Air purifiers are an easy way to breathe a little easier, designed to remove pollutants and allergens as well as improve the overall air quality at home. They can even help ease symptoms for those with allergies or asthma by reducing the amount of dust and pet dander (although anyone with serious health concerns should still seek professional treatment from a general practitioner).
To get a better insight on the benefits of using an air purifier, we had a chat with well-known doctor and author Dr Ginni Mansberg.
Depending on the type of air purifier, she says you can find models that contain extra features such as activated charcoal to remove gases like smoke particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). There are also products with ultraviolet filters that can get rid of mould, bacteria and other microbes.
“Most air purifiers filter out relatively large molecules measuring five microns or more, such as dust mites and pollen. Some air purifiers have filters with several layers of denser fibres to remove molecules as small as 2.5 microns,” Dr Ginni explained to news.com.au.
“If your concerns are dust and pollen to help with allergies, and cost is a major concern, a reasonably cheap purifier may well do the trick.
“Just make sure that you are using an air purifier large enough for your room size. It should say this on the product information. If you need more out of your purifier you might need to spend a little more for those filters with added features.”
Our top pick is our tried and tested Dreamegg True 8150 Air Purifier, which is pet-friendly and powerful. We’re also liking the smart Philips Air Performer 7000i Series 2-in-1 Air Purifier and Fan for extra all-year round comfort.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
With plenty of air purifier options now available in the market, our shopping team sifted through hundreds of customer reviews, looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to help you narrow down your option to one that will suit your needs and budget. We also spoke to Dr Ginni Mansberg for her expert knowledge and advice on air purifiers.
OUR TOP PICKS
In this article
BEST AIR PURIFIER FOR PETS
Dreamegg True 8150 HEPA Air Purifier, $249.99, Amazon Australia
Tried and Tested by Harriet Amurao, news.com.au checkout Shopping Writer
With two dogs and insane allergies, I snapped up the True 8150 Air Purifier by Dreamegg – and boy am I SO glad I did.
This air purifier is very easy to use and navigate, and it offers a number of cool features like an LED screen with air quality display, sleep mode with a night light, and pet mode.
The first day I received it, I broke it out of the box with excitement and while it did turn out to be a little bigger than I expected, I carried on and inserted the True HEPA filter that it came with, plugged it in and turned it on.
When I say I was blown away, I mean it – figuratively and literally. I popped it on pet mode and the air flow was so strong. It worked so well that the air in my room instantly felt fresher and cleaner, and it wasn’t just in my imagination as the air quality display reflected that. Plus, it got rid of lingering pet odours and smells quickly which was amazing.
This air purifier produces a nice cool breeze and makes minimal noise, but will get stronger and louder as you change the fan speed or mode (it’s not so distracting to the point where you can’t sleep though – think white noise), and the night light can be dimmed or completely turned off which is just perfect.
It’s been a little over a month since using this air purifier and I was so surprised at how much dust and fur has been collected – if this doesn’t show you how powerful it is, I don’t know what will.
Since then I’ve been waking up with no sneeze attacks, and there’s little to no dust or pet fur on my side table and around my room now.
If you’ve got furry friends and are looking into an air purifier that is powerful and pet-friendly I HIGHLY recommend this one – it’s definitely worth the investment!
BEST AIR PURIFIERS FOR ODOURS
Philips Series 3000i Air Purifier AC3033/73, $549 (down from $699), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
The Philips 3000i air purifier has three modes – auto, sleep, and turbo – to efficiently clear the air. You can easily control it from anywhere using the Philips Air+ app, which lets you adjust settings and keep track of the air quality straight from your smartphone. You can also use voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
“The Phillips 3000i is very effective at removing smells from the room. We found it eliminated cooking odours from the kitchen within 15 minutes. We also tried it in the bedroom at night and were surprised at the difference it made to removing pollen etc from the air,” a shopper praised. “The Wi-Fi connectivity is a bit clunky, but persevere and it eventually connects.”
BEST AIR PURIFIERS FOR ALLERGIES, ASTHMA & HAYFEVER
Samsung AX90 Air Purifier AX90T7080, $999, The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
This option from Samsung is recommended as the “best performer” by consumer advocate group Choice, and is even the same model used in different public schools across Victoria (thanks to a State initiative roll-out).
