Top 5 compared
The best air purifiers
Less dust, pet hair and pollen, and fresher air in the rooms you spend the most time in.
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The top 5 at a glance
An air purifier pulls the room’s air through a fine filter that traps dust, pollen and pet dander, and most add a carbon layer for cooking, pet and smoke smells. They earn their keep in pollen season, when wildfire smoke drifts in, and through the winter when the windows stay shut. Small cylinders suit a bedroom or a desk; taller towers move enough air for a living room.
The room sizes makers quote are usually the space cleaned once an hour, so for allergies choose one rated for about five times your room. Every purifier has a filter that needs replacing, the main running cost, so check what the filters cost and that they’re easy to buy before choosing.
What matters
- CADR, in cubic feet per minute: higher clears a room faster.
- A washable pre-filter, if there are pets in the house.
- A sensor and auto mode, if you’d rather it turned itself up when cooking starts.
- Display lights that switch off, if it’s going in a bedroom.
#1Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier
$100–$150
Quiet and simple to run in a bedroom or home office: pick a fan speed, or Sleep Mode at 24 dB for the night, set the 2, 4, 6 or 8 hour timer and switch the display lights off. There’s no app or sensor to fuss with, and Levoit makes a Smoke Remover replacement filter for wildfire season.
What owners say: Owners mention how quietly it runs, with just a soft hum, and say the air feels noticeably cleaner and fresher, odours included. People with allergies report less sneezing and stuffiness, and the airflow is strong enough for a small apartment.
Heads up: There’s no Auto Mode, so the fan speed is set by hand.
A closer look: Turn it up for a while after cooking or vacuuming, then drop back to Sleep Mode for a quiet night. A new filter every 6 to 8 months is Levoit’s advice, and the check-filter light on the display is the reminder.
- Smoke Remover filter available
- 2/4/6/8 hour timer
- New filter every 6–8 months
- Check-filter reminder light
Best for: Bedrooms and home offices
- Room size
- Up to 100 m² (1,073 sq ft)
- CADR
- 143 CFM
- Height
- 36 cm (14.2 in)
- Filters
- 3-in-1 cartridge, pre-filter built in
- Quietest
- 24 dB
- Air sensor
- No
- Display lights off
- Switch off
#2Levoit Vital 200S-P Smart Air Purifier
$200–$300
The strongest Levoit here, with a 250 CFM clean air rate for a big living room or an open-plan space, a dust sensor that turns the fan up by itself, and a Pet Mode for homes with shedding dogs and cats. A second, U-shaped inlet helps it pull in pet hair without clogging.
What owners say: Owners see the air and dust improve almost at once and say it runs very quietly. It clears cooking smoke and smells fast, so the house smells fresh rather than stuffy, and they like setting their own modes, the app and the way it looks.
A closer look: Leave it on Auto through the day and set a schedule in the app so Sleep Mode takes over at night. Rinse the washable pre-filter under the faucet whenever pet hair builds up on it. At about 50 cm (19.8 in) tall it belongs on the floor of a living room rather than on a nightstand.
- U-shaped inlet for pet hair
- Pet mode for shedding pets
- Schedules in the VeSync app
- Works with Alexa and Google
Best for: Big rooms and pet homes
- Room size
- Up to 174 m² (1,875 sq ft)
- CADR
- 250 CFM
- Height
- 50 cm (19.8 in)
- Filters
- 3-stage, washable pre-filter
- Quietest
- 23 dB
- Air sensor
- Yes
- Display lights off
- Switch off, or auto in the dark
#3Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier
$200–$300
A compact, boxy purifier with a dust sensor, a coloured light that shows the air quality at a glance and an Eco mode that switches the fan off once the air has stayed clean for half an hour, then back on when the sensor picks up dust again. A washable pre-filter catches pet hair before it reaches the HEPA layer.
What owners say: Owners say it runs quietly and does its job well, and many notice the air feels cleaner. Opinions are split on how well it deals with smells.
A closer look: Switch the indicator light off at bedtime if it brightens the room too much; the fan keeps running as normal. In Eco mode it sits silent until the sensor spots dust, which suits a home office or a guest room that’s empty for part of the day. A light on the panel says when to wash the pre-filter.
