Shopping for an Air Purifier for Home?
You are at the right place.
With viruses and infectious diseases on the rise, an air purifier is a must-have inside any home. It removes air pollutants and maintains a healthy indoor home atmosphere.
However, choosing a good air purifier for your home is not an easy task. You have to sieve the sea of air purifiers and carefully compare their features to settle on the one that meets your requirements.
To simplify your task and narrow down your choice, we have rounded up the best home air purifiers currently available on the market.
Have a look!
Why Do You Need an Air Purifier for Your Home?
Air purifiers can remove up to 99% of airborne particles circulating in your home environment. If not removed, this particulate matter can lead to various health problems like asthma and allergies.
You can use an air purifier to eliminate these issues to enjoy better indoor air, improved sleep quality, and longer life expectancy.
Here are some reasons why you need an air purifier for your home:
Relieve Symptoms of Asthma
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that about one in 12 people have asthma, and the numbers increase every year.
Common air pollutants like pet dander, pollen, and dust are believed to aggravate the condition.
An air purifier helps relieve the symptoms by capturing these particles and providing better quality air for you to breathe in.
Neutralize Unpleasant Odors
Nobody likes unpleasant odors lingering around their house.
An air purifier helps capture odor-causing particles, which eliminates the smells from the root. Whether it is pet litter, cooking smells, or off-gassing, an air purifier removes both odors and smoke from your home.
Control Airborne Diseases
Many diseases like colon cold and flu spread through minute airborne pathogens. When one family member catches a cold, it is common for the entire family to fall sick. This is because everyone breathes in the same air infected by an ill person.
A good home air purifier can help control the spread of airborne diseases by capturing the cause of the problem - airborne pathogens.
Improve Sleep
Indoor allergens such as bacteria, fungi, and dust mites greatly degrade your home’s indoor air quality, making it difficult to breathe at night, causing sleep disruptions.
Lack of adequate sleep causes daytime drowsiness, which affects your productivity the next morning.
To avoid such situations, you should try and invest in the best air cleaners for your home.
What’s In This Buying Guide
Contents of This Guide
An air purifier for the home improves indoor air quality for better sleep, controls infectious diseases, and eliminates odors.
In this buying guide, we review the best home air purifiers available on the current market. We go over their pros and cons and offer a detailed summary of their features.
Next, our shopping guide lists some features to look out for.
We discuss the different types of home air purifiers and answer common questions in the FAQ section.
And if you are specifically looking for an air purifier to eliminate mold, check out a guide about the best air purifiers for mold.
Best Home Air Purifiers
- 1Best Overall: Coway Airmega AP-2015E HEPA
- 2Runner-up: Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier
- 3Best for the Budget: LEVOIT Core 300
- 4Best for Small Spaces: Airfree T800 Filterless
- 5Best for Medium to Large Spaces: Bissell air320 Smart
Coway Airmega AP-2015E HEPA
- Best Overall
Dimensions
14.8 x 14.8 x 22.8 inchesWeight
24.7 poundsCoverage Area
Up to 1,560 sq ftFilters
Washable pre-filter + Max2 filter setWarranty
5-year manufacturer’s limited warranty
Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier
- Runner-up
Dimensions
13 x 13 x 20.4 inchesWeight
13 poundsCoverage Area
Upto 540 sq ftFilters
3-step combination particle + carbon filterWarranty
1-year warranty
LEVOIT Core 300
- Best for the Budget
Dimensions
8.7 x 8.7 x 16.25 inchesWeight
8.8 poundsCoverage Area
Up to 547 sq ftFilters
Pre-Filter, H13 True HEPA Filter, and High-Efficiency Activated Carbon FilterWarranty
2-year warranty
Airfree T800 Filterless
- Best for Small Spaces
Dimensions
6 x 6 x 14 inchesWeight
1.7 poundsCoverage Area
Up to180 sq ftFilters
Filterless, Exclusive Patented Thermodynamic TSS TechnologyWarranty
2-year warranty
Bissell air320 Smart
- Best for Medium to Large Spaces
Dimensions
8.3 x 14.75 x 25 inchesWeight
18.25 poundsCoverage Area
Up to 1000 sq ftFilters
Pre-filter, Activated carbon filter, and HEPA filterWarranty
5-year limited warranty
1. Best Overall: Coway Airmega AP-2015E HEPA
Coway AP-2015E HEPA Air Purifier is one of the best home air purifiers mainly because of its large coverage area. It can easily clean areas as big as 1,560 square feet.
