The best air purifiers for removing VOCs from the air

Aug 30, 2026Jun 11, 2021 by Danny Ashton

AirDoctor AD3500 Activated carbon filter pellets

The term ‘VOC’ stands for volatile organic compounds, which are gases that can contain various chemicals, some of which will be harmful to your health.

Many VOCs are human-made chemicals used and produced in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, paints and refrigerants. But VOCs can also be created through chlorination in water treatments and contained in industrial solvents, pesticides, building materials and fuel.

These gases can enter your home through common household products you use daily, such as paints, cleaning products, and even beauty products like perfumes and nail polish, among many others. They can also enter your place of work through equipment like printers and photocopiers.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, VOC concentrations can be up to ten times higher indoors than outdoors. Outside, VOCs usually dissipate without causing harm. But indoors, these chemicals can linger and cause adverse health effects ranging from headaches and throat irritation to kidney and liver damage.

If you are dealing with serious VOCs, try to ventilate your house as much as possible by opening windows and doors.

This is especially important when using VOC-heavy chemicals like paint stripping or cleaning products. Always perform this type of activity with your windows open to let more air move inside your home.

It’s important to clarify that many of the most popular air purifiers you will find online or at your local appliance shop are designed to tackle other types of pollutants, such as pollen, dust or cigarette smoke. These devices may have excellent particle filters (such as medical-grade H13 HEPA), but you need to look for gas filters with large amounts of activated carbon.

With those disclaimers out of the way, let me tell you about the air purifiers we recommend to tackle VOCs indoors based on tests we ran on nearly 150 different models. You can read more about how we test here.

1. Best VOC removal performance: AC Infinity CLOUDLINE S8 fan with an 8-inch filter (16 lbs of activated carbon)

My favorite thing about this device is that the carbon filter is refillable, so it saves me a fortune!

Let me start my saying that this isn’t an air purifier that will help with both gases and particles. This DIY device only has a carbon filter so it will only be able to adsorb and remove unwanted odors and VOCs from the air – if you want particle filtration, you’ll need to get a separate unit. I personally, prefer this setup of two specialists units over one single device that isn’t particularly good at either job.

AC Infinity produces air filters for indoor gardeners, so I choose specific parts from their line to build my DIY carbon filter: one CLOUDLINE S8 fan, an 8-inch Carbon Filter, two noise reduction clamps and a pre-filter cloth.

These parts are supposed to be part of a bigger HVAC-style system that is attached to the ceiling, so when placed on the floor, the fan blades are exposed. That is why I went ahead and cut out a circular piece of carbon-impregnated fabric to cover the top.

In our VOC removal tests, this AC Infinity build outperformed every other air purifier we tested, including the beast that is the Austin Air HealthMate. By the way, we achieved the best performance by keeping the fan speed below 5.

VOC Removal Performance AC Infinity scaled

This outstanding VOC removal performance can be explained by the fact that the filter houses a whopping 16 lbs of activated carbon – the most we’ve seen. The best thing is that it comes with two (2!) years’ worth of carbon refills from day one.

CONS

This device only removes VOCs from the air. You won’t get any particle filtration, so you will need to use it alongside an air purifier if you want to remove particles as well as gases and smells.

This isn’t a traditional air purifier. You have to build it yourself and it doesn’t come with any fancy touchscreens or smart features.

It is LOUD. When set to speed 5 (optimal speed), it generates 61.9 decibels. The good news is that VOC removal improves at lower fan speeds.

PROS

The 8-inch carbon filter comes with 16 lbs (or 7.2 kg) of activated carbon, which is the largest amount we have seen.

It is much cheaper than specialist odor-busting units from Austin Air, Allerair and Airpura can cost as much as $1,000.

This filter is refillable, so once the carbon is used up, you can dispose of it and refill the cylinder with more carbon.

The price of a years’s worth of carbon is just $89.99! This is A LOT more accessible than the nearly $400 you’re expected to spend on filter replacements with other specialist brands.

Filter technology:	VOC and odor adsorption
Carbon type:	Australian RC412 at 1200+ IAV (38mm thickness)
Carbon quantity:	16 lbs (7.2 kg)
Airflow:	857 cfm
Dimensions:	Fan: 3.3 x 2.9 x 0.5 inches (8.5 x 3.6 x 1.3 cm) Filter: 18.1 x 10.9 inches (46 x 27.7 cm)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 37.6 dBA Speed 2: 45.7 dBA Speed 3: 50.8 dBA Speed 4: 57.2 dBA Speed 5: 61.9 dBA Speed 6: 66.5 dBA Speed 7: 71.9 dBA Speed 8: 74.9 dBA Speed 9: 77.8 dBA Speed 10: 79.3 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:	Speed 1: 3.7 watts Speed 2: 7.4 watts Speed 3: 12.3 watts Speed 4: 20.2 watts Speed 5: 30.3 watts Speed 6: 43.2 watts Speed 7: 60.3 watts Speed 8: 86.2 watts Speed 9: 113.2 watts Speed 10: 148 watts
Filter lifespan:	12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	2 years
Country of origin:	United States
Country of manufacture:	China

2. Best for most people: Austin HealthMate (15 lbs of activated carbon)

If you’re looking for a traditional air purifier that can filter out VOCs as well as particles, this might be the one.

Austin Air has been manufacturing air purifiers from its factory in Buffalo, New York, since 1990. The HealthMate is Austin Air’s most popular device, and it has been designed to remove VOCs and chemicals from the air thanks to a MASSIVE carbon filter packed with 15 lbs of activated carbon and zeolite.

The HealthMate is fully made out of metal and is very heavy but relatively small considering how big the filter inside is. In terms of features, you only get a dial at the front to switch between different fan speeds and turn the unit off. That’s it.

Even though it’s heavy, it’s easy to move it around the house thanks to the four wheels at the bottom. I appreciate that the wheels are of excellent quality and run well over hard floor and also carpets – usually air purifier wheels are rubbish on carpets.

Bear in mind that this large quantity of carbon will restrict airflow, which in turn impacts the HealthMate’s HEPA filter’s ability to quickly remove particles from the air. Even though it’s a big device, it has a particle removal performance that matches much smaller units.

Based on these results, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 160 cfm at top speed. This means it can clean the air five times per hour in rooms no larger than 169 sq. ft. (or 15 m²). This is comparable to what you get with the Levoit Core 300S.

CONS

It reaches 61.5 decibels when running at its top speed, which is louder than a refrigerator but quieter than a vacuum cleaner.

It is power-hungry. When running at its top speed, it pulls 147.6 watts, so if you were to run this device 24/7 all year, it would add $243.47 to your electricity bill by the end of the year.

Its metal body and massive filter make this a big and heavy device. The good news is that it comes on wheels.

PROS

It comes with a 5-year warranty, which isn’t something you see often with air purifiers.

The filters last a lot longer than the 6-12 months we see with most other air purifiers (60 months).

With a one-dial operation, this is an easy-to-operate air purifier you can use right out of the box without a long setup process.

It has a flat top so it can double as a side table, depending on the room where you want to use it.

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)

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW ➜

The Austin Air HealthMate is excellent at removing gases and odors from the air but its particle removal performance is comparable to small, tabletop units like the Levoit Core 300S. If you’re looking for an air purifier with large amounts of carbon that is also efficient at removing dust, pollen and other allergens from the air, then you should look elsewhere.

IQAir HealthPro Plus (5.5 lbs carbon)

The HealthPro Plus from IQAir is a legendary air purifier released in 1998 that is still widely recommended today. Based on our tests, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 213 cfm so it can clean the air five times per hour in spaces up to 319 sq. ft. (29 m²).

You get a large pre-filter that captures larger particles like pet hair and fluff, followed by a HyperHEPA filter that removes the smallest of particles from the air, and lastly, there’s a VOCs filter with 5 lbs of activated carbon.

IQair Healthpro plus Activated carbon front

3. Best for less than $200: AirFanta 3 Pro (1.3 lbs of activated carbon)

For just $179.99 you can get your 3Pro with four bonded filters with a E11 filter for particles on one side and 600g (or 1.32 lbs) of activated carbon pellets.

Use the discount code HOUSEFRESH for 5% off when buying directly from AirFanta.

Most cheap air purifiers come with just a carbon-impregnated fabric filter to remove VOCs that won’t be enough for most. That is why I was very happy to see AirFanta roll out a version of their popular 3Pro that includes 600g of activated carbon pellets.

Now, keep in mind that this is not a traditional air purifier. This is a design inspired by the DIY Corsi-Rosenthal box with a plastic base, a filter at each side and an array of four PC fans on top. Yes, you read that right: it uses PC fans!

This makes the 3Pro incredibly powerful but also quiet and energy-efficient. In our particle removal test, it outperformed air purifier that cost 3x as much. We estimate a PM1 CADR of 353 cfm so it can offer five air changes per hour in rooms up to 529 sq. ft. (or 49m²).

If you choose the HEPA-Carbon option, you’ll get four filters with an E11 particle filter on one side and pelleted activated carbon on the other. This means you’ll need to replace the entire thing once the carbon is saturated.

Something special about the 3Pro is that you can assemble it and disassemble it in just a couple of minutes. Once you’ve taken it apart, it will fit in a large backpack or small suitcase so you can travel with it if that is something you’d like to do.

CONS

It doesn’t come with any fancy features or a control panel you might expect in an air purifier. You only get a speed controller to dial the fan speed (and associated sound) up and down.

I know some people don’t like how it looks as it is a lot more utilitarian looking than traditional devices. But looks don’t make a difference to performance.

PROS

It is highly affordable and you’ll be able to get one for less than $180.

It’s incredible air cleaning performance – – it took just 17 minutes to clean our test room, which is two minutes slower than the almighty Smart Air Blast Mini.

The filter comes with activated carbon pellets instead of the carbon-impregnated fabric you get with cheap air purifiers at this price point.

It is A LOT easier to put it together than a standard DIY PC fan air purifier kit.

When taken apart, the parts are small enough to fit inside a backpack or a small suitcase.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 353 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 213 cfm
Filter technology:	True HEPA H11 and optional pelleted activated carbon
Recommended room size:	529 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	12.6D x 12.6W x 12.6H inches (32D x 32W X 32H cm)
Weight:	7.7 lbs (3.49 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	3.63 volts: 36.1 dB 4.19 volts: 36.9 dB 5.24 volts: 39.7 dB 6.54 volts: 43.3 dB 7.44 volts: 46.7 dB 8.56 volts: 49.1 dB 12.6 volts: 56.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts :	43.23 watts
Filter lifespan:	6 – 12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW ➜

4. Best smart option: Alen BreatheSmart 75i (3.6 lbs of activated carbon)

An air purifier with a H13 HEPA filter and 1.63 kg of pelleted activated carbon that comes with smartphone connectivity.

The Core 400S is the air purifier that comes with the largest amount of activated carbon across the entire Levoit range.

This is the largest air purifier in Alen’s range and is one of my favorite ones. Based on our particle removal test, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 333 cfm so it can clean the air five times per hour in rooms up to 448 sq. ft. (41 m²).

In terms of features, you get an onboard laser sensor that informs the auto mode and an LED ring in the middle of the control panel that changes color depending on the quality of your air. It also comes with an ionizer function that can be disabled.

As with other air purifiers in Alen’s range, there are many filter options for the BreatheSmart 75i. For those looking to tackle VOCs, I recommend choosing the Fresh filter, as it comes with 3.6 lbs (or 1.6kg) of activated carbon pellets.

It has app connectivity through the Alen app, which not only allows you to control your 75i remotely but also lets you track PM2.5, tVOC, CO2, temperature and humidity levels in real time – – and the data is easy to export, too.

CONS

It isn’t cheap, with a list price of $814.

It’s pretty big. If you’re looking for an air purifier for a small to medium sized room, check out the Alen 45i instead (also with the Fresh filter).

PROS

The app works well and allows you to operate the 75i remotely. Plus, you can export all your data, which isn’t common with air purifier apps.

Great air cleaning performance even at quiet fan speeds.

You get a laser sensor, which doesn’t need cleaning regularly and is more accurate than the infrared sensors we see in other models.

Alen offers lifetime warranty if you stick to their branded filter replacements.

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

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW ➜

5. Best commercial unit: Smart Air Blast MKII (3.74 lbs of activated carbon)

A commercial air purifier with excellent particle removal performance and a large H13 HEPA filter with optional pelleted activated carbon.

The Blast is a commercial air purifier completely made out of metal that can handle the bumps and scrapes of a busy environment, making it perfect for classrooms, offices, event venues and gyms. Based on our tests, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 547 cfm so it can clean the air five times per hour in large spaces up to 820 sq. ft.

The Blast has the third largest amount of carbon (3.74 lbs) we have seen after the IQAir HealthPro Plus and Austin Air HealthMate.

Whether you choose to go with HEPA only or HEPA + Carbon, the filters in the Blast is much larger than what you’ll see in a standard air purifier.

CONS

It comes at a high price (costing nearly $1,000) but doesn’t have any smart functions.

This unit is extremely heavy, weighing 38 kg — the good news: it comes on wheels.

The design feels quite utilitarian so it won’t be a good fit for everyone.

It will add $136.29 to your yearly energy bill.

PROS

It has unmatched raw air cleaning power: the Blast is the fastest air purifier we’ve ever tested (PM1 CADR 547 cfm).

It offers great performance even at its quietest speeds — we estimate 375 cfm at speed 1 while generating just 41.9 dBA.

The stainless steel body makes it durable in the long run.

It’s a set-and-forget air purifier without any apps or fancy modes, and you can use it with a smart plug.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 547 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 375 cfm – Manufacturer provided PM2.5 CADR: 559 cfm
Filter technology:	H13 HEPA particle filter with optional activated carbon filter (3.74 lbs)
Recommended room size:	820.5 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	22.6L x 14.4W x 25.3H inches
Weight:	59 lbs (38 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 41.9 dB Speed 2: 49.4 dB Speed 3: 54.7 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 0 watts Speed 1: 56.3 watts Speed 2: 94.5 watts Speed 3: 133.5 watts
Filter lifespan:	19 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW ➜

Other good air purifiers for VOCs that didn’t make the cut

These devices didn’t make the shortlist but are worth mentioning due to their good performance and solid carbon filters.

➜ Dyson Big+Quiet BP04 or BP06

The Dyson’s Big+Quiet range cost around $1.000 so they are not cheap. Based on our particle removal tests, we calculated a top speed PM1 CADR of 198 cfm – – powerful enough to clean the air five times per hour in rooms no larger than 297 sq. ft. (or 27 m²).

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

The carbon-impregnated fabric filter is innovative and comes with 1.9 lbs (900 g) of carbon. Both the BP04 and the BP06 performed well in our VOC removal tests but the wraparound filter has a short lifespan and we had to replace it after 4 months.

➜ Levoit EverestAir

This is the most expensive model in Levoit’s range of air purifiers, so it’s full of fancy features. You get app connectivity, a good quality laser sensor and the ability to adjust the air vents.

It al offers excellent air cleaning power. Based on our particle removal test, with a PM1 CADR of 375 cfm that can clean the air five times per hour in large spaces up to 562 sq. ft. (52m²).

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

The filter has two sides: one side removes particles and the other side adsorbs gases. It comes with 0.88 lbs (400g) of activated carbon – less than the 600g in the AirFanta 3Pro.

Levoit EverestAir Activated Carbon Filter

It performed really in our VOC removal test, ranking within the top 5 best performers were powerful enough to get the EveresAir to the 5th position in our VOC removal leaderboard.

➜ Levoit Core 400S (with Smoke Remover filter)

This smart air purifier can clean the air five times per hour in rooms up to 373 sq. ft. (34 m²) when running at top speed (PM1 CADR of 249 cfm). And it doesn’t take up much floor space thanks to its cylindrical design.

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

You get multiple filter options: The Original filter has 240g of carbon. The Pet Allergy and Toxin Absorber filter have 400g of carbon. Finally, the Smoke Remover filter comes with 450g of carbon.

What to look for when buying an air purifier for VOCs

From irritating your eyes and throat to damaging your organs and nervous system, the dangers of VOCs can be severe and must be addressed. Your best option is to pick an air purifier specifically designed to absorb these chemicals. But not all air purifiers are made equal…

1. Choose an air purifier with a large amount of activated carbon

Activated carbon is simply carbon that has been oxidized to create millions of ultra-wide pores that can absorb gas molecules effectively. You can mainly remove VOCs with the help of powerful activated carbon filters, as these will trap gasses and vapors in addition to smells associated to smoke, pets and cooking.

The downside to this type of filtration is that the amount of gases an activated carbon filter can deal with is directly connected to the quantity of activated carbon in the filter itself. That is why you should aim for an air purifier with as much activated carbon as possible.

