Pet odors, hair and dander can linger, even with regular grooming and cleaning. That’s when an air purifier can become a valuable investment.
But that is only the case if you buy the right one.
I have bought and tested nearly 150 different air purifiers to find the best models for pet owners. You can read more about our testing methodology here.
To build this list, I focused on units with a removable pre-filter (ideally washable), activated carbon filtration (for odors), a high quality particle filter (for allergens), good performance at quiet fan speeds (to protect your pet’s hearing), and enough power to clean the air five times per hour in most rooms.
I also made a point of sticking to air purifiers without an ionizer or with bipolar ionization technologies that could be disabled without negatively impacting air cleaning performance.
1. Best under $200: Levoit Core 400S (with Smoke Remover filter)
A smart and quiet air purifier with a filter packed with 450 grams of pelleted activated carbon to help with pet smells.
Use the discount code HOUSE10 for 10% off when buying directly from Levoit.
There are many other much smaller devices than the 400S, but if you want to keep your air clean of pet hair, dander and odors, then you shouldn’t go smaller than this. The cylindrical design will make it easier to find a spot for it even in the smallest of rooms.
Even though you’ll see there’s a Pet Allergy filter, I recommend choosing the Smoke Remover filter as it comes with 50 grams more of carbon.
The filter itself is a cylindrical filter, so vacuuming the pre-filter won’t be as easy as with rectangular models like the Vital 200S.
Size-wise, the Core 400S is similar to the Winix T810 but it offers better air cleaning performance at quiet fan speeds that won’t disturb your pet.
Based on our tests, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 249 cfm, it can provide five air changes per hour in rooms up to 373 sq. ft. (35 m²).
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 249 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 134 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 247 cfm (dust) |
| Filtration technology: | Pre-filter, particle filter and pelleted activated carbon |
| Recommended room size (5 air changes per hour): | 373 sq. ft. (35 m²) |
| 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 |
2. Best for smelly pets: Alen BreatheSmart 75i (with the Fresh Filter)
A large air purifier with an H13 HEPA filter and 3.6 lbs of pelleted activated carbon to remove unwanted pet smells from the air.
The 75i is Alen’s largest and most powerful air purifier. With an estimated PM1 CADR of 333 cfm, it can provide five air changes per hour in rooms as large as 448 sq. ft.
Similarly to the EverestAir (above), the 75i comes with a removable pre-filter, which is easy to access and keep clean regularly.
It also has a laser particle sensor (which you won’t need to clean regularly) and you get an air quality indicator on screen.
There are multiple filter options available. For pets, I recommend the Fresh filter, which comes with a HEPA H13 and a carbon filter.
Alen’s Fresh filter is packed with 3.6 lbs of pelleted activated carbon, which is a lot more than what you get with most other devices.
PROS
| 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 |
3. Best for small spaces: Coway Airmega Mighty2
A smart and quiet air purifier with a slidable, washable pre-filter that will minimize pet hair and fluff floating around.
There are many other much smaller devices than the Coway Mighty2, but if you want to keep your air clean of pet hair, dander and odors, then you shouldn’t go smaller than this. Even though it packs a lot of power, this model will fit even in the smallest of rooms.
This is the first air purifier I tested with a slidable pre-filter you can remove for vacuuming or washing without having to open the front cover, minimizing mess.
The filter is bonded: one side filters out particles like pet dander while the other has activated carbon pellets that remove unwanted smells.
In terms of size, the Mighty2 is much smaller than medium-sized air purifiers from popular brands like Winix and Levoit that offer similar levels of air cleaning power.
Based on our tests, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 260 cfm, it can provide five air changes per hour in rooms up to 390 sq. ft. (36 m²).
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | Speed 1: 99 cfm Speed 2: 151 cfm Speed 3: 212 cfm Turbo speed: 260 cfm |
| Filter technology: | Washable pre-filter and bonded pelleted activated Carbon + HEPA-grade particle filter (on sleep mode) |
| Air quality sensor: | Laser particle sensor (PM1, PM2.5, PM10) |
| Recommended room size (5 air changes per hour): | 390 sq. ft. (36.23 m2) |
| Dimensions: | 16.9 x 17.9 x 9.3 in (43 x 45.5 x 23.7 cm) |
| Weight: | 15.2 lbs (6.9 kg) |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Sleep mode: 35.9 dBA Speed 1: 38.1 dBA Speed 2: 42.6 dBA Speed 3: 49.3 dBA Turbo speed: 56.9 dBA |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby: 0.39 watts Sleep mode: 2.53 watts Speed 1: 4.85 watts Speed 2: 10.28 watts Speed 3: 19.88 watts Turbo speed: 49.12 watts |
| Filter lifespan: | 12 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 3 years |
| Country of origin: | South Korea |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
4. Best for large spaces: Levoit EverestAir
The EverestAir boosts power and smart features in a sleek white and silver design that makes it stand out from the crowd.
