Are air purifiers really worth it? We asked the experts

Air purifiers have been around for years, but they became a hot-ticket item with the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, they're selling fast again after smoke from Canadian wildfires has drifted south, blanketing many parts of the east coast and taking down air quality levels with it. But while there is a lot of hype surrounding air purifiers, we wall want to know: Are air purifiers worth it? And what do they do, exactly? Pull up a seat. We'll break it down for you.

At a basic level, air purifiers (aka portable air cleaners or air sanitizers), are designed to filter the air in a single room or area, per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). From there, the exact capabilities of an air purifier vary by model.

You typically want to look for an air purifier with a HEPA filter, which is considered the gold standard for air purifiers, Dr. Purvi Parikh, allergist with Allergy & Asthma Network, tells Yahoo Life. (HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air [filter].) This is a type of pleated mechanical air filter and it's designed to remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns, the EPA explains.

Air purifiers may reduce the health effects from some particles, the EPA says. From there, people tend to use them for a range of issues, from allergies to wildfire smoke. Some will even run their air purifier to get rid of odors after cooking — and many models can handle all of that.

Allergies are a big motivator for people to invest in an air purifier, but these cleaners don't capture all allergens. "HEPA does not work well on dust mites, but does work for house dust which is larger particles," Parikh says. "A HEPA filter is also effective for pet dander and is good for mold."

When it comes to wildfire smoke, it's important to consider that what's outside can seep inside your home, Dr. Fady Youssef, a board-certified pulmonologist, internist and critical care specialist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif, tells Yahoo Life. "Closing your windows and doors will help, but the air quality indoors will be impacted by air quality outside," he says. "Using portable HEPA filters will help mitigate it."

As for where to use an air purifier, Parikh suggests putting one in "rooms where you spend most time and many hours at once," like your bedroom, living room and office.

Interested in adding an air purifier to your home? Consider these models.

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