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You know a product has truly made it when it goes viral on Tiktok. Air purifiers have been around for decades, though the household machines are definitely having their moment in 2023, especially on the popular video app. 

We are more aware of the air we’re breathing than ever before. Many people have taken an interest in not just cleaning and sanitizing their homes but making sure that they’re breathing as clean as possible. That’s the purpose of an air purifier: to remove allergens from the air. Some even claim to filter VOCs and pet hair.

“Anyone who suffers from breathing symptoms like nasal congestion or conditions such as allergies or asthma can benefit from using an air purifier,” Kara Wada, MD, an assistant clinical professor of Allergy Immunology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells PEOPLE.

To find out which air purifiers can truly help relieve us of our sniffling allergy symptoms, we tested 38 different air purifiers in our PEOPLE Tested labs, judging each device on the ease of use, value, and how effectively they cleared the air. Our testing methodology was informed by expert allergists to ensure that we found the best of the best.

Keep reading to discover the 16 best air purifiers to clean your air and help relieve your allergies, as well as what you should be looking for when shopping for them.

Things to Consider Before Buying Air Purifiers

Room size and selection

All of our recommended air purifiers come with guidelines for room size. If you’ve got a 350 sq. ft. bedroom, for example, you’ll want to check the specs and find a purifier equipped to handle a room that large, such as the AROEVE Air Purifiers for Large Room. As for which room(s) are best to use an air purifier, “most often, I do suggest an air purifier in the bedroom,” Kara Wada, MD, tells PEOPLE. “The home office would be another consideration, especially with more people working from home.” Placing one in the vicinity of a cat litter box can help filter out the dust it generates.

Features

Are you all about high-tech gadgets like robot vacuums in your home? Or would you prefer a product to do its job without too many bells and whistles? Check the descriptions for what sort of features are included in each model. Some, like the Levoit Core 300S Smart True HEPA Air Purifier, come with connected smart apps. In some cases, you can save money by purchasing an effective product with simple, streamlined features. But don’t compromise when it comes to Hepa. “Hepa purifiers have most studies/data with allergens, viruses, etc., so rely on those and that technology,” says Dr. Purvi Parikh. “Also remember some things like pollen and dust mites are too small to be filtered so you may need to take other measures for those if you are allergic.” For pet owners, using a pet hair vacuum can greatly reduce the amount of pet-related allergens in the air. Additionally, pet hair removers can also help.

Noise

For every person who likes to sleep with a fan, white noise and sound machines, or just the buzz of the city outside their window, there’s another who needs a quiet space for sleep. Consider how loud each machine can be when set to low, high, or somewhere in between. We found the Bissell air400 Professional Air Purifier’s quiet mode to be impressively quiet. 

Portability

Air purifiers range in size from small to, “wow, that’s going to take up some space.” Consider the dimensions and tester notes as they relate to how you’ll use the machine. Do you have one particular room in mind? Or do you plan to move it from the living area during the day to the bedroom overnight? Some of our picks are easily portable. Others, not so much.

Best Overall

Levoit Core 400S Smart Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  4/5

• Design

  5/5

• Noise Level

  5/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  5/5

• Quick set-up and easy for us to get running, with a user-friendly digital display

• Fast and highly effective air purification left air smelling noticeably cleaner

• Lightweight and easy for us to move from room to room

• Never distractingly noisy, with the “quiet” and “sleep” settings being impressively quiet

Our winning air purifier was a hit among even the pickiest air-purifier connoisseurs, tested in rooms with pets and allergens. The Levoit Air Purifier for Home-Large Room was easy to set up, taking just four minutes from start to finish with clear and straightforward directions.

This medium-sized model is a good fit for a large room, with solid construction and an easy-to-read digital display on top. It’s also quite simple to remove the filter from the bottom when it’s time to change it out. We found that the airflow felt great while using the air purifier, and it was never distractingly noisy. In fact, the quiet and sleep settings were super quiet. 