Use the discount code HOUSE10 for 10% off when buying directly from Levoit.
For $499.99, you get a good looking air purifier with enough air cleaning power (PM1 CADR of 375 cfm) to provide five air changes per hour in rooms up to 562 sq. ft. when running at top speed (57.8 dBA).
The pre-filter is easy to remove so you can vacuum pet hairs and extend the life of the main particle filter that sits behind it.
The bonded filter has a high quality particle filter on one side (to remove the smallest of particles from the air) and a gas filter on the other with 400g of pelleted activated carbon (to adsorb odors and gases).
The air quality sensor displays particle readings on screen and it unlocks a smart mode where it adjusts fan speeds automatically.
The color-coded LED lights on the display show the percentage of clean air in the room.
And the VeSync app unlocks features like scheduling and display lock to ensure curious pets don’t change settings.
CONS
PROS
| 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 |
5. Best for homes with multiple smelly pets: Austin Air Healthmate
An air purifier made in the USA with a filter packed with 15 lbs. of carbon that can remove the most stubborn, pungent pet odors from the air.
If you have multiple pets at home, you’re likely to need a lot more carbon than what you usually get with most air purifiers you’ll find in stores. For those cases, I recommend the Austin Air HealthMate and its filter packed with 15 lbs. of activated carbon and zeolite.
Its metal body is heavy but durable, with a flat top that many cats will enjoy sleeping on.
Even though it’s heavy, it comes on wheels so you can easily move it around your house as needed. It’s one of the only devices I’ve tested with wheels that roll well on carpets.
The filter of the HealthMate is bigger than most small air purifiers you’ll find online.
Instead of a touchscreen display or colorful buttons, the HealthMate comes with a dial to switch between three fan speeds — no risk of your pet accidentally switching the device off.
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 160 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: | 169 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) |
AC Infinity CLOUDLINE S8 fan with refillable carbon filter
To remove serious odors from your air, you need to look beyond traditional air purifiers. My advice is to build yourself your own odor-busting device using parts from AC Infinity.
This unit won’t filter out particles BUT it’s $250 cheaper than the Austin Air HealthMate so you will save enough to buy a dedicated air purifier to remove pet hair and dander from the air. If you’re on a tight budget, check out the best cheap models I’ve tested.
In our odor removal tests, AC Infinity’s CLOUDLINE S8 fan paired with an 8-inch Carbon Filter outperformed the Austin Air HealthMate:
The 8-inch carbon filter comes with 16 lbs (or 7.2 kg) of activated carbon, and the filter is refillable! Once the carbon is used up, you can dispose of it and refill the cylinder with more carbon – this will save you a lot of money in the long term.
Special mentions
These are the air purifier models that nearly made the cut
I have tested over 140 different air purifiers and have found many excellent options for pet owners. Not all of them made my shortlist, but perhaps they will be a good choice for you.
Alen BreatheSmart 35i
With a PM1 CADR of 162 cfm at top speed, the 35i cleans the air five times per hour in 247 sq. ft. rooms. You get different filters but for pet owners, I recommend the Fresh filter (H13 HEPA + carbon pellets).
Even though its performance is top-notch, it is more expensive than the Core 400S, which is my top pick for small spaces.
Dyson Big+Quiet BP06
It has a PM1 CADR of 198 cfm at top speed, so it can provide five air changes per hour in rooms up to 297 sq. ft. It has an H13 HEPA filter for pet allergies and a wraparound filter with 900g of carbon for pet odors.
The BP06 is the best Dyson air purifier I’ve tested, but I haven’t included it because it’s expensive ($800+) and keeps going out of stock.
AirFanta 3Pro
This PC fan-powered air purifier offers incredible value for money, costing $164.99 and offering an impressive PM1 CADR of 353 cfm. At top speed, it can clean the air five times per hour in spaces up to 529 sq. ft.
It didn’t make the cut because the fans on top are too exposed and the design might not survive being pushed around by curious pets.
Coway Airmega 350
This is a beautiful device from Coway that doesn’t have an ionizer and comes with an onboard sensor and smart features.
We estimate a PM1 CADR of 353 cfm, which can provide five air changes per hour in rooms up to 529 sq. ft. I didn’t include it because it offers similar performance to the EverestAir and the Alen 75i but it’s louder than both, reaching 61.8 decibels at top speed.
Smart Air SA600
The SA600 has two H13 HEPA filters, two activated carbon filters, and two removable pre-filters. With a PM1 CADR of 249 cfm at top speed, it can change the air five times per hour in rooms up to 373 sq. ft.
It didn’t make this list because it’s too large for small spaces and too expensive ($279.95) for the under $200 category.
