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As wildfires rage and smoke fills the air, demand for air purifiers is rising. The best air purifiers can remove particulate matter (the main pollutant in wildfire smoke), bacteria, dust, industrial emissions, mold, odor, pet dander, pollen, viruses, and other harmful contaminants from the air. But not all air purifiers are equally effective, so we're here to help you find one that works and has the features you want. We've been reviewing smart air purifiers for more than a decade. The Dyson Big & Quiet BP03 is our current top pick for its wide coverage range, long filter life, detailed air pollution data, and useful app and voice controls, but our list of the best air purifiers has options for all room sizes and budgets.
Our Top Tested Picks
Dyson Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP03
Dyson Purifier Cool TP07
Rabbit Air A3 Air Purifier
Dreo Macro Max S Air Purifier
Coway Airmega 250S Air Purifier
Ikea Starkvind Table With Air Purifier
Sharp FXJ80UW Air Purifier
Smartmi Air Purifier P1
LG PuriCare 360 Air Purifier
AiDot WELOV Matter P200 Pro Smart Air Purifier
Best Overall
Dyson Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP03
- Numerous air quality readings
- Quiet operation
- Powerful cooling fan
- Long filter life
- Supports app and voice control
- Large
- Expensive
Meant for rooms up to 1,076 square feet, the Dyson Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP03 uses a three-stage HEPA filtration technology to rid the air of harmful pollutants such as formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It's one of the most efficient air purifiers we have tested, and its filters will last up to five years before needing replacement. We also appreciate its detailed air quality reports, which let you closely monitor indoor pollution levels.
If you need an air purifier that quickly and quietly purifies the air in large rooms, the Dyson Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP03 is a top choice. With support for Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands, it's an excellent addition to any smart home.
Best Oscillating Fan
Dyson Purifier Cool TP07
- 360-degree HEPA filter made of recycled material
- Large, oscillating fan
- Entire machine is fully sealed to HEPA H13 standard
- Supports app and voice control, scheduling
- Magnetized remote can be stored on top of the machine
- Small, lightweight design
- Easy to set up and use
- Expensive
- Can get loud
The Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 is among our top picks for good reason. In addition to doing a great job of cleaning the air in our tests, it offers numerous air quality measurements, voice control support, and a fully sealed HEPA 13 enclosure. It even integrates a sleek oscillating fan that keeps you cool.
If you want a top-of-the-line, smart air purifier and fan combo, look no further than the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07. The Big+Quiet delivers more powerful air purification, but the TP07's tower design makes it a better choice for staying cool.
Best Customization Options
Rabbit Air A3 Air Purifier
- Six-stage filtration
- Multiple design and filter options
- Quiet operation
- Useful companion app
- Alexa voice control
- Expensive
- Does not support Google Assistant, IFTTT, or HomeKit
Why We Picked It
The Rabbit Air A3 Air Purifier is pricey, but worth the money for its excellent purification performance and ample customization options. You can hang it on a wall or place it on the floor, and it offers a choice of several specialty filter options, mood lighting colors, and eye-catching prints for the front panel. Moreover, it has the largest coverage area of any model on this list, with a recommended room size of up to 1,070 square feet.
Who It's For
If you want an air purifier that isn't an eyesore and/or one with a wall-mountable design, the A3 is our top pick. Given its wide coverage area, the A3 is especially well-suited for large homes. If you have a large space to purify but can't afford the A3, the Coway Airmega 250S is your next best bet with a coverage range of up to 930 square feet.
Best Affordable Air Purifier
Dreo Macro Max S Air Purifier
- Cleans the air quickly
- Three-stage HEPA filtration system
- Supports voice controls
- Affordable
- Limited air quality measurements
- Few third-party integrations
- Loud fan
With a three-stage HEPA filtration system, the sleek and compact Dreo Macro Max S outperformed all other sub-$250 competitors in our air purification tests. This affordable model can remove dust, pollen, and other potentially harmful airborne pollutants in rooms up to 432 square feet and offers Wi-Fi connectivity for app and voice control support. We also appreciate its useful air quality indicator on the front, but wish it could report more than just the current PM2.5 levels.
If you want efficient air purification on a budget, the Dreo Macro Max S is worth checking out.
