Best Inverter in India (Home UPS Buying Guide)

We live in a country where unannounced power cuts are more frequent and having the best inverter for home use will come handy in such situations.

What is an Inverter?

An inverter is an electronic device that converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) to use with our various electrical and electronic home appliances.

Our home appliances usually run on the AC power.

In layman language, it stores the energy (electricity) as a backup in the batteries when there is power and distributes it in order to run home appliances in case of a power failure.

It lets the electricity supply intact without any breaks.

It always advised to buy the best Inverter brand in India. Although, it increases your budget at the moment, you’ll save a lot in the long run in terms of maintenance.

The most popular home Inverter brands include Luminous, Exide, Microtek, Sukam and APC (by Schneider Electric).

Top 10 Best Inverters for Home in India

Tip: Choose the Best Inverter Battery with longer warranty from the trusted brands like Luminous, Amaron and Exide.

Best Inverters in India [Home UPS]

1. Luminous Zelio+ 1700 Sine Wave UPS

Luminous is one India’s leading manufacturer of home electrical products.

The Zelio+ 1700 is a pure sinewave inverter UPS that can be used both as an inverter and a UPS for personal computer.

You need to purchase a 24V double battery separately. It takes 10 to 12 hours to recharge completely.

It comes with LED display, bypass switch in case of inverter faults.

It works with heavier electronic appliances like washing machines, refrigerators etc…

2. Microtek SEBz 1100 VA Sinewave Inverter

Microtek is a popular Taiwan-based multinational company that specializes in manufacturing consumer electronics.

This home inverter UPS comes with transfer time of just 15 milliseconds and has a maximum load of 800 W.

Thanks to the Digital Signal Controller Based intelligent control design, the inverter automatically switches itself from main power to battery power in case of a power failure.

You can run heavy appliances like refrigerator, printer, washing machines etc…using this inverter. But, you need to get a suitable inverter battery to manage those items.

3. Luminous Zelio+ 1100 Pure Sinewave Inverter UPS

Unlike the Zelio+ 1700, this home UPS inverter is budget friendly and is ideal for home use.

It has a maximum output load of 600 watts and works with all types of batteries – tubular, flat plate or maintenance free.

There is an MCB (miniature circuit breaker) system that ensures automatic protection against any power overloads or short circuits.

You can run 3 CFLs, 3 ceiling fans, 3 tube lights, 1 television and 1 air cooler using a 12 V single battery.

4. Sukam Brainy Eco 1100VA Solar Home Inverter

Su-Kam Power Systems Ltd. is an Indian company with produces a wide range of products like inverters, UPS, batteries etc…

This hybrid inverter also works as a UPS for computers.

It is equipped with ATC technology (Automatic Temperature Compensation), which keeps the charging voltage in control. This increases the lifespan of the battery by upto 6 months.

There is also an additional bypass feature that cuts-off the power in case of any faults in the power cables.

The biggest advantage of this inverter is its solar charging ability, which reduces a lot of electricity consumption.

The maximum power is up to 800 watts.

5. Microtek UPS 24×7 Hb 950Va Hybrid Sinewave Inverter

This is a hybrid sinewave home inverter which comes with a capacity of 950VA.

You can use it as an inverter or a UPS for PC.

Thanks to IBGM technology, it increases battery life by up to 6 months.

There is also a bypass switch in case of any UPS failure. It comes with PWM controlled multi stage charging with auto-trickle mode.

6. APC Home UPS 850VA Sine Wave Inverter

American Power Conversion Corporation (APC by Schneider Electric) is one of the best inverter brands that are known for manufacturing home UPS keeping our frequent power outages in mind.

This is a sine wave inverter with maximum output of 500 watts. It has an LED display and a UPS inverter switch.

You can use this switch to convert the inverter into a dedicated UPS for your PC and vice versa.

7. Exide 850Va Pure Sinewave Home UPS Inverter

Exide is a well known Indian company which is known to many as a battery manufacturer.

They also make UPS inverters for home and the Exide 850VA is a pure sinewave inverter with digital display.

It has a high speed microprocessor and comes with latest DSP technology.

The inverter comes with a maximum capacity of up to 580 watts and the UPS transfer time is just 10 milliseconds, which is very fast.

You also have the electrolyte level sensor indicator that reminds you when there is low water level in the battery.

8. Microtek Upseb 900 Va Inverter

This is a budget friendly inverter for those who wanted a good inverter at a lower price.

It comes with a single battery system that is easy to maintain.

It has a LCD display with 6 indicators. You can use it for regular appliances but not heavy.

This square wave inverter comes fitted with Constant Current, Constant Voltage (CCCV) technology, short circuit protection, smart overload sensor, auto-reset feature and auto-trickle mode.

How to Pick the Right Inverter for Home in India?

Here are the major factors to consider while purchasing a home inverter in India.

1. Home Inverter Selection Criteria

Keep these things in your mind before selecting an inverter or home UPS.

A] Power Requirement:

What electrical home appliances do you wish to run on the inverter when there is no power?

Since each appliance has different power requirements, it is highly advised to note down what appliances are a must so that it will be easy for you to decide what inverter battery you should purchase.

Say for example, a regular fan uses 70 watts and a tube light uses 40 watts. And, if you use 2 fans and 3 tube lights while there is a power cut, then your power requirement would be: 70 x 2 + 40 x 3 = 260 watts.

