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Investing in one of the best air purifiers on the market can be an invaluable addition to your home, helping to reduce and remove airborne particles like smoke, dust, pollen, and pet dander that can impact indoor air quality and the well-being of those with allergies or certain health conditions.
Many air purifiers can also tackle invisible airborne pollutants such as formaldehyde and other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can be released into our homes by things like new furniture, flooring, and upholstery materials, as well as some paints, artificial air fresheners, candles, and cleaning products.
No wonder that alongside the best dehumidifiers for extracting moisture from the home, air purifiers are one of this year's bestselling home appliances.
As such, the Ideal Home team has tried, tested, and reviewed some of the best air purifiers on the market to bring you our top recommendations, including options from Levoit, Meaco, Philips, and more.
You'll also find plenty of buying advice below to help you find the best air purifier for your needs. We've broken down the impact CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate), removal rate, filtration efficiency, energy consumption, and noise levels will have on your purchase to help you weigh up which air purifier is the right fit for you.
The quick list
Short on time? This quick list is an overview of the very best air purifiers. You'll find more information on each air purifier and why our testers recommend it if you keep on scrolling.
Best air purifier overall
Stylish, user-friendly, quiet, energy-efficient, and easily portable thanks to its lightweight design, there's a lot to love about the Blueair Blue 3210 air purifier. That's why we think it's the best air purifier to invest in, overall.
Best budget air purifier
Affordable and compact, the Levoit Core 300 is a great option for smaller homes. Its unobtrusive build and quiet 'sleep mode' make it one of the best air purifiers for the bedroom alongside the Blueair Blue 3210.
Most powerful
A powerful air purifier that's designed to fix air quality in larger spaces, the Philips Series 3000i Connected air purifier promises to remove impurities in areas up to 104m2. In a smaller room, that translates to super-fast results.
Wi-Fi compatible
A solid performer, the MeacoClean Air Purifier also adds Wi-Fi compatibility to its long list of attributes, meaning you can download the app and monitor air quality, plus control the appliance from your phone.
A good all-rounder
The Beko ATP6100I is a no-nonsense air purifier with a mid-range price point that's very straightforward to use, making it a good all-rounder. The interface uses different colours to indicate how clean the air is at any moment in time which is a nice touch that impressed our reviewer.
Multifunctional
If you're considering investing in both a dehumidifier and an air purifier then the MeacoDry Arete One could save you money by offering 2-in-1 functionality. It's our top-rated dehumidifier and it filters the air whilst it runs.
Best air purifiers 2023
Why you can trust Ideal Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best air purifier overall
If you’re looking for a quiet and unfussy air purifier that will fit into smaller spaces, then the Blueair Blue 3210 is ideal. Perfect for bedrooms or a home office, the Scandi-style machine is super-easy to set up and use. Recommended for use in a room of around 17m2, the Blueair Blue 3210 will change the air in the space five times an hour, going down to about twice an hour in a room of 43m2.
The lower section of this cylindrical air purifier is wrapped in what the brand calls a fabric 'pre-filter', designed not only to look attractive but also to catch larger particles and extend the life of the primary filter inside. You can vacuum the fabric outer or pop it in the wash to clean it.
Setting up and using this air purifier during our review process couldn't have been easier. The pre-filter was already in place, and all we needed to do was keep the air purifier in Auto mode in order to see the positive effect. It made light work of eradicating polluting particles during testing, lighting up amber or red briefly before returning back to a steady blue, which indicates a good air quality reading.
Our tester, Smart Homes editor Caroline Preece says 'the Blueair Blue 3210 looks good, is incredibly quiet, user-friendly, and has impressive performance for its size and price point. As long as you don't mind the lack of timer or smart features, it's a great buy'.
Read our full Blueair Blue 3210 air purifier review for more detail.
Most affordable
Small, lightweight, and relatively affordable, we think the Levoit Core 300 air purifier is a great option for smaller homes, and, thanks to its unobtrusive build and quiet 'sleep mode' we rank it alongside the Blueair Blue 3210 air purifier as one of the best air purifiers for the bedroom.
Despite its relatively affordable price point, this model offers a pre-filter to capture large particles such as dust, lint, fibers, hair, and pet fur, a HEPA filter that traps fine dust, smoke particles, and allergens such as pollen and pet dander, and a carbon filter that works to neutralise smoke, fumes, VOCs, and household odours such as cooking smells and pet odours.