Best for Large Rooms
Coway Airmega 250S Air Purifier
- Wide coverage area
- Fast cleaning action
- Supports voice controls
- Large footprint
- Limited air quality measurement capabilities
- Loud fan
Featuring a HEPA carbon-activated filter, the Coway Airmega 250S impressed us with its ability to quickly rid the air of pollutants in our cleaning tests. We like the support for Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls, as well as the thoughtful companion app that presents the current PM10 and PM2.5 levels alongside colorful charts of daily, weekly, and monthly air quality measurements.
The Airmega 250S isn't the most stylish air purifier, but it covers more space than similarly priced models and is still quite easy to move between rooms. If you have a large home, this is a top option.
Best Air Purifier That Doesn't Look Like One
Ikea Starkvind Table With Air Purifier
- Good filtration performance
- Multifunctional design
- Easy assembly
- Hidden cord
- Supports app controls
- Works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant
- Doesn't use a True HEPA filter
- Gas filter and Tradfri Gateway (required for smart features) are separate purchases
- Some connectivity issues in testing
- App doesn't show an analysis of air pollutants
Despite lacking a True HEPA filter component, the Ikea Starkvind Table still managed to perform on par with the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 in our tests. It looks like no other purifier on this list, plus offers Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit compatibility.
If you need a smart air purifier that blends in with your home's decor, this is worth a look. It requires a separate gateway device to connect to your phone and take advantage of smart features, but it gets the job done quickly and doesn't cost too much.
Best Combo of HEPA and Ion Technology
Sharp FXJ80UW Air Purifier
- Quiet
- Energy Star certified
- Connects to Wi-Fi for remote control
- Automatically adjusts speed according to air quality level
- Visual indicator lets you quickly see air quality
- Compatible with Amazon Alexa
- Supports scheduling
- Fan doesn't oscillate
- Moderate learning curve
- App doesn't show air quality history
The Sharp FXJ80UW earned high marks in our review because it uses both HEPA and Plasmacluster Ion filtration technologies to rid the air of microscopic pollutants. It performed well in testing, doesn't make much noise, and has a colorful LED display that tells you the current air quality at a glance.
It's not cheap, but this Sharp purifier offers an extra layer of protection against dangerous airborne pollutants. It's not loud at all, but if you are the type that doesn't like distractions, you can set it to operate at specific times of the day when you aren't home. Germ-conscious consumers should also appreciate Spot Mode, which removes odors and germs from clothes, sofas, and curtains.
Best Portable Purifier
Smartmi Air Purifier P1
- Good filtration performance
- Works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant
- Portable
- Loud at high speed
- Lacks IFTTT support
- Limited air quality measurements
Although the Smartmi P1 is the smallest air purifier we’ve tested, it handled our air cleansing tests with aplomb. It doesn’t provide nearly as many air quality measurements as more expensive models, but you still get support for Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit.
The Smartmi P1 is ideal for apartments, dorm rooms, and any other small spaces that require air filtration. It's also quite portable at a height of just 14 inches and a weight of just over 6 pounds. Replacements for its three-layer HEPA filters are affordable, and you can even order a carbon-activated pet filter if you want.
Best Reporting Capabilities
LG PuriCare 360 Air Purifier
- Features two large True HEPA filters
- Supports app and voice control
- Energy Star certified
- Expensive
- Big and heavy
- Mediocre fan
- Can get loud
With its two oversized HEPA filters, the massive PuriCare 360 purifier had no trouble acing our cleaning tests. And, in addition to reporting the level of PM2.5 contaminants in the air, it measures both the much smaller PM1.0 and larger PM10 particles. An oscillating fan, built-in Wi-Fi, app support, and an onboard control panel round out the premium experience.
If you can make peace with its large footprint and high price, the PuriCare 360 proves to be a highly effective appliance. It's very easy to control and provides granular reports about all aspects of your air quality, including the odor level.
Best Matter-Enabled Air Purifier
AiDot WELOV Matter P200 Pro Smart Air Purifier
- 3-stage HEPA filtration
- Fast cleaning performance
- Supports Matter 1.2
- Alexa, Google, and Siri voice control
- Provides energy consumption reports
- Limited air quality readings
- Noisy when running at high speed
- Limited app control
The WELOV Matter P200 Pro is the first air purifier we have reviewed that is certified for the Matter smart home interoperability standard. It supports the Alexa, Google, and Siri voice assistants, with additional integration options to come as third-party device makers adopt Matter 1.2. Recommended for rooms up to 450 square feet, the Matter P200 Pro does a fine job of scrubbing the air of impurities and offers three types of replacement filter options.
