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Our experts review standard and HEPA air purifiers from the likes of Dyson, Philips and more
When we talk about air quality, we tend to think of mucky exhaust pipes and busy city streets but the air we breathe inside our homes can be just as detrimental to our health. However, investing in one of the best air purifiers for your home will help clean the air and remove impurities.
In a 2019 study, environmental charity Global Action Plan found Indoor air pollution could be 3.5 times worse than outdoor pollution in British towns and cities, as fumes from trains and traffic are trapped inside well-insulated homes. Fresh paint, cooking gases and even that beloved scented candle make the pollution worse, not to mention all those airborne allergens such as dust and pet fur.
Air purifiers literally pluck pollutants out of the air and trap them in a filter. The CADR (clean air delivery rate) indicates how quickly the purifier will remove contaminants from the air. Be aware, however, that some manufacturers, most notably Dyson, believe this rating can be misleading – testing for it doesn’t always represent real living conditions.
Though we love our feather duster, it won’t eliminate microscopic particles or prevent the continual release of gases, including VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from some paints, varnishes or furniture made from MDF and plywood.
There are a few things to consider. Not all purifiers come with comparable information to help choose the right one for your home. If you suffer from allergies, look at the number of cleans per hour, the recommended room size and the type of filter included.
“Three air cleans an hour is fine for general cleaning of the air; five is better for someone whose life is disrupted by allergies,” advises Chris Michael, managing director and founder of manufacturer Meaco. “All too often, people buy too small or too large and get it wrong. Make sure your air purifier actually cleans what you are allergic to from the air as well. If you are a hay fever sufferer, don’t worry about a charcoal filter, but if you want to remove smells, then charcoal is better than HEPA [high-efficiency particulate absorbing].”
We test all of our products in everyday settings (rather than in labs), to replicate how you will be using them. Products are rated on several criteria and, while these can vary depending on the type of product being tested, we take into consideration everything from performance to value to design and usability.
For this review, we plugged in a range of air purifiers, then sat back and let them do the hard work. For each, we tested how easy it was to operate, how noisy it was, and any smart features offered, including air monitoring. We also considered whether we would be happy leaving the purifier out on display and if we noticed any discernible improvement in the air. Did we still get the sniffles if the air purifier claimed to be able to suck up allergens?
Where manufacturers have only provided recommended room size in square metres, we have calculated the approximate size in cubic metres, for a more accurate comparison, using 2.5m as the average height of a room.
These machines take air and filter out various particles and pollutants. The contaminants could be anything from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated from doing work around the house (if, for example, you have freshly painted walls) to car fumes coming in through your windows when you air your home, or the fumes that result from frying food.
Most work by drawing the air into the machine and running that air through a filter (sometimes several filters) to grab small particles of pollen, pollution, dust and – depending on the type of filter – viruses and smaller particles. It then sends the clean air out into the room again. Some also use something called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to ‘kill’ any viruses caught in the air.
Indoor air quality is very much a field of innovation. Professor David Fairen-Jimenez, head of the absorption and advanced materials lab at the University of Cambridge said: “We spend so much time indoors that the quality of the air will impact the quality of health and life. At Cambridge, we’re developing new synthetic materials that are capable of removing the more challenging toxic compounds.”
It’s worth noting it isn’t only catching small particles that’s tricky, but also PM 2.5, or fine particulate air pollution, which is another area researchers are continually looking into.
In a word: yes. The thing to know about air purifiers is that their efficacy depends largely on the filtration system and the size of the particles they can capture. The gold standard in filters is the high-efficiency particulate air filter (aka the HEPA filter), which captures at least 99.97 per cent of 0.3-micron and larger particles. The naked eye can’t see particles smaller than 10 microns in size, so, yes, most air purifiers will remove dust from the air.
If your allergies are triggered by pollution or other fine particles in the air, a good purifier is likely to help.
Studies carried out by Lung India show that asthma patients who were sensitised to dog and cat fur, dust mites, and birch and tree pollen, found symptoms improved after 10 weeks of sleeping in a room where there was a purifier containing a HEPA filter.
That said, even the best one has limitations – you will still be breathing in allergens when you leave your home and open windows – but, on the whole, if you notice your house being clean and ventilating it well reduces allergies, it’s safe to assume an air purifier will also have a positive effect.
A good air purifier can help reduce or even eliminate unpleasant smells entirely, while making the air you breathe healthier and fresher.
While air purifiers won’t help treat active mould in your home, they can help capture spores from the air, preventing them from reproducing and spreading throughout your home – meaning these gadgets are a great way to control the spread of airborne mould particles.
Air purifiers and dehumidifiers offer the perfect combo. They both work at pulling things out of the air to make it fresher for you. Air purifiers use a filter to pull allergens and dust out of the air, while dehumidifiers pull moisture out of the air, which can cause mould growth. They’re both great appliances on their own but, together, they’re even better.
You tend to get what you pay for with air purifiers, especially if you’re buying to help with allergies, but, despite its relatively low price point, the Levoit core 400S has it all. With spectacularly effective filtration and good looks, it’s whisper quiet and comes with visible real-time reporting on air quality on the top of the machine. It’s a very effective air purifier for large rooms, too.
If you want something that also works as a fan, take a look at the Dyson cool auto react. If you’re keeping a closer eye on cost, you can’t go wrong with the Coway AP-1512HH airmega mighty, which can purify large rooms and tuck away in a corner.
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