The AP-2015E boasts dual-airflow. It pulls in contaminated air from both sides and blows clean air out the top. It has 5 fan modes and consumes only 64 watts of energy.
Plus, this Coway air purifier is Energy Star certified for low energy consumption.
Pros
- Dual-filtration system removes 99.97% of airborne particles
- Intelligently, effectively, and quietly cleans the air in your home
- Energy Star Certified
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Comes with Air Mega Mobile App
Cons
- Expensive
- Noisy
Our Review
The Coway AP-2015E air purifier is designed to purify large spaces. It features a boxy design with dual airflow.
The Airmega pulls low-quality air from the room and passes it through the pre-filter and the signature Max2 filter set, which combines an activated carbon filter and a true HEPA filter.
Together, these remove up to 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. These include solid particulate matter like dust and pollen, as well as gaseous odor molecules.
This Coway air cleaner is most well-known for its impressive ability to filter out more than 99% of volatile organic compounds.
The Wi-Fi connectivity feature makes the AP-2015E a smart air purifier. It comes with a compatible Air Mega Mobile app, available on Android and iOS devices.
The Coway Airmega is built with air quality monitoring, a filter indicator and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. A pollution sensor monitors your air and lets you know how clean or dirty it is in real-time.
Lastly, the brightly colored LED ring on the AP-2015E lets you know how clean or dirty your indoor air is every minute of the day.Specs
Dimensions: 14.8 x 14.8 x 22.8 inches
Weight: 24.7 pounds
Pore Size: 0.3 microns
Pre-filter: Washable
Energy Star: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Noise Level: 22~52 dB
2. Runner-up: Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier
The Blueair 211+ Air Purifier is one of the most popular products from the Blue Pure family. It features a cubic design with a 360° air intake.
The 211+ features a 3-step combination particle and a carbon filter for air cleaning. The external fabric pre-filter also helps trap large particles like dust. It boasts a simple one-button design and a 3-speed powerful fan.
Pros
- 360° air intake
- Fabric pre-filter
- Sturdy and well-built
- Low maintenance cost
- AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) Verified
Cons
- No air quality sensors
- Noisy at the highest speed
Our Review
The 211+ is a compact and lightweight model from the Swedish brand.
The device stands at only 20 inches high and boasts 360° air intake, with the air outlet on the top of the unit. This Blue Air device is extremely user-friendly, with a one-button operation for both power and speed regulation.
The Blue Air 211+ incorporates a powerful fan inside its compact body. It runs at 3 different speeds, each with a different noise level. While some users find it noisy at the highest speed, at the lowest speed, you can only hear the 211+ when you are really close and attentively listening.
The Blue Pure 211+ boasts a 3-step combined particle filter with a coconut shell activated carbon filter. A fabric pre-filter on the outside traps larger particulate matter. Together, all of these capture air pollutants up to 0.1 microns.
The fabric filter is washable, and you can also vacuum it. Plus, it comes in two colors with each device, so you can easily change its appearance by simply changing it like a cover.
Specs
Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 20.4 inches
Weight: 13 pounds
Pore Size: 0.1 microns
Pre-filter: Fabric, Available in multiple colors
Energy Star: Yes
Wi-Fi: No
Noise Level: 31-56 decibels
3. Best for the Budget: LEVOIT Core 300
If you are looking for an affordable yet reliable air purifier, the Levoit Core 300 is a good option. It features a simple yet elegant design, comes at an affordable price, and delivers impressive air cleaning performance.
The Core 300 is one of the best True HEPA Filter air purifiers that eliminates particles as small as 0.3 microns and provides cleaner and better-quality air.