2. Find a model that will be powerful enough to clean your room

Even though it might feel like a drag, take the time to measure the space where you will be placing your air purifier to ensure that the space is not too big for the air purifier to clean.

The best way to know whether a unit will do a good job in the room you intend to use it in is to use our calculator to see what CADR rating you should look for:

3. Consider noise levels if you’re sensitive to sound

Since your device will likely run at full speed 24/7 while dealing with VOCs in the air, you must consider the associated noise level before purchasing it.

If you can, buy the biggest, most powerful air purifier you can live with. Run it at lower fan speeds, where it will generate less noise while still effectively cleaning the air. There are quiet air purifiers, but sadly most of them don’t use a large amount of activated charcoal, so they are not a good fit for removing VOCs.

4. Keep upfront costs in mind but also calculate replacement filter costs

These air purifiers are costly, especially the ones that use large amounts of activated carbon. And the thing with carbon filters is that they will become full eventually and you will need to replace them (except for the Winix 5500-2, where you can just wash, dry and reuse the carbon).

As a rule of thumb, always check the price of the air purifier itself and the price of the replacement filter(s). That way you will be able to calculate how much you will need to spend each year to run the device in your home. Air purifier manufacturers include filter lifespan figures on their websites, and we also include this information it the tables with specifications you will find throughout this page.

Common questions about VOCs and air purifiers

When we speak about VOCs, many of them are ubiquitous pollutants that can be found in any home. You will have a higher chance of being exposed to these while sitting inside your home than you ever will be while going outside.

Many of them can vaporize at room temperature, but they can potentially harm your health if they are in high concentrations. How harmful also depends on how long the exposure has been going on.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports regular or prolonged exposure to these volatile organic compounds or VOCs can have nasty health implications.

They may include:

Eye, nose and throat irritation
Headaches, loss of coordination and nausea
Damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system
Some organics can cause animal cancer, while others are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.

Common sources of VOCs in the home include:

Building materials	VOCs can be found in paint, caulks, adhesives, vinyl flooring, insulation materials, and composite wood products.
Household Products	Common household products such as air fresheners, fuel and cleaning products emit VOC compounds in the air.
Personal Care Products	Formaldehyde is the most common type of VOC. It is found in many products we use daily at home, including nail polish!
Daily Activities	Some daily activities and habits like cooking, dry cleaning, photocopying, burning wood, and smoking also release VOCs into the air.

HEPA can only remove particulate pollutants from the air like dust, dirt or pollen. VOCs are gas, so activated charcoal is the best current technology for removing them from the air. Be wary of technology like UV-C as it has been shown to generate chemical byproducts like ozone during cleaning.

The easiest way to test for VOCs is with an air quality monitor – we found the QP Lite performs well, has a respected sensor, and won’t cost more than $100. For our performance tests, we use the latest Purple air indoor sensor that includes a gas sensor from Bosch for detecting VOCs.

Wrapping up

Air purifiers aren’t difficult to find, but when you want them to handle volatile organic compounds (VOCs), you must pay extra attention to what type of filters the device comes with.

HEPA filters are popular but unable to clear odors and chemicals from the air, so you want to choose an air purifier with a gas filter that comes with a large amount of activated carbon.

If you can afford it, then our top choice is the IQAir HealthPro Plus, hands down.

August 30th, 2026

Added the AC Infinity CLOUDLINE S8 fan with an 8-inch filter and its 16 lbs of activated carbon pellets.
Updated the ‘Special mentions’ section and included models that performed well in our new VOC removal test.

May 12th, 2025

Swapped out the discontinued Winix 5500-2 for the AirFanta 3 Pro with Carbon
Added more detail on how we test air purifiers

Levoit Core 300 review

Feb 27, 2026Jun 11, 2021 by Danny Ashton

The Vesync Corporation launched the Levoit brand in 2016. Since then, Levoit has become a game-changer in the air purifier market. The Core series presented consumers with affordable prices, innovation, and everyday needs in mind. In 2023, they launched the EverestAir, which quickly reached the top of plenty of our Best Guides due to its performance and surprising air cleaning speed.

Now, back to the Core 300. Released in 2019, it quickly became a popular option in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reached the #1 position for Amazon sales in Air Purifiers that year. And even though eradicating viruses from our homes may not be the drive it was a couple of years ago, air pollution is still a rising concern for many of us.

Fast forward to 2025, the air purifying industry has evolved significantly. Many new brands and models have flooded the market, some delivering a high-performance and smart features combo (such as the Shark HP102), some even competing directly with the Core 300 and showing amazing results (hello Winix A230/A231), others turning out to be no more than a disappointing overpromise. Yet, the Levoit Core 300 remains a best-selling unit to this day.

True, it has no smart features or auto mode, but this was the budget air purifier to beat for a long time. With improvements to other models in the core series I don’t think this is the case as the OG Core 300 uses more energy and has lower performance to the newer models.

The Core 300 is a great entry-level air purifier, and it has been solid and reliable to date, but unless you can get it for very cheap, the Core 300S is a better choice but if you can try to go for a larger model like the Core 400S or Vital 200S as you will get much higher performance at lower fan speeds for similar running costs.

We recently created a video review of the Levoit Core 300, so if you prefer to watch rather than read, be sure to check that out.

The lowdown on the Levoit Core 300

“The Core 300 set the bar for what a budget air purifier could do. Still one of the best value small air purifiers, but I recommend that most people pay a little extra and get a device like the Vital 200S that provides higher air cleaning performance, washable pre-filter, app support and auto mode.”

— Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

So, let’s get straight to it. These are, in a nutshell, the strengths and weaknesses we see on the Levoit Core 300 after putting it to the test:

What we really like

You get good CADR for under $100.

Replacement filters are very affordable.

It’s a small unit, easy to place in small rooms and to move around.

Uncomplicated to set up and navigate, it requires low maintenance.

It’s whisper-quiet in sleep mode.

What we think could be better

It doesn’t feature onboard sensors, therefore no auto mode either.

It’s not as energy-efficient as the Core 300S.

It would be nice to have a filter with more activated carbon.

For less than $100, the Core 300 has a solid CADR of 145 CFM. This has been the best price-to-CADR ratio in the market for years, although lately, new units like the Winix A230 or the TaoTronics TT-AP003 have surpassed the Core 300 CARD for less than $80.

HouseFresh rating:	★★★★☆
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):	54 minutes
Air purifier technology:	Pre-filter, non-HEPA grade particle filter and activated carbon pellets
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):	219 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	Dust: 134 CFM Smoke: 126 CFM Pollen: 154 CFM
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):	7.48 lbs (3.39 kg)
Filter life:	6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):	Speed 1: 38.9 dB Speed 2: 45.7 dB Speed 3: 50.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):	Standby mode: 0.1 watts Speed 1: 19.7 watts Speed 2: 24 watts Speed 3: 35.5 watts
Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + OEM filter replacements):	$109.14 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):	$0.63
Manufacturer’s warranty:	2 years
Country of manufacture:	China

Compact, smooth and easy to use

The cylindrical body and rounded edges of the Core 300 allow for a small floor footprint and user-friendly controls.

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

With a cleaning power suited for 200 sq. ft. spaces, such as average-sized bedrooms, home offices or small kitchens, it only makes sense that this unit is petite enough to fit cozily on desks, kitchen counters or night tables. It doesn’t take up much space, so it can be placed near the source of pollutants without interrupting your activity or needing much setup rearrangement. Besides, weighing only 7.5 lbs, it’s easy to move around.

The tubular design is the same as most of the Core series. With the 360º air intake, all the way around the bottom of the unit, you get air flowing in from all sides and coming out clean at the top. Enhanced by the cylindrical shape, Levoit’s Vortex Air technology produces a swirling airflow to maximize the air circulation on all fanspeeds.

Among Levoit’s wide range of air purifiers, the Core 300 stands as the middle-sized unit, equal in dimensions to the Core 300S and only slightly bigger than the 200S and the Mini — both suited for smaller spaces.

It’s also very similar in size to the Winix A230/A231, the new contender in town, with an almost identical floor footprint. The Core 300 is slightly taller and somewhat less organic than the conic Winix. On the other hand, it’s entirely white, which I like because it blends easily into the room, allowing for a more unobtrusive presence.

The control panel is a strong point for Levoit.

It’s a neat white-over-black touchscreen, very responsive yet not overly sensitive. The Core 300 doesn’t have onboard sensors, so the controls could feel a tad basic, but they’re far from it. It’s one of the simplest, most straightforward units that doesn’t lose perspective on what users need.

Let me explain. On the Core 300 control panel, you’ll see the wheel of self-explanatory icons: the on/off button, a fan button to navigate through three different fan speeds, a lock button that will come in handy for those placing the unit in kids’ rooms, a filter replacement light that will turn red when it needs replacement, a timer to set the unit to run for 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours, a sleep mode that lowers the fan to the minimum, and a lights-off button that will be a blessing for those who use this unit in the bedroom.

With no smart features onboard, such as app support or auto mode, the Core 300 is not a unit for technophiles. It’s ideal for those seeking a simple air purifier with an uncomplicated setup and straightforward controls.

It does come with a built-in memory, so if you unplug the unit to move it to another room, it will remember your last setting as soon as you plug it back in. This may seem trivial, but it’s actually quite helpful, and many brands have been cutting down on costs to make more accessible yet powerful units; the memory is something we’ve often seen removed.

Plus, there’s no worrying about opaque data sharing consents, which is not just an issue with Vesync’s app. Most apps have never-ending privacy policies many of us never read and usually request access to our phone camera or location. However, we’re often unaware of the many ways big companies use that information.

A comprehensive three-stage filtration system

An ideal filter for everyday air pollutants.

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

Since 2023, Levoit decided to remove all mentions of HEPA filters from the marketing materials for many of their air purifiers, including the Core series and the EverestAir. While other units, such as the Vital 100S and 200S, are advertised as featuring HEPA filters, we haven’t seen any third-party testing yet.

Despite this issue, which can no doubt create distrust in the brand and the filter’s efficiency, at HouseFresh, we believe in hands-on testing. And our results show that the Core 300 filter performs really well.

I’ll get to the cleaning efficiency in a bit, but for now, let me say the filter features all three stages that make a robust filtration system:

A pre-filter for larger particles. It’s the outer nylon layer that traps hair, fibers, dust and lint. The pre-filter is not removable like in other Levoit units, but it can be vacuumed to extend the primary filter’s life.
A main filter. The dense fiber maze is designed to capture airborne fine particles such as pollen, dust, mold spores, dander and other microscopic pollutants or allergens.
An activated carbon filter with granular activated carbon —a nice detail compared to other impregnated fabric carbon filters. The charcoal traps VOCs and odors on its surface by adsorption (similar but not entirely the same as absorption), so the higher amount of carbon a filter has, the more gasses and odors it will be able to adsorb.

Tip

There are four genuine Levoit filters to choose from, the main difference being the amount of carbon. The Original filter contains between 40 and 50 grams, while the Pet Allergy, Toxin Absorber and Smoke Remover filters have 90 grams. These also come with Levoit’s ARC Formula, which breaks down particles to make the activated carbon last longer.

But it’s worth noting that this amount of charcoal won’t be enough if you have severe issues with toxic gasses or fumes.

Replacing the filter on the Core 300 is easy to do

The access to the filter compartment is at the bottom of the unit. The lid can be opened by twisting counterclockwise and closed clockwise. In three easy steps, the Core 300 will be ready to start cleaning the air again:

Unscroll the bottom cover of the device.
Remove the old (and dusty) filter; have a bag ready to dispose of it with minimal particles reentering your home.
Place the new one in its place and then put the cap back on.

Or else, see how easily it is done in this video:

Removing the filter from the unit is fairly easy, and it can be done in three simple steps:

Tip

All new air purifiers come with their filters packed in plastic wrapping. This is common practice in the industry to ensure filters are not already doing their work while inside the box.

If this is your first air purifier, you may not know about the wrapping and plan to plug and run it right away. So here’s a friendly heads-up: remember to remove the filter’s wrapping before turning on your new Core 300.

The Core 300 cleared our test room in 54 minutes with an estimate PM1 CADR of 109 cfm

This is actually pretty good for a small-to-mid-ranged air purifier released in 2019 and selling for under $100 but is starting to show its age.

How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

The Core 300 has a CADR (clean air delivery rate) of 140 CFM for smoke, 141 CFM for dust and 145 CFM for pollen, according to the Energy Star profile.

While it’s becoming common practice to have third-party testing —and it’s actually reassuring, especially after Levoit’s HEPA / not HEPA filters issue— we still carry out our own first-hand evaluation process.

We tested all the units in the same 728-cubic-foot office so we could evaluate each air purifier’s cleaning performance and speed and compare results across all units.

With the help of our PurpleAir sensors, we measured how long it took the Core 300 to remove all the PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 produced by incense smoke.

The results speak for themselves:

According to our Purpleair Zen sensor it took 54 minutes to remove all particulate matter from our test room, the Core 300 is 38 minutes quicker than the much more expensive Dyson HP04 Pure Hot + Cool ($529.99) and you do get around 17% higher CADR with the pricier 300S 45 minutes to clean our test room of all PM1.

Air Purifier	Air Cleaning Performance FULL POWER (in minutes w/ PA Zen)	List Price
Levoit Core 300	54	99.99
Levoit Vital 100S	40	139.99
Winix A230/A231	40	99.99
Coway Airmega 100	40	129.99
Levoit Core 300S	45	149.99
Levoit Core 200S	56	89.99
PuroAir 240	51	199

It’s only fair to say that there are newer units for small or mid-sized rooms that can clean the air faster. While the Core 300 is cheap, usually less than $100, most consumers are better off with some of the newer models like the 300S and 200S for improved performance and access to features like auto-mode and onboard air quality sensors.

Noise levels test results

Whether you work from home or are shopping for an air purifier for your bedroom or study room, noise levels are essential data to consider. All air purifiers produce some noise; engineering hasn’t evolved to create completely silent fans and motors. We’ll probably get there sooner or later, but for now, knowing beforehand how loud a unit can be will help avoid unpleasant surprises.

That’s why this is the final step of our testing process, we measure every unit’s decibel (dB) output at the lowest and highest fan speeds.

It is worth clarifying that we do this in a home environment and not a lab, so our measurements might be louder than the manufacturer’s because our noise level meter will pick up the hum of a fridge or a boiler in the background. We do this because we want to test how noisy air purifiers will be when used in the average home, aggregated on top of common household noise levels.

The Core 300 noise levels fall below the average decibels, emitting 37.1 dB in its most silent mode (sleep mode) and topping at 50.2 dB. For reference, Levoit’s marketing materials state 24 dB at the Core 300 lowest fan speed and 50dB at its highest fan speed.

Fan speed	HouseFresh noise level measurements	Levoit marketing materials
Speed 1	37.1 dBA	24 dBA
Speed 2	40.5 dBA
Top Speed	50.2 dBA	50 dBA

This is how the noise levels emitted by the Core 300 compare to other units:

The Blueair 411+ tops the list as one of the quietest units we’ve tested, thanks to Blueair’s trademark HEPAsilent technology that combines mechanical (HEPA) filtration and ionization (electrically charging pollutants to make them weigh more and become easier to trap by the HEPA filter).

While the Core 300 is louder, its filtration system is purely mechanical, with zero chemical by-products entering your space. It’s barely noticeable in speed 1 (37.1B), and I got used to the noise level of speed one pretty quickly and forgot it was running. If you live in a location with very low background noise, it might be more noticeable.

It’s worth noting, though, that you’ll probably be running a small unit like this at the second or highest fan speed to ensure it cleans the air in your space, even if it’s a small room.

At speed two, we ran another performance test and accounted for natural ventilation of our test room to calculate a Usable CADR where the sound levels are sub 45dBA at 3 feet away.

Air Purifier	Time to clean room (sub 45dBA)	Sound Level	speed
Levoit Core 300	78	40.5	SPEED 2
Levoit Vital 100S	60	42.6	SPEED 2
Winix A230/A231	86	35.2	SPEED 1
Coway Airmega 100	138	38.9	SPEED 1
Levoit Core 300S	66	38.9	SPEED 1
Levoit Core 200S	66	43.7	SPEED 2
PuroAir 240	84	43.2	SPEED 1

The Levoit Core 300 is now looking a little old compared to the newer, similar-priced models from Levoit, like the Core 200S and Vital 100S, which both have better performance at usable sound levels.

I do like that Levoit has managed to keep the highest sound level at 50.2dB level as above this level is when it can become a problem and irritate those around when in use.

But when it comes to sounds, words usually fall short. That’s why we recorded this video, allowing you to hear the Core 300 at all its speeds.