If you enjoy multiple features on a household appliance, this model is for you. There are loads of features on the digital display, plus even more on the app, which was easy to install via a QR code. Added bonus: This model is voice-activated through Alexa as well. The app is easy to set up, and it’s quite user-friendly, allowing the user to set a timer and create a schedule. The machine has handles on both sides, so you can move from room to room, and it’s very lightweight considering all it can do. 

As for the most important part of this product, we gave it our top ranking for effectiveness. On both the low and high settings it improved the air quality, making it cleaner than it was before our tests. We found debris on the filter (and VOCs went down in our mothball test) so we felt confident this model was doing its job. Based on its performance, we thought the Levoit Air Purifier for large rooms had good value. We would use it in our own homes and recommend it to friends and family.

Dimensions: 10.79 x 10.79 x 20.47 inches | Weight: 12.79 lbs. | Room size: 403 square feet

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  People / Henry Wortock

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  People / Henry Wortock

Best Quiet Mode

Bissell air400 Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4/5

• Noise Level

  4/5

• Features

  4/5

• Effectiveness

  5/5

• Impressively quiet, basically undetectable when set to “quiet mode”

• Very effectively purified the air on the lowest setting in only five minutes

We were off and running with this model with its quick set-up and easy-to-understand digital display and buttons. We chose it as one of our top picks for its quiet setting because you can barely hear it at all. The max setting, however, is quite loud. It could be difficult to have a conversation or watch TV with it in the same room. However, there are plenty of other softer settings.

The Bissell air400 has several features, including a timer that you can set to 1, 4, or 8 hours of continuous use. It’s got a filter change indicator and a digital display that indicates low, medium, and high levels of air contamination. (We corroborated the Bissell air400’s findings with our own air quality testing device.) It also offers a night mode that automatically turns off the machine lights and displays as the room gets dark. 

In just five minutes on the low setting, this machine had no problem clearing the air in our test. It’s appropriate for rooms up to 432 square feet, which makes it a versatile option in many homes. We were impressed that the digital display consistently matched our testing device for air quality. The VOC level decreased in our mothball test as well. 

For how well this air purifier performed, we found it to be a good value. However, we did note that filters cost around $60. They also need to be replaced every six months, so maintenance is on the pricier side. 

Dimensions: 16.13 x 9.75 x 24 inches | Weight: 22.82 lbs. | Room size: 432 square feet

Best for Small Spaces

Levoit Core Mini Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4/5

• Noise Level

  4/5

• Features

  3/5

• Effectiveness

  3.5/5

• One of the best values for an effective air purifier on our list

• Lightweight device was easy for us to move from room to room

• So quiet that we could barely hear it at all on the lowest setting

Here’s a small and simple model that could be a perfect choice for someone looking to buy their first air purifier. If you’ve got a small space in mind — like a compact office or den, a baby’s room, or a hallway — this is a great option. Set-up took just two and a half minutes. With its minimalist design, this air purifier could fit into just about any aesthetic and into any space thanks to its lightweight stature.

The Levoit Air Purifier for Bedroom is extremely quiet. On the lowest setting, we could barely hear it. The highest setting was a little louder, but nothing that would be distracting. You won’t be distracted by features, either. This is a very basic model with just three different settings: low, medium, and high. 

As for effectiveness, in our testing, the low setting was just mediocre. But on the high setting, the smaller Levoit model performed well within ten minutes. All things considered, including the low price point, this is a steal for what it does. It’s a small but mighty product. It works great — and is definitely worth the price.

Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.5 x 10.4 inches | Weight: 2.2 lbs. | Room size: 178 square feet

Best for Large Spaces

Aroeve Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4/5

• Noise Level

  4.5/5

• Features

  4/5

• Effectiveness

  5/5

• Cleans rooms up to 1,095 square feet but doesn’t take up a lot of floor space

• Color changing display notifies you when the air quality is poor, moderate, or good

Large, dusty spaces are no match for the Aroeve Air Purifiers, which are rated to help clear the air in rooms up to 1,095 square feet. This device features a color changing display that indicates the air quality levels of any given room: blue for “good air quality,” yellow for “moderate air quality,” and red for “poor air quality.” 

