Ozone is a highly reactive gas that can change the chemical makeup of air pollutants when the two come into contact, giving it the power to neutralize pollutants and kill viruses, bacteria, mold, and other biological contaminants. However, according to the EPA, inhaling ozone, even in relatively low quantities, can cause:
- Chest pain
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Throat irritation.
The concentrations of ozone generated by some air purifiers are less of an issue than it was 10-15 years ago, as regulations were brought into place to limit the amount of ozone purifiers could emit, such as the California Air Resource Board [CARB] who limit any unit sold in California to 50 ppb (parts per billion) of ozone.
Yet you should still be aware that ozone is a risk with any filtration technologies beyond the mechanical HEPA filters and Activated Charcoal filters, which create no byproducts. Ensure you don’t buy an ozone generator, as it is used for empty rooms and should not be used as an air purifier.
| Why You Should Trust This List As part of our buying guides here at HouseFresh, we dive deep into the performance of every air purifier we recommend by using our own measuring equipment to test each unit: TEST 1️⃣ – We place the air purifier inside our home lab, and we create particulate pollutants by filling the air with thick incense smoke. We turn on the air purifier at its highest fan speed and use our PurpleAir Touch Indoor Air Quality Monitor to record how long it takes for PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 particles to be cleaned from the air. TEST 2️⃣ – We plug the air purifier through an electricity usage monitor and track energy consumption when running the unit across the different fan speed levels. TEST 3️⃣ – We use a sound level monitor to measure noise levels when running the air purifier on its lowest and highest speeds. We aim to help you cut through the marketing hype and find the right air purifier for your home. If a unit is no good, we will tell you. We have no ties with manufacturers and air quality brands. |
The 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.
To help you find the perfect ozone-free air purifier for your home, we have collated seven excellent mechanical-based units without ionizing or active filtration technologies.
1. Levoit Core 600S
The Core 600S is one of the flagship models from Levoit’s Core range, aimed for use in larger rooms or open-plan spaces while remaining affordable. It has a 3-stage filtration system, with a mesh pre-filter and H13 HEPA to tackle airborne particles and an Activated Carbon filter to remove VOCs and odor pollutants.
This purifier comes with an excellent CADR rating of 410, primarily thanks to Levoit’s trademark VortexAir technology which will help dramatically improve indoor air circulation, changing the air in a 635 sq. ft room 5 times per hour.
This super smart unit has an Auto mode to scan its surrounding environment for airborne pollutants and adjust the fan speed accordingly. It also allows you to remotely operate the unit through the Levoit app or even be connected to Alexa or Google Assistant to utilize voice control. Plus, you can keep an eye on pollutant levels and the health of your filters either on the app or through the unit’s inbuilt display.
What We Really Like:
👍 User-friendly app with useful data feedback
👍 Excellent 360-degree fan technology allows for more air changes per hour
👍 Sleep mode runs at a whisper-like 26 dB
👍 Excellent value for money
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Filters could be larger and last longer
👎 Design is fairly mundane
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 15 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H13 True HEPA filter with Activated Carbon |
| Recommended room size: | 635 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 410 CFM (697 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 12.3 x 12.3 x 23.6 inches (31.3 x 31.3 x 60 cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 26 – 55 dB |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Warranty: | 2 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $51.51 per year |
2. Blast Mini by Smart Air
When finding an air purifier with impressive purifying performance and long-lasting results, while costing a fair price, the Blast Mini from Smart Air ticks all the boxes. With an H13 HEPA filter and powerful fan, this purifier can transform the air in large spaces up to 915 sq. ft, with a clean air delivery rating of 435 CFM.
The Blast Mini offers unrivaled performance, putting its impressive stats into practice during our real-world tests. This unit eclipsed all other purifiers we have previously tested, completely clearing our medium-sized bedroom of pollutants in just 17 minutes.
Alongside the H13 HEPA filter, the unit also utilizes an easy-to-clean, plastic pre-filter, and you can opt for an additional Activated Carbon filter to tackle VOCs and odors (Does HEPA filter remove VOC?). The filters boast an impressive lifespan of up to 2 years, meaning less expenditure and less hassle changing and discarding old filters.
What We Really Like:
👍 Super powerful fan allows 1400 m3/hr air intake
👍 Long-lasting, quality HEPA filters
👍 Wipe clean pre-filter is effective and easy to maintain
👍 Castor wheels make it easy to move from room to room
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 High power comes with high running costs
👎 By far the heaviest unit on our list (despite being called ‘mini’)
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 (low – high): | 36 – 49 dB |
| Filter life: | 33 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 1 year |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $277.70 per year |
3. IQAir Healthpro Plus
For those looking for the best air purifier money can buy, then look no further than the IQAir Healthpro Plus. With almost 60 years of air cleaning expertise, IQAir has built a state-of-the-art purifier, utilizing their advanced HyperHEPA and V5-Cell filters, that can eradicate 99.5% particles as small as 0.003 microns, along with a host of VOCs and odor pollutants to boot.
