Which air purifiers are best for reducing microbial and smoke particles from room air?

Latest Update

Air Purifier Reviewed

Written by Meredith Worthington, Ph.D. — Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Updated November 21, 2024 ⓘ

Answer:

Some portable air cleaners can help remove microbial particles (i.e., viruses, bacteria, and fungi) and wildfire smoke from room air. These devices can be part of a strategy for protecting people indoors when used along with other recommended practices. Keep in mind that ventilating with clean, outdoor air (which can be done by opening a window, for instance) is typically the best way to improve indoor air quality.

To help you understand and compare air purifiers, sign-in for the complete answer in which we review dozens of products, showing which we recommend or don't recommend, and which devices are our Top Picks for use in different sized rooms based on their validated performances, certifications and other objective ratings. We also discuss and compare the main types of filters, including fibrous air filters (including true HEPA vs. HEPA-type filters), UVGI filters, electrostatic filters and ionizers (which are often used in personal or "wearable" air purifiers), filters for removing odors, DIY air cleaners, and humidifiers (including information about whether they can be used with air purifiers and how to avoid potential exposure to heavy metals emitted by humidifiers).

We review the following air purifiers:

Aeris Health Aair 3-in-1 Pro Air Purifier
AirDoctor 3000 Professional Air Purifier
Aireox Air Purifier Model 45D
Airfree P3000 Air Purifier
Airocide APS-200 Air Purifier
Airpura UV600 Air Purifier
AirSoap Air Purifier
Air Oasis iAdaptAir (M) HEPA Air Purifier
Alen BreatheSmart FLEX Air Purifier
Alen T500 True HEPA Tower Air Purifier
Amway Atmosphere Sky Air Treatment System
Austin Air HealthMate HM400
Biota Bot 608 Air Purifier
Blueair Blue Classic 605 Air Purifier
Blueair Blue Pure 121 Air Purifier
Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier
Brid Air Purifier
Clarifion Plug In Air Ionizer Air Filter
Coway Airmega 300 Air Purifier
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier
Dyson TP04 Pure Cool Air Purifying Fan
EdenPURE OxiLeaf II Thunderstorm Air Purifier
EnviroKlenz Mobile Air System With UV Light
GermGuardian AC5250PT 5-in-1 Pet Pure Air Purifier
GermGuardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier AC4200W
Hathaspace HSP002 Smart True HEPA Air Purifier 2.0
HoMedics TotalClean 4-in-1 Small Room Air Purifier
Honeywell True HEPA 50250
Hunter HP800 Multi-Room Large Console Air Purifier
Ionic Comfort Air Purifier
IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier
Lasko HEPA HF25620 Air Purifier
Levoit Core 300 True HEPA Air Purifier
LG PuriCare Mini Air Purifier
Medify Air MA-15 Air Purifier
Medify Air MA-25 Air Purifier
Mila Air Purifier
Nuwave OxyPure Smart Air Purifier
Oreck DualMax Air Purifier
PuraShield Mini
Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0 SPA-625A Ultra Quiet Air Purifier
Shark Air Purifier 6 with Anti-Allergen Multi-Filter ADV Odor Lock, XL Area, Smart Sensing
SilverOnyx Air Purifier with True HEPA Carbon Filter, UV Light, Ionizer
Smart HEPA Health S
Therapure TPP240 Air Purifier
TRACS Portable UV-C Air Purifier
Venta Original LW25 Airwasher
VEVA 8000 Elite Pro Series Air Purifier
Vollara Air & Surface Pro
Whirlpool WPPRO2000 Whispure Air Purifier
Winix C535 Air Cleaner
Winix 5300-2 Air Cleaner

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+ — 22 sources

In addition the results of its expert testing, ConsumerLab uses only high-quality, evidence based, information sources. These sources include peer-reviewed studies and information from agencies such as the FDA and USDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. On evolving topics, studies from pre-print journals may be sourced. All of our content is reviewed by medical doctors and doctoral-level experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and chemistry. We continually update and medically review our information to keep our content trustworthy, accurate, and reliable. The following sources are referenced in this article: