Best Air Purifiers of 2024

We started with a list of around 370 air purifiers and crowned the CleanForce Mega1000 the best overall.
Best HEPA air purifier
CleanForce Mega1000
  • pro
    H13 HEPA filter
  • pro
    4 fan speeds
  • pro
    Washable pre-filter
Best for budgets
Winix 5500-2 air purifier
Winix 5300-2
  • pro
    HEPA filter
  • pro
    5 fan speeds
  • pro
    Washable pre-filter
Best for pets
Coway AirMega400
  • pro
    HEPA filter
  • pro
    5 fan speeds
  • pro
    Washable pre-filter
  • Icon Emoji  Fire
Best for bedrooms
Levoit Core 400S
  • pro
    H13 HEPA filter
  • pro
    4 fan speeds
  • con
    No washable pre-filter
Best for allergies
stadler form roger big air purifier
Stadler Form Roger Big
  • pro
    H12 HEPA filter
  • pro
    3 fan speeds
  • pro
    Washable pre-filter

SafeWise experts have years of firsthand experience testing the products we recommend. Learn how we test and review

The CleanForce Mega1000 is our runaway winner for best home air purifier no matter what you’re up against. Smoke, pollen, dust, mold, pet dander, bacteria, and some viruses all end up trapped in one of the Mega1000’s eight filters.

Our other HEPA air purifier recommendations offer a few perks that you can’t get with the CleanForce Mega1000, like ultra-quiet operation, extra air quality sensors, and smart home integrations. We’ve also added budget-friendly alternatives for our top choices.

Notepad
A terminology note

You’ll see “CADR” a lot in this article. It stands for “clean air delivery rate.” Developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), it measures how fast an air purifier can clear pollutants from a 323 square-foot test chamber.



Compare the best air purifiers on the market

Product
Best for
Price
Noise level
Control options
Air cleaned
in 1 hour
Learn more
Best HEPA air purifier35 dBRemote4,650 sq. ft.
Best for budgets28 dBNone360 sq. ft.
Best air purifier for pets22 dBApp,
Amazon Alexa,
Google Home
1,560 sq. ft.
Best for bedrooms24 dBApp,
Amazon Alexa,
Google Home
1,005 sq. ft.
Best air purifier for allergies28 dBApp1,100 sq. ft.

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

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Best air purifier reviews

1. CleanForce Mega1000: Best HEPA air purifier

Best HEPA air purifier

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The CleanForce Mega1000 is the best home air purifier thanks to chart-topping clean air delivery rates (CADRs) for smoke, pollen, and dust. It uses a whopping eight filters to get the job done, but its massive size might be a deal-breaker for cramped rooms.

pro
Pros
pro 8 filters total
pro Best smoke-free CADR
pro Best pollen-free CADR
pro Excellent dust-free CADR
pro Air quality sensor + auto mode
con
Cons
con No smart hub connectivity or app
con Large size
con Relatively loud

The CleanForce Mega1000 pulls air from two directions at once, and each side of the unit has its own set of four filters:

  • Two pre-filters designed to catch large debris like dust bunnies and pet hair
  • A medical-grade H13 HEPA filter to trap small particles
  • An activated carbon filter for odor control

There’s no smart connectivity, so you won’t be able to control the CleanForce Mega1000 with your voice or a smartphone app. But it does come with a remote, and the unit’s display screen gives status updates about the filters and air quality.

The CleanForce Mega1000 is a powerful but massive air purifier

This powerful air purifier is advertised for spaces up to 4,650 square feet, but don’t let that discourage you from buying it for home use. In smaller spaces, big air purifiers like the CleanForce Mega1000 just clean the air faster and more often. Keep it on a lower fan setting to draw less energy.

The main downside of the CleanForce Mega1000 is its large size. It sits on over 1 square foot of floor space and stands over 2 feet tall. And because it pulls air from both sides of the unit, it needs to stay out in the open. If you’re already in a cramped space, this may not be the air purifier for you.

2. Winix 5300: Best for budgets

Best budget air purifier
Winix 5500-2 air purifier
Winix 5300-2
$143.54

Info current as of publish date.

