7 Best Plug-In Air Purifiers for 2024
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If there’s something that we know well living in the Inland Northwest, it’s air quality. Here in Spokane, we can expect around more than a week of bad air quality, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. While that might not sound “that bad,” it’s unfortunately a trend that continues to tick upward.
When it comes to improving indoor air quality, plug-in air purifiers are a portable and practical solution. These compact devices offer a convenient way to freshen up the air in your home or office. After our first year of living through poor air quality in Spokane, we quickly realized we needed air purifiers in our home!
To help you choose the right one for your needs, we have reviewed the top seven plug-in air purifiers based on our experience and those of our friends and family, expert opinions, and actual user reviews.
The Top 3 Best Plug-in Air Purifiers
Looking for the tl;dr version? Here are our top three favorite air purifiers:
- Levoit Air Purifier – Compact, offers a filter for homes with pets as well as a wildfire smoke filter.
- Dyson Pure Cool Air Purifier and Fan – While it’s bigger than our two other favorites, the Dyson is awesome because it cools while it filters the air. Win win!
- Blue Air Air Purifier – The Blue Air air purifier is QUIET! If you’re looking for an excellent, compact air purifier that’s pretty quiet, you’ll want this.
What are the benefits of owning a plug-in air purifier?
Plug-in air purifiers offer a range of benefits for improving indoor air quality. These compact devices are convenient and portable, making them easy to use in any room of your home or office.
One major advantage of plug-in air purifiers is their ability to eliminate airborne particles, such as dust, pollen, and pet dander. With features like carbon filters and UV-C light technology, these purifiers can also remove unpleasant odors and even eliminate germs and harmful particles.
Additionally, plug-in air purifiers come in a variety of models designed for different room sizes, ensuring optimal performance no matter the space. Some models even offer smart features like air quality sensors and auto mode, making them energy-efficient and easy to control. Whether you’re looking to reduce allergens, improve air quality, or eliminate odors, a plug-in air purifier is a practical and effective solution.
Our Favorite Plugin-In Air Purifiers
LEVOIT Air Purifier
The LEVOIT Air Purifier is a top-rated plug-in air purifier designed to provide clean and fresh air in any room. With its advanced features and powerful performance, it is an excellent choice for improving indoor air quality.
One of the standout features of the LEVOIT Air Purifier is its HEPA filters. These filters are highly efficient in capturing airborne particles such as dust, pollen, pet dander, and more. By trapping these particles, the air purifier helps reduce allergies and respiratory issues, allowing you and your family to breathe easier. What stands out to us with the Levoit, and why we love it the most as one of the best plug-in air purifiers, is the filter indicator that shows you on the top control panel when you need to replace it. It simply turns red, and then you know it’s time to get a new filter in, stat!
The LEVOIT portable air purifier we own can clean a room up to 1095 sq. ft. We personally bought the pet allergy filter, as our cat was shedding a lot that summer and it was getting to be a lot! You can also buy other filters, like the smoke remover filter to help with wildfire smoke.
It’s pretty remarkable how quickly our LEVOIT plug-in air filter works, too. Within roughly 20 minutes, any sort of wildfire (or firework) smell is gone and the headaches I get from smoke disappear. I can’t guarantee this is how it will work for you, but this is how it works for us!
Additionally, this air purifier has the capability to remove unwanted odors. Equipped with a carbon filter, it effectively eliminates pet odors, cooking smells, and other unpleasant odors, leaving your space smelling fresh and clean.
We’ve been really happy with our LEVOIT air purifier. After one smoky summer in Spokane, we went through two air filters, and we’ve replaced one already after one winter in Spokane, too. It also has a quiet mode for when you want to sleep and need absolute silence, which is great, although we usually keep it on the noisier levels because we want faster air cleaning.
Buy the LEVOIT Air Purifier here.
AROEVE Air Purifier
The AROEVE Air Purifier is a powerful and efficient solution for improving indoor air quality. With its advanced features and benefits, it is designed to effectively eliminate unpleasant odors, dust, pollen, and pet dander.