The cost to run a Levoit Core 300: $109.14 per year

Even if it’s not the most energy-efficient air purifier, its annual costs are considerably low — a true reflection of the key selling point of the Core 300: a budget-friendly unit.

1. Electricity costs = $54.15 per year

Understanding the annual operating cost of an air purifier can be a deciding factor in narrowing down your preselection. We understand energy costs are not something to take lightly, especially when these are on the rise worldwide.

We tested the wattage energy usage for the Levoit Core 300 at all fan speeds and recorded the experiment so you can see the results for yourself:

Fan speed	HouseFresh energy usage measurements
Standby	0.1 watts
Speed 1	19.7 watts
Speed 2	24 watts
Speed 3 [Top speed]	35.5 watts

Besides, ideally, an air purifier should run continuously to achieve true, clean air. That being said, the Levoit Core 300 pulls 35.5 watts at maximum power. In more understandable terms, that means $54.15 per year or $0.14 a day. You’ll unlikely run the unit at top fan speed 24/7, but it’s good to know the priceiest it can get.

However, compared to other Levoit units, the Core 300 is not the most energy-efficient. With the Core 300S, the manufacturer managed to reduce energy consumption to only 22 watts, while the 400S pulls no more than 38 watts, both at their highest fan speed. While the initial price on these two units is higher, it’s worth noting they are less power-hungry.

2. Filter costs = $54.99 per year

The second fixed cost to consider is the filters, which, in the case of the Core 300, are replaced every six to eight months, but we will use 6 months as this is a fairly small unit.

Regarding filters, Levoit realized that if they wanted to keep leading the budget air purifiers game, they needed to lower the costs. The first genuine replacement filters we got for the Core 300 cost $60; now, you can find the original filter for $29.99 per filter with deals on buying 2 at once that bring it to $54.99

Standard Filters

Pet Allergy

Toxin Absorber

Smoke

Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Replacement Filter, Pet Allergy, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-PA, Yellow

Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Toxin Absorber Replacement Filter, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Air Purifier Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-TX, Green

Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Smoke Remover Replacement Filter, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-SR, Blue

$29.98

$35.99

$39.99

Buy on Amazon

Standard Filters

$29.98

Buy on Amazon

Pet Allergy

$35.99

Buy on Amazon

Toxin Absorber

$35.99

Buy on Amazon

Smoke

$39.99

Buy on Amazon

We were also pleased to see that you can find two generic filters for just $29.99. Considering that the Levoit Core 300 does not have approved HEPA, I see no reason why you shouldn’t save money and go with generics as it brings the running costs down significantly.

These yearly running costs compare well with other small air purifiers:

Model	Yearly Cost
Levoit Core 200S	$82.46
Levoit Core 300	$109.14
Winix A230	$95.1
Okaysou AirMax 10L	$166.13
Molekule Air Mini	$244.10

We tested the Pureburg generic filters that were available for $24 for two filters in our test room and found they slowed air cleaning performance a little but did use pelleted activated carbon like the OEM filters.

The main differences between the Core 300 and the Core 300S

Although quite similar in appearance, the Core 300S has the upper hand in terms of smart features.

Levoit Core 300S VS Core 300S Comparison

In 2021, Levoit released the Core 300S, an improved and Smart version of the Core 300. On the outside, both units look exactly alike, and they even use the same filters. However, there are some differences worth considering.

1. Performance

If you’ve read my review up at this point, you will know that the Levoit Core 300 took 9 minutes longer to complete our air cleaning performance test, but I’ll say it again in case you just skipped to this section.

2. Auto mode

The Core 300S incorporates air quality sensors that enable the auto mode, a feature loved by many.

The AirSight™ Plus sensors monitor the air in the environment, scanning for particulate matter. When the auto mode is on, the unit will adjust the fan speed according to the pollutants in your space, ramping up when the air is worse and conserving energy when it’s cleaner.

The sensor also powers the real-time air quality readings in the control panel. Levoit integrated these smoothly without complicating the user-friendly display with an LED color-scaled wheel, which changes color depending on the air quality of the room. The 300S also uses a laser air quality sensor that is is more accurate than most other small air purifiers that either use gas sensors or cheaper infared sensors that are a little slower to detect and also require regulary cleaning every few months.

The air quality readings are also uploaded and synced with Levoit’s VeSync app, which is the next item on this list.

2. Internet connectivity and app support

While the Core 300 doesn’t include smart features, the user-friendly and comprehensive Vesync app enhances the usability of the Core 300S.

Some useful functions include tracking your home air quality and filter lifespan from wherever you are, navigating through mode settings and fan speed and connecting the unit to Google Home, Alexa and Apple Home.

3. Energy costs

To me, this is one of the most significant strengths the Core 300S has when compared to the Core 300. The Levoit team managed a great efficiency improvement achieving a max draw of 21.8 watts at top speed for the Smart unit. It reduces the yearly cost of running the Core 300S to $33.25 — a whole 40% vs the Core 300.

4. Initial price

Smart features and optimized energy costs do come at a cost. There’s a $50 cost difference between the two models —and so it’s been since the launch of the Core 300S. This may be too pricey for some while, but for others, it will make perfect sense to pay the difference upfront.

Tip

Each unit has clear pros and cons. If you would like to probe deeper into these two units’ comparison, read on in our Levoit Core 300 VS Core 300S review.

Bottom line

Looking a little old compared to the latest and greatest from Levoit

There are many things to like about the Core 300; It was the first “small” air purifier with enough power to be useful. It’s now looking a little old compared to the newer models on the market.

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

The sleek control panel is straightforward and easy to navigate. Plus, maintenance is minimal, only requiring a filter replacement twice a year (although you can go the extra mile to keep the unit in top shape).

Many years after its release, the Levoit Core 300 was still a great option. Still, as of 2025 I have to suggest you look at the newer models from Levoit and Winix that offer better performance for the money, including the Core 300S (its younger sibling), Core 200S and the Winix A230/Compact Zero.

If budget is not an issue, you might also want to consider upgrading to the Levoit Vital 200S or Core 400S; for less than $200, you will get a CADR of 245 CFM and a much higher amount of pelleted activated carbon. The 400S even comes with a laser air quality sensor.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Levoit Core 300 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

Retailer	Lowest Ever	Highest Ever

The only air purifiers + fan combos we recommend

Oct 22, 2026May 26, 2021 by Danny Ashton

As we enter the summer and temperatures begin to soar, you might be tempted to dig your old desk fan out from the cupboard, but with rising temperatures, air pollutants intensify and become more persistent. Whether that’s increased pollen count, rampant wildfire smoke or unwanted odors from sweltering garbage, hotter days significantly affect our air quality.

Luckily, there are some good devices that offer both fan functions with air filtration.

In this article, I will share with you my picks for the best air purifier + fan combination units on the market today, based on hours of testing devices in our 728 cubic feet test room.

How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

Read on to find out which air purifier + fan combos are worth your money — and which ones we tested but didn’t make the cut.

1. Best overall: Dyson TP07

The TP07 cleaned the air in our test room faster than any other air purifier + fan combo devices I have tested to date.

The Dyson TP07 comes with auto mode and full app support via the Dyson link app. It is a solid fan with good air cleaning performance, but it is nowhere near as effective at cleaning the air as devices that are 100% air purifiers.

The LCD display screen at the front shows information about air quality, temperature, humidity, function modes and filter levels:

To change fan speeds and modes, you need to use the remote control as the only button available is a power button.

It comes with onboard air quality sensors, which make it possible for the TP07 to react to pollutants in the air.

CONS

With an estimated PM1 CADR of 94 cfm, the TP07 will only give you 5 air changes per hour in rooms no larger than 141 sq. ft.

It comes with a high initial price and filter replacement costs than other combo units.

It doesn’t come with app support but you do have a remote control.

PROS

The filter has been certified as an H13 HEPA and includes a small amount of activated charcoal filter for tackling mild odors.

It is a great looking device that is not too heavy, so you can easily move it from room to room.

It comes with auto-mode and app support that is best in class.

It offers a much better air cleaning performance than other air purifier + fan combos we tested.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 94 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 58 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 89.8 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:	HEPA H13 and activated carbon filter
Recommended room size:	141 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	7.7 x 8 x 41 inches (19.56 x 20.32 x 104.14 cm)
Weight:	11 lbs (4.99 kg)
Noise level from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 38.9 dB Speed 2: 44.9 dB Speed 3: 50.2 dB Speed 4: 56 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 0.9 watts Speed 1: 3.5 watts Speed 2: 4.9 watts Speed 3: 10 watts Speed 4: 22.3 watts Speed 5: 28.9 watts
Filter life:	12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	2-year parts and labor warranty
Country of origin:	UK
Country of manufacture:	Malaysia

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

2. Best budget option: Coway Airmega Aim

For $150, you get a solid fan feature in a compact body with slightly less air cleaning power than the Dyson TP07.

Our expectations for the Airmega Aim were high, considering it’s the first fan and air purifier combo unit from Coway, a Korean manufacturer known for making great air purifiers. We’re pleased to report that its air cleaning performance is fair, especially considering its small size and cheap price (under $150).

The Aim cleaned our 728 cubic feet test room in 72 minutes at full speed. This is only 10 minutes slower than the much pricier Dyson TP07 but faster than the Dyson HP04 (92 minutes).

We estimate a PM1 CADR at top speed of 80 cfm, so it will give you five air changes per hour in small rooms up to 120 sq. ft.

Plus, the base can rotate sideways and the cannon-like fan can be adjusted vertically.

It has an air quality sensor, enabling auto-mode if you want your Aim to react to the levels of air pollutants.

CONS

As with other combo units, the air purification aspect isn’t as good considering its price – you could get more power for less money with the Levoit Eleva 300X.

You don’t get any app support, if that is something you’d like.

PROS

It has auto mode so it kicks into top speed whenever the sensor detects pollutants in your air.

Air cleaning performance at top speed was better than what we measured with other combo units like the Dyson HP04.

Genuine Coway filters are fairly priced so you won’t spend a lot of money in the long term.

For those on a budget looking for one device that can provide both a fan and a decent level of air cleaning, the Coway Airmega Aim is worth considering. The price does go up during hotter months, so if you know you will need it in summer, then it’s worth buying it earlier or later on in the year.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 80 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 66 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 95 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:	Cylindrical bonded True HEPA filter with activated carbon
Recommended room size:	120 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	20.87 x 24.8 x 14.96 in (53D x 63W x 38H cm)
Weight:	39.6 lbs (17.96 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 36.2 dBA Speed 2: 47.3 dBA Speed 3: 61.7 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby: 0.2 watts Speed 1: 13 watts Speed 2: 25.1 watts Speed 3: 35.1 watts
Filter lifespan:	8 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	10 years
Country of origin:	South Korea
Country of manufacture:	China

3. Best humidifier + fan + air purifier combo: Dyson PH03

Need a humidifier, a fan and an air purifier? Enter the Dyson PH03, which brings all three functions in just one device.

PRICE on amazon PRICE on DYSON

The Dyson PH03 is a three-in-one device that can be used as a fan, an air purifier and a humidifier. When it comes to its air purifier function, the PH03 will give you the same air cleaning power you will get with the TP07 at the top of this list.

Based on our particle removal test, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 94 cfm, which will be good enough to provide five air changes per hours in rooms no larger 141 cfm.

As expected from Dyson, it doesn’t come cheap but for those of you are looking for an air purifier with a fan and a humidifier function, then this is the best option available today.

CONS

It is not cheap, especially considering its air cleaning performance is not nearly as good as that of pure air purifier devices that cost a third of the price.

Filter costs are higher than what you see with other air purifier manufacturers.

PROS

No other combo unit offers a humidifier, fan and air purifier as an all-in-one device.

It is a great-looking devices, as we have come to expect from Dyson.

High-quality HEPA and activated charcoal filters

It comes with a mode to make it easy to clean the water reservoir.

It offers smartphone connectivity through the Dyson link app, and you also get a remote control.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 141 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 99 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 89.8 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:	H13 HEPA with carbon-impregnated fabric
Recommended room size:	141 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	36.33H x 11.02W x 12.22D inches (92H x 28W x 31D cm)
Weight:	18 lbs (8.16 kg)
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):	Speed 1: 35.1 dB Speed 3: 37.7 dB Speed 6: 43.8 dB Speed 8: 48.4 dB Speed 10: 54.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):	Standby mode: 0.6 watts Speed 1: 6.2 watts Speed 3: 7.1 watts Speed 6: 12.4 watts Speed 8: 17 watts Speed 10: 41.7 watts
Filter life:	12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	2 years
Country of origin:	UK
Country of manufacture:	Singapore/Malaysia

READ MY FULL REVIEW ➜

Other air purifier + fan combos we have tested

Below is a list of combination units I have tested but that haven’t made my shortlist of top recommendations:

ULTTY CR021

The ULTTY CR021 offers some of the features of the Dyson devices without the big price tag.

However, its air cleaning performance is poor compared to its fan performance, needing over two hours (113 minutes) to clear our small test room of pollutants compared to the 62 minutes it took the Dyson TP07.

➜ Read our full review

Dyson Pure Hot + Cool HP04

This is a three-in-one device from Dyson, which features not only both fan and air purifier functions but also a heater function.

Unfortunately, its air cleaning performance lagged behind the other Dyson combos on this list and this can be a deal-breaker, especially considering its high price.

➜ Read our full review

Blueair Pure Fan Auto

The Blueair Pure Fan Auto is an air purifier and fan combination unit manufactured by Blueair with excellent air cleaning performance and an okayish fan function.

It looks awesome and is compact, so it’s easy to move it around the house. It is a pity that it has been discontinued, to be honest.

➜ Read our full review

What to look for in an air purifier + fan combo unit

There are a few things to consider when finding the right air purifier/fan combo for your home.

1. Does it use HEPA filtration?

The main function of any air purifier is its ability to remove tiny particles measuring less than 10 microns that can enter our body through our lungs. The best technology for removing these tiny particles is HEPA, so you will want to look for a device that utilizes HEPA filters.

The best grade of HEPA for residential air cleaners is HEPA H13, which can block 99.97% of particles measuring 0.3 microns in a single pass. Be aware that HEPA is often used in marketing without evidence, so be sure to look for independent lab reports like those that Dyson publishes if you are concerned about knowing if HEPA H13 is used or not.

2. Is it powerful enough to clean the air in your room at list multiple times per hour?

A HEPA filter alone won’t be able to keep your room clean unless it can also move enough air through the filter. CADR is the industry standard for understanding how much air can be cleaned, and you need to ensure that the CADR matches the size of your room.

While looking at recommended room sizes is good, you should also use the tool we built to see how much CADR you need for any room size to achieve 4.8 air changes per hour – which the EPA recommends for portable air purifiers.

Just enter your room size and see what CADR you need

You will notice that many of the air purifier fan combos don’t have the required CADR level for larger rooms, so be aware of that if that is your primary reason for getting a device like this. In most cases, it’s much better to get an air purifier-only device that can provide a much higher CADR to keep the air clean in a large space.

3. Do you need activated carbon?

HEPA alone won’t help against gasses and odors. If you just need a device to remove pollen then you will be fine with HEPA only, but if think you might need help with odors and gasses be sure to choose a unit that also includes activated carbon.

4. Is the fan powerful enough?

One thing we saw during our testing and reviewing is that many of the combo fan air purifiers are either good at air purifying or good at being a fan. Be sure to look at air flow levels for each device as some units, like the Blueair Fan auto, are good at cleaning the air but are not as good when using its fan function.

Wrapping up

The main purpose of an air purifier fan combo is to cycle and filter out unhealthy air continuously while also distributing fresher air, so when choosing the right air purifier + fan combo device, you can get the best of both worlds.

I hope you’ve found my guide useful. If you decide to buy any of the devices I mentioned and want to support the work we do here at HouseFresh, please use the links in the buttons for each unit — we will get a small commission at no extra cost to you that will fund future air purifier tests.

If you have any questions about any of the air purifier + fan combos I discussed above, please drop them in the comments below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

The best car air purifiers, based on our tests inside a Tesla Model 3

Dec 17, 2025May 13, 2021 by Danny Ashton

Every ride in your car includes various decisions that protect your health. Putting on your seatbelt, watching your speed and ensuring the vehicle is well-maintained are all prerequisites for a safe journey. But the air you breathe when driving is often overlooked despite roads being a hotspot for air pollution.

It may come as no surprise to hear that burning gas and diesel generates a ton of harmful pollutants. Whether carbon monoxide, ultrafine PM2.5 and PM10 particulates, or even VOCs like benzene and formaldehyde, many nasty particles are emitted by vehicles and make their way into our cars, posing a threat to drivers and passengers.

