• The Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier is the best air purifier overall because it can clean a 650-square-foot room in 15 minutes, has an indicator that lets you know when to clean or replace the filters, and complements any decor.
  • We tested and researched more than 10 air purifiers from a wide spectrum of brands to determine the best ones for your needs and budget.
  • Our guide features air purifiers that are easy to maintain, remove a broad array of irritants from the air, and performed well in our tests.

Surprise – the air inside your home can be dirtier than the air outside. Chemicals from nail polish and cleaning products, pet hair, dust, and more can add up to poor indoor air quality and potential respiratory issues. That’s where an air purifier can come in handy.

It’s a useful appliance that can greatly help improve the quality of indoor air. If you’re considering an air purifier to help protect against the novel coronavirus, according to the EPA, a portable air cleaner by itself is not enough. However, when used along with other best practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention such as hand washing and social distancing, operating an air cleaner can be part of a plan to protect you and your household.

Our guide of the best air purifiers recommends models that are easy to maintain, remove a broad array of irritants from the air, and performed well in our tests. When we examined each model, we considered its Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR), noise level, long-term costs, maintenance, and filtration systems. We also noted how easy they are to use, as well as any other useful features.

We explain our testing methodology in more at the end of our guide, and included other models we looked at that didn’t make the cut as well as air-purifying techniques.

Here are the best air purifiers:

Prices and links are current as of 8/28/2020. We added tips on how to improve indoor air quality and related guides.

The best overall

The Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier filters the air in medium-to-large rooms up to five times per hour, and it's so quiet that you won't notice it's operating.

The Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier is designed to remove bacteria, mold, pet dander, dust, pollen, viruses, and other airborne pollutants. And, with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 350 cubic feet per minute, it can clean the air in a 650-square-foot room approximately four times in an hour. Plus, it's small and lightweight enough for you to effortlessly move it from one room to the next.

The Blue Pure 211+ has three-stage filtration: a fabric pre-filter, particle filter, and carbon filter. And, the unit tells you when it's time to clean or replace the filter. Replacing the filter can be quite pricey though it should be done every six months to ensure you continue to breathe properly filtered air. The Blue Pure 211+ is Energy Star-certified and has relatively low energy costs (using 30 to 60 watts).

Another nice feature is that it runs quietly, ranging from 31 decibels on its lowest setting and 56 on its highest - quiet enough to use in a bedroom.

Pros: Does an excellent job of removing dust, pollen, and smoke; indicator lets you know when to clean/replace filter; attractive appearance; easy to use

Cons: Filter replacement is expensive

The best on a budget

Foto: Source: Amazon

If you're looking for an air purifier that offers an impressive balance of price and performance, the Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA Air Purifier is your best bet.

Honeywell is a trusted brand when it comes to air purifiers, and the HPA300 True HEPA Air Purifier is the company's most acclaimed model. In a crowded field of expensive models, this Honeywell unit does the best job of balancing performance with price.

With a CADR of 320 for dust (300 for smoke and pollen), the HPA300 is suited for rooms of up to 600 square feet. It has an activated carbon pre-filter, which needs to be replaced every three months, and three HEPA filters, which need to be replaced every year. A year's supply of replacement filters will run you approximately $70, so the operating cost is quite high. An indicator light lets you know when it's time to change the filter.

The biggest drawbacks are the high costs for filter replacement and operation.

Pros: Affordable; intuitive controls; easy to transport; does a very good job of removing smoke, dust, and pollen

Cons: Complaints of odors; might be too loud on high speed for some; expensive replacement filters

The best wall-mounted purifier

Foto: Source: Amazon

The RabbitAir MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier can be mounted to a wall for an attractive and unobtrusive appearance.

When installing an air purifier, you not only have to account for the space the unit takes up, but you also have to provide clearance around it to allow for airflow. When real estate is at a premium and appearances are important, the wall-mounted RabbitAir MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier addresses this.

The MinusA2 has a six-stage filter: pre-filter, medium filter, patented BioGS HEPA filter, charcoal-based activated carbon filter, optional negative ion generator, and a customized filter. The custom filter is unique in that you can choose to target toxins, odors, pet dander, or germs depending on your needs. The filter replacement kit is expensive, but you only need to budget for it every two years or so.

Pros: Low filter and operating costs; silent operation; wall-mounted; outstanding at removing particulate matter; attractive appearance; five-year warranty

Cons: Expensive upfront cost

The best splurge

Foto: Source: Amazon

The Coway Airmega 400 Smart Air Purifier barely makes any sound and adjusts the fan speed based on the air's pollution level.

The Airmega 400 Smart Air Purifier is Coway's top-of-the-line model. It features two sets of filters on each side of the unit: the easy-to-clean pre-filter and the Max2 filter, which is a combined True HEPA filter and activated charcoal. When it's time to change the filters, the indicator light turns on. The Airmega 400 can monitor the air quality and adjust the fan speed to quickly filter the air.

I tested this air purifier on the main floor of my home in a centrally-located spot. Although it's designed for rooms up to 760 square feet, it still did a great job in my open, 1,400-square-foot area, filtering the air in about 15 minutes.

In Smart mode, the fan speed ramps up when I get overzealous with my meat searing in the kitchen. After a year of use, I'm just now nearing the end of the original filter's lifespan. Replacing the filters is incredibly pricey, however.

While some recommend the Wi-Fi-enabled version, the Airmega 400S, the only real difference between the 400S and 400 is the app-connectivity and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Other than that, performance is essentially the same.

