Air purifiers are becoming increasingly popular as people become more aware of the importance of air quality in their homes. With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to decide which air purifier is most effective. In this comprehensive guide, we'll discuss the features to look for in an air purifier, the best air purifier models on the market, and how to choose the right one for your needs. Ion filtration technology is not a major advantage when it comes to air purifiers, but it also doesn't produce significant ozone, as tested by the California EPA.
If you're looking for an air purifier for a medium-sized room, the Coway HEPA air purifier is one of the best options with a unique and stylish design. For those with a larger budget or who need an air purifier to cover their entire house, the Coway Airmega 400 is a great choice. This powerful device offers 1,560 square feet of air cleaning coverage and comes at a reasonable price. It's important to note that many of the best air purifier models have been in and out of stock recently due to increased demand during the pandemic and wildfires.
We've kept our recommendations published so you can use them to find the best product for you, but prices may vary depending on availability. When selecting an air purifier, I mainly considered power for price (i.e., the higher the CADR and the lower the price, the better). I also looked at additional cleaning modes, controls, design, and noise level. The best air purifier should look great in any modern home, work as desired with minimal manipulation, and clean the air thoroughly and quietly.
Most of the air purifiers listed in this guide contain something called a high-efficiency particulate absorption (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are capable of trapping particles as small as 0.3 microns with 99.97% efficiency, making them ideal for removing most indoor air pollutants such as dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, bacteria, and viruses. While an air purifier can remove many impurities from your home, it's impossible to get it 100% “pure” according to Perry. The goal is to neutralize unpleasant things in your home such as odors and airborne particles. The Levoit 400S performed best in our home tests for removing airborne particles, capturing at least 99.5% and up to 100% of particles during testing.
It also comes with a companion app that provides useful data on air quality and allows users to program and schedule the air purifier to fit their needs. Unfortunately, despite its great functionality, the VEsync application was not always reliable during our testing. The Levoit 400S operates quietly even on its more powerful setting at only 52 decibels. Sleek, quietly powerful and with an intuitive and easy-to-use intelligent interface, it's our top pick for an effective yet budget-friendly air purifier. The Coway AP-1512HH air cleaner also benefits from a built-in particle sensor that shows blue when the air is clean, purple when there's pollution, and red when there's high pollution. It also has sensors that can adjust fan speed to keep the air clean without any manual manipulation.
We especially liked its Eco Mode which turns off the air purifier when air pollution is low to save energy and money. The Coway AP-1512HH is suitable for small rooms up to 361 square feet making it ideal for bedrooms or smaller spaces. If you need something for a larger room then you may want to look elsewhere. The Dyson Purifier Cool is one of the most stylish air purifiers on the market with its unique design and magnetic remote control. Our tests found that it captured 98% of particles smaller than 0.3 microns at level 6 setting and 95% at level 10 setting. It also captured 96% of particles smaller than 2.5 microns at level 10 setting and nearly 100% of particles smaller than 10 microns at level 10 setting. The Dyson Purifier Cool's high price tag may be too expensive for some budgets but its sleek design and smart connected features make it worth considering if you're looking for an elegant yet powerful device. Our home tests found that all of these devices are effective at removing impurities from your home's air but each one has its own advantages depending on your needs.
The Coway HEPA is great for medium-sized rooms while the Coway Airmega 400 offers powerful coverage for larger spaces. The Levoit 400S is our top pick for an effective yet budget-friendly device while the Dyson Purifier Cool offers sleek design and smart connected features.
