Top 10 Best Air Purifiers 2024
Options considered: 40
Country:
Last updated: April 2024
Ranking criteria: noise level, energy efficiency, coverage area, filter replacement cost
Buyer's remorse summary: the most common issues that customers have with their Air Purifiers are typically related to Noise levels , Filter replacement and maintenance , Energy consumption and Effectiveness for specific pollutants .
We compiled the list of the most popular Air Purifiers of 2024 that have received the fewest complaints in these categories.
HEPA Air Purifier with LCD Display and Remote Control
ONE HOME Air Purifier with HEPA Filter and Automatic Monitoring
SHANBEN Smart Air Purifier with Intelligent PM2.5 Display
Nobico Portable Air Purifier with Germicidal Light Sterilizer
About
About
This air purifier effectively removes pollutants, kills germs, absorbs formaldehyde, and releases ne... read more
About
This air purifier stands out for its high concentration of negative ions, powerful HEPA filter, auto... read more
About
This smart air purifier features an intelligent PM2.5 display, high efficiency filter, sleep mode, a... read more
About
This portable air purifier offers a powerful 4-stage filtration system, including a H13 HEPA filter,... read more
Great because
Why we recommend it
- HEPA Air Purifier with LCD Display and Remote Control
- Purifies PM2.5 particles, kills germs, absorbs formaldehyde, and releases negative ions
- Features a composite filter for high efficiency filtration
Why we recommend it
- High concentration of negative ions
- Purification and filtration of PM2.5, smoke, and dust
- HEPA filter for effective air cleaning
Why we recommend it
- Smart air purifier with intelligent PM2.5 display
- Removes odors, pet dander, smog, and pollen
- Anti-allergy and germ protection with a 99.9% sterilization rate
Why we recommend it
- Portable air purifier suitable for house and room use
- Covers an effective area of up to 15 sqm
- Equipped with a 4-stage H13 HEPA filter for efficient air purification
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- Our #1 recommendation is HEPA Air Purifier with LCD Display and Remote Control - a popular frequently recommended option with over 6000 great customer reviews.
As usual, this month we aggregated dozens of popular Air Purifiers in the Philippines and ranked them based on noise level, energy efficiency, coverage area, filter replacement cost. According to this May's formal ranking, air purifiers by Xiaomi are the most prominent ones, followed by Kaisa Villa and SHANBEN .
Top 10 this May
Price breakdown of best-selling air purifiers in the Philippines
We made a price chart of the top selling Air Purifiers (see below). Budget options start at ₱49, going up ₱6598. The most popular option is priced at ₱788, which is on the pricier side.
| ₱49 | ₱499 | ₱6598 |
How we rank
Meta-rankings combine expert endorsements.
ReviewFinder's formal aggregated ranking is a combination of our meta-rankings and consumer score.
Meta-rankings are a combination of all expert reviews we can find on the Internet. When present, meta-rankings are the strongest ranking signal (we trust experts more than consumers).
Consumer score is calculated from customer reviews.
Not all categories have enough expert endorsements online - in such cases we use consumer score weighted by historical brand prominence in the niche (brands that historically specialize in a certain category get a slight bump in that category rankings). Consumer score is a normalized 0-10 score based on customer reviews.
Recently we removed price form our rankings - it no longer affects recommendations. Whether to go budget or premium is consumer's choice, not ours.
Basic price distribution of top ranked air purifiers in the Philippines
As can be seen below, top ranked air purifiers in the Philippines start at roughly ₱49 and go up to ₱6598. Median price is ₱499.
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| ₱49 | ₱6598 |
More detailed price comparison chart is above.
What is an Air Purifier?
Air purifiers are machines designed to eliminate pollutants in an enclosed space, which is most of the time a room. An air purifier typically accomplishes this task by simply filtering the air that comes through it. In the process of sanitizing the air, it traps the contaminants and releases an already cleaned out air form. All of this is to the end that the overall quality of air breathe in is improved.
The air purifier types such as UV purifier, HEPA purifier, Ionizing purifier, Adsorbent purifiers, etc. all come in various sizes; the large and small units. The portable, small-sized, stand-alone category of air purifiers that are more in demand for home use. The air purifiers used in industries like hospitals are usually attached to an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) Unit or AHU (Air Handler Unit) unit. They are also mostly large-sized.
With the rapid spread of information in our world today, people are also increasingly aware of the dangers associated with pollution. In response to this, the market demand for this product (which helps to limit air pollution) has tipped the scales.
Do Air Purifiers Really Work?
