Teddy is our resident house gadget geek. He is our man in the frontline, following consumer trends to help him identify the best up and coming tech to review for HouseFresh. When he’s not tinkering with new gadgets, he composes and records his own music at home.
Air pollution affects us all; tiny contaminants are everywhere, whether in the street, at work, or at home. These particles can have a lasting effect on our health if we breathe them all day. If you suffer from allergies, you probably know what it’s like to have sore eyes, a tight chest, shortness of breath, or even hives caused by contaminants.
To combat these pollutants and allergens in the air, you can introduce an air purifier into your home or workspace. Not any purifier will do the best job of clearing the air. For example, a high-grade H13 HEPA filter unit if you have asthma.
What’s Does H13 Mean?
A HEPA filter comprises thousands of intertwined glass fibers that form a maze. When particles try to pass through this tightly packed network, they get trapped, removing them from the air exhaled from the purifier.
The grade given to HEPA filters shows how hard the maze is for particles to pass through. One of the highest-grade filters available is H13, also known as Medical-Grade, as these filters can remove up to 99.995% of particles up to 0.1 microns (also known as very, very, very small particles).
How do you Choose the Right H13 HEPA Air Purifier For Your Space?
Finding the right air purifier for your space can seem daunting if you don’t know what you’re looking for. We’ve already given you a helping hand by putting our favorites in one place, but here are some more tips to consider when buying an air purifier.
- Cleaning Power – How an air purifier performs should be at the top of your list. We can look at a few pieces of information to see a unit’s performance capability. Brands usually provide the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) that you can compare with others.
- HEPA Filter – The filter that comes with the air purifier will indicate how efficient it is at removing pollutants from the air. Now that you know the difference between HEPA grades, you can find a unit that suits your needs.
- Space – The size of your space makes a huge difference to which unit you should choose. If you buy an air purifier that is too small, it won’t clean the air efficiently; if you buy one that is too big, you’ll be wasting energy and space.
You should also look at the sound each unit emits and if they have any features you desire, like auto mode or sleep mode.
The Top 3 HEPA H13 Air Purifiers
Why You Should Trust This List
In case you didn’t know this, the big majority of “best air purifier for X” lists published by other sites are nothing more than a ranking of the current bestsellers. That’s right, they are just a list of popular air purifiers in the market without taking into consideration their real-world performance.
But we do things differently here at HouseFresh. Our research team actually tests every single air purifier you find featured on the site before we recommend them to anyone.
Here’s our process:
- We use incense sticks to create particulate pollutants in our home lab.
- We record how long the air purifier takes to reduce the levels of PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 particles in the air with the help of a Purple Air Indoor sensor.
- We employ an electricity usage monitor to track energy consumption.
- We measure noise levels in decibels across all power levels available.
- We not only track initial costs but also any long-term costs associated with each unit.
All of this allows us to rank units based on specific use cases.
So, let’s find out what units made the grade.
1. Best Overall: Levoit Core 400s
If you’ve already done any research into air purifiers, it’s likely you know the name Levoit. As one of the most popular brands for air purifiers, Levoit has a unit for every sized space you’ll need. But when it comes to high-grade filtration, we’ve chosen the Core 400s as our overall choice.
In the center of the 400s is a three-stage H13 True HEPA filter with pre-filter to capture larger particles and a custom high-efficiency activated carbon filter to adsorb odors and other VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) from the air in your home.
This cylindrical filter catches particles 360 degrees from the air, which means no matter where you place it, it cleans harmful pollutants from your home. The filter is high-quality and you can see it working when removing dust from the pre-filter.
The 400s showed how efficient it is in our home performance test. Our graph shows that it cleared all the pollutants from our testing room in just 33 minutes at full fan speed. That’s pretty impressive when you think this unit only costs slightly over $200.
SPECS & FEATURES
| Purifier technology: | H13 True HEPA filter |
| CADR (CFM / m³/h): | 260 CFM / 442 m³/h |
| Recommended room size: | Up to 403 sq. ft. |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24 – 52 dB |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 10.8L x 10.8W x 20.5H in / 27.4L x 27.4W x 52H cm |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 14.1 lbs / 6.4 kg |
| Energy consumption: | $53.23 per year |
| Time to clean our test room: | 33 minutes |
What We Really Like:
👍 Has an LED air quality indicator
👍 Connects to Levoits smart APP
👍 The filter is easy to replace; see for yourself
👍 Energy efficient and cost-effective
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 It’s kinda bulky
👎 The genuine replacement filters aren’t cheap
2. Best Budget Option: Taotronics AP003
Taotronics has been on our radar for a while, but we’ve only recently got our hands on a couple of their air purifiers and let me tell you, we were impressed. This budget unit packs huge cleaning power and some smart features, all for a meager price of less than $70.
