Wellness Best Life Now The 12 Best Air Purifiers With HEPA Filters, According to Customer Reviews Breathe easier with this small addition to your home. By Braelyn Wood Braelyn Wood Instagram Website Braelyn Wood is the e-commerce lead for all health and wellness content at Meredith. Based in New York, she covers all things product in the form of reviews, gift guides, and roundups. Prior to joining Meredith, her work was featured in Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, Bustle, and Romper. When she's not testing out a new pair of sneakers or leggings, you'll find her in reading in the park, taking a cycling class, or trying a new recipe. health's editorial guidelines Updated on March 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Photo: Alex Sandoval Entering your home should feel like a breath of fresh air—literally. But the truth is, many homes, especially older builds, are actually filled with allergens, mold, and pet odors that are polluting your living space. The best way to tackle these issues? Finding the best air purifier on the market to filter your home's unique pollutants and prevent them from wreaking havoc on your health. "An air purifier can help improve indoor air quality by removing particles and allergens from the air we breathe," says John McKeon, MD, a former emergency room doctor turned co-founder and CEO of Allergy Standards. The company works with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to certify air purifiers as allergy- and asthma-friendly, ensuring consumers find products that actually work. Dr. McKeon recommends using the healthy home essential year-round, but he tells Health they may be extra helpful during times with high pollen counts. He also stresses the importance of picking an air purifier that actually filters particles and allergens out of the air, rather than just redistributing them around the room. An air quality monitor is the best way to know if your air purifier is actually making a difference. These are the 12 best air purifiers for 2022 that meet HEPA standards: Best Overall: LEVOIT Air Purifier LV-H132 Best for Allergies: GermGuardian True HEPA Air Purifier Best for Mold: Alen BreatheSmart 45i Air Purifier Best Eco-Friendly: Coway Mighty Air Purifier Best for Pets: Winix HR900 Pet Air Purifier Best for Smoke: Levoit MetaAir 538 Sq. Ft True HEPA Air Purifier Best Portable: Pure Enrichment PureZone Air Purifier Best for Large Spaces: Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover Best Budget-Friendly: JINPUS Air Purifier with HEPA Filter Best for Sleeping: Eureka Instant Clear Air Purifier Best for Odors: Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier Editors Pick: Coway Airmega 150 True HEPA Purifier Your number one priority when purchasing an air purifier should be finding a design with a True HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. The U.S. Department of Energy has a HEPA standard, which requires every certified filter to stop 99.7% of all particles that are at least 0.3 micrometers in size. A HEPA filter won't stop viruses or VOCs (aka volatile organic compounds, like cigarette smoke or acetone) from circulating in your home—you'll have to look at other filtration stages in your air purifier to stop these air quality concerns—but they're still critical for filtering out allergens, mold, and pet dander. Additionally, Dr. McKeon suggests searching for a certified asthma and allergy friendly option. These selections run through additional testing by the Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) and the AAFA to ensure they actually reduce allergens in the air. If you're dealing with odors like cigarette smoke or overpowering kitchen scents, prioritize air purifiers with a carbon filter built into the filtration system. These additional layers can help minimize scents to keep your space feeling fresh. Some advanced builds also feature UV lights to kill germs, or ionic functions to help break down odors and particles. While these additions are not crucial for cleaner air, they can be beneficial for select air quality issues. Finally, it's important to buy an air purifier with enough power to actually clean your space—otherwise Dr. McKeon warns that your space may not be cleaned properly. He suggests looking at the model's clean air delivery rating (CARD) to determine whether it's strong enough for the intended space. No matter your primary air concerns or budget, there's an air purifier out there that's perfect for you. To help you find the best match, we've scoured reviews from real customers and found the best air purifiers currently on the market—whether you're looking for the best air purifier for allergies, mold, odors, or pet dander. Read on to tackle bad air quality once and for all. Best Overall: LEVOIT Air Purifier LV-H132 Amazon BUY IT, FROM $76 This compact air purifier may seem tiny, but its impact will be felt around