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Respiratory

The 5 Best Air Purifiers [2020 Reviews]

Our Editors independently research, test, and rate what we feel are the best products. We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases.


It’s no secret that most of us have never gone through anything like we are now with the Coronavirus. As we still don’t know all the ins and outs of the virus, we’ve begun using facemasks, washing our hands even more diligently, and have been carrying around antibacterial sprays and gels.

However, did you know that air purifiers can help eliminate viruses and impurities in the home? We’ve spent the last few weeks testing out and researching countless models to bring you the 5 best Coronavirus air purifiers on the market today so you and your family can breathe and rest a bit easier.

Best Air Purifiers

Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P True HEPA Air PurifierRENPHO Air Purifier with HEPA FilterOION Technologies B-1000 Permanent Filter Ionic Air Purifier
ColorWhite or BlackWhite or BlackBlack, White, Dark, Silver
HEPA FilterYes, 99.97% of dust and allergens Yes, 99.97% of dust and allergensNo, Ionic
Bacteria Reduction99%YesYes
Customers Ratings4.3 / 5.0 Stars4.6 / 5.0 Stars3.9 / 5.0 Stars


Also see: Best Air Purifiers Comparison Table


Quick Answer: The 5 Best Air Purifiers

  1. Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P True HEPA Air Purifier
  2. RENPHO Air Purifier with HEPA Filter
  3. OION Technologies B-1000 Permanent Filter Ionic Air Purifier
  4. Sharp Air Purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology
  5. Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier

Air Purifiers Reviews

#1. Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P True HEPA Air Purifier

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Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P True HEPA Air Purifier at a Glance:

  • Color: White or Black
  • HEPA Filter: Yes, 99.97% of dust and allergens
  • Bacteria Reduction: 99%
One of the best air purifiers currently available today is undoubtedly the Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P True HEPA Air Purifier.

Whirlpool has been recognized for decades as being a leader in home appliances, and this model is exemplary of that high level of quality they always produce. Coming in either Black or White, it looks sleek and compact, working away without being noticed.

This model comes with a real HEPA filter which can catch up to 99.97% of dust and allergens, including pet dander, mold spores, and plant pollen. That’s wonderful for those with allergies or sensitivities.

Moreover, it comes with a high-tech anti-bacteria filter which features exclusive Whishield technology capable of eliminating a whopping 99% of bacteria! This means you’ll be able to change your filters less often, too.

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While health is of course important, it’s also nice to breathe fresh air that doesn’t smell stale. The active carbon filter included with this model reduces common household smells from pets, cigarette smoke, cooking and more.

Use it day or night without disturbance, as it operates at a calm white noise on the highest settings, and on lower settings it’s essentially silent! With a 5-year limited warranty you can buy with confidence as well.


2. RENPHO Air Purifier with HEPA Filter

RENPHO Air Purifier with HEPA Filter at a Glance:

  • Color: White or Black
  • HEPA Filter: Yes, 99.97% of dust and allergens
  • Bacteria Reduction: Yes
One of the consistently best rated air purifiers on Amazon and beyond, is the RENPHO Air Purifier with HEPA Filter.

It’s done so well, in fact, that it’s obtained the prestigious “Amazon’s Choice” label. This model is modern in every way, from technology used to the visual design.

The cylindrical model looks cool and compact – almost like something from the future. It comes in a clean White or a sleek Black, whichever suits your tastes and home décor better.

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The best home air purifier comes with more than just the basics. First off, you’ll get a true HEPA H13 filter with advanced 4-stage filtration system (carbon filter, net filter, pre-filter, and HEPA).

These catch the same as the previous model: 99.97% of particulates. To ensure your filters are always in tip-top shape, you have a filter replacement indicator to remind you to change them every 6-8 months.

With a CADR rate of 100 CFM, it’s very powerful, circulating a whole room’s air up to 3 times in a single hour (for rooms up to 240 square feet). This makes it perfect for offices, living rooms, bedrooms, and other small-to-medium-sized spaces.

You get to choose your fast the fan speed is, from Low Medium, or High, depending on the air quality of your room. For near-silent operation at night, simply turn it to Sleep Mode so you’ll sleep without being bothered.

The 3 different timer options (2, 4, or 8 hours) work great too, automatically turning off after the indicated time. With the included night light, you’ll be able to see it clearly, too.

Choose from either Night Light Mode or Colorful Gradient.


