Buying Guide for Best Air Purifier

Best air purifiers cost a little extra from your pocket. We have created an ultimate guide to help you buy the best air purifier.

What to look for in an air purifier?

Air purifiers are necessary these days considering the increasing pollution. However, buying the best air purifier can be a daunting task. If you are confused about the right air purifier, then check our list of features to know what to look for.

Your need for buying

Air purifiers keep the air indoors clean. They also help in maintaining a healthy environment. However, you should be clear about why you need an air purifier.

People can require air purifiers due to specific needs like allergies, smoke, pet, or breathing issues, etc. If you are clear of the purpose of your purchase, you’d be choosing the right product.

Air Filtration technology

The first and the most crucial aspect of the best air purifier is the technology it uses for the filtration of air. Different technologies have different efficiencies in providing good results. The technology to preferably go for is the true HEPA filter. It captures almost 99.97% of particles of 0.3 micrometers. It is one of the most effective techs for air purifiers.

You can also go for a PECO filter. It destroys harmful pollutants and not just traps them. Carbon filters are yet another good choice in air purifiers. You can know more about the types of filters available from our detailed list below.

Noise production

Many people complain of their air purifiers making loud and disturbing noises. It makes it difficult to use at night. Noise is a critical factor to look for while buying the best air purifier. If your air purifier is too noisy, you would avoid even using it.

You may look for fan speed as it is what will make the noise. The sound levels that you should look for should be between 20dB to 40dB at the lowest speed and 50-70dB for loudest. Mi Air Purifier 3 with True HEPA Filter and Smart App Connectivity uses a great noise cancellation technology.

Portability

You would definitely not want your air purifier to purify only a specific part of your house. The size and weight of your air purifier will decide if you can carry them to different rooms or not.

A lightweight and portable air purifier is a better investment, as you can move it to different rooms.

Added features

Most air purifiers these days connect with Wi-Fi and can be accessed using mobile apps. Such air purifiers can be controlled easily. You should also look for features that tell you the original quality level, and how it is improving the quality. You can check if the design of the air purifier works for your home or office. The best air purifier will come with all these features.

The area it covers

One of the most essential features to look for in an air purifier is the area it can cover. You should know the size of your room while choosing the best air purifier. If your room is small, you can choose an air purifier that covers a minimal area.

Small air purifiers are available for personal spaces or rooms up to 300 sq. ft. The air purifiers for large rooms may cover an area up to 1900-2000 square feet. The type of best air purifier you choose according to the size of your room will determine how efficient it is in purifying the air.

Cost of air purifier

Each one sets a budget before buying a product. The air purifier you choose will largely depend on the amount you are willing to spend. Air purifiers with top-notch technologies are expensive as compared to regular air purifiers.

Also, the cost of filters plays a crucial role. Your air purifier will need a regular change of filters. The price of these filters may vary depending on the type of technology. For example, the HEPA filters are costlier than other filters. Carbon filters have lesser life, and the PECO filters are hard to find in India.

10 Types of Air Purifiers

One of the most critical aspects of an air purifier is the type of filter it uses. If you are confused about different air purifiers and their different types of filters, then the following points can help you.

HEPA filter air purifiers

HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. These filters have been on market for some years now and particularly filter particles. It supports a minimum of 99.97% trap of particles bigger than 0.3 microns. It efficiently traps bacteria, viruses, chemicals that are not visible to the human eye.

Humidifier

A humidifier is different from an air purifier, it mitigates the effect of dry air. These days a combo of humidifiers and air purifiers are available in the market. For example, Sharp KC850U PlasmaCluster supports this combo. It saves cost and serves two purposes at the same time.

Carbon filters

Carbon filters absorb huge quantities of contaminants from the air. The process of adsorption is followed by these filters. The activated carbon causes the compounds to stick and remove. In cases of bad odors, carbon filters work best. These filters sometimes come with HEPA filters.

UV Air purifiers

As the name suggests, the ultraviolet filters eliminate harmful germs and contaminants from the air. They use UV light to clean and purify the air in your home. What makes them different is that they completely destroy the pathogens that reduce their chance of multiplying.

Portable Air Purifiers

Portable air purifiers are the ones that can clean a particular segment or section of your house. These air purifiers come in various sizes and weights. They are generally small and portable to carry. You can search for HEPA filters in these purifiers.

Ionizer

The ionic air purifier is an advanced technology that uses ion generators. It flows ions to which dust, allergens, and other pollutants are attracted. From there, they are vacuumed away. It also removes odor from your home.

Whole-house air filters

Many people don’t know this, but air filters are a cheaper option than air purifiers. They are easy to install and cover the whole house. However, this type of air filter traps small to large particles and not the minute ones. It is a basic option to purify the air.

Electrostatic Filters

The electrostatic precipitation is done using electrostatic forces and discharge wires. The electrostatic field formed forces the pollutants to be collected on a plate from where they are removed.

These are quite similar to ionic air purifiers. You can choose one of various shapes and sizes.

Antibacterial filters

Antibacterial filters work in a way to remove allergens and germs. It is also referred to as germicidal air purifiers. They are the best air purifier if you are looking to purify the disease-causing germs. It uses technologies like UV light, heat, and others to destroy germs that cause flu or cold. If you constantly get strep throat, cold, or influenza, then it is the best choice.

Charged Media Filters

The charged media filter works quite similar to the electrostatic precipitators. The only difference is that charged media filters use media filters instead of plates.

These filters have to be replaced from time to time. The quality that makes them one of the best air purifiers is that they trap even the microscopic particles including smoke particles, bacteria, and smog.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Will an air purifier cover the entire house?
A. It depends on the type of purifier you buy. Space your air purifier covers, and the area of your home will determine if the entire house will be covered or not. If you want it for your whole house, check the area it covers

Q. Can air purifiers remove odors?
A. Many air purifiers these days come with the technology of removing odor. If you are looking for an air purifier for the specific purpose of removing odor, then go for a carbon filter purifier. They have the capacity to remove odors like garbage, pet, food, smoke, etc.

Q. Do air purifiers make a loud noise?
A. The air purifiers these days come with low noise options. The user can adjust the noise level according to their need.

Q. Should I keep my air purifier on always??
A. If the area whose air you want to purify is large, then you’ll have to keep the air purifier on for a longer period. Instead of keeping it on always, you can run it at regular time intervals. Most air purifiers come with an air quality check index. You can stop the purifier when the quality meets the requirement.

Q. Are there any side effects of using an air purifier?
A. There are no known side effects of air purifiers as of now. You can check the specifications once.

Q. Can air purifiers help with allergies?
A. Air purifiers are a great investment if you easily catch seasonal allergies. Best air purifiers trap and eliminate allergens like pollen, bacteria, and viruses. It can help in preventing catching frequent allergies. However, it is only a preventive measure. Your allergies cannot be cured by an air purifier.

Q. Where should I place my air purifier?
A. Air purifiers are generally placed in small rooms like bedrooms. There is no specific location to put your air purifier. However, you should place it in the room where you spend most of your time. If your air purifier is portable you can shift it according to your needs.

Overall Outlook

We had gone through the salient features of many air purifiers to choose the best ones for your home. We have listed the five best air purifiers available in the market.

• Best Value for Money: Mi Air Purifier 3 with True HEPA Filter and Smart App Connectivity
• Best Overall: Philips AC1215/20 Air purifier removes 99.97% airborne pollutants with 4-stage filtration