Having a cat as a pet is pretty awesome. But despite being relatively low maintenance, there are a few cat caregiving duties many cat owners would rather do without. And having to deal with their litter box often takes the top spot as the worst thing about owning a cat.
In fact, according to a survey published on the Las Vegas Review Journal, 44% of cat owners polled said that the biggest concern they have is how their cat’s litter box affects their home’s general hygiene.
The good news is that an air purifier with good filters packed with activated carbon can help remove unwanted litter box smells, while removing the amount of cat hair and dander in the air. Read on for my top picks, based on over 100 tests I’ve conducted since 2020.
1. Best for large spaces: Levoit EverestAir
A large air purifier with a powerful fan and 400g of activated carbon to capture odors from the litter box.
Based on our particle removal test, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 375 cfm at top speed for the EverestAir and 205 cfm at speed 2, while generating just 43.2 dBA of sound. This is a powerful air purifier that will provide five air changes per hour in spaces up to 562 sq. ft.
The EverestAir comes with 400g of pelleted activated carbon, which will adsorb unwanted smells while the air circulates through the device.
It comes with an onboard air quality sensor that displays readings on screen and on the smartphone app.
CONS
PROS
This is a large air purifier that sits solidly on its base, so it can withstand a curious cat jumping on top of it. The wheels at the bottom only move in one direction, so it won’t slide around the floor easily unless you push it in the right direction.
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 375 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 205 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 365 cfm (dust) |
| Filtration technology: | Removable pre-filter, particle filter and 400g of pelleted activated carbon. |
| Recommended room size: | 562 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour) |
| Dimensions: | 18.9L x 8.5W x 23.2H inches (48L x 21.6W x 58.9H cm) |
| Weight: | 20.7 lbs (9.39 kg) |
| Filter lifespan: | 12-15 months |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Speed 1: 39.1 dB Speed 2: 43.2 dB Speed 3: 48.6 dB Turbo: 57.8 dB |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby mode: 1.26 watts Speed 1: 9.85 watts Speed 2: 15.59 watts Speed 3: 26.6 watts Turbo: 69.8 watts |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Country of origin: | United States |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
2. Best under $200: AirFanta 3Pro (with activated carbon filters)
This PC fan-powered air purifier is the most powerful budget-friendly model we have tested.
Use the discount code HOUSEFRESH for 5% off when buying directly from AirFanta.
The 3Pro is a mini Corsi-Rosenthal box with a base at the bottom, four low resistance H11 particle filters packed with pelleted activated carbon at each side and an array of four PC fans on top. The result? An air purifier that offers a PM1 CADR of 353 cfm at top speed for less than $200.
You get a speed controller to set fan speeds. I recommend setting it to 6.54V, where it generates just 43.3 dBA of noise that won’t disturb your cat but still offers solid air cleaning performance.
This is the only high CADR air purifier that you can disassemble and fit inside a carry-on bag or backpack to take with you when you travel.
To deal with litter box smells you will need to buy the version of the 3Pro that comes with pelleted activated carbon, which will set you back $175.99 at the moment of writing this.
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 353 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 213 cfm |
| Filter technology: | True HEPA H11 and optional pelleted activated carbon |
| Recommended room size: | 529 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour) |
| Dimensions: | 12.6D x 12.6W x 12.6H inches (32D x 32W X 32H cm) |
| Weight: | 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg) |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | 3.63 volts: 36.1 dB 4.19 volts: 36.9 dB 5.24 volts: 39.7 dB 6.54 volts: 43.3 dB 7.44 volts: 46.7 dB 8.56 volts: 49.1 dB 12.6 volts: 56.3 dB |
| Electricity consumption in watts : | 43.23 watts |
| Filter lifespan: | 6 – 12 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 1 year |
| Country of origin: | China |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
3. Best for very bad litter box smells: Austin Air HealthMate
With a colossal gas filter packed with 15 lbs of activated carbon and zeolite, the HealthMate is the best air purifier for VOCs we have tested.
The HealthMate from Austin Air is the air purifier with the largest amount of carbon in its filter and that is exactly what you will need if you have multiple cats and litter boxes at home, or if you want to tackle very bad litter box smells.
It filter is larger than most small air purifiers. In this photo you can see how its size compares next to the popular Levoit Core 300S. This is what 15 lbs of activated carbon look like!
It comes with a one-dial operation and a smooth top surface, so you can rest assured that your cat won’t accidentally change the settings when jumping on top of it.
CONS
PROS
| 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) |
4. Best for small spaces: Levoit Core 400S (with Smoke Remover filter)
A medium-sized cylindrical air purifier that will fit inside smaller rooms while still offering powerful air cleaning performance.
In our tests, the 400S performed well with an estimated PM1 CADR of 213 cfm at top speed, which will be powerful enough to provide five air changes per hour in spaces as large as 319 sq. ft. If place in a room smaller than 300 sq. ft., the Core 400S will be able to circulate and clean the air a lot more often.
The Core 400S is a mid-sized device in Levoit’s Core range. It is larger than the popular Core 300S (left) but smaller than the Core 600S (right).
You get multiple filter options. Go for the Smoke Remover filter and you’ll get 450g of carbon — the highest amount across all options.
