If you suffer from serious allergies or just want something that can help minimize the amount of allergens in your home, like pet dander or pollen from the outdoors, an air purifier is a worthy investment. Most household units with filters that carry a HEPA-certified rating will be effective in trapping those common irritants, so what separates a good air purifier from a great one is efficiency. An efficient air purifier can handle everything from fine dust to pollen in everything from a small bedroom to a large living area, all without causing a massive disturbance.
We've tested over 25 air purifiers, and below are our recommendations for the best air purifiers for allergies that you can buy. If you prioritize low operating noise and a small footprint above all else, you can also check out our recommendations for the best air purifiers for bedrooms. Or, you can see our picks for the best air purifiers for dust and the best air purifiers for pets.
Alternatively, if you're looking for a vacuum with HEPA-level filtration, you can check out our recommendations for the best HEPA vacuums and the best vacuums for allergies.
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 are validated by multiple teams before being published on our website, so you can accurately compare them 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 For Allergies
Bedroom8.2Pets8.5Particle Filtration Rate8.6Filtration Layers5 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonPelletsThe best air purifier for allergies we've tested is the NuWave OxyPure. This air purifier is excellent at filtering air, even when operating by itself in bigger areas like a studio apartment or an open-concept living space. This unit is jam-packed with features, including Wi-Fi and built-in particle sensors, so it can automatically adjust its fan speed while you're away from home. It has a multi-stage filtration system. The stainless steel mesh pre-filter tackles larger debris like dust clumps and fine hair. Following that, there are two filters for mold, viruses, and bacteria, an ozone filter, and then a combined HEPA/activated carbon for trapping things like pollen and fine dust, as well as reducing odors. Aside from the HEPA/activated carbon filter, the other filters have an advertised lifespan of 20 years.
There's no getting around the fact that this is a very bulky unit, which can make it something of a hassle to set up if you don't have a lot of free space. While it's big, it can be quite discreet: it's barely audible at its lowest fan speed, making it a stellar option for overnight use in bedrooms. While turning down its fan speed setting does blunt performance slightly, it's still more than able to operate effectively in most bedrooms in a low-noise configuration. Do note, however, that it's rather loud at its highest fan speed, which can be distracting if you have it set up to run in a large area and need it to run at full speed.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Room Air Purifier For Allergies
Bedroom7.6Pets7.8Particle Filtration Rate7.9Filtration Layers1 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonNoneThe Mila Air 3 is a great option if you want an air purifier for dealing with allergies that has a more customizable filtration system. This unit is available for purchase with a number of different filters optimized for different types of airborne particles: our test unit was fitted with 'The Big Sneeze' filter, an H13 HEPA filter meant for locking in most common allergens like pollen and pet dander. Other filters are available too, including 'The Mama-to-be' and 'The Overreactor', which have a denser H14 HEPA filter with even more closely-packed pleats. That said, these higher-density filters are completely overkill for trapping most allergens, and they'll reduce airflow to the point where the unit is less effective in larger spaces.
In terms of performance, the Mila with 'The Big Sneeze' filter lags behind the pricier NuWave OxyPure, with a max clean air delivery rate (CADR) that's more suitable for medium-sized spaces like living or dining rooms than it is open concept living spaces. Thankfully, it's far more compact, making it easier to set up in smaller rooms like bedrooms or offices. It offers a similar suite of features, like Wi-Fi connectivity and live air quality monitoring, so you can keep an eye on your room's air quality while you're out and about.
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Best Mid-Range Air Purifier For Allergies
Bedroom7.7Pets7.9Particle Filtration Rate8.0Filtration Layers3 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonSheetIf you're looking for a cheaper, simpler unit that still offers great allergen-clearing performance, the Coway Airmega 200M. Unlike the Mila Air 3, there's no selectable filter system and no smartphone connectivity. Still, its footprint is comparable to that of the Mila, making it fairly compact for a unit with this level of performance, and fairly easy to fit in all but the smallest of living spaces. The Coway's three-stage filtration system also works similarly well when it comes to trapping larger airborne particulate matter, such as dust or pollen. It offers a comparable clean air delivery rate to the Mila, making it suitable for use in medium-sized rooms like living rooms, bigger bedrooms, and kitchens. As a single unit, it's liable to struggle slightly in wide-open areas, like large basements or open-concept living areas.