B] Type of Inverter:

There are 3 types of inverters, namely

• Sine Wave Inverter (Most Recommended): Although a bit costly, these are the best when it comes to handling heavier appliances.
• Modified Sine Wave Inverter (Budget Friendly): These are cheaper compared to sine wave inverters but works with majority of the appliances. However, it may reduce the power efficiency when used longer.
• Square Wave Inverter (Avoid Them): These are the cheapest of all and works only with simple tools.

C] Inverter Battery:

I personally recommend using the tubular batteries. Although a bit costly, they have a longer life span (7 to 8 years) when compared to flat plate batteries (4 to 5 years).

The only thing you should make sure is to fill it regularly with distilled water for the battery to run well.

2. How Much Power Does My Appliance Consume?

Electricity consumption differs from one home appliance to another based on its capacity.

Here are some illustrations for you to have a better understanding.

We’ve only listed the most common home appliances that consume less power. There are other high power consumption appliances like Air conditioners, Kitchen chimneys, Refrigerators, Water Purifiers, Water Heaters etc…that are recommended to be connected to an inverter.

3. How to Calculate the VA Rating of an Inverter?

Calculating the VA rating is very easy

As a thumb rule, divide the total load required in watts by 0.8 to get the VA value.

Say for example, you use 1 fan, 1 tubelight, 1 CFL bulb and 1 LCD TV during a power failure.

These appliances will consume around 300 watts of power.

Now, if you want to use these appliances for up to 4 hours straight, then you’ll need to store 1.1 to 1.2 kWh of electricity in the battery.

And, in our above scenario, we would be needing around 370 VA (max inverter load).

Since, we’ll not be getting the inverter with exact VA rating, you should go for the next available VA figure.

So, in our case, we should get a 400 VA inverter.

Note: This is just a sample case for you to understand easily. Your individual requirements will vary and so please ask your electrician to determine the VA for your needs.

It is always a better idea to invest in an inverter with higher capacity. Though, it makes the inverter expensive, you’ll get a better backup in unfortunate situations.

4. How to Choose the Supported Battery?

The battery capacity determines the amount of load and backup duration.

Based on the above requirement, we need a VAh value of 1600. You will be getting 12 volts batteries in the market. That makes the Ah value as 33.

Inverter batteries usually come with Ah values starting from 100, 120, 150, 200 and so on.

So, we should get a 100 Ah battery for our needs.

5. Can I Use AC or Refrigerator on the Inverter Power Supply?

The refrigerator, air conditioner or other high-end appliances consume more power than the regular appliances.

The refrigerator has a compressor that does not work on a continuous basis. It stops when the fridge is cooled and starts again if the temperature rises. So, it needs more power to start than to function.

Similarly, the compressor in an AC constantly switches between stop and start. Since, ACs consume more electricity than refrigerators, a 3.5 KVA inverter with high capacity battery will suffice.

Although, you can use a higher capacity inverter and battery to work with ACs and Refrigerators, it is not a good idea. There are more chances of inverter failure in case of sudden spikes in energy usage due to start and stop feature of these compressors.

6. Types of Inverters for Home Use (Detailed)

There are 3 different types of inverters available in the market.

A. Sine Wave Inverter

They have a rotating AC machinery in order to generate the power.

Most of our home electrical appliances are operated on sine waves. So, they’re an ideal choice for your home.

These sine wave inverters are costlier but are capable of handling heavy loads.

B. Modified Sine Wave Inverter

The waveform in these modified sine wave inverters look more like a square.

It can work with most electrical appliances but the efficiency of the power output is not that great compared to the other inverters.

You might notice buzzing sounds and dimming lights more often.

However, these inverters are affordable compared to sine wave inverters.

C. Square Wave Inverter

These are the cheapest among the three types of inverters and also the least efficient.

Not all appliances would work with these square wave inverters.

7. Difference between UPS and Inverter

Though, fundamentally both are same, there are minor differences between the UPS and an inverter.

In case of a power failure, you’ll have to switch over to the battery power from the main line.

So, you’ll be getting almost uninterrupted power supply using an UPS. However, it is highly beneficial for Computer users.

How to Take Care of your Home Inverter?

After you read our buying guide, it would be an easy task to buy an inverter for your home.

But, that is where your actual task begins – Maintenance & Caring.

In order to make your inverter work efficiently for a long time, it is highly advised to maintain it periodically.

1. At times, the water spills out from the batteries and can cause the socket connections to rust, which can affect the functioning. So, apply grease on these connections to avoid rusting.
2. Batteries (Tubular/Flat) require regular filling of distilled water based on the usage and type of the inverter. Usually, you should fill the distilled water once every 3 months.
3. To rejuvenate the electrolyte solution in the battery, make sure you drain your battery completely once a month and charge it again.
4. Place the inverter on a flat surface, either vertically or horizontally.
5. Don’t place either the inverter or the battery near the engine compartment or under the direct sunlight.
6. Make sure it gets ample ventilation from the outside.
7. Clean the inverter occasionally, else dust can affect its performance.
8. Don’t connect heavy load appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, heaters or washing machines to the inverter.
9. Avoid using unnecessary appliances while the power is being supplied by the inverter battery. The more you use, the quicker it drains.
10. Lastly, do not place your inverter or battery near flammable materials as it could cause fire at your place.

Home UPS (Inverter) FAQs

That’s the end of the list friends! All these inverter UPS systems are best according to the industry standards and genuine user reviews. Depending on your requirement and budget, you can choose the Best Home UPS Inverter in India.