As someone who lives in a wildfire-prone city, I’m all too familiar with poor air quality caused by smoke and pollution. As we’ve seen with the recent fires in California, wildfires burn far more than trees—charred cars, factories, and buildings..
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As someone who lives in a wildfire-prone city, I’m all too familiar with poor air quality caused by smoke and pollution. As we’ve seen with the recent fires in California, wildfires burn far more than trees—charred cars, factories, and buildings send toxic chemicals into the air.
After fires burned near our home last summer, I made it my mission to research the best home air purifiers for eliminating smoke and common city air pollutants. I’m sharing what I found with you today.
Everyone deserves to breathe clean air, especially in the most personal of spaces—home. That’s why I’ve come up with a well-researched list of things to consider before buying an air purifier and my favorite air purifiers right now.
Ready to tackle smoke, pollutants, and allergens with me? Keep reading.
What to consider before buying an air purifier
If you haven’t bought an air purifier before, prepare yourself for a trip. The options are dizzying, and the air purifier you buy will depend on many factors, including the size of your home, the size of your rooms, and whether or not you have an HVAC system.
To help you narrow down your questions, here’s my list of the top things to consider before buying an air purifier:
1. Your central HVAC system
If you have central HVAC, it will likely act as a whole-house purifier since it has integrated air filters. In that case, you could supplement your air filtration with portable purifiers.
According to a collegue at Consumer Reports, “A whole-house system will work at filtering all the air that passes through it via the HVAC system. But if you’re sitting next to a fireplace for extended periods of time, a room air purifier might not be a bad idea.”
The Wirecutter reccomends installing MERV 13 filters in your return registers. These filters are recommended by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers for minimizing airborne particles like smoke, pollen, and PM 2.5.
2. The best types of air purifiers
There are 7 main types of air purifiers on the market. Some are helpful, some don’t work well, and some can harm your health—which you don’t want. For that reason, I’m only listing the safest and most effective technologies.
–Mechanical filters
Mechanical purifiers rely on fans to push air through webs of particle-trapping fibers. Those with a super-fine mesh are called HEPA filters. They’re effective at removing microscopic particles and larger particles including pollen, dust, and certain mold spores. Unfortunately, mechanical filters don’t remove gases or odors and can be expensive to maintain.
–Activated Carbon Filters
These purifiers use activated carbon to trap certain gases, inculding some that cause smells. However, they’re ineffective against pollutants like formaldehyde, nitrogen oxygen, and ammonia. Since activated carbon filters don’t remove particles, a fair number of air purifiers use both an activated carbon filter and a mechanical filter.
Because activated carbon filters saturate more quickly than mechanical filters, you’ll have to replace them every 3 months. It’s also important to note that these filters can cost up to $50 each, so be sure to budget that before you buy.
3. The size of your space
Do you live in a studio apartment downtown or a sprawling house in the suburbs? Your answer will determine what air purifier you buy because they’re sized according to the square footage of a room.
This means that if you buy an air purifier that’s too small for your living room, it may not filter properly. On the other hand, an oversized air purifier would be a waste of money for your space.
4. Noise
If you’ve decided to buy a portable air purifier, you’ll want to consider how much noise you’re willing to deal with in your chosen room. For example, if your air purifier is destined for your or a child’s bedroom, you’ll want to look for a model that specifies quiet operation or that has a sleep mode.
On the other hand, if you plan on setting up your air purifier in your open-plan kitchen/living room/dining room, noise won’t be much of a concern in these common areas.
5. Energy efficiency
This is important, and something might not think about right away. But because air purifiers are most effective if they run constantly, it has the potential to rack up your energy bill—especially if you leave it running at high speeds.
For this reason, it’s worth checking your air purifiers for an Eco or standby mode which can help the machine use less energy.
The best home air purifiers
With these points in mind, you’re ready to start looking for your perfect air purifier! Here are my top picks. I’ve chosen each based on stellar reviews.
1. Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty
Coway Airmega Mighty in White
This True HEPA Purifier has received accolades from trusted sources all over the web—and it’s the one I eventually bought for my home. Numerous tests have shown that the Coway Mighty can remove 99% of smoke in just 30 minutes on its high setting. The medium setting removes 88%.
I love it because it eliminates my worries about smoke particles in the air following a wildfire. And, at just 39 decibles, it runs quietly, which is super important in an apartment with kids.
