The best air purifier 2023: for cleaner, healthier air in the home

best air purifier is the blueair blue air purifier voted by techradar editors
(Image credit: Future)

Owning one of the best air purifiers is a sure-fire way to manage the symptoms of hayfever, allergies and asthma. While they are commonly most useful during the spring and summer for this reason, air purifiers can be just as important during the winter when windows are closed more to keep the cold out, meaning some homes become more at risk of damp and mold. 

However, an air purifier isn't just brilliant for keeping allergies at bay; it's useful for reducing strong odors from activities such as cooking, painting or burning a candle. Exposure to these particles over a long period of time can trigger short-term health effects, such as eye, nose, throat, and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath.

It's for these reasons, along with the energy efficiency and low-noise levels, that we've decided to put air purifiers through their paces to find the best models, evaluating the lineup for setup and ease of use, plus their performance efficiency to see whether they do actually improve the air we breath.

Below, you'll find our take on seven of the best air purifiers from well-know brands including Dyson, Blueair and Meaco. If you're looking to cool the air rather than purify, head to our guide of the best fans for our top editor picks.

The best air purifiers: tried and tested at home

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

blueair blue air purifier being used in the living room

(Image credit: Future / Helen McCue)
The best air purifier over all

Specifications

Brand: Blueair
Room size: 441sq ft
Speed settings: 3 + Auto
Noise: 29dB – 55dB
App? (Y/N): N
Dimensions: 16.7 x 7.9 x 7.9in/ 42.5 x 20 x 20cm
Weight: 3.8lbs / 1.68kg

Reasons to buy

+
Quiet in operation
+
Leaves the air feeling light and fresh
+
Intuitive to use

Reasons to avoid

-
No timer
-
No remote control or app
-
Best in smaller spaces

The Blueair Blue Pure 411 Auto, or Blueair Blue 3210 as it's known in the UK, is a brilliant option for purifying the air when space is limited. In addition, there's no accompanying app, so if you're not interested in getting a detailed breakdown of the air quality in your home, instead wanting an air purifier that's simple to operate and delivers effective performance, this is the model for you.

It's designed for rooms up to 190ft2 / 41m2, so isn’t ideal for huge open-plan spaces; but our reviewer, Helen, feels that the Blue Pure 411 Auto will work well in most bedrooms or smaller living rooms. Offering three-stage filtration to tackle pollen, dust, mold, smoke and more, the air in your home will be made more comfortable for everyone; in particular, for allergy sufferers. Arriving with three speeds as well as an auto mode, you can also adjust the settings accordingly.

During testing, Helen was impressed by the combination of its simplicity and stylish good looks. She also noticed improved air quality and freshness without any intrusive sound or excessive energy consumption. However, keep in mind that if you have very large rooms or open-plan areas then it won’t be up to the task.

Read our full Blueair Blue Pure 411 Auto review

levoit air purifier set up in a bedroom

(Image credit: Future / Victoria Woollaston)
Best budget air purifier

Specifications

Brand: Levoit
Room size: up to 219sq ft
Speed settings: 3, plus Sleep and Auto mode
Noise: 22dB
App? (Y/N): Y
Works with: Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa
Dimensions: 14.1 x 8.6 x 8.6in / 30 x 8.7 x 8.7cm
Weight: 6lbs / 2.72kg

Reasons to buy

+
Performance and smart features outweigh its price
+
Protects against 99.97% of indoor pollution
+
Incredibly useful and intuitive app

Reasons to avoid

-
Performance varies depending on room size
-
Delays in fan and app response time

The Levoit VeSync Core 300S is the latest addition to the Levoit Core Air Purifier Series and, priced as $149.99/£149.99, it gets our vote for the best air purifier you can buy on a budget.

Our reviewer, Victoria, was impressed by the Levoit air purifier's wide range of smart features. Its app is intuitive and insightful, and the ability to control it with voice commands with Amazon Alexa and Google Home was one of Victoria's favourite features because it meant that she could turn it one without having to lift a finger.