Pros: Quiet; attractive design; energy-efficient; cleans the air in a 760-square-foot room in 15 minutes

Cons: Expensive filter contributes to the overall price

Read our full review of the Coway Airmega 400.

The best ionizing purifier

Foto: Source: Amazon

In addition to three filters, the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier includes ionization, and the fan speed adjusts based on the air quality.

Coway is one of the top names in air purifiers and the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier is its most popular model. It has an array of high-end features, including an air quality indicator, an auto mode that adjusts the fan speed to the air quality, and a shut-off timer.

The Mighty has a CADR of 246 cubic feet per minute for dust, 240 for pollen, and 233 for smoke, which makes it a good option for rooms of up to 460 square feet. The air goes through four filter stages: pre-filter, odor filter, true HEPA filter, and an ionizer. An ionizer electrically charges air molecules for purification; it can lower bacterial infections by removing particles in the air. But note that the effectiveness has been questioned and may emit ozone. Fortunately, any ozone exposure is minimal, and you can turn the ionizing feature off if you're concerned.

The Coway Mighty is one of three air purifiers I'm currently running in my home. My son has it in his bedroom so we can minimize our home's "teen odor index." We've had it for a year, and it does an outstanding job. And, I like how easy it is to clean the pre-filter: When the indicator light tells me it's time for cleaning, I just run a cordless handheld vacuum over it. So far, I haven't had to replace the filter, but it's pretty affordable and it lasts for a year.

Unfortunately, the Mighty is not readily at the time of this update and will start shipping from retailers like Amazon in October. If you're looking for a similar model, Coway has a newer version called the Airmega 200M. Based on our testing, the 200M is more powerful but is otherwise similar in performance to the Mighty. Depending on the color, you can sometimes find the newer Airmega 200M to be significantly cheaper than the Mighty. If you come across this, we suggest going with the cheaper of the two because performance is so similar. We think you'll be satisfied with either.

Pros: Automatically adjusts fan speed based on pollutants in the air; timer; four-stage filtration; eco mode

Cons: High power consumption, gets loud on high

What else we considered

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While researching this guide, we looked at numerous models and brands of air purifiers. Many of them just missed the cut, but are otherwise strong products in their own right. Here are five that almost made it:

How we test air purifiers

Foto: Source: Dyson

When I test an air purifier, there are several things I look for such as the rate in which it cleans, noise level, and more.

In addition to hands-on testing, I turn to other established reviewers, such as Wirecutter and Consumer Reports, for their assessments. Based on my and other experts' research and testing, and looking through the manufacturers' specs, I'm able to compare the key performance indicators of the top models.

Here are the main attributes when testing air purifiers:

CADR: Clean Air Delivery Rate is a rating developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers that is used to determine how many cubic feet of air an appliance can clean in a minute. If you multiply the CADR by 1.875, you can determine what room size the air purifier can clean four times in one hour, which is the recommended minimum number of air changes per hour (ACH). This calculation assumes an average ceiling height of 8 feet. Don't worry if this sounds confusing: We put it in easy-to-understand terms in our guide.

Noise level: A good air purifier will operate in the background without most people noticing it. Loud air purifiers are a deal-breaker. I use a sound meter positioned four feet from the air purifier and measure the decibels when the fan is at its lowest speed and highest speed. The average unit should register less than 40 decibels (like a light rain) most of the time and about 60 decibels (normal conversation) on high.

Long-term costs: Air purifier filters don't last forever. They need to be replaced every 3 to 24 months, depending on the type of filter. When buying an air purifier, you need to factor in filter costs and operating expenses. Look for Energy Star-certified units if you want to save money on electricity.

Maintenance: If your filters are dirty, then they won't perform well. You need to clean your filters regularly. I prefer air purifier that tells me when it's time for a cleaning. A cordless hand vacuum is all you need to clean most filters. You can clean some with water, but read the user's manual to make sure it's okay before doing this and be sure to thoroughly dry the filter before using it again.

Filtration: You want a true HEPA or HEPA-type filter that can remove at least 99.97% of 0.3-micron airborne particles. The purifiers in our guide all meet this requirement. Additionally, some models have ionizers. Ionizers are controversial, but they reportedly produce negative ions that cling to air pollutants, which makes them easier to filter or vacuum up.

Other air-purifying techniques

Foto: Source: Amazon

While we're here to help you choose the best air purifier for your needs, we'd be remiss if we didn't offer other solutions for clearing the air so you can have an effective multi-pronged attack on pollutants. Here's a guide on how to test and improve indoor quality.

But if the first thing that comes to mind is houseplants, hold on. While certain ones can help remove harmful air pollutants, their impact is a lot less than you'd expect. They won't make indoor air quality worse, but they won't make a dramatic difference either.

Instead, here are simple steps you can take to clean your aireffectively without the need for an air purifier:

  • Clean regularly: Irritants can collect on surfaces and cause sneezing fits when disturbed. When you clean regularly - including dusting and vacuuming - you remove allergens and more. Check out our guides for the best vacuum cleaners, best robot vacuums, best budget vacuums, and best cordless vacuums.
  • Ventilate: This could include installing ventilation fans in your bathroom or kitchen, or running (well-cleaned) ceiling fans.
  • Store chemicals outside of your house: Abrasive cleaners and other harsh chemicals are often a source of irritation. Store them in your shed or garage and not where you will be exposed to them regularly.

More helpful buying guides to improve air quality

Foto: Source: Amazon

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