Amazon List Price: $229.99 Deal Price: $187.91, Save 18%
2. BLUEAIR Blue Pure 311 i Max
BLUEAIR 311i Max in Gray
The BLUEAIR Blue Pure 311i Max is another air purifier I considered buying. It has a lot in common with the Coway: an energy-efficient design, excellent performance, and quiet operation. I also liked the pretty gray fabric exterior.
The filters, however, have a shorter lifespan than the Coway’s, lasting just 6 to 9 months, depending on your use. The machine does track how much you’ve used the filter before recommending a change, so you can be sure you’re getting an accurate measurement.
Amazon List Price: $229.99 Deal Price: $184.99, Save 20%
3. Rabbit Air A3
Rabbit Air A3 in a breakfast nook
The Rabbit Air A3 was another air purifier that caught my eye. An air quality warrior with its BioGS HEPA filter, you can count on it to remove dust, mold, allergens, VOCs, bacteria, smoke, and particles that carry viruses. And it covers huge spaces, up to 1070 square feet. So it’s great for offices and businesses.
I love the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity—it lets you monitor and control the air purifer from anywhere via the Rabbit Air App.
Amazon Price: $749.95
4. BLUEAIR Blue Pure 511
BLUEAIR Blue Pure 511 in a fitness scene
Another pick from BLUEAIR, the Blue Pure 511 made my list as a highly effective budget choice. Yep, if I were in my 20s again, this is the air purifier I’d buy. Designed specifically for small spaces like dorms, bedrooms, and offices, it reduces smoke levels by 96.9% in 30 minutes—quite good for a compact machine.
Other great attributes include its light weight (this makes it easy to move), energy-efficient design, and 3 fan settings. There are no extras like smart functionality—it’s a pretty bare-bones device.
Amazon Price: $99.99
5. GermGuardian HEPA 5900WCA
GermGuardian HEPA 5900WCA angled view
If you’re looking for an effective air purifier for large rooms, with a good track record for removing odors from cooking and pets, check out the GermGuardian HEPA 5900WCA air purifier. It includes a charcoal filter, which allows it to reduce odors. Meanwhile, the HEPA filter eliminates both PM2.5s and VOCs.
Amazon List Price: $259.99 Deal Price: $233.99, 10% OFF
6. LEVOIT Air Purifiers 400s for Large Rooms
Levoit 400S Air Purifier and a smartphone
Another one for large homes, the LEVOIT Air Purifier 400S, offers wide coverage in rooms up to 1980 square feet. Plus, its 99.97% efficiency on pollen dust, animal dander, and ultra-fine particles means it’s an allergy sufferer’s dream!
Use it to make your house more comfortable if you live with a smoker, pets, or have a fireplace.
Amazon Price: $219.99
7. Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde
Dyson Purifier Humidify + Cool Formaldehyde in a nursery
The Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaledehyde is fancy—and multifunctional. If you want to purify, humidify, and cool your space in one go, this machine helps you achive that.
Yep, it automatically humidifies and purifies your indoor air—plus it detects and destroys formaldehyde from household products. Honestly, it’s like a deep cleaner for your air, but be prepared to pay for the luxury. It’ll set you back nearly a grand!
Amazon List Price: $999.99 Deal Price: $849, 15% OFF
8. SwitchBot Air Purifier Table
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table with juice and a sandwich
If you’re looking for a unique air purifier that fits easily into your design scheme, look no further than the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. This machine is a table and air purifier in one!
While it’s a cool concept, it’s also pretty powerful, removing 97.8% of hair, odor, and particulate matter.
Price: $258.35 on the official website.
9. Briiv Air Filter
Briiv Air Filter in a YouTube video
As far as air purifiers go, this one is definitely a conversation starter. The Briiv Air Filter uses natural moss as a filter, improving your home’s aesthetics and air quality.
I love that the natural material absorbs pollutants and releases clean air. What’s more, it’s low energy and comes with 12 months of filters.
Price: $349.95 on the official website
Parting thoughts
Air Purifiers are an effective way to create a healthy breathing environment at home. With my tips for buying an awesome air purifier, you’re well on your way to clearer indoor air.
Still haven’t the best home air purifier for you? check out our Air Purifiers category. We update it regularly with the latest and greatest models!
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