The 8 Best Air Purifiers of 2023, According to Our Tests
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Our editors weigh in on which picks are most effective for allergies, cooking odors, pet hair, and more.
Food and Wine / David Hattan
A decade ago, an air purifier was a bit of an uncommon or niche purchase for most homeowners and renters. Due to rising air quality concerns, however, these small-but-mighty appliances have recently become much more prevalent (and essential) in our homes. Air purifiers do much more than rid the air in your home of common allergens like dust, pet dander, and pollen or pollutants like smoke. With the right type of filter, an air purifier can also combat cooking smells and lingering kitchen odors.
Of course, a kitchen fan — like the one under your microwave, or a more powerful hood vent — can help eliminate kitchen odors. But if you cook often (and we’re betting you do!), maintaining a fresh-smelling kitchen requires more than regular cleaning, and that’s where an air purifier comes in. We tested dozens of popular and top-rated air purifiers to find the best for every type of home, including large spaces, Wi-Fi-connected smart air purifiers, and budget-friendly picks. Below are our picks for the best air purifiers we trust in our homes to keep us breathing easy.
Best Overall: Coway Airmega AP-1512HH(W) True HEPA Purifier
Pros
This air purifier is sleek and modern-looking, and works hard while still being incredibly energy-efficient.
Cons
The replacement filters are a little pricey, and will need to be refreshed frequently if you use the unit constantly.
Inside the Coway Airmega's sleek and slim profile are four separate filters that tackle visible particles like pet hair and dust, odors, viruses and bacteria, and molds. The smart technology lets you know when it’s time to change the filters, so you can ensure your unit will be operating at top capacity. Senior commerce editor Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm has been using this unit at home for eight months. She appreciates its multiple speeds, calling it “pretty dang quiet” even at the medium speed.
According to commerce writer Jason Horn, who also owns the Coway Airmega: "We bought two of these during the 2018 LA wildfire season when there was smoke in the air for months. They worked incredibly well then, and they're both going strong five years later."
The Coway Airmega’s pre-filter, the first line of defense, is washable, so you can reuse it. Schirm says that it’s "very easy to clean." As for the carbon deodorization filter and HEPA filter, those need to be replaced every six and twelve months, respectively. But Coway makes it simple with replacement filters sold in a package that will cover all your replacement needs for a year. Coway sells a variety of other air purifiers, but we think the Airmega AP-1512HH is an ideal mix of power, efficiency, and value.
Price at time of publish: $230
Filter type: Four filters: pre-filter for hair and dust; carbon filter for deodorization; HEPA filter for bacteria and viruses; vital ionizer for additional ultra-fine particles
Dimensions: 9.6 x 16.8 x 18.3 inches
Coverage area: 361 square feet in 12.5 minutes; 874 square feet in 30 minutes; 1,748 square feet in 60 minutes
Best Value: Levoit Core 300 True HEPA Air Purifier
Pros
At under $100, this air purifier is affordable.
Cons
If you don’t change the filters regularly, dust will accumulate and cause prints from foot traffic.
Senior commerce writer Jennifer Zyman has owned many of these air purifiers for upwards of five years. They’re that efficient (and affordable). She keeps one in every bedroom for maximum air circulation and appreciates its relatively small footprint. When it comes to price, you really can’t do better than the Core series from Levoit; the Core 300 is under $99 and uses a unique, patented vortex system to maximize efficiency power.
The Core 300 isn’t the most rigorously constructed air purifier on our list — it has an “all-in-one” three-stage filtration system, in contrast to some of the other models that boast more refined levels of filtration. But this cylindrical model is still a hard worker. It can refresh a 350-square-foot room in just 20 minutes. There are also some surprisingly flashy features, including a delay-off timer, and a sleep mode that emits lullaby-levels of noise: just 24 decibels. It’s just 7.5 pounds, so it’s easy to move around.
The only drawback? Zyman says that without regular attention to filter changes and cleaning, it can kick up a fair amount of dust, leaving footprints when you walk through a room.
Price at time of publish: $100
Filter type: Single three-stage filter for things like VOCs, household odors, pet hair, and smoke particles.
Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 14.2 inches
Coverage area: 65 square feet in 3 minutes; 150 square feet in 8 minutes; 219 square feet in 12 minutes; 350 square feet in 20 minutes
Best Splurge: Rabbit Air A3 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier
Pros
This handsome air filter works fast and smart, with the ability to control and monitor air quality from your phone. You can customize your filtration system.
Cons
It’s undeniably pricey, and it’s not the lightest, smallest model on the market.
