Many air purifiers on the market boast about a different kind of air cleaning technology, that supercharges (or outperforms) the ability of the usual filters to remove harmful pollutants from your air. We call these units ‘air ionizers’ or air purifiers with an ionizer function.
But air ionization is not new.
Ionizers were more popular in the early 2000s, right up to the point when they were found to produce dangerous ozone levels. In 2010, rules were put in place that meant all air purifiers had to be tested and meet CARB-certified standards of less than 0.050 parts per million (ppm) or 50 parts per billion (ppb).
Even when air purifiers meet these standards, units with ionizers can still produce levels of ozone as a byproduct that can be harmful to those sensitive to this gas. For context, the air purifier that produces the highest amount of ozone (as per Energy Star) is the AirDog X5, which produces 28 ppb.
So, while an ionizer can help eliminate contaminants from your room, is it really worth the risk?
At HouseFresh, we believe that anyone with respiratory issues should avoid ionizers. Our data shows that the right air purifier (with high quality HEPA and activated carbon filters) will help without generating any harmful byproducts.
In this guide, I will take you through the best ozone-free air purifiers on the market so you can choose the best unit for your home. These are all air purifiers that we have bought and tested ourselves, so we know what we’re talking about.
- In our home lab of 728 cubic feet, we light an incense stick to generate particle pollution and VOCs.
- We set up our trusted Purpleair Indoor Sensor with the latest Bosch gas sensor to track levels of PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 and VOCs in the air.
- We switch the air purifier to its highest speed and measure how long it takes to get our room air quality down to PM1 level to 0.
- We use an energy meter to measure precisely how much electricity is used when running the unit at the lowest and highest fan speed settings.
- We track sound levels emitted by the air purifier at different fan speeds with the help of a commercial sound meter.
Staff picks: Top 3 ozone-free air purifiers
Whether you’re looking for a purifier to remove gasses and odors, airborne particles, or an all-rounder that will target both, there is an ozone-free purifier for everyone on this list.
| 👑 BEST OVERALL | 💰 FOR TIGHT BUDGETS | 🛋️ FOR LARGE SPACES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EverestAir | TaoTronics AP003 | Mila | |
 |  |  | |
| AIR CLEANING SPEED ⚡ | 13 minutes | 29 minutes | 35 minutes |
| CADR 👩🔬 | 360 CFM (612 m3/h) | 226 CFM (384 m³/h) | 263 CFM (447 m³/hr) |
| FILTER TECHNOLOGY 💨 | 3-Stage Filtration | H13 HEPA with activated carbon pellets | HEPA (ranges from H12-H14) + Activated charcoal |
| MAX ROOM SIZE 📏 | 558 sq. ft. | 322 sq ft | 1000 sq. ft |
| WEIGHT ⚖️ | 20.7 lbs (9.38 kg) | 18 lbs (8.16 kg) | 18 lbs (8.16 kg) |
| OUR REVIEW 🔍 | Levoit EverestAir review | TaoTronics AP003 review | Mila review |
| PRICE 💵 | $299.99 | $99 | $419.99 |
Last update on 2024-04-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Those were just my top picks. Read on to find out more excellent mechanical-based units without ionizing or active filtration technologies.
1. Best ozone-free air purifier: Levoit EverestAir
Everything you need from an ozone-free air purifier, including the looks and performance to rival any unit on the market.
My top recommendation can seem a bit controversial with the recent claims from Dyson that led to Levoit removing the use of the word ‘HEPA’ from all their marketing materials.The reason why the EverestAir (and other Levoit units) made this list is their air cleaning performance. Even without a H13 True HEPA filter,, the EverestAir is still the highest-performing air purifier we have tested in our home lab.
What we really like
What we think could be better
As soon as we unboxed the EverestAir at HouseFresh HQ, I knew we were in for something special. This unit looks very different from other Levoit air purifiers both in terms of what’s going on in the outside (air quality display, adjustable air vents, front panel, wheels) and on the inside (large and thick 3-stage air filter) . Levoit has also packed the EverestAir with all the smart features you’ll need in the modern home, including auto mode, sleep mode, turbo mode, timer, air quality indicator and app connectivity.
The EverestAir incorporates a powerful motor and large fan to achieve its high CADR of 360 CFM. I was blown away when we conducted our cleaning performance test, as it cleared our home lab of pollutants in just 13 minutes.
A new HouseFresh record.
The EverestAir achieves all of this without producing a hint of harmful ozone.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 13 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | 3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses) |
| Recommended room size: | 558 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 360 CFM (612 m3/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 18.9L x 8.5W x 23.2H inches (48L x 21.6W x 58.9H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 20.7 lbs (9.38 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24 – 56dB |
| Filter life: | 12-15 months |
| Warranty: | 2 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $87.25 per year |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
If you like the sound of a Levoit air purifier but your budget doesn’t quite stretch to the EverestAir, then check out the Levoit Core 600S. It’s powerful, packed with features, and only costs around $300.
