Then there’s the activated carbon filter, which tackles VOCs and odors, followed by the True HEPA filter, which filters 99.9 percent of allergens in the air. We thought this filtration system did a great job improving the air quality in our testing—and it did so in only five to ten minutes. But still, our at-home tester said she noticed she coughed less after keeping this purifier on its lowest setting every day for three months. In 2018, we tested two large-space contenders from Honeywell, the S and the HPA300.
It has a pre-filter, personal HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter for a three-stage filtration system that tackles larger and smaller particles, as well as smoke, odors, and fumes. It also supports aromatherapy, allowing you to levoit air filter add your favorite essential oils so you can customize the scent of your space. For assembly, we only had to remove plastic from the filter and insert its electrical adapter; the instructions were straightforward and easy to follow.
Most models circulate air through a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, and often more than one. HEPA filters are certified to trap particulate matter as small as 0.3 microns, which covers dust, pollen and most bacteria. Some purifiers boast a medical-grade Hyper-HEPA filter that will go down to 0.003 microns — enough to pick smoke out of the air.
We’ve included the price range of each series and the square footage it covers. Every air purifier model is different, so carefully read the instructions on how to properly clean and care for it. Some HEPA filters are washable, and you can clean or soak them in water and reuse them.
If area coverage is your top priority, check out the Levoit LV-H134. This air purifier has a max area coverage of 710 square feet and adjustable fan speeds. Are you looking for protection from allergies or just need to freshen up the air? A quick look at the specs for the purifier should tell you what particles it can effectively remove from the air.
This could be an important factor when assessing your decision if replacement filters are particularly costly. QuietKEAP Technology reduces noise levels to a nearly silent 24dB so you can hold a conversation or sleep without interruption. levoit air filter Before using it, the only thing you need to do is remove the plastic bag from around the filter. Simply twist the shell counterclockwise to remove it from the base, take out the filter and lock the shell back in place.
After measuring the decibel level of the purifier on each of its settings, our tester also said she was not able to discern the purifier on its highest setting and that it sounded similar to a fan on low. Most carbon filters in consumer air purifiers are not big enough to “protect” you from any harmful source of VOCs. However, they can have a noticeable effect at reducing odors in a small space. Most top-performing air purifiers use mechanical filters with a dense web of fine fibers that trap particles from the air as it is pushed through by a fan.
You can also set it manually to its low, medium, or high fan setting. Using ACH to categorize air purifiers overcomes a common problem in the way manufacturers rate their air purifiers in their advertising. Most offer instead a square-footage rating, presumably because it’s easy for a prospective customer to take their room’s dimensions and then pick a purifier accordingly. But square-footage claims are essentially meaningless—if you’re comparing two rooms with very different ceiling heights and thus different volumes, for example. Using 4 ACH—which we calculate based on a room’s volume—as a standard gives us a true picture of a machine’s capability.
Both models also draw far more power than their supposed equivalents among our picks, and both cost the same or more up front. Yet it costs far more up front, with a price tag of $400 versus a usual $300 for that Blueair model. Its true HEPA filter captures 99.9% of particles greater than 0.1 microns. Our safety experts point out that the Alen has an optional ionization setting designed to combat even more pollutants, but we don’t recommend this feature on any air purifier since it can produce ozone, a lung irritant.
Over a longer timeframe—and especially if kept running on medium 24/7, as we recommend for all our purifier picks—they will create and maintain very clean air in a typical home office or bedroom. At about $100, the Core 300 levoit purifier is inexpensive up front, but it is not an energy-efficient purifier, especially for its size. The Core 300 draws 34.6 watts on medium (and 31.8 watts on low), while the much more powerful AP-1512HH draws just 8.1 watts.