To test the purifying power of the Levoit 300S, we sprayed dry shampoo and deodorant and also placed the purifier in the kitchen while cooking a variety of meals, including roast chicken and steak, and had it in the office with a scented candle lit. Victoria found that the air purifier, when set on Auto, responded almost immediately to the change in air quality and within 30 minutes on each test it had improved the air quality from 'Bad' to 'Very Good'.

We found that it does have a number of small flaws in terms of response times and fan speeds though, and the performance will vary depending on the room size.

Read our full Levoit Core 300S True HEPA air purifier review

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09

(Image credit: TechRadar)
Best premium air purifier

Specifications

Brand: Dyson
Room size: 871sq ft
Speed settings: 10, plus Auto mode
Noise: 60dB
App? (Y/N): Y
Works with: N/A
Dimensions: 30 x 8.6 in / 76.2 x 21.8cm
Weight: 12.6lb / 5.5kg

Reasons to buy

+
Powerful air treatments, all-in-one
+
Can detect and destroy formaldehyde
+
App is incredibly useful

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 is the most versatile air purifier here; this model is capable of heating, cooling and purifying the air. This makes it a fantastic choice for those who want to save some space and avoid buying multiple appliances to serve those different functions – but this 3-in-1 appliance does come at a cost.

While our reviewer felt that the Dyson air purifier's price tag was pretty hefty, one of our biggest gripes with the device, she concluded that it delivers good bang for your buck. Not only can this air purifier destroy the carcinogenic formaldehyde, it can do so without the need for a replacement filter; its catalytic filter is self-sustaining, trapping formaldehyde molecules into water and CO2. Josie also felt that the unit was aesthetically beautiful, with a futuristic – yet not obtuse – design, and that the sophisticated, easy-to-use app for remote control was super handy.

Aside from the hefty price, our only other (slight) criticism of the Dyson Hot+Cool Formaldehyde is that if you want it to automatically switch on when the unit detects changes in the air, you'll have to remember to put in Auto mode.

Read our full Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 review

lg air purifier cut out on white background

(Image credit: LG)

4. LG PuriCare AeroTower Air Purifying Fan with True HEPA and UVnano LED

The best air purifier with a space-saving design

Specifications

Brand: LG
Room size: 818sq ft
Speed settings: 10, plus Auto, Turbo & Sleep modes
Noise: 23dB – 53dB
App? (Y/N): Y
Works with: N/A
Dimensions: 10.4 x 44.1in / 26.4 x 112cm
Weight: 27.6lbs / 12.5kg

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to set up 
+
Super easy to use
+
Great design

Reasons to avoid

-
Doesn't seem to get past "Good" in air quality

Those who are used to compact air purifiers might be surprised at the size of the LG PuriCare AeroTower – but don't let that scare you off, since it actually takes up less space than you'd think, thanks to it svelte frame.

Besides, it's the AeroTower's dimensions that allows it to cover rooms of up to 818sq ft in size. It's incredibly easy to set up and use, even boasting an LCD panel that clearly indicates the quality of the air in a given room, plus a remote that magnetically attaches to it. We're also a fan of the touch controls on top, despite the fact that they were prone to accidental presses. On top of ensuring that your room is free of harmful particles and allergens, this unit also has a fan function that offers 10 speeds and oscillation – a nice addition to keep the air flowing in the summer.

While the air purifier appears to clean the air, our reviewer, Michelle, is still in the process of extensively testing all of the AeroTower's features. In addition, the air purifier hasn't so far managed to exceed the level "Good" in terms of air quality, which is surprising given that Michelle has so many house plants to mop up the various negative particles in the air; but more testing will provide yet more insight.