your entire home—just ask more than 6,400 Amazon reviewers. It uses a three-stage filtration system to purify 99.97% of all airborne contaminants in the air, so your space will not only feel cleaner but also smell better. The rapid purification process takes the air through a fine filter that traps large particles (like hair and lint) first, then through a true HEPA filter for small particles (like dust mites and pollen), and finally, through a carbon filter that removes odors. Even though it's powerful enough to circulate the air in one room over four times per hour, the purifier is also quiet enough that you'll be able to get a full night's rest if it's in your bedroom—there's even a night mode that dims all the lights. One five-star reviewer wrote that Levoit "hit the nail on the head with this purifier," which they praised for noticeably catching dust and dirt in the filter in just two weeks. Their only regret? Not buying this air purifier sooner. Best for Allergies: GermGuardian True HEPA Air Purifier Amazon BUY IT, FROM $75 Common allergens—including pollen, pet dander, mold, and dust—are zapped from the air with this ultra-quiet purifier through a combination of UV-C light and filters. The included charcoal filter reduces the scent of powerful odors (like last night's dinner), before the HEPA filter removes dust as small as .3 microns and purifies the air around it (up to 167 square feet). One longtime allergy-sufferer called it a "godsend", while another five-star reviewer raved they would 100% recommend this to any allergy sufferers— it "made such a difference" they wrote, that they don't even need their allergy medication anymore. Best for Mold: Alen BreatheSmart 45i Air Purifier Amazon BUY IT, $468 This elegant purifier may look like a chic home accessory, but it actually houses a super powerful HEPA purification system that removes dust, bacteria, and chemicals from up to 800 square feet of space. The streamlined design stands out from other purifiers because the HEPA filter is coated in an antimicrobial compound that stops bacteria and fungi growth, making it a top pick for homes or apartments with mold issues. Plus, the smart purifier gives you real-time air quality updates through an LED color display that shifts between red, orange, green, and blue to reflect the range of dirty to clean air. You'll even want this purifier in your bedroom. It emits soft pink noise that lulls you to sleep, and can be ordered in seven different wood and metal colors to perfectly match your room decor. An artist with mold and seasonal allergies wrote on Amazon that this "works amazingly well" in their attic studio and quickly clears the air of toxic fumes from paints, stains, and other chemicals. Best Eco-Friendly: Coway Mighty Air Purifier Amazon BUY IT. $184.72 This eco-friendly air purifier makes the air inside your home feel just as fresh as the great outdoors with a powerful four-stage filtration system. The built-in air quality sensor indicates the air pollution level, and you can control the strength of the purification system with three different fan speeds or even set a timer for maximum purification. It also uses the sensor to trigger eco mode: When no pollution is detected in the air for 30 minutes, it stops the fan to save energy and money on your electric bill. One happy reviewer said it's so energy-efficient that running the machine continuously, even while at work, didn't increase their energy bill. Best for Pets: Winix HR900 Pet Air Purifier Amazon BUY IT, FROM $222.34 If your pet's scent is the first thing to greet you at the front door, then it's officially time for you to invest in an air purifier. While the five-stage filtration system makes this a great choice for any home, it's actually designed with pets in mind—the washable pre-filter captures pet dander before air even enters the true HEPA filtration. Then, a carbon filter with advanced odor control captures household and pet-specific odors (while also extending the life of the pricier true HEPA filter). Called a "must-have" by a five-star Amazon reviewer with five pets, the power of this device to disguise pet odors and reduce dander in the air was also praised in more than 300 additional reviews. Best for Smoke: Levoit MetaAir True HEPA Air Purifier Best Buy BUY IT, $200 To ensure your air purifier protects against smoke, it's extremely important to replace the air filters regularly, according to a previous interview with Sanjeev Jain, MD, PhD, board-certified allergist and immunologist at Columbia Allergy. Dr. Jain warns clogged filters are less effective and could put you at risk. His pick? This Levoit model, which uses both HEPA and carbon filters to purify up to 538 square feet of air and has a built-in particle sensor that adjusts fan speeds. Plus, a dozen reviewers wrote it was effective for removing smoke from the air, whether from cooking, cigarettes, or wildfires. Best