And it’s not just direct respiratory health issues that you should be worried about; a study by Lung showed that adults living close to a high-traffic road have increased risks of dementia.

Although some newer models of cars, such as high-end Teslas and Volvos, come with a HEPA filter as part of the system to keep your air clean, most cars only use a pollen filter that will be unable to protect against smaller particles. That’s why I suggest adding an air purifier equipped with HEPA filters to your car’s arsenal.

You should also invest in a purifier that contains activated carbon to combat VOCs such as formaldehyde and benzene. This adsorbs gaseous pollutants while also removing odors as a secondary benefit.

Sadly, most lists of the “best car air purifiers” are nothing more than an updated list of the best-selling devices on Amazon.com. But here at HouseFresh, we don’t recommend any device without testing it thoroughly. We bought all the air purifiers on this list with our own money to stay as unbiased as possible.

For each of the car air purifiers we recommend in this list, we tracked how long it took to remove all the PM1 particles of incense smoke from inside our Tesla Model 3, which has a volume of 97 cubic feet. We also recorded electricity consumption and noise levels generated.

If you don’t have much time to go through my full article, then here are the main takeaways:

Staff picks: Top 3 air purifiers for cars

In our Tesla Model 3, 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 the air quality in the cabin down to PM1 level to 0.
We then repeat this test inside our home lab of 728 cubic ft to see how good the unit is at cleaning the air in a small room.
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.

We used the data from our car experiment to look beyond the marketing hype to truly identify what is the best car air purifier right now.

With a wide range of air purifiers on the market, finding the ideal unit for your car isn’t always easy. In this article, I’ve highlighted four options across a range of budgets, styles and filtration methods:

1. Best option for large vehicles: IQAir Atem

PRICE on amazon PRICE on IQAIR

Let’s get the downside of this unit out of the way – it costs $399.99. Yes, this falls in the same price range as many whole-house air purifiers, so it isn’t a budget option. But it is made by Swiss-based IQAir, one of the world’s most well-respected air purifier manufacturers and the Atem takes the mantle as the most powerful unit on this list, with a CADR score of 39 CFM and cleaned our Tesla Model 3 in the fastest time of all the air purifier on the list at 37 minutes.

What we really like

The largest Activated Charcoal and HEPA filters, with no ozone production at all

It can be attached to the back of the driver’s seat to target the breathing zone directly

Manufactured in Germany — I expect this unit to last for many years

A powerful unit considering its portability — it cleaned our Tesla Model 3 in just 37 minutes

What we think could be better

No rechargeable battery pack — so it can’t be used outside the car

Power switches off to save car battery after 30 minutes — I wish there was an option to disable this

I was a big fan of the IQAir’s flagship purifier, the Healthpro Plus, (which is the primary unit I use at home in our large open hallway). This is because their HyperHEPA filters offer the most comprehensive protection on the market and is the same technology that IQAir uses in the Atem Car

When you open up the IQAir Atem, you can feel the quality of the HEPA filter, which is also impregnated with activated carbon, so it can also deal with gasses and odors, which is super important for pollution from traffic.

If you have the funds, I would choose this car air purifier for my car. If $400 exceeds your budget, check out the rest of the units on this list.

HouseFresh rating:	★★★★☆
Time to clean our Tesla Model 3 (with the device running at top speed):	37 minutes
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):	1 hour and 55 minutes
Air purifier technology:	HyperHEPA Plus Filter
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):	150 sq. ft. for car mode
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	Dust: 39 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):	17.7H x 9W x 17.7D inches (29H cm x 29W x 10D cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	5.2 lbs (2.4 kg)
Filter life:	1 year
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):	Speed 1: 35.5 dB Speed 2: 40.5 dB Speed 3: 58.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):	Standby mode: 0.4 watts Speed 1: 1.7 watts Speed 2: 3.8 watts Speed 3: 10.81 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):	$106.46 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):	$10.23
Manufacturer’s warranty:	2 years
Country of manufacture:	Switzerland and Germany

Read our full review

2. Best option for small vehicles: Westinghouse 1804

The 1804 boasts a powerful air cleaning power thanks to its combination of HEPA filtration and an NCCO reactor, which utilizes a form of ionization to supercharge its performance.

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

The Westinghouse 1804 combines a HEPA H13 filter with their version of an ionizer called an NCCO reactor. In the old days, these ionizers generated a lot of ozone and could lead to further air quality issues. As used by Blueair and other leading manufacturers, this new type removes any ozone before it leaves the unit, and it is certified by CARB. I would still avoid any sort of ionizer if you suffer any issues with asthma, but the Westinghouse 1804 has passed both CARB, cETL and UL867 ozone standard testing.

The benefit of the HEPA combined with the NCCO means that the Westinghouse 1804 can also deal with VOCs and gasses from traffic pollution, making it a great air purifier for the car. In our tests, it was only 10 minutes slower than the IQAir Atem, removing all pollutants from our Tesla Model 3 in 47 minutes.

What we really like

Portable with up to eight hours of use

Powerful cleaning power with the NCCO and HEPA used in combination

The design comes in a variety of colors

It is easy to move around with the handle

What we think could be better

The NCCO reactor may put off some users who prefer to avoid any sort of ionizer functionality

The charging port is awkward to access

Although this isn’t the smallest option on our list, this extra size allows more powerful fans to circulate your car’s air more effectively. It is also one of the more stylish portable air purifiers on the market, coming in a range of colors and with a nice finish to the exterior.

The Westinghouse 1804 comes with a 3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery, providing up to eight hours of use on a single charge, which is good enough for even the longest of drives. Filter replacement costs also offer bang for your buck, with a set of 4 HEPA filters costing $31.99, making each filter cost just $8.

HouseFresh rating:	★★★☆☆
Time to clean our Tesla Model 3 (with the device running at top speed):	47 minutes
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):	4 hours and 40 minutes
Air purifier technology:	True HEPA and NCCO
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):	23 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	Estimated: 15 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):	6.3L x 6.3W x 3.5H inches ( ‎28.39 x 21.41 x 18.28 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	2.12 lbs (0.96 kg)
Filter life:	3-4 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):	Speed 1: 36.7 dB Speed 2: 39.8 dB
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):	$27.81 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):	$0.37
Manufacturer’s warranty:	3 years
Country of manufacture:	China

Read our full review

3. Best budget option: Smart Air QT3

With a CADR score of 21 CFM, this air purifier from Smart Air provides high-end performance at a budget price.

U.S. PRICE UK PRICE

The travel version has a battery that lasts up to four hours, perfect for road trips or commuting. It also comes with a USB-C cable, so you can use an existing portable charger to keep it running longer when on the go.

The QT3 is an excellently designed purifier, being both highly portable and easy on the eye. Running costs won’t rack up too much either, with economical airflow keeping energy use down and filter replacements primarying $12.50 per unit when you buy in packs of two. If you have read any of my other reviews of Smart Air purifiers like the Blast Mini or the Smart Health S, you will know I’m a big fan of their devices and what they bring to the industry.

What we really like

Pure HEPA cleaning for less than $50

No ozone production at all

Great design for use on the move

Battery lasts for up to four hours, plus the USB-C cable can be used to power it on the go

What we think could be better

No way to deal with VOCs and odors as only uses HEPA

Needs more places to purchase, currently missing from Amazon.com

The only major downside is that the Smart Air QT3 only uses HEPA filtration so it won’t protect against odors or VOCs. However, the benefit of this is that you don’t have to worry about any ozone production with just a tried and tested mechanical filter at work.

Considering the cost, I was impressed that it could clean our Tesla Model 3 of all particulate pollutants in 43 minutes.

HouseFresh rating:	★★★★☆
Time to clean our Tesla Model 3 (with the device running at top speed):	47 minutes
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):	4 hours and 27 minutes
Air purifier technology:	HEPA filter made with polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PET) with an 800-hour lifespan
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):	12.9 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	Dust: 21 CFM Smoke: 21 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):	5.9L x 5.7W x 7.1H inches (15cm L x 14.5cm W x 18cm H)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	1.375 lbs (0.624 kg)
Filter life:	6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):	Speed 1: 36.3 dB
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):	$39.72 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):	$0.41
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of manufacture:	China

Read our full review

4. Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Air

Pure Enrichment PreZone Mini Air provides HEPA and Activated Carbon filtration for less than $50. A CADR score of 10 CFM will not break any records for air cleaning, but it will provide protection for those in smaller cars.

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

Thanks to its lightweight and compact design, this unit is undoubtedly an excellent option for air purification on the go. The battery on this air purifier lasts up to 12 hours, depending on the speed you use, so there is plenty of juice for longer commutes. The USB cable also makes charging the battery more convenient, but it’s worth noting this option isn’t compatible with USB-C charging.

What we really like

Battery allows you to use this air purifier anywhere

No ionization technology — just pure HEPA and Activated Carbon, so zero ozone

Easy handle at the top will enable you to move it around quickly

Filter replacements are cheap, with genuine filters costing just $9.99

What we think could be better

Underpowered for any space larger than a small-sized car — definitely not suitable for an SUV or RV

Not as quiet as the manufacturer suggests, as you will need to run this unit at higher (and louder) speeds to see results

The PureZone Mini provides clean air in smaller cars. Still, I recommend getting a bigger unit if you want added versatility for public transport, hotel rooms, or home use.

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini HEPA filter

HouseFresh rating:	★★☆☆☆
Time to clean our Tesla Model 3 (with the device running at top speed):	3 hours and 41 minutes
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):	6 hours and 49 minutes
Air purifier technology:	Pre-filter, HEPA filter and Activated Carbon filter
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):	54 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	Estimated: 10 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):	8.5H x 2.7D x 3.3W inches / 21.5H x 6.8D x 8.8W cm
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	0.27 kg / 0.58 lbs
Filter life:	6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):	Speed 1: 35.7 dB Speed 2: 37.5 dB Speed 3: 43 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):	Standby mode: 0 watts Speed 1: 12.1 watts Speed 2: 7.5 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):	$29.44 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):	$0.20
Manufacturer’s warranty:	5 years
Country of manufacture:	China

Read our full review

What to look for when buying an air purifier for your car

You can’t just use any type of air purifier in a car; it needs to be able to run off its own battery, a CAR 12v DC cable or even USB-powered if you have this feature in your vehicle.

In most cases, the larger the HEPA filter, the better the performance, and we saw that in our Tesla Model 3 test with the largest unit from IQAir, the Atem was quicked at removing all the PM1 particles from the cabin air.

What to look for in your air purifier:

1. True HEPA filtration

Does the air purifier you are considering use a True HEPA filter? True HEPA technology is highly effective at removing particles as small as 0.3 microns from the air – much smaller than the average mold spore, around 10 microns.

2. Say no to ionizers

Avoid the ionizer units that directly plug into your cigarette socket like these:

They are usually cheap, but they can cost you your health in the long run.

I am shocked to see major publishers and magazines (ahem, Forbes) recommend them, as these plug-in units are actually air ionizers. Ionizer technology is dangerous. Air ionizers emit ozone, harmful VOCs and fine particulate matter as a by-product:

You might be wondering about the Westinghouse 1804. Even though it does use a combination of a HEPA H13 filter and what they call, an NCCO reactor, this type of ionizing technology doesn’t generate ozone at the level plug-in air ionizers will. In the case of 1804, the air purifier itself removes traces of ozone from the air before it gets the chance to leave the unit, and that is why the Westinghouse 1804 achieved a CARB certification.

3. Activated carbon filtration

You will want an activated carbon filter as part of an air purifier for your car, as it is the only type of filtration that can successfully deal with odors. HEPA filtration won’t be enough as smells will pass right through a HEPA filter without being dealt with because they are gases and not particles.

4. Suitable car cabin size

We tested all the air purifiers we recommended in this list in our Tesla Model 3, which measures around 97 cubic feet. If you have a much larger car and choose too small a unit like the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Air, you will find that it takes a very long time to remove pollutants from the air. That is why I recommend the biggest purifier on the list for large vehicles and RVs: the IQAir Atem Car.

5. Power source requirements

12-volt DC plugs are mandatory in all cars in the United States, so you should be able to use them in your vehicle. You need to check what your car will be able to handle better. If you end up buying a unit that plugs into your car via USB but you don’t have a USB port, then you may need an adaptor or a solid battery pack.

We found that having a battery pack to go with your portable air purifier allows for more extended usage once the onboard battery is emptied. Yes, the battery adds extra weight but it also means you can take your portable air purifier with you when commuting or to crowded spaces like an office.

Here is a quick view of the power source of the four car air purifiers I recommend:

	Power Source	Time to clean our tesla of PM1 pollutants*
IQAir Atem Car	DC	37 minutes
Smart Air QT3	Battery-powered and USB	43 minutes
Westinghouse 1804	Battery-owered and household plug	47 minutes
Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Air	Battery-powered and USB	221 minutes

Common questions about air purifiers for your car

Some of the early air purifiers that plugged into the car’s cigarette lighter gave the industry a bad name as they generated ozone to clean the air, which can lead to health problems. Nowadays, most car air purifiers are as safe as those used in the home, but you will still want to avoid those cheap ozone-emitting ionizers as they are unlikely to do anything good for the air quality in your cabin.

It depends on the specific model, but smaller portable units can be placed in the cup holder, and larger units will need to be attached to the seat, like the IQAir Atem. Whatever you decide to do, ensure that the air vents are not blocked so that the fan in the air purifier can run continuously.

To remove smells, you must choose an air purifier with air filtration technology that can remove gasses like activated carbon or NCCO. A HEPA filter alone will only remove particles and won’t be able to remove odors, gasses or VOCs from the air.

Most cars are similar to rooms in our home but much smaller, so you can use a smaller unit you would need in your bedroom. Our performance tests show that air purifiers using HEPA filters can greatly remove tiny particles.

Cars are small, enclosed spaces that allow air from outside inside the cabin. This results in toxins, fumes and other pollutant particles beginning to fill the space, affecting all passengers and drivers inside.

So much so, medical scientists advising the UK government have warned that air pollution is worse for children and the vulnerable inside a car than if they were to walk along the street.

If you’re still not convinced or unsure whether your car is already filtering pollutants (as some newer Teslas do), you can always test your car’s air quality to determine if you need an air purifier. However, an accurate air quality monitor can cost as much as a small portable air purifier.

Another good reason for getting an air purifier is to handle tobacco, vaping, or cannabis smoke. This helps if you’re a smoker or you ride with smokers and non-smokers alike. Even getting rid of the odor of fast food can make air purifiers worth it in the long run but do look for a unit that can deal with odors using an Activated Carbon filter or another sort of gas filter technology.

While most of us know that cars contribute to air pollution, few fully understand the dangers of these emissions to our health.

With little to no protection installed by car manufacturers, drivers and passengers are exposed to a range of toxic pollutants each time they go for a drive. These pollutants can vary greatly.

The emissions created when burning fuel include particulate matter, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

These are fine enough to enter the lungs and play a role in severe respiratory issues and heart conditions.

To that ‘new car smell,’ which despite being deemed as desirable, comprises a VOC concoction, including formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene and acetaldehyde, all at levels dangerous to our health.

A recent study published in the Cell Reports Physical Science found that exposure to this range of pollutants can increase our cancer risk.

Your car might already have a carbon filter, so upgrading this filter is one simple way to improve air quality. You can search your car model + cabin air filter and find lots of options. Bosch and other large companies make good quality versions that cost a little more but worth it. Be aware if air quality is very bad in your location, this cabin filter will need replacing. The amount of carbon in some of these filters is low, so they are unlikely to be able to do a lot for strong odors/gasses.

For more information, check out advice from the American Lung Association.

When driving, switch to recirculation when near polluting sources and then back to normal to pull in new, clean air.

Remove any car fragrances. They will release VOCs into the cabin, which we want to avoid.

Wrapping up

The average American drives just under an hour daily, so it makes sense that we want to keep the air inside our cars clean of any pollutants.

With many outdoor pollutants capable of entering the car’s cabin, from poisonous carbon monoxide to irreparable pollen allergens, it’s wise to invest in an air purifier to keep you and your passengers breathing easily.

To reap the best results, remember to ensure the purifier you choose comes equipped with HEPA and Activated Carbon filters while also being able to cover the space inside your vehicle.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

6 science-backed benefits of air purifiers

Dec 17, 2025May 5, 2021 by Danny Ashton

According to manufacturer estimates, roughly one in four households in the USA own an indoor air purifier. This will come as no surprise because indoor air quality has become a concern for many of us in recent years.

Plenty of scientific research shows that air purifiers significantly improve air quality. But some are still not sure. So, we hope to shed some light on the science to help you make an informed decision regarding this technology.

Read on to find out what we have discovered about the benefits of air purifiers.

1. Air purifiers help allergy sufferers by capturing allergens in the air, according to a study published in the Yonsei Medical Journal

The study revealed that an air purifier in the home reduced the amount of nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide by 60%. And these days, that’s crucial in the fight for cleaner air.

A review article published in Frontiers in Environmental Science discovered that living in heavily populated areas can result in many outdoor contaminants inside the home, irritating anyone with respiratory problems. Moreover, a study in Environmental Health Perspectives shows that living close to main highways or airports can be linked to increases in respiratory illnesses and infectious diseases.

An air purifier can help reduce the number of pollutants indoors by cycling the polluted air through multiple filters and expelling cleaner air back into the room.

Tip

When looking for a quiet air purifier, try purchasing one designed as recently as possible! The technology used to reduce noise has improved significantly over the last few years.

2. According to the EPA, HEPA filters can remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns (µm)

This means they can easily remove pet dander and dust.

Air purifiers can help remove pet dander and dust, triggering allergies and potentially irritating respiratory systems. Dust and dust mites are two main causes of asthma attacks and although an air purifier can deal with airborne dust, it should be noted that they have minimal effect on dust mites, which live in bedding and carpets, not in the air. Pet dander is fairly large, so if you need to see what air purifier is best for pet dander.

They will, however, help reduce the number of enzymes and waste in the air that the dust mites produce.

According to a study in Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, pet dander is one of the major triggers for most people who suffer from allergies and asthma. Since most dust particles are less than five microns in size and pet dander measures roughly 2.5 microns, both are of such a size that any air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter can trap and filter them out.

3. Research in Plos Pathogens suggests that mold spores floating in the air can be as small as 4 microns, meaning an air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter can remove them

If you suspect mold in your home, having a HEPA-filtered air purifier should reduce the number of airborne mold spores. If you are treating the source of the suspected mold, then an air purifier may prevent further mold from growing by trapping any spores in the air before they can land and develop.

To find out more about how air purifiers can help with mold, check out what we think is the best air purifier for mold currently.

4. Research from Yonsei Medical Journal and the National Library of Medicine concluded that air purifiers could positively affect asthma patients’ health by filtering fine dust and microbes from indoor air

Smoke, dust and pollen can all trigger an asthma attack. In children, this can prove to be fatal. Smoke is hazardous for people living with asthma. Still, an air purifier should help monitor your home’s air quality and help limit exposure to harmful contaminants in the household air. Click here to read about suitable air purifiers.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recommended that anyone with asthma avoid air purifiers that produce ozone. Ozone can irritate the lungs and make any asthma symptoms worse. We also do not recommend air purifiers that use this technology.

5. Research from Cambridge University Hospitals shows that air purifiers help reduce infection

At the height of the second wave of the Covid pandemic in January 2021, they found that when air purifiers were installed in the Covid wards, almost all traces of any airborne Covid virus along with other viruses, fungi, and bacteria known to cause infections had been removed.

A consultant with Cambridge University Hospitals, Dr. Matthew Butler stated:

“We know now that air filter machines can reduce the number of infectious particles in the air. We don’t know how much that reduction translates into our risk of getting sick. For instance, how much of any pathogen must be inhaled or exposed to infect us?”

The air purifiers used in the research were all equipped with medical-grade HEPA filters. Home users can obtain similar filters for many air purifiers available today as long as the specifications show that HEPA filters are installed or can be used.

6. A study published in the National Library of Medicine recommends Activated Carbon filters to remove odors

We all know that occasionally there will be times when our noses pick something up that shouldn’t be there. Odors can build up in the home for no apparent reason. For example, if you live close to an airport, you may get the occasional whiff of aircraft fuel inside the home. Leftover food, kitchen sink drains and, let’s not forget, the bathroom can all produce strange or unpleasant odors.

Luckily, a good-quality air purifier can get rid of them. Units that have activated-carbon or charcoal are the best for removing odors. A bonus with these filters is that they are often washable, so you can renew their “odor-removing properties” and reuse them to keep the air in the home fresh.

Final thoughts

If you are weighing up the pros and cons of having an air filter in your home, remember that different air purifiers will produce varied results and benefits based on their specifications and the filter(s) incorporated in them. True HEPA filters remove more airborne particles from the indoor air and should help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.

SOURCES

Lee, G.H. (2020). Effects of Indoor Air Purifiers on Children with Asthma. ncbi.gov
Leung, D.Y.C. (2015).Outdoor-indoor air pollution in urban environment: challenges and opportunity. frontiersin.org
Ling, M. et al. (2010). Pet dander and difficult-to-control asthma: Therapeutic options. ncbi.gov
Li, C. et al. (2010). Sporangiospore Size Dimorphism Is Linked to Virulence of Mucor circinelloides. plos.org
McDonald, E. et al. (2002). Effect of air filtration systems on asthma: a systematic review of randomized trials. ncbi.gov
Park, K.H. (2020). Effects of Air Purifiers on Patients with Allergic Rhinitis: a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Study. ncbi.gov
Unites States Environmental Protection Agency. (2022).What is a HEPA filter? epa.gov
Unites States Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Portable Air Cleaners and Furnace or HVAC Filters in the Home. epa.gov
NHS. (2022). 80 new air filter machines to help reduce hospital infection. nhs.co.uk
Chakravarthi, A. (2008). Activated charcoal and baking soda to reduce odor associated with extensive blistering disorders. ncbi.gov

The best-performing air purifiers that won’t generate ozone

Dec 17, 2025Apr 26, 2021 by Gisele Navarro

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. When reading in between the lines, you will find mentions of ‘negative ions’ or ‘electrostatic precipitation.’ You guessed it, I’m talking about air purifiers with ionizer functions.

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 modern 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 particle and activated carbon filters) will help keep your air clean and safe without generating any harmful byproducts.

In this guide, I will take you through our shortlist of the best ozone-free air purifiers, based on our first-hand data from buying and testing nearly 100 units since 2020.

The 4 best performing ozone-free air purifiers

If you don’t want to read the full list, you can check out the table below where I added quick stats so you can compare my top picks at a glance:

How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

Read on to find out more about each of these excellent mechanical-based air purifiers that will clean your air without using any form of ionizer technology and, more importantly, without generating ozone.

1. Best for large spaces: Smart Air Blast Mini

A robust air purifier engineered for performance – no apps, no sensors, no ozone… no nonsense.

PRICE AT SMART AIR U.S.

£432 AT SMART AIR UK

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.

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 703 sq. ft. (room size calculated based on its ability to provide five air changes per hour).

What we really like

It’s made from metal rather than plastic — long-lasting and environmentally friendly.

With an estimated CADR of 435 CFM, it completed our particle removal test in 15 minutes. This is faster than all other residential air purifiers we have tested to date.

The filter can last up to four years, which is something we only see with more expensive units like the IQAir HealthPro Plus.

It is easy to use thanks to its one-dial operation.

What we think could be better

It is heavy and not as easy to move between rooms — luckily it comes with wheels

It doesn’t come with an activated carbon filter as standard, so you will have to add it as an extra.

You don’t get any smart functions such as auto-mode or smartphone connectivity, but you can use a smart plug to connect it to your smart home hub.

The HEPA filters in the Blast Mini is MASSIVE and can last up to 4 years (in comparison, most air purifier filters need to be replaced within 6-12 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.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 400 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 272 cfm – Manufacturer provided CADR: 437 cfm
Filter technology:	H13 HEPA filter (and optional pelleted activated carbon filter)
Recommended room size:	600 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour):
Dimensions:	22.6L x 13W x 24.8H inches (57.5L × 33W × 63H cm)
Weight:	59 lbs (26.8 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 44.9 dB Speed 2: 51.2 dB Speed 3: 56.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 0 watts Speed 1: 51.9 watts Speed 2: 87.4 watts Speed 3: 122.7 watts
Filter lifespan:	13 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

➜ Read our full review

2. 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.

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.

What we really like

Excellent CADR to $ ratio — this is the best performing unit you can buy for less than $200.

It comes with the same smart features as you see in premium-priced air purifiers.

It comes with an onboard air quality sensor, auto-mode and smartphone connectivity.

There are many generic filter replacements available that keep running costs low.

What we think could be better

Levoit dropped the use of the word HEPA in promotional materials after Dyson complained to the BBB. Not a great look for Levoit.

The air quality sensor needs cleaning periodically and if you forget, this will impact the unit’s performance.

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 Vital 200S completing our particle removal test in just 23 minutes — extremely impressive and on par with what we saw with more expensive units like the Winix 5500-2 and the Smart Air SA600.

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.

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

➜ Read our full review ➜ Watch our video review

3. Best smart option: Levoit EverestAir

Everything you need from an ozone-free air purifier, including the looks and all the smart functions you can think of.

Use the discount code HOUSE10 for 10% off when buying directly from Levoit.

Recommending yet another Levoit air purifier might 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 was still able to complete our particle removal test in 16 minutes, making it one of the fastest air cleaners we tested, second only to the Blast Mini (#1 recommendation on this list).

What we really like

It’s the most powerful Levoit unit we’ve tested — it cleaned the air in our home lab in just 16 minutes.

It is easy to use, thanks to its intuitive controls.

Ability to adjust the vent angles, something unique to this model.

It displays PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10 levels on its air quality sensor display.

If Apple designed air purifiers — incredibly modern, cool design.

What we think could be better

It is on the expensive side for a Levoit air purifier, with a list price of $499.99.

The wheels only move in one direction, making it a little more challenging to move around than you would like for a large device like this one.

The EverestAir 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, without producing a hint of harmful ozone.

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

➜ Read our full review ➜ Watch our video review

Tip

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 smart features, and only costs around $300.

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

4. Best budget option: AirFanta 3Pro

This PC fan-powered air purifier proves that you can have excellent air cleaning power at a budget price.

Use the discount code HOUSEFRESH for 5% off when buying directly from AirFanta.

The AirFanta 3Pro is one of my favorite budget air purifiers we have tested. The upfront and long-term running costs of air purifiers can start to stack up when you start adding up electricity consumption and filter replacement costs. Luckily, there are a few units out there that won’t cost you an arm and a leg to buy (and to run!) but will still offer solid air cleaning performance. That is the case with the 3Pro.

What we really like

It rivals the performance of air purifiers that cost north of $400, completing our particle removal test in just 17 minutes!

You can disassemble it and reassemble it in just a couple of minutes, if you want to take it with you inside a carry-on bag.

It is powered by four powerful PC fans, so it offers excellent airflow without pulling too much electricity or generating too much noise.

It comes with power adapter which will allow you to control the speed of the fans and the noise output.

What we think could be better

You won’t be able to find generic filter replacements for the AirFanta 3Pro yet, but OEM filters are fairly priced.

It is not always in stock on Amazon, but it’s always good to check the AirFanta store.

The design of the AirFanta 3Pro was inspired by the DIY Corsi-Rosenthal box with a base at the bottom, four HEPA H11 filters standing on each side and an array of four PC fans that fits tightly on top.

You will have to build the 3Pro yourself but the process takes just a couple of minutes. You also get a long piece of cable management Velcro that you can use to wrap all the parts neatly once you have disassembled your AirFanta 3Pro, so you can bring it with you when you travel.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 353 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 213 cfm
Filter technology:	True HEPA H11 and optional pelleted activated carbon
Recommended room size:	529 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	12.6D x 12.6W x 12.6H inches (32D x 32W X 32H cm)
Weight:	7.7 lbs (3.49 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	3.63 volts: 36.1 dB 4.19 volts: 36.9 dB 5.24 volts: 39.7 dB 6.54 volts: 43.3 dB 7.44 volts: 46.7 dB 8.56 volts: 49.1 dB 12.6 volts: 56.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts :	43.23 watts
Filter lifespan:	6 – 12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

➜ Read our full review ➜ Watch our video review

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.

$1,199.99 at IQAIR U.S. $1,199.99 at amazon

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

Its filter contains 5 lbs of activated charcoal.

Its HyperHEPA technology is the best around, supercharging the filtration efficiency of the HEPA filter.

It comes with a 10-year warranty.

The filters can last up to 4 years before they need to be replaced.

What we think could be better

There is no auto mode function (but you will get a handy remote control).

The price is at the top end of air purifiers — this unit is built to last.

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.

I have been running my HealthPro Plus in his home since 2021, and it is still performing as well as it did on day one. Considering this air purifier was released in 1998, this is the only air purifier I own that was released over 20 years ago and still runs smoothly today.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 213 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 86 cfm
Filter technology:	HyperHEPA and V50-CELL with 5lbs of activated carbon + zeolite mix
Recommended room size:	319 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	28H x 18W x 16D inches (71H x 38W x 41D cm)
Weight:	35 lbs (15.88 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 36.9 dB Speed 2: 37.2 dB Speed 3: 40.9 dB Speed 4: 47.2 dB Speed 5: 53.9 dB Speed 6: 61.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 1 watts Speed 1: 16.5 watts Speed 2: 32.7 watts Speed 3: 47.3 watts Speed 4: 69 watts Speed 5: 94.3 watts Speed 6: 145.2 watts
Filter lifespan:	4 years
Manufacturer’s warranty:	10 years
Country of origin:	Switzerland
Country of manufacture:	Germany

➜ Read our full review

Two other good air purifiers that don’t generate ozone

The five air purifiers above are my top picks for those looking for a powerful ozone-free unit, but these are other units with solid performance that nearly made the list.

Mila

The Mila is a good-looking air purifier that comes with a ton of filter options, depending on the specific air quality issue you want to tackle.

Not only that, it also comes with eight different smart sensors that allow the unit to scan the room and adjust automatically to what’s needed.

The reason why the Mila didn’t make our top picks has to do with costs. The Mila is not cheap (list price: $419.99) and long-term costs can get expensive due to the high price of filter replacements.

Smart Air SA600

Unlike the vast majority of air purifiers, the SmartAir SA600 pulls air from both sides of the device and has two sets of filters (HEPA H13 + carbon) through it’s dual inlets.

Like other Smart Air devices, there is no ionizer or smart functions in the SA600, so it is all about air cleaning power. In our particle removal test, the SA600 was able to reach PM1 zero in 24 minutes — just one minute slower than the Winix 5500-2 using its PlasmaWave ionizer function.

Austin Air HealthMate – This USA-made air purifier is great for tackling VOCs and gasses in the home with 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 is ozone free and 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 for the 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. Look for high performance particle filters (bonus points for activated carbon)

The most effective way to keep your air clean is to use an air purifier that uses a high quality particle filter to remove particulates from the air and, ideally, uses activated carbon to tackle gases and smells.

Every air purifier I recommended in this list comes with a high grade particle filter and has the option of upgrading it to include activated carbon as well.

4. Decide whether you really 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.

Smart features usually come at an extra cost (ahem, Mila), so you’ll need to factor this into your budget.

Common questions about ozone and air purifiers

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.

December 26th, 2024

Updated the list to include a new budget option (the AirFanta 3Pro) after we learned that the mighty TaoTronics AP-003 has been discontinued.

May 25th, 2024

Added links to our video reviews, where YouTube videos were already available.

April 24th, 2024

Updated our SPECS & FEATURES tables with noise levels and electricity consumption at each fan speed.

January 25th, 2024

We rolled out a new design for the site, so we had to make lots of adjustments to the layout of this page to fit with the new design elements.

November 21st, 2023

Updated our top picks based on data from air purifiers we tested in 2023.
The Levoit EverestAir entered the ranking.

The only high CADR air purifiers you should consider buying

Dec 17, 2025Apr 8, 2021 by Danny Ashton

CADR stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate. The CADR rating indicates how well an air purifier will perform, and in the United States, it is certified by a third-party test conducted by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (or AHAM).

The CADR score is calculated by measuring the volume of clean air produced when a purifier is used against the three most common pollutants: dust, pollen and smoke. The score is given as a measurement of cubic feet per minute (CFM) and the maximum CADR value certified by AHAM is 450 CFM for pollen/smoke and 400 CFM for dust.

In simple terms, the higher the CADR score for each pollutant, the faster the air purifier filters the air. That means that you can use CADR values to make a confident and informed decision, knowing that a higher score means greater efficiency and ensuring that you are choosing an air purifier with enough power to clean your specific room.

High CADR devices are the best choice for large rooms, open-plan spaces, classrooms, office and homes with high ceilings.

However, CADR is just one of many important metrics for evaluating air purifiers. That’s why here at HouseFresh, we also perform our own experiments and tests to benchmark and compare the performance of all the units we recommend.

How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

Staff picks: Top performing, high CADR air purifiers

If you’re short on time, here is our short list of the high CADR air purifiers we recommend, based on our own testing:

There’s something for everyone on this list, with air cleaners across a range of budgets — although we ensured that each purifier has a CADR score of at least 270 CFM.

