The 12 Best Air Purifiers for Home Use

You wouldn’t expect a budget-friendly purifying system to be able to hold its own against systems such as the Honeywell 50250-S in terms of how well it can clean air, but this one certainly does. Its three-stage cleaning system can compete with those of some of the most expensive purifiers on this list. It’s effective against airborne allergens, odors, and germs.

The first stage of this system, the carbon pre-filter, is located at the back of the unit and has two major purposes. The actual filter part catches large particles, such as hair and clumps of dust. The charcoal/carbon added to this filter will trap and neutralize odors so that the air blowing out the front of the unit will have absolutely no scent at all.

Next, the true HEPA filter removes particles as small as 0.3 microns with a success rate of 99.97%, which is performance equal to that of filters used in most laboratories.

As the air moves through the unit, a special UV light, supplemented with anti-microbial titanium dioxide, kills any germs floating around in the air.

Effectiveness and Efficiency

In the world of air cleaners, effectiveness refers to how well the unit can remove multiple types of irritant, specifically allergens, odors, germs, and toxins. Though it lacks a little in its ability to handle toxins, this purifier’s three-stage system definitely handles the other three elements with ease. If you don’t smoke in your home and use all-natural cleaners, the part about toxins shouldn’t matter to you, anyway.

Efficiency is a measure of how quickly a purifier can clean the air in a room. Though the company does not offer information about how many cubic feet of air the system can process per minute or how many times it circulates the air in a room per hour, it does disclose an overall CADR rating of over 100 when the system is used in mid-sized rooms.

Generally speaking, any CADR rating over 100 is considered good. Though this system isn’t as powerful as the Honeywell 50250-S with its 200+ rating, or the even larger Whirlpool Whispure AP51030K which is rated at over 300, it also comes at a fraction of the price.

Other Notable Features

This machine’s tower-style means that it is slim enough to slide into the corner of a room, or even between two pieces of furniture. It is important to remember, though, that you shouldn’t place it against a wall, since it draws air in through its back panel.

A simple button and a dial allow you to control this entire system with ease. The button allows you to turn the UV light on and off as you wish. The dial lets you turn the whole system on and off or select a particular fan speed.

At first glance, the specs for this unit’s filtration system may not knock your socks off, but everything really depends on what you’ll expect from it. Though this system has a general CADR rating of only 70, a high rating (from 100 to 300) only becomes important in mid-sized to large rooms. Since this unit is made for small rooms, the 70 CADR rating is perfectly adequate.

The level of cleaning you receive from this machine’s filter, though, will depend on which filter you select. Unlike most of the other models we’ve reviewed, this one gives you options when it comes to this. You can select a HEPA-type filter, a true HEPA filter, or a charcoal/carbon filter. The obvious choice (if you ask me) is the true HEPA filter. Though it may be more expensive than the HEPA-type option and will not remove odors like the charcoal filter, it will provide you with the most allergen-free air.

The only other purifier here that allows you to select among multiple filters is the Alen BreatheSmart (which is more than 12 times the price of this unit and built for larger rooms).

The Ionizer

Just above, I talked about how the CADR rating of 70 was ‘adequate.’ I’m sure you are wondering how on Earth I chose to label this purifier as the ‘Best for Small Spaces’ if its cleaning ability was only ‘adequate’. This is where the ionizer comes in.

Though the overall effectiveness of your filter will depend on which one you choose, the fact will always remain that your filter will be best for catching mid-sized to large particles in the air and will only capture some germs, not all. Most of the time, filters (true HEPA, HEPA-type, or otherwise) do little in the way of germs and absolutely nothing in the way of gasses, fumes, and other airborne toxins.

Though the filter will not handle these irritants and pollutants, the ionizer will. By creating an electrical charge inside the machine, the ionizer will create negative ions which will attach to positively charged particles to create dense dirt particles that can no longer float freely through the air – effectively making them fall on the ground.

Other Considerations

This small unit is meant to be placed on a shelf, countertop, or desk. It will take up hardly any space but will make a huge difference in the air quality of any small room. It features three fan settings so that you can adjust its circulation rate based on the current air quality in your room.

Unfortunately, you will have to keep track of that quality yourself based on the scents in the room or a guess at which germs and chemicals are present in the air, because this system doesn’t have air quality sensors like the Winix 5500-2 or the Alen BreatheSmart. That being said, it is also much smaller, simpler, and more affordable than those machines.

