Whether you worry about everyday dust and pollen or more serious pollutants like smog, mold, wildfire smoke, viruses, or bacteria, an air purifier is a worthwhile investment. Air purifiers operate based on a common principle: they draw air through one or more filters using a fan. However, manufacturers have found innovative ways to iterate on the concept, resulting in a fairly dense market that caters to various budgets and needs.
We've tested over 25 models to find the best air purifiers, and below are our recommendations. If you want to explore other options, check out our recommendations for the best air purifiers for dust, the best air purifiers for bedrooms, or the best air purifiers for pets.
Alternatively, if you're looking for a way to keep your floors clean, see our recommendations for the best HEPA vacuums and the best vacuums for allergies. Or, for those dealing with humidity issues at home, whether too much or too little, check out our best humidifier or best dehumidifier recommendations. Looking to beat the heat? You'll also be happy to know that we now test air conditioners: you can check out our recommendations for the best window A/Cs and best portable A/Cs.
Quick Look
We've independently tested over 25 air purifiers, purchasing each one ourselves like the average consumer would: no cherry-picked samples or talking points from manufacturers. Each unit goes through the same standardized test bench, and the results get validated by multiple teams before being published on our website to ensure you can accurately compare the results side by side.
Check out our How We Test Air Purifiers article to learn more about our purchasing, testing, and writing procedures.
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Best Air Purifier
Particle Concentration7.9Particle Filtration Rate8.6Bedroom8.2Pets8.5Filtration Layers5 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonPelletsThe best air purifier for homes 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 requires yearly replacement, all parts are purported to have a 20-year lifespan, only needing a wash every couple of months. In terms of actual air purification performance, the NuWave is very good overall, with strong particle filtration across the board and an impressively high clean air delivery rate. It features built-in particle sensors, allowing it to monitor and adjust fan speed according to ambient air quality, eliminating the need to adjust settings during your workday.
This air purifier features Wi-Fi connectivity, enabling you to operate it remotely using the NuWave Connect companion app from anywhere. 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 ideal for overnight operation, but it can get somewhat loud at higher fan speeds. If noise is a concern, consider the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP04/BP03, but be aware that it falls short of the NuWave in terms of clean air delivery rate.
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Best Mid-Range Air Purifier
Particle Concentration9.6Particle Filtration Rate8.0Bedroom8.4Pets8.1Filtration Layers3 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonPelletsThe Levoit Vital 200S is the best air purifier we've tested at a mid-range price point. Its filtration system is simpler than the NuWave OxyPure's, with no extra 'BioGuard' or ozone filters. Additionally, it can't match the clean air delivery rate or particle filtration performance of the NuWave's more premium offering, making it less suited for larger rooms. However, it's still powerful enough to provide clean air for small- to medium-sized rooms. While its main filter isn't HEPA-rated, it still does a fantastic job of capturing fine particles like pollen or pet dander, comparable to many similar models that feature HEPA-rated filters. Like the NuWave, you can also connect this device to a home Wi-Fi network, allowing for remote operation and live monitoring of your room's ambient air quality.
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. Notably, the Winix is also equipped with a particle ionizer. Particle ionizers cause smaller airborne particles to clump together and fall to the ground, where you can clean them up later. The problem is that they also produce ozone as a byproduct, which can irritate your lungs with prolonged exposure. That said, you can always turn off the ionizer. The Winix isn't Wi-Fi enabled, so you can't operate it while you're away from home.
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Best Budget Air Purifier
Particle Concentration7.9Particle Filtration Rate6.7Bedroom7.4Pets6.9Filtration Layers3 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonPelletsIf 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. It lags behind larger machines, such as the Levoit Vital 200S, with a considerably lower air cleaning rate and poorer overall performance when sealing in the smallest airborne particles. However, it's still far from terrible in this regard, even if it's best suited for a bedroom or nursery. You'll also need to replace its main filter more frequently than the Vital 200S, at an 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, allowing you to pair it with your smartphone via the VeSync companion app to operate the device remotely, set operating schedules, or receive filter replacement notifications.