Though this machine is capable of filtering the air in large rooms, it doesn’t actually take up a lot of floor space itself. It's sleek and would blend into most home decor, with a design that looks like a small white box that’s not dissimilar to an oversized game console. 

Making use of an H13 True HEPA Filter, this air purifier quickly passed all of our tests. It significantly improved the quality of air from hazardous to safe in two to three minutes. This device also contains a UV filter, which Aroeve claims will purify the air further.

While we wish this purifier also came with pet hair filtration, the sleek look, quiet noise levels, and quick purification for large spaces make this device a great choice for those with open-concept floor plans who don’t want to sacrifice good looks and great results. 

Dimensions: 13.5 x 7.5 x 17.25 inches | Weight: 8.63 lbs. | Room size: 1,095 square feet

Best for Large Spaces, Less Expensive

Clorox Large Room Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  5/5

• Noise Level

  4.5/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  4.8/5

• Effectively cleared the air of scent and smoke after just 30 minutes of use on the lowest setting

• Device is rated to clean the air in rooms with an area of up to 1,500 square feet, and is smaller and lighter-weight than most other big-room air purifiers we’ve tried

• One of the best values for a large-room air purifier that we’ve tried, and works just as well as some of the higher-end models

You may know the Clorox name for the brand’s surface cleaning products — but they’re also pros at cleaning the air. The brand’s Large Room Air Purifier noticeably improved our test room’s air quality after just 30 minutes on the lowest setting. We found it to be super easy to get start with — just slide the HEPA filter into the bottom of the device, then flip it right side up and plug it in to get one step closer to clean air.

It has four fan speeds and an auto setting, and the rounded filter sucks in debris from 360 degrees around the device. It’s rated to clear rooms with an area of up to 1,500 square feet, yet still manages to be smaller and lighter than many of the air purifiers we’ve tried. 

While the Clorox unit was great at removing odor and smoke from the room, it didn’t trap any pet hair in it’s filter during our test, so if your main goal is to trap fur, this might not be up to par. This is a simple unit with none of the fancy bells and whistles that come with top-of-the-line air purifiers, but the low price and effective filtration make it a great value. 

Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 19 inches | Weight: 12.72 lbs. | Room size: 1,500 square feet

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  People / Dera Burreson

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  People / Dera Burreson

Best Budget

Toppin Comfy Air C2

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4/5

• Noise Level

  3.5/5

• Features

  3/5

• Effectiveness

  5/5

This small air purifier is light in both size and price tag. It’s got a simple design with a digital control panel, giving it a sleek and modern appearance. The control panel is easy to understand without having to pull out the instructions—always a plus.

On the highest setting, the noise produced by the TOPPIN air purifier would be very noticeable in a small room. It’s got basic features that line up with its budget price point. The TOPPIN has a timer, and you’ve got your choice of three fan settings on the touch control panel. You can also turn off the lights on the control panel if you want to eliminate light for sleeping. 

In just five minutes on the high setting, the machine was able to purify the air and improve the air quality significantly. It took 10 minutes on the low setting, but it got the job done.

For its incredibly reasonable price, this device feels like a no-brainer purchase to us. If you don’t need a fancy app with a bunch of bells and whistles, this is a great product for the price and is very easy to use.

Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.6 x 14.8 inches | Weight: 4.5 Pounds | Room size: 215 sq. ft.

Best Humidifier Combo

Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde

Our Ratings

• Setup

  4/5

• Design

  4/5

• Noise Level

  5/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  5/5

For those who also shopping for a humidifier, the Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool model packs a one-two punch with both purifier and humidifier capabilities in one machine. The set-up was fairly easy, though filling the water tank was not intuitive, and we had to consult the manufacturer’s video for help. 

It’s heavy while filled with water and will take up space in your room — the signature Dyson loop alone stands about two feet tall, while the entire contraption hits the three-foot mark. The control panel on the front of the unit displays the power level of the purifier and the humidity percentage. When changing the filter, blinking lights guide the process, which was a little tricky but ultimately doable. 