3. OION Technologies B-1000 Permanent Filter Ionic Air Purifier

OION Technologies B-1000 Permanent Filter Ionic Air Purifier at a Glance:

  • Color: Black, White, Dark, Silver
  • HEPA Filter: No, Ionic
  • Bacteria Reduction: Yes
So far, we’ve only covered the best HEPA air purifiers, but there are also great alternatives which work with ionic filters. The OION Technologies B-1000 Permanent Filter Ionic Air Purifier is one of the best in this category.

With extremely low energy consumption and no expensive filters which will need replacing, it’s a great item if you’re on a budget.

With electrostatic ionizer purification, the negative ions remove airborne pollutants as small as just .01 micron. This covers irritating allergens, pollen, mold, smoke, pet dander, unwanted odors, dust, and much more.

They’ve also included carbon filtration and ozone power to help reduce unpleasant odors, remove harmful pollutants, and help keep the air fresh.

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UVGI technology is crucial for the times we’re living in with Coronavirus. It works to obliterate germs, viruses, bacteria, and other disease-causing microorganisms.

The replacement UV bulbs are priced quite affordably, and the average lifespan of each ranges from 1 to 2 years, depending on how often you’re using them.

Using them at night is no issue and no risk of stubbing your toe, thanks to a controllable nightlight! An electroluminescent panel creates a modern-looking, soothing light that you can turn on and off with a simple press of a button.

Not only that, but you won’t be disturbed in your sleep by annoying humming. This whisper-quiet fan cleans around you without making any audible noise.

Weighing just 3.79 pounds, if you would like to move it to another room in your home, you can do so quickly and easily.

It’s also compact enough that you can place it on a side table or desk so the best air purifier for dust is not getting in the way of anyone’s walking area.


4. Sharp Air Purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology

Sharp Air Purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology at a Glance:

  • Color: White
  • HEPA Filter: Yes, 99.97% of dust and allergens
  • Bacteria Reduction: 99%
The Sharp Air Purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology may be a bit more expensive than many competitor models, but it’s more than worth it.

Ideal for medium-sized rooms of up to 259 square feet, it’s perfect for your office or bedroom. Coming with a true HEPA filter, it will last you up to 2 years of clean, healthy space – not to mention will greatly help with eliminating the risk of Coronavirus in your home!

The True HEPA filter lasts up to 2 years, which is quite good in terms of quality and will let you save a bit of money in that way.

Plasma Cluster Ion Technology is going to help you out with the pollutants that aren’t visible to the naked eye and can’t be trapped by traditional filters. Not only that, but it helps to reduce bacteria and viruses, which is why we’re here, right?

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The 3 manual fan speeds you have complete control over how often it’s circulating air in your room of up to 259 square feet.

No matter which speed you set it to, however, you can be assured it will try to save the max amount of energy possible.

The Energy Star-rated, AHAM tested purifier is not only good for the environment, it’s nice on your wallet, too. It’s easy to see why it’s one of the best air filters for home use, no?


5. Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier

Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier at a Glance:

  • Color: Black
  • HEPA Filter: Yes, 99.97% of dust and allergens
  • Bacteria Reduction: Yes
Lastly, we bring you the Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier, one of the best room air purifiers out there. With advanced technology, you can expect it to perform well consistently and efficiently.

This model is perfect for eliminating the Coronavirus in any household, thanks to various levels of fighting against viruses, bacteria, allergens, and more.

This one is ideal for rooms up to 167 square feet, which will work with most areas, and circulates clean air 4x per hour at max speed.

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The 3-in-1 design comes with a true HEPA filter to reduce up to 99.97 percent of harmful germs, dust, pollen mold and more as small as .3 microns.

The UV C light also helps get rid of any airborne viruses, and works with Titanium dioxide to lower the amount of volatile organic compounds greatly.

That’s not all, though. It even uses a pre-filter to trap dust, pet hair, and other large particles. This in turn helps to lengthen the lifespan of the HEPA filter.

The activated charcoal filter helps get rid of foul odors, so you’re always breathing easy and fresh. Choose between 3 different speed settings – whichever one you place it on you can expect quiet operation.


Air Purifiers Comparison Table

ColorHEPA FilterBacteria ReductionCustomers Ratings
Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P True HEPA Air Purifier$142.60White or BlackYes, 99.97% of dust and allergens99%4.3 / 5.0 Stars
RENPHO Air Purifier with HEPA Filter$69.99White or BlackYes, 99.97% of dust and allergensYes4.6 / 5.0 Stars
OION Technologies B-1000 Permanent Filter Ionic Air Purifier$59.99Black, White, Dark, SilverNo, IonicYes3.9 / 5.0 Stars
Sharp Air Purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology$297.00WhiteYes, 99.97% of dust and allergens99%4.4 / 5.0 Stars
Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier$67.99BlackYes, 99.97% of dust and allergensYes4.4 / 5.0 Stars

Air Purifiers Buying Guide

It’s important to keep ourselves and our families healthy, no matter what the circumstances are.