Though it isn’t exactly top of the line, this air purifier isn’t anywhere near the bottom either. In fact, it’s perfect for people who want something in the mid-range of both quality and price. As you will see, the reviews on this page talk a lot about multiple-stage air cleaning systems. The number of stages can be important in the overall function of the purifier, but so too can their types. This purifier has a two-stage system made up of an activated carbon pre-filter and a true HEPA filter.

The Filters

The pre-filter acts as a catchall for large pieces of debris such as hair and bits of other things. Basically, it catches the kinds of things you normally sweep up in your dust pan. The activated carbon built into the pre-filter manages to snag odor-causing particles, removing virtually all scent and some toxins from the air as it moves through the machine.

A true HEPA filter is among the best filters out there at this time. There is little debate about the effectiveness and reliability of this type of filter. In fact, many hospitals have HEPA filters built into their HVAC systems to keep the air as sterile as possible. Unlike the less-effective HEPA-type filters found in purifiers such as the IQAIR HealthPro Plus and GermGuardian AC4100, the true HEPA filter in this unit will catch up to 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. It will also effectively trap a similar percentage of germs that are similar in size.

Unfortunately, though the HEPA can catch some germs, this purifier isn’t made to kill them or to neutralize potential environmental toxins such as the fumes from chemical cleaners. However, if you are a heavy user of disinfectants and use all-natural cleaners, you might not need a system with these capabilities.

Topping everything off is the fact that this unit will circulate air as many as 5 times per hour in a large room of approximately 21 by 22 feet.

Notable Features

There is much more to this machine than simply how well it can clean air. Though that is, arguably, the most important element in our discussion, I also want to take some time to talk about other features and functions you may find interesting.

Let’s begin with the shape and size of this machine. Though it is quite long, it is also quite slim, which means it can fit into many more spaces than round units such as the Honeywell 50250-S.

Since this unit uses its top and front panels to circulate air, you can place it against a wall without worrying that this will disrupt its ability to do its job.

And, although this unit is made for mid-sized to large rooms, it is nice to know you can tuck it away against a wall whenever convenient. Other convenient aspects you will be getting are: a simple control panel, 3 fan speeds plus a turbo setting, and a timer so it will turn off after two, four or eight hours.

I truly think that looks shouldn’t matter much when it comes to any sort of appliance. What should matter, first and foremost, is function. That being said, I am already very confident in this purifier’s ability to perform its basic duties as an air cleaner. The fact that it has been designed to blend in with any contemporary (or even early-modern) space is merely a bonus.

For Small, Stylish Spaces

There are many stylish air purifiers on the market today, most of which depend on their appearance for sales, but only two stylish options managed to make it into our top picks – this one and the Alen BreatheSmart. The Breathesmart isn’t much direct competition, though, because it is meant for mid-sized to large rooms, whereas this one is built specifically for small rooms.

Measuring only 11 inches in height, you can easily place this purifier atop a side table, desk, or even a shelf. It will take up very little space and may even fool your guests into thinking it’s a stereo speaker. Since it pulls air in through its back panel, you will want to make sure not to place it too close to a wall or the back of a shelving unit.

Three Stages and Speeds of Cleaning

Simply stating that any purifier has three stages of cleaning doesn’t necessarily tell you how well and in what ways it cleans your air. As you will see in the other reviews on this page, there are many ways to clean air, and there are many different combinations of air cleaning systems. This particular purifier uses a charcoal/carbon pre-filter, a HEPA-type filter, and a UV-C light.

Like all pre-filters, this one is designed to catch relatively large things floating around in the air – most notably, human and pet hair. The charcoal (also referred to as carbon) added to the filter acts as an odor killer and even manages to neutralize some (but not nearly all) chemical pollutants in the air.

What may stand out to you most in this description is the phrase HEPA-type. It important that you know that any HEPA-type filter is not quite as effective as a true HEPA filter – instead of catching 99.97% of airborne particles, this filter will only catch about 99%. That’s still a pretty high number, if you ask me.

Being without the HEPA-type filter isn’t so bad when you consider that this unit also includes a UV-C light. The ultraviolet rays from that light will act as a powerful defense against germs that household disinfectants can’t get to, such as airborne bacteria and viruses. Though this technology is not 100% reliable, it is believed to offer significantly more protection than any HEPA-type or even true HEPA filter can on its own.

