The 17 Best Air Purifiers of 2024
Welcome to the future, where clean air is a luxury. Thanks to pandemics and wildfires, air purifiers have become the gotta-have-it home appliance. Buildings let in a lot of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and vaporous chemicals. Indoor plastics, furniture, paint, and flooring off-gas noxious fumes too.
Since your home might be your workplace, playground, meditation studio, dine-in restaurant, and movie theater, you want to ensure that the air you’re breathing for most of the day is clean. These are our best air purifiers. All of these purifiers provided significant anecdotal benefits, from stopping persistent coughs and allergy symptoms to helping us wake up with clearer sinuses and less-raspy throats. Not sure if you need an air purifier or something else? We have a guide to all the devices that can help improve your indoor air quality. For more home tips, take a peek at our other guides, including the Best Robot Vacuums and the Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers.
I haven’t lived without air purifiers since I started covering air quality back in 2019. These air purifiers were tested in my 130-plus-year-old Brooklyn apartment in a building currently undergoing construction. I use a gas stove for cooking. There were two cats, a dog, and two people during the entire testing period. I do not have central air, nor an HVAC with MERV filters. There is no over-stove exhaust fan to remove fumes to the outside. All of this is to say, my home is an excellent air purifier laboratory.
Updated December 2024: We've removed an air purifier that covered too small of a space to be useful and added a new section for air purifiers we don't recommend, plus updated links and prices throughout.
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- Photograph: Amazon
The Best Overall
IQ Air Atem XThe more air purifiers that I test, the more I think they should be viewed as a lifetime investment. If you have the means, the Atem X (9/10, WIRED Recommends) truly is the best investment when it comes to a HEPA filter. Aside from its sleek design, there's an option for a 10-year warranty (with registration and filter subscription), which means you’ll have access to parts and repairs for a decade. It’s quiet and has custom settings, a built-in sensor, and a dashboard phone app, and it can be set flush against a wall. I use the term “air purifier math” to consider how many air purifiers you might burn through in the next decade. One, two, maybe three? This is why the Atem X is a wise investment, even at its big ticket price. The one drawback is that the Atem X doesn’t have a carbon filter to remove gases.
- Photograph: Coway
Best Air Purifier for Small Rooms
Coway Airmega 200MFor sheer simplicity and affordability, the Airmega 200M will do the job for most people’s lives, houses, and budgets. The compact, attractive device easily fits into a corner of my bedroom and is effective for spaces up to 361 square feet. It saves energy with an included air-quality monitor that turns the machine off when no pollution is detected and automatically increases the fan speed if it detects particles. When my dog plopped down in her bed, or when I cooked bacon with the bedroom door open, the Airmega 200M roared to life. You’ll probably want to turn off the AQ monitor’s bright light at night, though. —Adrienne So
- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Best for Large Rooms With High Ceilings
Coway Airmega ProXThe Coway Airmega ProX is the monolith your high-ceiling home needs. If you’re living in an A-frame, double-height ceiling loft, or any home with a ceiling higher than 8 feet, the Coway Aimega ProX is for you. The ProX gives off a TARS robot from Interstellar meets giant stereo speaker vibe. It’s blend-into-the-room-mocha beige and can clean the air four times per hour in a 1,000-square-foot space when running at its highest setting. And even at its highest and therefore loudest setting, it hovers around 50 decibels, slightly louder than the sound of falling rain—making it one of the quieter large tower air purifiers I’ve tested. It also has a control panel lock that is a plus for parents and cat owners alike.
The control panel features Coway’s real-time slightly confusing air quality indicator light: blue for good, green for moderate, yellow for unhealthy, and red for very unhealthy. There’s also the PM 2.5 number that is sometimes difficult to read depending on the angle. There are three customizable airflow speeds. I prefer to leave it on auto mode. Its built-in sensor adjusted the fan speed depending on my indoor air quality and was in sync with my air quality monitors. And while it wasn’t app enabled, the ProX was able to adjust to clean my air efficiently and quietly. I was also able to move the 50-pound ProX using its hidden handles and built-in lockable wheels. And while the ProX is one of the more expensive models I’ve tested, the five-year warranty puts it in the wise investment category.