It's worth noting that this unit is also equipped with a particle ionizer. Particle ionizers are intended to further reduce airborne pollutants, as they cause smaller airborne particles to clump together and fall to the ground, where you can clean them up later. However, these systems produce ozone as a byproduct, which can irritate your lungs with prolonged exposure. Thankfully, you can turn this system off.
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Best Budget Air Purifier For Allergies
Bedroom7.2Pets6.4Particle Filtration Rate6.0Filtration Layers3 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonPelletsIf you want an air purifier for dealing with allergies in smaller rooms, the Levoit Core 200S is another great option. Compared to the Coway Airmega 200M, its CADR is considerably lower, so it'll struggle to clear the air of airborne particles like pollen or dust in larger spaces efficiently. That said, it's also the most compact option listed here, and its performance is generally suitable for smaller studies and bedrooms. While this unit doesn't have a built-in particle sensor, unsurprising for a model in this price range, it is compatible with Levoit's VeSync app, which allows you to remotely change its fan speed and set operating schedules.
Operating noise at low fan speeds is a plus point, perhaps unsurprisingly due to this unit's relatively small and low-powered motor. You can set this unit up on a nightstand or a bookshelf without it presenting much of a massive disturbance. That said, it can be a bit of an annoyance if you run it constantly at its higher fan speed, which will be required for effective use in bigger bedrooms.
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A DIY Alternative
Bedroom4.3Pets7.7Particle Filtration Rate9.5Filtration Layers1 StageSee all our test resultsActivated CarbonNoneIf you're sensitive to allergies but don't mind getting your hands dirty, consider building your own Corsi-Rosenthal Box. Compared to the household units recommended in this article, this type of air purifier delivers a CADR sufficient for very large spaces like garages, workshops, or big basements. This design does come with compromises, however: it has an even larger footprint than already-bulky units like the NuWave OxyPure, and this design generates a significant amount of noise while running. Some users have swapped out the single fan for multiple PC cooling fans to reduce noise, though we haven't tried it and can't verify its effectiveness. In addition, unless you use a smart plug, there's no way to operate the device while you're away from home, either.
We built our Corsi-Rosenthal Box with this guide, which features a 20-inch Lasko box fan and a quartet of MERV 13 3M Filtrete air filters. While the upfront cost of buying all these materials is generally less than the total cost of a high-end household unit, you'll need to replace the filters once they've been fully used, which means purchasing a new set of filters and effectively rebuilding the entire unit.
Notable Mentions
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Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP04:
The Dyson HEPA Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP04 is a high-end air purifier and a good alternative to the NuWave OxyPure if you want something quieter and don't mind spending much more.
See our review -
Levoit Core 600S:
The Levoit Core 600S is a good alternative to the Mila Air 3 if you want something that provides even higher CADR and don't mind the lack of user-selectable filters.
See our review -
Levoit Core 400S:
The Levoit Core 400S is a good alternative to the Coway Airmega 200M if you want something with a cylindrical form factor and a lighter overall construction, with similar performance and Wi-Fi connectivity. That said, it's a little noisier at its highest fan speed.
See our review -
Levoit Vital 200S:
The Levoit Vital 200S lags behind the Coway Airmega 200M in terms of CADR, but offers more in the way of connectivity features. Its wide air inlet also prevents hair from clogging its intake.
See our review
Recent Updates
Apr 23, 2026:
We made minor text adjustments to further clarify product details. We also added the Levoit Core 400S to the Notable Mentions.
Feb 27, 2026:
We've made several changes to our recommendations due to current product availability and new performance data from version 1.1 of our air purifier test bench. We replaced the Honeywell HPA300 with the NuWave OxyPure as the top pick. We added the Mila Air 3 as the new 'Best Upper Mid-Range' pick. We replaced the Levoit Vital 200S with the Coway Airmega 200M as the 'Best Mid-Range' pick. We replaced the Levoit Core 300 with the Levoit Core 200S as the 'Best Budget'. We added the Levoit Vital 200S and the Levoit Core 600S to the Notable Mentions.
Nov 13, 2025:
We've checked that our picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are in stock.
Mar 08, 2025:
We verified all recommendations for relevance and availability. We changed the Corsi-Rosenthal Box link to point directly to the guide. We also added the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier MAX as a Notable Mention.
Jan 29, 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 include some of the best air purifiers for allergy sufferers. We factor in price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
That said, there is no single best air purifier 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.