15 best air purifiers for a cleaner, healthier home in 2026

Score: 96/100

This compact, slate-grey air purifier boasts lots of innovative features, including a four stage HEPA filter with an anti-bacterium and anti-viral pre-filter, which AEG claims will remove 99.5% of pollutants from the air. There’s also an ‘active carbon layer’ to absorb cooking and damp dog smells, and an odour sensor designed to detect and reduce any hazardous gas or solvents in the air.

This device definitely lived up to its impressive billing – our experts liked the chic design, clear display, responsive controls and easy-to-follow instructions. When it came to performance, they rated it ‘exceptionally good’ at filtering fine particles as well as dust and ash, reducing the pollutants by over 99%. It was also quiet, even on its highest setting. Our panel liked being able to see a graph of the machine’s progress and praised the ‘stealthy’ night mode.

The filters aren’t the cheapest and it doesn’t have castor wheels for moving around, but due to its compact design, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Score: 96/100

This sleek air purifier achieved full marks across all three of our air quality tests – it reduced fine particles by 98.9% and removed 92% of dust and ash. It’s got some impressive features too, making it a premium buy with a price tag to match.

Testers liked how intuitive it was to set up and use, whether they controlled it via the app (where you can access detailed information about your air quality) or by voice. There are six settings, plus an auto one that will detect changes in air quality and adjust its power accordingly. At its max, it’s not the quietest, but it was barely noticeable on its lowest setting, recording 39dB in the lab, which is similar to the ambient noise of a library. So, it’s a good one for bedrooms too.

Finally, a note on its filters because you won't see a reference to HEPA in the specs below. That’s because Molekule has created its own unique ones, which it claims not only collect particles but destroy them too (including mould). This has been tested and approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the US for added peace of mind.

Score: 94/100

A compact version of the model above, this an elegant and very effective purifier. Despite its smaller stature, it cleared dust, ash and aerosol pollutants with ease, removing 97% in half an hour and 99.7% in a full hour.

Set-up was easy, thanks to the clear instructions (which was helpful, as the on-purifier controls took a bit of deciphering), and it has the same intuitive features as its larger counterpart. The strong handle makes it pleasingly portable, and the filters are easy to fit and remove.

It’s an investment, though, and, when on maximum power, testers recorded highs of 70 decibels. But with five settings to choose from, you should be fine to run it at night without disturbing your sleep.

Score: 94/100

Looking for an air purifier that’s compact, efficient and smartly designed for smaller living spaces? This Blueair model ticks all the boxes – and then some.

Despite its smaller footprint, it proved itself a powerful performer. Aerosol particles were reduced by 99.8% in an hour, while it removed 93.6% of dust and ash in the lab. Its compact design makes it easy to tuck into corners or behind furniture, without compromising airflow or accessibility. The interface is clear and well-thought-out, with three fan speeds and two distinct modes (standard or night), which are all easy to navigate using the device’s responsive controls.

The seamless app connectivity also sets this model apart. The Blueair app pairs easily via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi; and, once connected, you can control fan speeds and modes and schedule the device to turn on or off at specific times. Sleek and reliable, this purifier punches well above its price tag.

Score: 93/100

With its pared-back style, straightforward set-up and intuitive app, this air purifier should fit right into any home. Testers liked the detailed manual, the range of three fan speeds and the quiet night mode. It’s also lightweight, which means moving it around isn’t too much of a struggle, despite the lack of handles.

When it came to performance, it quickly started cleaning the air in our lab, putting in the best performance in our ‘normal environment’ test by reducing contaminants by over 96.8%. It was effective against fine and large particles too – all decreased by over 99.6% within an hour of testing. Our at-home tester backed up our findings, saying that it made a noticeable difference to their air quality, even improving the quality of their sleep.

We’ve tested this whole range from Blueair. At a glance, here are their scores and what sets them apart:

• Blueair 3250a: Scored 92/100 and designed for rooms of 48 m²; lacks app compatibility
• Blueair 3250i: Scored 91/100 and designed for rooms of 48 m²
• Blueair 3450i: Scored 87/100 and designed for rooms of 103 m²

Score: 93/100

This air purifier has built-in anti-odour technology, which releases a fresh floral and citrus scent, so your air is both cleaner and sweeter smelling. Testers found it worked well and liked the effect. In terms of air quality, it put in one of the best performances against dust and ash, removing up to 99.77% from our test room. Dealing with deodorant particles was slightly tricker, but it still reduced levels by 98.67% so we’re nit-picking here.

Our experts praised its clear control panel and sizeable air quality display. They found it easy to set up too, and thought the instructions were helpful (there’s a start-up guide in the box with the rest accessible online). But it’s not the most portable, as there’s no handle or obvious area to grip onto, and the noise level (60dB) was distracting when on max speed.