Not only are you getting a high-performing unit, but the AP003 also features extras that are usually reserved for more expensive air purifiers. With three fan speeds, auto mode, sleep mode and a child lock button, this unit also tells you the air quality in your home both numerically and through its color bar.
The biggest draw from the AP003 is the large filters it comes with. The pre-filter does a great job at trapping larger particles and can be removed and cleaned, prolonging the life of its medical-grade H13 HEPA filter. If Taotronics can use H13 HEPA filters and keep costs low, why can’t other companies?
So, to the performance test. We didn’t quite know what to expect from the AP003 as it was so cheap, but when we got it in our room filled with smoke, we were very impressed. It cleared the room of pollutants in 29 minutes, making this unit one of the best we’ve ever tested.
SPECS & FEATURES
| Purifier technology: | H13 HEPA with activated carbon pellets |
| CADR (CFM / m³/h): | 384 m³/h / 226 CFM |
| Recommended room size: | Up to 322 sq. ft / 30 m² |
| Filter life: | 3-6 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | ≤32dB – 52dB |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 21.8 x 14.1 x 7.9in / 554 x 358 x 200mm |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 18 lbs / 8.16 kg |
| Energy consumption: | $61.26 per year |
| Time to clean our test room: | 29 minutes |
What We Really Like:
👍 Performs like a unit that would cost over $200
👍 The activated carbon filter actually contains pieces of charcoal pellets
👍 Replacement filters are inexpensive
👍 Gives you air quality data in real-time
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 No app connectivity
👎 It’s quite a big unit
3. Best for Large Spaces: IQAir Healthpro Plus
If you like science and clean air, then the Healthpro Plus from IQAir is the ideal unit for you. This vast, high-performance, cleaning monster is exactly what you need if you have a large living room or maybe even a retail space; this IQAir can clean up to 1125 sq ft.
The IQAir might be a hefty unit, but that’s for a good reason. Inside, it contains a sizeable medical grade HEPA filter called ‘HyperHEPA’. The process starts with the PreMax Pre-Filter that traps those larger particles like dust and pet dander; the air then flows through the V5-Cell filter, which is packed with over five pounds of activated carbon and KMn05 alumina.
The last and most crucial step is when air passes through the patented HyperHEPA that traps 99.5% of particles smaller than 0.003 microns, leaving you with clean, fresh air in your home. This highly engineered filter can last up to four years without needing to be replaced; that’s around 3½ years longer than most purifiers on the market.
As you can see from our home performance tests, the Healthpro Plus cleared our room in an incredible 25 minutes.
SPECS & FEATURES
| Purifier technology: | Pre-max filter, V5-Cell Filter, HyperHEPA filter |
| CADR (CFM / m³/h): | 300 CFM |
| Recommended room size: | 450 sq. ft. to 1125 sq. ft. |
| Filter life: | 4 years |
| Noise level (low – high): | 25 – 69dB |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 28H x 18W x 16D inches / 71H x 38W x 41D cm |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 35 lbs / 16 kg |
| Energy consumption: | $476 per year |
| Time to clean our test room: | 25 minutes |
What We Really Like:
👍 Each unit goes through performance testing before sale
👍 There’s no ionizer
👍 Comes with a 10 year warranty
👍 Has wheels to easy move between rooms
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 There’s no auto mode
👎 It’s on the high end of the price scale
4. Levoit Core 300s
Another Levoit we just had to include in this list is the Core 300s, for those out there where the Core 400s would be overkill. This smart unit is great for mid-sized rooms as it’s light, cheap to run and with its QuietKEAP™ technology, it’s also hushed.
This “smart” upgrade from the Core 300 comes with a few nice extras, including an air quality monitor, which is displayed on the control panel using a bright color wheel, and it can connect to Levoits VeSync app where you can see the air quality in real-time and change settings through voice command.
The filter has also been upgraded. The three-stage HEPASmart™ technology enhances the already effective H13 HEPA filter, pre-filter and activated carbon filter that traps VOCs and other odors.
When we ran the 300s in our performance testing room, we were pretty surprised with the results. Despite having a CADR of 141 CFM, this unit cleared pollutants from the air in just 39 minutes, which is great for an air purifier that costs under $150.