1. Smart Air Blast Mini (435 CFM)

The Blast Mini is the most powerful air purifier we have ever tested.

PRICE AT SMART AIR U.S.

£432 AT SMART AIR UK

The Blast Mini from Smart Air is a beast of an air purifier suitable for large spaces of up to 703 sq. ft. This unit can draw a lot of air, cleaning it quickly as it passes through its combination of H13 HEPA filters and optional activated charcoal (an option we recommend).

What we really like

Its huge HEPA filter lasts 13 months, which is double most other HEPA filters from other manufacturers.

The powerful motor behind the high-performing fan runs quiet, hitting 56.3 dB at top speed. For air cleaning at much quieter levels, you can run the Blast Mini at speed 1 (44.9 dB) and it will still offering excellent performance.

It has space for an optional activated carbon filter. This is great because not everyone needs carbon, but you get the option if you do want to tackle odors and VOCs.

It’s made out of metal, making it more durable and sustainable in the long run.

What we think could be better

The high-powered performance means it does drain a lot more power than other high-CADR units on this list.

It’s very heavy but it comes on wheels to make it easier to move it from room to room.

The Smart Air Blast Mini will likely be overkill for many homes, but if you the $599 price tag doesn’t put you off and you want the most power you can get, then this is the air purifier we recommend.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 400 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 272 cfm – Manufacturer provided CADR: 437 cfm
Filter technology:	H13 HEPA filter (and optional pelleted activated carbon filter)
Recommended room size:	600 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour):
Dimensions:	22.6L x 13W x 24.8H inches (57.5L × 33W × 63H cm)
Weight:	59 lbs (26.8 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 44.9 dB Speed 2: 51.2 dB Speed 3: 56.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 0 watts Speed 1: 51.9 watts Speed 2: 87.4 watts Speed 3: 122.7 watts
Filter lifespan:	13 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

➜ Read our full review

2. AirFanta 3Pro (430 CFM)

An air purifier powered by PC fans that can be disassembled to fit inside a carry-on suitcase or large backpack.

Use the discount code HOUSEFRESH for 5% off when buying directly from AirFanta.

We tested the AirFanta 3Pro in 2024 and it blew my mind. The 3Pro is a truly affordable, high CADR air purifier that you can find on Amazon for less than $160. This is unheard of for an air purifier with a CADR above 400 CFM!

What we really like

Its price. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the fact that you can buy the 3Pro for less than $160 is incredible and goes to show how much Adam Wong (the creator of AirFanta) cares about ensuring everyone has clean and safe air indoors.

Its excellent air cleaning performance — it took just 17 minutes to clean our test room, which is two minutes slower than the almighty Smart Air Blast Mini (our top option in this list).

It can be assembled and disassembled in a few minutes. Plus, it is easier to build than the standard DIY PC fan air purifier kit.

When taken apart, each of the components that make up the 3Pro are small enough to fit inside a large backpack or small suitcase.

You get the option to buy HEPA filters alone, or HEPA with carbon filters.

What we think could be better

Even though it uses PC fans, when running at full speed (12V), it consumes as much electricity as standard HEPA devices when running at full speed.

There are no generic filter replacements for the 3Pro, so you need to go with the OEM filters. That said, the filters are fairly priced.

The design of the AirFanta 3Pro is inspired by the Corsi-Rosenthal box, with filtration across four sides of the cube with HEPA H11 filters (with the option to add activated carbon), a base and four powerful PC fans arranged as an array at the top.

You will get to build the 3Pro yourself and you can also take it apart to bring it with you when you travel to use in spaces up to 559 sq. ft.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 353 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 213 cfm
Filter technology:	True HEPA H11 and optional pelleted activated carbon
Recommended room size:	529 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	12.6D x 12.6W x 12.6H inches (32D x 32W X 32H cm)
Weight:	7.7 lbs (3.49 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	3.63 volts: 36.1 dB 4.19 volts: 36.9 dB 5.24 volts: 39.7 dB 6.54 volts: 43.3 dB 7.44 volts: 46.7 dB 8.56 volts: 49.1 dB 12.6 volts: 56.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts :	43.23 watts
Filter lifespan:	6 – 12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

➜ Read our full review ➜ Watch the video review

3. Levoit Core 600S (410 CFM)

The Core 600S provides powerful performance in a large package for a budget-friendly price.

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

With an overall CADR rating of 410 CFM, the Core 600S will be able to clean the air five times per hour in rooms up to 615 sq. ft. Powered with Levoit’s signature 3-stage filtration system, the 600S has a bonded cylindrical filters inside that includes a pre-filter you can vacuum, a non-HEPA particle filter and a layer of pelleted activated carbon to tackle odors and gases.

What we really like

It has a powerful fan motor that can move a lot of air quite fast — the Core 600S completed our air cleaning performance test in just 22 minutes.

It has two fan speeds below 45 dB, so you get two different speed levels where it will generate minimal noise while still cleaning the air.

It pulls a low 6.2 watts of power in sleep mode

It’s easily transportable between rooms as it weighs just 13.7 lbs

What we think could be better

The pre-filter can’t be removed

If it’s too close to the wall it doesn’t work as effectively as the sensor is on the back

Costing $299.99, the Levoit Core 600S offers excellent bang for your buck. Equipped with a 4-speed fan setting and an auto mode, the 600S also connects to an app to control the device from your phone or tablet.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 375 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 156 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 398 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:	Bonded particle filter with a layer of pelleted activated carbon and a pre-filter mash wrap.
Recommended room size:	562 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	12.3 x 12.3 x 23.6 inches (31.3 x 31.3 x 60 cm)
Weight:	13.7 lbs (6.2 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Sleep: 37.9 dBA Speed 1: 44.4 dB Speed 2: 45.9 dB Speed 3: 53.8 dBA Speed 4: 62.3 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 1.3 watts Sleep: 4.33 watts Speed 1: 7.46 watts Speed 2: 10.7 watts Speed 3: 20.29 watts Speed 4: 48.1 watts
Filter lifespan:	6-12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	2 years
Country of origin:	United States
Country of manufacture:	China

➜ Read our full review

4. Levoit EverestAir (360 CFM)

The EverestAir is the most expensive air purifier in the Levoit range, and it shows. It’s stylish, smart and powerful.

Use the discount code HOUSE10 for 10% off when buying directly from Levoit.

The EverestAir is a powerful air purifier that quickly became a favorite at HouseFresh after we first reviewed it back in 2023. With a CADR of 360 CFM, it can clean the air in rooms up to 547 sq. ft. five times in one hour. To put this into context, the EverestAir cleaned our test room in 16 minutes, placing it right between the Blast Mini and the AirFanta 3Pro.

What we really like

Sleek touchscreen control panel that also displays PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10 readings.

It connects to the Levoit’s VeSync app, which is an easy-to-use and intuitive app.

When running at sub-45 decibels, it was able to complete our particle removal test in 29 minutes.

The design is definitely high end and feels as if this was an air purifier designed by Apple.

It comes with adjustable vents so you can customize the flow of the purified air to improve its circulation within your home.

What we think could be better

Its price. At $499.99, the EverestAir is not an affordable air purifier, costing twice as much as the Core 600S.

It comes on wheels but the wheels only move side ways, so they are not as good as good old caster wheels.

It comes with an on-board air quality sensor that makes it possible for you to run the EverestAir in automatic mode, adjusting fan speeds autonomously based on the air quality readings of the sensor.

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

➜ Read our full review ➜ Watch the video review

5. CleanAirKits Luggable XL-7 (323 CFM)

The Luggable XL from CleanAirKits is officially the quietest high CADR air purifier we have tested.

$229 AT CLEAN AIR KITS RECOMMENDED FILTERS ($45.94)

The Luggable XL-7 from the team at CleanAirKits is a high CADR air purifier that can clean the air five times in an hour in rooms up to 485 sq. ft. It uses seven Cooler Master SickleFlow 120 PC fans and two 20×25 MERV 13 filters. We chose the 7-fan version of the Luggable XL but you can also go for a model with five PC fans instead.

What we really like

Generating just 38.8 decibels of sound when running at its only fan speed, this is the best-performing quiet air purifier I have tested.

You can save yourself $70 opting for the DIY kit to build the Luggable XL at home, and the kit comes with everything you need minus the filters.

I found it easier to build the Luggable XL compared to other PC fan DIY kits like the Nukit Tempest or the NorthBox 6XL.

It is lightweight and looks great, thanks to its wooden body.

What we think could be better

The mesh filter guard comes as an optional extra so if you want to add it, you will need to spend an additional $100.

It is more delicate than the usual shop-bought, plastic-made air purifier.

As I said before in my review of this device, once I finished testing the particle removal speed of the Luggable XL, I became convinced that PC fans might be the future of air purifiers. When you consider air cleaning performance to sound ratio (or energy consumption ratio), the Luggable XL-7 can out-clean even the best traditional HEPA air purifiers sold in retail stores.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 260 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 260 cfm – Intertek PM2.5: 323 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:	MERV 13 (20×25)
Recommended room size:	390 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	7D x 25W x 20H in (18D x 64W x 51 cm)
Weight:	8 lbs (3.63 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Only speed: 38.8 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:	Only speed: 10.5 watts
Filter lifespan:	6-12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	United States
Country of manufacture:	United States

➜ Read our full review ➜ Watch the video review

6. Corsi-Rosenthal Box (274 CFM)

An air purifier you can build yourself at home with four HVAC filters, a box fan, a piece of cardboard, some duct tape and scissors.

BUY MERV 13 FILTERS

BUY BOX FAN

The Corsi–Rosenthal Box is a DIY air purifier that was popularized during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. You can build this box air filters in less than 10 minutes using components you might already have in your house: four 20-inch MERV 13 filters, a box fan, two pieces of cardboard and duct tape.

What we really like

The 20×20 CR box offers the best ratio of air cleaning performance to dollar spent we have seen.

It is powerful enough to provide five air changes per hour in rooms as large as 411 sq. ft.

It is super easy to build your own CR Box if you just follow these instructions.

Outstanding performance as it cleaned our test room in 30 minutes, which is much faster than expensive devices like the Mila (38 minutes) and the Dyson TP07 (62 minutes).

What we think could be better

It takes up a lot of space compared to similarly powered HEPA retail air purifiers we have tested.

It is loud and pulls a lot of electricity when running at top speed, as box fans are noisy and power-hungry.

When testing the particle removal speed of our 20×20 Corsi-Rosenthal box, we found that this $85 DIY air purifier was able to remove all PM1 pollutants in the air as quickly as $500+ devices. That is wild and goes to show that you don’t need HEPA filters to achieve a high CADR and get access excellent air cleaning performance of MERV 13 filters.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 198 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: n/a
Filter technology:	MERV 13
Recommended room size:	297 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	20L x 20W x 20H inches (50L x 50W x 50H cm)
Weight:	10 lbs (4.5 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 49 dB Speed 2: 55.1 dB Speed 3: 60.7 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 0 kWh Speed 1: 40.5 kWh Speed 2: 44.5 kWh Speed 3: 46.7 kWh
Filter life:	6-12 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	n/a

➜ Read our full review

Four high CADR air purifiers that nearly made the list

These devices will offer powerful air cleaning performance. If none of the options above feels right for you, one of these units might be a good pick.

As of 2025, we have bought, tested and reviewed 94 air purifiers. When shortlisting the best high CADR units in our collection, we had to make some tough calls and some models didn’t make the cut. However, these four air purifiers are solid choices.

Alorair Clean Shield HEPA 550

The Clean Shield HEPA 550 from Alorair is a good choice for those looking for a high CADR air cleaner for a construction site or to use during a home renovation.

With a CADR of 410 CFM, this device comes with a MERV 10 (pre)filter, a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter, and is capable of cleaning 550 cubic feet of dirty air per minute.

The reason it didn’t make the list is because this device is way too loud (74.5 dB) and way too power-hungry (224 watts) to be used at home.

Blueair Blue Pure 211+

With a CADR of 350 CFM, the 211+ is one of the more powerful air purifiers in the Blueair range.

Equipped with a HEPA filter and activated carbon, this air purifier can clean the air in rooms up to 525 sq. ft. five times in one hour. The 211+ completed our particle removal test in 20 minutes, which is faster than the Levoit Core 600S.

This air purifier didn’t make our short list because it comes with an ionizer (HEPASilent technology) that cannot be disabled. If ozone or ionization are not a concern for you, then the 211+ might be just what you have been looking for.

AirDoctor 3000

The AirDoctor 3000 has a CADR of 339 CFM thanks to its powerful fan, a chunky UltraHEPA filter and an equally chunky carbon filter packed with pelleted activated carbon.

It comes with an ionizer function but, unlike what we see with Blueair devices, AirDoctor included a button to turn the ionizer on and off. It also has an in-built air quality sensor that makes it possible for the device to run in automatic, autonomously adjusting fan speeds when the quality of the air in the room declines.

We didn’t include the AirDoctor 3000 in our final list because it costs $519 but it doesn’t come with any smart functions or design elements. We opted for including the Levoit EverestAir in its place because it’s $20 cheaper but it offers a lot more value.

Honeywell HPA300

What it lacks in looks, the veteran HPA300 makes up for in performance, fueled by a cost-effective CADR of 300 CFM.

Featuring three HEPA filters and a carbon filter, the Honeywell HPA300 is a high-powered air purifier with four fan speeds and straightforward controls. Unfortunately, these days, it is hard to get hold of the HPA300 on Amazon but you could find it on eBay for less than $100 if you go hunt for it.

The reason why this unit didn’t make the cut is that in 2025, the Honeywell HPA300 is now too dated, too loud and too power-hungry compared to newer air purifiers. However, we still recommended to those looking for a high CADR air purifier for a space like a basement, where a sturdy, hard-wearing device is the best option.

What to look for when buying a high CADR air purifier

Before taking the plunge on a new air purifier, there are a few things you should consider first.

1. Look for a high-quality particle filter

Despite how powerful an air purifier is, it will struggle to remove the smallest of pollutants without high-quality filters.

Nukit Tempest MERV 13 filter — Untitled design – 10

AirDoctor AD3500 HEPA filter — Untitled design – 10

Of course, a high CADR score is a great indication that a purifier will perform well, but it’s also wise to look for quality filters. Keep an eye out for certifications such as HEPA 13 or MERV, as these show that a filter has been tested by an independent body.

2. Decide if you need activated carbon to tackle odors and VOCs

Clean Air Delivery Rate refers to an air purifier’s ability to remove particulate matter, tested against dust, pollen and smoke. If you’re looking for a unit to tackle gaseous pollutants such as smells, chemical fumes and VOCs, then you’ll need to double up on filtration, combining a particulate filter with an activated carbon filter, too.

Remember, the more carbon a filter has, the more effective it will be.

3. Measure the room where you will use the device

Many people use CADR as a gauge for buying a quality air purifier. After all, the higher the number, the better it will be at removing pollutants.

While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, you may find that you will buy a larger unit than you actually require, taking up valuable living space and incurring higher running costs.

It’s always advisable to measure the size of the room in which you intend to use the purifier so you have an idea of how powerful it will need to be. Remember that to really reap the rewards, a purifier will have to be able to circulate the air 4.8 times an hour in your specific space.

Use our CFM calculator to see what the minimum CADR your purifier will have to be to make an impact.

Common questions about High CADR air purifiers

This metric means the unit has been independently tested and verified to clean a certain amount of air per minute, so, generally speaking, the higher the CADR an air purifier has, the better it will be at cleaning the air.

Purifiers designed for large spaces will normally have higher CADR scores, so relying on this alone may leave you with a huge unit that uses a lot of power. Be sure to assess all your options in order to find the best unit for your needs.

It’s easy to say to purchase an air purifier with the highest CADR score you can afford. After all, can you really have too much of a good thing?

However, this may result in you paying over the odds for a powerful purifier you don’t really need.

Determining what makes a good CADR level will depend entirely on the space you plan to use the unit in.

For a small room measuring up to 120 square feet, your purifier would need a CADR of 100 CFM.

The average primary bedroom size in the U.S. is 225 square feet, so you would need a more powerful unit with a CADR between 180-200 CFM.

For an open-plan living space, you’ll need to go even bigger, looking toward air purifiers with a CADR over 300 CFM.

There are some pretty beastly air purifiers out there for use in commercial, public and domestic settings.

The most powerful air purifier we’ve tested is the Smart Air Blast Mini, which clocks a colossal CADR of 435 CFM. Making it a versatile option for open-plan homes, or even schools and offices.

A purifier’s Clean Air Delivery Rate is an independent verification of how well it can clean the air, carried out by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

As this is a third-party test, it can be trusted and used to compare similar air purifiers side by side.

