The demand for air purifiers is on the rise. Not least because of the increase in the amount of both outdoor and indoor air pollutants. In fact we now know that the pollution in homes is almost four to five times greater than the pollution outside.
Millions of people today resort to Air purifers to purify the air in thier surrounding. So it’s no wonder that there are so many different types of air purifiers on the market. And getting the best model is now difficult. That’s why in this post, we will review the best HEPA Air purifiers available. So that when you go to purchase one, you will know exactly which one to choose to deal with particulate air pollutants in your home.
We have included a buying guide and some tips at the end of our best HEPA air purifiers list.
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WHY AIR HEPA PURIFIERS ARE NECESSARY
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Breathing in particulate air for a long period of time has dire consequences. Especially on your health. It can lead to increase in allergy and asthma symptoms, respiratory diseases and indeed there is evidence that shows particulate air pollution can cause disorders such as Parkinson and Alzheimer’s diseases.
And that’s not even all. In 2013, an MIT study showed air pollution from combustion emissions lead to about 200,000 premature deaths in the USA. There’s a correlation between particulate air pollution and increase in mortality rate. Especially among people with heart disease and suppressed immune systems.
Hepa Air purifiers remove particulate matters such as pollen, fine dust, mold spores etc from the air and there by purifying it. Majority of people who use HEPA air purifers usually see a drastic reduction in their asthma and allergy symptoms. They even enjoy good and proper sleep.
Pollutants continuously find thier ways in to homes. So to achieve maximum benefit, it’s important you continuously run a hepa air purifiers at where you you want it to clean the air.
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BEST HEPA AIR PURIFIERS 2020
Having Said the above, let’s examine the various Air purifers that are best for cleaning and purifying air. We carefully selected them among many air purifiers based on many factors.
We looked at the special features each one of them posseses, thier efficiency and also what people who use them have to say about them.
The following are the Hepa Air purifiers we believe stand tall among the various Air Cleaner models we have on the market today.
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1. Honeywell True Hepa Allergen Remover
This is inarguably one of the most well known Hepa Air purifiers trusted by many people. It comes with two filters: an activated carbon pre filter and a Hepa Filter.
The activated carbon filter captures volatile organic compounds, odor , gases and larger particles. In a sense, this filter prolongs the life span of the main Hepa filter. The Hepa filter on the other hand captures 99.97% percent of pollen , mold , pet dander , dust , smoke and any particles of size 0.3 micron or larger. The two filters work together to ensure your house is particulate pollutants free.
The device has a Filter light that reminds you when you have to change the filters. With this feature, you don’t have to monitor your device daily to see if you have to replace the filters. You will be reminded to do so when it is time. Pre filters usually need to be changed every three to four months while the main filter should be replaced once every year.
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The device works by ;
1. Drawing in the air from its surrounding 2. Pre Filters capture and remove gases and odor.
3. The main Hepa filter will then trap the tiny particles in the air
4. And finally a purified and cleaned air is given out.
If you place the device in an appropriate size of room, the device will repeat this process five times per hour. That is to say the air in that will be cleaned 5 times every hour.
It has four cleaning levels; Germ, General Clean, Allergen and Turbo. The Germ mode is very silent. You can use it while sleeping and when you don’t want any interference from noise.
It aslo comes with automatic shut off feature. You to turn off your device automatically with feature.
It has been verified by AHAM. and it is also Energy star qualified. This means that it meets the strict energy efficiency guidelines set by EPA. Its CADR rates for tobacco smoke , dust and pollen are 300, > 320 and > 300 respectfully.
Downsides: Its filters are quite expensive to replace. The turbo mode is very noisy. The power controllers can be faulty sometimes too.
But all in all we highly recommend it for anyone who wish to get an air purifier to deal with allergens and other particulate pollutants.
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2. Winix WAC9500
This is also one of the great hepa air purifiers available on the market today. It has true HEPA filtration; It traps and captures 99.97% of all particles in the air drawn to it. Even particles as small as 0.3 micron can be filtered by this model.
It comes with special pre filters that are washable. These washable pre filters control odor from smoking, cooking and other household odor from your home. It can equally trap pet hair and larger particles. So as a result, it acts as a shield for the main HEPA filters.
Another stand out feature of this model is the PlasmaWave Technology. This tech deals with virus , bacteria, odor and gases in your surrounding. There are so many of such microorganism in every house. And that’s why this feature is a huge plus for this model.
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This Winix model is particularly good for pet owners. As it captures annoying pet hairs flying around in the air in your home. And it also eliminates odors from pets.
It has smart sensors installed in it. The smart sensors automatically adjust your device setting depending on the nature of the impurities available. You don’t have to change settings when the allergens or pollutants in your home change in quantity , size or nature.
