Best air purifiers for home 2023: Breathe easy and filter out allergens

Constantly seeking to clear the air, Stuart Pritchard powers up the best air purifiers and also plonks down some plants

eemingly omnipresent 80s tub-thumper Phil Collins once sang that he could "Feel it coming in the air tonight".

Now, whether he was referring to an impending asthma attack or not, I’m not certain as he never did clarify what exactly it was that he could feel, but with the terrible air quality back then, it wouldn't surprise me.

Now, according to a paper I dug up and read from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) so that you wouldn't have to, air quality in the UK has shown improvement in the last 40 years, however the air we breathe is still rammed to the respiratory system ruining rafters with chemicals, odours and radon, the latter being radioactive dust that can cause lung cancer. Which is why your home and health both could benefit considerably from the addition of an air purifier.

Capable of putting the kibosh on all of the aforementioned awful air pollution, plus able to reduce the risk of airborne diseases, asbestos particles and help relieve the symptoms of asthma, other advantages with some models include eliminating embarrassing pet pong, which is a bonus that should not be overlooked.

Available in many guises and sizes, charged by ES Best to clear the air, I’ve worked my way through the current pick of the purifiers and rounded-up no air-curing collection to suit all circumstances.

Deep breath, we’re going in.

Best for: Bargain brilliance

Shark is a big name in home appliances, if mostly for its renowned range of vacuum cleaners, but if the 4 HE400UK is anything to judge by, that reputation such easily extend to air purifiers too.

Okay, first things first – big name, big purifier. Measuring 43.2 x 22.6 x 61.7cm in size, this beast has a filtration system capable of capturing 99.97 per cent of pollutants and allergens at 0.3-microns, plus dealing with mould, bacteria and other assorted nasty particles such as dirt, dander and particles, thanks to four powerful fans.

Those fans operate in either auto mode, during which the Shark's Clean Sense IQ monitors air quality and adjusts cleaning power accordingly, or you can get involved yourself and switch up and down revs via the slick touchscreen display or using the bundled remote. Either way, when it senses you air is all clear, it flips itself into an energy efficient standby mode to help preserve the pennies.

Able to handle spaces up to 34m2 in scale, as a household appliance aesthetics are important and, it has to be said, the Shark is a handsome so and so, large but with slick minimalist design and, whilst seen here in white, the review model had one more deal-maker up its sleeve for me: it's also available in ultra-sleek black too. Boom!

Best for: All-areas air freshing

Another fine-looking fan-based filly, the TotalClean PetPlus 5 in 1 has an on-the-nose name that almost tells you all you need to know, but I’m going to carry on facting you hard regardless.

Featuring a prefilter that traps the larger particles loose in your atmosphere, this HoMedics comes with three cleaning speeds with ‘whisper quiet’ speeds available so that you can keep the air clean while you sleep (note: air purifier are known to aide better slumber). The 5 in 1 system consists of the prefilter, HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate absorbing), carbon odor (sic) filter, UV-C tech to kill airborne bacteria, viruses and mould, and finally an ionizer which creates a static charge around airy contaminants which causes them to stick to nearby surfaces where you can clean them up more easily. Also featuring an oil tray, you can add your own essential oils to pads inside to not only have your air fresh, but also subtly scented.

Pleasingly designed with a look that makes it look like an iPod mated with a jet engine, all controls appear on top, lighting up with a background blue, so it's not going to look out of place in any modernish home.

But to the real test – does it deal with pet stench. Currently I share the house with two cats (sometimes more depending on what gets through the cat flap), one of which is geriatric and another that seems to constantly find interesting thing to eat outside that cause her gaseous stomach issues later in the evening. So, I can report that not only does the 5 in 1 rid the air of standard manky animal emanation, it also rids me of the additional reek of pussy cat out-pourings, which is an olfactory revelation every day.

Best for: Triple-action talent

Despite looking like it has ‘POO’ in its name (oh, grow up!), Dyson make some quality kit. And this, the HP00 is one excellent example.

Essentially a fan that can cool or heat depending on the season, but with the built-in benefit of being able to air purify too, the Dyson features a thermostatic control to keep you toasty, a Dyson Air Multiplier fan to keep you cool, and a HEPA filter to keep you free off all the awful things floating in your own air space, to the tune of 99.95 per cent of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.1-microns.

Two modes are available, to keep you warm/cool/uncontaminated and the whole shebang comes with a magnetic remote control so that you can achieve your ends without lifting a buttock, while design-wise, the HP00 Pure Hot + Cool is pure Dyson.

