Air Purifiers Reviews

The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and identifying the best Air Purifiers. See our ratings criteria

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Air Purifiers Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Air Purifiers Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Air cleaners: Some do little cleaning Editors of Consumer Reports Updated Mar. 2006		Although there is some controversy about how and which products Consumer Reports tests, this publication still receives our highest rating. Although it does not test every air purifier, tests are conducted in a sealed chamber using exact measurements. Editors dedicate more extensive testing to a particular breed of electronic models that are said to be virtually ineffective at removing particles from the air. A ratings chart is included and each air purifier gets a separate rating for effectiveness on high and low speed, as well as for noise on both speeds. While editors have posted some news items in the last two years, the bulk of this report was written in October 2005.
2. AirPurifiers America.com	Air Purifier Comparisons, Ratings and Reviews Editors of Air-Purifiers-America.com As of Oct. 2007		Air-Purifiers-America.com does sell air cleaners, but its high level of consumer advocacy impresses us. The company performs its own product testing on a limited number of models, giving details about the methods and results. They base their recommendations on clean air delivery rates, independent research reports and feedback from owners. Tests are performed in an office environment, without the stringent control employed by Consumer Reports. Four ionizing purifiers and three using HEPA-style filters rate below true HEPA and combination models Editors also find three models that do not perform as well with the fan on high speed, theoretically because the air moves too fast for the unit to "catch" the particles. Aside from product ratings, there are also a number of other helpful articles, including a size chart (by microns) of common allergens.

Air Purifiers Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Air Purifiers Ratings Comments on Reviews

3. Allergy Buyers Club.com	Air Purifiers, Air Cleaners – Comparisons, Ratings, Reviews Editors of AllergyBuyersClub.com As of Oct. 2007		The aim of AllergyBuyersClub.com is to test products and then share the pros and cons with consumers. Like Air-Purifiers-America.com, AllergyBuyersClub.com also sells these units. Particle removal testing is performed in an unsealed office environment and more subjective criteria such as mechanical efficiency, noise level, ease of use, cost of ownership, filter access and customer feedback are also factored into the ratings. Since AllergyBuyersClub.com focuses on severe allergy sufferers, their focus is on rating high-end air purifiers. The IQAir HealthPro series are currently their highest-rated products, along with two Blueair models. Hamilton Beach HEPA air purifiers and Hunter QuietFlo air cleaners are recommended for those on a budget.
4. Air-Purifier-Power.com	Air Purifiers Comparisons, Ratings and Reviews Ed Sherbenou As of Oct. 2007		Air-Purifier-Power is dedicated exclusively to air purifier information, providing general background on air quality issues as well as detailed reviews of 50 air purifiers and a top ten list. Although no testing is conducted, detailed reviews are based on analysis of an air purifiers mechanics, filtering technology, and more. All reviews are written by multiple chemical sensitivity sufferer Ed Sherbenou. Ratings are based on ten criteria, including construction quality, ozone issues, gas and odor removal, noise level and price/performance ratio. The IQAir HealthPro Plus is the highest rated air purifier, followed by the Blueair 601. The Honeywell 50250 is rated the best value.
5. Jim Dulley's Sensible Home >> Details/Subscribe	Update Bulletin #718 James Dulley Not Dated		James Dulley's "$ensible Home" and "Cut Your Utility Bills" columns run in newspapers throughout the U.S. His Update Bulletin #718 offers information and statistics about many air-cleaners. Dulley states HEPA air cleaners effectively remove a wide range of airborne particles and allergens and that electronic air cleaners effectively remove very small particles such as cigarette smoke. He doesn't address ozone byproducts in this bulletin and models aren't rated or compared. Dulley says he owns and uses the Austin Air HealthMate, Cloud 9 HEPA, LakeAir electronic and Blueair in his own home. Although undated, the content in this article has not changed in over three years, so the specific product information is dated.
6. Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers	Certified Room Air Cleaners Editors of AHAM As of Apr. 2007		AHAM uses an outside lab to verify CADRs (clean air delivery rates) quoted by manufacturers for given air cleaners. Products are rated only for effectiveness on dust, pollen and smoke. Manufacturers have to pay several thousand dollars to have their product certified; at the time of this writing, 24 have done so. The charts posted on the AHAM site are helpful for comparing products and we find that most air cleaners of the same size perform similarly. Standouts include the Blueair 601 for dust, smoke and pollen, as well as the Friedrich C-90B for pollen. Dri-Eaz, B&Y and Korea's Nano Biothys also receive good ratings for dust, smoke and pollen.

Air Purifiers Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Air Purifiers Ratings Comments on Reviews

7. Consumer Guide.com	Air Purifiers Editors of ConsumerGuide.com As of Oct. 2007		Consumer Guide has partnered with How Stuff Works.com and reviews here have been substantially updated since our last visit. The site includes reviews, an air purifier buying guide and a section on how air purifiers work. However, there are over 700 air purifiers and accessories listed. Nineteen of these are reviewed and nine receive a "Best Buy" rating. These "expert" ratings are based on value, performance, ease of use and features -- but performance doesn't appear to have been tested at all. Honeywell, Bemis, Whirlpool Whispure, IQAir, Austin Air, Blueair, and Hamilton Beach air purifiers receive Best Buy ratings.
8. Epinions	Air Purifiers Contributors to Epinions As of Oct. 2007		There are quite a few owner-written ratings here for most brands of air purifiers. The Sharper Image Ionic Breeze models have the most ratings, fairly evenly split between pros and cons. Other air purifiers follow a similar trend. While not scientific, it's informative to read about consumers' experiences of air purifier performance.
9. Reviewboard.com	2004 and 2005 Editor's Choice Award: IQAir HealthPro Plus Editors of Reviewboard Magazine Not Dated		In 2002, a writer from Reviewboard Magazine gave high marks to the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze. However, more recent Reviewboard reports say the Ionic Breeze models "don't do anything very productive with the air in your home," and instead recommends the IQAir line. Editors like it so much that the IQAir was given the Editor's Choice Award for The Best Air Filtration System in both 2004 and 2005. No other models receive ratings and testing methodology isn't clear.
10. Newsweek >> Details/Subscribe	Technology: A Breath Of Fresh Air Peter Suciu Apr. 4, 2005		This short article rates four air purifiers for spring allergies based on features and price. The Blueair 201, Bionaire BAP1250, IQAir HealthPro Plus and WindChaser Ionic Humidifying Air Washer AAT2003 are mentioned. Sucio claims that the IQAir was tested "in a basement that had been collecting dust for 20 years," but no mention is made that the other three models were tested.
11. ClearFlite Air Purifiers	Air Purifier Reviews Editors of ClearFlite Air Purifiers Not Dated		Although geared toward generating sales, this site also provides detailed information on popular air purifier brands, including some they don't sell themselves. Blueair and IQAir are given a premier rating, with Allerair and Austin Air rated as very good. Various air purifier technologies are discussed and HEPA units are recommended over UV, ion generating, ozone generating and electrostatic units. While we take the ratings with a grain of salt, the general information is helpful.
12. BreathePureAir.com	Residential Air Purifiers & Air Cleaners Editors of BreathePureAir.com As of Oct. 2007		This site claims to "test, rate and review every air purifier we can get our hands on... and then we let you know which air purifiers are the best on the market." The tests are performed with a "laser particle counter in real world situations," but the description of how the test is done is quite vague. The site is mostly devoted to sales, but it does give some good information about the Blueair, IQAir and Austin Air models, which also show up as recommendations in other reviews.