2. Best budget option: TaoTronics TT-AP003
This air purifier proves you can have excellent cleaning power and various smart features at a budget price.
The cost of air purifiers can start to stack up when you start adding high-performance fans, evolving filtration technology and intelligent smart features. Luckily there are a few units out there that have all of these qualities and still manage to keep prices low. Here’s one of my favorite budget air purifiers we have tested.
What we really like
What we think could be better
TaoTronics is known for making a variety of electrical devices for the home and their air purifiers have become strong rivals to the more popular brands like Levoit, Blueair and Coway. The AP-003 is proof that high-performance, ozone-free air purifiers with smart features can come with an affordable price tag.
At first, I was a little unsure of the manufacturer specifications as they state the TT-AP003 is equipped with H13 HEPA filtration with activated carbon pellets, boasting a CADR of 226 CFM. All that for less than $100?
But this air purifier proved itself during our air cleaning performance test by clearing our home lab of smoke pollutants in only 29 minutes — that’s 11 minutes faster than the former king of budget units: the Levoit Core 300.
The TT-AP003 is a great performing air purifier with plenty of smart features all for under $70.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 29 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H13 HEPA with activated carbon pellets |
| Recommended room size: | 322 sq ft (30 m²) |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 226 CFM (384 m³/h ) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 21.8 x 14.1 x 7.9 inches (55.4 x 35.8 x 20cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 18 lbs (8.16 kg) |
| Noise level (measured from 3 ft. away): | Speed 1: 38.4 dB Speed 2: 42.8 dB Speed 3: 54 dB |
| Filter life: | 3 – 6 months |
| Electricity consumption (kilowatt-hour): | Standby mode: 0.7 kWh Speed 1: 5.9 kWh Speed 2: 10.5 kWh Speed 3: 36.5 kWh |
| Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + filter replacements): | $65.47 per year |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 1 year |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
If you’re looking for an air purifier that’s a little smaller, check out the Shark HP102. This small, smart unit is ideal for kitchen worktops and/or home offices and is cheap to run.
3. Best smart unit: Mila
The perfect air purifier for the modern home – eight smart sensors that can be customized to clean the air in your room.
People have different priorities when it comes to wants and needs from an air purifier. For some, it’s all about the smart features. If smart capabilities and automatic features are high on your list, have a look at this air purifier from Mila.
As well as being ozone-free, the Mila is the Swiss army knife of air purifiers.
What we really like
What we think could be better
The large digital screen on the Mila displays all the information you need about your current air quality thanks to its eight different built-in sensors that scan your room for micro-particles, carbon monoxide, humidity and VOCs — the Mila even senses when someone enters the room and reduces noise levels not to disturb you.
You can spend hours customizing this air purifier to your individual needs (either on the display or in the Mila smartphone app), but you don’t have to: you can just set it to its Automagic Mode and the Mila will take care of everything on its own.
Apart from it being the smartest air purifier in our arsonal, the Mila comes with an impressive range of seven different filters to further customize the unit to your needs. From The Basic Breather to The Overreactor (I know, the names are a little much), all your air quality needs are met without emitting any harmful ozone.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 35 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | HEPA (ranges from H12-H14) + Activated charcoal (granular carbon) |
| Recommended room size: | 1000 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 263 CFM (447 m³/hr) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 12L x 12W x 15H inches (30.48L x 30.48W x 38.1H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 18 lbs (8 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24dB – 74dB |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 1 year |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $52.56 per year |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
If you like the aesthetic of the Mila, but aren’t too fussed with all the tech, check out the Smart Air S Air. All the looks, none of the tech and definitely no ozone.
4. The quietest option: Smart Air Blast Mini
A robust air purifier engineered for performance – no apps, no sensors, no ozone and no nonsense.
Smart Air may not be as well known as long-standing manufacturers such as IQAir or Alen, but the units we’ve tested proved that they really know what they’re doing. The engineers at Smart Air are focused on building high-performing air purifiers without the dangers of producing ozone.
What we really like
What we think could be better
As you can see from the pictures, the Blast Mini is a big air purifier with a robust metal shell. Underneath its tank-like exterior is a large, powerful fan and a huge H13 HEPA filter. Its high CADR of 435 CFM can quickly filter the air in large spaces up to 915 sq. ft as it did in our performance tests by clearing the contaminants in our home lab in just 17 minutes.