This unit has incredible ratings for its clean air delivery rate (CADR) and circulation. But, before I get into the discussion about the actual ratings this purifier has received, I want to give you a quick rundown of the cleaning systems involved here and how this all works. I won’t go into too much detail about each of these systems because I’ve already talked about them a great deal in the other reviews and have included even more detailed information in the Buying Guide at the bottom of this page.

Two Stages, Three Systems

This is a 2-stage system, but it really has three ways in which it cleans your air.

The first stage combines two cleaning elements – a pre-filter and activated carbon. The pre-filter grabs all the large things floating around in the air while the carbon nullifies many household odors.

The second stage is the true HEPA filter which eliminates 99.97% of allergens 0.3 microns or larger. This means it will effectively remove most pet dander, pollen, and dust from the air. It will even capture some germs, though I wouldn’t recommend relying on it in cold and flu season. If you’re concerned about bacteria and viruses, the Fellowes Aeramax 300, GermGuardian AC4825, or Holmes HAP242-NC may be more to your liking.

High Ratings All Around

Let’s move on to the ratings. This unit has a 250 CADR rating for smoke, dust, and pollen. Without getting into too much detail here, I will just let you know that any CADR rating of 100 or more is considered good and higher numbers are always better. The highest CADR rating we have on this website is for the Whirlpool Whispure AP51030K (which has ratings of 290 to 335), though it’s rarely necessary for a unit to be quite that efficient. A rating of 250 is considered quite excellent.

The air circulation rates associated with this unit are also outstanding. On what I can only assume would be its highest speed setting, this unit can completely circulate the air in small rooms (den or bathroom size) 23 times per hour.

For a medium room (bedroom or single-car garage size) it will complete approximately 12 circulations per hour.

Since this system can even be used in large spaces (such as an open-concept living room, dining room, and kitchen), it’s helpful to know that it can circulate air in that type of room about 5 times per hour.

Though I will certainly delve into a deep discussion about this unit’s impressive special features, I want to begin by discussing its general function, since that is equally remarkable. In fact, this came close to receiving a special title on this page, simply because it is so impressive, all around.

Full Function

As air enters through the front of this machine, it first travels through an activated carbon pre-filter which catches large particles (such as hair) and neutralizes most household odors. The air then moves through the true HEPA filter which captures 99.97% of airborne particles such as pet dander, pollen, and dust.

Though I love the fact that this unit incorporates a true HEPA filter, my favorite function of this cleaning system is its PlasmaWave. Also found in other units such as the Fellowes Aeramax 300 and the Winix 9500, PlasmaWave technology eliminates stubborn odors, neutralizes many chemical fumes, and kills germs. Making it even more impressive, it does all of this without creating potentially-harmful ozone the way ionizers do.

Bells and Whistles

What really makes this unit stand out from the rest are its many features. If you are looking for something with all the bells and whistles, you have certainly come to the right place.

My favorite feature is the smart sensor. A built-in sensor will detect the quality of the air in the room and will notify you of the current air quality by altering the color used to light up its indicator bar. What’s more, it will not only tell you the quality of your air, it will also use that information to adjust its settings if you turn the system to “auto” mode. In addition to auto-mode, you can also set this purifier to ‘sleep’ mode, which will allow it to run in an ultra-quiet, subdued capacity so as not to disturb you at night.

An elegant, backlit LED touch display allows you to adjust the mode or function of the unit, turn the entire system on or off, turn the PlasmaWave on and off, adjust the timer, monitor the cleanliness of the filter, and dim the LED lights to a softer glow.

I want to discuss the quality of this purifier first so you can see that it has been included on this website because it is a great machine, not simply because it is stylish.

First, it has four different HEPA-type filters you can choose from, each engineered for a specific purpose. Whether your main air quality complaint is about pesky odors, chemical fumes (from cleaning solutions, paint, or cigarettes), mold and germs, or common allergens, you can be certain one of the available filters will meet your needs.

Though none of the available filters are true HEPA filters, what they lack regarding their effectiveness is made up for by the built-in ionizer. By changing the electrical charge of particles as they move through the system, the ionizer stops them from floating, helping to catch those that managed to sneak through the filtration system.

Sleek and Stylish

We cannot discuss this machine without acknowledging how fantastically customizable it is. You can choose among 16 different styles of front panels. From brushed bronze to maple wood; from stainless steel or seafoam green – the options are nearly endless and there is certainly something here to fit any style preferences you may have.