Equipped with a true HEPA filter, this air purifier captures 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, ensuring that you and your family breathe cleaner and healthier air. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with allergies or respiratory issues. One reviewer shared that, as the only smoker in the house, the Aroeve is able to remove 100% of the cigarette smoke particles in his house and non-smokers can’t even tell there’s cigarette smoke in the house – that’s pretty incredible!
In addition to its exceptional filtration capabilities, the AROEVE Air Purifier is specifically designed to tackle unwanted odors. It features an activated carbon filter that effectively absorbs and neutralizes odors from pets, cooking, smoke, and more. Say goodbye to lingering smells and enjoy refreshed and clean air!
With a coverage area of up to 1000 square feet, this air purifier is ideal for bedrooms, living rooms, offices, and other medium-sized spaces. We’ve found that even though most air purifiers say they can handle large rooms, they’re best in medium sized rooms. If you do have a room that’s 1000 sq. ft., you should be fine but you might want something like the Dyson Air Purifier and Fan (below) to help circulate the air.
While the Aroeve Air Purifier is one of the larger air purifiers on this list, it’s compact and sleek, allowing for easy placement almost anywhere.
The AROEVE Air Purifier also operates quietly, ensuring minimal noise output while in use. This makes it perfect for bedrooms or spaces where you need peace and quiet!
Buy the AROEVE Air Purifier here.
Bissell air320 Smart Air Purifier
The Bissell air320 Smart Air Purifier is a top-notch choice for those seeking a powerful and effective solution to improve indoor air quality. Designed with large spaces in mind, such as basements, this air purifier boasts features that make it stand out from the competition.
Equipped with a three-stage filtration system, the Bissell air320 is highly efficient in capturing and removing airborne particles, helping to alleviate allergies and respiratory issues. Its pre-filter captures larger particles, while the true HEPA filter traps 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. Additionally, the activated carbon filter eliminates unwanted odors from pets, cooking, and smoke, leaving your space fresh and odor-free.
Most importantly, several reviewers noted they bought the Bissel air purifier to handle the Canadian wildfire smoke, and they all said it was a great help and made their indoor air quality significantly better. Another reviewer praised the air quality monitor that comes with this purifier to help monitor and treat the air quality in their house. That’s a great endorsement for this air purifier!
With a coverage area of around 1000 sq ft, this air purifier is ideal for larger spaces, making it perfect for basements and other spacious areas. The sleek and modern design ensures it blends seamlessly with any decor, and I really like that it has three stages of filtration, including pre-HEPA, pre – filter, and a medical grade HEPA filter – plus an activated carbon filter, which I’ve found really helps for smoky days here in the Pacific Northwest.
Overall, the Bissell air320 Smart Air Purifier is a reliable and effective choice for those in need of a high-performing air purification solution for larger spaces like basements. With its exceptional filtration capabilities and odor elimination features, this air purifier promises to provide you with cleaner, fresher air for a healthier living environment.
Dyson Pure Cool™ TP01 Air Purifier and Fan
The Dyson Pure Cool™ TP01 Air Purifier and Fan is a revolutionary device that combines the functionalities of an air purifier and a fan. With its powerful capabilities, it ensures you enjoy clean and fresh air while staying cool in the summer heat.
One of the standout features of the Dyson Pure Cool™ TP01 is its ability to eliminate unpleasant odors from your environment. Equipped with a HEPA filter, it effectively captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold, and pet dander. This ensures that the air you breathe is free from harmful allergens and pollutants, greatly improving indoor air quality.
I have to say, I was a little skeptical about the look of the Dyson purifier/fan combo, until I saw it at work at my Mom’s house. It does a great job of cooling and removing smells, like wildfire smoke as well as kitchen smells – plus, it keeps us cool in this unnatural summer heat!
I will say, it does take longer to get out smells than our Levoit purifier does, and this purifier is not a compact size. It’s big! But it does a great job of cooling and purifying the air, which is something the majority of air purifiers don’t do.
Some of the reviews said this purifier/fan combo was noisy – in our experience, this air purifier is not noisy at all! We’ve definitely used noisier purifiers, so it may be a setting issue for some.
One word of caution – DO NOT LOSE YOUR REMOTE CONTROL. I put this in all caps because, unfortunately and almost immediately, we lost our tiny Dyson remote control and… yeah. That significantly impacts how your able to make it oscillate and do other cool things with it.
