If you’re still unsure about whether you should bring an air purifier into your bedroom, this guide is for you.
Your bedding, cushions, pillows and even your chairdrobe can become surfaces where dust, dead skin cells, pet dander and lint accumulate. And this doesn’t even account for the pollen, traffic fumes and dust that can slip in through the window…
As an allergic, compulsive morning sneezer, I can confidently say that sleeping with an air purifier in the bedroom can drastically alleviate congestion and most allergy symptoms.
Read on to find out which models are worth your money, based on over 150 tests I’ve conducted here at HouseFresh.
1. Best for small bedrooms: Levoit Eleva 300X
A small air purifier with that is powerful enough to clean the air in bedrooms up to 23 m2 (or 247 sq. ft.)
If you’re looking for a small air purifier that will fit on top of a side table or that won’t take up too much floor space in a small bedroom, then the Eleva 300X from Levoit is a good option.
It costs less than $130 and offers better air cleaning power than more expensive models like the Dyson HushJet Compact when running at speed 3, where it generates just 44 decibels of noise.
Sound levels range from 35 decibels on sleep mode to 55 decibels at top speed. I suggest running it at speed 2 or speed 3 so it won’t disturb your sleep but will still thoroughly clean the air.
Unlike most small cylindrical air purifiers, the 300X has separate HEPA and carbon filters to tackle allergens like pollen and dust as well as unwanted smells and chemicals in the air.
It has a laser sensor that tracks particle levels and you can see the readings at the top of the device. It also connects to the VeSync app, where you can set routines and customize smart modes.
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 165 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 115 cfm |
| Filter technology: | Separate HEPA particle filter and gas filter with activated carbon pellets. |
| Recommended room size (5 air changes per hour): | 247 sq. ft. (23 m2) |
| Dimensions: | 9.4 x 9.4 x 15.1 in (23.8 x 23.8 x 38.3 cm) |
| Weight: | 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg) |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Sleep mode: 35.8 dBA Speed 1: 36.8 dBA Speed 2: 39.8 dBA Speed 3: 44.9 dBA Turbo speed: 55.4 dBA |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby: 0.65 watts Sleep mode: 1.85 watts Speed 1: 5.33 watts Speed 2: 6.91 watts Speed 3: 10.03 watts Turbo speed: 23.91 watts |
| Filter lifespan: | HEPA filter: 2 years Carbon filter: 6 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Country of origin: | United States |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
2. Best for medium sized bedrooms: Levoit Vital 200S
An excellent option for bedrooms up to 34 m2 (or 375 sq. ft.) for less than $200.
The Vital 200S is a smart air purifier with app connectivity and an onboard sensor. Based on our tests, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 249 cfm that will be powerful enough to complete five air changes per hour in bedrooms of up to 35 m2 (375 sq. ft.).
It is quieter and less power-hungry than models with similar air cleaning power. Plus, it costs a lot less than most, with a list price of $189.99.
It features a washable, removable pre-filter that captures larger particles (think pet hair and fluff) and an all-in-one filter that removes fine particles from the air (like pollen and dust) as well as chemicals and odors.
It has an infrared sensor that informs an indicator ring at the top that changes color depending on the air quality. It also has app support.
You also get a light sensor that allows your Vital 200S to automatically turn off the display lights when the room gets dark without needing you to manually set them off.
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 249 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 128 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 254 cfm (dust) |
| Filter technology: | Bonded particle filter with a layer of pelleted activated carbon and a removable pre-filter |
| Recommended room size: | 373 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour) |
| Dimensions: | 15.6D x 8.5W x 19.8H inches (39.3D x 21.5W x 50.2H cm) |
| Weight: | 13.2 lbs (5.9 kg) |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Speed 1: 38.3 dB Speed 2: 41.9 dB Speed 3: 53.8 dB Speed 4: 57.7 dB |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby mode: 0.97 watts Speed 1: 5.71 watts Speed 2: 8.01 watts Speed 3: 31.96 watts Speed 4: 44.55 watts |
| Filter lifespan: | 12 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Country of origin: | United States |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
3. Best for large bedrooms: Coway Airmega ProX
The most powerful option for those with a bedroom as large as 64 m2 (or 693 sq. ft.).
With an estimated PM1 CADR of 462 cfm, the Coway ProX is a large air purifier that can offer five air changes per hour in spaces up to 64 m2 (or 693 sq. ft.) while generating just 53.6 dBA of noise.
It’s the best performing residential air purifier at both top speed and sub-45 decibel fan speeds. This makes it perfect for the bedroom as you will get excellent air cleaning power that won’t disturb your sleep.
However, you need to keep in mind that this is a very big air purifier so it won’t be suitable for most bedrooms. If your space is not big enough, then you should consider the Levoit Vital 200S (above) instead.
In terms of filtration, you get two filters (one at each side) with a lifespan of 12 months that combine a True HEPA filter for particles and allergens with an activated carbon filter for odors and gases.