The auto dim feature is another cool part of the device. The feature decreases the LED light according to the ambience in your surrounding. This makes it perfect for bedroom. So you don’t have to worry about irritating lights from your device at night.
It also has a LED light alert that reminds you to change Filters. The light will stay on untill the filters are changed. The all in one filter cassettes just need to be changed once every year.
For a 283 sq ft. Of room, its CADR rates for pollen , Dust and Tobacco smoke are 194, 182 and 183 respectively.
Downsides: The filters can be expensive to change. It lacks handle and you might find it difficult carrying it around the home. It can also produce a plastic like odor Some times.
But all in all, we think it’s a great air cleaner model and we recommend it
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3. GermGuardian AC4825 3-in-1 Air Purifier
As a classic and perhaps most desired feature, it comes with HEPA filters which captures almost all (precisely 99.97%) allergens and other harmful particles that pass through it. And If you worry about odors from smoke, cooking and pets, its carbon filter are effective at removing these odors from your home.
Another reason why we included this particular model in our best Hepa Air purifiers list is because of the UV Light technology installed in it. This technology works with titanium dioxide to destroy airbone germs, virus, bacteria and even spores mold.
It also comes with indicators that alert you when you have to chnage the filters or the UV light bulb. And as a result , there’s no risk of forgetting to replace the filters or the UV light bulb when the time is due.
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The GermGuardian AC4825 3-in-1 Air Purifier is light weight and can easily be carried around. We dont however advise moving air purifiers from one room to the other. It is better to get separate air purifiers for separate rooms in order for them to effectively purify the surroundings.
Downsides: The device can give off an unpleasant smell somtimes.
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4. AeraMax 300 Air Purifier
This particular models comes with many fascinating technologies. Its True Hepa filters are treated with Aerasmart anti-microbial. This enables the filters to remove 99.97 % of 0.3 micron or larger particles of germs , cigarette smoke, pollen, ragweed , mold spores and other allergens.
The Aerasmart sensor can detect the allergens present in your atmosphere automatically and purifies them accordingly. People are particularly happy with this feature. You don’t struggle to operate this device. Just put it on the auto mode. And you are done.
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The device also has a special mode for cold and flu season. This mode deals with influenza virus. It you suffer from cold and flu during this season, this product is a great one for you.
Also, before it releases purified air into your home, its PlasmaWave Technology uses an ionizer field to remove any remaining airborne pollutants.
We recommend you use it in a room size of about 300 to 600 sq. ft. The asthma and allergy foundation declared it as asthma and allergy friendly device.
Downsides; just like the earlier air purifiers we raviewed, it has has expensive filters. And sometimes too it can produce annoying noise.
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5. Honeywell AirGenius5 Air Cleaner
The fourth purifier on our list we think is one of the best Hepa Air purifier out there is the Honeywell AirGenius5. It comes with 5 modes for cleaning the air in your surrounding; Sleep, Germ , General Clean , Allergen and Max.
The sleep mode operates almost without any noise. You can sleep under this mode without any disturbance at all. The Germ mode is suitable for cold seasons. As the name suggest, General mode is for general cleaning. Allergen mode however is ideal for using when there are so many allergens around.
It has advanced filtration technology which purifies 99.97 of large, small , minute, seen and unseen particulate pollutants around your home.
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It comes with two optional pre filters. And odor controlling filter and a permanent honeycomb style filter. You don’t have to replace or change the latter filter. You just have to be washing it at least four times every year. And that’s a great money saver. As you wouldn’t be buying new filters every 3 or 4 months.
The model is Enery Star rated. It uses just about thesame amount of electricity as your light bulb. Therefore operating the device wouldn’t bloat your electricity bill.
Its design is quite unique and appealing. And the smart touches on it enhance user experience.
In a 250 square feet of room, its CADR rates for tobacco smoke, pollen and Dust are 161, 170 and 160 respectfully.
Downsides; The filters can take long to dry after cleaning them. It might also produce a plastic like odor and the lights can be too bright at night.
6. Honeywell 17000-S
This is also another trusted Honeywell air purifier model. Its HEPA filters offer true HEPA filtration as it traps almost all allergens and particulate pollutants that passes through it. Even particles as minute as 0.3.micron are captured. It has pre filters which control odor in your surrounding.
It comes with features that monitor the life span of the filters. You can easily monitor the remaining life of your filters through this feature. Each of the filter has a button on the device. When the button is pressed, a light is activated.