Overall, the Dyson Pure Cool is a sleek, modern-looking purifier and fan, which is a great combination now that the Pacific Northwest is both covered in wildfire smoke and disturbingly hot (not all year! Just a few weeks or so in the summer!) You won’t regret having this air purifier in your house!
Clorox Smart Air Purifier
The Clorox Smart Air Purifier is a cutting-edge device designed to provide clean and healthy air for your home or office space. With its advanced features and innovative technology, it is a game-changer in the world of air purification.
Equipped with a highly efficient HEPA air purifier filter, the Clorox Smart Air Purifier effectively eliminates airborne allergens, such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. It also targets and removes bacteria, viruses, and even smoke particles, ensuring that the air you breathe is free from harmful contaminants.
This air purifier is perfect for medium-sized rooms, offering coverage of up to 350 square feet. It has a filter life of approximately 12 months, saving you both time and money on frequent filter replacements.
One of the standout features of the Clorox Smart Air Purifier is its compatibility with Amazon Alexa. This allows you to control the device with simple voice commands, making it convenient and user-friendly. You can easily adjust settings, turn on or off the purifier, and monitor air quality through the Clorox app on your mobile device.
In addition to its powerful filtration system and smart capabilities, the Clorox Smart Air Purifier boasts a sleek and modern design that will seamlessly blend with any decor. It operates quietly, ensuring minimal noise output and providing a peaceful environment.
I personally love that the Clorox smart purifier can be connected to your phone – and controlled from it, too! Unlike the Dyson, which comes with a remote control, the Clorox is paired to something you probably won’t ever lose… and if you do, you can re-install your app on your new phone!
Buy the Clorox air purifier here.
LEVOIT Air Purifier for 2000+ Sq. Ft.
The LEVOIT Air Purifier for 2000+ Sq. Ft. is a highly efficient air purification solution that ensures clean and fresh air in larger spaces. This air purifier is equipped with advanced features to eliminate airborne allergens, bacteria, viruses, and even smoke particles, providing a healthier indoor environment for you and your family.
Designed to cover larger areas, this air purifier is perfect for spacious rooms, offices, or open floor plans up to 2000 square feet. With its powerful performance and high CADR rating, it effectively filters out harmful particles from the air, improving indoor air quality significantly.
Not only does the LEVOIT Air Purifier deliver exceptional performance, but it also offers long filter life, reducing the need for frequent filter replacements. This results in cost savings and less maintenance hassle.
Additionally, this air purifier is affordable compared to many other options on the market. You can enjoy the benefits of cleaner air without breaking the bank. While we personally don’t need an air purifier this big, we’re really happy with our smaller (and therefore cheaper) Levoit, so if you need a purifier that can handle a bigger room, we highly recommend this version. You can also control this one via a phone app – easy!
Investing in an air purifier that suits the size of your room is essential for optimal results. With the LEVOIT Air Purifier for 2000+ Sq. Ft., you can enjoy the benefits of cleaner and healthier air in larger spaces, making it an ideal choice for those seeking reliable and efficient air purification.
Buy the Levoit air purifier for 2000+ st ft rooms here.
Blue Air Purifier 211+
The Blueair Air Purifier 211+ is a high-performance air purifier that is designed to remove allergens, pollutants, and other harmful particles from the air. It features a HEPASilent filter that is 99.97% effective at capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns, including pollen, dust, smoke, and pet dander. The purifier is also very quiet, making it ideal for use in bedrooms and other areas where noise is a concern.
I’m not kidding when I say the Blue Air is quiet – one of my friends has this air purifier, and WOW it is silent! In addition to its compact design, you can put it anywhere you want quiet and clean air, and it will do a great job removing smells and odors – quietly!
The Blueair Air Purifier 211+ is easy to use and comes with a variety of features, including a timer, a night mode, and a remote control. It is also Energy Star certified, so you can be sure that it is energy-efficient.
If you are looking for an effective and quiet air purifier that can help to improve the air quality in your home, the Blueair Air Purifier 211+ is a great option.
Buy the Blue Air purifier here.