When it comes to ozone and the technology causing it, IQAir takes a firm stance. They often highlight the danger it can pose to our health and oppose ionizers and other active technologies, questioning the long-term benefits they offer. So much so, they even disassociate themselves from the industry-standard CADR ratings, partly because ozone-emitting purifiers often score highly, despite their potential dangers.
This purist approach is perhaps what we should expect from the godfathers of air purification. With their highly advanced filters (that last for years) and powerful fan performance that allows this unit to transform the air within a large space of up to 1125 sq. ft., this is certainly the crème de la crème of air purifiers for those with a big budget.
What We Really Like:
👍 HyperHEPA filters are capable of capturing 99.5% of ultrafine particles
👍 Advanced VOC busting filters, loaded with 5lb of activated carbon
👍 Certificate of performance from the production team in Switzerland
👍 10-year warranty
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Not the best-looking unit on the market
👎 Expensive to buy and operate on high-speed settings
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 25 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | HyperHEPA and V50-CELL gas and odor filter |
| Recommended room size: | 450 to 1125 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 (low – high): | 25dB – 69dB |
| Filter life: | 4 years |
| Manufacturer warranty: | 10 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $165.04 per year |
4. Honeywell HPA300
The Honeywell HPA300 is a robust, no-thrills workhorse of an air purifier. Boasting an impressive clean air delivery rate of 300 CFM, this purifier will make light work of airborne pollutants such as pollen, dust, or pet dander. Its pre-filter with a combined layer of activated charcoal will also tackle larger particles and odors.
While the HPA300 may look somewhat dated, remember never to judge a book by its cover. This unit packs an almighty punch, especially considering its cost. During our real-world tests, it cleared the room of all harmful PM2.5 particles emitted from burning incense within 26 minutes, showing it’s more than capable of cutting it with the top-end, fancier units.
With four speed settings, you can ramp up power to tackle major pollutants or leave it on a low speed to run in the background, providing round-the-clock, ozone-free purification. Despite its more basic functionality, you can still set a timer for either 2, 4, or 8 hours, dim the lights for nighttime use and will receive a notification when it’s time to change the filter.
What We Really Like:
👍 Powerful performance makes up for the lack of fancy features
👍 Fairly small in size, making the unit easily maneuverable
👍 Reasonably priced and easy-to-obtain replacement filters
👍 Simple to set up and operate
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Increasing the amount of activated carbon would improve performance against VOCs
👎 A modernized design might suit more homes
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★☆☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 26 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | Activated Carbon pre-filter and True HEPA filter |
| Recommended room size: | 465 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 300 CFM |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 20.8L x 10.83W x 22.38H inches (52.8L x 27.5W x 56.8H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 48.3dB – 71.2dB |
| Filter life: | HEPA every 12 months, Pre-filters every 3 months |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $189.01 per year |
5. Smart Air S
The Smart Air S is an excellent option for design-savvy homeowners looking for a practical and efficient way to improve indoor air quality. With a trusty H12 HEPA filter to tackle airborne pollutants such as dust and pet dander, plus an optional Activated Carbon filter for VOCs and odors, this purifier will reinvigorate your air without breaking the bank.
Following Smart Air’s humble beginnings of creating a DIY-esq, affordable fan and filter combination, the Smart Air Squair offers a simple, cost-effective air purifying solution that works excellently in medium-sized spaces between 150 ft² and 430 ft².
This unit also gets top marks for design, thanks to its compact and contemporary aesthetic. As a small cube measuring less than 15 inches in height, width and depth, it will sit comfortably in any modern home, while its angled wooden legs bring a new dimension, elevating the unit and its appearance.
What We Really Like:
👍 Compact and lightweight making it easy to maneuver
👍 Cheap filter replacements and low energy use make it cheap in the long run too
👍 Cute design
👍 Super quiet on lowest fan speed
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 No smart features such as an air quality sensor or auto mode
👎 Without a timer, you must remember to turn on/off your unit
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 29 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H12 HEPA and optional activated charcoal filter |
| Recommended room size: | 430 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 185 CFM (315 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 13H x 13W x 14.3D inches (33.02H x 33.02W x 36.32D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 10.1 lbs (4.58 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 23dB – 52dB |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty | 1 year |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $45.20 per year |
6. Levoit Core 400S
The 400S is the mid-market unit from Levoit’s Core range, offering excellent purifying performance for a very reasonable price. Whether you’re affected by nuisance odors, harmful VOC gasses, or everyday airborne particles, thanks to the Levoit Core 400S’s 3-stage H13 HEPA, pre-filter, and Activated Carbon filtration, you can breathe easy in the knowledge it will remove 99.9% of airborne particles 0.1 microns in size.