The stylishness of this unit deserves such praise because it is quite uncommon in the air purifier world. Any similarly-stylish units are usually below the standard of quality we aim to bring you here, which is what makes this one stand out so much. In fact, the only other truly stylish option we have deemed worthy of bringing to your attention is the GermGuardian AC4100, but that one isn’t customizable at all and is built for smaller rooms.

Even More to Talk About

A highly effective system with stylish decor-matching options is wonderful enough all on its own, but the Alen company also added a handful of special features that make your life a little bit easier.

A built-in sensor system detects the quality of the air in the immediate vicinity. This information is relayed to you through a color-changing ring around the on/off button. This information is also relayed to the machine’s internal computer system.
When set to ‘auto’ the system will use this information to turn itself on and off.

Other impressive features include the ability to handle rooms of up to 1100 square feet, flow rates of up to 286 CFM, four-speed fan, timer, sleep mode, LED light dimmer.

So far, we’ve talked about 2-stage cleaning systems, 3-stage cleaning systems, and even some 3-stage systems which really include 4 different cleaning abilities (such as the GermGuardian AC4824) thanks to pre-filters with built-in carbon. Welcome to the first (and only) 3-stage air cleaning system on this list with 5 ways of cleaning.

A Quintuple Threat

The entire process begins with the carbon pre-filter. As you should know by now from our other reviews, infusing carbon into the pre-filter allows this stage of cleaning to catch large particles while simultaneously removing odors.

After the air passes through this section, it moves into the true HEPA filter, which is notable for stopping 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns or larger dead in their tracks. The HEPA filter has been coated with another important air cleaning tool – an antimicrobial agent. This special coating kills germs. Since many small germs are known to be able to escape a HEPA filter, this extra protection ensures any which even so much as touch the filter will be killed.

While inside the unit, air also passes through a plasma wave which instantly destroys most, if not all, remaining germs and chemical pollutants. That’s five total ways your air is stripped of its impurities and returned to you so you can breathe easily and safely in your home.

Important Extras

I used up most of this review simply outlining the 5 ways this machine cleans your air, mostly because I know how important those 5 elements are. In fact, they are what sets this unit apart from all of the others on this list. However, there are still many other reasons that make this a great purifier.

First, it has received an Energy Star rating, which means that it won’t use very much electricity. This makes it easy on your household bills as well as the environment.

Four fan speeds allow you to customize the performance of this machine according to the air quality in the room at the time or the activities you are pursuing (turn it down when you watch television or sleep so you can rest without extra noise). You can also monitor the air quality via the color-changing light connected to the special built-in sensors.

You should know that this particular unit is best for medium to large rooms, but you can also purchase this very model in a smaller size, perfect for smaller rooms. Choose from a completely black casing or a white and black one, depending on your own style.

One quick glance at this purifier and you are bound to think it’s something out of the late 1980s or early 1990s. In fact, many of you would pass over it on a shelf and carry on to a different one, simply because of its outdated look. Let me assure you that it most certainly is not obsolete: everything it lacks in style, it makes up for in performance.

Looks Can be Deceiving

Let’s begin by discussing its CADR ratings. If you aren’t familiar with what those are, I’ll quickly tell you that they are a basic measurement of how quickly the unit is able to return clean air to the room. Any CADR rating over 100 is considered good, and higher numbers are even better.

This unit’s CADR ratings are 335 for smoke and dust and 290 for pollen. Let me put this into perspective quickly – even our top choice for ‘Large Rooms,’ the Fellowes AeraMax 300, only has CADR ratings between 188 and 196.

Great for Small and Mid-Sized Rooms

The company suggests using this purifier only in small to mid-sized rooms because its fan simply isn’t strong enough to suck air from a large room and force it back through efficiently. That being said, most people servicing small rooms prefer purifiers which are built specifically for small rooms, because they are less intrusive and use less electricity.

What makes it even better for small and mid-sized rooms is that the air filters in through the front panel and out through the top of the unit, so you don’t have to worry about placing its back against a wall. You can easily tuck it out of the way when guests stop by.

Advertised as able to effectively clean air in rooms as large as 1125 square feet, this oversized air purifier certainly looks as though it can handle the task. I’m sure you are wondering if it truly can and, if so, how. We’ll get there, but first let’s consider how large an 1125 square foot room actually is so you can be certain that this is even the kind of purifier you’re looking for.

