Pet Dander, Odors, and Allergens—These 8 Air Purifiers for Pets Get Rid of Them All 

Air purifiers for pets help reduce dander and odors, making homes fresher and more comfortable. Regardless of whether you have a dog, cat, bird, or rodent, pet dander—tiny, often microscopic, flecks of skin—contributes to house dust and can trigger allergic reactions. Since general cleaning may not be enough to remove dander and pet odors from the air, we reached out to an expert for advice on choosing the right pet air purifier and then tested eight popular options to see how well they really work.

Based on our efforts, we selected the Levoit Core 400S Smart Air Purifier as our top pick. It’s easy to use and set up, effective in rooms as large as 1,980 square feet, and offers an excellent value for its price. However, depending on your needs, a smaller or larger model might be a better fit. Read on for our full breakdown of the best air purifiers for pets, including what we liked (and didn’t) about each one. 

1. BEST OVERALL: Levoit Core 400S Smart Air Purifier
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2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: GermGuardian GG1000 Pluggable UV-C Air Sanitizer
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3. BEST FOR SMALL ROOMS: Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier
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4. BEST WHOLE HOME: Coway Airmega Pro X Whole Home Air Purifier
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5. BEST TOWER: GermGuardian 4-in-1 Tower Air Purifier With True HEPA
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6. BEST MOUNTABLE: RabbitAir A3 Ultra-Quiet Air Purifier
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7. BEST WASHABLE FILTER: Winix AM80 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier
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8. BEST SMART: Alen BreatheSmart 75i Air Purifier
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Air Purifiers for Pets Comparison Chart

Our Top Picks

Even the best odor eliminators may not be enough to remove pets’ smells from the air—not to mention their shedding skin. To achieve a deeper level of clean, home air purification is essential. The following options excelled in our tests for tackling pet-related allergens and odors, so any one of these products could make a great addition to your home.

Best Overall

Levoit Core 400S Smart Air Purifier

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What We Like

• Works quickly to remove odors and particles from air
• Sleek and attractive design
• Easy to use with or without app
• Option to turn off lights for sleep

What We Don’t Like

• Replacement filters are expensive
• A tad noisy on high

Specs 

• Type: Three-stage filter with activated carbon
• Room size compatibility: Up to 1,980 square feet 
• Noise level: 24 to 52 decibels 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Performance 5/5; Noise 4/5; Value 5/5

The Levoit Core 400S earned our top spot for its user-friendly design, quick and effective performance, and whisper-quiet operation on low. In our tests, it was one of the fastest models at eliminating pet dander and pet hair shaken loose from a vacuum canister as well as incense smoke and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a candle. We also found it to be a great air purifier for smells.

Designed for rooms up to 1,980 square feet, it easily eliminated kitty litter odors in our test room, even with its soaring vaulted ceiling. In testing, we let the air purifier operate for a week without cleaning the litter box. Even after a week, we were pleasantly surprised that it remained a stink-free space despite the box not being emptied. 

In addition to its top-notch performance, we really appreciate how easy this device is to use. As regular testers of smart appliances, we sometimes find their setup cumbersome. That wasn’t an issue with Levoit’s VeSync app, which found and paired with the Core 400 quickly, enabling easy remote monitoring and control. 

We found it easy to check the status of the three-stage filtration system or set a schedule to ensure optimal elimination of dander, pet hair, and odors. It’s also a nice set-it-and-forget-it appliance thanks to auto mode, which automatically senses and adapts to changes in air quality. 

What our tester says: “While I don’t mind the white noise emitted by air purifiers, when they kick into high, it sometimes overwhelms my nervous system. At a max of 52 decibels, the Core 400S can be momentarily loud, but it works so well and so efficiently on auto mode that I’m regularly shocked how quickly it returns to a whisper-quiet state.” —Michelle Larson, Product Reviews tester and writer 

Get the Levoit Core 400S air purifier for pets at Amazon or Levoit.

