The Best Overall IQ Air Atem X The 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. Best Air Purifier for Small Rooms Coway Airmega 200M For 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 Best Air Purifier for Dorm Rooms Shark NeverChange Air Purifier Max The Shark NeverChange Air Purifier Max might be the ideal back-to-school essential. Standing at just under 2 feet tall, the NerverChange Max can be placed as close as 3 inches from a wall, making it a good fit for crowded spaces. It also has an air exchange of nearly five times per hour in a 216-foot space.
The Max has a HEPA filter to capture fine particles in the air along with an activated carbon filter to trap odors and gasses, as well as Shark's own “Odor Neutralizer Technology”—a small cartridge that's filled with an Ocean Breeze “fragrance pod.” It looked like solid perfume, but the scent reminded me more of an interstate service area than the beach. When I moved the Max next to my cats’ litter box and turned it on to the highest setting, it rid the room of any cat odor in less than a minute.
It works. And like the essential oil tray I used with the Homedics Smart Air Purifier below, the odor neutralizer didn’t impact the indoor air quality. Still, I would skip the fragrance pod, as I didn’t care for the scent.
The Max touts that its owner can save $300 in filter costs in the first five years, as Shark's filter lasts 10 times longer than some other filters. Reading the fine print, this is only true when the Max is used in 300-square-foot room. The Max also uses Shark’s own Clean Sense IQ air confidence system.
The front display shows Shark’s own score for 85–100 percent inside a blue ring denoting that the air is good, 70–84 percent to signify fair air in a yellow, and 0–69 percent inside a red glowing ring for poor air. I’ve written about bespoke air scores in air monitors , and I have the same issue here with Shark’s air quality grades. Also, the Max is only sensing for PM 10, PM 2.
5, and PM 1; it’s not making a composite score out of humidity, temperature, or VOCs. The Max isn’t smart-home compatible, nor does it have an app or remote control. And at nearly $300, the Max only has a two-year warranty.
Still, because of its easy setup, low maintenance, ability to operate so close to the wall, and possibly useful odor neutralizer technology, it’s perfect for a dorm room. Best Cost-to-Benefit Ratio Coway Airmega Mighty The 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. Best Air Purifier With Ionizer AirDoctor Smart 2000i The AirDoctor 2000i has an electronic ionizer, which charges particles to make them easier to capture. While ionizers produce ozone, the amount is so small that they are still CARB-certified .
I generally try to avoid ozone generators in my home. The AirDoctor, however, also has HEPA and carbon gas air filters. The smaller AirDoctor has a sensor and a light on the control panel that shines green for good air, yellow for moderate, and red for bad air.
At night, I turned on Sleep Mode, but for the AirDoctor, that just turned off its display light, as I later learned when I woke up at 1:40 am to the AirDoctor blasting at the highest setting. If you turn it to its most powerful setting but need to switch it to Sleep Mode to get a good night's sleep, it might not clean your bedroom as effectively at night. Still, the AirDoctor is an excellent choice for the other rooms in my home.
Best Overall for PM 2.5 and Gases AirDoctor Smart 5500i The 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. A Tabletop Air Purifier Clorox Tabletop True HEPA Air Purifier This air purifier from Clorox isn't the prettiest, but it makes for an excellent desk or nightstand companion. I've been using it as the latter—thanks to the built-in adjustable nightlight and whisper-quiet setting, it doesn't disrupt my sleep.
It has three speeds (low, medium, and high) and an optional timer with three settings (two hours, four hours, and eight hours). It's easy to operate with responsive touch controls. Given its compact size, the Tabletop is best for small spaces.
The 360-degree HEPA filter cleans rooms up to five times per hour when placed in an 80-square-foot room and two times an hour in a room up to 200 square feet. It also captures 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.
1 microns, while the prefilter captures larger particles. When it’s time to replace the filter, you’ll see the Check Filter Light alert glow red. Clorox has a version that connects to Alexa , which lets you use your existing Alexa speaker to turn the purifier on or off, change settings, or check the filter life.
—Brenda Stolyar Best Air Purifier for Blending in With the Room BioGS 2.0 The 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.
If You Like an Industrial Vibe Coway Airmega 250 Any 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 An Option for Scented Air HoMedics Smart Air Purifier T200 I was skeptical when I opened the box for Homedics Smart Air Purifier T200. How could an air purifier have a tray for essential oils? I wanted to see if using it would impact my indoor air quality. I put the air purifier in the same room as my IQAir’s Visual Pro monitor.