Best for: Checking the need to purify

Not an air purifier in itself, the Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitor targets those who might only need to run a purifier occasionally, by keeping a keen eye on air quality for you.

Smaller than you might imagine, this slender and damnably attractive early warning system measures the key parameters of your indoor environment and alerts you over smartphone app to what the issue in the air is and makes recommendations as to what you can do to resolve it.

A handy smart device that can help you stay on top of your home health, even if you’re not sure you need to monitor air quality, better safe than sorry, eh?

Best for: Multifunctional air manipulation

The fancy pants De’Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry is so much more than an air purifier, it's also a dehumidifier, so you can also suck unwanted extra moisture out the air and utilise the Laundry function to help dry clothes on racks much more quickly, which is a more than handy feature.

Centred around a double filtration system that rids your room of dust and allergens, while removing excess humidity, the De’Longhi can handle rooms up to 75m3 and as it runs at a low 40dB, it's perfect for the bedroom where you don't want a constant whirring disturbing your 40 winks or, indeed, any other boudoir business.

Available in a rather natty blue finish if you like your internal air clean and dry, look to the De’Longhi.

Best for: Air purifying efficiency

Small but perfectly formed, the Core 300S from Levoit features True HEPA H13 Filtering, which means you can rely on the capture of 99.97 per cent at 0.3-microns, thus keeping those allergies of yours well in check.

Thanks to a partner app, you can operate and monitor the 300S from anywhere, so if you’ve been out and about choking on the fumes of the outside world, you can switch it on and have sorting your own air out for when you get home.

Keeping you constantly informed (if you want), the Levoit's AirSight Plus Technology laser sensor monitors air quality in real time and feeds back to you via four coloured halos, or if you can't be bothered being that involved, sticking it in Automatic mode sees the 300S simply read the current air quality and pick the most appropriate speed to run at.

Delivering 360° purification, you can achieve 100 per cent perfect air in a 41m2 room in just 12-minutes, and whisper quiet with a running volume of a meagre 22dB, you can sleep soundly while the Core 300S does its thing.

Best for: Blitzing smaller rooms

The compact HoMedics 4 in 1 tower is the ideal air purifying addition to the smaller rooms of the house at around 40m2. Solidly built and very easy on the eye, akin to its larger sibling I used to rid the downstairs of my house of cat stink, the 4 in 1 features a pre-filter for larger particles, alongside a HEPA-type filter, a carbon odour filter and an optional ionizer. This all works to cleanse the air of up to 90 per cent of airborne allergens down to 0.3-microns in size.

Giving rooms 360° protection, an aroma tray for essential oil pads is also on hand to give the sweet smell of clean air success.

Finally, featuring blue lit buttons up top along with emitting a soothing blue light when in use, the HoMedics 4 in 1 clears the air in next to no time and is an absolute must-own for those with allergies to dust and pollen but who can't be bothered to clean up.

Best for: Natural air purification in large rooms

Right, we all know that plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release lung-pleasing oxygen as a result of photosynthesis. Back in 1989, NASA went and poured even more science on it when it conducted The Clean Air Study to find ways to sort out the old atmos in the International Space Station.

What those big-brained boffins found was that not only do they do the gases thing, certain common indoor plants also remove volatile organic pollutants found in the air too. What kind of volatile organic pollutants? Xylene, trichlorethylene, benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia, that's what, all nasty stuff found in paint, glues, hair dyes, flea sprays, cigarette and e-cigarette smoke – things you don't want hanging around in places you’re doing your living.

Plant Drop sell all those aforementioned common indoor plants, meaning there is literally a plant fit for all rooms. But with such an array of choice, what plants do you want and where for? Simple, just head to the website and answer the Yes of No questions posed by Plant Drop and you’ll be pointed to just what you need.

The ultimate environmentally friendly way to purify your air and pretty up your décor, Mother Nature always finds a way.

Best for: Portable purification

Taking things on the road, it's not just inside houses that allergens lurk, no, they’re in your cars, your caravans, your mobile homes, static caravans, erm, enclosed boats, light aircraft and, well, you get the gist.

So, to combat 99 per cent of Covid-19 viruses, along with pollen, fine dust, house dust, mould spores, dust mites, animal dander, odours, bacteria and even Formaldehyde on the go, get your hands on the lovely little Air Purifier AG+ Airprotect Portable from Gastroback.

USB-usable for life outside the confines of your accommodation, the Gastro uses innovative four-stage, chemical-free air disinfection and filtration for spaces up to 7m3, utilising its combined pre-filter, activated carbon filter, highly efficient silver ion filters, and anion air filter technology.