Best Bang for the Buck

GermGuardian GG1000 Pluggable UV-C Air Sanitizer

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What We Like

• Takes up almost no space
• Sanitizes the air against bacteria, viruses, and mold spores
• Great near litter boxes and diaper pails or in bathrooms

What We Don’t Like

• No way to turn off while plugged in
• A little louder than expected

Specs 

• Type: UV-C
• Room size compatibility: Up to 300 square feet
• Noise level: 37 decibels 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.3/5; Performance 3.8/5; Noise 4/5; Value 4/5

The GermGuardian GG1000 plug-in air purifier is a small but powerful appliance that kills bacteria, viruses, and germs to help eliminate odors. We found this compact air purifier to be quite effective near a litter box and in bathrooms—especially since it just needs to be plugged into a regular outlet to work. As long as it’s plugged in, it helps rid the air of unwanted smells from pets, smoke, and cooking by using UV light to kill the germs, mold, and bacteria that cause odors.

Although the GermGuardian GG1000 cannot filter out particulate matter like pollen or dander, its compact size—just 7.5 inches tall by 3 inches wide by 4 inches deep—and reasonable price make it an excellent choice for combating odors in small spaces. The deodorizer also has no settings or buttons, so its 37 decibels will be constantly audible unless it’s unplugged from the wall. 

Get the GermGuardian pluggable air purifier for pets at Amazon, The Home Depot, Wayfair (set of 2), Target, Best Buy, or Guardian Technologies.

Best for Small Rooms

Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier

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What We Like

• 2- to 8-hour timer and sleep mode
• Only 14.2 inches tall
• Energy Star certified for efficient operation

What We Don’t Like

• No air quality indicator light
• High speed is a little noisy

Specs 

• Type: Three-stage filter with activated carbon
• Room size compatibility: Up to 219 square feet 
• Noise level: 24 to 50 decibels 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.5/5; Performance 4.1/5; Noise 4.5/5; Value 4.3/5

The Levoit Core 300 is hard to beat in terms of excellent performance in a small package. At just over a foot tall, it can fully filter the air in a 219 square-foot room in just 12 minutes, which wasn’t the fastest of the units we tested but was quite impressive for its size. The Core 300 features a three-stage filter designed to trap 99.97 percent of fine particulate matter, like pet dander and allergens as tiny as 0.3 microns. 

At its quietest, this air purifier’s noise level is only 24 decibels, making it suitable for bedrooms and nurseries. Like many of the other models we tested, it does get a bit noisy on high, but its powerful performance means it generally doesn’t stay loud for very long. Though we wish this unit had an air quality indicator light, we like that it has timer settings between 2 and 8 hours, a sleep mode for unobtrusive nighttime use, and a filter change alert light. It’s also Energy Star certified, and its filter is easy to access when it comes time for replacement.

Get the Levoit Core 300 air purifier for pets at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Levoit.

Best Whole Home

Coway Airmega Pro X Whole Home Air Purifier

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What We Like

• Quieter than all the other units we tested
• Filters homes or offices up to 4,253 square feet
• Locking casters and embedded handles

What We Don’t Like

• Takes up a fair amount of space
• No smart features

Specs 

• Type: HEPA and activated carbon
• Room size compatibility: Up to 4,253 square feet
• Noise level: 23 to 46 decibels 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.5/5; Performance 5/5; Noise 5/5; Value 4.3/5

This whole house air purifier​ from Coway surprised us during testing for a couple of reasons: At 36.6 inches tall by 24.3 inches wide by 18.9 inches deep, it feels large enough for a commercial office space, yet it maxes out at 46 decibels on high, which is quieter than units a fraction its size. For such a large air purifier for home use, we found its 51 pounds relatively easy to move thanks to built-in wheels and embedded handles. 