Smart app No Remote No Ideal room size 1,000 sq. ft. *4 air exchanges per hour Weight 50 lbs Noise on high 50 dB Filter Prefilter, activated carbon, HEPA Warranty 5 years - Photograph: Kat Merck
A Budget Large-Room Option
Bosch Air 6000 Air PurifierPart of Bosch’s new line of Energy Star- and CARB-certified air purifiers that came out this summer, the Air 6000 is a large-room model that lists coverage of 2,745 square feet of space with a 4-in-1 filter (prefilter, HEPA, activated carbon, antibacterial layer). I’ve been using it on the 1,300-square-foot main floor of my house, and the difference in smells, dust, and overall air quality has been quite noticeable. It’s got a colored ring-light indicator (red = bad, blue = good) as well as a digital display that shows PM 2.5, total volatile organic compounds, temperature, and humidity. It’s also imperceptibly quiet when the fan is on its lowest speed, though it's not the quietest at its highest setting, registering at 59 dB.
This is a sleek and user-friendly purifier that looks great in any room. The only downside is that the filters have to be replaced every six to nine months, and unlike competing purifier brands like Coway, the Bosch filters are not cheap at over $100 each. If you don’t need such a large-coverage model, Bosch’s Air 2000 (810 sq ft., $200) and 4000 (1,345 sq ft., $259) are solid options I’ve tested as well and also come with PM 2.5 and ring-light indicators, though the fan on the 2000 is considerably noisier at 36 dB on low, and both have a less-fancy 3-in-1 filter (which is marginally cheaper at around $52). —Kat Merck
Smart app No Remote No Ideal room Size 2,745 sq. ft., CADR 353 CFM Weight 20 lbs Noise on high 59 dB Filter Prefilter, HEPA, activated carbon, antibacterial layer Warranty 3 years
- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Best Cost-to-Benefit Ratio
Coway Airmega MightyThe Mighty from air purifier stalwarts Coway might have the best bang for your buck when it comes to air purifiers. At under $200, the Mighty can clean a 361-square-foot room, exchanging the air the recommended 4.8 times per hour. Note that this is based on running the Mighty at its highest and loudest setting at 53 decibels. And, as I’ve written before, you most likely won’t want that kind of white noise 24/7, so I suggest fitting the Mighty in a room around 200 square feet or smaller to run it at a quieter setting while still benefiting from a high air exchange rate. It has an on/off button for the ionizer and a timer activation/deactivation feature that will power off after 1, 4, or 8 hours, along with Eco Mode that turns off the fan if no pollution is detected for 30 minutes.
The Mighty has a built-in air sensor and air quality light that shines blue for clean air, dark purple for polluted air, and red for highly polluted. This is Coway’s color system, and I found it confusing as the colors don't line up with the United States’ Air Quality Index standards of green for good, red for unhealthy, and purple for very unhealthy. It is the air sensor that enables the Mighty to automatically adjust its fan speed. At just under a foot and half tall and 12 pounds, the box-like Mighty feels lighter than that with its easy-to-grab back handle. I pulled off the front cover to reveal the Mighty’s three filters: a HEPA, a deodorizing filter, and the pre-filter. The Mighty also needs to sit about 8 inches from the wall or furniture. And while I liked the simple design of the Mighty, its glossy white plastic finish attracts pet hair in that clingy, static-like way. It isn’t compatible with Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa, nor does it have a remote or app. Still, for the price, the Mighty is an excellent air purifier for small rooms.
- Photograph: Air Doctor Pro
Best Overall for PM 2.5 and Gases
AirDoctor Smart 5500iThe AirDoctor 5500i is the latest purifier from the AirDoctor line and is the second tower model I’ve used. I’ve used IQAir’s standard GC MultiGas model for years. Because of their power, tower models tend to be loud at their highest settings, so I was pleasantly surprised by the 5500i’s quiet hum. It captures both fine particulates with its HEPA filters and gases with its dual action/carbon volatile organic compound (VOC) trap filters. The 5500i can exchange the air four times an hour in a 1,000-square-foot space, around the size of my Brooklyn apartment. And the purifier has an alert to let me know when it is time to change the filter.