On a low setting, the noise from this machine was undetectable, and on a high setting, it sounded like a small fan at medium speed — nice and quiet for sleeping. As for features, this two-in-one combo has an oscillating feature as well as an app, so that you can connect to all of the Dyson products in your home at the same time. 

The effectiveness of this model impressed us the most, clearing the air in our testing tent with impressive speed — even after running for just five minutes on high. And while we loved how effectively the unit cleared the air and the added value of a built-in humidifier, the price tag does cause some sticker shock. But if you’re willing to pay for a high-quality, high-tech air purifier, then this is a great choice. 

Dimensions: 36.33 x 11.02 x 12.23 inches | Weight: 18 lbs. | Room size: 400 square feet

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  People / Dera Burreson

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  People / Dera Burreson

Best for Pet Hair

Black+Decker BAPUV350 Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4.8/5

• Noise Level

  4.3/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  4.5/5

• 4-stage filtration effectively captured more pet hair than any other air purifier that we tested

• Highest settings are powerful and very quickly cleared the room, leaving clean and crisp air

• The highest settings are a little loud for our liking

• This is a bigger unit compared to some others we’ve tested, so it might not be a good option for smaller spaces like bathrooms

If your household has shedding pets, you know how difficult it can be to contain the fur and fluff that inevitably ends up floating through the air and covering your furniture. Unfortunately, most of the air purifiers that we’ve tested couldn’t suck up large hair particles — but this Black+Decker was able to capture hair while it cleared the air. After turning the air purifier on it’s highest setting in our test room, not only did the air smell clean and crisp, but there was also a noticeable amount of hair built up on the filter that the air purifier extracted from the air. That may be thanks to the 4-stage filtration system which includes a HEPA filter, Ozone filter, electrostatic filter, and pre-filter. 

The Black+Decker purifier also comes with a few features, including a sleep and auto mode. The unit is a little larger than some of the others that we’ve tested, and the design looks kind of like a futuristic kitchen trashcan. And, while the highest settings were super effective, they were also a little loud for our liking. This air purifier is on the mid-to-expensive end of the price range for the units we’ve tested, but for homes with pets, the hair-sucking filter makes it well worth the price. 

Dimensions: 27.1 x 14.4 x 14.8 inches | Weight: 28.2 lbs. | Room size: 500 sq. ft.

Best with Carbon Filter

Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0 Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  5/5

• Noise Level

  4/5

• Features

  3/5

• Effectiveness

  4/5

• Uses 3 different filters: pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter

• Energy efficient, which means lower electricity bills

• Sleek design looks more like a sculpture than an air purifier

• Pretty large and heavy, so would be difficult to move to another room

• Only effectively removes allergens in spaces up to 275 square feet, making this a pricey small-room air purifier compared to others that we tested

With five solid gold stars on Amazon, this air purifier from Rabbit is Energy Star certified and (as its name implies) impressively quiet. It features 3 filters: one pre-filter, one charcoal-based carbon filter, and a HEPA filter to top it all off. 

After about 10 minutes on its lowest setting, the Rabbit Air BioGS was able to significantly improve the air quality of our testing room. We liked that this device had easy-to-read settings and a timer for shutting off. 

The unit is rather large, but the design is sleek look and sculptural, so we’d probably try to pass it off as a piece of living room art. It’s also pretty heavy, so keep in mind that this might be a difficult unit to move for those who have a harder time lifting heavy things. It’s rated to be effective for spaces up to 550 square feet for normal use or 275 square feet for heavy allergy sufferers. 

Though the Rabbit Air BioGS doesn’t have a stand-alone pet hair filter, the pre-filter and HEPA filter do a pretty good job at clearing away pet hair particles, as well as pet allergens and odors. This device will be more effective in smaller spaces, but overall, we felt that this product was a great value for the cost.