If you need a highly interoperable air purifier built for automation, the WELOV Matter P200 Pro is your best bet. Once Amazon, Apple, Google, and SmartThings provide support for Matter 1.2 devices, the WELOV Matter P200 Pro will be able to work to its fullest abilities with all of the major smart home platforms. For now, you can already use it with the most popular voice assistants and create automations to have it interact with other devices from parent company AiDot.
What Makes an Air Purifier Smart?
Most air purifiers (not just smart ones) have sensors that measure the density of various airborne pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2, a toxic gas from car exhausts and power plants), PM2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in size, including industrial emissions and tobacco smoke), PM10 (particulate matter up to 10 microns, including dust, mold, and pollen), and VOC (volatile organic compounds, or potentially harmful gases from things like cleaning products and paint).
Smart air purifiers typically feature Wi-Fi radios that let them connect to a companion app that shows your home's air quality. Some apps offer graphs of your air quality over time. Dyson breaks it down by pollutant, showing charts for each one.
Most smart air purifiers feature an auto mode, which automatically adjusts the fan speed based on the level of pollution detected. They also typically let you set up an air purifying schedule, so the machine automatically turns on and off at specific times. Some models feature Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri support, so you can control them with voice commands.
If a smart air purifier is out of your budget, consider the $69.99 Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor, which simply tracks airborne pollution levels around the clock. You can pair it with a traditional air purifier to save a bit of money.
Common Contaminants and Their Health Effects
Some sources of indoor air pollution are obvious, like cigarette smoke, household cleaning products, and pet dander. Others are less so.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that thousands of products—including air fresheners, dry-cleaned clothing, and office equipment like copiers and printers—emit VOCs that can lead to a long list of health effects ranging from headaches to cancer. Moreover, concentrations of VOCs are typically much higher indoors than outdoors.
Anything that causes smoke—such as cooking, burning candles or incense, or lighting up a fireplace—can lead to elevated concentrations of particulate matter. The EPA says PM10 and smaller can "get deep into your lungs" and, in some cases, your bloodstream. Inhalable particles, especially PM2.5, which is 30 times smaller than the average human hair, may pose a greater risk to those with heart and lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Most smart air purifiers detect PM10 and PM2.5, but LG's $1,299 PuriCare 360 is the only model on this list that reports the density of PM1.0 (particulate matter 1 micron or smaller).
Humidifiers can help relieve cracked lips and dry skin, but if you’re not careful to use distilled water and clean them often, they can provide a fertile breeding ground for bacteria and mold, which is then pumped into your air. Gas stoves, especially when not properly vented, can emit unsafe levels of NO2, which can irritate the respiratory system and exacerbate or contribute to the development of asthma.
Another gas pollutant to worry about, especially if you're renovating or redecorating your home, is formaldehyde, which comes from many household items such as carpets, flooring, furniture, rugs, insulating materials, particleboard, plywood, paint, varnishes, and wallpapers. Long-term exposure to low levels of formaldehyde can cause skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation. Higher levels can cause some types of cancer.
Dyson says that formaldehyde is 500 times smaller than 0.1 microns, making it difficult to capture. Not all air purifiers can detect and break down formaldehyde (Dyson charges $100 more for models that do), so that's something to consider while you shop. Check out our in-depth reviews to see which contaminants each model detects and captures.
In some cases, exposure to airborne pollutants might not cause immediate symptoms, but it can lead to serious health problems down the road. For this reason, the EPA says, "it is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable."
Buying an air purifier isn't the only way to improve your indoor air quality. Other steps you can take include eliminating the sources of your air pollution, opening a window (as long as the outdoor air quality is good), and regularly vacuuming and dusting surfaces.
HEPA vs. Ionic vs. Activated Carbon: Which Filtration Method Is Best?
The machines on this list combat airborne contaminants using High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, activated carbon filters, ionic technology, and/or UV light.
HEPA air purifiers are the most popular. To comply with the current baseline standard, HEPA filters are tested and certified to remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any other airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. There are different levels of HEPA filters, but in general, you want to make sure the model you buy meets the baseline standard (many that do have a "True HEPA" label) and stay away from those marketed as "HEPA-like," "HEPA-type," or "HEPA-style," which might not be as effective.