It’s worth noting that CADR is tested against the three most common pollutants: dust, pollen and smoke. This will provide a good indication of how well an air purifier combats particulate matter, but not against VOC pollutants.

The ⅔’s rule is a rough guide to finding the minimum CADR your air purifier will need to work within a given space.

For example, if your space measures 150 square feet, you’ll need an air purifier with a CADR of 100 CFM.

When combating severe issues that pose a health danger, like wildfire smoke or allergens, it’s advisable to match the CADR to your square footage.

Jargon like CADR and Merv can often trip consumers up.

These are simply two terms that indicate how well an air purifier will perform.

Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) is an independent metric from AHAM, measuring how many cubic feet of air a purifier can clean per minute.

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values (Merv), on the other hand, looks at how effective the filters inside the purifier are at removing airborne particles between 0.3 and 10 microns in size. This can range from Merv 1-4, which captures 20% of particles 10 microns in size, to Merv 17 (aka HEPA), which captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.

CADR and airflow are often mistaken for the same thing.

While an air purifier’s airflow measures how much air it can intake and expel, CADR looks at how well it cleans the air it has drawn in from its surroundings.

While airflow tells you how powerful the fan inside the purifier is, CADR tells you how well it will perform.

Wrapping up

An air purifier that has a higher CADR rating will help clean rooms faster and work to remove pollutants in the air. My personal rule of thumb is to look for air purifiers with a CADR of at least 200 cfm as that will offer enough power to clean the air multiple times per hour. However, your room size will determine the CADR rating you should look for.

If you can’t find an air purifier that fits your needs in my short list above, just shoot me an email to danny@housefresh.com and I will do my best to help!

The best medical-grade air purifiers, based on over 100 tests

Dec 17, 2025Mar 26, 2021 by Teddy Booth

For an air purifier to be considered medical-grade, it must have a HEPA filter classified as H13 or H14 under EN 1822 or ISO 29463 (to ensure it can remove 99.95% to 99.995% of MPPS—most penetrating particle size—particles) that has been individually leak-tested using aerosol challenge methods (to ensure there are no performance defects or bypasses).

A medical-grade air purifier can be a great help to people suffering from asthma or COPD, are immunocompromised or have any medical issue requiring clean air that is free of viruses, bacteria or tiny harmful particles.

How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

Let’s look a little deeper into my top recommendations, along with four more high-performing air purifiers and a couple of units that you should avoid at all costs.

1. Staff pick: IQAir Healthpro Plus

When it comes to medical grade HEPA filters, IQAir is top of the game — the Healthpro Plus offers the highest grade HEPA on the market today.

$1,199.99 at IQAIR U.S. $1,199.99 at amazon

If you’re serious about air quality, suffer from severe allergies and/or respiratory disease(s) or live in a highly polluted area, the IQAir Healthpro Plus is a unit you should look into. This robust air purifier is engineered and built in Switzerland, and each unit is rigorously tested before being sent out into the world.

What we really like

Cleaned our performance room in 25 minutes

HyperHEPA is the best in its class

V5-Cell filter contains over 5 lbs of activated carbon

The HyperHEPA filters can last up to 4 years

What we think could be better

It takes up quite a bit of floor space

The price is at the high end

There’s no app support or auto mode

When you look under the hood of the Healthpro Plus, you’ll find its three carefully engineered filters that maximize its efficiency at removing airborne particles. IQAir’s HyperHEPA filter is the main attraction, which removes 99.5% of particles down to 0.003 microns. To put that into context, the size of SARS-CoV-2 ranges from 0.07 microns to 0.09 microns.

Although the IQAir Healthpro Plus may look intimidating, it’s simple to operate and has a clear screen to navigate through its settings. Plus, there’s a remote control if you need it. There are no smart functions like an auto mode or app connectivity; the Healthpro Plus strictly concentrates on air quality over gadgetry.

If you’re looking for an extremely high-performance medical-grade air purifier…you’ve just found one.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 213 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 86 cfm
Filter technology:	HyperHEPA and V50-CELL with 5lbs of activated carbon + zeolite mix
Recommended room size:	319 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	28H x 18W x 16D inches (71H x 38W x 41D cm)
Weight:	35 lbs (15.88 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 36.9 dB Speed 2: 37.2 dB Speed 3: 40.9 dB Speed 4: 47.2 dB Speed 5: 53.9 dB Speed 6: 61.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 1 watts Speed 1: 16.5 watts Speed 2: 32.7 watts Speed 3: 47.3 watts Speed 4: 69 watts Speed 5: 94.3 watts Speed 6: 145.2 watts
Filter lifespan:	4 years
Manufacturer’s warranty:	10 years
Country of origin:	Switzerland
Country of manufacture:	Germany

Read our full review

2. The best performance per $ spent: AirDoctor AD3000

If you’re looking for a fast-acting medical-grade air purifier that won’t drain your bank balance – the doctor is in.

PRICE on amazon PRICE ON AIR DOCTOR

A lot of marketing hype surrounds the AD3000, making big claims about its performance. And, if I’m honest, the hype is justified. The performance of this air purifier leaves many of its rivals in the dust (pun intended) with its UltraHEPA (medical grade) filter, auto mode, AQI and a CADR of 340 CFM.

What we really like

It cleared our performance room in just 14 minutes

Auto mode is fast to react to air quality changes

Its UltraHEPA filter can last up to 12 months

Has an AQI on the front that is bright and easy to see

What we think could be better

Wish it had app connectivity to monitor air quality

Filter replacements are quite expensive compared to Levoit

Would be better if it had physical buttons on the control panel

Danny (HouseFresh founder) has the AirDoctor 3000 running in his bedroom over all the air purifiers we have because of its high performance and awesome effectiveness of its UltraHEPA filter at removing airborne pollutants down to 0.003 microns (100 times smaller than a standard HEPA filter).

As well as a medical grade filter, the AD3000 comes with the usual features we expect from modern air purifiers, like an auto mode, timer and light dimmer. It also features an ionizer that can be switched on and off (if you don’t like it).

Even though the price is slightly on the higher side, you’re paying for medical grade UltraHEPA filters and it’s one of the best performance per $ spent on the market today.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 299 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 115 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 339 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:	UltraHEPA filter and dual-action Carbon/Gas Trap/VOC filter
Recommended room size (5 air changes per hour):	448 sq. ft. (41 m²)
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):	19.87D x 27.16W x 12.38H inches (50.4D x 69W x 31.4H cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	18 lbs (8 kg)
Filter life:	UltraHEPA filter: 12 months Carbon filter: 6 months
Noise level in decibels (from 3 ft. away):	Speed 1: 40.2 dBA Speed 2: 48.9 dBA Speed 3: 55.8 dBA Speed 4: 63.5 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 0.5 watts Speed 1: 9.6 watts Speed 2: 17.6 watts Speed 3: 39.9 watts Speed 4: 93.2 watts
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	United States
Country of manufacture:	China

Read our full review

3. The quietest option: Smart Air Blast Mini

A medical grade air purifier built like a tank – This powerful unit delivers a CADR of 450 CFM with ninja-like sound.

PRICE AT SMART AIR U.S.

£432 AT SMART AIR UK

Smart Air doesn’t make air purifiers like other brands. You won’t find smart features, an AQI or control screens; they believe in the core science.

The Blast Mini is a testament to these beliefs. There’s just one dial to control the fan speed…that’s it. But that’s not a bad thing, as they put all their efforts into engineering the Blast Mini into a high-powered air-cleaning beast.

What we really like

Cleaned our performance room in 12 minutes

Made from metal – built to last

It has a high CADR of 435 CFM

It only produces 49 dB at its highest fan speed

What we think could be better

It’s a large and heavy unit

The control dial is on the back of the unit

Not as energy efficient as other units

Even though this large air purifier uses a high-performance fan, Smart Air has managed to keep its sound output to a minimum. The average maximum noise produced across all air purifiers we’ve tested is 64 dB; the Blast Mini kicks out just 56 dB at its highest fan speed and 45 dB at its lowest.

The medical-grade HEPA filter in the Blast Mini is enormous. Smart Air has wasted no room in this unit, as the filter takes up the whole front. This huge filter has a lot of surface area to capture pollutants so that it can last 12 months over the usual 6 months. This, combined with a large fan, makes the Blast Mini an excellent option for a medical-grade air purifier.

For many consumers, the main benefit of the Smart Air over the IQAir Healthpro Plus will boil down to price; it costs $600 vs $899 for the IQAir HealthPro Plus. All while providing faster results in our clean air test.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 400 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 272 cfm – Manufacturer provided CADR: 437 cfm
Filter technology:	H13 HEPA filter (and optional pelleted activated carbon filter)
Recommended room size:	600 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour):
Dimensions:	22.6L x 13W x 24.8H inches (57.5L × 33W × 63H cm)
Weight:	59 lbs (26.8 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 44.9 dB Speed 2: 51.2 dB Speed 3: 56.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby mode: 0 watts Speed 1: 51.9 watts Speed 2: 87.4 watts Speed 3: 122.7 watts
Filter lifespan:	13 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

Read our full review

4. Best wall-mounted option: Smart Air SA600

Smart Air proves that medical-grade air purifiers don’t need bells and whistles to be effective.

U.S. PRICE on SMART AIR UK PRICE on SMART AIR

Smart Air has solidified itself as a trustworthy brand in the world of air purifiers. Their no-nonsense approach to engineering over gadget ingenuity has proven highly effective. With a dual-inlet comprising two medical-grade HEPA filters and two activated carbon filters, the SA600 is no different.

What we really like

Cleaned our performance room in 33 minutes

Simple controls

Has filters on both sides of the unit

Very quiet throughout fan speeds

What we think could be better

No smart features like AQI or timer

Higher price tag than other units of this size

You have to replace 2 filters instead of 1

Compared to the Blast Mini, the SA600 couldn’t be more different on the outside, but it’s the inside that counts, right? This smaller unit still packs a punch and earned its spot in this guide with its dual H13 grade HEPA filters at the forefront of its cleaning performance.

These two medical-grade filters are engineered and tested to remove 99.97% of airborne particles in your home, like dust, pet dander, allergens and even viruses smaller than COVID-19. Combine that with Smart Air’s powerful fans and you have a strong deterrent against pollution.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Top speed PM1 CADR: 249 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 128 cfm – AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 287 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:	H13 TrueHEPA filter with a removable pre-filter and pelleted activated charcoal filter (set of two)
Recommended room size:	373 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:	20 x 13.8 x 9 inches (51 x 35 x 23 cm)
Weight:	15.5 lbs (7 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:	Speed 1: 35.2 dBA Speed 2: 37.2 dBA Speed 3: 41.5 dBA Speed 4: 46.1 dBA Speed 5: 56.7 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:	Standby: 0.1 watts Speed 1: 2.4 watts Speed 2: 4.3 watts Speed 3: 7.1 watts Speed 4: 12.9 watts Speed 5: 53.8 watts
Filter lifespan:	18 months
Manufacturer’s warranty:	1 year
Country of origin:	China
Country of manufacture:	China

Read our full review

What to look for when buying a medical-grade air purifier

Medical-grade air purifiers use a HEPA grade filter known as H13, which can trap 99.97% of particles sized 0.3 microns or bigger. While this type of medical-grade filter will be able to capture tiny particles such as viruses, you will still need to ensure that you can provide enough airflow to clean the air in your room.

But, with so many medical-grade air purifiers on the market, it can be tough to decide which is right for your home. Luckily, there are guidelines to follow to make sure you get the most out of your new air purifier.

Here are the top things to consider when choosing a medical-grade air purifier that are often overshadowed, yet more important than the initial cost and design of the unit.

1. Has the HEPA H13 received confirmation by independent evaluation?

The use of the term HEPA H13 is not regulated, so it’s easy for air purifier manufacturers to use this terminology even when they haven’t tested their filters through an independent body.

With Levoit recently removing the HEPA term from their marketing, it’s not just smaller brands you need to worry about.

To avoid risking buying a device that isn’t HEPA H13, you need to stick to companies that prove that they have had their HEPA filters tested by an independent body. The EU rules are BS EN 1822-1:2019; for the rest of the world, you will want to look for ISO29463.

For those with serious medical issues, you are better off spending more money on a brand like IQAir or Smart Air that are very open about their independent testing and avoiding cheaper brands that seem to offer the same features at a far cheaper price.

2. How big is your room?

It’s not just the grade of the filter that counts; it’s also the air purifier’s performance. The size of your room heavily dictates which air purifier will work effectively in it. Using the measurement CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate), we can calculate how effective an air purifier will be at cleaning the air in different-sized rooms.

The general rule is the larger the room, the higher the CADR is needed.

As well as CADR, you also need to consider ACH (Air Changes per Hour). While first-pass filtration is helpful, it’s even more critical that an air purifier can clean enough air to provide at least 4.8 air changes per hour.

For example, for a 350 sq ft room, you would need an air purifier with at least a CADR of 224 to provide 4.8 ACH (what the EPA recommends for portable air purifiers.) This is much lower than the 98 CFM that the Dyson combo units provide, meaning a room that size would still suffer from particulate pollutants.

It is essential that you accurately measure your room first, then work out what CADR you will need to clean it effectively. Feel free to enter your room size in our CFM calculator tool to see the CADR needed to keep the air clean in your room:

3. What are the long-term costs of running an air purifier?

For those wanting to keep the air clean all the time, you will need to ensure your air purifier runs 24/7, 365 days a year. If your air purifier is inefficient, it can end up adding a higher cost to your electricity bill.

It’s not just the cost of energy you need to consider, as all HEPA filters need replacing once they become full of particles. Eventually, airflow gets restricted so that they cannot clean as efficiently so you need to buy a new filter periodically to keep your air purifier performing to its highest standard.

Some air purifier brands prey on consumers not thinking about the long-term costs when buying, so they offer cheaper units that cost much more in the long term in filter replacement costs.

There are now a lot of generic filters available for different models of air purifiers that cost much less, but if you are concerned about HEPA H13, be sure to stick to the genuine filters that will have been independently tested.

Common questions about issue

Most hospital buildings will use large air distribution systems incorporating MERV 8 pre-filters and MERV 14 final filters. High-risk areas like operating theatres will utilize medical-grade HEPA filters to achieve at least 15 air changes per hour to reduce the risk of infection. Other rooms will have different air change targets depending on the level of risk; you can see a full list of air change requirements at the CDC.

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.

According to NHS England, ionizers should be avoided as they have the potential to create chemical byproducts via secondary reactions. Currently, there needs to be more evidence of their efficacy in reducing microbial loads in the air.

According to the team at Commercial Air Filtration, HEPA H13 is better as it doesn’t restrict airflow as much, has a better filtration-to-airflow ratio and is less likely to suffer from air leakages.

For those with a medical issue, investing in an air purifier that uses filters with HEPA H13 is worth investing in. However, you still need to make sure that the air purifier has enough cleaning power to provide regular air changes for the space you are in. Any type of air purifier will still be able to keep the air clean eventually, even if the grade of HEPA is lower as the airflow will be increased so the devices can move air quicker so even the MERV 13 of the Corsi-Rosenthal box can still remove the tiniest of particles from the air even though the filter it uses is lower than HEPA grade.

As air purifiers have become more of a requirement than a luxury item, doctors will most likely point out how running a unit in your home is a much healthier option than not. But it all comes down to your insurance plan. Many companies like Medicaid only cover DME (Durable Medical Equipment) which air purifiers (at time of writing) don’t currently fall under.

Wrapping up

Running an air purifier in your home is the best way to remove harmful airborne pollutants from your air. The scientific data to back this up is ample and well-documented. Air purifiers that contain a medical-grade filter will stop more particles in a single pass than low grade filters.

The trick is to find an air purifier that is right for your space and has enough power to utilize its high-grade filters efficiently and effectively. Each unit I have featured in this article is high-performing; some have more brains than brawn, and vice versa.

Alen A350 review

Dec 17, 2025Sep 14, 2020 by Danny Ashton

The Alen A350 managed to clean our test room of 700ft in 35 minutes which is better than the recent Levoit Core 300, which is an air purifier that we recommend and which cleaned the same room in 49 minutes.

Performance:

The downside of the A350 is its power consumption at a whopping 86.7 watts, which is equal to $133.67 a year in California’s electricity costs. Compare that to the far more powerful Levoit Core 400S that has 24.5watts at full power which would only cost residents of California $37 for the year it’s hard to recommend buying an Alen A350 but if you got one still in operation you don’t mind the extra costs of energy to save more plastic being thrown away then you might be tempted to keep it running.