SPECS & FEATURES
| Purifier technology: | H13 True HEPA filter |
| CADR (CFM / m³/h): | 141 CFM |
| Recommended room size: | 219 sq. ft. |
| Filter life: | 6 – 8 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24 – 48dB |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 8.7L x 8.7W x 14.2H inches (22L x 22W x 36H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 5.95 lbs (2.7 kg) |
| Energy consumption: | $56.48 per year |
| Time to clean our test room: | 39 minutes |
What We Really Like:
👍 Each to use touch controls
👍 Includes a sleep mode to run through the night
👍 Uses VortexAir™ technology to increase airflow
👍 Easy to move between rooms
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 The design could be more “modern”
👎 The app isn’t the easiest to navigate
5. Mila
Mila may not have a large range of purifiers, but that just means they have focused all their efforts on one. This is the smartest unit I’ve used, with loads of features packed into a powerful brain that can control how this air purifier operates throughout the day.
The Mila looks stylish and will fit into any modern home with its wooden legs, curved edges and dotted grill. It’s small, lightweight and easily moved from room to room.
On the top of the Mila is the control display, where you can navigate through its different settings and modes or tailor the unit to your specific needs. Or, you can really get into the technology and download the intuitive, well-designed, easy-to-navigate smartphone app. Here, you can choose from its eight smart modes that focus on different aspects of air quality like energy efficiency, sound levels and fan speeds. You can also use the app to monitor the air quality in your home, including airborne particle levels and humidity and detect carbon monoxide from anywhere in the world.
Mila offers seven different filters to choose from, but if you’re looking for medical grade, then we recommend choosing either The Critter Cleaner, that’s made up of an H13 HEPA and 0.84 lbs of activated carbon or The Overreactor, which is their highest spec filter made up of an H14 HEPA and 1.25 lbs of activated carbon.
SPECS & FEATURES
| Purifier technology: | The Overreactor: H14 HEPA filter + Activated Carbon – The Critter Cuddler: H13 HEPA filter + Activated Carbon |
| CADR (CFM / m³/h): | 347 CFM |
| Recommended room size: | Up to 1,300 sq. ft. |
| Filter life: | 12 – 15 months |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24dB – 49dB |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 27H x 18.5W x 11.5D inches (68.58H x 46.99W x 29.21D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 12.2 kg (27 lbs) |
| Energy consumption: | $47.30 per year |
| Time to clean our test room: | 24 minutes |
What We Really Like:
👍 It’s easy to move between rooms
👍 The HEPA filters are high quality
👍 Smart home features
👍 On-board air quality sensor
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Replacement filter costs are on the higher side
👎 The filter names are a bit much
The Medical Grade Air Purifier We Don’t Recommend: Molekule Air Mini
Okay, I admit the Molekule Air Mini is a very well-designed air purifier. It looks great and is easy to use, move between rooms, replace the filters and connect to an app. The thing is…it doesn’t clean the air that efficiently.
Molekule made bold claims about its PECO filter technology “destroys pollutants regardless how small, incl. those 1000x themes smaller than HEPA can collect” but couldn’t back it up with any actual science.
So we had to test it for ourselves.
We used the same conditions to test all our units to compare the Molekule with the other units we reviewed. As you can see from the graph, it took the Molekule Air Mini over two hours to clear our room of contaminants…two HOURS!
| Why We Suggest You Avoid This Unit: 👎 The performance of the unit is too poor to be considered for a medical facility 👎 On its highest fan speed, the sound can reach 88 dB, which is extremely loud for an air purifier of this size. Check it out for yourself here. 👎 It’s costly to run as replacement filters can cost up to $180 a year 👎 The actual unit will set you back $499 |
Buying Guide – Medical Grade Air Purifiers
Air purifiers are generally known to sanitize the air by absorbing pollutants and letting only clean, fresh air circulate in a space. There are different air purifier grades, each with a different performance level.
HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) air filters are highly recommended for all types of air purifiers. HEPA filtration is designed to remove about 99.9% of the most penetrating particles of 0.12 to 0.25 microns. They are made of randomly placed fiber mesh arranged to capture the particles. HEPA filters remove pathogens that are larger than 0.3 microns.
Furthermore, there are different types of HEPA filters. The HEPA H13 and true HEPA filters are the most widely used in residential and commercial spaces.
🤔 What Are Medical Grade Air Purifiers?
Medical-grade air filters offer even more effective filtration than HEPA filters. It is packed with additional filtration standards that beat other filters hands down. According to reliable sources, the H13 filter can remove up to 99.995% of 0.1-micron diameter particles from the air.