It's not quite as quiet as the Blueair Blue 3210 air purifier on its lowest setting, offering noise levels of 24dB compared to the Blueair Blue 3210's lowest 18dB setting, but it's still pretty quiet compared to other options. However, like the Blueair Blue 3210, those noise levels do get considerably higher as you move up the fan settings.
The Levoit Core 300 promises to filter a larger area – capable of cleaning a 20m2 space as opposed to the Blue 3210's 17m2 limit – however, in line with its lower price point, performance is also lower, with it struggling to match the Blueair Blue 3210 on CADR results. It also uses more energy, at 45W compared to the low 2-10W energy consumption of the Blueair Blue 3210.
However, if you want a compact and portable air purifier without having to invest a big sum upfront, we think the Levoit Core 300 is a great unit to improve your home's air quality without breaking the bank.
Most powerful
A powerful air purifier that's designed to fix air quality in larger spaces, the Philips Series 3000i Connected air purifier promises to remove impurities in areas up to 104m2. If you're using it in a smaller room, then that translates to super-fast results, with the unit able to purify the air in a room of 20m2 in less than 6 minutes, thanks to an impressive CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) of 520 m3/hr.
Our testers found the top control panel to be very user-friendly, with an auto mode that uses the built-in sensor to adjust filter speed accordingly, and a handy digital display on the top that gives you real-time information on air quality levels.
The drawback of the 3000i Connected is both its size – at 64cm tall and weighing 9kg it's a unit that isn't particularly portable, although thanks to its air cleaning capacity, we suppose it doesn't need to be, and it's stylish enough that it won't be an eyesore left out on display – and the price. This unit is an investment, but you do get powerful performance for your investment.
Our Smart Home Editor Caroline certainly found that it made quick work of purifying the air within her flat, 'The Philips Series 3000i Connected air purifier never turned red (to indicate pollutants) for more than a few seconds or minutes at a time, proving that it makes quick work of any airborne nasties'.
Read our full Philips AC3033/30 Air Purifier Series 3000i review for more detail.
Wi-Fi Compatible
The Meaco MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76x5 air purifier is a really great all-rounder which, despite not topping the other appliances on this list in areas like CADR, power consumption or quiet operation, performed solidly in our tests.
While trialling this purifier, our reviewer Millie found it very simple to set up and use and quiet to run throughout the process. It helped to alleviate allergy symptoms after use, and it was satisfying to watch the numerical reading on this air purifier drop as the air got cleaner.
The MeacoClean also offers Smart technology with an App you can download to operate the unit and monitor air quality on your phone, although you won't be able to integrate it with your Alexa, Google or HomeKit.
It wins on a few practical points too, with a useful foldaway handle and a minimalistic control panel that isn't a headache to get working.
Read our full MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76x5 WiFi Air Purifier review for more detail.
Good all-rounder
The Beko ATP6100I Air Purifier is a no-nonsense air purifier that's very straightforward to use. During testing, the feature that stood out most is the auto adjust, which automatically brings the power level up or down depending on the air quality reading in the room at that moment.
Named the 'Beko HygieneShield', this air purifier works to filter out the nasties in a room (up to 24m² large) with a system that contains a pre-filter, a HEPA 13 filter and a carbon filter. These combined filters banish dust, hair, pollen, and unwanted smells.
The area size isn't the most impressive out there, but the CADR (clean air delivery rate) of 204 m3/hr is a serious strong point with this air purifier. The interface is similarly pleasing and uses colours to indicate how clean the air is at any moment. If you set your air purifier to auto, then after an initial spurt of louder cleaning, then this model also works very quietly in the background, making this air purifier very easy to live with.
Multifunctional
If your home is prone to excess moisture and damp issues like mould and mildew, then although many air purifiers will help, a dehumidifier is going to be the best option for sucking excess moisture from the air.
Thankfully you don't have to buy two separate products, with the MeacoDry Arete One dehumidifier and air purifier offering the best of both worlds. This multifunctional unit gets our vote for the best dehumidifier money can buy thanks to its generous water tank, high moisture extraction rate, easy-to-use design, and its air filtering capabilities with washable dust filter and HEPA filter.
There are 10, 12, 20 and 25 litre options available (these numbers denoting how much water can be extracted from the air per day), all offering air purifying functions on top of their dehumidifying powers.
The controls are easy to operate, with an LED display and large push buttons. The unit also has wheels, a retractable carry handle, and a cable tidy that makes it easy to move around the house and store neatly away when it's not in use.
