The 10 Best Air Purifiers
Editor's Notes
November 04, 2020:
It was a busy round of updates that saw the Prolux Enfinity, Airmega 300 and Oransi EJ120 all removed due to availability issues — as was the Austin Air Healthmate B400, although we ended up replacing that pick with a comparable choice from the company: the Austin Air Healthmate HM400. The Blueair Classic 605 lost its place to the Blueair Classic 680i – which is essentially the same machine, but with an added air-quality sensor and helpful automatic mode that makes use of it – and the Alen BreatheSmart Classic had to make way for the Alen BreatheSmart 75i — which boasts a maximum power rating that’s less than half of its predecessors, all while being powerful enough to service 1,300 square feet, compared to the Classic's 1,100.
Our other new additions are the Hathaspace HSP002 — which features a five-stage purification process and is protected by a warranty of as many years; the Medify Air MA-40 V2.0 — which features a clean air delivery rate of 330 and a 2,500-hour filter life; and the Medify Air MA-25 — a smaller version of the MA-40 that has a clean air delivery rate of 250. Both offerings from Medify Air boast lifetime warranties.
Ranking these pages can sometimes be tricky, because it isn’t always obvious what our users will be expecting, based on their title. In the case of this category, without a universally recognized definition for “hospital grade,” what I can tell you about the machines we chose to rank is that their filtration systems all qualify as high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, based on standards dictated by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which demand that such a filter capture 99.97% of particles with a diameter of .3 micrometers — we’ve included no oversold air fresheners dressed up with marketing lingo. Some offerings go well beyond this point – like the IQAir HealthPro Plus, which can capture particles 1% of that size, or the Austin Air Healthmate HM400, which has a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 17 that's suitable for surgical areas – but none should fail to meet that standard.
In addition to selecting units with highly effective filters, we also endeavored to select models with powerful fans and capable clean air delivery rates that would leave them oversized for single-room applications. Even the Medify Air MA-25, which we included as a suggestion for users looking to outfit a small space like an office, is rated to handle 500-square-foot areas.
January 25, 2019:
Included the Oransi EJ120 for its advanced mechanical filtration capabilities, quiet motor, and suitability for use in both domestic and industrial settings. I thought the Alen BreatheSmart was a worthy addition, thanks to its smart sensor, which can adapt its operation according to the surrounding air conditions. Also added the Blueair Classic due to its Wi-Fi functionality, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and casters that make it easy to move. While quite large, the IQAir HealthPro Plus offers the benefit of a remote control and a durable frame housing. Also included the Aprilaire Allergy for its dedicated features that allow it to capture pet hair and minimize odors. The BlueDri AS-550 is particularly useful for industrial jobsites and is also durable enough to withstand impacts. Also added the Airmega 300 because of its real-time pollution monitoring functionality and efficient suction capabilities. The brushless motor within the Prolux Enfinity comes with a 7-year warranty.