With impressive statistics on paper, we were pleased to find the Core 400S’s performance measured up in the real world. Clearing all pollutants from our test bedroom in just 33 minutes. The top-end IQAir Healthpro Plus managed the same test only 8 minutes quicker, while the smaller Levoit Core 300S took 16 minutes longer.
The Core 400S comes with a range of smart features rarely found on a unit within this price range. With inbuilt air quality sensors and an app providing real-time feedback on the air in your home, you can keep track of pollutants and act quickly to remove any harmful particles. In comparison, the capacitive controls are super intuitive to understand and add a nice design flourish to the unit.
What We Really Like:
👍 Excellent performance for the price
👍 Smart features provide real-time feedback
👍 Easy to set up and use
👍 Energy efficient, resulting in lower bills
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 On the larger size for its room size suitability
👎 Replacement filters aren’t always easy to find
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 33 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | H13 True HEPA filter |
| Recommended room size: | 403 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 260 CFM (442 m³/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 10.8L x 10.8W x 20.5H inches (27.4L x 27.4W x 52H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24dB – 52dB |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $39.95 per year |
7. Levoit Core 300S
The Levoit Core 300S is a small but mighty machine, offering excellent purifying power for a great price. Equipped with an H13 HEPA filter and a pre-filter and Activated Carbon filter, this unit comes with high-spec tech that will transform the air in small to medium-sized rooms, making the 300S our top pick for those on a budget.
As well as a reasonable initial purchase price, this unit is the cheapest to run in the long term out of our top 7 recommendations. Even if left to run on full power, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this unit would only set you back $30.85 yearly. When considering filter replacements too, the 300S offers good value for money, with Levoit genuine replacements costing less than $30 and generic filters on Amazon for as little as $19.99.
You’ve probably guessed by now we’re big fans of the Levoit Core range. Levoit has created a range of high-performance, ozone-free purifiers for a wallet-friendly price tag. And the 300S is certainly no exception. Coming with all the smart features and patented tech that its bigger brothers do, with the only difference being a smaller room size suitability.
What We Really Like:
👍 Great value for money
👍 Comes with a host of features not usually found at this price range – auto-mode and
👍 Cheap replacement filters
👍 Meager running costs
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 $50 for smart features for the same cleaning performance as the Levoit Core 300
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 39 Minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | 3-Stage H13 True HEPA Filtration with Activated Carbon |
| Recommended room size: | Up to 219 ft² |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 141 CFM (240 m³) |
| 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 lb (2.7 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24dB – 48dB |
| Filter life: | 6 – 8 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty | 2 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $52.56 |
Buying Guide: Ozone-Free Air Purifiers
Air purifiers are designed to improve the quality of the air we breathe and increase our overall well-being. However, not all air purifiers are created equal. Some release chemical byproducts, like ozone into the air while others are safer to use at home.
While ozone is incredibly effective at neutralizing air pollutants, like viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants, it also harms our lungs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), inhaling ozone, even in relatively low amounts, can cause.
- Chest pain
- Throat irritation
- Shortness of breath
- Aggravation of asthma
| 🤔 How do I know if my air purifier emits ozone? The quickest way to notice if an air purifier you have is exposing you to ozone is the smell. It will generally have an antiseptic odor. We have written an article about what ozone smells like, so read it if you are concerned your air purifier emits ozone. Also, check out the surface surrounding the air purifier. If it is dusty, there’s a high chance it’s emitting ozone. Another good indicator is the lighting on the unit. Ozone-emitting purifiers tend to have a blue light coming off them. |
Here’s what to look for in an ozone-free air purifier.
1. Look for mechanical filtration powered by HEPA + Activated Carbon filters
For the best performance, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are considered the gold standard in the industry. These filters are certified by the US Department of Energy to remove 99.97% of particles and allergens as small as 0.3 microns.
HEPA particles can remove large particles, too, including smoke, pollen, and mold spores suspended in the air. HEPA filters don’t help much with gas and VOCs and alone can’t remove ozone. However, unlike ionization filtration, HEPA technology does not release any chemical byproducts into the air. Go for H13 HEPA, H12 or H11, as these fit the sweet spot of particle removal and air flow rate.
Activated carbon filters, on the other hand, are very effective at ozone removal and other gasses and VOCs. Regarding activated carbon filters, the more carbon in the filter, the better. Choose an air purifier with HEPA and activated carbon filters for the best results.
