The Best Air Purifiers
A healthy home starts with healthy air. Indoor air quality (IAQ) can impact respiratory conditions such as asthma and trigger allergic reactions. If you’re concerned about the quality of the air in your home, air purifiers are now considered household staples. They can reduce airborne allergens such as pollen and mold, particulates from smoke or smog, and capture particles containing bacteria, viruses and harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
It’s never been easier to track the air quality of where our homes are located. IQAir’s animated map provides real-time updates around the globe. However, indoor air is often between two and five times as polluted as outdoor air; even occasionally registering as 100 times worse. How can this be the case? Outdoor air pollutants find their way indoors and become trapped without proper ventilation. Air purifiers work by cleansing the air inside by using an internal filter and fan to pull in unwanted particles from the air in a specific room. The purified air is then circulated back into the space. This filtration process repeats several times an hour, continually boosting indoor air quality.
Choose your air purifier carefully, however, since the marketplace is full of options that aren’t up to scratch. An ideal air purifier is quiet and discreet. It should also be robust, affordable and outfitted with a HEPA filter, striking a balance between affordability, performance and being unobtrusive within a design scheme. WLLW has reviewed some of the best models on the market so you can make an informed decision about how to optimize the air quality in your home.
IQ Air's HealthPro Plus. Photo courtesy of IQAir
The Airmega 250 by Coway. Photo courtesy of Coway
The HealthPro Plus: IQAir
The HealthPro Plus is a medical-grade air purifier for medium to large rooms. This is IQAir's most popular purifier, and was chosen for use in Hong Kong’s hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic (although it has been used in hospitals for over a decade). WLLW’s founder, Lisa, acquired one specifically to help with her son’s allergies and asthma. In Lisa’s words, “it has worked wonders and while it may be a bit larger in terms of unit size, it is a powerhouse purifier. You can feel the difference in the air.”
Airmega 250 Air Purifier: Coway
The Coway Airmega 250 (like all true-HEPA purifiers) is exceptionally effective at capturing pollen, dust, smoke from wildfires as well as airborne viruses and bacteria. The device’s filter can remove up to 99.999 percent of all airborne contaminants down to 0.01 microns. A further benefit of this model is that its square, low-profile form occupies significantly less visual space than tower designs.
Rabbit Air's A3 Ultra Quiet. Photo courtesy of Rabbit Air
Rabbit Air's MinusA2 Ultra Quiet. Photo courtesy of Rabbit Air
A3 Ultra Quiet: Rabbit Air
Another great option and better suited to small to midsize rooms, the A3 Ultra Quiet: Rabbit Air has a very effective HEPA filter as well as a carbon filter to maximize the absorption of gasses within the home. It reacts to light levels, defaulting to a lower-energy, dimmer light to avoid disturbing the ambience of a room after nightfall. It also has a streamlined design that renders it inconspicuous while the filters last up to two years.
MinusA2 Ultra Quiet: Rabbit Air
This is a smaller model that can be mounted to a wall. Like the others that make this list, it has a HEPA filter. An activated carbon filter reduces odors and a custom filter option allows you to tailor the system to your specific environmental needs. This unit is also reasonably energy efficient.
Alen BreatheSmart 75i. Photo courtesy of Alen
LG PuriCare™ Mini Air Purifier. Photo courtesy of LG
Alen BreatheSmart 75i: Alen
This is a highly energy-efficient and powerful air purifier. It works in larger rooms, capable of cleaning up to 1,300 square feet twice an hour. It has also been finely tuned to operate at whisper-quiet levels. From a visual standpoint, it comes in a range of neutral color options, so it shouldn’t look out of place in most rooms.
LG PuriCare™ Mini Air Purifier: LG USA
This is a perfect option for carrying on-the-go or to pack for a stay away from home. Roughly the size of a water bottle, this air purifier is cost-efficient and boasts dual inverter motors to ensure a deceptively powerful air flow for its size. Portability is a particular strength of this model as the leather strap makes it easy to take with you wherever you go.
What is the difference between an air purifier and an air cleaner?
These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are certain differences. Both devices remove impurities, but while an air cleaner filters the air, an air purifier sanitizes it, removing particles including pet dander, dust and dust mites, pollen, and smoke. An air purification system works in a single room, while an air cleaner is often a whole-home solution.
Disclaimer: This list features items from various companies. WLLW does not receive any payment for recommendations. Opinions are based purely on independent research, testing, and personal experience.
Photography: IQAir, Coway, Rabbit Air, Alen, LG