More of us are turning to air purifiers as a smart way to improve our health at home. The appliances can trap and neutralise airborne pollutants, pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mould spores, and smoke, resulting in less sneezing, easier breathing, and fewer flare-ups from allergies and irritants.
While older models were often clunky and noisy, most of today’s air purifiers are sleek, quiet and packed with innovative features. Many offer app or voice control, air quality readouts, and sleep modes with ambient lighting, which is ideal for bedrooms and nurseries. Newer models go even further, using smart home AI integration and sensors to continuously evaluate your home’s air quality, creating patterns of use that save energy when you’re out, and working harder to clean the air when you’re at home, which is handy if you live near a busy road, have a keen cook in the house, or like a wood-burning stove in the evenings.
There are a few things to look out for when choosing an air purifier. HEPA filters remain the gold standard for capturing about 99.97 per cent of airborne particles, activated carbon filters can target odours and gases, while UV-C light and photocatalytic filters can kill bacteria and viruses. Keep an eye out for a high CADR (clean air delivery rate), which indicates how quickly the purifier will remove contaminants from the air. New filter technologies are also starting to make their way onto the market, with some lasting as long as five years.
But that’s a lot of jargon to bear in mind. That’s why our air quality experts have tested some of the best air purifiers on the market. Whether you're looking to relieve allergies, freshen up pet-filled rooms, or just want peace of mind that your indoor air is as clean as possible, there’s an air purifier to suit every home and budget.
How we tested
For this review, we plugged in a range of air purifiers, then sat back and let them do the hard work. We used an air quality monitor to get real-time data on air particles and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) during testing. Where manufacturers have only provided recommended room size in square metres, we have calculated the approximate size in cubic metres, for a more accurate comparison, using 2.5m as the average height of a room.
On top of all the science, we looked at more everyday concerns. We also assessed each air purifier for ease of use, noise, and any smart features offered, including air monitoring.
We also considered whether we would be happy leaving the purifier out on display and if we noticed any discernible improvement in the air. Did we still get the sniffles if the air purifier claimed to be able to suck up allergens?
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
We test all of our products in everyday settings (rather than in labs) to replicate how you will be using them. Products are rated on several criteria and while these can vary depending on the type of product being tested, we take into consideration everything from performance to value to design and usability.
For this round-up, our expert testers were The Independent’s senior tech critic, Alex Lee, lifestyle journalist Siobhan Grogan, and Joanne Lewsley, a writer specialising in health journalism and with more than 15 years’ experience of covering wellness and home appliances.
The best air purifiers for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Coway airmega 100 air purifier: £149.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Blueair blue mini max air purifier: £79, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for bad odours – Shark neverchange 5 air purifier: £200, Amazon.co.uk
- Best with a fan – Dyson purifier humidify + cool formaldehyde: £699.99, Dyson.co.uk
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Coway airmega 100 air purifier
Coway’s a pretty big name in the US, but it’s only just started to make an impact here in the UK. This is the brand’s most affordable air purifier yet, and we’re massive fans of the tiny machine.
We also tried the large airmega mighty (£219.99, Amazon.co.uk) but we prefer this airmega 100. This small cylindrical machine can be tucked into a corner without anyone noticing. In fact, it looks a lot like the Leviot core 400S below - both are good options for an unobtrusive air purifier.
It comes pretty much fully assembled, so there’s hardly any setup, and we love the calming mood light up top. It features a pre-filter, deodorisation filter and a HEPA filter that Coway says removes 99.999 per cent particles down to 0.01 microns in size, including pollen, dust and other allergens, as well as 99 per cent of volatile organic compounds and odour.
While it doesn’t show the exact pollutant count, the lighting system is a clever touch. Blue means good, green is OK, orange isn’t good and purple is very bad. It’s super simple to use.
This is also one of the quietest air purifiers we’ve tested. There are three fan speeds, as well as an auto mode – the lowest fan speed is so quiet that we forgot it was running in the background. We also appreciated that the device’s filters last up to a year, rather than the six-to-nine-month lifespan of other models.
In short, the airmega purifies effectively, quietly, and cheaply. For the vast majority of people, this is the perfect air purifier.
Buy now £149.99, Amazon.co.uk
Blueair blue mini max air purifier
If you’re looking for something affordable that can be easily tucked away, you can’t go wrong with Blueair’s tiny mini max air purifier, which has been designed specifically for small spaces.
While it’s pretty limited in terms of features – it won’t increase the fan speed when it detects an increase in particles or allergens, for example – the three fan speeds are decent enough. It promises to remove at least 99.97 per cent of airborne particles down to 0.1 microns, including dust, pet dander, pollen and smoke.
It’s easy to operate – the only thing we were disappointed in was that it didn’t have any air quality indicator, so if you don’t have an air quality meter on hand like we do, you can’t analyse your air quality. Although Blueair doesn’t use a true HEPA filter, it uses a combination of mechanical and electrostatic filtration, which it calls HEPASilent technology, meaning it was whisper-quiet when on the lowest fan speed, and only a little bit louder on medium and high. Cheap and cheerful, the mini max will do the job if you want inexpensive air purification in a small room.
Buy now £67.15, Amazon.co.uk
Levoit core 400S air purifier
If you want an air purifier that ticks almost every box, look no further than the Levoit Core 400S. It was quick at purifying the air in our home, and unbelievably quiet. It has genuinely useful smart features thanks to the handy VeSync app and Alexa and Apple Home integration.
The perfect gadget for medium to large rooms, the 400S is a sleek-looking 350-degree air purifier with moulded handles and a modern LED display that displays air quality. The neat little automatic mode cleaned the air without intervention. It speeds up when it detects particulates and slows down when the air is clean. Even on the highest speed setting, it was still extremely quiet, and when we had it on sleep mode, we could barely hear it at all.
While the Levoit Core 400S initially featured an H13 HEPA filter when it first launched, it now uses a three-stage filtration system, which includes a pre-filter for larger particles, a primary filter for dust and mould, and an activated carbon filter for odour reduction. This means it’s slipped out of the top position of our guide. However, it’s still an incredibly responsive air purifier. I’ve noticed that it’s so responsive that it ramps up the power whenever our dog walks into the room.
We also loved the smart functionality – it was great being able to set up scenes in the VeSync app, turn on the air purifier before we even entered our home, and use Alexa to turn it on when we were too lazy to get to the unit. Best of all? It’s very affordable for the sheer value it delivers, although the replacement filters can get pricey.
Buy now £219.99, Amazon.co.uk
SwitchBot air purifier table
SwitchBot wins first prize for thinking outside the box and making an air purifier multi-functional and genuinely practical, as this model is designed to double up as a side table. It’s a brilliant solution for smaller spaces, and works well in living rooms, bedrooms, or home offices.
A favourite feature is the pull-out aroma pad drawer for essential oils, which adds a subtle scent to your room without needing a separate diffuser. The ambient light ring is another nice touch, glowing green, orange, or red to reflect current air quality. You can also customise it to any colour you want via the app, which also lets you easily check your air quality and tweak settings from your phone.
The air purifier includes a PM2.5 sensor for monitoring fine particles, and it’s compatible with Matter, Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, and more. That means you can control it via voice commands, routines, or automation.
It also doubles as a wireless charging station, handy for keeping your phone or earbuds topped up overnight. That said, we found it a bit slow, and it didn’t work with an Amazon Fire tablet, so don’t expect lightning-fast charging speeds. Still, it’s a thoughtful bonus that adds extra value.
Buy now £299.00, SwitchBot
Dyson Purifier humidify + cool formaldehyde air-purifying fan
We’re in love with this Dyson air-purifying fan. The name might be ridiculously long, but it looks modern and sleek, does a heck of a lot of stuff, and is incredibly smart.
Dyson’s latest air purifier is a three-in-one machine. It’s an air purifier, humidifier, and fan, all in one. Because it has a solid-state formaldehyde sensor, it can also remove the odourless gas from your room, which the app kept telling us was the biggest pollutant in our home. It’s super quiet, too, and has a night mode, which sees the LED screen dim when you’re trying to get to sleep.
It also features a full HEPA filtration system, with Dyson saying that it traps H1N1 viruses and 99.95 per cent of particles as small as 0.1 microns, such as allergens, bacteria, pollen and mould spores. We felt less congested on particularly hay fever-prone days with this machine whirring in the background, and we liked that we could use it as a humidifier, too. It’s easy to control with either the remote or the app, which provides a lot of detail on our indoor air quality. The only negatives? The price (it’s a horrifyingly expensive machine) and the heft – it weighs more than 8kg.
Buy now £499.99, Dyson.co.uk
Daewoo air purifier
Ideal for smaller rooms, this is one of the most affordable HEPA air purifiers out there, and while you don’t get smart features or app connectivity, it covers the basics at a decent price. You get three fan speeds and three timer settings, and an optional night light.