Full review to follow

shark air purifier set up in an apartment

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Best rival air purifier to Dyson

Specifications

Brand: Shark
Room size: up to 500sq ft
Speed settings: 3
Noise: Info not available
App? (Y/N): N
Works with: N/A
Dimensions: 23.62 x 10.43 x 10.43in / 59.9 x 26.4 x 26.4cm
Weight: 12.78 lbs / 5.7kg

Reasons to buy

+
Automatically adjusts the cleaning power
+
Really effective
+
Clear digital display

Reasons to avoid

-
No handbook
-
No app

The Shark 3-in-1 Air Purifier, Heater and Fan is a great alternative to the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09, coming in at a fraction of the price. In addition, there's no accompanying app, which may just suit those looking for a more simple unit.

At $399.99, it's still pricey compared to the other air purifiers in this guide (other than the Dyson); but, as the name suggests, it does more than simply purify. It can keep a small-to-medium size room warm or blast out air to keep you cool on hot days. And while there's no app support, our reviewer, James, found that the control panel on the top of the unit is held in place by a magnet, meaning that it can helpfully be removed and used as a remote. 

However, the lack of controls on the unit itself mean that if you lose that remote, you won't be able to do much beyond turning this model on and off. On the bright side, this 3-in-1 unit can be set to automatically adjust how rigorously it purifies based on existing air quality.

Read our full Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 with True HEPA review

meaco air purifier in front room on wooden flooring

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)
Best quiet air purifier

Specifications

Brand: Meaco
Room size: up to 839sq ft
Speed settings: 3
Noise: 25dB – 56dB
App? (Y/N): Y
Works with: N/A
Dimensions: 19.5 x 11.9 x 10.6in / 49.7 x 30.3 x 27cm
Weight: 10.4lbs / 4.6kg

Reasons to buy

+
Mega-easy to set up
+
Super quiet
+
Child lock & sleep mode

Reasons to avoid

-
Some areas of the app could do with refinement

The Meaco MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76x5 WiFi Air Purifier gets our vote for being the most quiet air purifier here. In fact, if it wasn't for us checking in the app and finding the air quality rated as '0' (Good), we weren't even aware that it had been running.

This model is super easy to set up; all that our reviewer, Jennifer, needed to do prior to using for the first time was to remove the plastic wrapping from around the filter, plug it in and download the Smart Life app. The air purifier can be controlled via this app, or the device display screen. The app provides insights on indoor air quality, plus you can also set schedules – which isn't possible through the display screen.

In our opinion, the app could do with a little refinement, perhaps showing air quality history from earlier on in the week. Note that the location setting isn't particularly accurate, either. Design-wise, the MeacoClean isn't the most attractive, but we do appreciated function over style when it serves a purpose as good as this one.

Read our full Meaco MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76x5 WiFi Air Purifier review

dyson autoract set up in front room for review

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Oksien)
Best cooling air purifier

Specifications

Brand: Dyson
Room size: Up to 800sq ft
Speed settings: 10
Noise: 60dB
App? (Y/N): N
Works with: N/A
Dimensions: 41 x 7.8 x 8.6in / 105 x 20.4 x 22cm
Weight: 11lbs/ 5kg

Reasons to buy

+
Looks great
+
Easy to set up
+
Cools and purifies the air

Reasons to avoid

-
Limited controls (not app-compatible)
-
Takes a while to cool the room
-
Might be too large for some spaces

The Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact gets our vote for the best cooling air purifier. It's also a good option for those who prefer a model without any smart functionality, this model doesn't come with an app.

During our tests, our reviewer, Jennifer, found that the Autoreact did a better job of purifying the air rather than cooling it; it took this model some time to bring down the temperature of a room. In fact, by the time the room was showing as having come down in temperature, we no longer needed to be cool/ or we had moved rooms. The 10 speed settings and night time mode were useful for speeding up the cooling and purification of the air, and keeping control of the noise output. 

The Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact is easy to set up and it looks attractive. It does lack air quality insight which, for the money, makes it a pretty costly purifying fan.

