Air Purifier Buying Guide - How to Choose the Best Air Purifier?

Is it good to have an air purifier at home? Well, it helps to improve the air quality of your home by removing pollutants and cleaning the air. Air purifiers are necessary nowadays for every house with an increased number of allergens and pollutants. Moreover, living in metropolitan cities is hard, and with lots of pollution, clean air has become non-existent. In such conditions installing a home air purifier is the best option.

How to Choose Air Purifier?

Here are some tips for choosing the right air purifier for the home:

Select Air Purifier According to Your Room Size

The first step in choosing an air purifier is to figure out the total space. For instance, small devices are ineffective in large living rooms, whereas heavy-duty ones are not suitable for small kids' bedrooms. So, find the best fit by looking at "air changes per hour." It can help you learn the working of the filtration system.

Pollutant Types Filtered by Air Purifiers

Some air purifiers are better at filtering out particular pollutant types than others. For example, if your concern is cigarette smoke, you may require a different device than someone who lives with pets. The air purifiers got a rating based on how well they filter various pollutants. On the other hand, if odours are your concern, find an air cleaner with an activated carbon filter.

Check for Certifications

Look for some labels on the packaging before buying an air purifier. For instance, first, see the Energy Star logo for more energy-efficient models. You should also check the Verified seal to confirm that the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers has tested the air purifier. Many air purifiers undergo AHAM's voluntary certification program to get clean air delivery rates (CADRs).

The CADR shows the volume of clean air produced by an air purifier on its highest speed setting. The higher the CADR, the more effective the air purifier is. The air purifier with HEPA filter tends to achieve the highest CADR.

Maintenance Required by Air Purifiers

The basic maintenance required for air purifiers is replacing air filters. How soon do you have to replace them?  

• HEPA Filters: The air purifier with HEPA filter lasts almost one year, depending on its usage.
• Carbon Filters: The air purifier with activated carbon filters often lasts around six months. 
• Pre-Filters: Generally, pre-filters last three months, but some filters are washable for long-term filtration. 

Other models, like an air purifier with humidifier, use ultraviolet light or heat to purify the air and kill allergens and germs. Moreover, they never require filter replacements.

Noise Made by Air Purifiers

You should not judge air cleaners by not just how well they perform. Instead, determine how well you can live with it. These machines should always run at home, so ideally, they need to be quiet. For instance, a noise rating of around 50 decibels equals a refrigerator’s sound. You can find how many decibels an air purifier operates on the packaging before purchasing it.

Portability of Air Purifiers

Some air purifiers are light and more mobile than others. For example, you can make the smallest air purifiers sit on a shelf or desk and easily move them from room to room. The large and heavy air purifiers are best to keep stationary, though some also come with casters for portability.

Also, the size of an air purifier and the size of the room have a relation. For instance, one that can effectively clean your nursery may not be the right choice for a living room. On the other hand, you may have to find a medium between portability and size if you plan to purchase one.

Energy Efficiency of Air Purifiers

Air purifiers are effective when they constantly run. So, you will desire to factor in electricity costs. Some of the air purifiers have Energy Star certification, but the amount of power of each one depends on your fan's speed. For instance, smaller Philips air purifier for home use less energy than larger ones, but they clean much smaller spaces. 

On the other side, air purifiers rated for large living rooms have higher fan speeds. In addition, some models have "eco" modes to power down the devices. Finally, you can usually search for the air purifier's estimated energy usage in your product specs. For example, some devices supposedly draw as little as 1.5 watts on low, and power-hungry ones draw more than 200 watts on high.

Make a choice - Meet All Requirements.

Finding the appropriate air purifier for your home to meet all your requirements is not an overwhelming task. Instead, understanding what you need in the air purifier is the main factor when deciding on an air purifier suitable to your needs. The above tips will help you make the selection process much simpler and quicker.