The air purifier is a device that you can use to limit the health risks, related to contaminated air which is harmful to respiratory health. In general, an air purifier has many simple respirators that can offer you significant protection from lower concentrations of pollutant particles. In that way, the best air purifier can completely filter out all those contaminants before the air is recirculated at your home or office.
An Air Purifier is a useful equipment that has the ability to remove contaminants effectively from the air you are breathing, therefore, improving indoor- air quality. That is why it is very important and beneficial to people who have to suffer from asthma or allergies. In detail, airborne particles can cause allergies or asthma. But when you use an air purifier, it will help you remove all of these particles and alleviate so many allergy symptoms. Furthermore, an Air purifier can also help you clear a room full of pet dander or secondhand smoke as well as unwanted smells.
What to Consider when buying an Air Purifier
No one can deny that an air purifier is an important device to help you clean the indoor air that you and your whole family are breathing in. It removes all the contaminants in the air, making it fresher and purifier for everyone, especially people who are suffering from allergies, asthma, and respiratory diseases.
Types of Air Purifiers
HEPA Purifiers
HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and manufacturers created this type of air purifier to remove dangerous radioactive dust in the atmosphere. So that, people’s respiratory systems will be protected. Nowadays, people develop this air purifier type and use it to filter indoor air with the capacity to remove almost all harmful airborne particles. These particles include mold spores, pollen, dust, dust mites, and many other allergens as well as most types of bacteria. Furthermore, they also have the ability to capture solid particles and will not release these particles into the indoor air again.
Especially, a HEPA purifier can remove extremely small pollutant particles at the microscopic level. Once you inhale air contaminants by accident, your own body’s natural defense system will be more susceptible to small particles which are about 0.5 microns small. Thus, it can remove a large number of harmful air contaminants, even when they are at the microscopic level. They are all the reasons why HEPA air purifier is one of the most recommended products by many doctors as well as allergists.
However, the downside of this product is that HEPA purifiers are only able to remove contaminants more than 0.3 microns in size. You should know that they cannot catch fumes, chemicals, or smoke from cigarettes, simply because all of them are smaller than 0.3 microns.
Activated Carbon purifiers
Activated Carbon purifier has many absorbent pores that react chemically to pollutant particles once these pollutants pass through the purifier. This will make all the pollutants bond to the carbon and capture them immediately. This type of purifier is also very effective in clearing odors, chemicals, smoke, and even gases from the indoor air. That is how it gives you and your own family the best living environment quality. In addition, you can use it in association with some other types of air purifiers to clean the indoor air thoroughly.
However, a disadvantage of products is that they cannot remove micro-organisms, dust as well and other allergens. That is the reason why you should not buy it if someone in your family is suffering from allergies or any other skin problems.
Ionizing air purifiers
An air ionizing purifier is also known as a negative ion generator and it will send out a current of many negative ions. After that, these ions can easily attract positive allergen particles and airborne dust in the indoor air. As a result, this type of particles and dust become too heavy so now, they cannot remain airborne and then fall down on the floor. Another benefit of this air purifier is that it can run completely quiet because there are no motors or fans inside this device. However, the majority of surfaces in your house are positively charged and they will also attract the negative particles from the ionic air purifier. It is the reason why the areas near the ionizing purifier are all likely to get dark spots on nearby floors or walls.
An Ionizing purifier is a pretty good way for you to remove smoke or secondhand smoke. However, in case you have some allergies to dust or other allergens as well as unwanted odors, you should not choose this type of air purifier. Because no matter how frequently you use it, the particles and odors are still not eliminated completely.
In addition, one of the common health problems related to an ionic air purifier is that it produces ozone as a by-product.
Therefore, you may see the side effects of this product. In detail, it is not hard to understand that once you inhale ozone directly, particularly into your lungs, it can cause a health risk.
Furthermore, The EPA classified ozone as one of the most dangerous toxic gases that can trigger asthma attacks, lung damage, and even result in death. Those things are very important for you to take into consideration if you plan to buy an ionizing air purifier.
Ultraviolet Light Air Purifiers
This type of air purifier uses UV light going off electromagnetic radiation. The radiation will help you eliminate bacteria as well as many other pathogens by cracking the molecular bonds in their DNA. Unlike many other air purifiers with filters, this type will kill harmful particles once they pass through it without any real filtration.
A UV light air purifier can work effectively to kill many types of harmful microbes such as molds, viruses, bacteria, and yeasts which are usually in the air at your home.
However, it is unfortunate that they cannot work on allergens, dust, or solids in the indoor air. An air purifier with UV light can be very helpful to people who often get sick because it will help you prevent diseases and illnesses.