Read our full Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact review

How we test air purifiers

All of the air purifiers featured in this guide have been tested by the editors on TechRadar. They've been reviewed at home (no labs here) in real-life situations, used daily across a minimum of a two-week time frame.

We've worked our way through all of the settings available through the app (if it has one) or on the device, while also checking out the device maintenance options.

To test the air purification monitoring and speed, we've sprayed heavy particulate aerosol (dry shampoo), lit a scented paraffin candle, and also lit a scented incense stick. Noise levels have been recorded using a mobile phone decibel meter, and we've tracked other changes such as temperature via the app, and used the device in various rooms throughout the home to see if that changes the results.

In some instances, we will continue to use the air purifier once our reviews are live. This will allows us to evaluate performance over the long term, across several months or years.

Read more about how we test.

lcd display on the dyson hot+cool

(Image credit: Future / Josie Watson)

What is the best air purifier?

We've reviewed, or are in the process of reviewing, all of the air purifiers you've seen featured in this guide. There's an air purifier for all room sizes, and all budgets:

How to choose an air purifier

When you're choosing the best air purifier for your home, there are a few key things to consider before you buy.

Setting a budget can help reduce the options to suit what it is you have to spend. Our guide features air purifiers from between $149.99/£149.99 for the Levoit VeSync Core 300S to $769.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,149.00 for the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09. However, a budget price doesn't necessarily mean a lack of features, and vice versa.

For example, the Levoit VeSync Core 300S may well be voted the best budget air purifier but it offers features such as app control with detailed insight into air quality as well as voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact, on the other hand, costs $549.99 / £499.99 and offers neither an app nor voice control abilities.

A budget can also help you to decide on the features you'd like, and whether or not you want a smart air model. All of the air purifiers featured in this guide can be controlled via a display panel or a remote control, but not all have an app. 

During testing, we found that an app can deliver greater insights to the air quality inside the home. There's only so much information that the display panel can show, and if you want to monitor the air quality over a time period, then this is only possible through app support.

Some air purifiers can also cool and / or heat the room. Both the Dyson air purifiers and the Shark 3-in-1 Air Purifier, Heater & Fan with NanoSeal HEPA in this guide offer such capabilities. 

But, of course, how well the air in a room is purified – or the room temperature adjusted – will depend on the size of the room. For example, the LG PuriCare AeroTower Air Purifying Fan with True HEPA and UVnano LED can purify a room size of up to 818sq ft, whereas the Blueair Blue Pure 411 Auto is suitable for a room size of up to 441sq ft. Opt for an air purifier that isn't suitable for use in your room will mean that it ultimately won't be able to deliver optimum performance. 

Finally, check the spec of each air purifier before hitting the "buy" button. Look for the product dimensions and weight (in case you want to move it between rooms). And note the noise levels plus additional modes such as Sleep mode, so that you won't be kept awake if you're using the air purifier at night.

Do air purifiers work to remove dust?

Dust, and pollens, are some of the larger airborne particles present, so most air purifiers will be able to capture and filter these out from the air.

Do air purifiers cool the air?

Unless the air purifier has been specifically designed to purify and cool the air – the Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact, for example – the model will not cool the air.

A fan that circulates air, or a portable air conditioning unit that actively lowers the temperature, would be the better way to cool the air.

Do air purifiers remove smells?

Yes – air purifiers come with carbon filters that remove the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that cause smells. These could be cooking odors, scented candles or aerosols.

In our tests, we found that the air purifiers removed the lingering smells of candles, incense and dry shampoo.

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Jennifer Oksien
Homes Editor

 Jennifer Oksien is TechRadar’s Homes Editor. Jennifer (Jenny) has over a decade of experience as a digital product writer specialising in appliances, smart tech and mattresses for some of the UKs leading retailers and magazine titles such as Real Homes, Ideal Home and Livingetc. Generally, you’ll find her watching the latest Netflix series, digging around in the garden or attempting to make a cake that is edible. 

With contributions from