Air Purifiers: Reviews

The IQAir HealthPro Plus air purifier is expensive, but according to reviews it's the best option for people with severe allergies. This brand was chosen by the Hong Kong Hospital Authority as the only room air cleaner… powerful enough to be used during the 2003 SARS outbreak. Reviewers say the IQAir HealthPro Plus, which uses a HyperHEPA filter, can clean a 900-square-foot room. The IQAir also has a filter-change alert and a five-year warranty. Be aware, however, that unless you have a severe allergy or air-quality issues, the IQAir may be overkill. A less expensive HEPA unit, such as the Austin Air HealthMate (*Est. $450) or Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N (*Est. $185), may suffice.

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The Austin Air HealthMate offers a great balance of price, performance and low maintenance, reviews say. Its all-in-one HEPA/carbon filter pack needs to be replaced only every three to five years, rather than every three… to six months like many other air purifiers. Austin Air says the HealthMate captures 95 percent of particles as small as 0.1 micron -- not as small as the particles captured by the IQAir HealthPro Plus (*Est. $900) but better than most HEPA-filtered purifiers like the Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N (*Est. $185). The HealthMate is rated for rooms up to 1,500 square feet. Its main drawback in reviews is noise; it registers 50 decibels (about as loud as quiet conversation) on its lowest speed.

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The Honeywell air purifier is only effective in small areas of 390 square feet or less. Though it's cheaper than other air cleaners, reviews say it's also noisier. Like the best air purifiers on the market, the Honeywell… uses a HEPA filter, but on this model, it is a permanent filter that you can vacuum twice a year. Reviewers say you will need to replace this filter eventually, however. There is also an odor-reducing carbon prefilter that does have to be replaced quarterly. The Honeywell takes in air from all sides of its cylindrical design, expelling cleaned air out the top, but it doesn't pull as much air through its filters as more expensive models that can handle bigger rooms, like the IQAir HealthPro Plus (*Est. $900) and the Austin Air HealthMate (*Est. $450).

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Before you invest in a portable air purifier, you might first try an inexpensive filter for forced-air furnaces and air conditioners. Reviews say the 3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen Filter 1250 is very good at removing the… most common allergens like dust and pet dander. In tests, furnace filters don't do as well with smoke as a standalone HEPA filter like the Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N (*Est. $185). They also aren't effective with odors, and they can reduce airflow through your system. Still, a $17 filter, replaced four times a year, may improve your indoor air quality enough that you don't need a more expensive portable air cleaner at all.

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