It's the quietest and largest AirDoctor air purifier yet. It has a built-in sensor that has kept up with my cooking, turning its air quality indicator light red and automatically adjusting the fan speed to the highest setting. This also happens when construction in my building goes into overdrive. Yet it is quieter than the smaller AirDoctor 2000, the same model that once woke me up in the middle of the night. The 5500i caps at 50 decibels, quieter than a household refrigerator. It weighs 33 pounds, and I needed help getting the shipping box up the three flights of stairs to my apartment. Moving it around my apartment only took a slight nudge of the hand, as it has hidden casters that let it glide easily on my hardwood floor. It connects to the AirDoctor app and can be controlled remotely. And with AirDoctor’s thousand-dollar price tag, the disappointing one-year warranty seems short for the investment. While IQAir’s GC Multigas costs $350 more than the 5500i, it offers a 10-year warranty option. As much as I liked AirDoctor’s performance, I might buy the more expensive and comparable IQAir model for the warranty alone. Air purifiers are long-term investments.
- Photograph: Rabbit Air
Best Air Purifier for Blending In With the Room
BioGS 2.0The Rabbit Air is a sleek, disappears-in-a-room air purifier that punches above its weight. Its low price makes it one of the better investments, especially with its five-year warranty. It has both a HEPA filter to trap dust, pollen, and that dangerous invisible PM 2.5 along with an activated charcoal carbon filter to capture VOCs and odors. It also has a negative ion generator that basically gives air molecules a static charge, making them easier to capture.
The BioGS 2.0 is able to clean 550 square feet at two air exchanges per hour and 275 square feet at four air exchanges per hour. I could clean my entire 1,000-square-foot apartment with two Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0s, and as the air purifiers are under $400 each, they're some of the more affordable options on the market. The Rabbit's built-in sensors adjust fan speeds, and the unit’s control panel illuminates in low-light settings. It also has a remote. I was disappointed that the BioGS 2.0 isn’t compatible with the Rabbit Air app, nor can it work with Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant like other Rabbit Air models. Still, because of its cost, quiet operation, ability, and style, this is one of my favorite air purifiers.
- Photograph: Amazon
If You Like an Industrial Vibe
Coway Airmega 250Any air purifier in my home needs to look good. I’ve used an older Coway model for years that now looks a bit too plasticky and glossy, but I’ve had my eye on Coway’s newer designs for some time. Truly, I am a sucker for the clean, matte industrial aesthetic. The Airmega 250 has a decently large footprint, but it’s rated to clean a 930-square-foot room twice an hour. That’s why I put it smack dab in the middle of the first floor of my home to clean the air in my kitchen and living room.
Every time we cook, the Smart mode automatically detects unhealthy particles in the air and ratchets up the fan’s power. It also recently did this when I had someone patch some drywall in my mudroom. (This mode works with the help of a PM10 and PM2.5 particle sensor.) The fan at its highest setting isn’t that loud—I measured it at 60 decibels standing right in front of it. There’s a Sleep mode if you want it silent. You get the usual controls, like timer functionality and replacement indicators for the filter.
Speaking of, the Airmega 250 uses a true HEPA filter that needs to be replaced once every six to 12 months. This, combined with the washable prefilter that you should be keeping clean every two weeks and the activated carbon filter, allows the air purifier to remove 99.999 percent of ultrafine particles down to 0.01 microns, or so Coway says. It’s super easy to remove these filters to clean and swap them out. The whole system is roughly 21 pounds, so you can move it around fairly easily. Coway offers a three-year warranty. The Coway AirMega 250S is the same model but with Wi-Fi functionality, so you can control it via an app and see more details. The last thing I need is another app, but maybe you don’t mind. —Julian Chokkattu
- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Best for Those Who Want Style and Substance
Windmill Air PurifierWindmill has designed an air purifier with a bamboo finish. I have been using the dark navy blue version for the past two months. I like the Scandinavian look of the Windmill’s air purifier, and it’s more furniture-esque than other purifiers. Still, with the blue model, the nicks in the veneer show up as white. It’s possible the bamboo finish might wear better.