It has been said that these devices proffer a solution to targetting indoor air pollutants. Is this a fact or just an opinion? Can we vouch for their authenticity, trust their manufacturers and the marketers that they do exactly as claimed? Or, should we consider alternatives?
Air purifiers are made up of three basic components;
- Filters
- Motor
- External casing (including controls etc.)
As you would guess, the filters are the part of the air purifiers that are solely responsible for sanitizing the indoor air. The 'filter' category is generally divided into smaller groups which, are 'Pre-filters' and 'HEPA/ULPA filters.' They would be explained later on.
The effectiveness of an air purifier is conditional on a couple of things but mainly the rate of airflow (amount), the quality of the substance which the filter's fiber is made of, and the type of air filter material or media. This is how HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are designed to work. As long as the air purifier has a substantial amount of air and the right filter media, the desired fresh air is provided.
Now, a parameter to determine the effectiveness of a stand-alone air purifier is the CADR-Clean Air Delivery Rate. The CADR considers the room size and airflow rate of clean air released. It tells you how well an air purifier can clear out some indoor pollutants. CADR was developed by AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) and has standard numerical values for the tested pollutants. The limitation of this CADR rating is, it only takes into consideration common indoor pollutants like smoke (tobacco), dust, and pollen.
So these filters, to a degree, get rid of air contaminants in the home. The fact that air purifiers do as much to reduce exposure to pollutants, is good enough value for money spent to acquire them.
Mechanism of Action: How Does the Air Purifier Work?
The various types and models of air purifiers have different principles applied to clean the air. However, there is a process common to all of them. The fan (for air circulation) sucks in surrounding air that goes straight through the device's purification medium (media). In this process, polluting particles are removed hence, cleaning the air. After this, the fan gives off the already-cleaned-out-air back to the atmosphere.
The major purifier make-up types are:
HEPA Filters
High-Efficiency Particulate Air is HEPA in full. HEPA filters are the longest that have been in history.
They are fine interwoven and compressed fibers that form a filter mat with pores. Particles are collected through these pores so, tighter pores can remove finer air particles. However, it's automatic that a HEPA filter that collects finer particles would get occluded sooner and so, it would have to be replaced at more regular intervals. HEPA filters, on average can collect 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
Let's talk about ULPA (Ultra-HEPA) filter which was mentioned briefly earlier on. From the name, one can tell that it has the same function as the HEPA but with better precision. So they can be in the same category.
Electrostatic Precipitators(Ionic)
They are commonly known as Ionic Purifiers. Their cleaning capability is founded on electrostatic forces. How it happens is, the particles are forced to go through an electron cloud formed by the electrostatic forces. They can hold on to particles as small as 0.1 microns. From this, one can conclude that they can better remove particles in the air (which includes ultra-fine particles) when compared to HEPA filter. Air filters with this mechanism can be called Filterless Air Purifiers.
Pre-Filter
It is not one of the types but an additional filter found in many air purifiers. It is designed to collect large particles (at least 1 micron in size), reducing the workload on the HEPA filter. A pre-filter would extend the functional period of a HEPA filter, ultimately reducing the frequency of change.
In some air purifiers, activated carbon could be the pre-filter which, works to eliminate gases and odors.
How Long Does it Take for The Purifier to Clean Out a Room?
This is a must-know if you would be purchasing an air purifier however, there is no definite practical answer. Moreover, cleaning has to be a continuous process. Yes, air purifiers are supposed to be used for 24hours. Smart sensor air purifiers even make this easier to stick to as they can make adjustments when necessary to decrease energy consumption.
However, the challenge of spending so much on electricity bills is still in the equation for both parties. So, if you can't do 24 hours, always make sure you run it for nothing less than 12 hours. This way, if your unit has fair performance, it should run the air in that space for about 72 times.
For How Long Can The Motor Run?
Having talked about how that air purifiers should run continuously, does this mean that the device shouldn't go off at all?
No! Ideally, the instruction manual of an air purifier should contain the average running time; it would differ from model to model. So, based on the instructions, give your air purifiers breaks from time to time to avoid quick wear-outs of the motor and filters.
Where would be the Best Spot to Place an Air Purifier?
In making this decision, think about the following.
- The size of the room: Air Purifier models have their coverage area written somewhere in the pack. So, if you have a particular room in mind, ensure you get on that fit the measurement of that room. Using a small-sized air purifier for a large room is disproportionate. The usefulness of the air purifier is never going to be maximized and vice versa.
- The Odor Source: If the reason you want the air purifier is to clean out 'odors' or there's an unpleasant smell somewhere in your house, you can place it there. It's much better to contain the odor before it diffuses to every other part of your apartment.
- The Room's Entrance/Exit: If the door to your apartment would have to be open frequently, for instance, you have pets. Place your air purifier close to the entrance. By doing so, it captures particles early enough before they spread throughout the room.
- Up or Down? Depending on the model, instruction manual, and size of the device, you can decide if the air purifier should be mounted, raised from the ground, or allowed to sit carefully on the floor. Generally, small air purifiers are better when elevated while, the bigger units can stay on the ground and still perform well. For the portable ones, there's no harm in trying different locations to see what works best. Placing it in a spot that targets your work area/sleep area is also a good idea. It cleans out the air in that direction first.
- Clearance at the sides: Give it enough room to pull air from every part of the room. It can't do this efficiently if it cornered.
- Other Electronics: There are electronic devices that have wavelengths similar to that of air purifiers and, not all air purifiers can thrive through the interference. The best thing is to avoid interfering- electronics. Examples in this category are TVs, Stereo, and Microwaves.
All of these are just to see to the optimal performance of the air purifier which is equally what you want as the user. Furthermore, air purifiers (particularly portable ones) don't have to be permanently in a single space. You can always transfer from one room to another, as needed.
Does it Aid Breathing?
Air pollution poses breathing challenges, especially for those who already have underlying respiratory issues. In this light, air purifiers can make breathing much easier as it cleans out pollutants-particles that disrupt fresh air.
However, don't forget that an air purifier is limited. So, it acts as an aid, not as a primary response to air pollutants. It would work well to boost air conditions after pollutants must have been actively prevented or controlled.
Can the Air Purifier Dry Out Air?
The air purifier operates with a fan motor, meaning that it primarily circulates air in and out of the purifier. As it lacks the dehumidifier function, it retains the present level of humidity, high or low. Dry air (low humidity) occurs when air indoor is cold. The electronic that can cause this is the air conditioner.
Will it Run Effectively with Open Windows?
We know that opening windows and doors would improve cross-ventilation. However, this counters the performance of an air purifier. If the air purifier is working continuously to sanitize the air in a room but, some of that fresh air always gets replaced by entirely new, particle-filled air. Do you now think it will ever clean out the right fraction of pollutants it should from that room?
Air Purifier and Dehumidifier: Is Any Better?
Air purifiers sanitize the air by collecting particles. Dehumidifiers, on the other hand, reduce humidity levels, minimizing allergen pollutants. Many microbes can not survive in dry environments. So, both of them work to limit allergens indoors but in different ways.
It's not possible to categorically say one is better than the other. You have to consider your needs and, which of them would be the best fit.
Is Every Air Purifier Safe to Use?
If you think about this, you would realize that this question is tricky. Moreover, there are a lot of controversies as to the safety of all air purifiers. It is, however, popularly agreed that filter-based purifiers are better choices. In all, the right type of air purifier is would be good for your health.
How Do You Know You Need One?
An air purifier could be beneficial for you in any of the cases below.
-If you have environmental allergies, it would be most helpful for people allergic to particles e.g. dust, pollen.
-If you want to dissolve bad odors in your home.
-An air purifier could be handy if you have asthma (or you live with an asthma patient). It cleans out the triggers such as smoke and fumes.
Side Effects: Is the Air Purifier Harmful in any Way?
Air purifiers have proven useful in the home for many reasons. From removing bad smells to leaving the room with sanitized air that enhances easy inhalation and many other reasons, air purifiers have proven useful in the home. While air purifiers could be an essential home appliance, there could be likely risks.
Ozone Emission: In minute amounts, ozone is present in the natural air we breathe in. The issue is, in large quantities, it can have adverse effects like respiratory irritation, difficulty with breathing as it damages the lungs gradually. Now, this ozone is the purification agent in ozone air purifiers. Besides, it is also released by Ionic purifiers to a certain extent. It works to decontaminate the air but poses a high risk. The instruction manual should, however, be able to guide you as to what can be done to reduce this risk.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) could remain. VOCs are chemicals that should not be overlooked as some of them are carcinogens (promote cancer). HEPA filters can not remove particles less than 0.3 microns and, VOCs are smaller in size. So while ozone and ionic air purifiers can capture VOCs, HEPA Filter purifiers can not. The way out would be to get HEPA filter purifiers with activated carbon as the pre-filter. This would even help to filter out odors also.
How Much Does an Air Purifier Cost in The Philippines?
Air purifiers vary in prices depending on the brand. Overall, however, they are slightly on the expensive side. The price varies between ₱4500- ₱10000 for relevant brands and ₱250- ₱1000 for products by smaller brands.