According to Wirecutter, a NASA study found that HEPA filters can actually capture almost 100% of particles as small as 0.01 microns (10 nanometers), well exceeding the baseline standard. To put that in perspective, COVID-19 is about 60 to 140 nanometers, H1N1 influenza is about 80 to 120 nanometers.
Meanwhile, activated carbon filters are filled with porous carbon, which traps gases such as NO2 and VOCs, as well as foul smells, from the air. Activated carbon filters are often combined with HEPA filters, which do not remove gases.
Our top overall choice, the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, features a 360-degree filter with a HEPA layer that captures allergens, bacteria, mold spores, pollen, and other pollutants, and an activated carbon layer that removes gases and odors. It also doubles as an oscillating fan. The version that destroys formaldehyde, called the Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09, costs $100 more. Dyson says its latest air purifiers, including the TP07 and TP09, not only meet the baseline HEPA filter standard, but are also fully sealed to the HEPA H13 standard, meaning they can remove 99.95% of particles down to 0.1 microns.
The LG PuriCare 360 is another model that combines HEPA and active carbon. The only downside to HEPA and active carbon models is that the replacement filters can be costly (around $50 to $100) and wasteful.
Other models, like the Sharp FXJ80UW and Aura Air, combine HEPA, active carbon, and ionic technologies. Sharp's model features an ion-generating unit that creates positively and negatively charged ions using water and oxygen molecules in the air, and disperses them throughout the room. The ions then actively attach to and break down airborne pollutants like bacteria, mold, and viruses before returning to the air as invisible water vapor. Sharp says the technology reduced 94% of E.coli bacteria, up to 87.7% of mold fungus, and 90.3% of MS2 virus in a closed laboratory over four hours. Aura Air's patented Sterionizer disinfection technique works similarly.
The primary concern about ionic air purifiers is their possible production of ozone gas molecules, a lung irritant that can exacerbate asthma symptoms and cause a host of other health issues. The safety of ionic air purifiers came into question in the mid-2000s after it was revealed that the then-popular Sharper Image Ionic Breeze air purifier produced ozone (an issue that eventually bankrupted the company).
As the California Air Resources Board (CARB) warns, some ozone-producing devices are still marketed as air purifiers. The clean air agency maintains a list of potentially hazardous models to avoid.
All models on our list that use ionic technology are EPA-compliant, CARB-certified, and considered safe to use in your home for extended periods of time.
The Best Smart Air Purifier for Large Rooms
Recommended for rooms up to 1,076 square feet, the Dyson Big+Quiet has the widest coverage area of any model on this list, followed by the Rabbit Air A3 (1,070 square feet).
The LG PuriCare 360 also stands out in terms of large-room purification performance, with dual 360-degree HEPA filters and a fan that can push purified air up to 24 feet away. Its lower section blows purified air 19 inches from the ground, which benefits babies and children.
In my roughly 1,000-square-foot, single-level home, most of the smart air purifiers I've tested can detect elevated levels of air pollution from several rooms away. Sometimes, when I'm frying veggies in the kitchen, the Dyson TP07 from the other end of my house even detects cooking smoke and automatically kicks on.
Can Air Purifiers Really Reduce Allergies?
Whether air purifiers can truly reduce allergies caused by larger particulates such as pollen, dust, mold, and animal dander is a bit controversial, according to the EPA.
"Most of these particles are found where they settle on surfaces in the home, rather than in the air," the EPA says. "They cannot be removed by an air cleaner unless disturbed and re-suspended in the air."
Before turning to an air purifier for allergy relief, consider what type of allergies you have. Air purifiers may do a better job of capturing pet dander compared to other types of allergens. According to the American Lung Association, pet allergens "remain suspended in the air for a long time, much longer than allergens from cockroaches or dust mites." Dust mites, on the other hand, "cling to particles that are too heavy to remain in the air for long" and settle into things like pillows, bedding, and furniture "within minutes."
In my experience, air purifiers aren't an infallible cure for pet allergies, but they can certainly help. To combat dander from my dog, I usually keep at least one air purifier running 24/7. I find it particularly helpful to have one blowing clean air in my direction at night when my symptoms worsen.
Going forward, we'll continue to update this list as we review new models we deem worthy of inclusion. Check back often and, in the meantime, let us know in the comments if you want us to review any specific smart air purifiers.