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 213 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 134 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 247 cfm (dust) |
| Filtration technology: | Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles and activated carbon filter for odors and gasses |
| Recommended room size: | 319 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour) |
| Dimensions: | 10.8L x 10.8W x 20.5H inches (27.4L x 27.4W x 52H cm) |
| Weight: | 11.2 lbs (5 kg) |
| Filter lifespan: | 6 months |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Sleep mode: 35.5 dBA Speed 1: 38.3 dBA Speed 2: 43.2 dBA Speed 3: 51.2 dBA Speed 4: 60.3 dBA |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby: 0.93 watts Sleep mode: 3.05 watts Speed 1: 5.28 watts Speed 2: 8.51 watts Speed 3: 16.41 watts Speed 4: 39.64 watts |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Country of origin: | United States |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
Special mentions: The air purifiers that nearly made the cut
Alen BreatheSmart Flex
The only air purifier in Alen’s BreatheSmart line that doesn’t come with an ionizer, making it safer for pets. It also lacks smart features and app connectivity.
We estimate a PM1 CADR of 198 cfm at top speed, which will be good enough for five air changes per hour in rooms up to 297 sq. ft. It has a H13 HEPA filter and for litter box smell, I suggest going for the Odor Neutralizer option as it comes with more carbon than other filters in the Flex range.
Dyson Big+Quiet BP06
The BP06 is the best air purifier I’ve tested from Dyson. It lacks smart functions and app support but is more affordable than other models in the Big+Quiet range.
Based on our tests, it has a PM1 CADR of 198 cfm at top speed and will provide five air changes per hour in rooms up to 297 sq. ft. It has an innovative wraparound fabric with 900g of carbon on top of the H13 HEPA filter to tackle litter box smells.
Smart Air Squair (with activated carbon filter)
This is a small air purifier with a simple one-dial operation and no smart functions. It offers a PM1 CADR of 185 cfm at top speed, which will be good enough to provide five air changes per hour in spaces no larger than 277 sq. ft.
If you think it could be a good option for your home, make sure to opt for the additional activated carbon filter as it otherwise the HEPA alone won’t be able to remove litter box smells from the air.
What to look for when buying an air purifier for litter box smell
1. To remove odors, you will need a gas filter with a good amount of activated carbon
For an air purifier to capture unwanted odors, it must utilize activated carbon filters. These filters work by locking gasses (known as VOCs) into the pores of a carbon substrate in a process called adsorption. The filter’s more carbon equates to a larger surface area to lock in odors.
Bot all air purifiers use this type of filter as standard. Be sure to check whether the air purifier you are considering comes with a carbon filter and always favor those models with large amounts of pelleted carbon.
2. You might want to avoid units with ionizers
Many air purifiers use a bipolar ionization process to negatively charge particles in order to attract them to the filter so they can be removed from the air. The problem is that, in the process, these devices can generate small amounts of ozone which can be detrimental to the health of those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
Ozone is a lung irritant, so if you worry about the health of your cat then you should stick to air purifiers without ionizers, like the ones on my list of recommendations.
3. Find an air purifier with a CADR that matches the size of your room
In order for an air purifier to be useful, it has to be able to provide at least five air changes per hour inside the room where you need it.
For litter box smell, you should aim at placing the air purifier close to the source of smells. If that is possible, then measure the room where you’ve placed the cat litter tray and use our CADR calculator to find out how much CADR you will need to ensure the device is powerful enough:
Common questions about litter box smell
Living in a smelly environment is a surefire way to induce stress and anxiety. Cats themselves are particularly fussy when it comes to toilet time and, if their litter box is unpleasant or dirty, they may find new places around the home to do their business, further compounding the issue.
But beyond unwanted smells spreading throughout your space, cat litter can threaten your health. As well as odor, ammonia will also be circulating throughout your air and exposure to this toxic gas can cause a raft of health complications — from headaches to nausea and, in severe cases, pneumonia.
Other health issues linked with human exposure to cat litter include cat scratch disease, roundworms and toxoplasmosis.
Having more than one cat can create more odor around the litter box. If you live in a multi-cat household, you should consider getting the largest air purifier you can handle to make sure it will circulate the air quickly and have enough carbon to adsorb unwanted smells — the Austin Air HealthMate is my top pick for these cases.
And if you have multiple litter boxes spread around the home, then you should consider having an air purifier in each space like the affordable AirFanta 3Pro.
THINGS TO TRY
THINGS TO AVOID
On top of the initial purchase cost of your air purifier, you can expect two ongoing costs: filter replacements and energy consumption.
- Depending on the device, you will need to replace the filter between 6-12 months with some devices (like the Austin Air HealthMate) having filters that last up to five years. Always look for the cost of the filter replacement so you can estimate how much money you’ll need to spend each year.
- Most modern air purifiers come ENERGYSTAR certified, meaning using them regularly won’t cost the earth. That said, you can use this energy cost calculator to check how much you can expect to spend based on the energy consumption of the device — check the SPECS table I put together for each device, as I added in there how much electricity in watts each air purifier pulls at each fan speed.
If you have any other questions about air purifiers you could use to help reduce the smell of your cat’s litter box, please drop them in the comments below and I will get back to you as soon as I see your question. Or if you prefer to contact me privately, just send me an email to danny@housefresh.com and I’ll do my best to reply when I get a chance.
