The 4 Best Air Purifiers - Fall 2024

If you're looking for something that strikes a great balance between performance and features, the best air purifier we've tested is the NuWave OxyPure. This premium model's main selling point is its multi-stage filtration system, which uses washable and reusable filters to cut down on recurring costs. This system comprises a stainless steel mesh pre-filter for larger debris, two 'Bio-Guard' filters (for mold, viruses, and bacteria), an ozone filter, and a HEPA/pellet-type activated carbon filter. Except for the HEPA/activated carbon filter, which needs yearly replacement, the manufacturer states that these parts have a 20-year lifespan, only requiring a wash every couple of months. In terms of actual air purification performance, the NuWave is very good overall, with strong particle filtration performance across the board and an impressively high clean air delivery rate. Its built-in particle sensors allow it to monitor and change fan speed according to ambient air quality.

This air purifier is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing you to operate it remotely using the NuWave Connect companion app while you're away from home. You can also use the app to check the quality of your home's air, set operating schedules, or change the device's settings. This air purifier operates pretty quietly at lower fan speeds, which is good if you leave it running overnight, but it can get pretty loud at higher fan speeds. If noise is a concern, check out the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP04/BP03, but be aware that it falls short of the NuWave in both small particle filtration performance and clean air delivery rate.

On the other hand, if you don't mind sacrificing convenience features, style, and low operating noise on the altar of particle filtration performance, consider building your own Corsi-Rosenthal Box. We used this guide to make our own and used a 3M Filtrete air filter set with a Lasko 20-inch box fan. Now, let's get this out of the way. This homemade machine isn't nearly as practical or feature-dense as the NuWave OxyPure, the best air purifier for homes we've tested, or even cheaper options like the Levoit Vital 200S. It's loud, ugly, bulky, and very noisy, so it isn't really suitable for spaces like living rooms or bedrooms. It also lacks niceties like a particle sensor, Wi-Fi connectivity, or an odor-absorbing carbon filter, though most air purifiers we've tested lack a sufficient amount of carbon to deal with even moderate levels of volatile organic compounds effectively, so this isn't too big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

That said, the Corsi-Rosenthal Box handily outperforms every conventional air purifier we've tested in terms of actual performance, with a very high clean air delivery rate and exceptional particle filtration performance. If you plan on setting it up in an area where noise, size, and aesthetics aren't a concern, like a workshop or garage, it's hard to do any better.

The Levoit Vital 200S is the best air purifier for homes at a mid-range price point that we've tested. Its filtration system is simpler than the NuWave OxyPure's, with no extra 'BioGuard' or ozone filters, and it's incapable of providing the same clean air delivery rate or particle filtration performance. Still, it certainly has the goods where it counts. Like the NuWave, you can connect this device to a home Wi-Fi network, allowing for remote operation and live monitoring of your home's ambient air quality. It's also powerful enough to provide clean air for small to medium-sized rooms. Its main filter isn't HEPA-rated, though it still does a fantastic job of locking in fine particles like pollen or pet dander.

If you want the added peace of mind that comes with a HEPA-rated unit, the Winix 5500-2 is an excellent alternative that provides similar performance. The main differences between the two lie under the skin, with the Winix having a particle ionizer that you can turn on and off; these devices cause smaller airborne particles to clump together and fall to the ground, where you can clean them up later. However, they also produce ozone as a byproduct, which can irritate your lungs with prolonged exposure — if that's a big enough downside for you, you can always turn off the Winix's ionizer. The Winix isn't Wi-Fi enabled, so you can't operate it while you're away from home.

If you want to spend as little as possible and only need something for a smaller room, the Levoit Core 200S is the best budget air purifier we've tested. This device is small enough to fit on a dresser or shelf yet delivers relatively impressive overall filtration performance. It lags behind larger machines like the Levoit Vital 200S, with a considerably lower air cleaning rate and worse overall performance when sealing in the smallest airborne particles. However, it's still far from terrible in the latter regard. You'll have to replace its main filter more often than the Vital 200S, with a replacement interval of six to eight months instead of a year.

While the 200S lacks an automatic fan speed adjustment setting, it's Wi-Fi enabled, so you can pair it with your smartphone via the VeSync companion app to operate the device remotely, set operating schedules, or send you filter replacement notifications.