Best Air Purifier for Pets
If you’re a pet owner, you know that pets can create a lot of dust and dirt, causing allergies and compromising indoor air quality. Thankfully, there are air purifiers specifically designed to effectively remove pet dander, pet odors and more. These top air purifiers utilize a high-quality HEPA filter, known for its exceptional ability to capture and filter out even the smallest airborne particles.
We absolutely love our Levoit Pet air purifier! At one point, we had two cats, a dog, and a bird living in our house and, honestly? You couldn’t even tell we had that many pets (plus the accompanying cats’ boxes!)
That was mainly due to our Levoit Pet air purifier, which is a champ at taking in smells and spitting out… nothing. Clean air, I guess. The point is, no more smells! The Levoit Pet has a pre-filter, high efficiency activated carbon filter, and HEPA filter. It also has a nighttime mode (quieter) and a pet lock. Levoit said that’s to keep your pets or kids from changing the settings, but so far our dog or cat hasn’t figured out buttons so… we’ve been ok. But it’s a nice feature to keep people from messing with your settings!
Buy the Levoit Pet purifier here.
Not sold on the Levoit Pet, or need something larger? Why not try the Alen BreatheSmart purifier, which has medical-grade filtration, purifying up to 1300 sq ft, and recognizes airborne particles, adjusting for optimal filtration. If you’re looking for a pet-friendly air purifier that’s more ‘set it and forget it’, the Alen might be an excellent option for you.
Unlike the Levoit Pet, the Alen not only monitors air quality, it also shows you its sensors, changing colors from purple (dirty air) to blue, when the air is cleaned. You can also monitor your air purifier from the Alen app, which is a feature I really appreciate. While the Alen is more expensive that other air purifiers, reviewers have said it does an excellent jon, plus you can subscribe to Alen’s filter subscription service and never have to worry about running out or accidentally buying the wrong size.
Buy the Alen pet air purifier here.
Looking for an air purifier with a longer warranty and longer-lasting air filter? One of the frustrating things about our Levoit purifiers is that we need to change out the filter at least once a year, if not more with all of the wildfire smoke we’ve been getting. That’s not the case with the Rabbit Air HEPA Purifier!
While this unit is more pricey than the other pet-friendly air purifiers, what I like about it is:
- 5 different speeds, with the lowest being ultra quiet
- The filter kit is designed to last up to 2 years, plus the pre-filter is washable, extending its life!
- 5 year warranty and 24/7 lifetime technical support, which can actually come in handy for air purifiers!
Other things that make the Rabbit Air stand out as an excellent pet-friendly air purifier and all around great option include: four different custom filter options (Germ Defense, Pet Allergy, Toxin Absorber and Odor Remover), smart sensors, and the ability to control your purifier through the Rabbit Air App.
Reviewers love its sleek design, easy to swap in-and-out filters, standout purifier technology, and even its fun control lights. The app is also one of the more informative ones on the market, sharing more about the concentration of particulates in the air, plus a visual indication of filter life. While this purifier is more expensive than most, it does take out a lot of the guesswork for purifiers, like, “is it working? What is it even cleaning? What’s in the air?”
Buy the Rabbit Air HEPA purifier here.
Best Air Purifier for Large Spaces (Large Basements, Etc.)
While we haven’t noticed our basement suffer from the same amount of wildfire smoke as our main floor/above ground floors, basements do sometimes have other smells that you’ll want an air purifier to tackle! Here are some of the best air purifiers for large spaces, including larger basements:
- Aroeve Air Purifier – yes, the Aroeve from above is also great for large basements! Covering 1000+ sq ft, the Aroeve is tall but compact, equipped with a True HEPA Filter, dual air treatment, and easy filter replacement. Reviewers love how the Aroeve tells them when the air purifier is cleaning (going from red to yellow to green), and how affordable this model is.
Buy the Aroeve large room purifier here.
- Rabbit Air A3 SPA-1000N HEPA Air Purifier – Another Rabbit Air purifier, but this one is for bigger rooms! This HEPA purifier covers up to 1000 sq ft and offers five different speeds, with six stages of purification. like the Rabbit Air listed above for pets, this Rabbit Air filter kit can also last for up to two years based on 12 hours of daily operation, and features the same custom filter options of Germ Defense, Pet Allergy, Toxin Absorber, and Odor Remover.