Fitted with gas and laser sensors to automatically monitor and adjust settings in real-time, this Samsung air purifier is claimed to remove 99.97 per cent of ultrafine dust particles to help prevent the spread of certain bacteria. The brand also promises the unit is as effective when placed in the middle of the room compared to when the unit is placed against a wall, thanks to the dual power fan and three-way air flow design.
“(I) have noticed a HUGE difference since getting this! Definitely works well. The auto setting makes it really easy to use,” one shopper wrote.
BEST AMAZON AIR PURIFIERS
RENPHO Air Purifier, $109.19 (down from $162.99), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
This highly rated RENPHO HEPA air purifier will help keep the air fresh five times per hour. It features four fan speeds – high, medium, low and sleep, a night light, three-in-one HEPA filtration system and a filter change light indicator. Suitable for small to medium-sized rooms, it’s compact yet powerful. Also available in white.
With a 4.6 rating and over 3000 five-star reviews, many shoppers are raving about the unit being “so quiet” and “powerful”.
“This machine has four modes (high, medium, low, and night time) and night time mode is so quiet that I actually turned it up to low so I could hear the white noise,” one five-star reviewer wrote.
BEST BUDGET AIR PURIFIERS
Arovec H13 True HEPA Air Purifier, $99.69 (down from $189.89), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Compact and attractive, Arovec’s H13 True HEPA Air Purifier is a great model for everyday use. The activated carbon filter helps to remove household odours, including cigarette smoke, cooking smells and paint fumes, while a high-grade HEPA Filter traps fine particles including dust, pollen, pet dander and mould spores.
You can choose from three fan speed settings, with the lowest operating at just 28dB so it won’t disturb you as you sleep. There are also two soft light settings to pick from, allowing you to pop it into your child’s room and have it double as a night light.
“Works well for the size of the unit. I positioned it in my bedroom for one hour, and even on the highest fan setting, it isn’t too loud as I could comfortably watch TV without it annoying me. Another bonus is how easy it is to access and change the filter if needed; no special tools are required, just a locking mechanism that opens when you twist the base a certain way. Recommend it for those looking for a small but powerful air purifier,” one shopper said.
BEST AIR PURIFIER FOR LARGE ROOMS
Winix Zero+ Pro 5 Stage Air Purifier AUS-1250AZPU, $399, Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
If you’re looking for a truly powerful air purifier, Winix’s Zero+ Pro 5 air purifier comes highly recommended. Boasting a five stage filtration system, the unit is made to clean air in larger spaces such as bedrooms, open-plan rooms and even offices. It has four fan speeds, along with a sleep mode and a ‘set and forget’ mode which allows the purifier to adapt to the room’s purification requirements as needed, which is a handy addition.
The Zero+ Pro 5 is also energy efficient and equipped with a built-in timer, making it an all-round great buy.
A happy customer said: “Incredibly easy to use, love the colour coding lights! It does exactly what it says it does. Filters are easy to replace, love the dedicated pet filter and that there are 12 in a pack. Value for money.”
BEST PORTABLE AIR PURIFIER
Panasonic Nanoe X Generator GPT01M, $316, Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Weighing in at less than 0.4kg, Panasonic’s Nanoe X Generator is a truly portable unit that is made to purify smaller spaces. The coffee cup-like design can even fit into the cup holder of your car, so you can purify the air and rid your car of the smell of cigarette smoke or the takeaway you brought home the night before. It does have a very limited range but, depending on your needs, it could still be worth a look.
It is also expensive for its size, but its compact nature and decent air purification system make it great for use at your office desk, in your car or in the kitchen.
One five-star review on Amazon Australia wrote of the device, “(I) bought this for my baby’s room that can be very stinky near the nappy bin. After around 24 hours the odour was gone and the air is much more pleasant in there.”
Winix Compact 4 Stage Air Purifier AUS-0850AAPU, $199 (down from $349), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
This Winix air purifier weighs just 3.1kg but can purify rooms up to 29.5 square metres.
Boasting three fan speeds, this portable unit contains a 360-degree all-in-one Australian hospital grade true HEPA filter that can capture up to 99.97 per cent of airborne pollutants.
It also uses PlasmaWave technology to neutralise odours, bacteria and chemical vapours and harmful gases.
