This morning I woke up in a sleeveless fog. I scratched my head why, looked at the window and found that I had left it open overnight. As anyone with allergies knows, this is a serious mistake to make in the spring. Fortunately, I had piled air purifiers in our apartment for months. I have five in total, two of which lie flat on my desk while the other three take up a lot of space in our home office. Even so, on days like today I’d rather be too safe than too sad as the best air purifiers can really make a difference.
While some advertise fancy HEPA filters, others use filterless lighting technologies to suppress airborne germs, bacteria and, of course, allergens. Certain high-end models even serve as fans or humidifiers, or in the case of my recently tested models Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool Cryptomic (We’ll get into that in a moment), both of them. Despite their differences, all of the top contenders for the title of Best Air Purifier share the same goal: to help you breathe cleaner, fresher air while we are stuck indoors for the foreseeable future. Although I’ve learned from my own tests, their effectiveness in achieving this goal varies.
Overall best: Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool Cryptomic
I opened my review of the Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool Cryptomic by asking our readers the question, “Would you pay $ 900 for an air purifier fan?” No? Then keep scrolling. The Humidfy + Cool weighs in at an unimaginably high price and is what I would call a de facto air purifier. You want it, this air purifier, fan, and humidifier combination probably has it.
Fully controllable with a remote control that is comparable to that of a remote control Apple TVThe degree of customization is unprecedented and is enhanced by a mobile companion app This provides useful metrics on your air quality and temperature, as well as humidity trends, so that you can understand your household’s weather conditions well enough to use the damn thing properly. To some extent, the built-in LCD screen also provides some of this information, albeit with a few less data points to refer to.
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As expected, the Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool Cryptomic’s performance is out of this world either, though I’ll admit that the formaldehyde-zapping “Cryptomic” technology is unlikely to be worth an additional $ 100 more than the standard Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool unless you have a chemical problem in your house or apartment. The air feels pristine, really humid and cooler when I need it. My only major disappointment is the reverse airflow mode which is supposed to decrease the coolness exerted by the fan. Unfortunately, I still get cold on cold nights even when the mode is on.
Best ionic technology: Sharper FXJ80UW
For a lower, but still quite high cost, this can be added to your home Sharper FXJ80UW. The company’s patented Plasmacluster ion technology is designed to reduce odors, dust pollen smoke and, of course, germs. If Sharp’s marketing game is to be believed, it can add moisture to the air too – all for $ 428, as at the time of this writing. Covering rooms up to 50 square feet or an entire New York apartment, the FXJ80UW uses a True HEPA filter to rid the air of pesky pathogens – the ultimate solution for those bloody spring allergies that pop up in the distance.
The True HEPA filter includes a washable pre-filter and an activated carbon deodorization filter. The former is responsible for catching dust while the latter, as the name suggests, eliminates bad odors. Although the Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool does not come with a remote control, the FXJ80UW has a number of input switches on the front, including Express Clean, Auto, and Fan, all the way to quiet library operation. With the Sharp Air app for Android and iOS, you can also personalize your settings from the comfort of your own bed. Best of all, it is not a fan, it is just for air purification. So you don’t have to worry about looking for extra covers in the middle of the night to stay warm.
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Best Affordable Option: Sensibo Pure
A more sensible (no pun intended) choice on this list, the Sensibo Pure is ideal for smaller spaces 294 square feet or less. For those of us who live in smaller apartments or houses, that’s more than enough coverage. My last apartment was 550 square feet in total, so I would only have needed two of these devices spread out across the room. On their own websiteSensibo sells the Pure in bundles of up to four pieces and a discount for each additional unit you buy. This more economical option starts at just $ 159 for the solo kit or $ 596 for an additional set of three.
Like the Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool and the Sharp FXJ80UW, the Sensibo Pure also has its own app. Not only is it compatible with iOS and Android, but you can use Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to control it or monitor air quality. It is synced to your phone or tablet over a 2.4 GHz WiFi connection. After signing up for an account, the app holds your hand through a quick and painless process. Coupled with the proprietary Pure Boost technology, which can remove even the smallest contaminated air particles, the Sensibo Pure gets the job done right without asking you to throw your entire stimulus check or tax return on it.
As of this writing, it is out of stock on Amazon, but in an email to The Inventory, the company said, “We expect new inventory to arrive at Amazon in a few days.”
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Best for your office desktop: Air Duo
Now I know what you’re thinking: $ 149 for it !? Measure only 8 “x 6” x 4.2 “, sure that Air Duo is a pint-sized cleaner, but also an effective one. Especially since many of us spend more time working from our desks at home, this may be the only air purifier you will need. Powered by a tiny USB-C cable, Air Qi says its portable, filterless solution “outperforms the HEPA air purifiers on the market”. While I’m skeptical of this claim, I’ll say that spending most of my days rattling on my keyboard has helped me keep my sinuses in check during the week. I can barely hear it through the sound of my input while connected to a power source. Best of all, setting up the Luft Duo is as easy as plugging it in, without the need for a companion app.
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Best for your car: Keysmart CleanLight Air Pro
Despite having a frame larger than that of the Luft Duo, the Keysmart CleanLight Air Pro is touted by its makers as the “most portable air purifier in the world”. And in a way, they’re not entirely wrong. Since it comes with a detachable floor attachment that fits perfectly in most cup holders, this is the ideal air purifier to drive around in your whip. Similar to air, a HEPA filter is dispensed with in favor of anion-based cleaning. It also uses USB-C for power, but unlike the device from air, you don’t always have to leave it connected. Instead, it has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts 4 hours on a single charge.
However, the main advantage of the CleanLight Air Pro (aside from the cup holder ruffle) is the dual fan modes. You can keep it quiet or turn it on turbo by pressing the button above and switching between levels. Unfortunately, given their form factor, all of these additional features come at a hard-to-swallow price. However, if you’re willing to pay more than the cost of the full-size Sensibo Pure for 160 square feet of coverage, Keysmart’s smaller on-the-go air purifier can’t be beat.
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