Over the past few decades, air pollution levels across the United States (and the rest of the world) have continued to rise significantly. This is due to various factors including a rise in the number of vehicles on the road and a rise in manufacturing levels. Although ultimately, it’s down to the increase in pollution and inadequate measures of dealing with it.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution kills around 7 million people per year across the globe, and as many as 90% of us are breathing air that contains a high level of pollutants.
While you may not have much control over the air you breathe outside of your home, there are key steps you can take to improve the air quality within your home, one of which is investing in an air-purifying system.
Best Home Air Purifier Buyers Guide – What to Look for When Making Your Purchase
Once you’ve made the decision to invest in a HEPA air purifier for the home, you won’t look back. There’s nothing quite like walking into a room that you know has clean air.
However, before you do compete your purchase, there are a few things to bear in mind to ensure you get the best model to suit your needs:
- Size of the device vs. size of the room: This is quite possibly the most important thing to consider when making your purchase as you need to ensure the air purifier you buy is powerful enough to filter the room you’re looking to put it in. In addition to that you need to make sure the room is big enough for the model you want to buy. Don’t worry if you do have limited space as there are air purifiers available to suit pretty much any size. While some are small and tall, others are wall mountable. So regardless of the free space you have, you can still benefit from breathing fresh and filtered air.
- Remote control: While most air purifiers work pretty fast, some people prefer to filter the air in a room before they enter in. If this is a feature you’re interested in, you need to look for a model that’s controllable remotely. A lot of these devices offer this as standard, with many of them now also compatible with the likes of Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri.
- Filter replacement reminder: This is another feature that’s thankfully found on most air purifiers, in one way or another. While some will display a real-time filter indicator letting you know how long it has left to last allowing you time to go and purchase replacement filters, others will simply indicate when they need changing, so you need to be prepared in advance with these models. Some of the top-spec models include a feature that automatically orders a replacement for you, which is awesome. Just be aware that you will of course pay extra to enjoy this kind of functionality.
- Air quality indicator: As well as being able to control the air quality in the home, some systems are equipped with an air quality indicator that lets you know just how clean (or not so clean) the room is. Most air purifiers that are equipped with this system are also controllable via Wi-Fi, so if the room is particularly dirty you can give it a blast before you even enter. Many modern air purifiers now also come complete with an eco-mode so be sure to look for an energy star rating when making a purchase.
- Clean air delivery rate (CADR): The CADR is the rate at which the air purifier can produce clean air and overseen by the association of home appliance manufacturers (AHAM). A high-efficiency air purifier is one that can deliver a minimum of 200 cubic feet per minute or more.
Top Rated Air Purifiers for Your Home
So now you have an idea as to what to consider before making your next air purifier purchase, here are some of the best models around that are an excellent choice for improving your indoor air quality.
Best Home Air Purifier Overall
RabbitAir MinusA2
The RabbitAir Minus2 is definitely one of the higher-end air purifiers out there. Not only does it ooze class and sophistication, but it’s also versatile and very technologically advanced. And when it comes to the actual filtering of indoor air, this device is nothing short of amazing. With both of these factors combined, you can see why it’s a lot of people’s (and our) top pick.
It features an advanced filtration system that consists of 6 stages, including a BioGS HEPA-type filter which effectively traps 99.97% of microscopic allergens and particles and a charcoal-based activated carbon filter in which to tackle chemicals and common household odors in addition to a pre-filter and medium filter. The other filter it contains is customized to best suit your needs. Those to choose from include a Germ Defense filter, a Toxin Absorber filter, a Pet Allergy filter, and an Odor Remover filter.
The final stage of the filtration system features a negative ion generator that helps purify the air further. It does this by producing negative ions that latch on to airborne particles, weighing them down, allowing them to get captured much easier by the air purifier’s filters. While this is a very effective feature, it does produce a tiny amount of ozone when in use. Therefore, some people choose to operate the device with the generator switched off.
In terms of capability, the RabbitAir Minus 2 can effectively filter a room of up to 815 square feet in size in just 30 minutes. And in terms of versatility, what doesn’t it offer? There’s a customizable panel featuring images such as Snoopy, Vincent Van Gogh, or Hello Kitty. It’s Wi-Fi compatible so you can connect and control your device from anywhere, and it can be mounted on the wall with ease if need be.
Best Home Air Purifier for Technology Lovers
Winix AM90
It may be the most basic of the Winix ensemble, but the AM90 still has quite a lot going on, both inside and out. This air purification system is effective, affordable, and easy on the eye. And it has a CADR rating of 233 for dust, 240 for pollen, and 230 for smoke.
One of the machine’s most prominent features is that it uses plasma wave technology to effectively break down all those harmful allergens, dust mites, pet hair, and dander floating around, contaminating your air. This function is effectively a kind of ionizer and can be turned on or off as you please.
The Winix AM90 has an AHAM verified room size of up to 360 square feet, meaning any room bigger than that it will not clean effectively. However, the space that it does filter, it does very well thanks to its 4-stage filtration system which includes a fine mesh pre-filter, an odor-absorbing carbon filter, a True HEPA filter, and of course, the start of the show, the Winix PlasmaWave Technology filter.
