If you’re looking for a more inexpensive option, we recommend this best-selling model from Levoit. It’s powerful enough to refresh the air five times per hour, though it’s smaller size lends itself to working in rooms up to 219 square feet. The main drawback of the Levoit air purifier is that it has no auto feature or display indicating current air quality. Depending on the situation, if someone has never used an air purifier before, they probably won’t know which fan level to use. An automatic mode would be convenient since it senses the air quality and automatically adjusts the fan speed as needed.
Photocatalytic oxidation systems are able to completely oxidize and degrade organic contaminants. For example, Volatile Organic Compounds found low concentrations within a few hundred ppmv or less are the most likely to be completely oxidized. levoit filter Uses short-wave ultraviolet light , commonly used for sterilization, to energize the catalyst (usually titanium dioxide ) and oxidize bacteria and viruses. PCO in-duct units can be mounted to an existing forced-air HVAC system.
Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in the category. Unfortunately, for all its great functionality, the VeSync app wasn’t always reliable. During the course of our testing, we had to uninstall and reinstall the app twice when it crashed. The Honeywell HPA200 and HPA204 barely meet our 4 ACH minimum in a 350-square-foot room (with standard 8-foot ceilings), so you’d have to run them on high constantly to get the performance we expect. The Alen BreatheSmart FIT50 and T500 are specced for standard usage and as a budget or small-room choice, respectively—but they usually cost at least twice what our picks in those categories do. The Pure Company’s Large Room Air Purifier usually costs $400 but has lower specs than those of the much cheaper Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty.
Manufacturers typically list how much square footage a purifier is designed to cover. You might see multiple areas listed, say one for the coverage provided in one hour and another for the coverage provided in five hours. Our experts recommend using the lower number since you’ll likely want a device that delivers quick purification. Keep in mind that even the largest model only has a coverage area of 500 feet. So if you’re looking to clear the air in a very large space, check out our winners with coverage areas in the 800 to 1,300 square feet range.
The best thing about ‘Tower’ units is that they can deliver a lot of airflow and air pollutant removal capability with a small cross-section. The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Additional research and updates were added to this piece by Emma Phelps, who is an updates writer for The Spruce with several years of experience researching products and writing roundups.