The best air purifiers
Less dust, fewer smells, and fresher air in the rooms you use most.
An air purifier pulls the room’s air through a fine HEPA filter that catches dust, pollen and pet hair, and most add a carbon layer for cooking smells. They’re busiest in spring and summer for pollen, and in winter when the windows stay shut.
The number to look at is CADR, the clean air delivery rate: the higher it is, the bigger the room it can handle. Match it to the room rather than simply buying the biggest.
What matters
- Match the CADR to the room size.
- HEPA filters catch the fine stuff.
- Carbon filters help with smells.
- Budget for replacement filters.
Best overall
#1 of 5
9.0/10
Levoit Core 300S Smart Air Purifier
£149.99 RRP
A compact cylinder with a PM2.5 sensor that shows the air quality in colour and turns the fan up by itself when you’re cooking or the dog shakes off after a walk.
- CADR 258m³/h
- Rooms up to 108m² (one change an hour)
- PM2.5 sensor and auto mode
- App control
- 4 filter types to choose from
What owners say: Owners say it clears dust and smells quickly, is very quiet on its lowest setting and good value next to bigger names, and like the auto mode.
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A closer look: It draws air in all the way round, so stand it in the open rather than tucked into a corner. Leave it on auto and it runs quietly until cooking or dusting sets it off. Choose the filter to suit your home: there are pet, mould and toxin versions as well as the standard one.
Best for: Living rooms and bedrooms
- Room size
- Up to 108m²
- CADR
- 258m³/h
- Filters
- 3-stage HEPA
- Quietest
- 24dB
- Air sensor
- Yes
- Extras
- App
Best for big rooms
#2 of 5
8.9/10
Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier
Over £40 Price range
The most powerful here, with a clean-air rate of 390m³/h and an activated carbon filter for cooking and smoke smells.
- CADR 390m³/h
- Rooms up to 99m²
- Pre-filter, carbon filter and HEPA
- Auto mode with smart sensor
- 3W in sleep mode, 23W on high
What owners say: Owners find it clears the air and smoke well and is easy to set up, though some find the top speeds noisy.
Heads up: It’s tall, and fairly noisy on the highest speeds.
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A closer look: Run it on high for a while when the room is smoky or smells of cooking, then let auto mode take over. Sleep mode dims all the lights and uses just 3W. At nearly 60cm tall it needs floor space rather than a shelf.
Best for: Large living rooms
- Room size
- Up to 99m²
- CADR
- 390m³/h
- Filters
- Pre-filter, carbon, HEPA
- Quietest
- 27.4dB
- Air sensor
- Yes
- Extras
- 5 speeds
Best for bedrooms
#3 of 5
8.7/10
Philips 900 Series Air Purifier
£159.99 RRP
In sleep mode it runs at just 20.5dB with the display dimmed, so it’s easy to leave on by the bed all night.
- CADR 250m³/h
- Rooms up to 65m²
- HEPA plus active carbon
- 20.5dB sleep mode
- App control with schedules
What owners say: Owners find it quiet in night mode and easy to set up, and like scheduling it from the app.
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A closer look: Set a schedule in the app so it runs hard while you’re out and quietly while you sleep. It uses 23W at full power. The carbon layer helps with cooking smells as well as dust.
Best for: Bedrooms
- Room size
- Up to 65m²
- CADR
- 250m³/h
- Filters
- HEPA + carbon
- Quietest
- 20.5dB
- Air sensor
- Yes
- Extras
- App, schedules
Simplest
#4 of 5
8.6/10
Blueair Blue Pure 511 Air Purifier
Over £40 Price range
Blueair started in Stockholm in 1996. The Blue Pure 511 is its small, simple purifier for a bedroom or study, with a carbon layer for everyday smells.
- Rooms up to 42.2m²
- HEPASilent filter with carbon
- 24dB on low
- Catches dust, pollen and pet dander
- Simple button controls
What owners say: Owners find it quiet and effective straight out of the box, good with dust and pet hair, though views on smells are mixed.
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A closer look: No app and no sensor: switch it on and pick a speed, which suits anyone who doesn’t want another gadget to set up. It’s sized for a bedroom or study rather than an open-plan living space. At 24dB on low it’s quiet enough to run overnight.
Best for: No-fuss bedrooms
- Room size
- Up to 42.2m²
- CADR
- 209m³/h (123 cfm)
- Filters
- HEPASilent + carbon
- Quietest
- 24dB
- Air sensor
- No
- Extras
- Washable fabric pre-filter
Best for small rooms
#5 of 5
8.4/10
Levoit Core Mini Air Purifier
£49.99 RRP
A small, light purifier for a bedroom or home office, with a pad for a few drops of essential oil if you like a scent.
- Rooms up to 34m²
- 3-layer HEPA filter
- Aroma pad for essential oils
- Small enough to move room to room
- Quiet on its lowest setting
What owners say: Owners say it’s quiet enough to sleep with, small enough to carry between rooms, and makes a noticeable difference to dust.
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A closer look: Keep it on a bedside table or desk, close to where you are. The aroma pad is optional; leave it dry if anyone in the house is sensitive to scents. It’s for one room, so for an open-plan space choose one of the bigger machines.
Best for: Small bedrooms and desks
- Room size
- Up to 34m²
- CADR
- 78m³/h (46 cfm)
- Filters
- 3-layer HEPA
- Quietest
- 25dB
- Air sensor
- No
- Extras
- Aroma pad
How they compare
| Feature | #1Levoit Core 300SBest overall | #2Winix 5500-2Best for big rooms | #3Philips 900Best for bedrooms | #4Blueair 511Simplest | #5Levoit Core MiniBest for small rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.4 |
| Price | £149.99 RRP | £££ Over £40 | £159.99 RRP | £££ Over £40 | £49.99 RRP |
| Room size | Up to 108m² | Up to 99m² | Up to 65m² | Up to 42.2m² | Up to 34m² |
| CADR | 258m³/h | 390m³/h | 250m³/h | 209m³/h (123 cfm) | 78m³/h (46 cfm) |
| Filters | 3-stage HEPA | Pre-filter, carbon, HEPA | HEPA + carbon | HEPASilent + carbon | 3-layer HEPA |
| Quietest | 24dB | 27.4dB | 20.5dB | 24dB | 25dB |
| Air sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Extras | App | 5 speeds | App, schedules | Washable fabric pre-filter | Aroma pad |
| Best for | Living rooms and bedrooms | Large living rooms | Bedrooms | No-fuss bedrooms | Small bedrooms and desks |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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