Pros
- Simple and easy to use
- Highly affordable
- 360° air purification
- Operates on 3 fan speeds
- It comes with a filter change indicator
Cons
- Filter lifespan is short
- You may initially experience a burning plastic smell
Our Review
The Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier combines exceptional performance and affordability. It features a sleek and stylish design with a 360° air intake.
The entire lower portion of this Levoit device is dedicated to the air filtration system, while the top part encases the fan with the touch-sensitive control panel sitting on the top surrounded by the air outlet vent.
The filtration system of the Core 300 consists of a pre-filter, an H13 True HEPA Filter, and an activated carbon filter. The circular filter covers every air inlet surface so that none of the air passes unprocessed.
The pre-filter captures large particles like dust and pet dander. After that, the true HEPA filter removes micro-particles up to 0.3 microns.
Lastly, the carbon filter eliminates unpleasant odors and other stubborn particles, allowing only clean and fresh air to pass through.
The Levoit Core 300 is also Energy Star certified and comes with 3 fan speeds. Plus, the sleep mode ensures undisputed night sleep, and the filter replacements are quite affordable.
Specs
Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 16.25 inches
Weight: 8.8 pounds
Pre-filter: Disposable
Pore Size: 0.3 microns
Energy Star: Yes
Wi-Fi: No
Noise Level: 24-50 decibels
4. Best for Small Spaces: Airfree T800 Filterless
The Airfree T800 is the smallest and the most affordable air purifier on our list. It features a cylindrical design that allows air to enter through natural convection.
This Airfree unit uses heat to sterilize air before delivering it back into the room.
The filterless device is pretty easy to maintain as there are no filter changes involved. Plus, the Airfree T800 is also pretty easy to use.
Pros
- Low-maintenance
- Filterless
- Completely noiseless
- Portable and lightweight
- It kills bacteria and germs
Cons
- Not suitable for large areas
- Cannot actually capture particulate matter
Our Review
As you may have already guessed by its size, the Airfree T800 air purifier is designed to purify small rooms up to 180 square feet. You can place the air purifier in the center of the room, where it uses natural convection to pull the air inside.
Once inside, the device treats it at temperatures as high as 400 °F. It works on the same concept as boiling water to kill allergens and microorganisms.
This way, the T800 deals with mold, dust mites, bacteria, viruses, pollen, pet dander, and other airborne organic allergens. It then cools the sterilized air and dissipates it into the environment.
Although the Airfree T800 is not Energy Star certified, it still consumes very little energy (the max is 42 Watts).
Another good thing about the T800 is its completely silent operation. Since there is no fan incorporated into the design, it barely makes any noise while sterilizing the air to eliminate harmful pollutants. Plus, its elegant and simple design really makes it a good design element in your home.
Specs
Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 14 inches
Weight: 1.7 pounds
Pre Filter: None
Energy Star: No
Wi-Fi: No
Noise Level: Completely noiseless
5. Best for Medium to Large Spaces: Bissell air320 Smart
The Bissell air320 is a great air purifier not just because of its retro-modern design but also for its smart and reliable performance.
With its 1000 square feet area coverage, this Bissell device is great for medium to large-sized rooms and even small apartments.
It features 3-stage filtration with an external pre-filter, a HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. Plus, the air320 has a smart sensor that detects air quality in real-time and adjusts its speed accordingly.
Pros
- 3-stage air purification
- Thick honeycomb carbon filter
- Retro-modern yet minimalist design
- Smart sensor
- Removes up to 99.97% of air pollutants
Cons
- No Wi-Fi connectivity
- No timer
Our Review
The Bissell air320 Smart Air Purifier is one of the best air filters currently available on the market.
It boasts a 3-stage air filtration system consisting of an external pre-filter that captures dust and other allergens, a HEPA filter that traps particles up to 0.3 microns, and a honeycomb-structured, thick activated charcoal filter eliminates unpleasant odors.
Where most air purifiers today have a cylindrical design, the air320 has a refreshing, boxy design.