The A3 is Rabbit Air’s priciest air purifier, but this hardworking appliance delivers on all its promises. I got one a few months ago when I moved into a tiny basement apartment because I was worried about mold and mildew, not to mention lingering cooking smells in the 450-square-foot space. It was the impressive six-stage filtration system that sold me, along with the ability to customize your filters. I opted for the odor remover filter, and it’s been crucial in keeping my kitchen project smells away from my clothes closet — which is roughly five feet away.
Cleaning and changing the filters is surprisingly easy: the washable pre-filter is good to go for three months, even when the machine is run continuously. And the heavy-duty HEPA filter doesn’t need to be replaced for three years. Although you can manually program this air purifier, it’s truly a smart machine, and I found that letting it run on auto was the best way to combat air pollution, smells, and toxins without overdoing the motor: it regularly adjusts throughout the day according to the real-time air quality. This unit can be wall-mounted, but I’ve opted to keep it free-standing so I can move it around my home.
Price at time of publish: $750
Filter type: Six filters: pre-filter for large particles; medium filter for pollen, dander, and dust; carbon charcoal filter for odors; HEPA filter for allergens and bacteria; customizable filter; negative ions to capture and weigh down airborne particles
Dimensions: 8.4 x 18.9 x 19.7 inches
Coverage area: Up to 1,070 square feet (with two total air changes per hour)
Best Air Purifier with Fan: Dyson Pure Cool Purifying Fan
Pros
Dyson’s air purifier is gorgeous, unique-looking, and doubles as a cooling unit, thanks to its fan.
Cons
Higher speeds are noisy, and can bring to mind a “sound machine,” according to our tests.
This sleek model houses a unique 360-degree HEPA filter that sits right at the base of the unit. But it’s more than just aesthetics that set this air purifier apart. It also doubles as a cooling unit, with the sleek tower acting as a purifying fan. Associate editor Mary Lagroue has owned one since 2019 and says, “I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on its design.”
But does it work to purify the air? Definitely, says Lagroue, who calls it “pretty powerful,” and cites its ability to eliminate cooking odors as well as cool down the kitchen when the oven is running. Plus, she adds, "At 8.4 pounds, it’s light enough to move around your home." Unlike basic air purifiers, oscillating model conditions and purifies the air: think of it as an air purifier and an air conditioner all rolled into one package. And thanks to the minimalistic, grill-free design, it’s very easy to clean.
Price at time of publish: $430
Filter type: 360˚ HEPA filter
Dimensions: 4.4 x 7.5 x 40 inches
Coverage area: 999 square feet
Best for Pet Allergies: Levoit Core P350 Pet Care Air Purifier
Pros
This model is specifically designed to address all the pain points of pet ownership: unpleasant smells, allergens like dander, and fur and hair.
Cons
It’s pricier than the basic Levoit home model. The filter will need to be changed regularly for it to be most effective.
Between the hair and fur, “accidents happen” moments, and the unmistakable wet-dog-in-the-summer scent, owning a pet can bring a lot of unpleasant odors and allergens into your home. Levoit’s P350 air purifier is crafted to get rid of all those issues in minutes flat (it can purify a 350-square-foot room in under half an hour). Megan Soll, associate editorial director, nabbed one during last year’s Prime Day and has been impressed with its performance. Not only does it mitigate the allergens and odors produced by her two cats, but it also reduces other scents with the proclivity to linger, like wall paint and strong cleaners.
According to Soll, the P350 also successfully cleared the air of smoke during the recent Canadian wildfires. Despite staying indoors, the constantly-running air purifier trapped enough gray smoke particles to be visible on the filter. The filters can’t be washed and reused, and replacements cost $35, but they are easy to swap out. Hot tip for owners of the Levoit Core air purifier series: the 3-stage pet filter is compatible with the basic Core 300 model (which we listed above), so you can upgrade your current unit to be pet-friendly with the change of a filter!
Price at time of publish: $140
Filter type: Three-stage system that includes a HEPA filter and a carbon filter for trapping odors
Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 14.2 inches
Coverage area: 65 square feet in 3 minutes; 150 square feet in 8 minutes; 219 square feet in 12 minutes; 350 square feet in 20 minutes
Best for Large Rooms: Clorox Large Room True HEPA Air Purifier
Pros
Clorox’s air purifier is a no-frills, super-efficient model that’s great at annihilating viruses and bacteria.
Cons
It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing model we tested.