I’ve already mentioned how big the filter is, but Smart Air has also managed to make it last up to four years (in comparison, the AP-003 filter lasts 3-6 months). Unfortunately, the Blast Mini doesn’t come with an activated carbon filter as standard, but I highly recommend spending that bit extra and getting one.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 17 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H13 HEPA Filter |
| Recommended room size: | 915 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 435 CFM (740 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 22.6L x 13W x 24.8H inches (57.5L × 33W × 63H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 59 lbs (26.8 kg) |
| Noise level (measured from 3 ft. away): | Speed 1: 44.9 dB Speed 2: 51.2 dB Speed 3: 55.8 dB |
| Filter life: | 33 months |
| Electricity consumption (kilowatt-hour): | Standby mode: 0 kWh Speed 1: 51.9 kWh Speed 2: 87.4 kWh Speed 3: 122.7 kWh |
| Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + filter replacements): | $277.70 per year |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 1 year |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
5. Best for VOCs and odors: IQAir Healthpro Plus
Engineered, manufactured and tested in Switzerland – an air purifier made for those who are serious about air quality.
VOCs and odors aren’t the easiest pollutants to remove from the air, especially in large rooms. In order to clear chemical fumes, gasses and smells from the air, you will need an air purifier with a filter packed with activated carbon — the more, the better. That’s exactly what you get with the IQAir Healthpro Plus.
What we really like
What we think could be better
When it comes to ozone and the technology generating it, IQAir takes a firm stance. They often highlight the danger ozone can pose to our health and oppose using ionizers and other active technologies, questioning the long-term benefits they offer. So much so, that they have disassociated themselves from the industry-standard CADR ratings, partly because ozone-emitting purifiers often score highly, despite the dangers they pose.
Danny (HouseFresh Founder) has been running the Healthpro Plus in his home for nearly two years, and he still swears by it. The IQAir Healthpro Plus is the ideal choice if you’re looking for an ozone-free air purifier that can deal with VOCs and unwanted smells in large rooms up to 1,125 sq. ft.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Time to clean our test room: | PurpleAir Touch: 24 minutes PurpleAir Zen: 28 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | HyperHEPA and V50-CELL gas and odor filter |
| Recommended room size: | 450 to 1,125 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 300 CFM (510 m³/h) |
| 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) |
| Noise level (measured from 3 ft. away): | Speed 1: 36.9 dB Speed 2: 40.9 dB Speed 3: 47.2 dB Speed 4: 53.9 dB Speed 5: 61.2 dB Speed 6: 69 dB |
| Filter life: | 4 years |
| Electricity consumption (kilowatt-hour): | Standby mode: 1 kWh Speed 1: 16.5 kWh Speed 2: 32.7 kWh Speed 3: 47.3 kWh Speed 4: 69 kWh Speed 5: 94.3 kWh Speed 6: 145.2 kWh |
| Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + filter replacements): | $437.34 per year |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 10 years |
| Country of manufacture: | Switzerland / Germany |
6. Best for medium-sized spaces: Levoit Vital 200S
Everything you expect from a premium-priced air purifier rolled into a budget-friendly, ozone-free unit.
We already got our hands on the Levoit Vital 100, so we knew we had to test the next model up. The Levoit Vital 200S is a more advanced air purifier for medium-sized rooms that performs better than its little brother and comes with a high CADR, smart features and low running costs — all for under $200.
What we really like
What we think could be better
When you buy an air purifier in this price range, you don’t necessarily expect it to have all the bells and whistles that come with more expensive units. Well, the Vital 200S comes packed with all of them: sleep mode, auto mode, timer, display lock and an air quality indicator. Plus, you can monitor and control everything from Levoit’s VeSync smartphone app.
We also didn’t expect an air purifier in this price range would come with all those features AND would have outstanding air cleaning performance. We were surprised to see the results of the Levoit Vital 200S in our air cleaning test: the Vital 200S cleared our home lab of smoke pollutants in just 21 minutes — extremely impressive.
Levoit has pushed its engineers to create a unit that both performs impeccably, is easy to control and looks modern and stylish. All with zero ozone emitted into your air. Bravo, Levoit.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 21 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H13 TrueHEPA and activated charcoal filter |
| Recommended room size: | 375 sq. ft. (5 ACH) |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 245 CFM – Smoke: 242 CFM – Dust: 263 CFM – Pollen: 240 CFM |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 15.6D x 8.5W x 19.8H inches (39.3D x 21.5W x 50.2H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 13.2 lbs (5.9 kg) |
| Noise level (measured from 3 ft. away): | Speed 1: 38.3 dB Speed 2: 41.9 dB Speed 3: 53.8 dB Speed 4: 57.7 dB |
| Filter life: | 12 months |
| Electricity consumption (kilowatt-hour): | Standby mode: 0.97 kWh Speed 1: 5.71 kWh Speed 2: 8.01 kWh Speed 3: 31.96 kWh Speed 4: 44.55 kWh |
| Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + filter replacements): | $97.83 per year |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
Other ozone-free air purifiers we tested but don’t recommend
- Austin Air HealthMate: This USA-made air purifier is great for tackling VOCs and gasses thanks to its enormous filter, but it’s a little overpriced for the air cleaning speed results we got from our testing.