Dimensions: 22.2 x 16.6 x 9.8 inches | Weight: 16.8 lbs. | Room size: 550 square feet

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  People / Henry Wortock

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  People / Henry Wortock

Best for Living Rooms

Winix 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4.2/5

• Noise Level

  5/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  4.4/5

• Efficiently cleans the air in rooms up to 1,740 square feet

• Very easy for us to get started with, and ready to use right out of the box

• Color-changing air quality indicators helped us feel more confident in the quality of the air we breathed in

Fully assembled and ready to use right out of the box, the Winix 5500-2 air purifier was as clear to use as the air that comes out of it. This device is rated to refresh the air in a space up to 1,740 square feet in an hour, which makes it a great choice for open communal spaces such as living rooms and kitchens. 

One of the more unique features offered by the Winix 5500-2 is an indicator light that changes colors according to air quality — blue for “good,” orange for “fair,” and red for “poor.” This feature proved useful in our tests, and we watched the light change turn orange when we sprayed air freshener near the device, then back to blue once it had filtered out most of the scent after 30 minutes on the lowest setting. We did notice that the color-changing indicators didn’t really pick up the dirt or incense that we put in front of it during our tests, so the reading might not be as accurate as they claim to be. 

We were impressed with how well the Winix 55000-2 handled pet hair, which it immediately sucked up and held in the filter. 

Dimensions: 15 x 8.2 x 23.6 inches | Weight: 14.8 lbs. | Room size: 1,740 square feet

Best for Bedrooms

Levoit Core 300S Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  5/5

• Noise Level

  4.8/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  4.9/5

• Sound is nearly undetectable on the lowest setting and still very quiet on the highest setting

• Connected smart app allowed us to monitor our air quality in real-time

• Includes a sleep timer and ability to dim the display

The filter was easy for us to locate, with an intuitive twist-off design. The device is pretty simple, with three fan settings to choose from and a sleep timer and dim-display options. The lowest setting was impressively quiet — even quieter than most household refrigerators and dishwashers. Even the high setting was quieter than the lowest setting of some purifiers we tested. The Lecoit Core 300S is also impressively powerful and easily cleared the scent of incense from a small room in just 30 minutes on the “low” setting. It’s rated to work in smaller rooms than some of the other devices we tested in the same price range, so we think it would work well in smaller spaces that require quieter devices, like the bedroom. 

The Levoit Core 300S offers a slew of special features, including a connected smart app that allows you to closely monitor your air quality and control the purifier from afar. The design is sleek and user-friendly, with a twist-off top that’s so easy to open that we think even a child could open and replace the filter if needed. Another neat feature: The lock button allows you to freeze the interface so that your kids or pets can accidentally change the settings. The only drawback that we could find for this air purifying device is the price, which is higher than the average device of this size, but we think that the smart features and nearly undetectable noise level make it well worth the price. 

Dimensions:  8.6 x 8.6 x 14.2 inches | Weight: 6 lbs. | Room size: 219 square feet

Best with Timer

Kenmore 1500e Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  4/5

• Design

  4.5/5

• Noise Level

  5/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  4/5

• Five powerful purification settings clean the air quickly without distracting noise (if anything, we liked the white noise that the highest setting provided)

• Useful settings include a timer that can be set for from 1 to 12 hours and a child safety lock

• Device is taller than some others on our list, but also rated to clear much larger rooms than most

• Digital display is a little dim, making it hard to read the controls at first glance

The Kenmore 15000e Air Purifier is easy to get started with, super effective, and moderately priced compared to others we’ve tried. It’s also impressively quiet, even on the highest of the five fan settings. It has a time feature that allows you to set it for 1 to 12 hours, and a child safety lock. Though this is a taller air purifier than some of the others we’ve tested, it’s also rated to clean the air in very large spaces — 1,500 square feet of space, to be exact. 

After just 15 minutes of running the air purifier on it’s high setting, the air was noticeably cleaner. And, even on the highest setting, we  barely noticed any sound (it actually created a pleasant white noise that helped block out other sounds while we slept!).