However, with Coronavirus it’s vital to be even more vigilant with the measures we take to keep our homes clean. Keeping the air clean can help to reduce or even eliminate the virus, and that has no price.

With that being said, now that you’ve had the chance to read about the 5 best home purifiers, have you decided which model is the right one for your home? If you’re still unsure there’s no need to worry.

We know it can be hard to choose just one when there are so many great ones to choose from. That’s why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to write up the user-friendly buying guide below.

This guide will take you through each step to ensure that by the time you’re finished reading, there will be no doubt which is the purifier for you!

Size

What is the best air purifier size for you and your home? It can be difficult to determine, as many people have the idea that they’re a kind of one-size-fits-all machine. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

An easy way to figure this out is by simply taking a look at the square footage rating of the model you have your eye on. Then, compare it to the size of the room you’re planning on placing it in.

You need the purifier to be either equal or greater than the room size, otherwise it’s honestly just going to be a waste of cash.

Placement Considerations

The truth is, you’re probably not going to get the most out of your air purifier if you just plop it wherever you feel like. Placement of the device is going to play a huge role in its effectiveness.

Sure, it may suit the square footage of your room, but if you’re putting it in an incorrect place it’s not going to work as well as it was made to.

For air purifiers which use a HEPA and/or Carbon filter, they’re going to rely heavily on the fan to pull in dirty air and push the clean air back out to be circulated.

If you place the model under a desk, behind a sofa, against a wall, or just generally somewhere where this airflow is being blocked, performance will be hindered notably.

The ideal placement for these are 2-3 feet away from any wall or piece of large furniture.

Models which use ionic filtration do not use a fan, though emit ions in a complete circle which means that you should place it in the center of a room to avoid blocking it at all.

Portability

As most of these models we’ve covered are designed to be used in a single room, there are probably going to be times where you need to move it to clean the air in another area of the house.

Air purifiers vary widely in weight, though what makes them easier to move are carrying handles and/or caster wheels.

The carrying handle means you don’t have to deal with awkward carrying and the casters let you roll heavier machines with ease.

Maintenance Costs

While most of us obviously take a look at the price tag on an air purifier, some of us overlook maintenance costs. Air purifiers, as one can imagine, operate best when they’re correctly maintained.

Make sure you know what that consists of for your purifier and how much that’s going to cost you.

Those that use HEPA or carbon filters are going to demand regular filter replacements, as they trap particles and will eventually get too clogged to work well.

The filter life, then, will depend on the air quality in the room it’s placed in. Realistically speaking, they’ll last anywhere from a few months to a year, and filters typically cost around $15 to $50.

Noise Level

Air purifiers which use a HEPA or carbon filter always need to use a fan to draw the air in and push the clean air out to catch the unwanted particles.

Fans obviously create noise, but the slower the fan is moving, the lower that noise is and vice-versa.

If you’ll be using your fan in an area where you need to hear others or concentrate, then you’ll need to pay special attention to this. If it’s too small for the room, then it’s going to run at higher speeds than it should to try and compensate.

Energy Consumption

Just like any other home appliance, air purifiers need electricity to run. As they’re running continuously, you must look at how much energy it needs to run.

Most will use anywhere from 5 to 200 watts of power, though if you want to make it easy on yourself and the environment, just opt for a model that’s Energy Star-rated, which will make sure it uses the lowest amount of energy possible, also making it more affordable for you to use.

Warranty

Before you make your final decision, we greatly recommend you look at the manufacturer’s warranty to help steer clear of any future issues you may have with it.

Make sure you know what exactly is covered and for how long. These are all investments, so you don’t want to have to keep replacing them over and over.

While it’s not a rule, it seems that the more expensive the model is, the longer the warranty is that comes with it.

This can overall end up saving you some money, as you won’t have to shell out the money for a replacement if it starts giving you issues and it’s not covered.

Extras

The following features may not be something that will overall convince you to purchase or not purchase a particular model but can definitely influence your final decision and make your user experience more pleasant. They may be more expensive most times, but it’s more than worth it!

