Adding one of the best air purifiers to your home is a great way to ensure cleaner, purer air, free from the kinds of allergens and general nasties that surround us daily. They can help lessen the symptoms of hayfever and asthma by tackling airborne allergens, and during the winter can help ensure fresher air when you might be keeping your windows closed.
Some of our picks here are also designed to remove odors, and others can double as a fan to keep you cool in the summer (so you don't need to invest in one of the best fans, separately). Most brands will take noise levels into account, but many options here have a dedicated quiet / night mode, so those easily bothered by noise can have their purifier running overnight if they wish.
To put together this ranking, we've tested a wide range of options from market leaders like Dyson, Blueair and Meaco. We assess setup and ease of use, plus performance efficiency to see what they pick up and how quickly they can clear it. Read on for our pick of the best air purifiers on the market.
The best air purifier overall
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
The best budget air purifier
The Levoit VeSync Core 300S is the best air purifier you can buy on a budget. Although its very affordable, it's far from basic. Our reviewer was impressed by its wide range of smart features, including an intuitive and insightful app. Because it's compatible with Alexa and Google Home, you can switch it on or off 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. When set on Auto, it 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'. There are a few concessions you will need to make for that low price though – on test, we noted some delays in fan and app response time, and we also found that perfomance wasn't as good in larger rooms.
Read our full Levoit Core 300S True HEPA air purifier review
The best premium air purifier
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
The best air purifier for customization
The Alen BreatheSmart 45i is a great all-rounder, as well as offering a number of customization options. There are four different filter options, so you can pick based on your specific needs. 'Pure' is the default, and the version we tested. This is a medical-grade H13 HEPA filter that's designed to capture allergens, dust and mold. Upgrade to 'Fresh' to add in carbon to take on household smells, chemicals and VOCs. There's also a specific 'Odor' filter, which can tackle even more pungent smells, and a 'VOC / Smoke' filter comes with extra carbon specifically to absorb noxious gases and secondhand smoke.
The styling is understated, and the swappable front panel means you can change it up to suit your decor. The panel on the top of the unit allows you to control pretty much everything you'd want to, which is great if you, like our tester, initially miss the fact that there is also a companion app.
Setup is straightforward and it's easy to set up and use. After our month-long test, our reviewer noted how quickly it could identify drops in air quality (indicated at a glance by color-changing LEDs). It also proved fairly efficient at cleaning the air, although you will need to pick your filter based on your needs, and not expect the basic Pure option to tackle odors, for example.
While it's far from the priciest air purifier here, be aware that different customization options will incur an extra fee. Our tester felt the high build quality, and efficiency of purification justified the mid-range price. Note that while you can get your hands on one of these at Amazon UK, it's far more expensive than it is in the US, so not a good recommendation for Brits.
According to the specs on the website, the 45i can cover up to 1,600 sq ft, which is so much more than all the other air purifiers we've tested that it makes us think the brand might be using a different working-out method – and especially when you consider there's a model designed for even larger areas (the Alen BreatheSmart 75i, designed for up to 2,800 sq ft). The fact that area is measured in square feet rather than cubed feet, and the fact that time period isn't factored in makes this all a bit wooly anyway.
Read our full Alen BreatheSmart 45i review
The best medical-grade air purifier
If your priority is outright performance, it might be worth shelling out for the Molekule Air Pro: this purifier is so effective that it has been certified as a Class II medical device. That's thanks to a 'PECO-HEPA Tri-Power filter' which uses patented technology to destroy viruses, bacteria, mold, allergens, VOCs (including formaldehyde), and more, by exposing them to UV radiation. It's teamed with a HEPA filter for capturing particles, complete with a layer of carbon to help tackle odors.
As well as being a step above the vast majority of air purifiers in terms of performance, it's also one of the most stylish – albeit large – options we've tested. The top face you'll find a circular touch display, where you can swipe between different screens. The first is a color-coded guide to current indoor air quality, the second shows levels of VOCs, particle matter, carbon dioxide, and relative humidity. The following screens offer options and information like Auto Protect mode, fan speeds and filter condition.
The companion app is simple and aesthetically pleasing, offering real-time and weekly indoor air quality readings, plotted onto a graph using colored lines. However, it doesn't offer as much granular control as other, cheaper purifiers we've tested, which is surprising at this price. Notifications are limited to letting you know when the filter needs replacing, for instance; you can't ask it to notify you about changes in air quality.
Read our full Molekule Air Pro review
The best air purifier for large spaces
If you need to tackle a large space, the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde is the best air purifier for you. Don't gloss over that 'Big' in the name; this is one chunky purifier. Despite being a bit of a behemoth, it's also (again, in the name) very quiet to run, even on the maximum setting. The angle of propelled air can be adjusted to three different angles, which means it can double as a fan, too.
The Big+Quiet Formaldehyde can handle spaces up to 1,076 sq ft, or 100 meters cubed, which is a more logical unit of measurement for a 3D space. Anyway, it's a big area, and Dyson has gone out of its way to make the mechanisms as efficient as possible. It can apparently process as much as 87 liters of air per second, to which our reviewer commented, "This is a hard metric to measure... but it’s easy to believe if you happen to be in the path of the propelled air."
The Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde can detect and tackle a wide range of pollutants, including dust, pet dander, pollen, formaldehyde (emitted from things like new furniture and mattresses), and VOCs. There's a HEPA filter and fully-sealed filtration system that can capture up to 99.95% of air particles as small as 0.1 microns.
There are a few different variations of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde (as well as various other fans and purifiers with similar names). The BP04 seems to be more effective at capturing nitrogen dioxide, a common urban pollutant from car fumes. Regardless, it's worth checking the model you buy can tackle the things you want it to.
Read our full Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review
The best affordable air purifier
The Meaco MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76x5 WiFi Air Purifier is slightly pricier than our budget pick (#2) but it's a great performer for a very affordable lower mid-range price. It's also very 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 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 it doesn't necessarily matter if you just want something that does the job.
Read our full Meaco MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76x5 WiFi Air Purifier 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 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.
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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