The filter was simple for us to insert and replace by pulling open the side door. The easy setup and powerful yet quiet performance set this unit apart from others in the same price range, but we did find the display to be a little too dim to be useful. Other than a lack of brightness with the display, this air purifier delivers everything we’re looking for. 

Dimensions:  11 x 21 x 11 inches | Weight: 17.16 lbs. | Room size: 1500 sq. ft.

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  People / Dera Burreson

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  People / Dera Burreson

Best for Odor Control

Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4.6/5

• Noise Level

  4.9/5

• Features

  4.3/5

• Effectiveness

  5/5

• Quickly and quietly removed Febreze odor from a small room in less than 30 minutes of use

• Filtered out pollen, making a noticeable difference in our allergy symptoms during the testing process

Small rooms like bathrooms or kitchens can easily get smelly, but the Blueair Blue Pure Max quickly gets rid of foul odors so that you can breathe easier. We placed this air purifier in our kitchen, which is usually a source of springtime allergens carried through the window. After letting the Blue Pure Max run for thirty minutes in the kitchen, our runny noses and itchy through miraculously disappeared, as did any lingering scent of Febreze and usual kitchen odors. 

The Blue Pure Max unit clears the air of odor and pollen quickly — and does it quietly. We love that the device offers a “night mode,” which is great for even the lightest sleepers. The Blue Pure Max also comes with a connected app that provides real-time air quality measures when synced to the device.

One thing that we found a bit frustrating about the air purifier was that to toggle between the different settings, we had to continuously click one button (which took some time when attempting to set the device to its highest setting). For the price, we’d hope for something a bit more streamlined, but it does such a good job at clearing the air of foul odors that it might be worth the cost. 

Dimensions: 18.9 x 10.6 x 10.6 inches | Weight: 7.5 lbs. | Room size: 526 square feet

Best Energy Saving

VEVA 8000 Black Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  4/5

• Design

  4.5/5

• Noise Level

  5/5

• Features

  4.3/5

• Effectiveness

  4.8/5

• One of the best values compared to other air purifiers we tested and uses less wattage to run, which may result in lower energy bills

• Left air smelling cleaner in just 30 minutes of use on the lowest settings

The Veva 800 is a hassle-free air purifier that delivers clean, fresher-smelling air quietly — and for a very reasonable price. The device comes out of the package in two pieces, the base device and the filter. From there, we turned the device on and experienced fresher, cleaner air within 30 minutes of use. Not only is this unit an effective and affordable option from the get-go, but we also found that it used very little wattage to run, which leads us to believe that it wouldn’t surge our energy bills.

If you’re looking for an air purifier that does what it says it will and nothing more, then this economical device might just be your new favorite unit. 

Dimensions: 9 x 8 x 23 inches | Weight: 7 lbs. | Room size: 325 square feet

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  People / Henry Wortock

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  People / Henry Wortock

Easiest to Use

Bionaire True HEPA 360 UV Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4.6/5

• Noise Level

  4.2/5

• Features

  4.8/5

• Effectiveness

  5/5

• Simply, sleek design was easy for us to get started with doesn’t include unnecessarily complicated buttons

• Offers unique features like a UV disinfectant light mode and nightlight mode that’s great for kids

The difference that the Bionaire True HEPA air purifier made in our air quality was apparent that we didn’t even need to consult the air quality measurements to know that we were breathing in fresher air. The device comes with three fan-speed settings that range from low to high and a night light mode that’s great for a kid’s bedroom.

The buttons are simple and intuitive to use, and we had no trouble getting the machine up and running. The manual was clear and concise, and the air purifier itself is sleekly designed with a few cool features (an internal UV light to kill bacteria, a 360-degree air filter that sucks in pollution from all sides) but none of the extra frills that might make a device more finicky to use. 

Our only gripe with the Bionaire True HEPA air purifier is the noise level, which was a bit higher than some of the other air purifiers that we tested. But, other than that, this cute little model gave us everything that we needed to breathe easy (literally). 