2. Pay attention to the unit’s Clean Air Delivery Rating (CADR)
This is another critical factor to consider besides the device’s filtration system.
CADR, or clean air delivery rating, measures how quickly an air purifier can cycle the air in a given space through its filters every hour.
By checking an air purifier’s CADR rating, you can tell how effectively the unit filters pollutants in a given room size. The higher the CADR rating, the more effective a device is in purifying air in a given room. For example, a unit with a 250 CADR rating produces 250 cubic feet of fresh air per minute to remove contaminants in that room.
3. Calculate the ideal air purifier room coverage range
Another important factor to consider when buying an air purifier is the device’s coverage range. Air purifiers aren’t created equal. Some units are best suited for classrooms and larger spaces, while others are good for household use.
As such, it’s important to pick a product designed to purify the air in the space in which it will be used. Luckily, all air cleaners list their maximum square footage rating on their packaging.
4. Choose an air purifier that will suit your noise level requirements
You may want a quieter device depending on where you’ll be using your air purifier. Some air purifiers produce over 80 dB of noise while operating at full speed. Others are ultra-quiet and produce less than 60 dB at maximum speed.
If you want an ozone-free air purifier for your home, choose an option that doesn’t exceed 60 decibels. Such devices will not disrupt your sleep at night.
5. Decide if smart features are important to your user experience
Last but not least, consider if you care about buying a device with smart features or if you can live without them.
Smart air purifiers have a programmable timer, quality monitoring, and Wi-Fi connectivity. For instance, a unit with an air quality sensor automatically adjusts the fan speed after detecting a room’s air quality change.
If the device has a programmable timer, it will automatically turn itself on and off during specific times of the day, which can help ensure optimal energy consumption.
Common Questions About Ozone-Free Air Purifiers
Typical questions consumers ask when buying ozone-free air purifiers include:
🤔 What is the safest type of air purifier?
The safest air purifiers use mechanical filters like HEPA and activated carbon, which don’t release chemical byproducts.
🤔 What air purifiers don’t emit ozone?
Air purifiers from these brands generally don’t emit ozone as they only use mechanical filters and hence have zero byproducts, including ozone:
| Ozone-free air purifiers are manufactured by Levoit, Smart Air, Dyson, IQAir, and Honeywell. |
🤔 Do Blueair air purifiers produce ozone?
Blueair says their air cleaners are CARB certified, meaning they are safe and don’t exceed ozone emission limits. In our tests, we didn’t see any ozone production.
However, Smart Air detected significant ozone levels when the detector was next to the ionizer. Adding an ionizer is a great way to increase a unit’s CADR, which is what Blueair has done with its air purifiers. However, this also leads to the release of chemical byproducts.
🤔 Are all ionizers dangerous?
Not always. Many of the ionizers used by companies like Blueair, Coway and others use mild ionizing functions to improve the air-cleaning performance of the HEPA filter.
We have tested these units with ozone detections and have not seen any ozone detectable after many hours of usage.
But we still know that some people have sensitivities to any ionization level, so we created this list of units that we can say 100% all the air purifiers will create zero ozone.
🤔 Do UV lights create ozone?
Demand for UV lights has recently risen as we look for effective ways to disinfect the air and surfaces around us. As some air purifiers come with inbuilt UV lamps, this may seem like an excellent way to kill bacteria or viruses in your home.
However, we typically find ultraviolet wavelengths of 185 nm are used in sanitizing and sterilizing systems, which are harmful to humans as this wavelength will emit high ozone concentrations. If the lamp is correctly coated or housed in certain glass, this should protect the user. Although ozone leaks from the lamps and creates a toxic atmosphere if used in an enclosed space, we generally recommend avoiding UV purification.
🤔 Can an ionizer make you sick?
Ionizers work by electrostatically charging airborne pollutants within your space. Once charged, the particles become easier to remove with your air purifier. However, during this process, they also release ozone as a byproduct.
While this can be in trace amounts (depending on your purifier), inhaling ozone concentrations can cause respiratory issues and throat irritation. It’s best to research any purifier before purchasing to see if, and how much ozone is emitted through its use. We recommend avoiding ionizers entirely for those with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Wrapping Up
Although many ozone-related air purifiers work to kill harmful chemicals and diseases in the air, producing toxic ozone makes them too risky to use in your home. Thankfully, numerous products are available on the market for you. A good thing to do is always look at the type of filters used and go from there. It’s easier to narrow these things down when factoring in your needed room coverage, noise concerns, etc.
So, which from our list do you feel benefits you the most?
Last update on 2023-04-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API