- AROEVE MK01: Even though this smaller air purifier doesn’t produce harmful ozone that could affect your health, its cleaning performance was sub-par in our home lab tests. I don’t understand how it’s such a big seller on Amazon.
- Honeywell HPA300: This air purifier can be a great solution for cleaning airborne contaminants from large rooms. But, for me, it’s a bit too old and is missing lots of features that are basic in most modern units.
- Dyson HP04 Pure Hot + Cool: It looks good, doesn’t emit any ozone and has the brand name associated with innovation, but it’s seriously overpriced considering its air cleaning performance. Nice fan, though!
What to look for when buying an ozone-free air purifier
If you want your air to be free of harmful ozone and your home to be pollutant-free, you’re gonna need an air purifier with (and without) certain features. Let me take you through my top priorities.
1. Avoid ionizers, UV-C, needle-point ion generators, bi-polar ions, electrostatic precipitation and plasma technology
The technology inside air purifiers that creates ozone can come in different names, but it’s usually known as air ionization. This type of technology can produce harmful ozone as a byproduct, and no matter how little of a byproduct it is, it can still have an adverse effect on your health.
In my opinion, you should steer clear of any air purifier with this technology, or to be honest, any technology that isn’t HEPA and activated carbon filtration.
2. Measure your room
The size of your room heavily dictates which air purifier you will need. If you introduce an air purifier that doesn’t have an appropriate CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) will either be ineffective or a waste of space and electricity.
The basic rule is: the bigger the room, the higher CADR you will need.
We’ve taken all the guesswork out of it for you with our tool that allows you to see what CADR you’ll need for your room (in accordance with EPA guidelines of 4.8 changes per hour).
3. High performance filters with activated carbon
The most effective way to remove contaminants from the air in your home is to use an air purifier that contains quality filters with high levels of activated carbon, as they don’t create any chemical by-products.
I usually only recommend HEPA filters, but with recent claims of branding violations, I’m changing my vocabulary to “high performance”.
Activated carbon is the material that removes odors, VOCs and gasses from your air, but only filters with a high concentration of carbon will make a difference.
4. Do you want (or need) smart features?
In our tech driven age, brands are adding more and more smart features to their air purifiers (unless you’re Smart Air). From air quality indicators and auto modes, to sleep modes and smartphone connectivity, you will need to consider which (if any) you will use.
Personally, I like air purifiers that give me as much data about the quality of my air as possible. I also use auto mode quite often, so I always units that have these options. If I can monitor and control my air purifier from an app, all the better.
Smart features usually come at an extra cost (check out the Mila), so you’ll need to factor this into your budget.
Common questions about ozone and air purifiers
Yes, all the units on this list.
Air purifiers that use ionizer technology (or similar) can emit harmful ozone as a chemical byproduct. So if an air purifier doesn’t use this technology, it won’t emit ozone into the air in your room.
You may have to do a little research to find your answer. If you go to the California Air Resources Board list of approved air purifiers, you can search for the brand and model of your air purifier. When you’ve found the right unit, look at the ‘Type’ column. If it says “Electrical,” then the product may generate ozone. But if it says “Mechanical,” it does not.
The simple is yes, 100%. Ozone-free air purifiers that contain HEPA filters and activated carbon filters are capable of removing 99.97% of pollutants from your air. They are the most effective way of making sure you have clean, uncontaminated air to breathe in your home.
Air purifiers can remove ozone and other gasses from your air, but only if they contain a filter packed with activated carbon. I suggest finding a unit that contains activated carbon pellets and as much as possible. If the presence of ozone is an issue in your home, I recommend you check out the IQAir Healthpro Plus.
Blueair air purifiers often come with ‘HEPASilent™ filtration technology’ that uses a combination of electrostatic and mechanical filtration. Electrostatic filtration can produce ozone as a byproduct, but Blueair states that “All Blueair air purifiers are CARB certified, which means that they are considered safe and do not exceed ozone emission limits”.
No. Just like Blueair (see FAQ above) some air purifiers use a combination of HEPA filtration and ionizer technology. This is usually stated by the manufacturer, but if you’re unsure, check out the California Air Resources Board list of approved air purifiers
Wrapping up
With all the contaminants that can pollute the air in your home, you don’t want to add ozone to that list. The harmful effects caused by ozone are no joke. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals can be seriously damaging to your health and the health of your family.
To be sure that you’re not being exposed to harmful ozone, you will need an air purifier that doesn’t use ionizer (or similar electrostatic) technology.
There are plenty of air purifiers on the market that don’t use this technology, and some will actually remove any ozone in the air. This guide highlights the best of those that we have personally tested.
Happy hunting.
Last update on 2024-04-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