The Pro X boasts excellent filtration capabilities with its three-stage HyperCaptive system, including a washable pre-filter, activated carbon filter, and Green True HEPA filter. Because the machine itself is so substantial, there are actually two sets of filters on either side of the unit, ensuring it’s capable of removing 99.97 percent of ultrafine particles like viruses, bacteria, fungi, and pollen as well as dander, pet hair, and odors. Though it doesn’t have smart functionality, it does have helpful features like a convenient auto mode, an air quality indicator light, and a filter change alert light. 

What our tester says: “This pick won’t be right for everyone, but if you have a large home or open office and serious air quality concerns, this commercial-grade unit comes at a pretty great price—especially given how effective and easy to use it is. What’s more, even though it was the biggest unit I tested, it was also the quietest, which blew my mind during testing.” —Michelle Larson, Product Reviews tester and writer 

Get the Coway Pro X air purifier for pets at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Coway.

Best Tower

GermGuardian 4-in-1 Tower Air Purifier With True HEPA

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What We Like

• Adds UV sanitation to 3-stage filtration
• Tower design is easy to tuck out of the way
• Great for reducing pet dander and odors

What We Don’t Like

• Dial controls feel a bit clunky
• No auto function or extra features

Specs 

• Type: HEPA, activated carbon, and UV-C
• Room size compatibility: Up to 743 square feet
• Noise level: 40 to 55 decibels 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.3/5; Performance 4.3/5; Noise 4/5; Value 4.3/5

The GermGuardian AC4825 is a basic yet effective air purifier for pet odors. In terms of operation, it’s perhaps the simplest unit we tested. It has a manual dial for rotating between its three fan settings, a button to turn the UV light on or off, and a filter change indicator light—and that’s it. It doesn’t have an auto function, a timer, or even an air quality light, but it’s the only pick on our list that uses UV to reduce airborne mold and germs in addition to HEPA and activated carbon filtration. 

In our tests, the GermGuardian did an admirable job removing particulates from the air after we shook out a full vacuum canister on the rug next to it, meaning it would be a great air purifier for dust in addition to pets. The filter is easy to access via a back panel when it comes time to change, and replacement filters are incredibly reasonably priced at under $20 each. The unit is also Energy Star certified for efficient operation even though it runs nonstop unless the unit is turned off.

Get the GermGuardian tower air purifier for pets at Amazon, Walmart, Target, or Guardian Technologies.

Best Mountable

RabbitAir A3 Ultra-Quiet Air Purifier

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What We Like

• Customizable aesthetically and operationally 
• Comprehensive 6-stage air purification system
• Includes wall-mount kit 

What We Don’t Like

• Steep price compared to comparable units
• Large light is too bright at times

Specs 

• Type: HEPA, activated carbon, choice of customized filter (green tea, germ defense, toxin absorber, odor remover, or pet allergy), and negative ion
• Room size compatibility: Up to 1,070 square feet
• Noise level: 20.3 to 51 decibels 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Performance 4.5/5; Noise 4.5/5; Value 4.3/5

The RabbitAir A3 is a premium air purifier for the elimination of pet hair and dander, pollen, dust mites, VOCs, gases, bacteria, mold, fungi, and virus-carrying particles, as well as odors. It comes with a six-stage filtration system—including a choice of green tea, germ defense, toxin absorber, pet allergy, or odor remover filters—and uses negative ions to help make airborne particles easier to remove. In addition to selecting from the customized filter options, the unit itself comes in black or white and several prints like cherry blossoms and Van Gogh’s Starry Night, giving users the option to make the purifier a focal point instead of something to tuck behind the furniture. 

While that’s already a lot to decide, the customization options don’t stop once the unit arrives. It comes with everything necessary to mount it to the wall to save floor space, and the large light panel can emit purple, blue, green, or a combination to act as mood lighting. On-unit and app controls make it easy to set timers and schedules, adjust fan speed or light choices, and turn the negative ions off or on. 

This sleek and modern device works in rooms up to 1,070 square feet, making it ideal for open-concept areas like main floor living spaces. While all those features and functionality come at a relatively high price, the cost might be more than worth it for those looking for powerful purification, quiet operation, and artistic design. 

