Air purifiers filter the ambient air and remove it from pollutants and allergens. To help you choose the most suitable one for your home, we have compiled in this guide the best purifiers of the moment.
Air pollution in our homes comes, of course, from outside (pollen, fine particles…), but also from inside. Part of it is due to our activity, for example, when we cook or use household products. It also comes from the accommodation itself (paint, mold, etc.), furniture, objects and electrical appliances installed in our homes. The materials of these contain so-called volatile or semi-volatile substances that can be harmful to health in the long term, especially for the most fragile.
Regular or seasonal allergies, asthma and other respiratory diseases can thus be avoided or alleviated thanks to an air purifier. The promise: clean your interior of its contaminants, that is, animal hair, hair, pollen, allergens, cigarette smoke… and for certain purifiers, viruses and bacteria.
In this guide, you’ll find our recommendations for the best models available, to help you choose the perfect purifier for your home.
To know the air quality in your home (or office) ahead of time, you might also consider investing in one of the air quality sensors we recommend. Also, to maintain good air quality at home, you can rely on a robot vacuum cleaner, as well as an effective purifier.
Do not hesitate to consult all our buying guides for the connected home.
Discover our selection of the best air purifiers right now:
Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde: the designer purifier
The British specialist in vacuum cleaners, fans and other hair dryers, of course, has air purifying models in its range – in addition to its new purifying headphones, the Dyson Zone.
The Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde is an upgraded version of the basic model, capable, as the name suggests, of filtering out formaldehyde. This carcinogenic gas is very present in our interiors, because it is emitted by many pieces of equipment, but also furniture, paint and floors.
In terms of filtration, the device is particularly efficient and very fast in disinfecting a room. Its futuristic design will delight Dyson fans. The device can be controlled with a small remote or directly on a smartphone via the Dyson Link app. Dyson complies, everything works perfectly, without problems. Of course, all this at a cost… 699 euros, a price that can be prohibitive for many consumers.
Why choose the Dyson Cool Formaldehyde purifier?
- Top quality manufacturing.
- rare formaldehyde filter
- excellent ergonomics
Phillips AC3039/10 : more effective for large surfaces
Do you live in a house or a large apartment? Then you need to purify large rooms. Philips is a trusted manufacturer of air purifiers. While there are many more compact models for smaller rooms, the AC3039/10 is part of the 3000i Series range. So it’s a pretty massive purifier, not really made to be moved around. Luckily, the design is quite nice.
It can occupy a space of up to 135 m². A classic 20 m2 room is sanitized in about 5 minutes, proof of the effectiveness of the device’s flow rate. It has two speeds, as well as Turbo, Auto, and Sleep modes. Please note that in Turbo mode it gets very loud. Please note that if there is no remote, you can control it via your smartphone.
On the purification side, the model is capable of capturing 99.97% of particles, even the finest ones (down to 0.003 microns). Thus, three filters are superimposed, one of them HEPA and the other of activated carbon, to capture dust, fine particles, pollen, dander and animal hair responsible for allergies, bacteria… but also odors.
Why choose the Philips 3000i AC3039/10 series?
- Excellent filtration capabilities.
- Very useful mobile app
- practical automatic mode
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty: the new challenger
The South Korean specialist Coway, hitherto absent from the French market, now offers its products on French e-commerce sites. And that’s great news, because their air purifiers are very efficient, at a particularly interesting price point. They are also acclaimed on the other side of the Atlantic.
Therefore, we will inform you of the Mighty model, its full name on Coway AP-1512HH Powerful. The latter is capable of covering no less than 100 m². Like other purifiers, it has several consecutive filters to treat the air, including a HEPA one. The device, which has a very simple square design, offers a clear system of colored LEDs, from red to blue, to indicate the quality of the air in your room. Different levels of automatic operation are offered, including an eco mode which is very handy if you simply have a small part to process. We can regret a slightly high sound level, but only in its maximum operation.
In use, this Coway is particularly effective and is offered at an unbeatable price, especially for the surface area treated. Its price of 238 euros may well hurt competitors.
Why choose the Coway AP-1512HH?
- Suitable for large interiors.
- Particularly effective for pollen filtration.
- Automatic management of the operating mode
Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4: the best value for money
With this model, Xiaomi is impeccable. The Xiaomi Smart AIr Purifier 4 has it all: a portable design, exemplary efficiency, compatibility with voice assistants and, as a bonus, a very decent price. It comes to take over from the Mi Air Purifier 3H that we previously recommended.