Built for Big Rooms

An 1125 square foot room is equal to about any of the following dimensions: 33.5 feet by 33.5 feet; 50 feet by 22.5 feet; 40 feet by 28 feet. Of course, there are many more combinations of lengths and widths which would equal a size as substantial as 1125 square feet, but I think you are getting the picture of just how large that space would be. For comparison’s sake, let me tell you that our second-largest option is the Fellowes AeraMax 300.

How it Does it

Let’s move on to exactly how it accomplishes this task. First, a very powerful fan system allows this purifier to pull air in from the furthest reaches of a room. Fans cannot do all the work, though. Cleaning the air in a room so large also requires special filtration systems. Typical filters are too small – they would have to be replaced much more often than the recommended 3 to 6 months.

This purifier’s specially-designed filters are much larger than any typical filter. For example, the Hyper-HEPA filter (a HEPA-type filter that catches up to 99.5 percent of particles as small as 0.003μm in diameter) is at least three times as thick as a regular HEPA filter.

The same can be said for the pre-filter. The specially-designed VC-cell filter, built to remove gas and odor from the air, folds in on itself in a zig-zag pattern, pulling air through a larger total surface area than a typical flat filter.

Obviously, housing all of these special filters makes this quite a large and heavy piece of machinery. To make things simpler for you, however, the company has built caster wheels onto the bottom so that you can roll it easily to any location in the room.

I’m happy to say that I can hold this purifier to the same standard as our top choice for ‘Large Rooms’, the Fellowes AeraMax 300. This is a very impressive machine with a lot in common with the Fellowes, with only two major differences. The difference is that the Fellowes is built for a larger room (we’ll discuss the other difference a little later). Where this purifier maxes out at 286 square feet, the Fellowes begins at 300 and maxes out around 600 square feet.

Outstanding Cleaning Abilities

A pre-filter, carbon filter, true HEPA filter, anti-bacterial treatment, and plasma wave all come together to create what is, in my opinion, an incredible five-pronged attack on odor, pollutants, contaminants, germs, and allergens.

The pre-filter grabs all of the large debris flying around in the air, and then the separate carbon filter absorbs pesky household odors.

Next, the true HEPA filter captures up to 99.97% of airborne allergens while killing off some germs with its antibacterial coating.

To finish things off, the plasma wave annihilates almost all of the remaining contaminants and pollutants, from germs to many chemical agents.

Advanced Features

Aside from capacity, this machine differs from the Fellowes in its number of special features. Though the Fellowes AeraMax has sufficient features, the Winix 9500 promises to make your life as easy as possible with its various settings, modes, and notifications.

Built-in sensors detect the quality if the air in your room so that your ‘auto’ mode can adjust your settings and turn the system on and off according to what it “smells”. The display panel will also inform you about this at a glance.

Other notable features include a filter replacement notification light, a timer (preset to one, four or eight hours), a touch display with plenty of information on it, a dimmer button for the panel, a remote control, four fan speeds, and sleep mode.

There’s no need for me sugar-coat anything here or to beat around the bush. I will just tell you right now that this is the only filter on this list that does not include some sort of HEPA-style filtration system. Instead, it uses only a carbon pre-filter and an ionizer. I’m sure you are wondering how much of a difference that makes, and I am happy to fill you in.

It’s About Germs

Fine filters, such as true HEPA and HEPA-type filters, are what catch most of the airborne allergens floating through the air. Though a pre-filter will grab many of the larger things (like hair and clumped dust particles), it will miss smaller particles (such as pollen, pet dander, and single dust motes). Now, I am sure you are wondering if the ionizer is capable of doing something about those smaller particles, but the unfortunate answer is ‘sort of’.

An ionizer changes the electrical charge of floating particles (including allergens), which cause them to become heavy and unable to float. This weighting traps some particles inside the machine and causes others to fall to the ground in your room so you can easily vacuum them up.

However, due to the electrical makeup of many allergens, this doesn’t really have much of an effect and they often continue to float by. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends always using a HEPA filter with an ionizer for best results.

That all being said, thanks to the very different electrical makeup of live bacteria, viruses, and mold spores, ionizing systems such as this one are capable of eliminating many of the germs that normally float around your room.

Two Times the Killing Power

Why use only one germ-killing strategy when you can use two? Not only will the ionizer kill off a huge chunk of the germs and mold spores floating around in the air, so too will the UVGI lamp used inside this system. As air passes through this light, it zaps the life from all those potentially dangerous elements the ionizer missed, making your air safer to breathe.