Get the RabbitAir air purifier for pets at Amazon or RabbitAir.

Best Washable Filter

Winix AM80 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier

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What We Like

• Automatically enters sleep mode in dark room
• Filter change indicator light
• Washable pre-filter and carbon filter

What We Don’t Like

• Quite loud on high
• May be too big for some rooms

Specs 

• Type: HEPA and activated carbon
• Room size compatibility: Up to 1,740 square feet
• Noise level: 27 to 54 decibels

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.8/5; Performance 4.5/5; Noise 4/5; Value 4.3/5

This large room air purifier​ from Winix was one of the easiest to set up for testing. After unwrapping the filter (which is required for most air purifiers), all we had to do was plug it in, and it got to work right away. The sleek air purifier with washable filter is designed for rooms up to 1,740 square feet and uses three filters (washable pre-filter, washable activated carbon filter, and True HEPA) plus PlasmaWave technology, which helps reduce the presence of airborne particles and allergens like pet dander, dust, smoke, and pollen. 

The AM80 has dual smart sensors that can trigger an auto mode, adjusting fan speed based on air quality. Its color-coded indicator light provides real-time monitoring, and there’s also a sleep mode that ensures quiet operation as soon as the room grows dark. With Energy Star certification, it’s also an energy-efficient option. While it doesn’t offer advanced features like app connectivity, we really like this model for its straightforward functionality and quality performance.

Get the Winix air purifier for pets at Amazon, Lowe’s, Wayfair, Target, Best Buy, or Winix.

Best Smart

Alen BreatheSmart 75i True HEPA Air Purifier

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What We Like

• Medical-grade HEPA filter 
• Customizable front panel
• 5 speed settings 

What We Don’t Like

• More expensive than comparable options
• Larger than other units

Specs 

• Type: HEPA
• Room size compatibility: Up to 2,800 square feet
• Noise level: 25 to 51 decibels

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Performance 4.8/5; Noise 4.5/5; Value 4/5

The Alen BreatheSmart excels at trapping dander, dust, mold, and germs. With a medical-grade H13 HEPA filter designed to capture up to 99.99 percent of airborne particulates over 0.1 microns, this relatively large air purifier can clean the air in open-concept rooms up to 2,800 square feet. It’s powerful enough to fully refresh a 1,300-square-foot space every 30 minutes, so dander, fur, and other airborne pollutants don’t stand a chance.

Best of all, it’s so quiet that guests might not even know it’s running. The Alen BreatheSmart produces about 51 decibels of sound when operating at its highest setting—comparable to moderate rainfall. It produces just 29 decibels on low, or about the same level of noise expected in a quiet library. 

The BreatheSmart also features set-it-and-forget-it capabilities thanks to an air sensor that keeps it on low when the air is fresh but automatically revs up when the sensor detects the presence of pollutants. It also has easy-to-see LED colors for at-a-glance monitoring and an intuitive app that lets users adjust settings across multiple units, create schedules, track air quality metrics and remaining filter life, and get personalized tips based on actual data. 

Get the Alen air purifier for pets at Amazon, Lowe’s, Best Buy, or Alen.

Jump to Our Top Picks

How We Tested the Best Air Purifiers for Pets

When selecting air purifiers to test, we primarily focused on units with effective filtration systems to ensure they could cleanse air pollution caused by pet odors, dander, and hair. According to Micah Sherman, a Frontdoor virtual HVAC expert, the best air purifiers for homes with pets come equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. “They are the gold standard of air filters,” Sherman says. 

Most of the units we tested use HEPA filters as well as activated carbon filters to remove odors. Some also feature ultraviolet (UV) systems with UV light to kill germs, bacteria, and viruses. Almost all the units on our list have multiple layers to their filtration and can eliminate 99 percent of noxious material from the air.