I really like Windmill and reviewed its air conditioner with its user-friendly Windmill Air app, and I'm equally happy using the app with its air purifier. The Windmill has an internal sensor and indicator light: green for good, yellow for moderate, pink for bad, and red for unhealthy. And while the Boost setting is the loudest, it is still relatively quiet at its lower setting. I prefer to run it on the auto-adjusting Eco mode.
Smart app Yes Remote No Ideal room size 400 sq. ft. *4 air exchanges per hour Weight 21 lbs Noise on high 54 dB Filter True HEPA, activated carbon, prefilter Subscription Optional, every 6 months Warranty 1 year, but you can register to extend to 3 year
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- Photograph: Coway
A Wireless Charger and Air Purifier Combo
Coway Airmega IconSCoway continues to make some of the prettier air purifiers, as you might have noticed in this guide, and that continues with the Airmega IconS. It looks like an end table, and so I keep it right next to my couch. The star of the show is the Qi wireless charging pad, so when I sit down, I just plop my phone right on the purifier to let it recharge. Any phone with wireless charging support should work, though you may need to take your phone case off.
Like all Coway purifiers, it’s powerful—it cleans the air in spaces up to 649 square feet—easy to control, and simple to clean. This version is Wi-Fi enabled and voice-controlled. —Medea Giordano
- Photograph: Dyson
Best Air Purifier for Those Who Also Need a Fan
Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1This is my fourth Dyson purifier, and I continue to have a love/hate with them. I admire the design and built-in air quality sensor, but there always seems to be something I don’t like with each model. Sometimes I’m not able to get a replacement remote, as Dyson moves on to new models at breakneck speed, and I’ve never really used the magnetic spot atop the filter to rest the remote. This time I was surprised that the Cool Gen1 wasn’t Dyson app compatible. I had to use the remote to adjust the fan speed. On the plus side, I do like the way the fan works, but this isn’t an oscillating fan in the traditional sense. Instead, the Cool Gen 1 TP10 has air blow out of the sides of the long upright oval, and it shifts direction, aiming the cool air back and forth in a room.
The Cool Gen is one of the cheaper air purifiers from Dyson. It has a two-year warranty and not only captures dust, pollen, and fine particulates, but also cleans the air of volatile organic compounds that can emanate from aerosol cleaners and other sources. The Cool Gen1 cleans a 110-square-foot room, about the size of a home office or small bedroom.
★ Budget alternative: Like the Cool Gen, the Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan ($300) offers 99.97 percent HEPA filtration and an air quality sensor. It also has control capability through a remote, the Dreo app, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. Its specs don't list how large of a room it's recommended for, but after testing it daily for six months (wherein it has only used 59 percent of its filter life, according to the app), I can say it's reliable and seems perfectly sufficient for an average bedroom. I also love that the fan and purifier can operate independently of each other when needed. —Kat Merck
- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Best Air Purifier for Those Who Also Need a Heater
Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 Air PurifierBlueair makes a larger room 3-in-1 air purifier and a small room 3-in-1. I gave Blueair’s small-room model a test drive for the last month in my 200-square-foot bedroom. At a little under 2 feet tall, the 3-in-1 has more features than you usually find in an air purifier. It oscillates and has a built-in heating and cooling function. Blueair’s app is easy to use and I preferred controlling the purifier via the app rather than the actual control panel. The panel did not always illuminate when pressed, making pushing the buttons difficult. There are also more options on the app, like controlling the oscillation speed and angle. Blueair uses both mechanical—as in HEPA filtration—and electrostatic technology to capture pollutants in the air. Its CARB certification is listed as electronic, unlike HEPA-only air purifiers that are listed as mechanical.
