Best air purifiers: The top-rated devices for cleaning the air you breathe at home

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Best air purifiers: The top-rated devices for cleaning the air you breathe at home

By Molly Cleary 19 November 2021

The best air purifiers designed to help you breathe more easily at home.

(Image credit: Getty) Jump to:

• Best air purifiers
• Are air purifiers worth it?
• Air purifier benefits

With concerns about pollution on the rise, air purifiers are becoming a popular purchase, as people seek to reassure themselves about the air they breathe. And if you want to improve the air quality in your home you’ll want to choose one of the best air purifiers on the market. 

There are many air purifiers that claim to be able to clean your air, but they are a significant purchase, so it’s worth taking advantage of the Black Friday deals that are available right now.

If you’re struggling to decide which air purifier to buy, look no further. We’ve put a wide selection to the test and pooled all the essential information you’ll need to make a decision. Check each review for the size, price and credentials of each air purifier - including whether or not they’ve earned Energy Star certification - before you checkout.

What the experts say

"The best way to improve indoor air quality is to reduce pollutants at their source and to ventilate with clean outdoor air, but portable air cleaners can be an effective supplement." Tim Carroll, U.S Environmental Protection Agency 

To be confident about choosing one of the best air purifiers to suit your needs, you need an appliance that can effectively target the pollutants you want to clean from the air. Tim Carroll from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency told Live Science that buyers should choose an air purifier with a clean air delivery rate (CADR) that’s large enough for the room they’ll be using it in.

He added, “The higher the CADR, the more particles the air cleaner can filter and the larger the area it can serve. Most air cleaner packaging will tell you the largest size area or room it should be used in. Portable air cleaners often achieve a high CADR by using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter”.

Different buyers will have different priorities for their air purifier, and they need to be sure that it does the job they purchase it for. For example, if you need to eradicate gases then you should choose an air purifier with a carbon filter or a filter that targets gases. If you struggle when allergy season rolls around, head to our breakdown of whether air purifiers help with allergies for more.

Buyers should also avoid air purifiers that produce ozone, as this is a lung irritant. Tim Carroll said, “Both the California Air Resources Board and the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers maintain lists of air cleaners that have been tested and shown to emit little or no ozone.”

There are practical considerations to factor in as well. Smaller, quieter models are best suited to light sleepers and people with restricted living space. If you’re in a studio apartment you don’t want to be kept awake by the noise of your air purifier.

To find air purifiers for a great price, check out our collection of the air purifiers on sale.

Best air purifiers

(Image credit: Amazon)Levoit Core 400S This is the best air purifier for cleaning the air throughout your home.Specifications Energy star certified: NoHeight: 20.5 inchesDiameter: 10.8 inchesWeight: 11lbsTODAY'S BEST DEALSView at levoitPrimeView at AmazonView at StaplesSee all prices (4 found)Reasons to buy+Affordably priced+PM2.5/timer display +Easy to set up and use Reasons to avoid-The app can be unreliable 

The Levoit 400S performed best to remove airborne particles in our at-home testing, capturing at least 99.5% and up to 100% or particles during testing.

Its sleek and stylish cylinder shape with a neutral colorway makes it an easy addition to any room, whatever the décor, while a color-coded display gives users a great visual on air quality at any given moment. 

What the users say

The Levoit 400S scores an impressive 5 stars out of 5 on Amazon, with 85% of reviews giving it the full 5 stars. Negative reviews cite problems with the VeSync app and a lack of sturdiness in design. Positive reviews praise the purifier’s accuracy in tracking 2.5 microns and its ability to manage and remove unpleasant odors, dust and pet dander. Customers particularly like the look of the Levoit 400S, although some say it feels a little big. They also appreciate how quietly the purifier runs on its lower settings.

The air purifier is light and features indented handles at either side, making it easy to move from room-to-room.

A companion app that users can download gives useful data on air quality and allows users to schedule and time the air purifier to fit round a busy family schedule. The quietest setting is barely discernible, while the most powerful setting still clocks in at just 52 decibels.