When it came time to test these products, we started by dumping out a full vacuum canister of dander, dust, and hair near them to see how quickly and thoroughly they could remove particulate matter from the air. We also installed them next to a litter box to see if they could eliminate the odor, and burned full sticks of incense next to them to see if they could remove smoke. Since the best air purifiers for pets run quietly as they work, we used a decibel meter app to measure how much noise they made on all settings, playing with fan speeds and extra features as we went. Finally, we removed each unit’s filters (and washed them if possible) to see how easy ongoing maintenance would be.

 

What to Consider When Choosing an Air Purifier for Pets 

Removing pet contaminants from indoor air can make a room smell fresher and reduce the allergic symptoms associated with pets. Still, there’s more to getting the right one than just a quick search.

To get the best purifier for pets for your home, consider the type of air purifier filtration, room size, acceptable noise level, and portability. Also, think about whether innovative technology would be helpful.

Types of Air Purifiers for Pets 

All air purifiers are made to refresh the air in a room, but they’re not all well suited for those who require a purifier for a pet-friendly home. Air purifiers use various methods for freshening indoor air. Understanding the benefits and considerations of each type helps in choosing the best one.

HEPA Air Purifiers

If an air purifier has an industry-standard HEPA filter, it can remove up to 99.97 percent of airborne particulates at a size of 0.3 microns or larger, which includes pet dander and small smoke particles. To put that into perspective, a micron is only 0.00004 inch in length, so HEPA air purifiers will trap even microscopic particles that are too small to see with the human eye. 

HEPA filters for air purifiers are dense and tend to clog quickly, though. Replacement HEPA filters are pricey compared to other types of replacement filters. For this reason, the best purifiers for pets have one or more prefilters to trap larger particulates. This allows the costly HEPA filter to last longer—up to 2 years or more—before replacement is necessary.

Activated Carbon Air Purifiers

Air purifiers with carbon filters keep odors down to a minimum. Activated charcoal, the filter’s main ingredient, can filter out whiffs of wet dog or cat litter box odors to help keep the home smelling clean. Activated carbon air purifiers are sometimes embedded with additional air filters within the same unit, working double duty to remove odors and trap airborne particulates. 

A carbon filter often serves as a prefilter before a primary HEPA or another type. Depending on quality, a carbon filter also will remove smoke and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air and can get rid of cooking odors and many types of chemical smells.

UV Air Purifiers

Air purifiers with UV technology are designed to kill microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria. They perform the task by drawing in the air past a strong UV light stream that destroys the microbes. 

By itself, a UV purifier will not trap pet dander or fur; however, many UV air purifiers also feature a HEPA or other type of filter. If this is the case, they can trap and remove pet fur and dander in addition to destroying airborne bacteria and viruses.  

Negative-Ion Air Purifiers

A negative ion is an electrically charged oxygen molecule with an added electron. Negative ions occur naturally after events such as lightning strikes or as a result of bright UV sun rays. A negative-ion air purifier artificially produces negative ions, and rather than drawing in air and trapping contaminants, this type of air cleaner injects invisible puffs of negative ions into a room. 

The negative ions are drawn magnetically to airborne particles, and they bond with the particles. As a result, they are too heavy to remain airborne, so they subsequently fall to the floor or furniture. While this process removes debris from the air, it doesn’t remove it from the room altogether, so sitting on the sofa or a chair can bring the home’s residents into contact with the contaminants.

Ozone Generators

Some people like the smell of ozone and associate it with thunderstorms since lightning creates ozone in the atmosphere. Ozone generators emit ozone into a room. Often, they’re used in conjunction with negative-ion purifiers, but the verdict is still out on whether they’re beneficial. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), inhaling ozone might be detrimental to the human respiratory system and can result in symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing, and throat irritation. As is the case with negative-ion purifiers, ozone generators don’t actually remove pollutants from the room; they just give the room a fresh scent.

Room Size

Air purifier labels might indicate the approximate square footage of the room that the units will treat effectively. Alternatively, they may be labeled as either small, medium, large, or whole-house purifiers. 

