A great air purifier can help improve your quality of life by reducing airborne pollutants such as mold spores and pollen. But to be considered a great air purifier, it must be powerful enough to clean the whole living room or a bedroom, and affordable enough that it can be spread throughout the home.
How We Picked These Air Purifiers
We split air purifiers into three different categories: those designed for small spaces, dorm rooms, and bedrooms, and those for large spaces. The sizes vary widely, ranging from 1 to 24 inches wide.
To sort purifiers into these categories, we first calculate their air changes per hour (ACH), which are the volume of air that they can provide in a given room in 60 seconds.
By using ACH, air purifiers can be labeled with a more accurate and meaningful rating. A lot of manufacturers base their ratings on a room’s size, but this often leads to over-inflated claims.
It’s important to note that the 4 ACH minimum is calculated based on the volume of air a purifier can handle on its highest setting. If you’re dealing with an ongoing pollution issue, such as smoke from a nearby wildfire, use its lowest setting.
Purifying machines that meet the North American High-Efficiency Part A ( HEPA) certification are considered true HEPA. They remove at least 99.97% of dust and air particles in a single pass.
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty
This is effective, efficient, and inexpensive, and is perfect for bedrooms, playrooms, and living rooms, the Mighty is one of the best-performing, most durable, and most economical purifiers we’ve tested.
Within 30 minutes after plugging the Coway AP-1512H Mighty to a 135-square-foot office, it reduced heavy smoke pollution by almost 100%.
The Mighty’s ability to cut pollution was demonstrated during a massive conference room environment in Los Angeles.
The Mighty is a great value, especially at an up-front price. Its compact form and quiet operation make it ideal for bedrooms.
Coway Airmega 200M
This has different look, same great performance. The 200M is slightly different from the Mighty in terms of appearance, but it has the same performance and price tag.
The Coway Airmega 200M is similar to the Airmega 1512HH Mighty in every respect. It features the same controls and noise reduction, but it also has an interchangeable faceplate.
The Airmega 200M is a great bedroom monitor that features a display-shutoff feature. It’s also got a square grille, which makes it look more contemporary.
Winix 5500-2
This one got exceptional performance, brutalist design. The Winix 5500-2 is a great performer, but its lack of a display shutoff and overall look are minor shortcomings.
The Winix 5500-2 is a smoke detector that’s capable of capturing 99% of the smoke in its test room in just 30 minutes. It’s also an excellent performer on medium-high settings.
The Coway AP-1512HH Mighty and the Philips Huevos Mini Air Purifier both have the same goal: To reduce air pollutants that can cause cancer and respiratory issues. Both machines can achieve this by continuously running.
I still prefer the Mighty for its smaller size, better visual footprint, and more attractive look.
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty
This is effective, efficient, and inexpensive, and is perfect for bedrooms, playrooms, and living rooms, the Mighty is one of the best-performing, most durable, and most economical purifiers we’ve tested.
Within 30 minutes after plugging the Coway AP-1512H Mighty to a 135-square-foot office, it reduced heavy smoke pollution by almost 100%.
The Mighty’s ability to cut pollution was demonstrated during a massive conference room environment in Los Angeles.
The Mighty is a great value, especially at an up-front price. Its compact form and quiet operation make it ideal for bedrooms.
Coway Airmega 200M
This has different look, same great performance. The 200M is slightly different from the Mighty in terms of appearance, but it has the same performance and price tag.
The Coway Airmega 200M is similar to the Airmega 1512HH Mighty in every respect. It features the same controls and noise reduction, but it also has an interchangeable faceplate.
The Airmega 200M is a great bedroom monitor that features a display-shutoff feature. It’s also got a square grille, which makes it look more contemporary.
Winix AM90
The AM90 is a modern-style performance model that features a sleek housing and a modern appearance. It shares many of the same shortcomings as the 5500-2 but with upgraded features and better performance.
The AM90 is a modern, more contemporary version of the Winix 5500-2. It features a more contemporary design and delivers the same performance as its predecessor.
The Winix AM80 Wi-Fi-capable mobile device comes with a basic app and a few dollars more than the more expensive 5500-2.
Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto
The Blue Pure 311 Auto is a top-performance model that suffers from a lack of display shutoff.