Stylish, quietly powerful, and with an intuitive, easy-to-use Smart interface, the Levoit 400S is our top pick of air purifiers. It could be the ideal appliance for you if you’re looking for an effective air purifier that’s big on performance but doesn’t blow the budget.

• Read the full Levoit 400S review 

(Image credit: Future)Dyson Purifier Cool The best air purifier that will also look excellent in your home.SpecificationsEnergy star certified: YesHeight: 41 inchesLength: 4.72 inchesWidth: 8.7 inchesWeight: 11lbsTODAY'S BEST DEALSView at Best BuyCheck AmazonReasons to buy+Sleek, stylish design +Powerful air purifying capability +Connectivity and smart features Reasons to avoid-Expensive outlay -Can get noisy at elevated levels 

The Dyson Purifier Cool is one of the most stylish air purifiers on the market. Its unusual design marks it out as a talking point in any room, while simple but genius extras, such as a magnetic remote control, take it a step up from your average air purifier.

What the users say

The Dyson Purifier Cool scores an average of 4.2 out of five stars on Home Depot. Negative reviews cite problems with the sensors’ baseline readings, poor fan quality, and noisiness when in use. Positive reviews praise the purifier’s ability to improve the symptoms of allergy sufferers, as well as removing unpleasant odors. Customers particularly like the integration with smart devices, the auto setting and the purifier’s stylish design, with one user commenting, ‘It looks like a piece of art’.

The purifier also doubles up as a fan in hotter weather, although this isn’t as powerful as some users would like. Users can activate, schedule and monitor their purifier via the Dyson app, allowing them to set fan speed, timers and check air quality whether they’re home or away.

A clever LCD display flicks between icons that show air quality data in real time, while an auto-mode senses air particles and adjusts fan settings to suit.

The Dyson Purifier Cool’s high price tag may be too expensive to suit everyone’s budget, but its stylish, sleek design and smart, connected functionality is impressive.

•  Read the full Dyson Purifier Cool review.

(Image credit: Best Buy)Blue Pure 211+ Simply the best air purifier for improving your air quality.SpecificationsEnergy star certified: YesHeight: 21 inchesDepth: 13 inchesWidth: 13 inchesWeight: 15.5lbsTODAY'S BEST DEALSCheck AmazonReasons to buy+Low energy consumption +Powerful air purifying capability +360-degree air intake +Ideal for larger rooms or offices Reasons to avoid-No smart features -Bulky, heavy unit 

The Blue Pure 221 is designed to cover areas of up to 600 square feet, making it an excellent choice for homes with larger rooms or office spaces. With three power settings operated with a one-touch button, simplicity is the key for this purifier.

What the users say

The Blue Pure 221 scores an impressive 4.8 out of five stars on Home Depot, with hundreds of five-star reviews from satisfied customers. Positive reviews praise the purifier’s performance, saying it helps them sleep better, feel less congested, and enjoy cleaner air quality in their home. Many users love the unit’s design and are happy with how quiet it can run. Negative reviews cite problems with performance, the expense of replacing filters, and some complain that the higher settings are too noisy.

Our at-home tests found the Blue Pure 221 to be consistently better than all the other air purifiers we tested. Despite its lack of Smart technology, it out-performed purifiers at almost double the price.

Some users may be put off by the unit’s weight and bulk. But it’s still a stylish machine that’s thoughtfully designed. Plus, its customizable fabric pre–filters make it easy to pair the unit with any home’s color scheme.

Our verdict? A dependable work horse of an air purifier that puts performance above presentation. Plus, we like the fact that it’s energy star certified and cheap to run.

•  Read the full Blue Pure 221 review.

(Image credit: Coway)Coway AP 1512 HHThe best air purifier that balances features with affordability.SpecificationsEnergy star certified: YesHeight: 18 inchesDiameter: 10 inchesWeight: 12.5lbsTODAY'S BEST DEALSView at WalmartPrimeView at AmazonView at Bed Bath & BeyondSee all prices (10 found)11 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆Reasons to buy+Space saving design for bedrooms+Energy-saving eco mode+Four-stage filtration systemReasons to avoid-Small design unsuitable for entire home

We’re currently in the process of testing the Coway AP 1512, with our exact findings still to come. However, the Coway AP 1512 is known as a standout air purifier due to its excellent value and high-quality performance. 

