9 Best Air Purifiers of 2024, According to Testing

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In recent years, air purifiers have evolved from a mostly niche product to a must-have health and wellness device in many homes, thanks to the steady rise in indoor air pollutants — everything from to a pandemic-fueled uptick in households that own a pet to more wildfires than normal, which can pose a risk to air quality, according to experts. “Improved filtration helps today’s air purifiers capture more contaminants from the air in your home,” says Carolyn Forté, executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab.

But some purifiers are better than others, according to our latest round of testing, which took our total number of reviewed models up to 45.

Our top picks:

Testing takes place in labs at the Institute and in consumer testers' homes, allowing us to evaluate the devices in real-world conditions. While an air purifier's ability to remove contaminants is the most important criterion, our experts also consider such factors as ease of use, maintenance and operating costs, the same way we do with other air treatment equipment, like humidifiers, portable air conditioners and dehumidifiers.

Keep in mind that an air purifier on its own can’t give your home perfect indoor air quality (IAQ). But when combined with IAQ best practices — like regular vacuuming and controlling indoor humidity levels throughout the year — the following top-rated air purifiers can help make your home healthier.

Once you’ve read our reviews, you can find details on how we test air purifiers, plus everything you need to know when choosing the best model for your home, at the bottom of this guide. Be sure to check out even more ways to control allergens and air irritants in your home, including using a top-rated dehumidifier to remove moisture from muggy summer air. You'll also want to consult any Amazon Prime Day 2023 sales so you can purchase home appliances like air purifiers without breaking the bank.

Blue Pure 311i+ Max

To effectively capture all the contaminants floating through indoor air, you need an air purifier with serious filtration. In our latest Lab tests, Blueair's newly released 311i+ Max took over the top spot thanks to its advanced multi-level protection against contaminants of all sizes — not just dander and pet hair, but also cooking fumes, dust mites and pollen. "It was exceptionally fast at clearing the air in our test chamber, plus it was among the quietest models, even on its higher fan speeds," says Good Housekeeping Institute Lab Assistant Nikolas Greenwald. For good measure, the device is certified by Quiet Mark, an outside organization that evaluates consumer products for sound.

The 311i+ Max's washable fabric pre-filter that encases the device (available in five colors) snags fur, dust and other large particles. Once air is pulled inside the device, it passes through a true HEPA filter that's designed to capture smaller particles down to.1 micron, the smallest of all tested air purifiers. That's enough to clear up to 99.97% of pet-generated pollutants across 465 square feet in under 13 minutes. "It's perfect for a family room or studio apartment," says Greenwald, adding that "larger spaces will be better served by one of our more powerful top picks." As for its feature set, our testers were impressed by the 311+Max's connectivity and smart phone app, which lets you monitor your home's air quality remotely. You can also program the air purifier to kick into standby mode when you leave the house and turn on when you're close to returning.

Macro Pro

Chances are, you'll need more than one air purifier to manage the air quality throughout your whole house. If you're on a budget, you could buy three or four of these Dreos for the price of a single model from other top brands, without giving up much in the way of performance.

Like the top-rated Blueair, the Dreo uses three-stage filtration — a fabric pre-filter, a True HEPA filter and an odor-neutralizing carbon filter (though it's certified to capture particles down to.3 microns, compared with the.1 micron rating of the Blueair). In extensive home testing that took place over several weeks, the Dreo effectively vanquished odors and stale air. “It seems to have really freshened up the air in our basement apartment where we have a dog and lots of dust,” noted one tester. Another plus is the compact design won’t get in the way in smaller spaces.

One caveat: The Dreo was not the most intuitive air purifier in our tests, so non-techies might find it frustrating — at least at first. Some testers quibbled that the interface takes a little getting used to, but in time, most appreciated the bevy of modes, including three fan speeds and separate modes for sleep, turbo and auto, in which the purifier uses onboard sensors to make automatic adjustments based on current air quality conditions in the room.

True HEPA Allergen Remover Air Purifier

This air purifier from Honeywell, another established brand in the home comfort space, uses a pre-filter and True HEPA filter to capture contaminants down to.3 microns.

The model line comes in five different sizes that target rooms ranging from small (75 square feet) to extra large (500 square feet). This mid-sized model, previously the brand's largest, claims to clean the air as often as five times an hour and remove up to 99.97% of airborne particles, including viruses.

Our product analysts highlighted the relatively low cost of the replacement filter, which you'll appreciate if you need to run more than one air purifier at the same time, or if there's a high level of pollution in the home, say, from pet hair, smoke or pollen.

Keep in mind that even the largest model only has a coverage area of 500 feet. So if you're looking to clear the air in a very large space, check out our winners with coverage areas in the 800 to 1,300 square feet range.