Clorox has a good brand reputation when it comes to spic-and-span households, so it’s no surprise their air purifier is a beacon of efficiency in ridding the air of pollutants and harmful particles (99.9% of viruses and bacteria, to be specific about it). The large model we tested is not unlike the rest of its products: efficient, easy to use, and affordable. It has a 360-degree three-stage filter that contains a pre-filter, HEPA filter, and carbon filter — unlike some of the other models we tested, the multi-stage filters are all contained in one unit, so replacing it is very simple. The unit is also Energy Star-rated, which will save you money on your electric bill over time; it’s estimated to cost under $35 annually when run regularly.
Setup is also easy. Editorial director Katie Macdonald says it took her under 10 minutes to take it from the box to operation. She’s also a fan of the digital display which gives instant, real-time feedback about the air quality in your home. Watching it improve, she notes, is extremely satisfying. Run the machine on auto, and it will choose the correct setting to combat the current air toxicity level; Macdonald says it picks up fan speed when she’s cooking, even though the unit is placed in her living room.
Price at time of publish: $150
Filter type: Three-stage all-in-one filter that includes a pre-filter for large particles; a HEPA filter for allergens, bacteria, and viruses; and a carbon filter for odors.
Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 19 inches
Coverage area: Will completely refresh the air five times per hour in a 320-square-foot room, and one time per hour in a 1,500-square-foot room
Best for Small Rooms: Medify Air MA-14 Air Purifier with H13 True HEPA Filter 2-Pack
Pros
This air purifier is sold in a set of two, so you can have them in multiple rooms.
Cons
It’s not able to handle large rooms (unless you put both in the same space).
Commerce writer Jesse Raub bought a two-pack of Medify’s MA air purifier last November to combat allergies, but it’s proven surprisingly useful well into the summer months. In fact, he says it has been especially helpful in tackling the Canadian wildfire smoke that has reached his home in Wisconsin. Its petite footprint makes it ideal for small living spaces, or for keeping out of curious kids’ reach. You can set it on a tabletop or shelf without it looking obtrusive.
It’s not the flashiest or most intricate model we tested, but it certainly has the tools to get the job done. There are three different fan speeds, including a sleep mode which is extra quiet. Raub says the quietest setting is “almost silent,” which makes this a smart buy for people hoping to run it 24/7. Like many of the “all in one” filtration models we encountered, the Medify uses one completely exchangeable filter with three levels of filtration. The HEPA component of the filter captures up to 99.7% of particles as small as 0.1 microns. Translation: It’s good at getting the bad stuff out of your air.
Price at time of publish: $164
Filter type: Three-stage all-in-one filter that includes a pre-filter for large particles; a HEPA filter for allergens, bacteria, and viruses; and a carbon filter for odors.
Dimensions: 8.26 x 8.26 x 12.20 inches
Coverage area: Purifies 200 square feet in 30 minutes
Best Smart Air Purifier: Levoit 200S Smart Air Purifier
Pros
This air purifier is smart technology-enabled and can connect to your smart home assistant.
Cons
This unit is small; for larger spaces, you’ll need to buy multiple or size up to a larger unit.
Smart connectivity is becoming increasingly common in home appliances, and Levoit’s take on the tech is super helpful with the “S” models in its Core series. Download the Levoit-created app, and you can monitor and control the unit’s activity from anywhere. You can also sync the tech with your smart home assistant, so turning the air purifier on, or up, is as easy as asking Alexa. Mark Prigg, commerce VP, cites his “nerd” status as one of the reasons he loves the app connectivity, but you don’t have to be a technophile to appreciate the fact you can maintain the healthy air quality in your space, even if you’re out of the home all day.
Levoit’s Core series of air purifiers use a similar filter (and some of them are interchangeable between models), so ordering replacements and swapping them out is simple. You can also set timers or a custom schedule, to refresh the air before you arrive home. The 200S, the model we tested, is petite and can’t handle a huge space — but Levoit sells beefier models, including their XL 600S.
Price at time of publish: $90
Filter type: Three-part filter with a nylon pre-filter for large particles, a HEPA filter for bacteria and viruses, and a carbon filter for odors.
Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 12.6 inches
Coverage area: Purifiers 183 square feet in 17 minutes
Factors to Consider
Filter Type
All air purifiers should have, at minimum, a HEPA filter. Most also have a carbon filter (great for capturing odors). Many also contain a washable “pre-filter” that captures large visible particles. So unless your search takes you to the furthest corners of the internet, you can be assured that whatever type of air purifier you buy, you’ll be getting at least those levels of protection.
