These Air Purifiers Are a Pet Owner's Best Friend

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If you live in fire country or anywhere that's been affected by dangerous levels of smoke and pollutants in the air, you might already own an air purifier. But even if you don't live anywhere with particularly hazardous air quality, you should still consider getting an air purifier anyway—especially if you have pets. What do air purifiers do for pet owners? Along with cleaning the air of pet dander, a good air purifier for pets can trap pet hair, thus making it easier to vacuum for pet hair and ensuring you get the most out of that luxury candle you gifted yourself.

If you're allergic to your pet, an air purifier can also help eliminate dander and other allergens. Not allergic to your furry friends, you say? Well, air purifiers for pets aren't just to protect you; they also protect pets with respiratory diseases like asthma, lower airway disease, and cardiac dysfunction, says veterinarian Dr. Antonio DeMarco. In addition to recommending air purifiers in households where one or more persons are allergic to the household pet, he advises you to change the filter monthly to reduce allergens. Dr. DeMarco also recommends air purifiers for cats and dogs, which have thresholds for air quality similar to those of humans. Good news: we scoured the internet to find all the best air purifiers for your pet (and for you!) based on top-rated features and tester reviews.

So, if you've been hesitating to splurge on an air purifier for yourself, consider buying one for your fur baby. They deserve the best, don't they?

Vital 200s Smart True HEPA Air Purifier

This air purifier is made for large spaces with more than one pet and has filters targeting pet hair, pet odor, and dander. It can also connect to an app, Google Assistant, or Alexa for easy use that allows you to create schedules for your air purifier. The filter is compatible with Levoit's True HEPA + Pet Allergy Carbon Replacement Filter, which features increased activated carbon for more odor control.

THE REVIEW: "We have two full size German shepherds and they leave a lot of hair floating in the air! This purifier has definitely minimized it," one reviewer writes. "One feature I particularly like is when the air quality isn't good, [the button] will change from green to red."

Air220 Air Purifier with Replacement Filters

This sleek air purifier features a three-stage filtration system: a pre-filter to catch larger particles, an activated carbon filter to capture gases and odors, and a medical-grade H13 HEPA filter. It's also made to work in bigger rooms, and, yes, will catch all those pesky pet allergens. My favorite thing about it is that it looks less like an air purifier and more like a speaker, so it'll blend in with your home decor.

THE REVIEW: "I purchased this unit 18 months ago and have been very happy with it. It's a workhorse at cleaning the air in the main floor of my house," one tester writes. "I replace the filter every 6 months to keep it at peak performance."

LV-H128 Desktop True HEPA Air Purifier

If you're looking for something you can easily move around the house as your own personal air purifier, this is it. At 3.3 pounds, this small air purifier fits perfectly on a desk or side table and is light enough to move with you throughout the day. It also has a diffuser feature, so you can add a few drops of essential oil to your clean air.

THE REVIEW: "I have a cat who sheds incessantly. You brush him three times with whatever tools you can find and he'll still shed," writes a tester. "This keeps my bedroom and bathroom pretty clean! I've definitely started seeing less hair in my vacuum filter."

Blue Pure 411a Max Air Purifier

The Blueair 411a Max air purifier is perfect for smaller rooms, specifically small bedrooms. The machine is discreet and known to be super quiet, so you can have it on all night and still get a great night's sleep. It also has a night setting, so you can set it and forget it when you go to bed.

THE REVIEW: "The smaller unit works great in my 550 square foot apartment. At the lowest fan speed, it's virtually silent. On medium and high it is noisier, but I don't care," one reviewer writes. "I could tell a huge improvement in my apartment air quality in just one day."

Air Purifier with Critter Cuddler Filter

The Mila air purifier looks unlike any other air purifier on the market, making it stand out as a more chic appliance. The brand offers 7 different types of filters, each tailored to specific needs. The pet filter, called the Critter Cuddler, is engineered to filter out more unwanted odors and pet dander. But the real selling point is the Mila app, which comes with a ton of settings and features so you can set your air purifier to your liking directly from your phone.

THE REVIEW: "This air filter is The Chosen One foretold in prophecy. Long have I yearned for the fresh air stolen by our modern world and promised by dreams of health, freedom, and prosperity," writes one reviewer. "Life's problems fade a little bit with every breath I draw. I now breathe as though free."

Airmega 150 True HEPA Air Purifier

Looking to add a pop of color to your home? This Coway Airmega 150 comes in three bright colors—Peony Pink, Sage Green, and Dove White—so you can customize your look. But don't worry, this air purifier is much more than just aesthetically pleasing, it's also powerful. Built for small rooms (cleans the air in a 518 square foot room in 30 minutes), the Coway Airmega 150 features an automatic mode that'll kick in whenever it detects a dip in air quality.

THE REVIEW: "I ran this in my bedroom all winter long. The air feels fresh. It's very quiet, except on the highest setting, but even that is a gentle whirr," one tester writes. "It's easy to take apart to clean—I have cats, so the first filter catches hair and dust."

Purifier Cool Formaldehyde™ TP09 Air Purifier and Fan

Feeling fancy? Treat yourself to a Dyson air purifier/bladeless fan. Yes, it's a luxury, but trust me, it's worth it. The fan and air purifier capabilities of this machine work hand-in-hand to provide you with fresh, cool air all year 'round. But the best part is how quiet it is. I'm talking whisper quiet.

THE REVIEW: "Filter is SO easy to put in, mobile app is so nice to have, and the little display on the fan itself showing levels of particles of NO2, HCHO, etc, is really nice too," one reviewer writes. "I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who has limited space and can't have both a fan and an air purifier in one room without losing floor space."

How to choose the best air purifier for you and your pet:

Spoiler alert: no air purifier is perfect for everyone or every pet. At the end of the day, there are a few factors that can help you pick the best air purifier for you and your pet.

Determine what size air purifier you need

The air purifier size you need will correlate to the size of the room you plan to use it in. So before you pick an air purifier, consider your space and where the machine will live. (Generally speaking, larger air purifiers work on larger areas, smaller ones work on smaller areas, etc.) Once you narrow down the size you're looking for, then you can go from there. Also, the room will determine which features are most important to you. For example, if you're planning on putting an air purifier in your bedroom, odds are you'll want that one to be on the quieter side.

Determine any additional air purifying features you want

If you plan on using your air purifier to combat negative effects of smoke in the air or mold in your home, then you might want to consider splurging a little bit more on your machine to make sure that it can do everything you need it to. (From personal experience, I can tell you that automatic settings really help when there's wildfire smoke in the air, for example.)

Meet the expert:

• Dr. Antonio DeMarcus has been a veterinarian for 14 years. He is currently the President of Medical Operations at GoodVets and practices at GoodVets Lee's Summit.

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