- Fan stops in clean air
- Coloured air quality light
- Pre-filter wash reminder
- 3-year warranty
- 1/4/8 hour timer
Best for: Rooms left empty for hours
- Room size
- Up to 162 m² (1,748 sq ft)
- CADR
- 233 CFM
- Height
- 46.5 cm (18.3 in)
- Filters
- 4-stage, washable pre-filter
- Quietest
- 24 dB
- Air sensor
- Yes
- Display lights off
- Switch off
#4Levoit Core Mini-P Air Purifier
$50–$75
Sized for a nightstand, a student’s room or a home office, this small, light purifier has an aroma pad that takes a few drops of essential oil if you like a scent.
What owners say: In a small room it freshens the air noticeably, according to owners, and it’s so quiet they hardly know it’s running. The tiny footprint fits almost anywhere, and many have recommended it to friends.
A closer look: Keep it close to where you sit or sleep, since it’s sized for one small room. The aroma pad takes 2 to 3 drops of oil at most, as more can overflow and damage the plastic; leave it dry if anyone in the house is sensitive to scents.
- Aroma pad for essential oils
- Sleep mode
- Weighs 998 g (2.2 lb)
Best for: Beside the bed or at a desk
- Room size
- Up to 24 m² (255 sq ft)
- CADR
- 34 CFM
- Height
- 26 cm (10.4 in)
- Filters
- 3-in-1 cartridge, pre-filter built in
- Quietest
- 25 dB
- Air sensor
- No
- Display lights off
- Turns off by itself
#5Winix 5510 Air Purifier
$200–$300
A tall tower with a True HEPA filter, a carbon filter for cooking, pet and smoke odours and a washable pre-filter, plus Winix’s PlasmaWave. Its sensors set the fan speed, and it slips into a quiet sleep mode once the lights go out. Winix started out in South Korea in 1973.
What owners say: Owners notice a real difference in the air and find it remarkably quiet, easy to use and a help in allergy season; most are glad they bought it. Opinions differ on the auto mode, though.
Heads up: It’s 58 cm (22.7 in) tall, so it needs floor space, and you’ll hear it on the top speeds.
A closer look: On Auto in a living room, the sensors turn it up as soon as the cooking starts, while the coloured light on the front shows the air quality at a glance. The fine-mesh pre-filter washes clean, so rinse it whenever dust and hair build up.
- True HEPA and carbon filters
- Coloured air quality light
- Quiet sleep mode after dark
- Works with the Winix app
Best for: Kitchen smells and smoke
- Room size
- Up to 175 m² (1,882 sq ft)
- CADR
- 253 CFM
- Height
- 58 cm (22.7 in)
- Filters
- 4-stage, washable pre-filter
- Quietest
- 23.5 dB
- Air sensor
- Yes
- Display lights off
- Dim in Sleep Mode
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Levoit Core 300 | #2Levoit Vital 200S | #3Coway Mighty | #4Levoit Core Mini | #5Winix 5510 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Price | $100–$150 | $200–$300 | $200–$300 | $50–$75 | $200–$300 |
| Room size | Up to 100 m² (1,073 sq ft) | Up to 174 m² (1,875 sq ft) | Up to 162 m² (1,748 sq ft) | Up to 24 m² (255 sq ft) | Up to 175 m² (1,882 sq ft) |
| CADR | 143 CFM | 250 CFM | 233 CFM | 34 CFM | 253 CFM |
| Height | 36 cm (14.2 in) | 50 cm (19.8 in) | 46.5 cm (18.3 in) | 26 cm (10.4 in) | 58 cm (22.7 in) |
| Filters | 3-in-1 cartridge, pre-filter built in | 3-stage, washable pre-filter | 4-stage, washable pre-filter | 3-in-1 cartridge, pre-filter built in | 4-stage, washable pre-filter |
| Quietest | 24 dB | 23 dB | 24 dB | 25 dB | 23.5 dB |
| Air sensor | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Display lights off | Switch off | Switch off, or auto in the dark | Switch off | Turns off by itself | Dim in Sleep Mode |
| Best for | Bedrooms and home offices | Big rooms and pet homes | Rooms left empty for hours | Beside the bed or at a desk | Kitchen smells and smoke |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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