A medical-grade air filter is often used in clean rooms and places requiring the highest air quality level. Adding a medical-grade filter to your home brings you a step closer to making your home a science lab.
🤔 Who Should Use a Medical-Grade Air Filter?
- Asthmatic patients
- People with severe allergies
- People with pets
- Areas that have been or are being regularly affected by wildfire smoke
- As protection against bacteria
- As protection against virus carriers.
Air filters range from H10 to H12 usually. These numbers represent the various grades of the filter. The higher the grade, the better the purification effect. The highest grade of air filters is between H13 and H14. These are termed medical-grade filters. So, an H13 filter is a standard medical grade filter.
🤔 Benefits of the H13 HEPA Filters
During the pandemic, the HEPA filter became a bigger sensation. This was a result of reports from the CDC showing that using HEPA filters in combination with masks could reduce the proneness to Covid-19 by 90%.
If you suffer from asthma or other breathing conditions, HEPA filters have a proven record of providing instant relief. The mesh fibers that HEPA filters are made of can catch pollens, mold spores, dust mites, and other little pollutants.
🤔 True HEPA vs. H13 HEPA Filters
True HEPA filters are also known to be very effective. You might come across several look-alike filters like; HEPA-like, HEPA-style, or HEPA-type filters. However, only a True HEPA filter can eliminate up to 99.97% of the particles of 0.3 microns.
The H13 HEPA filter is even more effective as it can remove up to 99.97% of particles of 0.1 microns. This makes it better at the process of purification.
🤔 H13 vs H14 Filters
This two fall under the class of medical-grade air filters. Despite this, there are still some major differences between both. The major difference is that the H14 filter has an increased density. This means less air can flow through the filter, which is not usually a good fit for a portable air cleaner.
- Airflow:
The filter of H13 is not as dense; therefore, the air flowing into the H13 filter is less restricted. This makes it supply the best filtration-to-airflow ratio. The H14, on the other hand, has more density. Therefore, less air flows into it, and the volume of air that it cleans is lower.
- Leakage:
H13 has an overall high efficiency, and the tendency for leakage is very little. H14, on the other hand, is likely to have leakages because it is denser, and air tends to seek the path of least resistance.
- Efficiency:
Because there is no leakage in the H13 filter, its efficiency is higher than the H14.
🤔The Downside of the H13 HEPA Filter
Despite being very effective, the H13 HEPA filter requires a higher-powered fan. The fibrous structure of the H13 results in a lower pressure drop. This means you need a high-powered motor to generate enough pressure for air to flow through the filter in significant quantities.
In conclusion, both the H13 and H14 filters are highly effective. Remember to replace the air filter regularly. Replacing it every 6 to 8 months is recommended for optimal use. Most advanced filters have a replacement icon, and when the icon light comes up, it is an indication to check or replace the air filter.
🤔 Is H13 HEPA better than True HEPA?
A True HEPA filter often ranges between H10 and H12, which traps 99.5% of particles that are 0.1 microns or larger. An H13 HEPA filter is designed to capture 99.95% of pollutants of that size.
🤔 What air purifiers do hospitals use?
Hospitals must use large air distribution systems incorporating MERV 8 pre-filters and MERV 14 final filters. As an extra precaution, you may find them using an additional air purifier unit for places such as out-patient rooms and doctors’ offices. These contain an H13 HEPA filter as a minimum.
🤔 What is the MERV system?
The filters that we find in air purifiers are rigorously tested beforehand. Each is rated on its ability to capture particles of different sizes. This is known as a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values (MERV) rating, which ranges from a low H1 to a high H20.
How We Picked Our Top Choices
We don’t recommend units without being 100% confident in our real-life performance testing process. That’s why we test all the models we recommend in the same room (sized 705 cubic ft) performing the same job (removing incense smoke).
This allows us to compare units side by side and create “best” lists like this one. The most important features we considered when making this selection were:
- H13 HEPA Filters – We only looked at units that contained medical-grade HEPA filters, which we knew were highly efficient at removing particles from the air in your home.
- Efficiency – We can make clear side-by-side comparisons by testing each unit in our performance room under the same conditions.
- Size – We looked at different-sized units as we know you (the consumer) have different-sized rooms in your home.
- Budget – We included a variety of units with different price tags so you can find the right one to suit your budget.
SOURCES
Monthly energy consumption costs have been calculated using our air purifier electricity usage calculator, which allows us to calculate daily and yearly costs associated with running an air purifier for 24hs a day.
Last update on 2023-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API