Do you already have a specific model in mind and would like to know how it compares to other options? You can use our comparison tool to see how different air purifiers performed in our tests including air cleaning, sound generation, energy consumption and long term running costs.
What to look for when buying an air purifier for pets
To find out if the unit you are considering is the right one for the job, these are a few questions that will guide you in your search:
1. Does the air purifier have the right filters?
When it comes to pets, a three-stage filtration system is the most comprehensive option, as it includes a pre-filter, an activated carbon filter, and a particle filter.
- Stage 1: Pre-filter. These are designed to pick up larger particles (such as pet hair) before they reach the main filter. Their key function is to prevent fur from clogging the main filters, thus extending their lifespan. Removable pre-filters are more straightforward to clean; some are washable to rinse the shed fur effortlessly.
- Stage 2: Activated carbon filter. This is the layer that clears the air from unwanted pet odors — the carbon works by absorbing odors (and VOCs) that pass through the filter, removing them from the air.
- Stage 3: Main particle filter. Particle filters are made of pleated sheets that create a maze of randomly assorted fibers capable of capturing the smallest of airborne particles, including pet dander, dust, and pollen.
2. Is the air purifier capable of dealing with your room size?
This is a key issue when choosing the right air purifier for you. A unit suited for smaller rooms won’t be able to make the air changes per hour (ACH) needed to clean the air in large spaces. Therefore, it won’t be efficient at removing the odors and lacks the power to remove all airborne pollutants.
This is where the unit’s CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) comes in, indicating its cleaning performance in CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute). We’ve included each unit’s CADR and room size recommendation in our spec tables.
But you can use our calculator to find the exact CADR you need based on the size of the space where you want to use the air purifier:
3. Does the unit produce any chemical by-products?
Ionization features are often found in air purifiers to enhance their performance. Air purifiers with ionizer functions release ions into the air that attach to airborne particles, forcing them to drop onto surfaces so you can vacuum and wipe them.
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.
If you worry about the health of your pet, then you should stick to air purifiers without ionizers or with ionizer functions that can be disabled, like the ones on my list of recommendations.
To wrap it up
Taking good care of your pets (with frequent grooming, healthy food and periodic visits to the vet) is a solid step forward in reducing their odor and the amount of hair floating around in the air. Regular home cleaning makes for another important element in the equation, but that’s not always enough.
Introducing the right air purifier to your home can make a BIG difference. Just make sure you are buying a device powerful enough for the space where you will place it with a high quality particle filter, a pre-filter that is easy to clean, and a good amount of pelleted activated carbon to deal with odors. Pay attention to sound levels too, as pets are sensitive to noise, and stay away from ionizer functions that cannot be disabled.
If you have any questions about your specific situation, just drop them in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
August 26th, 2026
- Added the AC Infinity CLOUDLINE S8 fan with refillable carbon filter as an option for homes with multiple smelly pets.
- Replaced the Levoit Vital 200S with the Coway Airmega Mighty2, which offers better air cleaning power at quieter operation and with a slidable, washable pre-filter that minimizes floating pet hair and messes when time comes with clean it.
- Replaced the Coway Airmega 250S with the Airmega 350 in the ‘Special mentions’ section.
- Added our air purifier comparison tool and our full ranking.
March 28th, 2026
- Added the Coway Airmega 150 and the Alen BreatheSmart 35i to the ‘Special mentions’ section as potential contenders for small rooms.
- Added links to the YouTube video reviews for the Austin Air HealthMate and the units under ‘Special mentions’.
October 4th, 2025
- Added the Coway Airmega 250S to the ‘Special mentions’ section as a potential pick for medium-sized spaces.
August 12th, 2025
- Added the Dyson BP06 to the ‘Special mentions’ section as a potential pick for rooms with smelly pets.
April 28th, 2025
- Added links to the YouTube videos of all the units shortlisted.
- Created a section with a list of solid devices that didn’t make the cut (Special mentions).
August 190th, 2024
- Updated the criteria for the shortlist, including specific features needed for the filters, the design and the number of air changes required to help with pet-related allergies and odor issues.
- Removed the Mila air purifier because it didn’t meet the criteria for the minimum CADR required for 4-5 air changes per hour.
- Replaced the Levoit Core 300S with the Levoit Core 400S as the best for small spaces, due to the higher CADR that provides more air changes per hour.
- Added the Smart Air SA600 as the best option for those who don’t care about smart features.
February 14th, 2024
- Updated the sections for all Levoit air purifiers to include information about VeSync removing all mentions of HEPA from their marketing materials after being challenged by Dyson in front of the BBB.
January 13th, 2024
- Updated the formatting across all sections of the article.
November 30th, 2023
- Added a summary table at the top.
