People have used activated carbon for centuries to filter impurities from drinking water, as it removes dissolved organic molecules, chloramines, chlorine, and some heavy metals. But did you know that it is also used to remove chemicals from the air?

Activated carbon is derived from charcoal and is a form of carbon that has been processed to increase its surface area. When carbon is activated, it has small, low-volume pores that make it possible for a larger number of atoms or molecules to adhere to it.

The process through which activated carbon removes chemical gases from the air is called adsorption and it is not be be confused with absorption.

Through adsorption, odors and VOCs adhere to the carbon surface, effectively being removed from the air. This leads the carbon to become full over time so you need to replace the carbon filter as it becomes unable to continue to remove chemical gases from the air.

The right air purifier with a good amount of activated carbon will be able to rid your air from fumes from household cleaners, cooking and organic odors. Specialist models containing large amounts of carbon can also remove volatile organic chemicals (or VOCs), solvents, radon, THM (trihalomethane), benzene, Nitrogen dioxide, chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, and many other manmade gasses.

Many low-quality air purifiers contain only a tiny amount of activated carbon, which won’t be enough to thoroughly remove unwanted smells and chemicals from the air. That is why on this list, we will only recommend devices with large amounts of pelleted activated carbon.

best activated charcoal air purifiers 1

As always, we bought every model on this list with our own money so that we could test it in the same way we have tested over 100 air purifiers since 2020. Our ultimate goal is to allow you to look beyond marketing hype so you can find the right air purifier for your home.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

1. Austin Air HealthMate (15 lbs. of activated carbon)

This air purifier comes with a mix of activated carbon and zeolite, and it’s one of the few models made in the U.S.

Austin Healthmate Hallway

This is the most powerful air purifier you could get for dealing with VOCs as it contains the largest amount of activated carbon you will find in a residential air purifier (15 lbs). That said, in terms of particle removal, it will only be able to provide five air changes in spaces up to 234 sq. ft. with a PM1 CADR of 156 cfm.

The filter in the HealthMate is larger than most small air purifier models you’ll see ranking highly as best-sellers on Amazon.

Austin Healthmate Filter VS Core 300

Its body is made completely out of metal and you don’t get any fancy features other than a dial to rotate through the different fan speeds.

Austin Healthmate Front

CONS

It’s great at removing odors and VOCs but its particle filtration is on par with much smaller devices like the Levoit Core 300.
It’s a power hungry unit, pulling 147.6 watts at top speed. It would add $164.39 to your energy bill each year to run it 24/7.
The filter replacement is expensive and will set you back $315, but you only need to replace it every five years.
It doesn’t have any smart features or smartphone app connectivity.

PROS

It comes with the largest amount of carbon of all the residential air purifiers we have tested.
The filter has a combination of activated charcoal and zeolite, which increases its efficiency.
It comes with a 5-year warranty.
It’s made in the USA.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):– Top speed PM1 CADR: 156 cfm
– Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 77 cfm
– AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 154 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:HEPA particle filter with 15 lb of activated carbon and zeolite mix gas filter
Recommended room size:234 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:23H x 14.5W x 14.5D inches (58.4H x 36.8W x 36.8D cm)
Weight:20.41 lbs (9.26 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 42.5 dB
Speed 2: 53.2 dB
Speed 3: 61.5 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 61.1 watts
Speed 2: 85.05 watts
Speed 3: 147.6 watts
Filter lifespan:5 years
Manufacturer’s warranty:5 years
Country of origin:United States
Country of manufacture:United States (Buffalo, New York)

READ OUR FULL REVIEW ➜

2. IQAir HealthPro Plus (5 lbs. of activated carbon)

An air purifier manufactured in Germany with a large filter packed with 2.26 kg of carbon and KMnO4-impregnated alumina.

IQAir Healthpro Plus Entrance

In addition to a large HyperHEPA filter, the HealthPro Plus comes with a V5-Cell, which contains 5.5 lbs of activated carbon and KMnO4-impregnated alumina to increase the effectiveness of the charcoal. We estimate a PM1 CADR of 213 cfm which will provide five changes per hour in rooms up to 319 sq. ft.

The gas filter inside this device is very different from the usual honeycomb rectangular filter you get with most residential air purifiers.

IQair Healthpro plus Activated carbon vs Levit EverestAir

You need to know that this device is large — here you can see how its size compares to the Austin Air HealthMate (above).

IQAir Healthpro Plus VS Austin Healthmate

CONS

It comes at a high price of $1,199.99 but you get a 10-year warranty.
You can also expect to spend $161.28 each year in electricity costs — we measured the HealthPro Plus pulling 145.2 watts at top speed.
It is big and heavy but it comes on wheels and a large handle on top that make it easy to move around the house.

PROS

Even though it comed with 5 lbs of activated carbon, it still offers solid particle removal performance thanks to its large HyperHEPA filter.
It is manufactured in Germany and the performance of each unit is manually tested before it’s delivered to your home.
It comes with a 10-year warranty, compared to the 1-year warranty you get with most other air purifiers.
The filters can last up to 4 years, when most units come with filters that need to be replaced every 6-12 months.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):– Top speed PM1 CADR: 213 cfm
– Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 86 cfm
Filter technology:HyperHEPA and V50-CELL with 5lbs of activated carbon + zeolite mix
Recommended room size:319 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:28H x 18W x 16D inches (71H x 38W x 41D cm)
Weight:35 lbs (15.88 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 36.9 dB
Speed 2: 37.2 dB
Speed 3: 40.9 dB
Speed 4: 47.2 dB
Speed 5: 53.9 dB
Speed 6: 61.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 1 watts
Speed 1: 16.5 watts
Speed 2: 32.7 watts
Speed 3: 47.3 watts
Speed 4: 69 watts
Speed 5: 94.3 watts
Speed 6: 145.2 watts
Filter lifespan:4 years
Manufacturer’s warranty:10 years
Country of origin:Switzerland
Country of manufacture:Germany

READ OUR FULL REVIEW ➜

WATCH OUR VIDEO REVIEW ➜

3. Smart Air Blast MKII (3.74 lbs. of activated carbon)

A commercial air purifier with excellent particle removal performance and a large H13 HEPA filter with optional pelleted activated carbon.