Portable: Pure Enrichment PureZone Air Purifier Amazon BUY IT, $95 Small enough to move from room-to-room in your home, this compact purifier uses a three-stage filtration system—an odor-reducing carbon filter, a true HEPA filter, and a sanitizing UV-C light—to rapidly clean the air. Quiet enough to use in a bedroom or nursery, it's still powerful enough to purify up to 200 square feet and can even be used on a power-saving auto-timer function. Plus, it comes with a five-year warranty, so you won't have to worry about a replacement anytime soon. The portable find also has a near-perfect five-star rating on Amazon with with more than 6,800 five-star reviews. One shopper even wrote it "one of the best investments for good health." Best for Large Spaces: Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover Amazon BUY IT, $200 Already powerful enough to purify up to 465 square feet of space, this heavy-duty air purifier also offers a "turbo" setting that quickly captures pet dander, pollen, dust, mold, and smoke. It sends polluted air through a carbon pre-filter (that absorbs gasses and odors) and a HEPA filter, before recirculating the air back into your space up to five times an hour. The best option for purifying large rooms or spaces (like a garage or basement), you'll love that the machine helps you breathe easier (just ask over 1,500 five-star reviewers) and is super easy to maintain. Plus, a handy filter light reminds you to replace the pre-filter every three months and the HEPA filter once a year—and thankfully, no tools necessary! Best Budget-Friendly: JINPUS Air Purifier with HEPA Filter Amazon BUY IT, $39 While most budget purifiers ditch the critical HEPA filter to save on costs, this affordable find still uses a three-stage filtration system (including a true HEPA filter) to purify spaces up to 161 square feet. This streamlined model offers two modes: a sleep mode, which reduces brightness and automatically turns off after eight hours, and a normal mode. The compact machine runs off USB power (you'll have to supply your own plug adapter) and needs a HEPA filter replacement every six months. Unsurprisingly, the more affordable pick has already earned more than 2,900 perfect ratings from happy owners who praised this small-but-mighty machine's ability to get rid of smoke, pet odors, and allergens. Plus, the under-$50 price point really can't be beat. Best for Sleeping: Eureka Instant Clear Air Purifier Amazon BUY IT, $80 Even though the sound of subtle white noise can help soothe you to sleep, it's not necessary for an air purifier to make it. Luckily, this model has a built-in sleep mode that turns off any lights and reduces the sound to just 32 decibels (about the noise level of a whisper)—so if you're super sensitive to lights or sounds, you'll have no trouble falling asleep with this option in your bedroom. The air still goes through a three-step purification process—including a carbon filter, true HEPA filter, and UV light—but you'll barely be able to hear the machine. One five-star reviewer wrote about how quiet the sleep mode is, claiming they "honestly cannot hear it running on low setting" and only know it's running because they "can feel the slight breeze." Plus, the energy-efficient model has a built-in filter replacement light, so you know when it's time to order a new set of filters. Best for Odors: Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier Amazon BUY IT, $150 You'll be able to *smell* the difference in your home from the moment you kickstart this air purifier's three-stage filtration system. The Plasma Wave filter breaks down odors (along with other allergens and chemical vapors) at a molecular level using ions, so your indoor air is not only cleaner, but actually smells better, too. You can use this purifier in manual mode (with four speed options) or opt for sleep mode, which dims indicator lights and reduces the fan speed. Powerful enough to purify up to 360 square feet, it also has a built-in sensor to report on your room's air quality. Best of all, one owner compared the purified air in his home to "country fresh air" before confirming that "it really does eliminate odors." Editors Pick: Coway Airmega 150 True HEPA Purifier Amazon BUY IT, FROM $137.39 The arrival of this air purifier coincided with the addition of a new dog to e-commerce health and wellness writer Braelyn Wood's apartment. One year later, she can't believe how well the three-stage filtration works to filter out dust and pet dander, as well as any scent traces of her pup. She allows it to run continuously on auto mode, which adjusts the fan speed and filtration to the level of pollution. Not only does her bedroom smell cleaner — it's well below the 214-square foot max — but the air purifier actually looks like chic decor thanks to its sleek design and modern sage green colorway. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit