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With the spread of Covid-19 and the approaching winter flu season, air purifiers have become a common sight in people's homes and offices. But the language surrounding air purifiers can be daunting, with terms such as "HEPA", "CADR" and "micron" floating around.
We are here to simplify the value of HEPA filters, CADR labels and general air purifiers.
On the basis of the existing air purifier purchase guide, we consulted medical experts to understand how the air purifier cleans the air. Based on these interviews, new research on the efficacy of air purifiers, and our previous reports, we also highlight high-rated air purifiers worth considering this winter.
SKIP AHEAD top air purifier
According to experts and various health organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the most important features of any air purifier is a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, said that in addition to HEPA filters, manufacturers also sell air purifiers with a variety of bells and whistles to balance function and style-although most of them are "gobbledygook ". But this does not mean that the HEPA filter is the only feature that needs to be looked for. The following is what Dr. Reza Ronaghi, a pulmonologist at the UCLA Health Center in Los Angeles, said, what you need to consider when buying an air purifier.
Filtration: Once you decide to follow expert advice and buy an air purifier with a HEPA filter, there are not many significant differences between HEPA air purifiers in terms of air quality. The HEPA filter should filter at least 99.7% of 0.3-micron particles (including viruses), which is the particle size that is the easiest to escape filtration, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (A micrometer, also called a micrometer, is 1,000 times smaller than a millimeter. It is the standard unit for measuring particles on this scale.)
Flow rate: It is useful to know the clean air delivery rate or CADR in cubic feet. Purifiers with higher CADR can process the air in your room faster and remove particles (including viruses) in the air faster. But it can also be more expensive. Marr provided this chart that shows the location of different models within the cost and CADR range.
Room size: The air purifier can treat different volumes of air for different sizes of rooms, so to make the most effective choice, please remember the size of the room you want to purify. Most models have an area between 100 square feet and 1,000 square feet. Ronaghi said that if you want to purify the air in your entire home, you need to install the correct number of purifiers for your square feet and separate them so that there are no gaps in the filtration process. Every air purifier should tell you how much space it will purify, measured in square feet.
CDC recommends that anyone buying an air purifier should look for an air purifier with a HEPA filter and a size suitable for the room to be cleaned. The following air purifiers list highly rated features that are consistent with our research and expert interviews.
According to the company, this model includes carbon filters and HEPA filters. The brand claims that it works in a space of 388 square feet and it has charcoal and pearls.
According to Dyson, this HEPA air purifier can filter out 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles. The company stated that its filtration test was conducted in a space of 2,860 cubic feet. If you have an 8-foot ceiling, its area is approximately 350 square feet. It is available in black and nickel colors.
According to Cuisinart, through HEPA filter, washable metal filter and activated carbon filter, this purifier can filter 99.9% of 0.1 micron or larger particles from the air, which means it can fit in 1,000 square feet of space Work within.
According to the company, this air purifier has a pre-filter, carbon filter and HEPA filter that can eliminate 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles. BISSELL says it is suitable for a room of 308 square feet.
Levoit said that this air purifier costs less than $100 and is equipped with a HEPA filter that can filter 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles, as well as a pre-filter and an activated carbon filter. Levoit said it is suitable for 129 square feet of space and is equipped with night lights.
This air purifier has four filters: large pre-filter, medium pre-filter, carbon filter and HEPA filter. According to the company, they can remove 95% of 0.1 micron or larger particles. Austin Air says it weighs 47 pounds, which is heavier than most air purifiers, but is suitable for 1,500 square feet of space.
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