HP TECH TAKES /...
Exploring today's technology for tomorrow's possibilities
Subscribe
7 Best Room Air Purifiers for 2023
Linsey Knerl
|
February 13, 2023
The best air purifier is one that operates quietly and requires little maintenance while providing a cleaner air experience for you and your loved ones. We’ve reviewed the top products available to find the right one at your ideal price point. Read on to see the complete list of our top picks.
The Best Air Purifiers
From smaller, tabletop models to those that clean the entire home, these top air purifiers offer the best combination of price, features, and efficiency.
The top five models on our list are:
- Germ Guardian 4-in-1 Air Cleaning System
- Winix 5500-2 Air Cleaner with PlasmaWave Technology
- Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier
- Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier
- HATHASPACE Smart True HEPA Air Purifier
Best Air Purifier Reviews
Today’s top air purifier models come in all shapes and sizes, but they’re all designed to help you breathe easier throughout the day and night.
Germ Guardian 4-in-1 Air Cleaning System
Germ Guardian 4-in-1 Air Cleaning System is a tower unit that stands 21.5 inches tall. It offers four technologies to clean the air: UV-C light to kill viruses, a HEPA filter to trap particles, a pre-filter to reduce wear on the HEPA filter, and an activated charcoal filter for bad odors.
It claims to work better as the air quality worsens, offering faster cleaning with higher CADR numbers. Smoke of 99+, dust of 188+, and pollen counts of 125+ are where it really does its magic. It works in rooms up to 743 square feet, and it cleans the air more frequently in smaller spaces.
On the lowest setting, this Germ Guardian is quiet enough for use as a “white noise” fan. However, you’ll want to turn off the UV-C to avoid the distracting blue light on this setting.
The external foam filter is easy to vacuum out or rinse with water. The inner HEPA filter gets dirty fairly quickly and is expensive to replace. But for a workhorse air purifier that improves air quality and handles bad smells, the Germ Guardian 4-in-1 Air Cleaning System really does it all. Just be sure to budget for filter replacements.
Winix 5500-2 Air Cleaner with PlasmaWave Technology
Winix 5500-2 Air Cleaner with PlasmaWave Technology uses four levels of cleaning as well as PlasmaWave technology to permanently break down a variety of pollutants in the air, such as dander, allergens, and odor particles. It also includes a remote control for easy use.
Where this air purifier shines is in its indicator light, which changes colour to tell you how dirty the air is: blue is “good,” orange is “fair,” and red is “poor.” Additionally, it changes fan speed to process more air when the air quality decreases. Another cool feature is the sleep mode, which quiets the fan and makes it less distracting.
It’s suitable for rooms up to 360 square feet, so it doesn’t cover as much space as its counterparts on our list. It’s also twice as heavy as most cleaners at 15 lbs. And while the sleep mode is convenient, it auto-activates in dark rooms. This means you may not get a thorough cleaning if you turn off the lights to save energy (and not actually sleep).
With a price tag heftier than others, the Winix 5500-2 Air Cleaner with PlasmaWave Technology may be out of some budgets. However, it’s an attractive option for those who want to monitor air quality throughout the cleaning process.
Levoit Core 300 True Hepa Air Purifier
The Levoit Core 300 True Hepa Air Purifier is slightly smaller than most tower units, measuring less than 15 inches tall. It offers up to 5 complete air changes per hour in rooms as large as 219 square feet, including the removal of lint, pollen, tobacco smoke, and dust mites.
It uses H13-grade True HEPA filters, which claim to provide more filtration power than standard H11. However, your results will vary, because it’s up to you to decide which of the three filters to pay for and use. There’s the original filter, a pet allergy filter, and a toxin absorber filter, which targets particulars like smoke and fog, as well as VOCs.
This purifier offers a sleep mode, which is 24 dB at its quietest and much lower than the fan at high speed (50 dB). You can also turn off the display entirely, which is good news for those who want to sleep in the darkest room possible.
While the filters are pricey ($20 to $40 each), you only need to replace them every 6 to 8 months. Plus, this air purifier offers incredible results when you use it as directed. If you need a solution for pet allergies, wildfire smoke, or to protect electronics, the Levoit Core 300 True Hepa Air Purifier is more than adequate for your needs.
Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier
Honeywell has been a trusted name in air quality for many years, and the Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier continues to impress as a solution for rooms of up to 465 square feet. Like others in its class, it boasts a 99.97% removal rate for particles as small as .3 microns. The three-layer cleaning also includes Turbo Clean, which gives you almost 5 air changes per hour in the maximum space.
It stands just over 22 inches tall and sits nicely next to a desk or near a bed. Filter alert lights tell you when it’s time to replace filters, and you can dim the lights via the control panel to sleep better at night.
