Air Purifiers: Reviews

Updated June 2011

Confusion is what most consumers face when buying an air purifier. They all make big promises and none of them are cheap. In our quest to identify the best options, we actually found that most people don't need an air purifier at all. To separate the real health claims from the hype, ConsumerSearch has consulted industry experts and professional and user reviews to create a comprehensive buying guide and recommended-product report.

FONT
PRINT

Compare All

Best air purifier overall

IQAir HealthPro Plus

*Est. $900 Compare Prices

The IQAir HealthPro Plus air purifier is expensive, but according to reviews it's the best air cleaner for people with severe allergies. This brand was chosen by the Hong Kong Hospital Authority as the only room air… expandcleaner powerful enough to be used during the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (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 severe allergy or air-quality issues, the IQAir may be overkill. A less expensive HEPA unit, such as the Austin Air HealthMate (*Est. $490) or Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N (*Est. $195), may suffice. collapse

See Our Full Review

Expert & User Review Sources:

AllergyBuyersClub.com: Although editors of AllergyBuyersClub.com don't offer details about how they test air purifiers, they do provide thorough reviews that list both pros and cons.

Air-Purifier-Power.com: Ed Sherbenou reviews and rates air purifiers on this site, and he provides a categorized top 10 list.

Apartment Therapy.com: The IQAir HealthPro Plus amazes blogger Gregory Han when it nearly eliminates his girlfriend's constant allergy symptoms.

Newsweek: This brief article mentions four air purifiers you could use to alleviate allergies.

Amazon.com: About 30 owners post ratings of the IQAir HealthPro Plus at Amazon.com, and about two-thirds of them give the IQAir HealthPro Plus the highest possible rating.

ConsumerGuide.com: ConsumerGuide.com reviews 20 air purifiers and names nine of them best buys, including the IQAir HealthPro Plus.

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy from Amazon for $899.00
iAllergy for $899.00	FiltersFast- .com for $899.00	AllergyBuye- rsClub.com for $899.00

Best-value air purifier

Austin Air HealthMate

*Est. $490 Compare Prices

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… expandto 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. $195). 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. collapse

See Our Full Review

Expert & User Review Sources:

Allergy Buyers Club.com: AllergyBuyersClub.com calls the Austin Air HealthMate HM-400 a no frills air purifier that is reliable and economical.

Air-Purifier-Power.com: In this review, air-purifier expert Ed Sherbenou praises the Austin Air HealthMate, saying you can't get better air filtration without spending about $400 more for an IQAir unit.

ConsumerGuide.com: This review doesn't mention any scientific testing, but the writer estimates that the Austin Air HealthMate "cleared the air in a relatively large bedroom in less than 20 minutes." The unit has just about all of the features the reviewer wants, too -- enough power to work in a 1,500-square-foot room, a HEPA filter, odor and gas filters, the ability to operate quietly and "one of the best air purifier warranties we've seen," making it a ConsumerGuide.com Best Buy.

Amazon.com: More than two dozen users have posted reviews here for the Austin Air HealthMate, most giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy from Amazon for $538.99
iAllergy for $418.99	AllergyBuye- rsClub.com for $374.99	Zadoozy for $378.99

Air cleaner for small rooms

Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N

*Est. $195 Compare Prices

This Honeywell air purifier is effective only 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… expanduses 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 air cleaner 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. $490). collapse

See Our Full Review

Expert & User Review Sources:

Air-Purifier-Power.com: Air-purifier expert Ed Sherbenou owns a Honeywell 50250, and it shows in this illustrated review.

ConsumerReports.org: The Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N is one of the 22 room air purifiers tested by ConsumerReports.org.

Amazon.com: About 300 owners post comments at Amazon.com about the Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N (the page title says 50250, but it describes the newer 50250-N with permanent HEPA filter).

Epinions.com: The Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N posts an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 from 17 users here.

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy from Amazon for $132.99
iAllergy for $178.95	FiltersFast- .com for $169.99	BuyDig.com for $199.95

Furnace filter

3M Filtrete 2200 Elite Allergen Reduction Filter

*Est. $23 Compare Prices

Before you invest in a portable air purifier, you might first try an inexpensive filter for forced-air furnaces and central air conditioners. Reviews say the 3M Filtrete 2200 Elite Allergen Reduction Filter does an… expandoutstanding job of removing common allergens like dust and pet dander, and it also does a good job with cigarette smoke. However, if you've upgraded your furnace filter and made other common-sense air quality changes (like no smoking in the house) and it's still not enough, you might need a portable HEPA air purifier, such as one of the other Best Reviewed models. collapse

See Our Full Review

Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org tests six do-it-yourself whole-house air filters -- including the 3M Filtrete 2200 Elite Allergen Reduction Filter and three cheaper Filtrete filters -- and ranks them from best to worst.

AllergyBuyersClub.com: With a 4-star score, the 3M Filtrete 2200 Elite Allergen Reduction Filter is one of the best-rated disposable furnace filters here.

Amazon.com: This furnace filter gets positive reviews from more than 20 customers here.

Drugstore.com: Drugstore.com lists reviews separately for each available size of this filter, with four reviews posted in all.

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy from
Amazon