The Blueair also has an air quality index indicator light that responds to the purifier's built-in sensor to measure PM 2.5. The easy-to-miss sliver of light glows blue for excellent, green for good, yellow for moderate, orange for polluted, and red for very polluted. It has a control panel lock and filter change indicator light. I also appreciate the cloth handle that makes moving the Blueair easy. For its small size, I found the Blueair 3-in-1 to be louder than expected at full fan. And while Blueair says it’s 53 decibels at its highest setting, my non-calibrated consumer Tadeto decibel reader had it at 85 dB at full fan. I mention this because usually, my decibel reader is within 10 points of the manufacturer’s decibel numbers.
Smart app Yes Remote Yes Ideal room size 200 sq. ft. *4 air exchanges per hour Weight 13.5 lbs Noise on high 53 dB Filter Activated carbon, HEPA Warranty 1 year, but you can register to extend to 3 year. - Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Best Air Purifier for Near or in the Kitchen
IQ Air GC MultiGas XEI’ve been using the IQAir GC for the past five years and was excited to give the newer air-sensor and app-enabled IQAir CG XE model a test run. In the past I’ve used my GC tower in the space between my kitchen and dining room, turning it on the highest setting whenever I used my gas stove. Both the GC and CG XE clean the air of volatile organic compounds and PM 2.5, those invisible particles that can enter the bloodstream and cause health issues. And like the Atem X, the GC Series XE comes with its own certificate of performance and a 10-year warranty. The Swiss-made air purifier is a tower model that needs to be at least a foot away from any wall. And while it’s heavy at 55 lbs., the casters let me roll it around my house. I also appreciate that the air sensor’s indicator light is in accordance with US AQI colors. And the built-in sensor and IQAir app make the CG XE easy to use. I used to have to manually control the fan speed on my older GC, but in auto setting, the CG XE knows what to do. I also find IQAir app to have one of the most intuitive user experiences I’ve tested.
And like the Atem X, these Swiss-made air purifiers are top of the line for a reason, but the 10 year warranty makes IQAir’s purifiers a wise investment. And unlike the Atem X, the CG XE can also capture toxic gasses and vapors. It is also one of the largest air purifiers I’ve tested, and at its highest setting it can clean 275 cubic feet per minute, or CFM. On auto mode, the fan speeds adjust. It can clean the air of a large space with multiple air exchanges in an hour. I’ve been using the CG XE in the main room of an A-frame cabin with double-height ceilings (around 3,000 cubic feet) for the past two months and it has kept my indoor air quality healthy. But with great power comes great noise. At its highest setting, the CG XE runs at a loud 68 decibels—that's just 2 decibels shy of the sound of a consumer vacuum cleaner, though it’s quiet at its lower settings. At $1,400, this workhorse isn’t cheap, but it’s an investment that’s built to last.
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- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Best Air Purifier for Pet Owners Who Want a Washable Filter
Airdog Pet Air FilterThe Airdog X5 is the first washable filter air purifier I’ve tested. And while it doesn’t use a HEPA, it is California Air Resources Board Certified. CARB lists it as electronic filtration instead of a HEPA filter; that would be listed as mechanical. As I’ve written before, if an air purifier isn’t CARB-certified, don’t buy it. I tested the Airdog in a large room. I even received the limited-edition pet plate. That is exactly what it sounds like—a plate that fits over the Airdog meant for a cat to perch on. Neither of my cats took to it.
The Airdog has a responsive built-in sensor that was in sync with my other air quality monitors. And its electronic air filters, by way of their patented TPA technology, charges particles and then captures them. The best way I can describe it: Imagine that the PM 2.5 are mosquitoes and Airdog’s purifier is like an old-time mosquito zapper. It works a little like that, and if the filter gets dirty enough, it will make zap sounds. The manual mentions that it’s time to wash the filter when you hear those zaps. The prefilter collected visible debris, including cat hair. And there is something to be said about not having to buy expensive replacement filters. I hope Airdog's next pet model has a built-in cat tree.