The Blueair Pure 311 Auto is a smoke reduction device that works seamlessly with the Blueair Pure lineup. It can reduce smoke levels by up to 99.9% in 30 minutes. It also has an auto function that automatically switches on and off.
This model has plenty of features that we like, such as its quiet performance and energy efficiency. It also has a stylish, washable cover that’s removable.
The Blueair Air Quality indicator lamp is a bit of a pain to use, as it only turns on once the unit’s slowest setting. It also requires replacing the filter every six months.
Levoit Core 400S
The Levoit Core 400S is a great addition to any PC, especially if it has Alexa built-in. It features a great performance and voice control.
The Levoit Core 400S was our top performer in terms of smoke removal. It achieved a 99.3% success rate, which is among the highest in our tests.
If you’re after a basic smart air purifier that works seamlessly with Alexa and Google Assistant, then this is the option for you. However, it usually comes with a higher price tag and is typically not as good as our top pick.
Blueair Blue Pure 211+
The Blue Pure 211+ is a great performer for large rooms. Its ability to move high volumes of air makes it the best choice for large spaces.
The Blueair BluePure 211+ is an air purifier that can be used in large spaces. It features a built-in filter that can remove up to 10 times more particulates per hour.
The Blue Pure 211+ is a bit more expensive than most of the other large-scale purifiers we tested, but it was still an exceptional performer.
If you’re looking for a quieter, smaller, and more budget-friendly option, then the Coway Mighty is a good choice.
Levoit Core 300
The Levoit Core 300 is an excellent choice for small rooms. It’s compact and stylish. The Levoit Core 300 is a solid and affordable air purifier that can clean up to 200 square feet of space. It was able to reduce particulates by 97% in 30 minutes.
This item reduced its size by almost 100% on medium. It features a display-shutoff feature that will keep it from interrupting your sleep.
The Coway PowerLine is a good choice if you’re looking for a compact air conditioner that can run 24/7 on medium. But it’s not very energy-efficient, and it costs a bit more than the Coway Mighty.
Winix AM90
The AM90 is a modern-style performance model that features a sleek housing and a modern appearance. It shares many of the same shortcomings as the 5500-2 but with upgraded features and better performance.
The AM90 is a modern, more contemporary version of the Winix 5500-2. It features a more contemporary design and delivers the same performance as its predecessor.
The Winix AM80 Wi-Fi-capable mobile device comes with a basic app and a few dollars more than the more expensive 5500-2.
Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto
The Blue Pure 311 Auto is a top-performance model that suffers from a lack of display shutoff.
The Blueair Pure 311 Auto is a smoke reduction device that works seamlessly with the Blueair Pure lineup. It can reduce smoke levels by up to 99.9% in 30 minutes. It also has an auto function that automatically switches on and off.
This model has plenty of features that we like, such as its quiet performance and energy efficiency. It also has a stylish, washable cover that’s removable.
The Blueair Air Quality indicator lamp is a bit of a pain to use, as it only turns on once the unit’s slowest setting. It also requires replacing the filter every six months.
Levoit Core 400S
The Levoit Core 400S is a great addition to any PC, especially if it has Alexa built-in. It features a great performance and voice control.
The Levoit Core 400S was our top performer in terms of smoke removal. It achieved a 99.3% success rate, which is among the highest in our tests.
If you’re after a basic smart air purifier that works seamlessly with Alexa and Google Assistant, then this is the option for you. However, it usually comes with a higher price tag and is typically not as good as our top pick.
Bottomline
Among our picks, the Blue Pure 211+ and the Blue Pure 311 Auto are both great picks for large spaces and standard-size rooms. Both are certified by AHAM to deliver clean air at 350 and 250 CFM.
The Canadian Air Quality Registry (CADR) numbers indicate the cubic feet per minute of pure air that a purifier can produce. They are also the measures of its effectiveness.
We also weigh the value of each purifier relative to its specs and ratings. By taking a closer look at the various factors that go into making a good purifier, we can make a more informed decision.
We do not consider smart functionality to be a necessity, as long as the device can provide more information and control over a purifier. However, having more control over a purifier through an app may be beneficial for some owners.
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