RELATED: 6 Best Air Purifiers for Allergies, Tested by Experts

Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde

Close to $1,000 is a lot to spend on an air purifier, especially if you need multiple units throughout the home. But Dyson has proven itself splurge-worthy in other product categories, from cordless vacuums to hair dryers, and that’s what our experts found with its latest air purifier, the Dyson Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde.

Its unique catalytic filter combines with True HEPA filtration to vanquish contaminants down to.3 microns. It was one of the fastest models at reducing particulate matter in our test chamber. And beyond that, it even has humidifying and cooling capabilities to help keep spaces dry and comfortable too.

The Dyson also has one of the most sophisticated onboard air monitors we’ve seen on a purifier. It measures the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter and then relays the data, along with ambient temperature and humidity levels, to a sleek app. “The interface on the app is extremely intuitive and should give users a very clear picture of their home’s indoor air quality,” says Greenwald.

If you’re willing to spend this much on an air purifier, operating costs might not be an issue. But we’d be remiss not to mention that at $80 a pop, the Dyson’s replacement filter is up there with the most expensive. Plus there’s the $30 cleaning kit you’ll need to use a few times a year to keep the device running smoothly.

Last but not least, the air purifier is massive, standing 3 feet tall. If neither of those is a deal breaker for you, the Dyson Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde won’t disappoint when it comes to optimizing your home’s indoor air quality.

Core 400S Smart True HEPA Air Purifier

This Levoit air purifier stood out to our testers for its combination of value, performance and intelligent smart design. The unit’s three-stage filtration, including a True HEPA filter, helps it capture airborne pollutants down to.3 microns in rooms up to approximately 400 square feet.

"We also liked its built-in precision laser sensor, which accurately monitors particles in the room and auto-adjusts fan speeds as needed," says Greenwald. The purifier is incredibly quiet, operating at just 24 dB, which you’ll appreciate if it’s stationed in your bedroom. (One of our testers has been running the unit for several months in her home and says the light hum is quite peaceful at night.)

Then there are its smart capabilities, which we love, including Levoit's VeSync app, which allows you to monitor real-time air quality, view filter life and set schedules.

75i Air Purifier

The Alen is the only other model in our roundup (along with the Blue Pure 211) that can capture contaminants down to.1 microns. It combines that advanced filtration with a powerful fan for massive cleaning power across 1,300 square feet.

Since so many homes these days have open-floor plans, design matters when it comes to choosing the best air purifier. This is one of the better-looking models to pass through our labs, with its sleek front panel available in six colors. The combination of peak performance and high design doesn't come cheap: Besides the steep upfront price, filter replacement costs are several times as much as other models.

One other note: Our safety experts point out that the Alen has an optional ionization setting designed to combat even more pollutants. We don’t recommend this feature on any air purifier since it can produce ozone, a lung irritant. But even without the use of the ionization setting, the Alen should capture plenty of dust, pollen, smoke and more, while looking good in the process.

75i Air Purifier

The Alen is the only other model in our roundup (along with the Blue Pure 211) that can capture contaminants down to.1 microns. It combines that advanced filtration with a powerful fan for massive cleaning power across 1,300 square feet.

Since so many homes these days have open-floor plans, design matters when it comes to choosing the best air purifier. This is one of the better-looking models to pass through our labs, with its sleek front panel available in six colors. The combination of peak performance and high design doesn't come cheap: Besides the steep upfront price, filter replacement costs are several times as much as other models.

One other note: Our safety experts point out that the Alen has an optional ionization setting designed to combat even more pollutants. We don’t recommend this feature on any air purifier since it can produce ozone, a lung irritant. But even without the use of the ionization setting, the Alen should capture plenty of dust, pollen, smoke and more, while looking good in the process.

Pure Hot+Cool Air Purifier

In a tight space, you don't want to create clutter by keeping an air purifier next to a space heater (during cool weather) or a fan (come summer). That's why our experts love this Dyson.

The triple-duty machine is a heater, fan and air purifier all in one. Using a True HEPA filter, this Dyson air purifier claims to clear up to 99.97% of airborne pollutants, including smoke from wildfires, as well as various odors and toxins. Our ease-of-use tests also found a bunch of family-friendly extras on the unit. Unlike other fans, it has no accessible blades, so it's safer for small hands. There's also a nighttime mode and a sleep timer as part of its 10-speed settings.

In terms of intelligence, the unit syncs with Amazon Alexa through your Echo device and can also deliver real-time air quality reports through the Dyson app. The Dyson is another top pick that will appeal most to tech-savvy users, as some of our testers found the controls a tad confusing. Take that into consideration if you're not a true gadget geek.