The difference between models, then, is in the bells and whistles. Some, like the Dyson we tested, also have an included oscillating fan to cool a room. Others are outfitted with smart technology. And some have complex filtration levels for a truly squeaky-clean feeling.
Coverage Range
In general, the smaller a unit, the less square footage it can purify. But that’s not the entire story: the nuance is in the time it takes to purify the air in a room. A petite air purifier can refresh the air in a larger room (up to a point), but it will take longer than a larger-capacity model. Similarly, a large unit in a small room isn’t necessarily overkill: it will just refresh the air more frequently, which is, of course, not a bad thing.
Noise Level
Every air purifier we tested had multiple fan levels, which could all be adjusted manually or set on auto, to allow the unit to adjust according to real-time air quality feedback. All units run at the highest fan setting were pretty loud; some distractingly so. But their other end of the spectrum — the quiet or night modes — were whisper-soft. If you want to run your air purifier all night long, look for models that get down to 24 decibels.
Aesthetics
Most of the air purifiers we tested came in at least two colors (white and black). Some of the pricier models were designed with an eye for aesthetics, like the Rabbit Air A3’s custom art panels, and the Dyson’s glossy visuals. But just about every air purifier on the market now is made to blend into your home decor, if not explicitly add to it. If you’re hoping to hide your air purifier (or at least make it less obvious) consider a petite unit that can be tucked behind a houseplant, or one that can be wall-mounted.
Special Features
The most special feature of modern air purifiers is smart technology connectivity. We tested a few air purifiers that could be controlled via an app, or adjusted with the help of a smart home assistant. But we also liked lower-tech models with snazzy extra filters or cooling fans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best air purifiers for kitchens?
The best air purifiers for kitchens are ones with activated carbon filters and HEPA filters, which are “highly effective” at reducing odors, according to Olivia Raya, Rabbit Air’s customer service lead. While HEPA filters trap airborne particles, carbon filters capture odors. In terms of design and style, a wall-mounted air purifier is a good choice for most kitchens. Wall-mounted air purifiers won’t clutter your countertops and are so slim, you’ll barely notice them once they’ve been installed.
Where should I put my air purifier in my kitchen?
“Wall-mounting an air purifier in a kitchen may be the best option for safety reasons, as it's a highly-trafficked area,” says Raya. She adds that it’s unnecessary — and unsafe — to place it directly next to a heat source, like your stove. And remember that these appliances are made to refresh the air in an entire room. Says Raya, “An air purifier can be positioned at any distance within the kitchen, provided it is not obstructed in any way, and it will effectively capture odors and particles.”
Most kitchens are small enough that air purifier placement doesn’t matter. However, you can increase its effectiveness by setting or installing the air purifier in a place with high airflow (not a corner or closed-off pantry). Of course, the closer your air purifier is to the offending agents, the better results you’ll see. In the kitchen, that may mean keeping it near your trash can, compost, or range. Just be mindful not to situate the air purifier too close to the stove, or you’ll be cleaning food and oil splatters from it.
How do I clean my air purifier?
Regular maintenance is key to an effective air purifier. Says Raya, “Most air purifiers require cleaning every 1-3 months. This typically includes vacuuming or washing a pre-filter and wiping down all surfaces outside the unit and some components inside. As far as replacement, many companies recommend that you replace filters in less than a year, but some last longer.”
How do I get rid of cooking odors in my kitchen?
When it comes to cooking odors, prevention is key: Always use the ventilation hood when frying or sautéeing on the stovetop. In mild weather, you may even open the windows when cooking high-odor foods, like garlic or fish. But no matter how many preventative measures you take, cooking will always leave an “after smell.” You can remove it by running your ventilation fan for half an hour after cooking, and of course, by regularly taking out the trash and compost. An air purifier with an activated carbon filter will be a big help, too. Be sure to change the filter regularly, and choose a model that’s large enough for your kitchen.
Can an air purifier help clear my home of wildfire smoke?
Yes, they can — with the right technology. “For air purifiers that use HEPA filtration, this technology will filter out harmful particles associated with wildfire smoke. Gasses produced by wildfires, such as VOCs and carbon monoxide, can be trapped by an activated carbon filter,” says Raya. The good news here is that every air purifier on our tested list has the right equipment.
Our Expertise
Rochelle Bilow is a food writer and editor with over a decade of professional experience. Previously a senior associate editor and social media manager at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines, Rochelle is also a novelist, a culinary school graduate, and a former professional baker and line cook. This article was written from extensive tested insights, and with the aid of an air purifier expert.
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