The real treat is the 5-year warranty, which isn’t common for air purifiers of this type. Add in the fact that it’s known to last many years beyond those 5, and the Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier is simply a great value buy.
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier
The Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier is one of the most beautiful choices on our list with its sleek, modern design and height of just more than 18 inches tall. It can clean rooms of up to 361 square feet, at levels of 246 for dust, 240 for pollen, and 233 for smoke. It has a 4-stage filtration system that includes the typical pre-filter, deodorization filter, True HEPA, and a fourth Ionizing stage.
The key perk of this product is the sensor, which measures air quality and lets you know the quality at a glance with a series of coloured lights. The auto fan adjusts itself, so it will clean dirtier air more quickly. The filter lifetime indicators take the guesswork out of maintenance, too, and they tend to last quite a while – up to a year for the HEPA filter alone.
Customer service has been hit-or-miss for users and there are reports of faulty fan blades. As long as you don’t need to request warrantied repairs or service, the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier is a suitable choice for design-conscious users.
Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier
For a new take on the air purifier, consider the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier. With advanced Swedish design, it captures 99% of particles like smoke, pollen, and mold. It has a minimalist look and comes with washable pre-filters that you can swap out to change the purifier’s appearance. It comes in two colours, but you can buy other options. You can also leave the mesh filter exposed for a more European look.
Tests show that this unit uses a bit more energy than others, and the filter replacement will cut into your budget. Add in the cost to buy the unit, and this is definitely not our most affordable option.
However, if you prefer simplicity, you’ll love the super-quiet fan and simple one-button operations of the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier. That doubles for those looking to add Scandinavian styling to their air-cleaning routine.
HATHASPACE Smart True HEPA Air Purifier
When 4-in-1 purification isn’t enough, the 27-inch-tall HATHASPACE Smart True HEPA Air Purifier brings a new level to clean. With a HEPA H13 filter that filters out particles as small as .01 microns, it offers 5-in-1 medical-grade filtration for the home. It also completely replaces the air in a 1,500-square-foot space within an hour.
This unit doesn’t use UV or ionizing, just the filter and charcoal layers, and some users complain that it doesn’t eliminate smells as well as it should. Still, the sleek touch screen display with the official EPA Air Quality index will help you keep an eye on performance. Plus, it adjusts fan speed as needed.
The slim, white design helps it blend in easily with your existing decor, but it won’t win awards for ease of maintenance. While the physical task of cleaning and replacing filters isn’t that difficult, finding the right filters in stock has been a problem for users. If you can find these filters on a subscription plan, do it. You’ll save some money, too.
With a 5-year warranty and amazing customer support, the higher price of the HATHASPACE Smart True HEPA Air Purifier is justified in performance and longevity.
What to look for in a good air purifier
All purifiers have their strengths, but to get the experience you want, make sure your pick has the following benefits.
Square footage support
Room size really matters with these purifiers, and most manufacturers test their units to know the limits in terms of square footage. They also test how many times the unit can circulate air per hour.
Does this mean you can’t use an air purifier for a larger room than what’s recommended? Not necessarily. In ideal conditions, smaller units can handle rooms with no windows or pets. Just be prepared to go through more filters (and pay for them).
Easy-to-find filters
While there are a lot of companies selling “compatible” filters for top brands, look for a purifier with readily available filters from the same brand. These often fit better and support the manufacturer’s warranty conditions. Third-party options may be cheaper, but you’ll pay in potential headaches.
Sleep mode
A quiet setting mode is ideal in an air purifier, but if you can’t afford a product with this feature, look for one with a very low fan setting. Bonus points if you can turn off display lights, because these will annoy you in low-light and sleeping situations.
Monitoring
While monitoring isn’t a must-have feature, you’ll enjoy the more hands-off nature of a purifier with air-quality sensors. If nothing else, they tell you just how well your air purifier performs. At a glance, some models even tell you if your air is very dirty or well within healthy levels.
This will help you use the machine when you need it most, and it will tell you if you need to replace your filters sooner than you anticipated.
What is the best air purifier for you?
With a range of features and an incredible coverage of over 700 square feet, the Germ Guardian 4-in-1 Air Cleaning System is the model to buy. It has UV-C, a powerful fan, and easily replaceable filters that are typically in stock.
It may not be the best-looking tower fan, but it’s simple to operate and has a very long lifespan. It’s effective at sucking in dust and dirt while also removing strong odors. The UV-C feature feels like a bonus in a world where viruses and bacteria are lurking concerns. For an all-around reliable way to clean your air quickly, this Germ Guardian lives up to its name.