The air purifier’s compact design means it's light enough to move around the home with ease, and it won’t take up much space, so it’s ideal for dressing tables, shelves or bookcases. At its lowest fan speed, it registers just 30dB, making it a good option for a nursery, bedroom, student accommodation or home office. It’s also energy efficient, costing less than a penny an hour to run at the time of writing.
Of course, it’s a pretty no-frills option. There’s no real-time air quality data, no timers or modes, and you’ll need to remember to manually turn it on and off, unless you use the timer. It also won’t be powerful enough for bigger rooms. However, if you just want something simple to freshen the air in a small space, this Daewoo model does the job without breaking the bank.
Buy now £79.99, Robertdyas.co.uk
MeacoClean CA-Hepa 76x5 air purifier with wifi
If you don’t want a huge machine in your house but still need an appliance with considerable purifying muscle, this MeacoClean model is an excellent option. The curved, white appliance sits unobtrusively in the corner and is so quiet when in use that it could easily be used in a child’s room while they’re sleeping. The night mode even switches off all lighting on the machine, and there’s an ingenious child lock, so you’ll have no worries when leaving it to do its thing.
Its cleaning capabilities are top-notch, too. It has a handy display that indicates the air quality from afar, using different coloured lights, an automatic setting for easy operation and an H11 HEPA filter to remove more than 95 per cent of damaging particles from the air. There’s also the option of upgrading to an H13 HEPA filter to increase cleaning to 99.97 per cent of particles, if preferred. If you want a little more control, the accompanying app is straightforward and oddly fascinating, enabling you to check the air quality, set timers, and even compare the pollen level in your home to outdoor conditions. This is a great option for smaller homes.
Buy now £199.99, Meaco.com
Vitesy natede smart air purifier
If you like the idea of an air purifier powered by plants, take a look at this nifty little option from Vitesy. Doubling up as a plant pot, you never need to replace the filters, just wash the ceramic photocatalytic filter under water every so often.
It looks like a futuristic plant pot and whirrs away so silently that we often forget it’s purifying the air. Through their leaves and roots, plants naturally absorb volatile organic compounds and other pollutants from the air, so this device draws air through the purifier and into the plant’s roots, helping to clean the air around you.
The sensors inside also monitor temperature, humidity, VOCs, PM 2.5 and CO2, giving you real-time readings inside the app, in which you can set it to purify automatically when it detects poor indoor quality. You can also set it to run on normal power, silent mode, minimum power or maximum power. It’s really neat and doesn’t look like an ugly chunk of an appliance, either.
There are some things to consider, however. It doesn’t come with a plant, so you have to buy one separately and repot it yourself. You also need to ensure that you pick an air-purifying plant such as aloe vera or peace lily. Vitesy has a complete list of recommended air-purifying plants, and we went with a low-maintenance snake plant from M&S, which looks really good in the plant pot.
The setup also takes longer than simply plugging in an air purifier and letting it go, so make sure you have an hour spare. After putting together each component of the air purifier, we had to fill the basket with clay (included), soil, a plant, more clay and then more soil, as well as ensuring the string dangled into the water tank. It takes a while, but once it’s all set up, you don’t have to touch it except to refill the self-watering tank, which lasts a month or so.
Buy now £149.00, Amazon.co.uk
Levoit core 600S smart air purifier
The 600S is a strong choice if you’re looking to purify a large space, such as an open-plan kitchen and living room, though it’s worth saying this isn’t the most discreet design out there. It’s a chunky machine and not something that’ll easily blend into the background.
One of the standout features is the VeSync app, which lets you set schedules, adjust fan speeds, track real-time air quality and control the purifier from your phone. You also get a colour-coded air quality ring and PM2.5 readings right on the display, so you can easily watch how clean your air is. That said, the app can be a bit hit and miss – it sometimes struggles to load or sync properly, which can be frustrating if you rely on it daily.
The multi-layer filter, which includes HEPA and activated carbon, does a great job of tackling pollen, dust, pet dander and odours. However, you’ll need to factor in the replacement filter cost – branded filters are about £69.99. Levoit recommends replacing the filter every 6-12 months, so the cost can soon add up.
Overall, though, you can generally expect a solid performance from a Levoit air purifier, and the 600S is no different.
Buy now £299.99, Levoit.co.uk
Shark neverchange 5 air purifier
This isn’t our favourite-looking air purifier, but it worked wonders in our kitchen. It was one of the most effective models we tested for zapping odours, and it left our kitchen smelling surprisingly fresh, even after cooking a chicken curry and chopping onions.
That’s because the neverchange 5 features some sweet-smelling anti-odour cartridges. You can choose between different strength settings, and the cartridges last a couple of months. It’s a great touch, and it’s not particularly overpowering.
As for the purifier itself, it removes allergens, mould and bacteria, cleaning the air and circulating it through the room after multi-stage HEPA filtration, including a carbon layer, together capturing 99.97 per cent of pollutants and allergens down to 0.1 microns. The display even shows the size of each particle it removes.
Auto mode adjusts the fan speed to suit the air quality and turns off when the air quality is perfect, and the built-in sensors track changes in the air in real time. The digital display reports the percentage of clean air, the time left to clean and the particle amount, so you can be confident the air is as clean as it can be.
The biggest perk of the neverchange 5 is its filter. Shark says the filter will last a whopping five years before it needs replacing. That’s fantastic and blows the competition out of the water. Accurate? We’ll have to take Shark’s word for now. The only real downside is that it doesn’t have an app – everything has to be controlled using the buttons at the top of the machine.
Buy now £249.00, Amazon.co.uk
Russell Hobbs fresh air 2-in-1 dehumidifier and air purifier
Available in black and grey, this is a compact two-in-one dehumidifier and air purifier designed for small to medium-sized rooms. It also made its way It looks more like a next-gen games console than a dehumidifier or air purifier, making it a good choice for a teen’s bedroom. In terms of air purification, it boasts an H13 HEPA filter, capable of trapping up to 99.95 per cent of microscopic particles, including dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, and other airborne allergens as small as 0.3 microns.
This makes it a solid choice if your teen struggles with hay fever, asthma, or other respiratory sensitivities. (See our appraisal of its dehumidifying capability here.) The night mode is handy if your teen is a light sleeper. At just 35db, it runs at a gentle hum – ideal for uninterrupted sleep or study sessions. You can increase the fan speed during the day to tackle stuffy air, then tone it down at night for peace and quiet.
Buy now £74.00, Russell Hobbs
Vitesy eteria portable air purifier
This is a sleek, eco-conscious air purifier designed for small to medium rooms up to 30m². Its standout feature is that it uses a photocatalytic filter that never has to be replaced. All you have to do is wash it in cold water every once in a while. At 7.5W, it costs less than half a penny to run per hour at the time of writing.
The lightweight design means it’s easy to carry around, so you can quickly move it wherever you need fresher air. You can even take it travelling, with the help of the handy cotton bag supplied. Sensors track humidity, temperature, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and CO2 incredibly well. Spraying deodorants and cleaning products sends the values right up, prompting the purifier to kick into action until it detects low levels again. You can see all this happening in real time in the app.
While it won’t remove ultra-fine particles as effectively as a HEPA filter, it’s a great choice for anyone wanting to reduce common airborne irritants and odours while being kinder to the environment and your energy bills.
Buy now £129.99, Amazon
Dyson purifier cool PC1 air purifier
If you want a stylish, quiet purifier that doubles as a fan and keeps your air fresh year-round, this is a solid pick. A clever all-in-one appliance that cools you down while purifying the air around you, Dyson’s device is perfect if you want a fresher, healthier home environment without sacrificing style. It automatically senses, captures, and traps pollutants, including microscopic allergens as small as 0.1 microns.
The built-in sensors constantly monitor your air quality and adjust airflow as needed, so it’s energy efficient, plus you can control and check your home’s air quality from anywhere using the MyDyson app. Voice control compatibility is a nice touch if you want hands-free operation, and the 350-degree oscillation means you can stay cool wherever you are in a large room.
It’s not cheap, but the build quality and performance feel premium. The magnetised remote is handy, and the bladeless design means it looks good and stays safe around kids and pets.
Buy now £349.99, Dyson.co.uk
Gastroback AG+ portable air purifier
This small, sleek purifier is so whisper-quiet on its lowest setting, we had to check it was definitely switched on. Suitable for rooms up to 7m³, it has a USB connection rather than a plug, so it would be handy next to a computer or even in a car. It’s extremely simple to set up, and it enters automatic mode as soon as it’s plugged in, adjusting fan speed automatically to suit the air quality. This can also be adjusted manually.
The filtering process includes four-stage air disinfection, with a silver ion coating to destroy microorganisms and activated carbon to tackle smells and gases. Depending on usage, it’s the filter lasts about every three to six months. We loved how portable and light it was, at just 400g, though we remain sceptical of its claim that the filter “inactivates 99 per cent of Covid-19 viruses”. If you want to improve the air even when you’re driving, we still think it’s a good bet.
Buy now £149.90, Hartsofstur.com
MeacoClean CA-HEPA 47x5 air purifier
A strong performer when it comes to purifying large rooms, this appliance has a sophisticated five-stage filtration system and an H11 HEPA filter that traps everything from dust and pollen to smoke and pet dander. It’s a great choice if you want something reliable and effective without paying for extra features you might not use, such as voice or app control.
It features three fan speeds, a sleep mode, and a filter change indicator. While some buyers might appreciate this simplicity, others might find the lack of innovative features more frustrating than freeing. For example, there’s no air quality sensor, meaning it won’t detect pollution spikes or automatically ramp up its settings to deal with them. You’ll have to adjust it manually, which means the onus is on you to sense when to dial up air purification and vice versa – often a tricky job.
It’s functional and minimalist in design, but a little on the bulky side. That said, it's a solid, affordable option if you’re looking for powerful, reliable filtration and don’t mind the basic controls or lack of smarts.
Buy now £129.00, Meaco
Air purifiers FAQs
What does an air purifier do?
Professor David Fairen-Jimenez, head of the absorption and advanced materials lab at the University of Cambridge, says: “We spend so much time indoors that the quality of the air will impact the quality of health and life.” Air purifiers filter out various particles and pollutants to improve air quality.
The contaminants could be anything from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated from doing work around the house (if, for example, you have freshly painted walls) to car fumes coming in through your windows when you air your home, or the fumes that result from frying food.
How do air purifiers work?
Most work by drawing the air into the machine and running that air through a filter (sometimes several filters) to grab small particles of pollen, pollution, dust and – depending on the type of filter – viruses and smaller particles. It then sends the clean air out into the room again. Some also use something called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to ‘kill’ any viruses caught in the air.
It’s worth noting it isn’t only catching small particles that’s tricky, but also PM 2.5, or fine particulate air pollution, which is another area researchers are continually looking into.
Do air purifiers remove dust?
In a word: yes. The thing to know about air purifiers is that their efficacy depends largely on the filtration system and the size of the particles they can capture. The gold standard in filters is the high-efficiency particulate air filter (aka the HEPA filter), which captures at least 99.97 per cent of 0.3-micron and larger particles. The naked eye can’t see particles smaller than 10 microns in size, so, yes, most air purifiers will remove dust from the air.
Do air purifiers help with allergies?
If your allergies are triggered by pollution or other fine particles in the air, a good purifier is likely to help.
Studies carried out by Lung India show that asthma patients who were sensitised to dog and cat fur, dust mites, and birch and tree pollen found symptoms improved after 10 weeks of sleeping in a room where there was a purifier containing a HEPA filter.
That said, even the best one has limitations – you will still be breathing in allergens when you leave your home and open windows – but, on the whole, if you notice your house being clean and ventilating it well reduces allergies, it’s safe to assume an air purifier will also have a positive effect.
Can air purifiers help remove smells?
A good air purifier can help reduce or even eliminate unpleasant smells entirely, while making the air you breathe healthier and fresher.
Do air purifiers help with mould?
While air purifiers won’t help treat active mould in your home, they can help capture spores from the air, preventing them from reproducing and spreading throughout your home, so these gadgets are a great way to control the spread of airborne mould particles.
Should you buy a combined air purifier and dehumidifier?
Air purifiers and dehumidifiers offer the perfect combo. They both work at pulling things out of the air to make it fresher for you. Air purifiers use a filter to pull allergens and dust out of the air, while dehumidifiers pull moisture out of the air, which can cause mould growth. They’re both great appliances on their own, but together, they’re even better.
The verdict: Air purifiers
You tend to get what you pay for with air purifiers – especially if you’re buying to help with allergies – but, despite its relatively low price point, the Coway airmega 100 has it all. With spectacularly effective filtration and good looks, it’s quiet in operation and comes with visible real-time reporting on air quality on top of the machine. It’s a very effective air purifier for large rooms, too.
If you want something that also works as a fan, take a look at the Dyson purifier humidify + cool formaldehyde. If you’re keeping a closer eye on cost, you can’t go wrong with the Blueair blue mini max air purifier, which is relatively affordable and can be tucked away in a corner.
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