In addition, people can also use UV air purifiers in sterile places such as kitchens, hospitals, daycares, and even labs. Thus, you can also choose it in order to control mold when it comes to residential use.
However, this product will provide you with the best performance when it is used in association with other types of air purifiers. In this way, you may see that they can work even more effectively together so as to remove a much wider spectrum of dangerous contaminants in the indoor air. They are chemical fumes, Cigarette Smoke Odors, and other allergens that a UV air purifier cannot remove.
The downside of this product is that it can cause some serious health problems by generating ozone. In detail, when it generates ozone to kill bacteria, the ozone may not be dispersed properly, therefore, resulting in a serious health problem. That is why you have to consider in order to purchase the most suitable UV light air purifier without producing ozone.
Ozone-generating air purifier
Another type of air purifier is ozone air cleaner which is also called ozone generator. Just like its name, this device can emit ozone but remember that ozone is one of the dangerous gases causing many health problems. If you use it, you may suffer from breathing difficulty, chest pain, or respiratory problems. Furthermore, many experts recommend ozone generators not be used in your home or office.
In detail, there are more specific reasons why you should never use this device. First, there are certain side effects of using this purifier because of the chemical reaction which can be dangerous to your health. Second, it cannot remove pollutant particles such as pollen or dust in the air, especially, the particles which can lead to different allergic reactions. The last reason is that you cannot determine the actual level of ozone generated in your room because there are so many factors involved.
Besides all the reasons mentioned above, there are so many other things that prove that this type is not only ineffective but also dangerous. However, if you are a naive buyer, you are likely to be misled by many manufacturers. Because they keep claiming that their ozone-generating air-purifying products are beneficial for you. But you have to be tough and never trust them as well as buy anything related to ozone generators.
Features to look for in an Air Purifier
CADR
CADR stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate so this term is to describe the ability of an air purifier to remove harmful pollutant particles. And it is always measured in cubic feet per minute. You can consider CADR as a measure of how fast your air purifier can eliminate dust, smoke, and pollen in the indoor air. It is good to find a purifier with a CADR above 200 for every kind of pollutant rather than one with a CADR below 100. Remember that The CADR is based on square footage, therefore, just make sure that you buy a purifying device that is the most suitable for the size of your room or office.
Area Coverage
Area coverage is also one of the most important factors you have to care about. Remember that the closer you are to the purifying device, the more effectively the air can be purified at that distance. In other words, it cannot clean the outer areas as properly as the inner areas, therefore, you need to consider the area coverage of any air purifier before you buy it.
However, keep in mind that determining square footage will not be easy at all because there are so many factors involved. They are the airflow, floor plan layout, and the pollution level in the indoor air.
Noise Level
This factor is not really important for everyone because some people do not mind noise when using air purifiers. They even consider the noise as an enjoyable background white noise which can make it easier for them to sleep. However, so many others cannot suffer from that kind of noise so they tend to buy a quiet air purifier for them.
Asthma and Allergy Friendly
This factor is also important for you to take into consideration because when an air purifier is asthma and allergy-friendly, it will exhibit the following characteristics:
- The purifier can reduce the level of bio-allergens in a certain space.
- The reduction in bio-allergens is a result of not only re-distribution but also actual removal.
- The device will not contribute to the level of ozone in a home which may cause serious health problems.
Airflow Rate
This rate will let you know how much air passes through the purifier after a certain period of time. Simple because air is some kind of gas so you can measure it either by its mass or volume. Furthermore, the Air flow rate of an air purifier is abbreviated to cubic feet per minute or CFM. In general, there are two main things about the air flow rate: the efficiency of the inside filter and the power of the fan built into the device.
Air Changes per Hour (ACH)
Put it simply, this feature will show you how frequently the volume of indoor air is replaced for an hour. It is obvious that it will be better if the frequency of replacement is higher and the number of changes, usually fluctuates between 1 and 7. You should buy an air purifier with two or more air changes per hour, particularly when there are a lot of allergens as well as contaminants in the indoor air.
Service Indicator Light
A Service Indicator will let you know when it is time to replace or clean the filter inside your device. Most indicators usually light up after a certain amount of time which is about a few hours. However, in some cases, the air in your home is seriously compromised, it is essential for you to know exactly when the filter is dirty so the service indicator light must be very appropriate. Remember that the earlier warnings you get, the earlier you can replace the dirty filter, in order to avoid breathing in dirty air at your own home.