The pre-filter is the permanent fabric front panel that Bissell recommends vacuuming regularly to keep clean.
The Bissell air320 has an auto mode that senses the air quality and adjusts its speed accordingly. The light sensor shows real-time stats to let you know whether the air quality is good, moderate, or poor.
Plus, the soft-touch dial allows you to adjust the fan speed manually.
Specs
Dimensions: 8.3 x 14.75 x 25 inches
Weight: 18.25 pounds
Pre-filter: Washable
Pore Size: 0.3 micron
Energy Star: No
Wi-Fi: No
Noise Level: 39-57 decibelsHome Air Purifier: Buying Guide
Why Buy a Home Air Purifier?
Air purifiers refresh stale air and reduce the risk of health problems due to indoor pollutants.
These airborne particles can trigger respiratory infections and neurological problems or even aggravate symptoms in asthma patients, so the best air purifier for home becomes a must-have.
You should buy a home air purifier because:
Keep Allergies Under Check
Allergens such as dust mites and pollen can cause severe respiratory issues. Allergic individuals can experience symptoms varying from runny noses and eyes to difficulty in breathing.
With an air purifier, you can keep these allergens under control. It captures and removes them from the indoor air before they get the chance to cause problems.
Eliminate Harmful Chemicals
An air purifier helps eliminate harmful elements present indoors. Whether these elements make their way in from the outside or are toxins from household cleaners, they can be very harmful.
Chemicals like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide can cause serious health issues like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Air purifiers cleanse your air from such toxins and allow you to breathe in fresher, better-quality air.
Protect You from Second-and Smoke
Even when you are not a smoker yourself, if you live near a smoker, second-hand smoke can have serious harmful effects on your body.
You should buy a home air purifier to protect yourself from its ill effects. It absorbs toxic smoke particles to keep you safe and healthy.
Types of Whole House Air Purifiers
The most efficient way to filter household air is through your home’s forced-air heating or central air-conditioning system.
Such devices are known as whole-house air purifiers and are filtered or filterless in nature. You can build one into the return-air ductwork of your house, where it traps the airborne particles as it passes through.
There are 4 types of whole-house purifiers.
Flat Filters
Flat filter whole-house air purifiers use a single flat filter to filter the air passing through them. They are the kind you get in your whole-house furnace. They have a very short lifetime.
When a flat filter clogs with dust, it stops working and needs replacing. You might even find yourself changing it at least once every month.
Extended Media Filters
If you’re familiar with furnace filters, picture a stack of those about 8 inches thick, and you’ll understand what an extended media filter is.
These whole-house air purifiers are boxy units consisting of an accordion-like pile of filtration media. The extra-thick material makes them more effective than regular fiberglass furnace filters.
Electronic Filters
Electronic filters are also known as electrostatic precipitators. These high-tech devices are incorporated into the ductwork of your HVAC.
When air passes through, a high-voltage current puts an electrical charge on particles. The charged plates located on the opposite end of the device collect these charged particles and prevent them from making their way into your home environment.
Unlike media filters, electronic filters never need replacing, but you must clean the aluminum collector plates with soapy water every few months.
Ultraviolet Filters
Ultraviolet whole-house air purifiers are a great choice for people concerned about germs and other microbes.
UV filters are usually sold as add-ons to whole-house electronic precipitators.
As the air passes through these, the UV light kills the harmful viruses and bacteria to purify the air.
Features to Consider: Home Air Purifier
Before investing your hard-earned money into the best air cleaners for home, it’s crucial to check certain factors. You might want to consider its ACH and CADR ratings as well as the number of filtration stages.
To reap the maximum benefits from your new home air purifier, consider the following factors:
Smart Sensors
A smart sensor in an air purifier helps you keep track of the air quality in your home. These sensors detect airborne particles such as smoke, VOCs, dust, PM1.5, PM2.5, and PM10. They monitor the air quality in real-time and let you adjust the speed of the device accordingly.
When shopping for a home air purifier, you should look for a device with built-in smart sensors. These really add to the convenience and overall usability of the unit.