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To know whether it’s time for you to change your filters, just press the button of the filter you want to check. If the light blinks just once, then the filters still has so much life remaining. If it blinks twice, then that filter hasn’t got that much life left. Three blinks means even much less life remaining for the filter. And if the light is steady, then know that it’s time to change the that particular filter. Knowing the lifespan of the filters is that easy.
The pre filters can last for 3 months while the main filters can last up to 1 – 3 years.
If you place it in an appropriate room size and run it continuously, the device will clean the room six times for you within an hour.
Downsides; It can be very loud some times. Especially at night. And sometimes it can give off a plastic like odor.
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7. Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier AP51030k
Another great air purifier you can get to deal with particulate air pollutants in your surrounding is the Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier. In a 500 square feet room size, it can clean the air almost five times in an hour.
It comes with four fan speeds; Low, medium, high and Turbo. You choose any speed you want depending on your need.
It has two filters; A true HEPA filter and a carbon activated filter. These together minimise your exposure to substances likely to trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. The Hepa filters filter 99.97 percent of pollen, mold spores and house dander. Including both seen and unseen particles. The carbon filter on the other hand ensure you breath fresh air by reducing odor from smoke , cooking and pets in your home.
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The grill outside the unite in a way acts as a permanent pre filter by capturing and filtering larger particles in the air drawn to the air purifier.
The main Hepa filters are supposed to be replaced once annually while the carbon filters must be changed thrice every year.
Due to its large size , it has the advantage of purifying air faster. But surely, the efficiency and rate will depend on where you place it.
It has been approved by AHAM , COM, CARB and E Star.
Downsides; It may start to make loud noise after some time. And just as common with most air purifiers, its filters are expensive to change.
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8. Winix PlasmaWave 5300 Air Cleaner
We included this particular air purifier on the list of the best Hepa air purifiers for so many reason. Top among the reasons is the fact that people who use it are usually pleased with it.
A pre carbon filter, a true Hepa filter and plazmawave technolgy are its main functioning conponets. The combination of these ensure your sorrounding is free of pollen, odor, pet dander, mold spores, organic chemical and ther harmful particles. This allows you to live in an asthma and allergy free environment with fresh air to breath.
Unlike some devices, it doesnt produce ozone and other harmful by products. Ozone causes temporary bronchospasm. Especially in asthma patients. And devices that produce it should be avoided by asthma and even allergy patients.
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The device has an in-built air quality sensor. This allows the device to adjust automatically to deal with the amount of air pollutants at where it is placed. So you don’t have to do it manually.
The model is ideal for large rooms. Up to about 350 square feet
Another cool thing about the Winix PlasmaWave 5300 Air Cleaner model is that it won’t run up your energy cost. It Consumes minimal amount of electricity. It is star energy approved
Downsides; It doesn’t come with a remote control, you can’t also turn off the PlasmaWave Technology and changing the filters can be expensive.
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9. Hamilton Beach TrueAir Air Purifier (04386A)
The cool thing about this hepa Air purifier is that you don’t have to worry about exrta cost to replace the filters. The filters can easily be vacummed. And thus it is very easy and cheap to maintained and managed.
It is specially designed to occupy little space. It wont take much space in your home. The design also allows you to place it either horizontally or vertically
It has a permanent Hepa grade filters that are able to capture 99 % percent of 0.3 micron or large allergens in your home allowing you to live in a surrounding free of asthma and allergy triggers.
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The fan of the model works on 3 speeds: low, medium and high. You can put it on the low mode when you need extra quietness or during bed time. You can use the medium mode all day. And if you feel the need to clean your home faster, the high speed mode is the deal speed for you.
Downsides; As you have probable noticed by now, none of the air purifiers on the market are perfect. They all have thier shortcoming. The negative side of this model is that it works best for small areas. You might not get good results when you use it in a large area. For best results, we advice you to get at aleast 2 of this unit for your home.
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10. KOIOS Desktop Air Purifier
Another model we think is among the most effective HEPA air purifer and so included it in our list is the KOIOS Desktop Air Cleaner.
The device has multiple filtration proocess. Air pass through the fine pre layer, the HEPA layer (where 99.97 % of allergens and other particles are captured) and finally through the carbon filter where odors from pets, cooking and smoke are removed before a purified and cleaned air is relased in to your surrounding.
It is a great model for the elderly, children, pet owners and people with babies. If you suffer from stuffy nose and allergy, then this air purifier is a strong option for you when you want to get an air purifier to deal with the allergens in your surrounding.
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It doesn’t consume much power. And can be ran on a very quiet mode. It won’t interrupt your sleep..
The the device is portable and you can place it almost anywhere youu want. Be it your kitchen, bedroom, Office or study room. Literally anywhere reasonable possible. Its great outlook is a wonderful fascination for many people.
Downsides; It can be noisy at times. It can also produce a plastic like smell when turned on.