What the users say

The Coway AP 1512 HH Air Purifier has an impressive 4.7 star rating out of five on Amazon, and with reviewers praising its quiet running, affordable replacement filters and its economical performance, it’s fair to say that this is a total winner with users. Negative reviews said that the included instructions did not quite go far enough in instructing users how to set up and use their air purifier. Positive reviews were sold by how lightweight and easy to maneuver the air purifier was, as well as the design which was easy to integrate into their home. 

For an initial cost of under $300, this air purifier can offer you a four-stage filtration system, a HEPA filter and coverage of up to 361 square feet. The air purifier itself is packaged in a neat, sleek design and available in two different colors, black and white. 

This air purifier excels when it comes to dust and eradicating odors, with a pre-filter and odorization filter for reducing contaminants in the air. It’s also inconspicuous when it comes to noise, making it a suitable addition to any bedroom when paired when its smaller size. 

The Coway AP 1512 Air Purifier also benefits from a built-in particle sensor. That means that you can get an idea of the air quality in your home from the color coding system on the top of the device. It’ll show a blue light when the air is clean, purple to flag pollution and red for high pollution. Another clever feature of the Coway AP 1512 is the sensors that can adjust the fan speed to keep the air clean, so that you don’t have to mess with the settings. 

The Coway AP 1512 is an air purifier suited to small spaces of rooms up to 361 square feet, making it suitable for smaller spaces and bedrooms. If you need something for a larger room, then you might want to look elsewhere while bearing in mind that this is a fantastic choice for smaller spaces. 

(Image credit: Levoit)Levoit H132 This is the best air purifier for those on a budget. SpecificationsEnergy star certified: NoHeight: 12.6 inchesDiameter: 20 inchesWeight: 6.5 lbsTODAY'S BEST DEALSPrimeView at AmazonView at WalmartView at levoitSee all prices (8 found)64 Walmart customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆Reasons to buy+Affordable+Quiet fan, even at fastest speed+Easy to set up and useReasons to avoid-Can't program the unit-Didn’t perform as well as expected in tests

Small enough for any desktop or shelf, the Levoit H132’s compact size and low price makes it the ideal air purifier for someone looking to try their first air purifier at home. If you have a small apartment, or you simply want to use an air purifier in one room only, then this might be the product for you. 

What the users say

The Levoit H132 scores an impressive 4.7 out of five stars on Home Depot. Negative reviews are few and far between, with one customer finding problems with the motor whining after a few weeks. Most reviews are positive, with users praising the purifier as convenient and highly efficient at reducing the symptoms of allergies. Customers particularly like how quiet the purifier runs, even at the highest setting. Users say the purifier worked so well to improve indoor air quality that they bought a second one for another room.

The Levoit H132 might lack the wow–factor of more stylish purifiers. However, what it lacks in style, it certainly delivers in sheer affordability. Available for under $100, this is definitely one of the best air purifiers for those on a budget. 

While this particular air purifier might lack the HEPA filter that gives premium air purifiers their mark of quality, it does come with an in-built dimmable nightlight, making it an ideal air purifier for a nursery or child’s bedroom. While it’s not possible to pre-program the unit, a memory function means that previous fan settings are logged before it powers down.

The Levoit H132 may not have all the bells and whistles of a smart air purifier, but its affordability and compact size makes it the ideal entry-level indoor air purifier that performs well in small to medium-sized rooms.

•  Read the full Levoit H132 review.

(Image credit: Amazon)KOIOS EPI810 This portable air purifier is a convenient option for travel.SpecificationsEnergy star certified: NoHeight: 7.5 (in)Diameter: 6.9 (in)Weight: 2.5 lbsTODAY'S BEST DEALSView at WalmartPrimeView at AmazonReasons to buy+Works straight out of the box+Small enough to travel with+Built-in night lightReasons to avoid-Noisy on highest setting-Not the best performance-Expensive replacement filters

Light and compact, the KOIOS EPI810 is the smallest air purifier we’ve reviewed. It will sit comfortably on any office desk or shelf and its 2.5lb weight makes it light enough to take travelling. 