• Small: A small air purifier will treat the air in rooms up to 300 square feet, making it suitable for bedrooms, nurseries, and other smaller spaces.
• Medium: Designed to clean the air in rooms up to 700 square feet, medium-size purifiers are often chosen for use in family rooms, combo kitchen/dining rooms, and rec rooms.
• Large: Suitable for use in spacious rooms of up to 1,900 square feet, large purifiers are well suited to homes with open floor plans.
• Whole-house: It used to be that a whole-house purifier needed to be professionally installed on a home’s HVAC trunk. However, new units are hitting the market that are large enough to be used in spaces just over 4,000 square feet.

EPA Rating and Energy Efficiency

The EPA recommends the use of air purifiers to help clean indoor air, and some purifiers qualify for an EPA Energy Star certification. That means the unit adheres to strict energy-efficiency guidelines, but it is not an endorsement from the EPA: the certification does not ensure the unit will clean the air effectively. 

Selecting an Energy Star-certified purifier is an option for those wanting to conserve energy and reduce their carbon footprint. The EPA does not certify any particular brands of air purifiers or air cleaners as being better than others. It does, however, suggest that purifiers with a higher clean-air delivery rate (CADR) rating might be more efficient at removing particulates from the air. 

CADR Rating

Some air purifier manufacturers voluntarily participate in a program developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers that rates purifiers based on laboratory testing of how much they reduce airborne pollutants within 25 minutes. 

The results lead to a purifier’s CADR by multiplying the particle reduction with the amount of air that moves through the purifier in cubic feet per minute. For example, if the purifier operates at 300 CFM and reduces 80 percent of particulates during testing, its CADR will be 240 (300 CFM x 0.80).

In general, the higher the CADR number, the more pollutants the purifier will remove from the air. The CADR scale runs as high as 450. However, some of the best filters, including the HEPA kind, might have a reduced CFM airspeed due to their density, so they actually remove more airborne pollutants yet come with a lower CADR.

Air Quality Indicator

Air purifiers for pets with integrated air-quality indicators clean the air in the room and monitor and display air quality with digital readouts, putting this type at the top of the list for allergy sufferers who want to know the status of the air in the home. The indicator might provide a simple bar graph indicating “good, fair, or poor” air quality or be more advanced to indicate the specific particulate matter present in the air, such as the amount of dust, pollen, pet dander, and more. 

An air-quality indicator helps allergy sufferers know how safe the room’s air is to breathe. Some air-quality monitors adhere to the EPA’s Air Quality Index, which uses a color-coded system to alert residents to the indoor air quality of a specific room. On this scale, green signals good air quality, yellow is moderate, and red indicates unhealthy air quality. Residents can turn the purifier speed up or down as necessary. Some models automatically adjust operating speed based on air-quality monitor results.

Noise Level

Some, but not all, air purifiers list a noise rating in decibels. Manufacturers are not required to include a noise rating, but those who feel their purifiers are especially quiet might do so as a selling point. For reference, a purifier with a 50-decibel rating is approximately as loud as the sound of a refrigerator running. A decibel rating of 30 is closer to a whisper from across a room. 

Noise levels typically depend on the fan’s quality, which is the component that produces sound. For the most part, cheaper units make more noise because they don’t contain the sound-insulating features that reduce fan noise. Most purifiers range from around 30 to 60 decibels, with 30 to 40 being the average. 

Smart Technology

Many of today’s new small appliances come with the option of syncing to a smart-home system to allow the user to operate the unit remotely from a smartphone or tablet. 

A smart air purifier works in the same manner as its less-advanced cousins, but it offers the option of downloading an app where the user can monitor the filter’s status, receive alerts when air quality exceeds a predetermined range, or turn on the unit via voice commands. These usually require a home Wi-Fi network.

Bluetooth, another common smart technology, also allows the user to operate the purifier via a smartphone, with no Wi-Fi network necessary. However, the user must be within range (usually 75 to 150 feet) for the smartphone to connect with the purifier through Bluetooth. 

