The Best Air Purifiers

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For some, allergy season is a year-round event due to irritants such as mold, dust and pet dander not sticking to a calendar. The same is true of air pollution from auto and industrial emissions, which taint our indoor air, making it more difficult to breathe.

An air purifier can improve the air quality in your home or office by filtering allergens, bacteria and other microbes from the air.

If you'd like an air purifier for your home or office, Dr. Jacqueline Jones, author of Medical Parenting: How to Navigate Health, Wellness, & the Medical System for Your Child, has a few shopping tips:

Here are 11 of the highest-rated air purifiers on the market to help control your allergies:

With carbon filtering, ease of use and efficiency in mind, we've chosen the top air purifiers for your consideration. Our first choices come highly recommended by doctors who treat allergies.

List Price: $899.00

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Offering professional-grade air filtration in an ample space, the IQAir traps and destroy particles at 0.003 microns — 10 times smaller than a virus.

HEPA filters (high-efficiency particulate air filters) remove particles sized 0.3 microns. IQAir stands out for its "HyperHEPA," which can remove even smaller harmful particles, such as pet dander and tobacco smoke.

The air purifier is equipped to work in rooms up to 1,125 square feet while operating at low decibels. Overall, it's a great option for pet hair, formaldehyde, VOCs, mold and more. It's the most expensive on our list, retailing for around $900.

List Price: $629.00

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Dr. Christian Gonzalez is an integrative cancer oncologist, naturopathic doctor and non-toxic living expert. And if you have a large space to purify or if your allergies cause you real problems, Gonzalez recommends pulling out one of the big guns, either the AirDoctor or IQAir.

“A lot of physicians get behind the AirDoctor in particular, but IQAir is another good one,” he says. “They’re very similar.”

“The difference between the Germ Guardian and these is that there are different sizes to these particles. For instance, if you take pollen versus mold, mold tends to be bigger whereas viruses tend to be smaller."

The AirDoctor and IQAir capture particles at 0.003 microns, as compared to the Germ Guardian, which destroys particles at 0.3 microns.

That may seem like a small difference. But Gonzalez says, “this is important because viruses and other particles are smaller."

The AirDoctor's Air Quality particle sensor has an indicator light that will visually display when it’s exposed to higher than normal amounts of particle pollution, and then it’ll kick up its purification process to clean up the air with its auto-mode feature. The AirDoctor is an Energy Star-certified appliance as well.

List Price: $119.99

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Dr. Lauren Deville is the owner of Nature Cure Family Health, a naturopathic clinic in Tucson, Arizona, and the author of The Holistic Gut Prescription and How to Be Healthy: Body, Mind, and Spirit.

She treats allergies regularly, and she recommends the BlueAir line of HEPA filters.

“I always recommend a HEPA filter,” she says, “and I like BlueAir because it’s a compromise between top-of-the-line and less effective.”

We'd like to add that BlueAir Blue Pure 411 (and its more advanced sister product, the BlueAir Blue Pure 211) comes in several different colors, so your purifier can match your home decor.

List Price: $99.99

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“In Los Angeles, the air is crap,” says Dr. Gonzalez, “so you need an air filter.”

“For the most part, almost all air filters are HEPA (High-Efficiency Particle Absorber),” which “are said to remove 99.95 to 99.97% of all microbes.

"Most of these air filters have a UV light, and when you activate that, it usually kills these particles,” he says.

Dr. Gonzalez says if you’re on a tight budget or you just want to take care of a small room, try the Germ Guardian Air Purifier, which retails for less than $100.

“They don’t cover a huge space, but they’ll be really good for say, under 200 square feet. The Germ Guardian uses HEPA and UV, and they kill a lot.”

The physicians we interviewed didn't recommend the following purifiers by name, but these models may still be on your shopping list, so we took a look at them.

All of these models meet HEPA guidelines for micron size and filtering 99.97% of particles.