The Alen A350 was an air purifier that was first sold in 2010, if you already have one of these units then congrats on keeping your unit running for 10 years. You will also be happy to know that you can still buy filters for these units:

Alen Air Filter BF25A-Fresh + Carbon Replacement HEPA Filter for A375 & A350 Air Purifier -Captures Allergens, Dust, & Mold + Odors & Smoke (1 Filter)

Silver-Ion Technology protects the filter against growth of harmful bacteria and microbes
Creates an allergy and asthma friendly environment by removing dust, pet dander, mold spores and pollen from the air
Provides pure, breathable air by capturing VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) from cleaning products, personal care items and other household materials
Pre-Filter layer extends the life of the filter
Our standard medical-grade H13 True HEPA air filter offers outstanding protection by removing 99.9% of dust, allergens, and harmful fine pollutants as small as 0.1 microns. Every 30 minutes, our product can purify your home or office air depending on the model of Alen air purifier.

Sadly the Alen A350 is no longer for sale but there are several new Alen units that you might be in interested in that have a similar specifications:

1. Alen BreatheSmart 45i

Alen Air Purifier BreatheSmart 45i HEPA with Pure Filter for Large Rooms up to 1600 Sq. Ft. - Perfect for Bedrooms - Captures Allergens, Dust, & Mold

HEPA Pure Filter: Eliminates 99.9% of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.1 micron so you can breathe easy. Ideal for allergy, asthma, and virus concerns.
Proven by SleepScore Labs to enhance sleep according to a peer study. Its ultra-quiet operation emits pink noise, optimizing lower octave frequencies, and ensuring a restful night.
The BreatheSmart 45i quietly and efficiently circulates air up to 1600 sq. ft. every hour. Perfect for large bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms ensuring clean, fresh air throughout your space.
Alen air purifiers offer superior performance through the combination of a powerful fan, quiet motor, and advanced filtration. Medical-grade filters capture particles as small as 0.1 micron.
SmartSensor technology adjusts fan speed based on air quality, with color-coded feedback. Monitor air purity easily with this home essential.

With a CADR rating of 245, the Breathsmart 45i would be the A350 for the modern era. This unit comes with the same Alen lifetime guarantee so you can expect this air purifier to keep performing beyond 2030!

2. Alen BreatheSmart T500

Alen T500 Air Purifier, Quiet Air Flow for Large Rooms, 500 SqFt, Portable Air Cleaner for Allergens, Dust, Mold, Pet Odors, Bacteria, In White

COMPACT AND MIGHTY: Experience powerful air purification with the Alen T500 Air Purifier, designed to clean 500 SqFt every 30 minutes. Its compact size makes it a perfect fit for small bedrooms, walk-in closets, dens, nurseries, home offices, and utility rooms. Breathe fresh air without compromising on space or performance.
FRESH HEPA Air Filter: Breathe cleaner air with the Alen Air Purifier's high-quality HEPA filter. This advanced filter captures allergens, dust, mold, and germs, plus carbon to absorb common household odors, ensuring a healthier and safer environment for you and your loved ones.
MEDICAL-GRADE H-13 TRUE HEPA FILTER: Discover the exceptional power of our medical-grade H-13 True HEPA filter within your home. Our filter has an impressive 99.9% elimination rate of airborne particles as small as 0.1 micron, this technology guarantees clean and fresh air throughout your space. Take control of your indoor air quality and create a safe haven for your family.
EXTENDED FILTER LIFE: Say goodbye to frequent filter replacements. The Alen Air Purifier offers the convenience of extended filter life, lasting between 6 to 12 months. Enjoy continuous and hassle-free air purification without the worry of constantly replacing filters. Experience the freedom of clean air, day in and day out.
IDEAL FOR GIFTING: Show your loved ones you care by gifting them the Alen T500 Air Purifier, a versatile and essential addition to any home. Perfect housewarming gift for a new home, this purifier effectively removes allergens and impurities from the air, promoting a clean and fresh living environment. Its sleek design adds elegance while improving indoor air quality, making it a valuable household essential.

This unit is a little cheaper but still has a CADR rating for dust of 159 so less powerful than the A350 but can often be found for less than $250 so it is significantly cheaper. This is a low-priced unit but still comes with the Alen lifetime guarantee. This unit comes with the H13 which are the same filters used for medical-grade air purifiers.

The following article is our original review of the Alen A350 Air Purifier from 2010:

PRICE = $399 (Amazon.com)

Before we start to dig deep into the pros and cons of this particular purifier. It’s worth having a look at what consumers at the major retailers think of this purifier. Most large internet retailers allow consumers the ability to provide a rating for their purchase. I use this rating as an initial way to quickly gauge the performance of an air purifier.

Review Site	Rating
Amazon.com	4 Stars (30 reviews)
Epinions.com	5 Stars (8 reviews)
Wize.com	4.5 Stars (77 reviews)
Shopping.com	4.5 Stars (8 reviews)
Air Purifiers America	4.5 out of 119 (10 user reviews)

The Alen a350 purifier has achieved favorable scores across a wide range of sites.

Note: Air Purifiers America has business connections to Alen so we need to take their scores less seriously than the other more independent retailers.

The video below will take you through a sample of Amazon.com reviews so you can get an idea of what people like/dislike about it:

The next step we take for this air purifier review is to dig a little deeper into what the experts are saying about this purifier:

1. Air Purifier Power – Written By Ed Sherbenou

Air-Purifier-Power Rating: 82, good

Benefits:

In recent assessments by air-purifiers-america.com this A-350 eliminated 98% of the contaminants in the device and 97% of the contaminants within the room.
The A 350 purifier is great at airborne dirt and dust and plant pollen elimination, yet is also competitively cost-effective costing under $300..
So the projected CADR (for basic comparability to mid priced store-bought models without having chemical substance blocking capability ) is 203.
The manufacturer guarantees 95% of purchases will be delivered within Twenty-four hours, and also features a straightforward return policy.

Problems:

Significant gas and smell elimination is really a necessity if health benefits can be envisioned: Models with actual carbon VOC ability position higher.
Alen A350 air purifier sound amounts will be over normal: 36 decibels(A)on low setting, 65 decibels(A)@214cfm on highest setting. 65 decibels(A) isn’t the loudest, but 214cfm is fairly weak for that amount of noise.
The organization doesn’t sell direct, yet drop ships air cleaners marketed by merchants.

2. ConsumerSearch.com

Provides some reservations that the A350 should only be used in smaller rooms.

Benefits:

Highlights that this particular purifier can be mounted on the wall
States that the replacement filters are relatively cheap
Mentions that the A350 comes with a Lifetime warranty

Problems:

Talks about how come, consumers, mention that the power supply causes a “humming” sound
Indicates that this air purifier should only be used in smaller rooms

CADR Results:

Sadly the A350 has not undergone a CADR test so we can not provide these results for this test. Thankfully Ed at air-purifier-power has worked out that this purifier has a similar ranking to a CADR ranking of 203.

The Alen A350, therefore, has an estimated score of: 203 CADR Ranking

Technology Used:

1.HEPA Filter

The Alen A350 uses one combined HEPA, carbon, and pre-filter in one unit. The only issue this raises is the price as the purifier requires this combined filter to be changed every six months. Currently, you can purchase the A350 filters on amazon.com for $49.99 which is not too bad but bear in mind that you will need to replace these twice each year – so it’s $100 per year. If I compare this with other purifiers that use Lifetime HEPA such as the Honeywell 50250-N, the A350 is considerably more costly to run.

2. Ionizer Function

One of the nice benefits of the Alen A350 is that it comes packaged with an inbuilt non-ozone ionizer unit. Normally I would suggest that people steer clear of ionizer-only units but when combined with a strong HEPA filter it can help improve cleaning efficiency. The ionizer unit will charge the surrounding particles with a negative charge which means that these particles are heavier and thus picked up more easily by the HEPA filter. Negative ions have also been shown to imbue of sense of well-being but this still has not been confirmed by scientific studies. If you are not sure about the ionizer then you can easily disable the function using the on-off switch at the top of the unit.

Power Consumption

The A350 has an Energy Star Rating but compared to modern air purifiers it’s uses a lot of electricity with a maximum of 86.7 watts.

Addressing the Sound Problem

Some reviews have mentioned that the A350 has a whining sound when running. In tests, we came across no such noise and believe that this whining sound was down to broken air purifiers. On the highest setting, the A350 creates a noise level of 65 dB, which is relatively loud. In the video below I show the Alen a350 working at each different sound level so you can evaluate if it’s too loud for your home.

While the purifier is loud at the level 5 setting, it’s unlikely that you would need to leave it at this level for much time. I am quite happy with the sound output at the lowest level and so I would not find a problem sleeping with it running in my bedroom.

Performance Test

To test the A350’s performance, we set it up in our HouseFresh testing room.

We use this 705 cubic ft bedroom to test all our air purifiers to ensure it is done fairly, in the same conditions for a more accurate comparison.

To create pollution, we use incense sticks which contaminate the room with large amounts of pollutants. When the room is sufficiently polluted, we turned the Alen on at full fan power and left it to see how long it took to clear it of contaminants.

As with all our performance tests, we used the Purple Air Indoor sensor to track the number of small particles down to 1ug in the room, in real-time, allowing us to view the data on a graph.

Here’s what we found:

The highest point on the graph is where pollutants from the incense reach their maximum contamination.

As you can see from the sharp drop, the A350 goes straight to work on the larger particles in the room, while dealing with the smaller ones at a slightly slower pace.

The A350 cleared the room of contaminants in 35 minutes. Even though this unit is no longer sold, it holds its own against the newer, more modern units on the market.

Conclusion

This purifier provides a significant amount of cleaning for a small price of just under $400. It can be used in medium-sized rooms (400 square feet recommended) and can successfully remove all types of particles. My only issue with this purifier is the cost of replacement filters ($100 annually) and the lack of VOC capabilities.

When comparing with other purifiers, you should make sure that you take into account the $100 a year cost, as some Lifetime HEPA filters will work out far cheaper in the long run and may outweigh the initial extra cost.

The Alen A350 air purifier is currently the highest-rated purifier in my medium range ($200-$700), and I give it a 5-star rating.

	👑 BEST OVERALL	💰 FOR TIGHT BUDGETS	🛋️ FOR SMALL CARS
	IQAir Atem Car	Smart Air QT3	Westinghouse 1804

Air cleaning speed	37 minutes	43 minutes	47 minutes
CADR rating	39 CFM (66 m3/h)	24 CFM (40.7 m3/h)	14.7 CFM (24 m3/h)
Filter technology	HyperHEPA plus activated carbon	HEPA filter with an 800-hour lifespan	True HEPA and NCCO reactor
Max room size	150 sq. ft.	12.9 sq. ft.	100 sq. ft.
Weight	8.25 lbs (3.74 kg)	1.375 lbs (0.624 kg)	2.12 lbs (0.96 kg)
Our review	IQAir Atem Car review	Smart Air QT3 review	Westinghouse 1804 review
Price	Price not available	$44.99 – $47.99	$189.97

	LARGE SIZE	MEDIUM SIZE	SMART OPTION	BUDGET OPTION	VOCs OPTION
	Smart Air Blast Mini	Levoit Vital 200S	EverestAir	AirFanta 3Pro	IQAir HealthPro Plus

Time to PM1 zero	15 minutes	23 minutes	16 minutes	17 minutes	28 minutes
CADR	450 CFM	263 CFM	360 CFM	430 CFM	250 CFM
Filter tech	H13 HEPA w/ optional carbon filter	Bonded particle + carbon filter	Bonded particle + carbon filter	H11 HEPA + carbon	HyperHEPA + V50-CELL carbon
Max room size (5 ACH)	703 sq. ft.	375 sq. ft.	558 sq. ft.	671 sq. ft.	375 sq. ft.
Long-term running costs	$311.89 / year	$96.82 / year	$173.57 / year	$125.23 / year	$421.47 / year
List price	$599.00	$189.99	$499.99	$149.99	$1,199.99

	Smart Air Blast Mini	AirFanta 3Pro	Levoit Core 600S	Levoit EverestAir	CleanAirKits Luggable XL-7	Corsi-Rosenthal Box

Time to PM1 zero	15 mins	17 mins	15 mins	16 mins	23 mins	30 mins
CADR	435 CFM	430 CFM	373 CFM	365 CFM	323 CFM	274 CFM
Filter tech	H13 HEPA + optional carbon	H11 HEPA + optional carbon	Particle + carbon	Bonded particle + carbon	MERV 13 filters	MERV 13 filters
Max room size (5 ACH)	703 sq. ft.	671 sq. ft.	615 sq. ft.	547 sq. ft.	485 sq. ft.	411 sq. ft.
Noise levels	44-56 dB	36-56 dB	40-61 dB	39-57 dB	38.8 dB	49-60 dB
Yearly running costs	$311.89	$125.23	$195.13	$206.36	$58.16	$110.88
List price	$599.00	$159.99	$299.99	$499.99	$299.00	$85.00

1. Best VOC removal performance: AC Infinity CLOUDLINE S8 fan with an 8-inch filter (16 lbs of activated carbon)

My favorite thing about this device is that the carbon filter is refillable, so it saves me a fortune!

CONS

PROS

2. Best for most people: Austin HealthMate (15 lbs of activated carbon)

If you’re looking for a traditional air purifier that can filter out VOCs as well as particles, this might be the one.

CONS

PROS

IQAir HealthPro Plus (5.5 lbs carbon)

3. Best for less than $200: AirFanta 3 Pro (1.3 lbs of activated carbon)

For just $179.99 you can get your 3Pro with four bonded filters with a E11 filter for particles on one side and 600g (or 1.32 lbs) of activated carbon pellets.

CONS

PROS

4. Best smart option: Alen BreatheSmart 75i (3.6 lbs of activated carbon)

An air purifier with a H13 HEPA filter and 1.63 kg of pelleted activated carbon that comes with smartphone connectivity.

CONS

PROS

5. Best commercial unit: Smart Air Blast MKII (3.74 lbs of activated carbon)

A commercial air purifier with excellent particle removal performance and a large H13 HEPA filter with optional pelleted activated carbon.

CONS

PROS

Other good air purifiers for VOCs that didn’t make the cut

These devices didn’t make the shortlist but are worth mentioning due to their good performance and solid carbon filters.

➜ Dyson Big+Quiet BP04 or BP06

➜ Levoit EverestAir

➜ Levoit Core 400S (with Smoke Remover filter)

What to look for when buying an air purifier for VOCs

1. Choose an air purifier with a large amount of activated carbon

2. Find a model that will be powerful enough to clean your room

3. Consider noise levels if you’re sensitive to sound

4. Keep upfront costs in mind but also calculate replacement filter costs

Common questions about VOCs and air purifiers

Wrapping up

The lowdown on the Levoit Core 300

What we really like

What we think could be better

Compact, smooth and easy to use

The cylindrical body and rounded edges of the Core 300 allow for a small floor footprint and user-friendly controls.

A comprehensive three-stage filtration system

An ideal filter for everyday air pollutants.

The Core 300 cleared our test room in 54 minutes with an estimate PM1 CADR of 109 cfm

This is actually pretty good for a small-to-mid-ranged air purifier released in 2019 and selling for under $100 but is starting to show its age.

Noise levels test results

The cost to run a Levoit Core 300: $109.14 per year

Even if it’s not the most energy-efficient air purifier, its annual costs are considerably low — a true reflection of the key selling point of the Core 300: a budget-friendly unit.

1. Electricity costs = $54.15 per year

2. Filter costs = $54.99 per year

The main differences between the Core 300 and the Core 300S

Although quite similar in appearance, the Core 300S has the upper hand in terms of smart features.

1. Performance

2. Auto mode

2. Internet connectivity and app support

3. Energy costs

4. Initial price

Bottom line

Looking a little old compared to the latest and greatest from Levoit

SOURCES

1. Best overall: Dyson TP07

The TP07 cleaned the air in our test room faster than any other air purifier + fan combo devices I have tested to date.

CONS

PROS

2. Best budget option: Coway Airmega Aim

For $150, you get a solid fan feature in a compact body with slightly less air cleaning power than the Dyson TP07.

CONS

PROS

3. Best humidifier + fan + air purifier combo: Dyson PH03

Need a humidifier, a fan and an air purifier? Enter the Dyson PH03, which brings all three functions in just one device.

CONS

PROS

Other air purifier + fan combos we have tested

What to look for in an air purifier + fan combo unit

1. Does it use HEPA filtration?

2. Is it powerful enough to clean the air in your room at list multiple times per hour?

3. Do you need activated carbon?

4. Is the fan powerful enough?

Wrapping up

Staff picks: Top 3 air purifiers for cars

1. Best option for large vehicles: IQAir Atem

If budget is not a concern, I would recommend the IQAir Atem regardless of the size of your car because it is the best-performing unit we’ve tested that doesn’t use an ionizer function.

What we really like