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The best small room air purifiers donât need to be overly powerful. Depending on the size of your room, a model that is engineered for 80 to 300 sq. ft. spaces will do just fine. Most of these are often relatively inexpensive thanks to the small motor used on them and less noisy too. Perhaps whatâs so critical is to ensure that you match the air filtration kit to your exact needs.Having pets in the home means you have to deal with pet odors. Whether itâs from cat litter, wet dogs running through the home, or simply a pet whoâs overdue for a bath, it can seriously impact the freshness of your home.
In this post, weâll be comparing 5 of the best air purifiers for small room to buy in 2020. These are the products that stood out from the rest in terms of coverage, filter type, efficacy, ease of use, and noise levels. Weâve also included a detailed buyerâs guide on choosing an air purifier for a small room after the reviews.
đLevoit Vista 200 â Best for Budget
AirHonest Award: Best Air Purifier for Small Room on a Budget
Highlights:
- Size 7.9 x 7.9 x 12.9
- Coverage- 171 sq. ft.
- 3-stage filtration with True HEPA
- Noise level 26 dB to 50 dB
One of the best rated small room air purifiers in 2020, the Levoit Vista, has almost everything youâd wish for in an affordable purifier. This is an Energy-Star certified, compact air cleaner measuring 7.9 x 7.9 x 12.9 inches and weighing around 3.3 pounds.
The Levoit Vista 200 covers small rooms of up to 171 sq.ft. and itâs fitted with a 3-stage air purification system. The first is a pre-filter that blocks and removes most of the large air contaminants, including lint and pet hair that would otherwise clog the subsequent filters.
Next on line is a True HEPA kit that is capable of removing up to 99.97% of air contaminants of 0.3 microns. These include air pollutants, such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and even bacteria. Lastly, the air goes through a bed of activated charcoal filter where odors from your petâs litter and kitchen smells are adsorbed.
The True HEPA and carbon filters last roughly 6-8 months. The best part is that they are sold as a single kit, so maintenance is a breeze.
The Levoit Vista 200 air purifier has 3 fan speeds (low, medium, and high). Unique from other recommendations in this list, it also has an auto shut-off timer for 2, 4, and 8 hours.
Lastly, this is one of the quietest air purifiers in these reviews and maintains noise levels of between 26 dB and 50 dB. As such, itâs a reliable option for use in small bedrooms and offices.
View Levoit Vista 200 Air Purifier on Amazon
BlueAir Blue Pure 411
Highlights:
- Size 8â by 8â by 16.7â
- Coverage 175 sq.ft.
- 3-stage filtration (not a True HEPA)
- Noise level 17-46 dBA
Our next contender here is rated for rooms with a square footage of up to 175 ft. This model has a diameter of 8 inches and a height of 16.7 inches.
Similar to the Levoit Vista 200 above, the BlueAir Blue Pure 411 boasts a cylindrical filtration kit that allows 360-degree air intake. This kit consists of a washable pre-filter that captures large air contaminants, such as lint and pet and human hair, and activated charcoal that deals with smoke, odors, gases, and smells.
Note that this purifierâs primary filter is not a True HEPA purifier as it captures 99% of airborne particles, not the required 99.97%. The best part, however, is that this filter removes contaminants down to PM2.5. That being said, itâs still very reliable if you want to minimize dust, pet dander, pollen, viruses, and bacteria.
Concerning noise output, the Blue Pure 411 ranges from 17 dBA to 46 dBA as you cycle between its 3 fan speeds.
Important to mention here is that this air purifier has an ionizer. However, the manufacturer explains that the ionizer is engineered not to emit any measurable amounts of ozone. On this note, the fact that the Blue Pure 411 is CARB certified should lessen your worries.
View BlueAir Blue Pure 411 Air Purifier on Amazon
BlueAir Sense+
Highlights:
- Size 7 x 19 x 20 inches
- Coverage- 100-200 sq.ft
- Dual 3-stage filtration with HEPASilent technology
- Noise level 29-50 dB
The BlueAir Sense+ is marketed for both small and medium rooms. The manufacturer claims that it will exchange the air in a 186 sq.ft. room up to 5 times per hour and 2.5 times in a room measuring 372 sq. ft. For best performance, weâd recommend it for use in 100-200 sq.ft rooms.
This air purifier uses HEPASilent technology for its main particle remover. Although this filter removes up to 99.97% of air contaminants, it does not exactly meet the definition of a True HEPA filter in that it removes particulates down to 0.1 micron. The second filtration stage is an activated carbon screen that eliminates odors, smells, and VOCs.
What our review team found quite interesting about the Sense+ is that it uses a double filtration kit- one on the inlet and another one towards the outlet. Again, to add to its already impressive air purification approach, there is a built-in ionizer that further removes contaminants from the air in your small room.
Another selling point of this air purifier is the ability to control it from your mobile phone through an App. Again, since this is a smart device, you can also command it via Alexa. Lastly, if you wish, thereâs an option to get the BlueAir Aware Air Quality monitor that offers an auto mode.
View BlueAir Sense+ Air Purifier on Amazon
Partu BS-03 True HEPA Air Purifier
Highlights:
- Size: 6.3â by 6.3â by 11.4â
- Coverage: 107 sq. Ft.
- 3-stage filtration (with True HEPA and optional aromatherapy)
- Noise level 38-59 dB
For pet lovers looking for the best small room air purifier for allergies, we give you the GermGuardian AC4300. This air purifier is engineered purposely for pet homes and will cover spaces of up to 153 square feet.
What makes GermGuardian AC4300 different from others in this list is its âPet Pureâ filter. Basically, this is a true HEPA screen that has an antimicrobial treatment that instantly kills odor-causing bacteria. Pet owners using this air purification device affirm that thereâs a significant difference between this unit and others in minimizing pet odors.
This purifier also has a carbon filter that further breaks down odors, smoke and cooking smell.
Moreover, the GermGuardian AC4300 has UV-C light. This germicidal function releases a short wavelength UV light that destroys the germsâ DNA, thereby making it hard for them to reproduce. Thereâs an option to turn this feature off, though.
This air purifier has 3-speed settings, and itâs designed with no-fuss usage in mind. Thatâs why you wonât find auto mode, timer, Wi-Fi connectivity, or App, among other bells and whistles.
Itâs a little bit loud compared to others here at 40-55 dB. So, put that into consideration if youâll be using it in a small room, for instance, a study room where silence is of the essence.
View Partu BS-03 True HEPA Air Purifier on Amazon
Fellowes Aeramax 100
Highlights:
- Size 8.5 by 7.25 by 27.25 inches
- Coverage: 100 sq.ft.
- Filtration 4-stage (including True HEPA and optional ionizer)
- Noise level: 38-60 dB
The Fellowes Aeramax was our number one pick for the best air purifiers for dust. This inexpensive HEPA air purifier small room device is certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America as useful in minimizing attacks. It will also interest pet lovers with allergic conditions and those who live with smokers.
The manufacturer recommends it for rooms of up to 100 sq. ft. and further states that it will offer 3 full air exchanges every hour.
This air purifierâs filtration kit is among its major selling points. Itâs made up of an activated charcoal bed that combats pet and mold odors, tobacco smoke, VOCs, and kitchen smells. This filter is followed by the iconic true HEPA filter thatâs famed for its ability to remove up to 99.97% of mold spores, pollen, pet hair and pet dander, dust mites, and dust, among other notorious air contaminants that measure 0.3 microns.
This true HEPA filter has an antimicrobial treatment that Fellowes has dubbed Aerasafe. Similar to what weâve just seen with the GermGuardian AC4300, Aerasafe technology inhibits the growth of the trapped bacteria and odor.
In addition, the Fellowes Aeramax has PlasmaWave, which is an optional ionizer that shoots bacteria, viruses, and mold spores from the air in your room.
Lastly, this air purifier has a couple of features that you wonât find on other cheap small room air purifiers, such as an auto mode, real-time air quality indicator, and 4 fan speed modes, including Turbo.
View Levoit Air Purifier on Amazon
Buyerâs Guide- How to Choose an Air Purifier for Small Room
Filtration kit
There are up to 5 different types of filtration technologies used on air purifiers today. Although all of them aim at cleaning the air, they target various contaminants. Understanding each of these technologies and what itâs suitable for is critical in choosing not only the best small room air purifier but the perfect device for your exact needs.
HEPA
This is a term that you must have heard a lot by now. It stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air and refers to a filter that has been certified to trap most of the particulate matter, measuring 0.3 microns and above.
In Europe, a HEPA filter needs to block at least 85% of these contaminants. However, in the USA, the standard is set at 99.97%. Filters that meet this level of efficiency are called True HEPA.
A small room air purifier with HEPA filter will be effective at removing dust, pollen, pet dander, and mold. Itâs also possible for a true HEPA filter purifier to trap bacteria and viruses, including the Covid-19 coronavirus. However, it doesnât kill these microbes and may eventually release them back into the air.
Activated charcoal
Activated charcoal filters are made by treating charcoal with oxygen. This opens up a lattice of millions of microscopic spores that trap and remove impurities and contaminants. The best air purifiers for small room with an activated charcoal filter will remove smoke, smells, odors, gases, and VOCs.
Ozone air purifiers
These devices generate ozone molecules (O3) that react with anything that they bump into, including strong odors, mold, and mildew spores. Although this technology is effective at cleaning these contaminants, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that it has long-term health effects, including damaging the lungs.
Ionizers
Ionizers or ionic air purifiers work in a similar manner to ozone generators. The major difference is that ionizers release negatively charged ions that bind into the positively charged particles of dust, smoke, odors, microbes, bacteria, and other allergens. This makes the contaminants too heavy to stay suspended in the air, so they fall to the ground where they can be vacuumed. These devices emit ozone, albeit at significantly low levels. The best ionic air purifiers have an option to switch this function off. Some of the advanced models again have sensors to keep ozone levels at a minimum.
Ease and Cost of Maintenance
After determining the types of filters that you want for your air purifier, consider its maintenance requirements and costs. Air purification devices are relatively easy to maintain as they only require timely filter replacement.
However, you need to factor in filter life and the cost of the filters. Even more important is the availability of the filters. On this note, beware of relatively new brands that use proprietary filters as these can be hard to find if the manufacturer ceases their production.
Coverage
Coverage refers to how much space a purifier can handle effectively. Itâs critical that you consider the strength of the purifier with regard to the size of your room. Otherwise, a less powerful model wonât be effective at minimizing the air contaminants troubling you. On the other hand, an overly powerful purifier is overkill for tiny spaces and may be unnecessarily expensive, noisy, and bulky.
Most air purifiers for small spaces are rated for rooms with a square footage of 80-300. Importantly, you want to go with an air purifier with a slightly higher square footage rating than the size of your room. For instance, if you have an average size bedroom with a 132 square footage, an air purifier with a rating of 170+ sq. ft. will make a much better option.
Noise level
Air purifiers use fans to draw and push air around the room, so they are bound to make some noise. This noise output may be relatively higher, especially if the purifier is used in a small room and more so if the purifier will stay closer to you.