There is no app but it has a laser sensor that tracks particle levels, shows readings on screen and unlocks different smart modes.
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 462 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 299 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 586 cfm (dust) |
| Filter technology: | Green True HEPA filter with pelleted activated carbon |
| Recommended room size: | 693 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour) |
| Dimensions: | 18.9 x 36.6 x 24.3 in (48 x 93 x 62 cm) |
| Weight: | 51 lbs (23kg) |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Speed 1: 37.4 dBA Speed 2: 44.4 dBA Speed 3: 53.6 dBA |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby: 0 watts Speed 1: 11.76 watts Speed 2: 26.09 watts Speed 3: 58.88 watts |
| Filter lifespan: | 12 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 3 years |
| Country of origin: | South Korea |
| Country of manufacture: | South Korea |
4. Best bedside table option: Blueair Blue Signature Large
An air purifier that doubles as a bedside table, has app support and can clean the air in bedrooms up to 55 m2 (or 600 sq. ft.).
The Blue Signature is a new line of air purifiers from Blueair that not only clean the air but also have a table surface on top that could serve as a bedside table.
Based on our particle removal tests, we estimate PM1 CADR of 400 cfm that can clean the air five times per hour in bedrooms up to 55 m2 (or 600 sq. ft.) without consuming much electricity.
And when running on speed 2, it will generate just 40 decibels of noise while still being able to provide five air changes per hour in spaces up to 32 m2 (or 343 sq. ft.) – pretty powerful!
The controls sit on the edge of the table surface and you also get particle readings in real time from the sensor inside and an LED light that can serve as a nightlight or can be turned off altogether.
You get a washable pre-filter fabric on the outside and an all-in-one particle and gas filter on the inside. It also comes with HEPASilent ionization technology that unfortunately cannot be disabled.
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 400 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 229 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 434 cfm (dust) |
| Filter technology: | HEPASilent particle filter with pelleted activated carbon and a removable pre-filter fabric + bipolar electrostatic ionizer |
| Recommended room size: | 600 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour) |
| Dimensions: | 17.3 x 15.7 x 15.7 in (44 x 40 x 40 cm) |
| Weight: | 13.2 lbs (5.98 kg) |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Sleep mode: 34.8 dBA Speed 1: 35.3 dBA Speed 2: 40 dBA Speed 3: 51.9 dBA Speed 4: 59.6 dBA |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby: 0.96 watts Sleep mode: 2.63 watts Speed 1: 2.95 watts Speed 2: 6.63 watts Speed 3: 19.08 watts Speed 4: 38.65 watts |
| Filter lifespan: | 9 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 1 year (3 years with product registration) |
| Country of origin: | Sweden |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
Special mentions
Since 2020, I’ve tested over 150 different air purifiers and not all of them made my final shortlist for bedrooms. These are some that offer good performance and could be a good option for you.
CleanAirKits Luggable XL Ultra
An air purifier you can build yourself (or buy pre-built) that combines seven Cooler Master Mobius 120 PC fans with two Filtrete 20×25″ MPR1900 filters. The result?
An incredibly energy-efficient air purifier that can clean the air five times per hour in bedrooms up to 44 m2 (or 472 sq. ft.) without generating a lot of noise.
It didn’t make the list because it is expensive (over $300) and its performance is marginally better than what you’ll get from the $190 Levoit Vital 200S.
Dyson HushJet Compact HJ10
The latest and smallest air purifier from Dyson offers excellent air cleaning performance in bedrooms up to 22 m2 (or 240 sq. ft.) at whisper quiet operation, living up to the ‘hush’ in its name.
It also has separate particle and gas filters, which is better than all-in-one filters where you need to throw away the whole thing once the carbon runs out – which happens sooner than the particle portion needs replacing.
I didn’t shortlist it because it costs over $340 and offers similar performance than you’ll get from the $130 Levoit Eleva 300X.
Coway Airmega Mighty2
A new model from Coway that can provide five air changes per hour in bedrooms no larger than 36 m2 (or 390 sq. ft.) while generating low levels of noise.
It has a retro modern look similar to that of the Airmega ProX (above) and comes with a laser sensor that is more accurate than infrared sensors like the one inside the Vital 200S.
It didn’t make the cut because it offers performance comparable to the Levoit Vital 200S for will cost you $80 more. But if you prefer a model without app support, then the Mighty2 might be it!
Wrapping up
Regularly changing your bedding, ventilating, vacuuming and keeping that chairdrobe as light as possible is key for creating a healthy and comfortable sleep environment. However, getting an air purifier for the bedroom is a game changer.
As the air purifier market expands and new models and brands flourish, finding a unit you can trust can be complicated. If you’re still unsure, just drop me a comment below or email me to danny@housefresh.com and I’ll reply with my advice as soon as I can.
And if you already have a specific air purifier in mind, why not use our comparison tool to see how it compares to the more than 150 models I’ve tested to date?