What the users say

The Koios EPI810 has an impressive 4.5 stars out of five on Amazon.com. Users who gave it the full five stars praise the purifier’s performance as well as its conveniently compact size. Others rate its ability to neutralize unpleasant cooking odors and pet smells. Many reviewers have bought several purifiers to use in multiple rooms. Negative reviews point out that the purifier can be noisy at its highest setting, or that they have been unable to switch the night light setting off. Other criticize the quality of the unit as having a ‘cheap’ feel and say the replacement filters are too expensive, at almost half the price of the base unit. 

The purifier can operate from a mains socket or via USB, while a simple one-click button control makes it one of the easiest air purifiers to operate straight out of the box. A built-in night light makes it a good choice for a nursery or kids’ room.

While it doesn’t have the wow factor when it comes to design, or the sophistication of a smart, connected air purifier, the KOIOS EPI810 may work well if you want something easy to operate. However, a noisy higher setting and a lacklustre performance in our at-home tests may put some users off. 

Are air purifiers worth it?

Air purifiers are worth their cost for many users thanks to their ability to filter out some of the pollutant particles out of the air within a home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend approximately 90% of their time at home, where “concentrations of some pollutants are often two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations”. This means that having an air purifier on hand to filter out some of these pollutants can be beneficial.

In fact, those who suffer from medical conditions that arise from these pollutant particles (such as asthma) can even find that air purifiers help with allergies, helping to reduce symptoms. 

Air purifiers can also work to supplement proper ventilation and air conditioning within homes when it comes to smoke and smoke smells. While it won’t remove every pollutant in your air at home, an air purifier is a worthwhile purchase to contribute toward bringing the overall level of pollutants down. 

To get the most out of your air purifier, there are certain features to look out for as you shop. Tim Carroll from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency told Live Science: "Choosing the right air cleaner will depend on the type of pollutant the user is targeting. In general, to filter particles, choose a portable air cleaner that has a clean air delivery rate (CADR) that is large enough for the size of the room or area in which you will use it. 

"The higher the CADR, the more particles the air cleaner can filter and the larger the area it can serve. Most air cleaner packaging will tell you the largest size area or room it should be used in. Portable air cleaners often achieve a high CADR by using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.

"To filter gases, choose a portable air cleaner with an activated carbon filter or other filter designed to remove gases.

"Consumers should be careful not to select an air cleaner that produces any ozone, which is a lung irritant. Both the California Air Resources Board and the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers maintain lists of air cleaners that have been tested and shown to emit little or no ozone". 

Air purifier benefits

Choosing one of the best air purifiers available today will be a reassuring purchase for you and your family. Concerns about air quality have seen these handy devices mushroom in popularity in recent years.

Deciding which air purifier is right for you can be confusing though, so we have tested a selection and collated the essential information you need, covering the size, price and credentials of each air purifier - including whether or not they’ve earned Energy Star certification. 

But what does an air purifier actually do to improve your home environment? It does depend on the model, but they can remove polluting particles from the air, and prevent biological impurities such as mold and bacteria from circulating in the spaces you live in.

If anyone in your family suffers from allergies, it can also help them manage their allergy season symptoms as well. 

The jury’s still out on whether air purifiers can prevent the spread of COVID-19 inside people’s homes, and the current advice from the CDC is to open doors and windows when the weather allows. However, there is some evidence that HEPA filters, found within premium air purifiers, may help to remove certain viruses from the air.

Tim Carroll from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency told Live Science: "Portable air cleaners have the potential to improve indoor air quality for any person who uses them properly. The longer the air cleaner runs, the more air it filters.

“Note that it is always important to reduce or remove the sources of indoor air pollutants and to ventilate with clean outdoor air. Filtration does not replace the need to control pollutants and ventilate."  

Today's best air purifier dealsDyson - Purifier Cool - TP07...Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 Smart AirBest Buy$549.99ViewSee all pricesLevoit VeSync Core 400S Smart...Levoit Core 400Slevoit$219.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Molly Cleary

Molly is a writer for Live Science and Top Ten Reviews. She covers a range of subjects including fitness, health and homes. 

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