Of the nearly 370 air purifiers we considered, the Winix 5300-2 offers the best balance of price and performance. It cleans the air in a 360 square-foot room (think large living room or primary suite) at AHAM's recommended rate of five times in one hour and costs less than $200.

pro
Pros
pro 4 filters
pro Average smoke-free CADR
pro Average pollen-free CADR
pro Average dust-free CADR
pro Air quality sensor + auto mode
con
Cons
con No smart hub connectivity or app

This Winix air purifier offers four stages of filtration:

  • A washable pre-filter
  • An activated carbon filter
  • A true HEPA filter
  • The Winix PlasmaWave “permanent filter”

Similar to ion-generating air purifiers, Winix’s PlasmaWave technology neutralizes tiny airborne molecules, offering a deep-clean that HEPA filters alone can’t achieve. But unlike ion generators, PlasmaWave doesn’t produce ozone—a molecule that causes allergy-like symptoms in some people, according to the EPA.

The Winix 5300-2 lacks a remote, mobile app, and smart hub connectivity. But you don’t really need to be hands-on with it. The 5300-2 automatically adjusts to one of its five fan speeds whenever it detects a change in indoor air quality.

If you do want a remote, try the Winix 5500-2 for about $250.

3. Coway AirMega 400S: Best air purifier for pets

Best air purifier for pets

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Coway AirMega 400S smart air purifier features a washable pre-filter that’s perfect for trapping pet fur. A light on the unit even tells you when the pre-filter needs to be washed so you can keep it running at peak efficiency. A separate light tells you when to change the HEPA filter.

Learn more about how to clean air purifier filters.

pro
Pros
pro 3 filters
pro Best pollen-free CADR
pro Good dust-free CADR
pro Air quality sensor + auto mode
pro Smartphone app
pro Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home
pro Very quiet
con
Cons
con Average smoke-free CADR

Other pet-home-friendly features include an activated carbon filter for pet odor control and an auto-sensor that adjusts the fan speed when air quality diminishes—like when your dog runs around the house after rolling in dirt or when your cat kicks up a cloud of litter dust.

This Coway air purifier traps pollen from the air at the same chart-topping rate as our top two picks, but it’s not a good air purifier for smoke particles. Its dust-cleaning performance is above average. And, although it’s advertised for rooms up to 1,560 square feet, it only cleans the air twice in one hour in such a large space. We recommend using it in a smaller room for best results.

At 22 decibels, the Coway AirMega 400S is the quietest air purifier on our list and one of the quietest you’ll find on the market, period. It also integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Home for voice activation and smart home automation.

Checklist
Budget alternatives

These Coway air purifiers match the 400S in most features but handle smaller rooms and cost less:

4. Levoit Core 400S: Best air purifier for bedrooms

Best air purifier for bedrooms

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Levoit 400S is one of the quietest air purifiers on the market, making it perfect for a bedroom or nursery. It cleans up to 400 square feet five times per hour. The Levoit 400S has a much smaller footprint than other air purifiers, allowing you to put it on a dresser if you’re short on space. Plus, its LED display can be turned off entirely for restful blackout conditions.

pro
Pros
pro 3 filters
pro Air quality sensor + auto mode
pro Smartphone app
pro Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home
pro Very quiet
con
Cons
con Average CADRs in all categories

The Levoit 400S includes a pre-filter, activated carbon filter, and an H13 HEPA air filter. It integrates with Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control, and its smartphone app shows useful data like remaining filter life and indoor air quality trends.

Light Bulb
Budget alternative

To save a bit of money, check out this Hunter air purifier: HP600. It costs about $60 less than the Levoit 400S but features a slim design and quiet operation. It’s suitable for rooms up to about 200 square feet.

5. Stadler Form Roger Big: Best air purifier for allergies

Best air purifier for allergies
stadler form roger big air purifier

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

While the Stadler Form Roger Big air purifier doesn’t clean smoke as well as the CleanForce Mega1000, it boasts the same CADRs for allergens like wildfire smoke and pollen. It has a particulate sensor and a rare gas sensor, allowing it to detect tiny changes in air quality and ramp up its fan speed accordingly.

pro
Pros
pro 4 filters
pro Excellent smoke-free CADR
pro Best pollen-free CADR
pro Excellent dust-free CADR
pro Air quality sensor + auto mode
pro Smartphone app
con
Cons
con No smart hub connectivity

The Stadler Form Roger Big uses four filters:

  • Two washable pre-filters for larger allergens, like pet fur
  • An H12 HEPA filter for small particles, like dust and pollen
  • An activated carbon filter to trap odors

This air purifier can be controlled through a smartphone app. It also takes up less space than the CleanForce Mega1000 and—to be perfectly honest—looks nicer than our top pick.