Smart Air Blast MKII scaled

The Blast is a commercial air purifier completely made out of metal that can handle the bumps and scrapes of a busy environment, making it perfect for classrooms, offices, event venues and gyms. Based on our tests, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 547 cfm so it can clean the air five times per hour in large spaces up to 820 sq. ft.

The Blast has the third largest amount of carbon (3.74 lbs) we have seen after the IQAir HealthPro Plus and Austin Air HealthMate.

Smart Air Blast Carbon Filter

Whether you choose to go with HEPA only or HEPA + Carbon, the filters in the Blast is much larger than what you’ll see in a standard air purifier.

Smart Air Blast Danny

CONS

It comes at a high price (costing nearly $1,000) but doesn’t have any smart functions.
This unit is extremely heavy, weighing 38 kg — the good news: it comes on wheels.
The design feels quite utilitarian so it won’t be a good fit for everyone.
It will add $136.29 to your yearly energy bill.

PROS

It has unmatched raw air cleaning power: the Blast is the fastest air purifier we’ve ever tested (PM1 CADR 547 cfm).
It offers great performance even at its quietest speeds — we estimate 375 cfm at speed 1 while generating just 41.9 dBA.
The stainless steel body makes it durable in the long run.
It’s a set-and-forget air purifier without any apps or fancy modes, and you can use it with a smart plug.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):– Top speed PM1 CADR: 547 cfm
– Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 375 cfm
– Manufacturer provided PM2.5 CADR: 559 cfm
Filter technology:H13 HEPA particle filter with optional activated carbon filter (3.74 lbs)
Recommended room size:820.5 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:22.6L x 14.4W x 25.3H inches
Weight:59 lbs (38 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 41.9 dB
Speed 2: 49.4 dB
Speed 3: 54.7 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 56.3 watts
Speed 2: 94.5 watts
Speed 3: 133.5 watts
Filter lifespan:19 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:1 year
Country of origin:China
Country of manufacture:China

WATCH OUR VIDEO REVIEW ➜

4. Alen Breathsmart 75i (3.6 lbs of activated carbon)

An air purifier with a H13 HEPA filter and 1.63 kg of pelleted activated carbon that comes with smartphone connectivity.

Alen 75i Corner

The 75i is the largest and most powerful air purifier from Alen’s BreatheSmart line. Based on our particle removal tests, we estimated a PM1 CADR of 333 cfm, which will be able to provide five air changes per hour in rooms no larger than 448 sq. ft.

There are multiple filter options available but the one that has the largest amount of activated charcoal is the Fresh filter, which comes with a HEPA H13 filter and 3.6 lbs of carbon.

Alen 75i V2 Carbon filter

It also has a high quality laser particle sensor onboard, an air quality indicator in the form of an LED ring in the control panel and smartphone connectivity through the Alen app.

Alen BreatheSmart 75i Controls

CONS

It’s a large and heavy unit that won’t fit in small spaces. That said, it is MUCH smaller than the IQAir HealthPro Plus and the Smart Air Blast (above).
It comes with an ionizer function, but you can switch it off and this won’t impact the performance of your 75i.

PROS

It removed all PM1 particles in our test room in 18 minutes at top speed, while generating a relatively quiet 57.5 dBA.
It offers good quiet performance with 164 cfm when running at speed 2, while generating just 40.2 dBA.
You get real-time air quality readings at the top of the device through a color-coded air quality indicator light.
It comes with a lifetime warranty from Alen, as long as you buy filter replacements directly from them.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):– Top speed PM1 CADR: 333 cfm
– Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 164 cfm
– AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 351 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:True HEPA H13 filters with activated carbon pellets + Ionizer technology
Recommended room size:448 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:27H x 18.5W x 11.5D inches (68.58H x 46.99W x 29.21D cm)
Weight:27 lbs (12.2 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 36.5 dBA
Speed 2: 44.7 dBA
Speed 3: 51.9 dBA
Speed 4: 54.6 dBA
Speed 5: 57.5 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby: 0.75 watts
Speed 1: 5.19 watts
Speed 2: 13.27 watts
Speed 3: 25.85 watts
Speed 4: 33.99 watts
Speed 5: 47.4 watts
Filter lifespan:12 – 15 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:Lifetime (with product registration & active filter subscription)
Country of origin:United States
Country of manufacture:China

READ OUR FULL REVIEW ➜

WATCH OUR VIDEO REVIEW ➜

Final thoughts

Many cheap air purifiers include carbon, such as the Levoit Vital 200S and Winix 5510. However, while these will be fine to deal with the mild odors created in a home, they will be unable to deal with major issues with VOCs and gasses such as Nitrogen dioxide.

If you have a serious issue with chemical gasses, you will need an air purifier with a large filter packed with as much pelleted activated carbon as possible to ensure the carbon doesn’t become saturated too soon.

I hope the above guide is helpful and be sure to email me if you have any specific questions or issues that you need help with.