“Night mode is super quiet, you wouldn’t even know it was on. Easy to set up, easy to use. Definitely recommend,” a reviewer wrote.
BEST PREMIUM AIR PURIFIERS
Coway Airmega 300 Air Purifier AP-1515H, $636.75 (down from $849), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Coway’s flagship air purifier is designed offer big coverage with minimal energy consumption. It’s suitable for open spaces and living rooms up to 60 square metres, and includes five airflow levels such as Smart and Sleep modes. You can also expect a washable pre-filter and the brand’s Max2 Green Filter (which is made up of an activated carbon filter and a green HEPA filter).
For more coverage, you can alternatively opt for the Coway Airmega 400 which is designed for spaces up to 70 square metres.
Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde Fan Heater HP09, $1099 (down from $1149), Dyson
What You Need To Know
Similar to the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool, the Dyson Hot+Cool Formaldehyde is a three-in-one unit that heats, cools and purifies air. However, this model also targets formaldehyde (a gas pollutant which can be released by furniture, paint, cleaning products, bushfire smoke and more) and is more efficient, powerful and quieter than its predecessor.
Featuring a range of adjustable settings, the Formaldehyde Purifier heats, cools and purifies the entire room, while capturing particles as small as 0.1 microns. An LCD screen also allows you to keep an eye on surrounding air quality in real time while a nifty magnetic remote can be stuck to the top of the machine to prevent you from misplacing it. While it does come at a rather hefty price, we’ve tried it ourselves and think it’s worth the spend for its versatility and quality.
BEST AIR PURIFIER FANS
Tried and Tested by Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito, Shopping Writer
This voice-activated smart two-in-one Philips air purifier boasts a sleek bladeless design, capable of rotating up to 350 degrees for wide coverage. It automatically cleans the air and uses NanoProtect HEPA technology to both attract and capture pollutants, which the brand claims can clean up to twice more air than products using a HEPA 13 filter and with less energy.
You can also expect 10 fan speed settings, turbo mode, sleep mode, real-time feedback, a timer and scheduling function.
Many hybrid products typically seem to fall short, often impressing with its air purifying qualities but end up providing weak cooling power (or vice versa). But this tower worked well regardless of whether it was used as a stand-alone air purifier or purifying fan.
My hay fever symptoms have noticeably improved and the air in the room generally feels fresher. The appliance is very responsive to its surroundings and even detected (and reduced) the smell of paint fumes when the roof was being redone, despite having all the windows closed. I also love how the fan delivers a nice strong breeze, plus the ability to customise everything such as fan speed, light brightness and how much the unit rotates.
On the downside, it was quite buggy and occasionally wasn’t able to connect with my smartphone. The remote also didn’t work, but other online reviews suggest it’s usually fine.
Product provided by Philips for review.
Dyson Pure Cool Tower Fan TP07, $949, Myer
What You Need To Know
Dyson’s Pure Cool Tower Fan serves a dual purpose – providing cooling in the summer months and air purification all year-round. With an adjustable oscillation angle from 45 to 350-degrees, you can also easily set the fan to purify or cool an entire room. The air purifier can additionally detect and report on air quality levels in real time, which you can view both on the LCD screen and through the accompanying app, while a fully-sealed filter system traps pollutants and allergens.
A reviewer posted: “The air purifier and cooler is a must in our house. At the peak of the Brisbane heat, we still put on the overhead fan to help distribute the air around and we found with the purifier/cooler made a difference.”
Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Fan Heater HP00, $749, The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
While it is on the pricier end of the spectrum, Dyson’s Pure Hot+Cool Purifier is a heater, cooler and purifier in one, making it a value-for-money option. Where some air purifiers and heaters fail to target the entire room, the Hot+Cool purifier mixes and circulates air to ensure that the whole room is heated, cooled or cleaned.
Sealed HEPA filters capture up to 99.95 per cent of ultrafine particles, according to the brand, with air quality and temperature reports available through the accompanying app on your smartphone.
“Just the right size for our main bedroom, finding sleeping better and feel more refreshed in the mornings,” a shopper posted online.
HOW DOES AN AIR PURIFIER WORK?
Air purifiers filter and recirculate your air after removing allergens and pollutants including aerosols, pollen, dust, bacteria and even odours and gases. They aim to improve air quality and reduce the symptoms of associated health concerns including asthma and allergies.