With three speeds on offer, you’ll have the air inside – what I’m now simply going to call – your ‘mobile solution’ clean and healthy in next to no time, and at around 19cm tall and 7cm wide, it's hardly going to get in the way.

Offering clever cleansing all round, if you take your air quality seriously at home, why would you not extend that to outside the home? Just sayin’.

Best for: Detoxifying with environmental élan

Similar yet different to the Plant Drop options I talked of earlier, this is a kokedama air plant from FourStore. Kokedama means ‘moss ball’ in Japanese and that is exactly what we have here: what's known as a ‘fresh air plant’ – in this case a palm – rooted in soil and wrapped in a cloak of moss.

Coming from the same NASA Clean Air Study scientific root (ahem) and available in either moss or coco-fibre covering, at roughly 15cm wide, these natural paths to air purification detoxify without any drain on the pounds you set aside for your power and, obviously, without any negative impact on the planet.

Stylish too, this was my first time reviewing a plant, as it's never fallen into my tech-heavy remit before, but the beauty of nature is not lost on me and currently on purifying duties in my bathroom, it certainly does look the part.

Best for: The Kitchen

Brace yourself for a true techgasm – this is the Mythos Vertical Air Hub from Franke, an extractor fan for the kitchen at home that also happens to feature a state-of-the-art air sanitisation system!

Yep, as well as oozing designer looks and eliminating cooking odours, this beauty removes up to 99.99 per cent of bacteria and viruses from the air through a separate air stream and two dedicated UV-C lamps, leaving the air purer than pure and free from any unwanted aromas.

Featuring a black and glass finish with a touchscreen control panel, the Franke offers three speeds plus an intensive setting, and a noise level of 57dB at the maximum, but then you shouldn't be sleeping in your kitchen anyway, so you don't need to worry about noise too much.

Clearing the kitchen air in all ways and looking good in the process, for chefs who value science and top-end air purifying science, it's a no-brainer.

Best for: smart purification

The AEG AX91 is a stylish and powerful air purifier. It has a five-stage filtration system that can trap up to 99.5 per cent of pollutants and can get rid of over 99 per cent of bacteria. The sensor constantly measures the quality of the air and automatically adjusts based on the type of particles, the temperature and the humidity. There is a light ring on the front machine, so you see your air quality at a quick glance.

This is a smart connection air purifier so it comes with the AEG Wellbeing app, which allows you to control the purifier as well as understand the quality of your air, schedule it to work and get live updates on the condition of your filters so you know when to change them. This air purifier is very quiet, too, so you’ll hardly know it's on running at just 49dB when the fans are on maximum.

A special AirSurround system brings the air into the machine with a powerful spiral movement. This means that it is more efficient and can bring in a considerable amount of air, prolonging the filter's life. It is best in rooms up to 37m² and works quickly too, so you don't need to have it running for a long time.

Best for: large spaces

This air purifier is ideal for large spaces as it works in rooms up to 100m². It uses a triple-layer filtration system which guarantees up to 99.9 per cent of allergens are removed from the air. Built-in pollen neutraliser technology also gives an even better purification performance.

The Hoover H-Purifier 300 has built-in Wi-Fi so that you can control it from your smartphone. The Hoover app also lets you monitor indoor and outdoor air pollution levels, humidity and temperature - all in real-time. An LED light at the front of the machine will glow green when the air quality is good and red when it needs purifying. To make it easier for the ring to stay in the green, this machine has an auto mode program that will set your air purifier to run when it detects poor air quality.

It's a brilliant choice for bedrooms as there is a special quiet mode so it’ll work away cleansing the air as well as dim the lights on the machine so it won't disturb your sleep. It uses the HEPA filtration system, which will eliminate over 99 per cent of pollutants in as little as 10 minutes.

Best for: efficiency

This air purifier from BlueAir is perfect for rooms up to 17m². It uses a three-step filtration process. First, it brings the air into a fabric pre-filter, which captures larger particles like hair. The next step is going through to the main filter, which captures particles as small as 0.1 microns. Before finally pushing the air through the activated carbon sheet to absorb pollutants such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), smoke and traffic fumes and removes any odours to leave your air feeling fresh and clean. This is perfect if you like to leave your windows open.