Dimensions: 10.98 x 10.43 x 17.01 inches | Weight: 7.98 lbs. | Room size: 175 square feet

Best Design

Coway Airmega 160 Air Purifier

Our Ratings

• Setup

  5/5

• Design

  4.9/5

• Noise Level

  5/5

• Features

  5/5

• Effectiveness

  4.3/5

• Device has a small floor profile and is designed to look more like a sculpture than an air purifier

• Very easy for us to remove and replace the filter

• Impressively quiet for those not wanting white noise

If you’re looking for an air purifier that doesn’t look at all like an air purifier, then the Coway Airmega 160 might be your new favorite device. The device feels more reminiscent of a boxy sculpture than an unsightly air purifier, but rest assured: It also did a great job of cleaning the air. Within 30 minutes of use, the dust particulates were noticeably gone from the previously dusty space. The minimalist control panel was simple for us to get started with, and the buttons felt self-explanatory. 

Of all the air purifiers that we’ve tested, this one was the easiest to remove and replace the filter in. The unit is also impressively quiet. It can clean a small-sized room, so that price feels slightly high for the amount of space it covers, but we think it’s worth the price when you factor in the sleek design and impressively quiet noise level. 

Dimensions: 13.4 x 18.5 x 6.5 inches | Weight: 12.1 lbs. | Room size: 214 square feet

How We Tested

We tested out a total of 38 air purifiers in our PEOPLE Tested labs. We started with timing the set-up, from the moment we opened the box, until the machine was up and running. Next, we evaluated the air purifier’s design and features, as well as its noise level using a decibel meter. 

To test the effectiveness of each air purifier, we set up indoor greenhouses and released a clump of pet hair, and lit an incense match inside. We tested the air quality level before and after using the air purifier. The results were considered on both the low and high settings of each model after five minutes and after 10 minutes. We also used mothballs to test the effectiveness of air purifiers that claimed to filter VOCs. Finally, after evaluating all of the above, we learned the MSRP. Then, we determined the value of each air purifier, given its price versus the testing results.

After testing concluded, we rated each purifier on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best, against the following testing attributes: setup, design, noise level, features, effectiveness, and value. The air purifiers with the highest average scores ultimately earned a spot on this PEOPLE Tested list.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Which air purifier is best?

  Based on our testing, the Levoit Air Purifier was rated best overall due to its overall effectiveness, ease of setup and use, noise level, and more. Based on these tests, we believe it also provides a great value for its price.

• Do air purifiers need HEPA filters?

  Yes, this is the one thing that Dr. Parikh says you need when it comes to features on an air purifier. “HEPA purifiers have most studies/data with allergens, viruses, etc., so rely on those and that technology,” says Dr. Parikh. “Also, remember some things like pollen and dust mites are too small to be filtered, so you may need to take other measures for those if you are allergic.”

• Are expensive air purifiers worth it?

  The most expensive air purifier on our list is the Dyson Air Purifier Humidify and Cool, which was super effective in our testing and offers a 2-in-1 feature that not only purifies, but humidifies the air, too. If you're looking for both a humidifier and an air purifier and are particularly short on space, then this option works well and could be worth investing in. However, if you don't need the double duty, then there are air purifiers on the list that are more affordable and still effective, such as the Levoit Air Purifier.

• What range does an air purifier cover?

  Depending on the size of the air purifier, you can find units on the small end that cover up to 299 square feet and large ones meant to cover up to 1,900 square feet. (The manufacturer will include the ideal coverage area.) We covered a variety of unit ranges in our testing, all sizes which you can find in this list.

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Rennie Dyball is an award-winning author who began her career at PEOPLE in 2002 as a reporter and remained on staff until 2017; she now regularly freelances for the brand. She covers a wide range of topics from beauty to pets to housewares. To inform this story, Rennie referred to the testing insights gathered from the PEOPLE Tested labs and consulted allergy and asthma expert Melanie Carver. Most recently, this story was updated by PEOPLE shopping writer Cai Cramer to include the most up-to-date information as well as new PEOPLE Tested product picks.

What Is PEOPLE Tested?

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.

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