The 8 Best Air Purifiers Tested In Real Homes With Pets

Best Overall

Winix 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier

$160 at Amazon $160 at Walmart $160 at Home Depot

With four layers of filtration—a pre-filter, a washable carbon filter, a HEPA filter, and a permanent filter—built-in sensors detecting changes in air quality, and low decibel ratings for sound even at the highest power level, the Winix 5500-2 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier is our top choice among all the air purifiers we’ve tested. The energy-efficient air purifier has a solid CADR (clean air delivery rate) score for dust (243), pollen (246), and smoke (232), and has the top-performing pre-filter for capturing pet hair out of all the units we tested.

“Having a true HEPA filter and a good CADR has been shown to be a lot more effective with reducing allergens," Allergy and Immunology medical expert, Niha Qamar, MD, told The Spruce Pets.

The sound emitted by the Winix 5500-2 is relatively low so it’s unlikely to interrupt conversations or sleep. Plus, it automatically goes into sleep mode in dark settings—conserving energy and dimming the LED screen— switching back to auto mode in the presence of light. 

It's also easy to set up and comes with a remote for convenient operation from across the room, but does not connect to Wifi for voice command and there's no mobile app connection for monitoring. When the three layers of replaceable filters require maintenance, a light on the unit’s display lights up, and the process of swapping out and rinsing the carbon filter is straightforward. There are also three light-up color indicators pointing out changes in air quality in real time. 

The Winix 5500-2 is suitable for larger spaces, up to 360 square feet, but the device itself is rather big (15 x 8.2 x 23.6 inches) so it might overwhelm a smaller space or a bedroom–which is one of the priority spaces for air purification in a home, according to Dr. Qamar. "I always recommend placement in a bedroom because that is where you spend most of your time and where a lot of dust mites could linger, especially in your bedding."

For a bedroom, you might want to consider our other top choices, such as the Levoit Core 300s Smart Ture HEPA Air Purifier, our current Best For Odors pick, which received the highest score overall, or our Best for Quiet selection, the Rabbit Air MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier with a streamlined design that's wall mountable.

_{Coverage Area: 360 square feet | Dimensions: 15 x 8.2 x 23.6 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: 243 (dust), 246 (pollen), 232 (smoke) | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

Best for Small Spaces

Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max Air Purifier

$145 at Amazon $170 at Home Depot $170 at Wayfair

With the Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max, reliable air filtration is enhanced through the on-demand convenience of a mobile app controlling power settings and monitoring air quality in real-time. After the introduction of common household pollutants in our testing space, the Blue Pure 411i Max noticeably cleared and improved the air quality. It’s also one of the quietest air purifiers we tested, even at its most powerful setting. 

The smart Wi-Fi-enabled device allows for voice commands and has an optional child lock to keep settings intact. There are four fan speedings, two power modes—night mode which turns off display lights, and auto mode which adjusts as sensors detect pollutants in the air, and three brightness settings for display lights—off, dim, and bright. With all of these features, this Blueair air purifying system is highly amendable for use in a bedroom with sensitive sleepers and in a living room where it won’t overpower conversations or audio from entertainment devices.  

There are five color air quality indicators that let you know when your air quality improves, diminishes, or could benefit from filter maintenance. The external facing pre-filter is capable of capturing pet hair, can be rinsed with water for regular maintenance, and is available in five muted colors. There is also an optional subscription service through Blueair that will send new replacement filters every three, six, or nine months, depending on your needs and use. 

_{Coverage Area: 219–526 square feet| Dimensions: 18.9 X 10.6 X 10.6 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: 141 (dust), 141 (pollen), 141 (smoke) | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

A Great Budget Option for Small Spaces

Levoit Air Purifier 3-in-1 Filter Cleaner

$48 at Amazon View on Levoit.com $50 at Target

The Levoit Core Mini Air Purifier is small—measuring 6.5 x 6.5 x 10.4 inches— and is designed to clear the air in spaces up to 337 square feet, so it's ideal for use in smaller spaces, such as a bedroom, den, or office. It weighs a little over 2 pounds, making it easy to move around until you find the right spot for it to work. Similar to our top choice for tackling odors, the Levoit Core 300s Smart Ture HEPA Air Purifier, the Core Mini has a three-stage filtration system that is designed to filter out air pollutants, and it runs quietly with 25dB rating, so it's unlikely to interrupt your sleep.

We found the Core Mini Air Purifier to be small but mighty, capable of clearing smoke, dust, and allergens from the air. It also tackles larger particles, like pet hair and dander, but it is not as effective with the bigger irritants as other air purifiers that made our list.

The device comes in two colors, black or white, but we felt the power cord could be a little longer and you might need an extension cord with this air purifier.

^{Coverage Area: 337 square feet | Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.5 x 10.4 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: Not listed | Smart Capabilities: No}

Best Quiet

Rabbit Air MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier

$600 at Amazon $600 at Chewy View on Rabbitair.com

The Rabbit Air MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier with Wi-Fi has a five-layered filtration system including an activated carbon filter, a specialized HEPA filter, and a custom pet allergy filter. Throughout our testing, this purifier effectively and quietly improved air quality by clearing pollutants out of the air, from pet hair and dander to volatile organic compounds, like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

The purifier has a sleek modern design that takes up minimal space and can easily be mounted to a wall. When operating in silent mode the device is virtually undetectable, and for complete uninterrupted air filtration, sleep mode turns off the light-up display for an extended duration of time.