Smart app Yes Remote Yes Ideal room size 400 sq. ft. *4 air exchanges per hour Weight 23.6 lbs Noise on high 63 dB Filter Washable Warranty 1 year - Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Best Air Purifier for Quiet Luxury
Rabbit Air A3 Ultra Quiet Air PurifierThis is the second Rabbit air purifier I’ve tested, and again I am impressed by its quiet fan. Even on its highest Turbo setting, it's quieter than other air purifiers I’ve tested at their maximum. And like the Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0 above, it doesn’t stand out as an unsightly appliance. Add to that the A3’s easy-to-remove customizable magnetic front panel and it goes from air purifier to aesthetically pleasing statement piece. If you decide to use the included wall mount hardware, the A3 can be the art your home gallery needed. I tested the A3 with the soon-to-be-released iconic Hello Kitty panel. There’s also Peanuts, along with other images like Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great Wave and van Gogh’s Starry Night, to name a few.
There’s a lot going for the A3; it has an easy-to-use control panel and RabbitAir app, air quality indicator, filter indicator light, ion generator that can be turned on and off, adjustable auto mode that can be set from low to high sensitivity, 24/7 support, and a five-year warranty. But all of this comes with a higher price tag at just under $800. The 3A also has a mood light setting. When I first turned on the MinusA3, I didn’t know why my air was going from bad to good within a minute until I realized it was a mood light feature for aesthetics. The light beams come from the top of the A3 panel. And while the cycling mood light is adjustable through the app, it was confusing. My first thought when any air purifier beams out purple: My indoor air is very unhealthy. The light sensor is easy enough to turn off, but I wish there was a light setting that could be synced up with the air quality indicator. Also, the control panel or interface at the top of the purifier turns off when you’re not touching it, and as I have yet to remember which button does what, it creates an extra step for the user.
As I mentioned, it’s quiet—an almost inaudible 22 decibels at its whisper setting. Another unique element of the 3A is the customizable filters. I was sent the new anniversary-issued, green tea infused filter, but there’s also a toxin absorber, germ defense, odor remover, and one for pet allergies. These are in addition to the pre-filter, the medium filter, the activated carbon filter, and HEPA filter. And while there is yet to be any research or scientific studies to back up the benefits and efficacy of a green tea infused filter for an air purifier, I’d like to think that the same health benefits one gets from drinking green tea could somehow transfer to breathing through a green tea filter. The RabbitAir 3A Ultra Quiet Air Purifier is a luxury, both in looks and in function. The Artist Series can do four air exchanges in a 515 square foot room, so consider using the 3A in a room about 250 square feet to run the purifier at a lower and quieter setting. It reminds me of the ultra modern Atem X (above) from IQAir, a high end purifier that looks as good as it works. I could see the 3A with Snoopy panel hanging in a child’s room, blending into the interior.
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- Photograph: Wynd
Best Air Purifier for Travel
Wynd PlusAbout the size of a water bottle, the Wynd Plus is one of the smallest air purifiers on the market. It's not a HEPA filter, but it can clean all particles greater than 0.3 microns, which includes auto emissions and most wood smoke, in about a three-foot span. It also comes with its own air-quality sensor, a microfiber traveling bag, and a small kickstand to prop it upright.
It is truly dystopian to say that this might be a useful item to keep in your go bag if you live on the West Coast. I usually bring it in the car if my family and I have to travel through wildfire smoke. It's easy to set up on the nightstand next to my two kids, and it fits perfectly in a cupholder if you have to evacuate by car. —Adrienne So
- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
If You Want a Lifetime Warranty (With a Catch)
Jaspr Pro Air PurifierI usually only review air purifiers that have been certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), but I made an exception with the Jaspr Pro Air Purifier because it’s new to market and I was interested in its lifetime warranty. Jaspr’s lifetime warranty is tethered to its JasprCare subscription service. The fine print: “With a JasprCare subscription, you're covered by our lifetime warranty. This means as long as your subscription is active, any issues with your Jaspr Pro unit are fully covered.” So, if you stop your $199 a-year-subscription, you void your warranty. And while Jaspr isn’t the first air purifier maker to offer filter subscriptions, it is one of the first to tie it into a lifetime warranty.