Buy the Rabbit Air Large Room air purifier here.
- Nuwave OxyPure Smart Air Purifier – It’s a fancy name for, surprisingly, not terribly expensive air purifier for the price! The Nuwave has a five stage filtration system and, best of all, can purifier over 2500 sq ft., making it an excellent choice for very large rooms, basements, or offices. There are, in fact, two sensors with the Nuwave, which detect smoke and pet smells to automatically adjust fan speed and deliver real time readings.
One of our favorite things about the Nuwave is, you guessed it, the ability to connect the purifier via your phone! You can also receive alerts on your phone letting you know when it’s time to change your HEPA filter.
For being so large, reviewers say the Nuwave is surprisingly easy to move and very quiet. The variety of mode options, true HEPA air purifier, and lack of learning curve also make this a stand out choice for your plug-in air purifier needs.
Air Purifiers FAQ
Air purifiers are becoming increasingly popular as people seek ways to improve the quality of the air they breathe indoors. With concerns about airborne pollutants, allergens, and odors, it’s no wonder that many individuals are turning to air purifiers as a solution.
1. What is the purpose of an air purifier?
Air purifiers are designed to remove airborne particles and pollutants from the indoor air, creating a healthier and more comfortable environment. They can eliminate dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold spores, smoke, and other harmful particles, thus improving overall indoor air quality.
They’re especially helpful in places like Spokane, which now suffers from wildfire smoke almost every summer.
2. What types of filters do air purifiers use?
Air purifiers use various types of filters to remove different types of pollutants. Commonly used filters include HEPA filters, activated carbon filters, and UV-C light filters. HEPA filters are highly effective at capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns, while activated carbon filters are excellent for eliminating unpleasant odors. UV-C light filters work by destroying airborne bacteria and viruses.
3. How do I determine the coverage area of an air purifier?
The coverage area of an air purifier refers to the maximum square footage it can effectively clean. It’s important to choose an air purifier with a coverage area that matches the size of the room or space where it will be used. Consider factors such as ceiling height and room layout when determining the appropriate coverage area for your air purifier.
When we’ve purchased air purifiers, we always try to get one that can cover more square feet, but not necessarily try to tax it. I’d rather our air purifiers get smells and wildfire smoke out quickly!
4. Will an air purifier reduce noise levels in my home?
While air purifiers do produce some noise due to the fan motor, many models are designed with noise-reducing features to minimize disturbance. Look for air purifiers with sleep mode or low-speed settings for reduced noise output. Additionally, choosing an air purifier with a noise level rating below 50 decibels ensures minimal disruption.
5. How often do I need to change the filters in my air purifier?
The frequency of filter replacements depends on the model of the air purifier and the usage. Generally, HEPA filters and activated carbon filters need replacement every 6 to 12 months, while UV-C light filters may last longer. Some air purifiers have filter change indicators to alert you when it’s time for a replacement.
Finding the Best Portable Air Purifiers for You
Improving indoor air quality is crucial, especially in regions like the Inland Northwest where air pollution is a recurring concern. Plug-in air purifiers offer a practical and portable solution to freshen up the air in your home or office.
The top three recommended plug-in air purifiers are:
- Levoit Air Purifier: This compact purifier is ideal for homes with pets and offers a specific filter for wildfire smoke. Its filter indicator ensures timely replacements, and it effectively removes odors and allergens.
- Dyson Pure Cool Air Purifier and Fan: This unique purifier cools the air while filtering it, providing a win-win solution. Although it is larger in size, it is highly efficient and offers quiet operation.
- Blue Air Air Purifier: With its quiet operation and compact design, this purifier is a great choice for those seeking excellent air purification in a smaller package.
Plug-in air purifiers offer several benefits, including the elimination of airborne particles, reduction of allergens, and removal of unpleasant odors. They come in different models for various room sizes and often feature smart controls for energy efficiency. Whether you want to reduce allergies, improve air quality, or eliminate odors, a plug-in air purifier is a practical and effective solution.