It is certainly not a very compact device. Therefore, we recommend that you place it where you want it and not touch it again.
It can be controlled through the Mi Home app, which will contain a large amount of air quality data. Google Assistant and Alexa compatibilities are also in the game to manage your purifier by voice. It is also controlled via the OLED touch screen that can display information such as room temperature, humidity level, filter status or the level of fine particles present in the room. It also releases negative ions to cool down the room.
Like many other models, this one has a block that includes three filters: a HEPA, an activated carbon, and a pre-filter. Therefore, it is capable of filtering particles of up to 0.3 microns, in pieces of up to 48 m², according to Xiaomi. The filter in question, which must be changed once or twice a year, will cost you 31 euros (twice as much as Philips).
We were also able to test the first version of the Xiaomi purifier a few years ago. Little by little, Xiaomi has clearly perfected its purifiers.
Why choose the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4?
- Connected model: management via app and voice commands
- Low energy consumption
- payable price
Levoit Core 200S: the affordable compact purifier
Well known in the United States, the Levoit brand specializes in affordable air purifiers. The recent Core 200S model is the smallest in the range and is offered for only 99 euros. At this rate, of course, you will not be able to deal with large apartments, but still up to 35 m² according to the manufacturer. Therefore, it will be perfect for a bedroom. This very compact little purifier (only 32 cm high and 3 kg) also features a triple layer filter, with HEPA H13 filter.
In order not to spoil anything, it is very complete on the connectivity side: in addition to the touch adjustment, it is controlled by an application called VeSync (Android and iOS). Finally, it is compatible, through this same application, with Google Assistant and Alexa.
Why choose the Levoit Core 200S?
- A small format that is easy to move
- a design on
- a minimum price
Ikea STARKVIND: the designer air purifier
If there is a brand that seeks to stand out in this market, it is the Swedish Ikea. In this case, the furniture giant has logically sought to combine technology and design.
After a first version of the purifier called
Sold without the table system, the STARKVIND then stands vertically. It adopts a totally different design from purifiers from other manufacturers, with a fabric wall system inherited directly from Ikea’s previous model, the . In addition, it is available in two colors, white or black.
But what about efficiency? The STARKVIND can occupy a relatively modest area (20 m²), and its airflow varies between 50 m3/h and 240 m3/h. For comparison, in the same price range, the maximum flow rate of the Mi Air Purifier 3 h is 380 m3/h. So the Ikea model is a bit lazy.
In stores and online, the floor version is available at 110 euros, the table version at 130 euros.
Why choose Ikea’s STARKVIND purifiers?
- A unique design, to highlight or camouflage in a piece of furniture
- cheap filters
- Easy to use
Everything you need to know about air purifiers
When to buy an air purifier?
You may invest in an air purifier for a number of reasons. This type of device is recommended for people who suffer from allergies (pollen, animal hair, dust mites, etc.), asthma or respiratory diseases. But it will also be useful against smoke and bad smells, especially those from cooking and cigarettes. It will also be useful to counteract viruses and bacteria in suspension. Some models are also capable of filtering carcinogenic gases such as formaldehyde, which are harmful to the entire population.
What are the different filters used in air purifiers?
The vast majority of air purifiers intended for the general public are based on a triple filter system:
- A pre-filter, which stops larger particles such as dust and hair. The latter is usually cloth. By stopping the largest one first, you prevent the other two filters from clogging up too quickly.
- An activated carbon filter, which is in particular responsible for neutralizing odors. The charcoal in question is most often obtained by calcining coconut. It is responsible for neutralizing suspended particles such as cigarette smoke, scented candle vapors, incense, etc.
- A HEPA filter, which captures up to 99.995% of particles with a diameter greater than or equal to 0.3 microns. Most consumer purifiers have a HEPA 13 filter.
Furthermore, some sophisticated models are capable of retaining formaldehyde: in this case, a specific filter is added. Formaldehyde, better known as formalin in its liquid form, is commonly found in our interiors. It is widely used for its disinfectant and fixative power. Therefore, it is present in DIY and maintenance products, paints, furniture, plastic materials, etc. However, this molecule is carcinogenic.
How to clean the exterior and filter of an air purifier?
It’s a good idea to clean the outside of your purifier yourself, where the air is captured, particularly by wiping down with a cloth to remove any dust. Filters then need to be replaced regularly, usually when prompted by your device. This usually happens once or twice a year, but it all depends of course on the model, but above all on the regularity of use. It is essential to change these filters, otherwise the purifier becomes useless, even if at first glance you think it works.
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