It is large, heavy, and perhaps not the prettiest to look at, but if you want versatility then we think this option offers a lot of bang for your buck.
Best for dust
The Blueair DustMagnet 5440i air purifier is designed 'for a life with less cleaning' which certainly made our ears prick up at the prospect.
Although it also does an impressive job of filtering pollen and airborne allergens from the air, its USP is eliminating dust before it even has a chance to land on your surfaces, a feat it achieves via what Blueair describes as 'a dual air intake and vortex airflow pattern that keeps airborne dust particles moving, and an electrostatic charge that clusters them together. Once inside the air purifier, the brand says the 'dust particles stick to the charged stainless steel pre-filters, just like a magnet'.
Our reviewer, Jack, certainly soon noticed a difference in his home 'after only a brief time using this air purifier, I noticed a clearer atmosphere. I was able to see live air quality readings of the room on the app as the tracker quickly went from Moderate levels of pollution to Excellent'.
He was also impressed by the DustMagnet's looks, with this Scandi-style unit designed to look like a piece of furniture, with a flat top and high-legged body that emulates a handy side table.
Overall this is a stylish and powerful air purifier, which just about justifies its premium price tag.
Read our full Blueair DustMagnet 5440i air purifier review for more detail.
Air purifier + humidifier
This small air purifier uses hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a naturally occurring molecule created using non-iodized salt, water, and electrolysis, to clean, deodorize, and humidify dry air.
On delivery, DH Lifelabs Aaira Mini air purifier needs the water tank filling and salt adding, but it's then ready to roll. Our reviewers found the control panel very easy to navigate, with clear labels for the power button and the three fan speeds. The unit lights up during the highest two fan speeds but is unilluminated during the ultra-quiet sleep mode. In this setting, this low-decibel air purifier delivers the quietest performance of all the air purifiers in our round-up making it a great option if you're easily disturbed by sound.
We aren't wholly sold on the air filter's looks – we found it slightly reminiscent of a goldfish tank on first appearance – but our reviewer, Jack, was particularly impressed by the purifier's impact on air humidity which helped to ease his respiratory problems, 'this air purifier definitely made a material difference in stopping my coughing fits and sinusitis. The air felt less congested and the HOCI that is dispersed gave the room an oceanic-like odour'.
Read our full DH Lifelabs Aaira Mini air purifier review for more detail.
How to choose the best air purifier
It would be nice to think that we could all rely on good air quality as standard, however, with increasing levels of pollution both inside and out, many of us are turning to air purifiers to help counteract potentially harmful particulates in the air.
As biochemist and medical herbalist Dr Chris Etheridge says, ‘There’s mounting evidence that indoor pollution can pose more of a health threat than outdoor pollutants. Improving indoor air quality can be key to tackling conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).’
But what should you be looking for when you shop for the best air purifier? To help decode the often confusing array of technical terms associated with air purifiers, we've enlisted the help of Lars Dunberger, Technology Development Manager at Blueair, a Swedish manufacturer that specialises in air quality products. First up, CADR...
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
'Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) is a measure of an air purifier's efficiency in cleaning the air in a particular room. CADR measures an air purifier’s effectiveness based on room space and the volume of clean air it produces per minute. This shows how well dust, pollen, and smoke, the three most common indoor air pollutants are removed from the air that you breathe', says Lars Dunberger.
'CADR is an industry-standard measure defined by the independent Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) in the U.S. Certified and verified by an independent laboratory, CADR provides consumers with a reliable way to compare the efficiency of different air purifiers'.
'A higher CADR rating means that the air purifier can clean the air faster, making it more efficient. An air purifier with a low CADR rating may not be as effective in removing pollutants from the air. CADR is a standardized measure that allows you to compare air purifiers of different sizes. The AHAM recommends a CADR rating of at least 2/3 of the room's area'.
Removal rate
'The amount of pollutants that the unit removes during a specified period of time is referred to as the unit’s removal rate (%). The removal rate is calculated by comparing the initial amount of pollutants with the amount of pollutants remaining after the specified period of time has passed. The higher the removal rate, the fewer particles remain', says Lars.
Energy consumption and efficiency
'Naturally, air purifiers with a higher CADR, intended for use in larger areas, will have a higher power consumption than air purifiers for smaller areas. For this reason, the power consumption should always be compared to the CADR performance of the unit. A common way to compare the power consumption of different air purifiers is to look at or calculate the CADR/Watt measurement. The higher CADR/W, the better the efficiency'.