Portability

Small, lightweight purifiers (under 20 pounds) are relatively simple to carry from room to room as long as they feature a sturdy handle. Heavier units are more difficult to move unless they come fitted with caster wheels to allow users to roll them from one spot to another. 

Most purifiers weigh less than 30 pounds, but if moving the unit will be an issue, look for a lightweight model with wheels. Alternatively, plan on purchasing additional purifiers to keep in various rooms.

FAQs 

Reducing pet dander, dust, and other contaminants in the air helps make a home feel fresh. The best air purifiers for pets can significantly reduce the airborne pollutants commonly found in pet-friendly homes. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about air purifiers for pets.

Q. Do air purifiers help with pet hair?

Yes, depending on the mechanism of the purifier. A purifier that draws air through one or more filters will trap any pet fur that’s floating around. Note that negative-ion, ozone, and UV purifiers will not unless they feature additional filters.

Q. Do air purifiers get rid of pet odors?

Yes, some air filters will get rid of pet odors, but they need to contain the right type of filter, as HEPA filters and prefilters do nothing for odors. Activated carbon air purifiers will neutralize pet smells and other disagreeable odors, including smoke, VOCs, and cooking smells.

Q. What are the different types of air purifiers?

The five most common air purifiers are HEPA, activated carbon, UV, negative ion, and ozone. Each type of air purifier works differently, using a specific filter, UV light, or ions to remove particles from the air, but the most effective purifiers for pets have a prefilter, charcoal filter, and HEPA filter. 

Q. What type of air purifier do I need if I have problems with asthma? 

People living with asthma will want to opt for a high-end HEPA purifier, such as the RabbitAir A3 Ultra-Quiet Air Purifier, which features six stages of filtration to remove a maximum amount of pollutants. Before buying, asthma sufferers may want to consult a doctor to see whether a different purifier might be better suited to their needs.

Q. How long do air purifiers last?

An air purifier can last 3 to 5 years or longer if it’s well maintained. To get the most life out of the unit, the prefilter, charcoal, and HEPA filters should be changed as they become clogged or within the time frame recommended by the manufacturer.

Q. How long does it take for an air purifier to clean a room?

Air purifiers work by pulling in pollutant-filled air and filtering it, so the time it takes for an air purifier to clean a room will depend on the type and size of the air purifier, the size of the room, and the current air quality. As long as you select an appropriately sized unit for the space, you should start to notice a difference in air quality almost immediately. Still, if the air quality is quite low and the unit isn’t especially powerful, achieving optimal results may take several hours. 

Q. Do air purifiers use a lot of electricity?

The amount of energy used by an air purifier differs from unit to unit. According to Energy Star, a standard air cleaner uses about 450 kWh (kilowatt-hour) per year, which is more than some refrigerators. To minimize electricity use, opt for an Energy Star-certified unit for efficient operation. 

Q. What rooms should have air purifiers?

Air purifiers can be beneficial in many rooms, but if the air purifier is specifically to address pet dander, fur, and smells, place units in rooms where the pet sleeps or spends a significant amount of time. For homes with cats, putting an air purifier next to the litter box is a good idea.

Q. Where should I place an air purifier?

For maximum benefit, place an air purifier near the source of the problem, such as by a dog’s bed or near the kitchen. Be sure to leave space around all sides for proper airflow, and don’t put it next to an open window or a heat source. 

Meet the Tester

Michelle Larson has been a writer and editor for more than 10 years in the fields of health, business, and the home. Because she’d rather spend a little more up front than buy a tool or appliance twice, she strongly believes in the power of research and reviews for finding quality items that are meant to last.

Glenda Taylor is a product tester and writer specializing in the construction, remodeling, and real estate industries. She tests a wide range of power tools as well as other home improvement, household, and lawn-and-garden products.

Additional research provided by Ana Chevalier and Tom Scalisi. 

 

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