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A DIY Alternative
Particle Concentration8.8Particle Filtration Rate9.5Bedroom4.3Pets7.7Filtration Layers1 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonNoneIf you don't mind sacrificing convenience features, style, and quiet operation, consider building your own Corsi-Rosenthal Box. We used this guide to make our own with a set of 3M Filtrete air filters and a Lasko 20-inch box fan. This homemade machine isn't nearly as practical or feature-rich as our top pick, the NuWave OxyPure, or even more affordable options like the Levoit Vital 200S. It's ugly, bulky, and very noisy, so it's not the best option for spaces like living rooms or bedrooms. It also lacks niceties like particle sensors and Wi-Fi connectivity, though you could add the latter yourself using a Wi-Fi-controlled outlet. There's also no odor-absorbing carbon filter, although most air purifiers we've tested lack sufficient carbon to effectively deal with even moderate levels of volatile organic compounds. Therefore, this omission isn't a significant issue in the grand scheme of things.
That said, the Corsi-Rosenthal Box is the best air purifier we've tested in terms of actual performance. It handily outperforms every conventional air purifier with a very high clean air delivery rate and exceptional particle filtration. If you plan to set it up in an area where noise, size, and aesthetics aren't a concern, such as a workshop or garage, it's hard to do any better. It's also worth noting that some iterations of the Corsi-Rosenthal Box utilize multiple PC case fans instead of a single box fan, which is intended to help reduce operating noise. That said, we've yet to build a Corsi-Rosenthal Box in this manner, so we can't personally guarantee how it performs.
Notable Mentions
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Honeywell HPA300:
The Honeywell HPA300 is fairly unsophisticated as air purifiers go. It features a power-hungry, loud fan motor and lacks Wi-Fi connectivity and particle sensors, falling behind the NuWave OxyPure in convenience features. However, it has a very high clean air delivery rate and does a fantastic job of sealing in most airborne particles.
See our review - Levoit Core 600S: The Levoit Core 600S is a fantastic alternative to the Levoit Vital 200S if you have larger rooms and require a higher clean-air delivery rate. That said, the difference in performance isn't all that large, and it's also pricier and noisier. See our review
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Levoit Core 400S:
The Levoit Core 400S is a very good alternative to the Levoit Vital 200S, delivering nearly identical performance. That said, it's fractionally louder in its lowest fan speed setting, and unlike the other Levoit model, its pre-filter isn't washable under water.
See our review -
Dyson HEPA Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP06:
The Dyson HEPA Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP06 performs well, but not as well as the NuWave OxyPure or even the much less expensive Levoit Vital 200S. It lacks convenience and automation features compared to the NuWave. Although the fan is fairly quiet, it only has two fan settings, compared to the NuWave's six. The NuWave is quieter at its lowest fan setting and considerably noisier at its highest fan setting, but there are more choices in between.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 06, 2025:
We made slight in-text adjustments to further clarify product details.
Apr 30, 2025:
We've made minor edits for clarity and checked to ensure all our picks are in stock and still the best options.
Mar 26, 2025:
We mentioned a Wi-Fi-controlled outlet with the Corsi-Rosenthal Box and made some minor rewording throughout for clarity.
Feb 28, 2025:
We added the Dyson HEPA Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP06 as a Notable Mention due to its high clean air delivery rate. We removed both the Conway Airmega 200M and the Conway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty from the Notable Mentions since they don't perform as well as the Levoit models mentioned. We also adjusted the text for accuracy and clarity.
Jan 28, 2025:
No change in recommendations, as all picks are still valid and available. Small text changes for conciseness and clarity.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are some of the best air purifiers for most people. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
That said, there is no single best choice for homes that will suit everybody; your needs will depend on your budget, the size of your living space, your tolerance for operating noise, and whether you like having a device with convenience features like Wi-Fi connectivity. If you'd like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our air purifier reviews.