Light Sensor
While some air purifiers relay real-time air quality stats directly to your smartphone, others use light sensors to inform you about indoor air quality. These are often integrated as a design element into the device that changes colors as the air quality improves or drops.
Keeping this aspect in mind while searching for a new air purifier will help you find one that is both user-friendly and reliable.
Sleep Mode
An air purifier turns off all the display lights in sleep mode and operates at the lowest noise level. If you are a light sleeper, this feature is essential.
An air purifier with bright lights and loud noise is bound to disrupt your sleep. So, it’s better that you look for a unit with a sleep mode that ensures a good night’s sleep.
Smart Wi-Fi Connectivity
An air purifier with smart Wi-Fi connectivity connects to your home Wi-Fi system and uses it to send real-time air quality statistics and other information directly to your smartphone.
You can also use the feature to control the device remotely.
Filter Replacement Indicators
Filter indicators measure the device’s performance and tell you when the filter needs to be changed. They are often incorporated into air purifiers as an LED light that turns on when the filter is clogged and unable to collect any more particles.
This is a useful feature that eliminates guesswork and gives you a concrete time frame after which you need to change the filtration medium. Of course, the time varies depending upon the air quality.
Odor Filtration
Odor removal is an essential aspect of an air purifier for the home. For this purpose, different models use activated carbon filters that absorb stubborn odor particles within their porous surfaces.
When looking at the different air purifiers, make sure to choose one with an activated carbon filter. Such a device will remove not only solid airborne particles but also filter odor-causing gaseous molecules to deliver higher quality, odorless air around your home.
Pros and Cons of Using Air Purifiers for Home
Some manufacturers claim that their air purifiers help you breathe better, improve your sleep, and even increase your life expectancy.
While that may be true, air purifiers have a few drawbacks too.
Here are some pros and cons of using air purifiers for a home to help you decide for yourself:
Pros
Cons
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Leave My Air Purifier on All Day?
Since air pollution is a pervasive and continuous problem, it’s best to leave your air purifier on all day. There are no side effects to running one round the clock – except, of course, the energy bills.
But if you choose an energy-efficient unit, that also won’t be a problem. You can keep it on even if you are not at home or overnight as you sleep.
Do Air Purifiers Consume a Lot of Electricity?
Air purifiers are designed to be energy-friendly devices. Most of the power they draw is consumed to run the fan that pulls the air. On average, a medium-sized air purifier consumes about 50 watts of energy.
Even if you run it all the time, an energy-efficient air purifier won’t tremendously affect your energy bills.
Can Air Purifiers Get Rid of Smells?
While the primary function of an air purifier is to reduce indoor air pollution, the models manufactured these days are also apt at eliminating unwanted smells.
They use activated carbon filtration to capture stubborn odor molecules to get rid of smells lingering around your home.
How Long Do Air Purifiers Take to Purify a Room?
An air purifier can easily purify most of the air in the room within the first 45 minutes to 3 hours of its operation. However, this greatly depends upon the size of the room, its air quality, as well as the clean air delivery rate (CADR) of the air purifier.
The higher the CADR, the less time it will take to purify the room.
Do Air Purifiers Protect From Coronavirus?
Although an air purifier is highly efficient at removing airborne contaminants and viruses from any confined space, it alone is not enough to protect you from Coronavirus.
But if you use it along with the other best practices recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it can play its part in protecting both you and your family.
Final Verdict: What Is the Best Home Air Purifier Sold Today?
An air purifier for home lets you maintain a healthy home atmosphere. It keeps air pollution at bay and allows you to breathe easily.
After carefully inspecting the different air purifiers, we believe that the Coway AP-2015E HEPA Air Purifier is the best home air purifier. It is easy to use and uses dual-airflow to purify indoor air quickly and effectively.
However, if you want a more affordable unit, go for the LEVOIT Core 300 Air Purifier. It is cost effective and highly functional and delivers reliable performance.
Lastly, Bissell air320 Smart Air Purifier is a versatile unit that works for both small and large spaces. It is also very easy to use and delivers exceptional performance every single time.