Many air purifiers use HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, which can capture lots of very small pollutant particles like dust, pet dander, and other irritants. True HEPA filters are those proven to trap at least 99.97 per cent of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
ARE AIR PURIFIERS WORTH IT?
Air purifiers are definitely worth investing in – especially if you have allergies or struggling with the air quality, according to Dr Ginni. The appliance can be a great way to clean the air inside your home, such as when there are limited ways to ventilate the space (e.g. due to bushfire smoke or harsh weather).
They can remove different types of allergens, irritants and gases, including:
• Allergens (such as pet dander, pollen and dust mites)
• Mold
• Smoke (including from tobacco and fires)
• Indoor toxins (e.g. from cleaning products or personal care products like spray deodorant)
• Odours
• Pollution
According to the National Asthma Council Australia, the effectiveness of an air purifier will depends on a few factors:
• Size of the room
• Amount of air processed
• Rate of air exchange
• Age, size and quality of filters
• How well the machine is maintained
The two main filters to look out for include a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter. If you have asthma or allergies, opt for a model with the Sensitive Choice blue butterfly.
But keep in mind that air purifiers can’t get rid of all harmful particles and shouldn’t be used as a substitute for cleaning. Instead, it should be used in addition to proper home cleaning practices and decent home filtration.
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO PUT AN AIR PURIFIER?
An air purifier can go anywhere in the house, but Dr Ginni says you must ensure the appliance is a metre away from any furniture or walls.
Aside from that, the best place to put your air purifier largely depends on the size of your machine and your personal purifying needs. If there is one household member in particular who suffers from asthma or allergies, it could be best to place it in their bedroom – otherwise, consider placing it in the most-used areas of the house where dust and other pollutants would be frequently unsettled. You can also choose to buy a smaller, cheaper model and move it around the house as needed.
HOW TO IMPROVE THE AIR QUALITY IN YOUR HOME
From opening windows to cleaning mould, Dr Ginni gave us her top tips on how to improve indoor air quality.
Open the windows
Letting in fresh air is a quick and easy way to improve the quality of the air at home. “Doing so in the morning and before bed at night, or when cleaning with toxic cleaning products, or using any pesticides is essential to maintain good airflow throughout your home,” she said.
Get a high-quality air purifier
Not all air purifiers are equal and each model filters out different things.
“Some air purifiers remove ultrafine dust particles, pollutants, bacteria, allergens and bad odours from indoor rooms, ensuring cleaner air and overall air health and wellbeing,” Dr Ginni said.
“Read the fine print. Some air purifiers need very frequent filter changes, and they can be pricey.”
Be conscious of mould
Removing mould “as soon as possible” should also be on top of your priority list.
“Spores are carried in the air and can cause health problems in vulnerable people, such as asthma, irritation of the eyes, wheezing or a blocked nose, if inhaled. Long term effects of bad air quality, including some respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer. If you have mould, get it removed,” she explained.
Invest in a strong pet vacuum
For those who have pets, regularly cleaning the home with a good vacuum cleaner is a good way to make the most out of your air purifier.
“Loose pet dander can be hidden all around the house and trigger allergies in vulnerable people such as sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and shortness of breath. Using a strong, pet-friendly vacuum is a great way to uphold air quality and wellbeing in the home,” she said.
Weekly family cleaning
Regularly dusting cabinetry and different surfaces around the home, especially in bedrooms, is another “proactive way to minimise unwanted dust particles”.
“Ensuring working surfaces like your kitchen benchtops clean and sanitary is guaranteed reduce airborne pollutants by eliminating accumulated grime, foodborne bacteria and dirt. Wiping down countertops daily is just as important as weekly dusting and vacuuming,” she said.
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Dr Ginni Mansberg, GP and author
Dr Ginni Mansberg is a Sydney-based GP who has lent her expertise shows including Sunrise, Morning Show, Embarrassing Bodies Down Under and Things You Can’t Talk About on TV.
She’s also the co-founder and Medical Director of a cosmeceutical company, ESK Evidence Skincare, and the best-selling author behind The M Word: How to Thrive in Menopause and Save Your Brain.
Originally published as 13 best air purifiers of 2023 for smoke, dust and allergies
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