The machine runs every 12 minutes on auto-mode to remove all dust, pollen, and bacteria. It is compact so that it won't take over your space. Operating this air purifier is no problem as it's straightforward to use with just one button that cycles through all the settings, including an auto-mode. This is a very quiet air purifier, partly down to its HEPASilent™ filtration system, which is less dense. Because the filters are less dense, they need less air pressure, so they’re quieter and more energy efficient. But whilst on its lowest setting, it is just 23dB which is about the same amount of noise pollution as a whisper.

Best for: a compact purifier

This air purifier has a unique design. But what we love most about it is that you can mount it on the wall or have it stand alone on the floor. Because it's white, it also blends seamlessly into most rooms. It is easy to operate with just one button on the top, allowing you to select the mode. An auto mode works in conjunction with the sensors to adjust cleaning performance depending on your air quality. It uses a Breeze all-round filter that ensures up to 99.6 per cent filtration of micro-particles.

The filters have a very good life span, lasting for around 24 months when the machine is used for up to 12 hours per day. It is suitable for rooms up to 59m² and has a 360-degree airflow system. This is a great air purifier for using in bedrooms as it's very quiet, reaching only 26 decibels when on its lowest setting. It does have an app that can be used to operate the machine and inform you when the filters need to be replaced.

Best for: multiple room sizes

The brand that made InstantPot a must-have item in every home has now released a brand new air purifier. The Instant Air purifier uses a 3-in-1 filter system alongside plasma ion technology to capture and remove up to 99.9 per cent of allergens, bacteria, viruses and mould in polluted air. It's a very stylish looking machine and comes in two colours.

There are three different sizes; small, medium and large. The small is perfect for bedrooms, home offices, and even kitchens, covering around 12m². The medium option will cover 21m² and work well in most larger living areas. And finally, the large option works well in rooms up to 31m². It has a great sensor system built-in, automatically adjusting the fan speed based on the air quality.

If you’re worried about energy consumption, it has an eco-mode that will cycle the fan on and off every 10 minutes if the air quality meets its desired target that results in up to 50 per cent less energy usage. It also has a night mode which senses the room lighting and will turn off the plasma ion generator and running lights whilst reducing the noise output, so you can sleep easy.

What to look for when buying an air purifier

Noise: Whether you want an air purifier for your sitting room or bedroom, it's essential to consider the noise pollution that your chosen machine will put out. Choose one that works quietly when it is on the lowest setting to ensure that it doesn't interrupt your daily activities.

Speed: The majority of air purifiers have multiple speed settings, so try to choose one that you can adjust. This means that you have the option to lower it when you want it to be less noticeable, for example, when you’re watching TV, or ramp it up when the pollen levels are high.

A built-in air-sensor: A built-in air sensor will sense when the air quality is poor and automatically switch itself on and get to work. This is a great function for those who suffer seasonal allergies.

CADR function: CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) is how long it’ll take for your air purifier to remove the unwanted particles per hour. The higher the number, the better the air purifier is.

HEPA filter: There are various filters when it comes to air purifiers. However, HEPA is one of the best. HEPA, which stands for high-efficiency particulate air, catches more pollutants than other filtration systems. In fact, it can capture particles as small as 0.3 microns. And that's important because particles that range between 0.3 and 0.9 microns cause the biggest health risk as they can easily get past our nose hair and into our system.

Where to place your air purifier?

Air purifiers work best when it's one per room, so choose one that will work for the size room you have; it's better to have one that covers a larger area than not enough. It may not always be possible to have multiple purifiers in your home, so consider how portable your choice is before taking the plunge. They should be placed away from walls and furniture to get the best performance. Also, when you’re using your air purifier, its best to keep doors and windows closed so you don't overload your air purifier with too much-unfiltered air.

What's the difference between an air purifier, humidifier and a dehumidifier?

It's easy to think that these three machines do a similar job since they look and sound so alike. But they all do very different things, and it's important to know the difference - so you don't get the wrong gadget for your needs. An air purifier circulates air through a filter, capturing any harmful pollutants in the air. On the other hand, a dehumidifier draws moisture out of the air pumping out dry air, which is useful if your home suffers from damp or condensation. And then, a humidifier adds water to the air but doesn't clean it, so it may ease symptoms of conditions such as colds, blocked sinuses or other respiratory conditions.

Do you still have to clean if you have an air purifier?

Unfortunately, yes. Air purifiers can't get rid of any particles that have already settled on to surfaces or furniture. So the best way to keep your home protected against these is to dust and wipe down your surfaces with a good antibacterial cleaner. As well as regular vacuuming and mopping of your floors. Combining a good cleaning routine with an air purifier is the best way to defeat indoor air pollution.