Best Reviewed
Air Purifiers
- Best air purifier overall IQAir HealthPro Plus *Est. $900
- Best-value air purifier Austin Air HealthMate *Est. $490
- Air cleaner for small rooms Honeywell Enviracaire 50250-N *Est. $195
- Furnace filter 3M Filtrete 2200 Elite Allergen Reduction Filter *Est. $23
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- Great pollen/dust/smoke clearing on low or high speed
- Includes HEPA and carbon filters
- Quiet
- Costly replacement filters
- Carbon prefilter works for light odors only
- Air output can feel drafty
The Whirlpool AP51030K Whispure gets top marks in one major test, where it does a good job of filtering dust, pollen and cigarette smoke out of the air on high and low fan speeds. It's quieter than other air cleaners on both settings, too (one test measures the decibels produced), and it costs less initially than top-rated air cleaners like the Austin Air HealthMate (*Est. $490). But the Whirlpool isn't quite as capable as the Austin Air filter: Its HEPA filter captures particles as small as 0.3 microns (the Austin Air works down to 0.1 micron), and one expert source says the Whirlpool's carbon filter is only strong enough to filter mild household odors, not strong smells or chemical gases they way the HealthMate can. Finally, with replacement filters costing $100 per year, the Whirlpool quickly winds up costing more than the HealthMate, which can use the same filter for five years (with a five-year filter warranty, just in case).
ConsumerReports.org includes the Whirlpool AP51030K Whispure in its scientific, unbiased air cleaner tests. AllergyBuyersClub.com, a retail site, also publishes thoughtful expert reviews of the air purifiers it sells, including the Whirlpool AP51030K. We found user reviews for this air purifier at Amazon.com and Epinions.com.
| Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier, HEPA Air Cleaner, AP51030K | |
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Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Editors here test 22 room-size air purifiers, including the Whirlpool AP51030K. Testers rate the units' ability to clear a sealed chamber of dust, pollen and smoke (on low and high speeds) and rate their measured noise levels on both speeds. Editors also list each model's annual energy and filter costs, then rank the air filters from best to worst.
Review: Air Purifiers, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Sept. 2010
The Whirlpool AP51030K Whispure is one of the only air cleaners in its price range to earn a 4-star "very good" rating at this retail site. Experts here say they tested the unit, and they found that it "significantly reduced the particle count in the room" and that it's quiet even on its turbo setting. They do note that its charcoal filter isn't strong enough to tackle big odors or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the foam silencing insulation may aggravate chemically sensitive people.
Review: Whirlpool Whispure 510 Air Purifiers (AP51030K), Editors of AllergyBuyersClub.com
3. Amazon.com
Customers here are big fans of the Whirlpool AP51030K Whispure, giving it an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars in more than 40 reviews. Several say they notice fewer dust and allergy symptoms since they started running it in their houses. Some say it's super-quiet, while others say it's very loud. A couple say the air blowing out the top makes the room drafty, as if there were a ceiling fan running.
Review: Whirlpool AP51030K Whispure Air Purifier, HEPA Air Cleaner, Contributors to Amazon.com
4. Epinions.com
The Whirlpool Whispure 510 air purifier is a favorite here, averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars in about 17 user reviews. All of these are for earlier 510 models, but they are similar to the current AP51030K.
Review: Whirlpool Whispure 510 Air Purifier, Contributors to Epinions.com
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