If you don’t need to purify a 1,100 square-foot space, you can save a bit of money by choosing the smaller Roger model (rated for 710 square feet). Downgrading to the even smaller Roger Little (355 square feet) means you’ll lose the gas sensor and smartphone app.

Bell
Budget alternative

Check out the LivePure Bali air purifier for allergy relief on a budget. It doesn’t have an auto air quality sensor, remote control, or mobile app, but the LivePure Bali traps dust and pollen with almost the same efficacy as the Roger Big.

You’ll save over $200 compared to the Roger Big and still snag one of the best air purifiers for allergies on the market.

More air purifiers we considered

Germ Guardian air purifiers

Germ Guardian sells a lot of different air purifiers. We steered clear of this brand’s ozone-producing models, which narrowed the selection quite a bit. We didn’t find any stand-out specifications that set Germ Guardian apart from our other picks, but that doesn’t mean this is a bad brand if it meets your expectations.

Blueair purifiers

As with Germ Guardian, some Blueair models generate ozone, and we don’t recommend that kind of air purifier. The Blueair Classic 505 is a HEPA air purifier that performs as well as some of our top picks, but it’s only available in refurbished units. Other Blueair HEPA options had low CADRs, so they couldn’t rattle our list of the best air purifiers.

Dyson Pure Cool

Some Dyson air purifiers also heat and cool the room, giving you a three-in-one device. We also like all of the control options: a traditional remote, smartphone app, or voice control via Amazon Alexa. But Dyson’s purifiers are louder than other options, aren’t rated for large rooms, and use more energy per year than more powerful models.

Alen Breathesmart

The Alen Breathesmart uses a medical-grade H13 HEPA filter and cleans the air about as well as the mid-size Stadler Form Roger. But it’s on the loud side and lacks user-friendly features like an air quality indicator, washable pre-filter, and remote control or smartphone app.

We do have to give the Alen Breathesmart props for looking good, though. With custom paneling, it’s easy to make this purifier blend in with your décor. 

Final word

There’s no denying that the CleanForce Mega1000 is the best air purifier on the market today. It’s the fastest and most effective unit designed for home use and is worth every penny. But if it’s out of your price range, our other top picks have their own strengths:

FAQ

No, Winix’s PlasmaWave technology isn’t harmful. It temporarily turns moisture from the air into a positively charged hydrogen molecule and a negatively charged oxygen molecule.

Airborne pollutants bond to these ions according to their own positive or negative charges. Any leftover hydrogen or oxygen molecules that didn’t bond to pollutants reunite and form harmless water molecules. 

No ozone is produced during this process.

All of the air purifiers on our list are ozone-free, so we think the CleanForce Mega1000 is the best air purifier without ozone.

Air purifiers improve indoor air quality. They use a fan to pull air through a set of filters. Irritating airborne particles like dust, pollen, or dander are trapped in the filters. Air pollution and odor molecules get trapped too. The fresh air is then returned to the room.

How we reviewed the best air purifiers

We started with Energy Star's list of energy-efficient air purifiers because it collects important information in one place: cleaning rates for smoke, dust, and pollen, plus ozone emissions and filter types.

We only considered fan-and-filter air purifiers for our lineup because ion generators produce ozone, which can cause health problems—negating the purpose of an air purifier. We also left out products designed for garages or workshops, and eliminated contenders you can't buy online.

Efficacy was our main concern, so we looked at the nearly 370 air purifiers that remained to find those with the highest Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADR) for smoke, dust, and pollen. We preferred air purifiers that could clean a larger space at least five times per hour—the standard set by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Due to the abundance of data available from Energy Star, we didn't conduct any hands-on testing for this review. We supplemented this data with additional research into customer reviews and manufacturer resources.

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Disclaimer

*Product prices and availability are accurate as of post date and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

Cathy Habas
Written by
Cathy Habas
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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