It’s also Alexa compatible, meaning you don’t even need to get up to control it. And, with the Amazon Dash Replenishment feature, you’ll never run low on filters as they will be ordered automatically. On the subject of smart technology, it’s also equipped with smart sensors that continuously monitor the air quality within your home and adjust the fan speed accordingly to ensure you always have a fresh air supply.
Best for Large Rooms
Coway AirMega 400S
Not only does this machine look like something that’s just come out of a show home, but it also performs like one too. Capable of filtering rooms up to 1,560 square feet in size, the Coway AirMega 400S is a true force to be reckoned with in the world of air purifiers.
Using powerful suction technology, this large room air purifier effectively draws in contaminated air from two sides before expelling it out the top. This enables much faster cleaning of your air. The device uses a Max2 filter that combines an activated carbon filter with that of a True HEPA filter to give an end result that’s capable of reducing up to 99.97% of pollen particles, viruses, allergens, and other irritants.
There’s a filter indicator to let you know when it’s time to change the Max2 filters or when the pre-filters could do with a clean. Both of these are based on the machine’s usage and are pretty effective. Another helpful feature this device has to offer is its Smart Mode function. With this feature intact, the air purifier automatically adjusts its fans to be able to clean the room to the highest quality. So, in a room where the air is particularly dirty or dusty, the fans will go much faster than if in a room that’s kept clean. This is a great money-saving feature as the fans will only ever work as hard as they need to. So, no unnecessary wastage of energy! Yaay!
Best for Advanced Features
IQAir GC MultiGas
Here we have another super powerful air purifier. The IQAir GC Multigas is capable of filtering rooms of up to 1,125 square feet in size. So, while it’s not quite as powerful as the Coway AirMega 400S, it’s still a worthy competitor.
This mighty air purifier takes the process of filtering indoor air to a whole new level through the use of HyperHEPA filtration technology. Ultrafines make up 90% of all airborne particles. And while they are the smallest of them all, they’re also one of the deadliest types, with the ability to adversely affect the lungs and other vital organs. Ultrafines have also been linked to heart attacks, asthma, and strokes.
Another fantastic feature this device has to offer is that’s it’s been made using IQAir’s patented triple-seal technology. With this in place, all individual seals are made airtight so that no air escapes unfiltered. It also has a new edition fan that’s very cost-effective. Even on its highest setting it uses just 215 watts. Onn its lowest, it uses as little as 27 watts and could be considered it’s eco mode.
You get 6 fan speeds to choose from this device and it operates at a noise level that’s not much higher than that of a whisper when on the lowest setting. There’s also an EvenFlow Diffuser that provides 320-degree air delivery and color-coded lights that indicate when you need to change one of the air filters.
Best for Small Rooms
Honeywell AirGenius 6
The Honeywell AirGenius 6 is one of the most popular True HEPA air purifiers on the market at the moment, and for good reason. Not only is it one of the better designed, and better-looking models out there, it’s also very effective for such a compact machine. Measuring in at 9.9” x 9.92” x 26.81, you don’t need a lot of floor space for this device. It’s capable of cleaning the air in a room size of up to 260 square feet and can do this in as little as 12 minutes.
There are 6 air cleaning levels featured on this machine. And together, they are effective at capturing up to 99.9% of harmful particles, allergens, and other irritants in the air such as smoke, pet dander, dust mites, and pollen. It’s also effective at helping to reduce airborne germs such as mold spores, bacteria, and viruses.
By downloading the Air Cleaner app, you get instant access to a whole load of enhanced features including an allergen alert that lets you know when pollen or other allergen levels are particularly high in your area, a customizable schedule planner that’s let’s you program your device to work as and when you need it most, and a filter replacement reminder that advises you when it’s time to change the filters.
Best for Those on a Budget
Germ Guardian AC5350B
Just because you’re a little short on spare cash, doesn’t mean to say you should suffer in terms of the quality of the air you breathe. Thankfully, with the help of the Germ Guardian AC5350B, you don’t have to. This air purifier is excellent value for money and is one of the best selling on Amazon currently.
Equipped with a True HEPA filter that’s capable of capturing most microscopic allergens and particles from the air and an activated carbon filter in which to reduce odors, this device offers all you want from a good air purifier. Another bonus is that measuring in at 9.06” x 6.69” x 27.56”, it can fit just about anywhere which is perfect for anyone with very little spare floor space in their home. So whether you’re looking for an effective solution for providing clean air in your bedroom, living room, or kitchen, this device is a good option.
In terms of capability, the Germ Guardian AC5350B can effectively filter a room size of up to 180 square feet in size in just 15 minutes. It uses a True HEPA filter, so you know it will be effective. In terms of functionality, it offers quite a few different features. The easy to use digital display includes a filter change indicator, an optional UV C light control function that helps to eliminate any airborne viruses and an 8-hour timer for easy convivence.
And if all that’s not enough, you even get a 5-year limited warranty for that added peace of mind.
Rounding Up Our Guide to the Best Home Air Purifiers
We hope you enjoyed the above article and are now one step closer to making your next air purifier purchase. Just remember to opt for a model that’s sufficient for the room it’s going, and that there’s enough space for it to work effectively. It won’t take long before you reap the benefits of having a good air purifier within the home, and once you do, you’ll wonder how you ever managed to function without one.