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Are air purifiers really worth it? We asked the experts
Air purifiers are not new tech but largely became a household item during the COVID-19 pandemic. They're seeing a spike in popularity again this summer as air quality alerts are becoming as frequent as thunderstorm warnings. Air quality has hit dangerous levels, and many experts recommend using air purifiers in our homes. Like many of you, we are curious about whether an at-home purifier is worth it and how it works exactly. We checked in with some experts, so follow along below.
Air purifiers are portable air cleaners or air sanitizers. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they filter the air in a single room or area, and the additional features vary by your model.
You'll want a purifier with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, as recommended by Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergist with Allergy & Asthma Network. This pleated mechanical air filter removes at least 99.97% of harmful airborne particles like dust, pollen, mold and bacteria, reducing health effects from some of those particles, from seasonal allergens to wildfire smoke. It can even help reduce unwanted cooking scents.
While helping with allergies is a big reason to purchase an air purifier, it's not perfect. "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."
It certainly won't hurt to add one to your home and Parikh suggests putting one in "rooms where you spend the 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.
This highly-rated large room purifier is a top performer and is perfect for a living room, bedroom or kitchen. With its 3-stage filtration and quiet technology, it will help keep the air in your home free of allergens and dust. With over 11,500 5-star reviews, grabbing this Levoit Large Room Smart Purifier while it is $25 off is a great deal.
The Molekule Air Mini is relatively small (it can perch on a table or shelf) and has a convenient built-in carry strap to allow you to tote it from room to room. It uses the brand's specialized Photo Electrochemical Oxidation (PECO) nanotechnology to target and destroy viruses, allergens, bacteria, mold and chemicals. Worth noting: Molekule's testing shows that the PECO filter destroys more than 99% of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in an hour. This purifier can be controlled by an app on your phone and is designed for rooms up to 250 square feet.
Germ Guardian has a huge range of up to 743 square feet, making it a good option for living rooms or other large spaces. It features a HEPA filter, along with UV-C light to help reduce germs in your air. An activated charcoal filter also targets odors in your air. A pre-filter captures larger particles like dust and pet hair to help extend the life of the HEPA filter.
Levoit's Pet Core P350 has a specialized carbon filter to help target odors created by pets, along with a HEPA filter to tackle pet dander and other allergens. This purifier has P350, a non-woven fabric pre-filter that traps large floating particles like pet fur, hair, dust and lint, to reduce the amount of gunk that lands on your carpet and furniture. It's also quiet, running at levels as low as 24 decibels, or less than the sound of a whisper.
Coway's Airmega covers up to 361 square feet, making it a great choice for bedrooms. It's relatively compact, so it won't hog floor space, and uses a four-stage filtration process with a pre-filter, deodorization filter, HEPA filter and Vital Ion filter. It gives you real-time readings on your air quality and can automatically shut itself down if it doesn't detect any issues with your air for 30 minutes.
The Dyson Purifier Cool may not be cheap, but it's considered one of the best portable air cleaners money can buy. This purifier — which can double as an air conditioner — uses a HEPA filter and base that sucks in allergens and pollutants and keep them sealed. A special Air Multiplier technology helps draw in particles and blasts purified air into the room. It also reports air quality on its LED screen and in the corresponding app. Control the machine with a handy remote or your phone.
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