It’s no secret that the air we breathe indoors can cause allergies, respiratory issues, and other health issues. Sometimes, people have known allergies to things like dust that causes them to feel these symptoms, other times a person may have symptoms and not even know they’re caused by the air they’re breathing. Even a pet we love can be the cause of our breathing issues.
These are our picks for the best air purifiers to help reduce allergies in the home or office.
Instant Air Purifier
The best air purifier overall
While the Instant brand is most known for its popular Instant Pot multicookers and related kitchen appliances, the manufacturer is entering a new field with the Instant Air Purifier, designed to help users remove unwanted contaminants from the air. The Instant Air Purifier may seem like an odd move for a brand that exists primarily in the kitchen, but the expansion is timely: Instant designed and tested the Air Purifier specifically for dealing with issues like potential virus particles in the air. It uses a three-in-one filtration system with a HEPA-13 filter, a carbon filter to help remove odors, and an antimicrobial filter to prevent the growth of bacteria in the purifier. An additional plasma ion filter helps to sterilize potential harmful particles and reduce particle numbers.
Lab tests have shown that the Instant Air Purifier removes 99.9% of ultra-fine particles. Plus, the HEPA filtration system will also bring traditional purifier benefits like cutting down on allergens or odors in the air.
When it comes to settings, the Air Purifier does share a couple of features with its Instant Pot cousins. Notably, it’s smart, designed for ease of use with a simple learning curve for busy users that want results fast. A particulate sensor tests the air for particulates and automatically adjusts the fan speed for the best results, while a light sensor quiets things down and turns off the display when the environment gets dark so the purifier can keep on working without creating a disturbance. When the display is on, it can show current air quality with a color mode, or provide alerts for when filters need to be replaced.
To be clear, the Instant Air Purifier isn’t particularly different from many modern smart air purifiers, which also offer similar features like multi-level HEPA filtration, carbon filters, ionic filters, and replacement alerts — but the hands-off features do make it particularly easy to use.
Holmes Desktop 3-Speed HEPA Air Purifier
The best value air purifier
Holmes Desktop 3-Speed HEPA Air Purifier is ideal for individuals seeking a basic and affordable air purifier. It’s perfect for your bedroom, office, or places with limited space. For convenience, this unit can also be situated vertically or horizontally without sacrificing performance.
Homles’ unit can filter airborne particles as small as 2 microns. It has three different speeds so you can set it higher or lower as needed. Plus, it has an optional ionizer. As with any budget option, however, this unit has its drawbacks. The Holmes Small Room model is only rated for rooms up to 100 square feet in size, and while 2 microns is fairly solid when it comes to household filtration, asthmatic individuals or people with other respiratory problems will certainly prefer a higher caliber purifier.
Rabbit Air Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier
The best energy-efficient air purifier
This Energy Star-rated purifier uses BioGS HEPA filtration that incorporates six stages of purification to ensure a thorough job. These include a pre-filter, medium filter, BioGS HEPA filter, customized filter, charcoal-based activated carbon filter, and negative ion generator. These filters work to reduce the amount of dust, pet dander, mold spores, and airborne bacteria, thus freshening the air you’re breathing indoors. The BioGS HEPA filter is especially important, as it works to reduce the accumulation of bacteria on the filters, thus prolonging their efficiency.
The purifier is also economical, with an Energy Star-certified motor and filters that last up to two years if used 12 hours daily. A built-in light sensor allows the purifier to automatically transition to sleep mode when the room is dark.
GermGuardian AC4150 3-in-1 Air Cleaning System with HEPA Filter
The best compact air purifier
The GermGuardian is a solid countertop option. While most units require plenty of space to properly take in and expel air, this unit has been designed specifically to sit on an end table or desk. The device was also crafted to look like a speaker, which allows you to inconspicuously incorporate the GermGuardian around your home or office.
A built-in HEPA filter also captures more than 99 percent of dust, allergens, pet dander, mold, and pollen down to 0.7 microns. The device also uses UV-C light to kill airborne germs and bacteria, making it the perfect unit for the flu season. It also decomposes odors caused by pets and cigarette smoke, though you’ll need to replace the filter every 6 to 8 months. And while there are air purifiers with better filtration specifications, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a sleeker design in this price range. Just don’t expect it to clear massive rooms of potential contaminants.