The Jaspr body is so seamless that I couldn’t grab onto anything when pulling this cold-rolled matte steel-covered purifier out of the box. I had the same issue when moving this 25-pound column across the room. It could use some handles and/or wheels. I’m strong, but I want to easily move appliances around my home. At over a thousand dollars, the Jaspr Pro isn’t cheap. It’s not clear if there is a warranty without buying the filter subscription. An air filter of similar price from IQAir comes with a robust 10-year warranty. Also, air purifier makers have a captive audience already with their custom filters.
And while the Jaspr has an internal air quality sensor and is promoted as a “commercial grade,” air purifier, I wish it had an app or remote for more control. I do like the simple design of the Jaspr as it does blend into the room. Jaspr’s website also has a form to purchase the purifier as part of one’s Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Accounts funds. And yes, turns out you can purchase an air purifier using your HSA/FSA funds.
Smart app No Remote No Ideal room size 400 sq. ft. *4 air exchanges per hour Weight 25 lbs Noise on high 58 dB Filter Prefilter, activated carbon, HEPA subscription Warranty Lifetime (but there’s a catch, see above)
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Photograph: AmazonHow to Shop for an Air Purifier
Which Filter is Best?How does a busy shopper find the right size purifier for a room they want to clean? The US Centers for Disease Control recommends that one should aim for five air exchanges per hour, in a metric known as the ACH. When looking at an air purifier, look at the cubic feet per minute in airflow at the lowest setting. When measuring the cubic footage of your room, you need the area of the room times the height. Imagine a one-foot cube of styrofoam. How many cubes could you fit into a room?
Anyone shopping for an air purifier also needs to look for two acronyms and terms. First, look for CARB certification, which means that the air purifier passed the rigorous standards of the California Air Resources Board. Next, check the filter type. Below, we break down the differences. Also, don’t forget to unwrap your filter! There’s a special kind of horror that comes with realizing you’ve been running your air purifier with a plastic-wrapped HEPA filter.
HEPA Filters: This is a high-efficiency particulate air filter that can remove at least 99.97 percent of dust, mold, pollen, bacteria, and airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. It's a great option for those who suffer from allergies or respiratory issues, since it can help to clear out airborne particles that can trigger symptoms—like sneezing, sore throat, difficulty breathing, coughing, and more. It's worth noting, however, that HEPA filters don't remove volatile organic compounds from the air the way activated carbon filters do. But these are typically paired with carbon filters.
Activated Carbon: Activated carbon filters (also known as activated charcoal) are highly effective because they are very porous and have a large surface area—allowing the filters to absorb gas pollutants, odors, and VOCs. They’re best for removing fumes, smoke, and chemicals from the air. But these filters have to be replaced more often depending on the environment. For example, if there’s a wildfire in your area and the air purifier is working more intensely than usual, it’s important to replace a saturated filter to avoid toxic gases from being released back into the air.
Washable Air Filters: A few of the air purifiers we've listed in this guide come with washable prefilters in addition to a HEPA and/or activated carbon filter—which is what you'll typically find. These are the most cost-effective since you don't have to buy new ones each time you need to replace a filter. Simply remove it, scrub it with soap and water, and let it dry.
UV-C Sanitizer Filters: Ultraviolet filters use UV light to kill viruses, parasites, mold spores, and bacteria. They can't remove airborne particles, VOCs, or gas pollutants, so they're only fully effective when combined with a HEPA filter. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, UV lights without proper lamp coatings have the potential to emit ozone. We recommend checking this list from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers for air purifiers that have been shown to emit little to no ozone.
Photograph: AmazonHow to Check Your Air Quality
A Note on Air Quality MonitorsMany large states and cities are required to report the local outdoor Air Quality Index, which was established by the EPA and measures the concentrations of major air pollutants, like ground ozone and carbon monoxide, that are regulated by the Clean Air Act. We like AirCare (iOS, Android), but your state or county may have even more localized apps.
To check if your indoor air quality stacks up, consumer monitors like the Temtop M10 ($90) and Airthings View Plus ($300) also measure carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity, in addition to pollutants and particulate matter. The M10 measures formaldehyde too, a noxious chemical that off-gases from common household items, such as particleboard furniture and some foam mattresses. Need more information? Check out our complete guide to checking your air quality.