According to those main features of air purifiers, there are some specific types of them for each type of customer as follows:
Air Purifier for Smoke and Odor
When it comes to smoke and odor, people usually think that only the ones who smoke are likely to get cancer or diseases. However, it is not enough, you have to understand that people who breathe in the smoke will be more susceptible than those who directly smoke. Secondhand smoke includes many toxic chemicals in the exhaled from the smoke and can kill anyone who inhales it. That is also called passive smoking and this activity can completely cause lung cancer as well as respiratory infections. It is also extremely bad for your heart, especially if there are children in your family. However, you will find it quite difficult to tell somebody to stop smoking when they are already addicted. The only way to avoid this kind of smoke and odor and protect your entire family is to eliminate the smoke and odors.
Fortunately, there are so many types of air purifiers that manufacturers specifically design to do this for you.
It is highly recommended to buy Whirlpool Whispure AP51030K or Germ Guardian AC9200WCA. Because these air purifiers have a true HEPA Filter it is very easy to capture dust and allergens, especially reduce odor from smoking. Another reason to buy them is that they can work effectively in a large room without making noises like many other purifiers for large areas.
Air purifier for Allergy
It is clear that allergens are everywhere and they are even more in your own home than the outside environment. They are so small and people can not see them with the naked eye so many of them ignore their effects on health. In fact, Allergens like dust mites, mold, and pets are extremely dangerous to our health, they can cause a lot of allergies as well as diseases including asthma. The reason is that we are spending a lot of time indoors than outdoors so we all have to be exposed to these allergens. However, you can fix it, if you have an air purifier in your own room or office.
For allergies, the 2 best products are AeraMax 100 with 4-Stage Purification and Honeywell 50250-S. They are both the recommended products for allergies because of their HEPA filter. With this specific filter, they can eliminate almost all allergens even when they are as small as 0.3 microns. You can choose the first one for a small room (about 100 or 200 sq feet) and the second for a larger room (about 500 sq feet).
Air Purifier for Pet Hair and Dander
Microscopic flecks of skin shed by dogs, cats, birds, rodents, and many other animals with feathers and fur are composed of Pet dander. Put simply, it is a special kind of allergen coming from your pets. Allergies to pets with fur are not something strange for everyone who lives with dogs or cats. However, Pet dander can be extremely dangerous if you or someone in your family already have an allergy or asthma, it will be completely different. If allergic people contact with a cat or dog, their allergy will definitely be worse and it will be terrible for their health.
The simplest way in this case is to avoid contact with the pets or the areas they live. However, it is completely impossible because they are your own lovely pets and you cannot stay away from them. Luckily, some air purifiers can help you with this and the two best recommended are Winix WAC9500 Ultimate Pet with PlasmaWave Technology and Blueair 650E. They are all the most suitable purifiers for pet dander with the specific HEPA filter and a 5- 5-stage air cleaning system. In addition, a carbon filter is very helpful to remove pet odors from your home. Furthermore, these products can provide a great when they can cover up to 500 or 600 sq feet, therefore, making it more comfortable to play with your dogs and cats running around.
Air Purifier for Asthma
Overall, Asthma is a common disease of the airways of the lungs and it usually results from a combination of many environmental factors, including exposure to allergens or air pollutants. But more importantly, this disease can be transmitted between people, it makes asthma much more dangerous than other diseases. The only way to avoid asthma is to eliminate all the allergens and air pollutants.
When it comes to asthma, there are so many options for you but the two of the best air purifiers are AeraMax 100 and IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier. They all have specific HEPA filters as well as AeraSafe antimicrobial treatment. That is the reason why it is very easy for these products to remove airborne allergens, even particles as small as 0.3 microns. Furthermore, there is no ozone generation so this will make your indoor air completely safe and comfortable for you to breathe.
Air Purifier for Mold
You can find mold everywhere, especially in damp indoor environments because there are bacteria, dust mites, and airborne chemicals in these places. Indoor mold is usually smelly and unsightly, however, the real problems are much more serious than that. In detail, growing mold will damage everything it lives on, particularly your home equipment, thereby impairing the structural integrity. Furthermore, mold always comes along with some unwanted health problems in humans, including infections and serious allergies.
In order to remove mold, the first thing that comes to your mind is certainly a dehumidifier, however, an air purifier can also help you control mold in your home. We recommend using Airfree Onix 3000 Filterless and GermGuardian AC9200WCA. They can easily destroy mold spores and other air pollutants with exclusive patented Thermodynamic TSS Technology from the Airfree and HEPA filter from the GermGuardian. They have two different ways of removing mold but both of them are very effective. Another benefit of these two products is that they do not make any noise while running even though they are quite big air purifiers for large areas.
Air Purifier for Baby
It is obvious that air purifier is very beneficial for human beings but when there are children or especially infants in your family, you need to consider many things before buying one. In detail, they breathe in 50% more air per pound of their body weight than us, therefore, they are more likely to have asthma than adults. That is the reason why controlling allergens and toxins in your own home is very important. However, in this case, you cannot just choose a normal air purifier because your babies cannot sleep well due to the noise of the machine. Thus, you need to choose a specific air purifier for baby nursery.