Would using five drops—as per the Homedics instructions—of geranium essential oils negatively impact my indoor air? I was relieved to see my quality improve as I ran the purifier—that’s exactly what an air purifier should do. One issue is that I have a dog and two cats, and essential oils can be a danger to pets . As the Homedics user manual suggests, when using essential oils in the Homedics Smart Air Purifier T200, it should be in a well-ventilated space.
This manufacturer warning can be impossible for some homes or if the outdoor quality is bad, and while I liked the novelty of turning my sons’ bedroom into geranium-scented space, I didn’t leave it on long as I was concerned about the impact on my pets’ health. The Homedics Smart Air Purifier T200 sells for $250 and has a three-year warranty and a compatible app, and it links to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It’s also loud at its highest setting— 60 decibels —around the same as a sewing machine.
It has a UV-C light that has shown the ability to deactivate viruses and bacteria in studies, along with HEPA and an activated carbon odor filter for VOCs. It can clean a 324-square-foot room. I liked the cylinder design and the wooden legs, and it's an excellent option for those who love sweet-smelling good air.
A Wireless Charger and Air Purifier Combo Coway Airmega IconS Coway 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 Best Air Purifier for Those Who Also Need a Fan Dyson Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 This 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. ★ 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. It’s the fan I use in my 11-year-old’s bedroom, as I like that the fan and purifier can operate independently of each other. —Kat Merck Best Air Purifier for Near or In the Kitchen IQAir GCX I’ve been using the IQAir GC for the past five years and was excited to give the newer air-sensor and app-enabled IQAir GCX 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 GCX 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 GCX easy to use.
I used to have to manually control the fan speed on my older GC, but in auto setting, the GCX 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 GCX 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 GCX 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 GCX 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 $2,300, this workhorse isn’t cheap, but it’s an investment that’s built to last. Best Air Purifier for Pets Shark NeverChange Air Purifier A lot of what was true for the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier Max is true for the line’s smaller NeverChange.
Standing at just under 15 inches tall, the NerverChange can be placed as close as 3 inches from a wall, making it ideal for tight spaces. It has an air exchange of nearly five times per hour in a 130-square-foot space. And while I couldn’t find a seal from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, or AHAM, on the NerverChange, it meets the standards for measuring the clean air delivery rate, or CADR, for a room that size, like a bathroom or laundry room.
And it’s in those rooms that cat owners often tuck away their odor-causing litter boxes. And like the Max, the NeverChange uses a HEPA filter to capture fine particles along with an activated carbon filter to trap odors and gasses. I tested the matte black finish that didn’t collect pet hair and was impervious to fingerprints.
The NeverChange also has “Odor Neutralizer Technology,” a small cartridge that is filled with a “fragrance pod.” I placed the NeverChange in my bathroom along with my cats’ litter box. I turned both the air purifier and the neutralizer cartridge knob to the highest setting.
Within a minute there was no longer any foul cat box odor. It works. And like the essential oil tray I used with the Homedics Smart Air Purifier, above, the odor neutralizer didn’t impact the indoor air quality.
Still, I would skip the fragrance pod as I didn’t care for the scent. Also, adding an air freshener to mask odors, especially when I don’t know what is in the fragrance pod, is antithetical to my indoor air quality values. In the Shark’s Important Safety Instructions, there is a warning: “Do not directly inhale from the Odor Neutralizer Technology cartridge.
” Though if you need to neutralize unpleasant odors, the NeverChange is effective. Like the Max, NeverChange touts the same cost savings in only replacing the filter every five years. In the fine print, those savings are only true when the NeverChange is used in 135-square-foot room, again the size of a large bathroom or laundry room.
The front display shows Shark’s own Clean Sense IQ air confidence score system that I explain in the Max review above. The NeverChange isn’t smart home compatible, nor does it have an app or remote control. And though it's under $200, the NeverChange only has a two-year warranty.
Still, because of its small size, its ability to operate so close to the wall, and the possibility of useful odor-neutralizer technology, I would recommend it to all my fellow cat ladies and cat gentlemen. Best Air Purifier for Quiet Luxury Rabbit Air A3 Ultra Quiet Air Purifier This 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.
Best Air Purifier for Travel Wynd Plus About 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 How 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.
How to Check Your Air Quality A Note on Air Quality Monitors Many 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..