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NOW LET’S LOOK AT FACTORS TO CONSIDER BUYING AN AIR PURIFIER
1. Operating Cost ;
The first thing you have to take into account when you want get an air purifier is your budget. Most Hepa air purifers come with at least two filters. Pre filters and Hepa filter. The pre filters generally need to be changed at least every three to four months. While in most cases , you just need to change the main Hepa filters once every year. Some air purifiers come with washable filters though. Such filters don’t need to be replaced. You just have to wash them when the need arises.
So before buying an air purifer, it’s important you take all these into considerations.
2. Noise;
These devices can sometimes make irritating noise when they are operating. Especially at night. Some them comes with modes that are almost silent when operate them on such modes. But don’t just pick an air purifier simply because it doesn’t make noise, effectiveness counts as well.
To get both effectiveness and minimal noise from your device, get an air purifier designed for places larger than where you want to use it. So that you can run it at a lower speed ( for minimal noise) and still get good results.
3. Cleaning ;
How you clean your air purifer matters. Before purchasing one, ensure you are clear in your mind as to how you clean it. You wouldn’t want to get an air purifer that’s difficult to clean and maintain.
4. Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR);
It is a value given to an air purifer based on test performed for the Association of Home Appliance manufacturers (AHAM).
CADR is basically the volume of filtered air by an air purifier. An Air purifier with CADR around 350 is Excellent. While a CADR value below 100 is poor.
But Note that CADR only measures tobacco smoke , pollen and dust. Yes, the value of CADR shoudnt be ignored. But it is certainly not the only fact that determines the overall effectiveness of an air purifier.
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HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR AIR PURIFIER
To properly improve the quality of your indoor Air, you have to minimise the source of the pollutants in the first place before you run an air purifier.
– stop or prevent indoor smoking
– use vacuum cleaners with Hepa filters to vacuum clean your home regularly
– Minimise and if possible avoid using wood fires and candles
– don’t store solvents, paints, pesticides and chemicals where you live. They give off Volatile Organic compounds ( VOCs) ( You can this post about major sources of indoor air pollution)
– Use exhaust fan in your kitchens, laundry and your bath areas.
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FEATURES YOU CAN LOOK OUT FOR IN AN AIR PURIFIER BEFORE BUYING
There are some features in air purifiers that make them cool and easy to handle , maintain and operate. Below we have listed the important ones ;
– Timer;
This allows you to turn the air purifier off automatically or let it run for some times before you use the place it’s placed in.
– Carrying Handle ;
This is especially helpful for people who wants to carry thier air purifiers from one place to another. We don’t however recommend moving air purifiers from place to place. It is better to get separate air purifiers for separate rooms In order to effectively clean the air in those rooms
– Servicing Indicator ;
It lets you know when you have to clean and replace filters. Clogged air filters can’t perform effectively. This feature reminds you when you need to maintain your air purifier.
– Number of speeds;
Air purifiers come with different fan speed levels. Some have four while others have three fan speed levels. You can use any level depending on whether you want some quietness or sleep or you want it to clean large amount of pullutans in your room.
– Remote;
Remote controls allow you to adjust your device without much hassle.
– ionizer;
some devices use this feature to attract particles through static electricity effect. But make sure the ionizer of your air purifier doesn’t produce Ozone. Ozone is harmful for asthma patients.
– washable filters ;
These filters collect large particles. They can be washed. You don’t need extra cost to replace them. Just that most of the powerful air purifiers don’t have washable filters.
-Dirt Sensor ;
It automatically adjust fan speed spending on the level of dirt in the room.
NOTE;
Generally Hepa Air purifiers work great on dust, pollen, smoke and other particulate pollutants. They don’t effectively remove VOCs from paints , chemicals , solvents etc
But some manufacturers claim catbon filters can remover these compounds. It is important to state that such filters are specific to certain gases. They are not universal gas trappers.
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In Conclusion
Hepa Air purifiers serve many useful purposes. But we must state emphatically that they are not by any means cure for Asthma or allergies. Some people may have this wrong perception.
Air purifiers capture and trap allergens and other asthma and allergy symptoms triggering substances in the air. And as a result they drastically reduce and in some cases prevent asthma and allergy symptoms. They also improve the sleep of many buyers.
So when you go out to get an air purifer for your home, you must realise that you are getting a device to purify the air in your surrounding.
The Air purifiers we reviewed above are among the most effective and best Air purierfies available on the market. You can get any of them depending on your need to tackle the particulate air pollutants in your home.
We carefully stated the major features of each purifer to help you make a wise and best buying decision.
We hope the list was helpful. Let us know below if you have any questions or concerns.
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