The app and on-device display indicate changes in air quality and help you monitor the status of the filtration to maximize the performance of the MinusA2 Ultra Quiet. And while it's the most expensive air purifier on our list, it also comes with a generous five-year warranty from Rabbit Air.

_{Coverage Area: 700 square feet | Dimensions: 20 x 21.4 x 7 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: 166 (smoke), 173 (dust), 171 (pollen) | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

Best for Odors

Levoit Core 300S Air Purifier

$150 at Amazon $180 at Target View on Levoit.com

The Levoit Core 300s Smart Ture HEPA Air Purifier quickly extinguished the palpable aroma of incense from our testing space in under 30 minutes, and even at its lowest—and quietest—setting its air purifying ability was measurable.

Inside the compact air purifier, there are three layers that work together to filter out particles as large as pet hair from the air. A pre-filter where lint and fibers are trapped, a HEPA filter collecting dust, pollen, and dander, and an activated carbon filter which is essential for the removal of odors, like smoke and fumes, that can enter your home.

The Core 300s Smart Ture HEPA Air Purifier is WiFi enabled and easy to set up. It can be controlled and monitored from an app or through the LED display on the top of the device where settings can be programmed and locked. It is also responsive to voice commands. While we find the price reasonable (on par with our Best Overall pick), this model typically goes on sale ahead of Black Friday.

It has three air intake settings and at the highest, the decibel rating peaked at 58, which is comparable to quiet household dishwasher, so it’s unlikely to disrupt you while sleeping or watching television. For use in a room with a light sleeper, it has a sleep mode that will turn off all display lights and keep the air purification system running as quietly as possible.

_{Coverage Area: 219 square feet | Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 14.2 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: 141 | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

Best for Allergies

Bionaire True HEPA 360 UV Air Purifier

$176 at Amazon $176 at Walmart $180 at Target

The Bionaire True HEPA 360 UV Air Purifier effectively captures airborne allergens and noticeably improved air quality in under 30 minutes in our testing. The cylindrical shape allows for full 360 degrees of air intake and filtration in a room and a built-in top handle enables portability within a home.

This air-purifying device from Bionaire features six stages of filtration consisting of two pre-filters (one fabric and one mesh), a true HEPA filter, a carbon filter,  a UV light, and an Ionizer. The UV light—which kills bacteria—and the ionizer—which releases a static charge to attract particles including pet hair and dander—can be activated in unison with the air intake filters for expedited air cleansing when a contaminate is present, such as a pet or smoke.

There are three air filtration power settings, and while the highest level produces significantly more noise and makes it difficult to maintain a conversation, the other two settings are sustainable for everyday use—even while sleeping. For use in a bedroom, the purifier has a night-light setting for visibility in low light and a night mode setting that turns off all display lights. There is also an eight-hour timer setting to maintain the filtration process for an extended duration of time.

To maintain functionality, the UV light, and layered filters should be replaced annually (on average), but the process is straightforward and the total cost for replacements is under $100.  

_{Coverage Area: 175–848 square feet | Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 15 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: 113 | Smart Capabilities: No}

Best Splurge

Dyson Purifier Cool Purifying Fan

$495 at Amazon $500 at Walmart $500 at Home Depot

In our various effectiveness tests, this air purifier from Dyson was exceptionally efficient with clearing air pollutants–including smoke–and significantly improved the air quality in our testing space.

The Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 Smart Air Purifier and Fan was previously our Best Overall choice because of its powerful filtration capabilities, cooling effects, and quiet operational experience. But with a price that’s nearly double our latest Best Overall, the Winix 5500-2 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier, we decided to find a new spot for this one on our list. 

While it is a larger unit, its footprint is relatively small, making it a great floor air purifier that won't take up too much space in your home. It also emits minimal noise with low decibel readings even at the highest power level so it’s suitable for use in a bedroom and is unlikely to interrupt your favorite tv show. Aside from its quiet operation, this purifier also has smart capabilities with a user-friendly app that connects to Wi-Fi to control the purifier. The app has the same capabilities as the magnetized remote that comes with the purifier and tracks the room’s air quality over time. The top of this purifier also oscillates to evenly move air and clean it while the unit is in use. This purifier will automatically sense changes in air quality and react to best clean the air, and then reports changes directly to the linked app and the control panel. Backward airflow mode allows you to use the purifier alone without a cooling effect as well. 

_{Coverage Area: Not available | Dimensions: 4.72 x 8 x 41 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: Not available | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

Best Budget for Big Room

Veva 9000 Air Purifier

$125 at Amazon $85 at Walmart

To cleanse the air in a large space at an affordable price, the Veva ProHEPA 9000 Air Purifier is our top choice. We have not yet tested this model, but it is a larger version of our previous Best Budget pick, the Veva 8000 Air Purifier, that is currently out of stock.

The 9000 is capable of clearing pollutants in rooms measuring up to 600 square feet. It has three speeds, with the lowest being extra quiet and the highest, ultra turbo speed providing maximum purification of strong odors, fine dust, pet dander, pollen, smoke, mold, and lint. The four levels of filtration in this air purifier include a washable pre-filter and a HEPA filter with the ability to remove particles as tiny as 0.3 microns.

Like the 8000, the filters are easy to to access for cleaning and they are fairly low maintenance. Veva recommends swapping in a new filter every two to six months to keep the ProHEPA 9000 purifier operating efficiently.

^{Coverage Area: 600 square feet | Dimensions: 8.3 x 12.68 x 20.6 inches | Filter Type: HEPA | CADR Rating: Not available | Smart Capabilities: No}