Noise levels
'Noise from air purifiers generally comes from the fan or motor and the air pressure through the filter. When specifying an air purifier’s noise level, an A-weighted decibel value, or dB(A), is commonly used. “A-weighted” means that the measurement compensates for the ear’s inability to perceive all acoustic frequencies in the same way.
However, 'It should be mentioned that the dB(A) value alone does not provide enough information in order to determine how “noisy” an air purifier is', says Lars, 'the characteristics of noise, tone and how the individual subjectively perceives the noise also weigh in'.
If you're sensitive to noise then look for the model with the lowest dB rating. Most air purifiers also offer different settings, with some offering a quieter night-time mode. Others offer an auto-mode that remains quiet unless pollution levels rise and it needs to scrub the air more, rather than the appliance running continuously.
FAQs
Do air purifiers work?
Are air purifiers worth it, and can’t I just open the window instead, you might be wondering.
Well, yes, regular ventilation like opening the windows and doors in your home is key to a healthy building. In fact, this is how long to keep windows open to stop mould, as recommended by the experts. However, if you live in an area with poor outdoor air quality, or are sensitive to pollen, then this isn’t always as good a solution as we might hope.
An air purifier works by using a fan to draw air into the air purifying unit whereby it passes through a series of filters that remove particulate matter. The cleaned air is then discharged back into the room. As such, an air purifier can be a brilliant way to improve indoor air quality.
What are the different types of air filters, and which do I need?
The more stages of filtration, the better to remove different-sized particles.
- Dust pre-filter – think of air filtration as sifting sand on a beach. You want to remove the large pebbles first with a big sieve before using a finer one. Otherwise, the fine filter gets clogged up.
- HEPA filter – this catches more dust, pollens, other allergens, and even bacteria, so you’ll breathe cleaner whether you suffer from pet allergies or hay fever.
- Electrostatic filtration – this charges small particles so that they stick more easily to the filters.
- Active carbon is excellent for microscopic particles from traffic fumes, cigarette smoke, and the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that carry unpleasant smells. They can even remove viruses from the air.
Do air purifiers help with dust?
Yes, dust and pollen are some of the largest particles likely to be in the air, so most air purifiers will manage to capture and filter out a good amount of dust particulate from the air.
Do air purifiers remove smells?
The best air purifiers use activated carbon filters will remove the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that cause smells. That could be a musty smell, the particulates from a scented candle, or aerosol.
How do I get the right size air purifier for my room?
Measure your floor space in m². Then pick a machine that promises to clean the air in the room five times an hour. Ceiling heights are pretty consistent, so this is accurate enough. If you enjoy maths homework, you can measure the volume of the space in m³ and look at the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of various machines to see which suits you best.
Where to place an air purifier
The machine cleans and circulates all the air in the room. So the only thing that matters is not to place it too close to the wall or furniture. You want 10cm around it on all sides to guarantee airflow in and out of the air purifier.
Room-wise, if you pick one room, choose the bedroom. You spend about a third of your life in there, hopefully with the door shut (which is better for fire safety, too). The clean air will help promote deep sleep, as well as being good for your health.
Do air purifiers cool the air?
An air purifier won't actively cool the air, but because an air purifiers fan keeps the air in the room circulating you might notice a slight breeze which – similarly to turning on one of the best fans on the market – can help you to feel a little cooler on a hot and muggy day.
If you're looking for an appliance to actively lower the temperature indoors, then you'll want to invest in an air conditioning unit. Our guide to the best portable air conditioners has the Ideal Home team's round-up of our top-rated products.
What else should I think about when buying an air purifier?
If you want the option to transport the air purifier from room to room then consider the appliance's weight, and whether it rolls or comes with an integrated carry handle.
And, of course, you might also want to consider appearance. As this is an appliance that will be in use a lot of the time, paying a little more for a more stylish design might be worth the investment.
How we tested the best air purifiers
You'll find full details of the Ideal Home review process on our how we test page.
Our team of reviewers tested a host of the best air purifiers on the market to compile this guide. We compared assembly and set-up, ease of use, CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate), removal rate, filtration efficiency, energy consumption, and noise levels.
If there are any products we haven't managed to test in person, or the product didn't achieve over 4 out of 5 stars, then they won't have an Ideal Home Approved badge. However, you can rest assured we've done thorough research on their technical specifications and read multiple happy – and not-so-happy – customer reviews to narrow down our suggestions to only the best-in-class.
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