List Price: $679.99

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Hospital operating rooms across the country use Austin Air's air purifiers. Austin has several at-home models, including the company's "Junior" series designed for small spaces and several large room air purifiers.

Austin's systems combine true HEPA filtration with carbon activation filtering. The price tag tends to be on the higher end — often $700.

List Price: $269.99

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You could clean about 450 square feet with this carbon filter-enabled model that retails for about $250. This Honeywell model is less than two feet tall and weighs 21 pounds — ideal for purifying a problem room.

List Price: $748.99

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This large room model can filter up to 1,300 square feet, essentially an entire apartment. This one checks all the boxes plus some.

It features a sleep mode with low lighting and shows air quality with a built-in indicator. The Breathesmart 75i retails for about $750 and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

List Price: $599.95

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It's low profile, it's super quiet and it can clean the air in up to 800 square feet of space. That's why the RabbitAir MinusA2 is a great choice for a living room.

Since it resembles a flat-screen TV, you could mount this model on the wall to save floor space. The Rabbit Air retails for about $600. Its six stages of air purification include one you can customize to eliminate odors, fight germs or filter out pet dander.

List Price: $89.99

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You could put this model on a tabletop in the corner of a small room. Retailing for under $100, the Levoit LV-H132 could fit a smaller budget, too. The H132 works in up to 86 square feet, so it's ideal for a small bedroom if you need air purification while you sleep.

List Price: $749.00

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The Coway Airmega 400 can handle the workload of an entire house. It's rated for about 1,500 square feet. The 400's permanent pre-filter eliminates larger particles, so the replaceable filter stays cleaner throughout the year. You can remove and wash the pre-filter as needed.

This model retails for around $750, but it's a big step up from the Airmega 300, which costs about $500.

List Price: $229.99

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The Coway Mighty AP-1512HH is lightweight at 13 pounds, but it packs a big punch in a 350-square-foot or smaller room.

This model, which retails at around $250, covers all the important bases. It has multi-fan speeds, an air quality indicator, a pre-filter, an ionizer, an auto-off timer and an eco mode.

We were captivated by the low-noise Dyson TP04 and the easy-to-operate Molekule Air but would like to see more improvement in these models before recommending them.

Drs. Jones, Gonzalez and Deville all recommended HEPA filtration to improve air quality in your home or office. But manufacturers use a wider variety of terms, including True HEPA and HEPA-type, along with UV filtration, ionization and carbon activation filtration.

Should you make a distinction between these terms as you shop?

HEPA stands High-Efficiency Particulate Air. To meet the HEPA standard in the U.S., filters must remove 99.97% of air particles which are 0.3 microns. Based on this standard, a filter must catch at least 9,997 out of every 10,000 particles measuring 0.3 microns or larger to qualify as a HEPA filter. For reference, 1 micron is way too small to see. You could possibly see a particle 10 microns in diameter floating in the air.

Companies use the phrase True HEPA to specify their product meets the HEPA requirement and doesn't simply emulate it.

Many less expensive air filters use the phrase HEPA-type filter, but these products don't have to meet the same standard. A filter's efficiency could come close to 99.97% without always reaching that standard, but it may not always achieve that level. HEPA-type means you don’t really know.

An ionizer charges particles as they pass through the device, so they’ll be attracted to and captured on an oppositely charged panel. An ionizer can trap particles smaller than the HEPA-required 0.3 microns. However, without a standard to meet, a consumer can't know for sure how many particles escape ionization. Ionizers work best within a system that also includes true HEPA filtration.

UV light can kill tiny bacteria but won't destroy pet dander or all mold spores. This feature can enhance your system, but it should always accompany HEPA in your filtration system to achieve the best air quality.

Activated carbon filters can also work to enhance a true HEPA air purifier. Some models use carbon in a pre-filter to keep your HEPA filter cleaner longer. The carbon absorbs gases in the air, so it's good at cleaning up air pollution and smoke odors.