Pre-Filters

These filters catch the biggest particles, like hair and dirt. They help to lengthen the lifespan of other internal filters, and are usually washable/reusable for the entire length of time you have it.

Digital Controls

These are often more natural and convenient to use, as most of us already feel it’s more natural to use digital interfaces. Not only that, but when you compare them to a rotary dial or push buttons, they’re quicker, more intuitive, and more precise!

Adjustable Fan Speeds

As you can see from the products above, you’ll get anywhere from 2 to 5 fan speed settings, ranging from Low to High fan speeds. There are even select products with Turbo Speed modes which work to quickly clean up the air as you wish.

Filter Replacement Indicators

These are always nice to have, and are a light/lights that let you know when you need to replace the filters after they’ve become too dirty to work effectively.

Timer

The timer automatically turns off the machine after a specific time interval of your choosing. Usually it’s every 2, 4, or 8 hours. This feature helps to save energy and keep it going the entire time you’re out of the house.

Nightlight

These not only look cool at night, but helps you to easily spot the air purifier in a dark room.

FAQs – Air Purifer Questions

Q: Can’t I just use energy-efficient windows and doors to keep out viruses?

A: While these can definitely help in many ways as far as keeping pollutants out, they can also trap in the stuff we don’t want! This has been proven by the Environmental Protection Agency, which states that indoor areas have around a 2-5x higher concentration of certain harmful pollutants than outside.

Now remember that most Americans spend around 90% of their lives inside, and you can see why they’re so important!

Q: What do air purifiers really help with?

A: They’re great at filtering out dust, smoke, and pollen from the air with HEPA filters. However, there are many (like those on our guide) which can even reduce bacteria and viruses that can potentially make us ill.

Q: Are activated carbon filters better?

A: They’re not necessarily “better”, though there are some great benefits to them! They are excellent at catching odor-causing molecules from the air and can even get rid of some gases. However, they won’t do much against formaldehyde, ammonia or nitrogen oxide.

Q: What are ACH and CADR ratings?

A: You may have seen that certain models on our guide have these ratings. ACH is often overlooked by consumers and stands for “Air Changes Per Hour”.

It’s one of the biggest factors in how efficient a purifier is, telling you how often the model can exchange the air in a room with clean, fresh air, per hour.

For example, a 4x rating means it can take the “dirty” air in a room and exchange it with clean air 4 times in an hour.

CADR stands for “Clean Air Delivery Rate” and can help let you know how well it can clean the air in a certain size of room.

Many manufacturers make claims that aren’t backed up, so those with CADR ratings are good to have as they’ll give you a real assessment of how large of a room a certain model can handle.

Summary

Now that you’ve had the opportunity to read about just about anything you could ever want to know about the best 5 air purifying machines for Coronavirus, which one will you be using in your home?

If you still haven’t decided, you can rest easy knowing that no matter which one you select, you’ll be getting one of the top models on the market today.

However, what’s most important is that you select the one that works best for your needs, environment, and room size. We hope that our guide has helped you to do just that. Thanks for tuning in and we’ll see you again soon!

Notice:

HealthWellness365 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. HealthWellness365 earns fees from products sold through qualifying purchases by linking to Amazon.com. Amazon offers a commission on products sold through their affiliate links.

In March 2019 Amazon announced that Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts (HSA/FSA) would be accepted as new forms of payment for eligible product purchases. Using HSA/FSA funds to purchase on Amazon can be a great way to reduce taxes and reduce overall healthcare costs for items not covered under medical insurance. Users of such medical savings plans are issued a debit card by their provider, which can be added to their payment methods in their Amazon account.

Whether items sold on Amazon are deemed as eligible for HSA/FSA plans remains the responsibility of the buyer and their particular health plan provider. It’s ultimately up to the IRS and participating health plan providers to deem which medical and health products are considered eligible for the payment plans.

But the eligibility is quite broad and inclusive of thousands of products that are sold on Amazon and considered Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts plan-eligible. See this IRS document for more information about Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p969.pdf

Shayanne Weeks

Shayanne is a yoga instructor, freelance writer and personal trainer based primarily in LA, California. Describing herself as a traveler, she has lived in Seattle Washington, Guadalajara Mexico as well as Boise Idaho. As an extremely active person, she loves personal training, yoga instruction, and works part time as an in home health aide. She enjoys sharing her love for teaching others through her “how to” fitness guides, home health equipment and workout equipment reviews. In her free time Shayanne loves to surf, snowboard and practice yoga depending on where she is living.

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