We highly recommend these products for you: Austin Air Baby’s Breath Air Purifiers and AeraMax Baby DB5. Of course, these purifiers can also capture pollutants and allergens in order to protect your kid from air contamination. In addition, they also make it easier for your kids to sleep better with a quiet operation as well as the dimmed light of night mode.
Top 6 Best Air Purifier Reviews
1. Honeywell™ 50250-S 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier
Experts and doctors recommend Honeywell™ 50250-S 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier as a true HEPA air purifier. Just like many other HEPA air purifiers and especially with carbon activated pre-filter, this product can help remove almost all harmful airborne particles. These particles include mold spores, pollen, dust, dust mites, and many other allergens as well as most types of bacteria. It can also reduce common odors in your own house, particularly when someone in your family is addicted to smoking. In addition, this HEPA purifier can capture extremely small pollutant particles at the microscopic level (about 0.3 microns) by its glass fiber. However, what makes this product different from the others is that its filter can last much longer, about for 3 or 5 years until it needs to be replaced.
2. GermGuardian AC4825, 3-in-1 Air Cleaning System with True HEPA, UV-C and Odor Reduction
GermGuardian AC4825, a 3-in-1 Air Cleaning System with True HEPA, UV-C, and Odor Reduction is one of the best air purifiers. In general, it can capture almost all dust allergens which are very small, even just 3 microns as plant pollens, mold spores, and household dust. Besides, this air purifier also has a charcoal filter, therefore, you can find it easier to reduce common odors, smoking, cooking, and pets. Furthermore, UV-C light, can help eliminate airborne viruses, gems bacteria, and mold spores. With the size of 22 inches and CADR rated above 100, this air purifier is the most suitable for a medium-sized room.
3. Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier, HEPA Air Cleaner, AP51030K
Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier is also an effective HEPA air cleaner. It can completely capture almost all pollutant particles including dust mites, ragweed, pollen, mold spores, and even microscopic irritants with 0.3-micron filtration. The clean air delivery rate of this product is very high at 315. This product is very large. We can use it in a 500-square-foot room with the airflow being 4.8 times per hour. Furthermore, you can find it easy to sleep while this purifier is running in your room because it is absolutely quiet. This makes the product more and more advantageous than many other large air purifiers which are so noisy to sleep with.
4. Winix WAC9500 Ultimate Pet True HEPA Air Cleaner with PlasmaWave Technology
Like many other HEPA air purifiers, Winix WAC9500 can catch almost all pollutant particles and pet dander as small as 0.3 microns with specific filters. It also has an advanced odor control carbon filter which can help capture annoying pet odor, cooking, smoke, and other household odors. With Plasma wave technology, this air purifier can eliminate pollutants at molecular levels in order to neutralize bacteria, viruses, and gases in the indoor air. However, they are not everything special about this product, there are also auto dust sensor as well as light sensor. That is why you do not have to care about adjusting the settings to fit your needs, everything is automatic to make it fit for your environment.
5. IQAir® HealthPro® Plus Air Purifier
The IQAir HealthPro Plus is certified as one of the best air cleaners for eliminating allergens. It can also work effectively even in a 900 square feet room without any noise, especially without ozone generation which is very harmful to your health. Another feature that makes this product special is that you can completely control everything with a remote control and integrated timer. They will make it much more comfortable and easier to control the device than many others. Therefore, you will know why people commonly use this product in many places such as home and particularly hospitals.
6. Holmes® Desktop Air Purifier with HEPA-Type Filter and Optional Ionizer, HAP242-NUC
This air purifier has a HEPA filter that removes almost all airborne particles as small as 2 microns in the indoor air, compared to 3 microns of other products. There are three speed options for you to choose for each condition and an optional ionizer will make it a lot easier to remove pollutant particles. Furthermore, Holmes® Desktop Air Purifier is very suitable for a medium-sized room up to about 119 square feet with CADR 70.
Final thoughts
There is no doubt that air purifiers are very beneficial and important for our health because it can help us avoid many health problems such as allergies and diseases. However, determining which type of air purifier can be the most suitable one is a whole different story because there are so many factors to take into consideration. Furthermore, in each type of air purifier, you will see so many different products. That is why if you do not know anything about air purifiers, you definitely cannot determine which to buy, thus, you will buy the wrong product and waste your money. But you do not have to worry because of the main things about them which are all mentioned very specifically above. All you need is to read them very carefully before deciding to buy the best air purifier.
