. This single battery inverter comes with a High-Performance Selection switch which lets you use it all sophisticated devices. Intelligent fuzzy logic battery water topping reminder is another unique feature of the inverter that helps in avoiding battery failures. The Battery Gravity Builder feature protects against overcharge and deep discharge.

V-Guard Prime 1450 comes with 24 months warranty.

If you’re looking for a fancy inverter for your place, then this Exide 1450 in red colour might fulfil your need. This is a pure sine-wave inverter supporting all kinds of appliances. Being a pure sine-wave inverter with 1450VA rating and 1000 watts supporting load, it is fit for both home and office. The inverter offers excellent power back-up for all types of power-sucking appliances, be it room heater, television, air cooler, refrigerator, mixer grinder, etc.

It is a heavy-duty inverter and a bit expensive, however, the brand has launched it in two light capacity as well- 650 VA and 850 VA. The LCD feature displays battery voltage and charge, ac mains input voltage, the load connected, etc. It provides protection against overload, short circuit, AC back feed, low battery, over charge battery, over-temperature, and more. And electrolyte level sensor indicator shows battery water level. The ASIC (Auto Sense Intelligent Control) technology has been used for battery charging which automatically senses battery condition & adjusts the charging current automatically.

This is the second inverter on our list which is compatible with two batteries ranging from 100 to 200 Ah. Like all other high-end brands, Exide also offers 2 years warranty on this product.

Luminous Solar hybrid 1100/12V Home UPS is nothing like any of the inverter discussed above. It is a combination of a sine wave and solar inverter. And therefore, it can work both with and without batteries. It has been built using intelligent solar optimization technology which means it gives priority to solar power and uses battery only when required. By doing this, it saves 1.5-3 units per day.

It offers 80% efficiency and comes with inbuilt charge controller for fast charging of batteries on solar. I-charge Technology makes it best for areas that have long power cuts. This is a fast charging technology for charging batteries in a short time when grid power is available. However, when this mode is ON, power saver mode is deactivated, and the UPS takes higher charging current from the grid.  Therefore, once your work is done, switch this mode OFF.

Besides saving energy, it also provides protection to the inverter against deep discharge, overcharges and short-circuit. In addition to this, the main fuse protects against excessive current, thereby protecting all connected sensitive appliances.

Digital EB 700 ranks last on our list mainly because of the type of inverter. It is a square wave inverter and least priced amongst all other inverters on our list.

Square wave inverter is fit for simple appliances and motor. It has 600VA capacity and 510 watts output power. The technology used is micro controlled based intelligent control and comes with most of the basic features. The LED display indicates battery status and faults. It protects the battery against overload, deep discharge, short-circuits, and reverse polarity. Moreover, it has Voltage Range Selection switch which facilitates operation in Standard Voltage Range from 100V~300V and Narrow Voltage Range from 180V~260V.

It is right by most of the means but doesn’t support heavy appliances and also, operates with noise. So, if you can spend a few more bucks, you can choose UPS 24×7 Hb 950Va Hybrid Sinewave Inverter from the same brand.