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Best air purifiers

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Last updated: 11 October 2023
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Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers and verifiers. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE.

Our industry experts comprehensively lab test and review leading air purifier brands like Dyson, Philips and Winix to help you find the best performers on the market.

Find out which models are:

  • best for dust removal
  • best for smoke removal
  • best for removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • the most energy efficient
  • the quietest
  • the easiest to use.
 

We've also partnered with Shop Ethical on this review to show the ratings the Ethical Consumer Group gives to each company.

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Air purifiers are becoming more common in homes as people look for ways to keep their indoor air clear of dust, smoke, pollen, chemicals and germs.

Our scores are based on how each model compares to the rest, so scores may sometimes change when new models are added to the review.

Our interactive comparison tool helps you find out which brands perform the best at cleaning indoor air, and which ones have the features you want. Our Recommended list will quickly show you which air purifier models come out on top.

Read more about whether an air purifier can trap viruses and bacteria.

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Brand

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List of brands we tested in this review.

    Price

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    Typical retail price at time of publication.

    enter value/s in increments of 1 between 49 and 1695

    Recommended products

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    Member only

    This test score is for members only. Join now to unlock our expert results.

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    Performance score

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    Based on dust removal (50%), smoke removal (40%) and VOC removal (10%).

    enter value/s in increments of i between 7 and 90

    Ease of use score

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    Based on the model's onboard controls, its remote (if it has one), how easy it is to move around, whether it's prone to tip over, how easy it is to clean, and the quality of the supplied instruction manual.

    enter value/s in increments of i between 50 and 90

    Annual replacement filter cost

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    Estimated cost per year for replacing the filters, based on the manufacturer recommendation and assuming the best case for how long the filter is claimed to last.

    enter value/s in increments of i between 12 and 720

    HEPA filter

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    High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) – capable of trapping extremely small particles of dust, smoke and even bacteria and viruses. These filters need to be periodically replaced.

      Charcoal filter

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      Charcoal or carbon filters are said to be good for trapping odours and VOCs such as formaldehyde. These can usually be washed and reused but may need to be replaced eventually.

        Pre filter

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        A coarse filter to catch big dust particles and pet hair so that they don't clog the HEPA and other filters. These can usually be washed and reused but may need to be replaced eventually.

          Ionisation filter

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          Generates charged particles (ions) to remove pollutant particles and microbes from the air. These filters need to be periodically replaced. Ionisation of air can produce small amounts of ozone which is a breathing irritant.

            UV sterilisation

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            UV light can be used to kill bacteria and viruses trapped by the purifier. We haven't tested this feature.

              Included in this review

              Members-only access
              • Recommended
              • Overall score
              • Performance score
              • Dust performance score
              • Smoke performance score
              • VOC performance score
              • Ease of use score
              • Comparative energy efficiency
              • Noise on high setting (dB)
              • Noise on low setting (dB)
              • Good points
              • Bad points
              • Price
              • Replacement filter cost
              • Annual replacement filter cost
              • HEPA filter
              • Pre filter
              • Charcoal filter
              • Ionisation filter
              • UV sterilisation
              • Ozone generation
              • Shop Ethical rating
              • HEPA charcoal filter change interval
              • Remote control
              • Wi-Fi app
              • Fan settings
              • Timer
              • Claimed room size (m2)
              • Claimed CADR dust removal (m3/hr)
              • Claimed bacteria and virus removal
              • Dimensions (H x W x D, cm)
              • Weight (kg)
              • Warranty (years)
              • Country of origin

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