Replacement filters can be a hassle to buy and change. If you forget to replace yours, will it affect the performance of your purifier?

Yes. Like any physical product, an air purifier's filter will eventually wear thin. Follow your manufacturer's guidelines which usually call for annual filter replacements.

Check out your pre-filter’s cleaning schedule, too. Some models have permanent pre-filters, which you should remove and clean every few months.

If you tend to forget, find a way to connect your annual filter change to another routine household chore, such as changing smoke detector batteries or opening or closing your home's foundation vents.

The nicest purifiers include light-up indicators that tell you when to change the filter.

Air cleaning is a big job — one too big to depend on someone else's recommendations for your home. We’ve tried to give you some quality choices, but your ultimate pick for the best air purifier depends on your home's unique challenges and medical needs.

True HEPA filtration is a must, especially if you struggle with year-round allergies. Your other challenges may include the following:

Buying an air purifier could alleviate some suffering, especially if you're home a lot. You can also find other ways to clear the air.

We checked in with a physician to get tips on keeping the air cleaner before it goes through your air purification system.

Whatever you're allergic to, mitigating your exposure to allergens will make your home more breathable, said Dr. J. Allen Meadows, M.D., the president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

He offered these suggestions:

Meadows calls dust mites one “of the most common indoor allergens and a year-round annoyance.” And cleaning the house can make your allergies worse.

“Often, you’ll notice your symptoms immediately after vacuuming, sweeping or dusting,” Meadows says. “Molds, pollen, pet hair, fur or feathers can also contribute to a dust allergy.”

But it’s not hopeless — and there are several ways to start purifying the air.

“You can lessen or avoid your symptoms by removing items that cause dust allergies. Choose wood floors instead of carpet, clean your house with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter, use mite-proof cases on your mattresses and pillows and wash your linens regularly in hot water,” Meadows says.

“Consider installing a high-efficiency disposable filter in your HVAC system. The filter should have a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating of 11 to 13 — the higher the MERV rating the better.”

It’s tough fighting what you can’t see. Mold thrives in moist places like bathrooms and kitchens, Meadows says, “and unfortunately, many molds aren’t visible to the naked eye. As the spores become airborne, they can cause allergic reactions and worsen asthma symptoms.”

So what to do? Meadows suggests that you wear a mask when doing yard work, “and once inside, take a shower and rinse your nose with a saline solution to remove mold spores.”

He also recommends that “in the kitchen, clean up any spills or leaks quickly to prevent mold from growing. Use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture in areas like bathrooms and basements. Clean your garbage cans and fridge drawers. For serious mold problems, call a professional.”

Man’s best friend doesn’t mean to make your eyes water. Neither do the lazy house cats of the world (we think). But they can’t help what their micron-sized dander does to some noses.

“It’s a heartbreaking situation for pet lovers if they have allergy symptoms after being with their pets," Meadows says. "Allergy symptoms can be constant because exposure can occur anywhere — in pet-friendly workplaces, restaurants, and stores, at school, in daycare, anywhere a pet owner has been."

“Avoidance is the best way to manage a pet allergy, but you don’t have to part with your furry family members. Keep your pet out of your bedroom, wash your hands with soap and water after petting or playing with your pet, vacuum with a HEPA vacuum, and bathe your pet once a week.”

Combining prevention with the right air purification system could equal a better quality of life in your home.

Our commitment to the consumer begins with product selection and ends with the last word we write in each article. Each air purifier is carefully vetted quantitatively through star ratings and the number of reviews and qualitatively through careful examination of reviews and the features each one has to offer. Leveraging our team of bargain hunters, we’re always sure to keep your budget in mind while finding the best air purifiers on the market. Our team of experts is dedicated to accurately depicting the pros and cons of each purifier, translating technical product specifications into information you can understand. We aim to provide you with the best air-purifying products your money can buy.

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