There’s a good selection of modes, timers and air speeds, though, so you can tailor it to your home. And the filters are designed so that you only need to change them up to every five years. They were simple to fit and remove for cleaning, too.

We've also tested the mini version of this air purifier (score: 87/100), which is designed for spaces of up to 23 square metres. Or for extra-large areas of up to 130 square metres, there’s also a MAX version.

Score: 91/100

If you have four-legged friends, consider this pet-focused Levoit model. It combines HEPA and activated carbon filtration with features designed to tackle everything from fine airborne fur to those less-than-lovely litter tray and wet dog smells. It impressed us in the lab, removing 99.7% of deodorant particles and more than 92% of dust and ash from our test room in one hour.

One standout feature is the self-cleaning pre-filter, which, after manual activation, collects pet hair and transfers it into an easy-to-empty tray – no more clogging. The filter is simple to remove and replace, while indents on either side make the unit easy to carry despite its weight.

The controls are intuitive, and the handy VeSync app lets you monitor air quality, adjust settings and create schedules. While the boxy design won’t be to everyone’s taste, its strong purification and pet-friendly features make it a great pick for pet parents.

Score: 91/100

Another Blueair model, but this one brings something different to the table: it doubles up as a sunrise alarm clock. You can programme it to slowly light up 15 to 30 minutes before the alarm finally goes off, waking you up with one of 11 calming sounds, from bird song to light rain.

As a purifier, our tester found it made a noticeable difference to the air quality of the room. It quickly filtered out dust particles, removing almost 96% within an hour, and while it effectively minimised aerosol contaminants by 98.6%, the smell still lingered.

You’ll need the app to set the clock timer, but it’s simple and straightforward to use, plus the app reminds you when it’s time to replace your filter – a great add-on. While it’s best suited to small rooms, we found it had no issues purifying a standard double bedroom. Plus, it was super quiet on the lowest setting, meaning it won’t disturb your sleep.

Score: 91/100

The filter on this air purifier only needs changing once every six years, making it an excellent set-and-forget option for those who don’t want to bother with lots of maintenance. It's easy to assemble, too – just remove the filter from the packaging and you’re ready to go.

It scored full marks for clearing large particles (ash and dust), removing 97.9% in one hour, and also impressed in our deodorant test, removing 99.94% of particles in an hour. Our testers also loved the clear, bright display. ‘I appreciate that it shows air quality as an easy-to-understand percentage, rather than only PM2.5 values,’ one said.

It’s quiet, too. We recorded 44 decibels on the lowest setting (background noise was 39 decibels), which is equivalent to the sound level of a quiet library, so it shouldn’t keep you up at night. In fact, one tester said: ‘I actually felt it improved my sleep quality, as I felt less congested when it was running in my bedroom.’ A great buy that comes in a range of chic colours.

Score: 88/100

This pet-focused air purifier has a range of features designed to deal with fur, such as dual-sided air intake and an easy-access filter that comes with a brush to clean it out. It even has a pet lock to mitigate wandering paws.

It scored close to full marks on purification, removing 98.8% of ash and dust and 99.8% of deodorant after an hour – ‘It put in an excellent performance,’ our expert said. It doesn’t have a night mode, but at just 38 decibels on low speed (equivalent to soft ambient room noise), we don’t think it’s a feature you’ll miss. As one tester put it, ‘It’s so quiet that I forgot it was on!’

Our testers had a few issues with the interface, often needing to refer to the manual to figure out certain functions and symbols, while the ‘split’ screen was a little hard to read. But once you get used to it, this is an impressive performer at a good price.

Score: 86/100

There’s something spa-like about this minimalist air purifier from Russell Hobbs, making it our top pick for soothing you to sleep. It’s quiet, and while it’s busily cleaning the air around it, it can also disperse essential oils via a hidden aroma pad. Testers found this feature was fiddly to access at times, but once they added a few drops, the scent would linger for a long time.

Back to its main job, it was easy to set up and removed nearly 95% of dust and ash from the room. Deodorant proved trickier, with it taking out 83.14% of fine particles within an hour – that said, our expert still said the room felt notably fresher.

While lightweight and relatively compact, it proved sturdy too, and this was the most energy efficient in testing, using just 0.001kWh in an hour on its highest setting (less than a tenth of a penny). Time to plug it in, add a few drops of lavender oil, and drift off.

Score: 86/100

This affordable air purifier punches well above its price point when it comes to performance. In our lab tests, it managed to remove over 99% of deodorant particles and 95% of dust and ash from our test room in just 30 minutes. After an hour, the air was practically devoid of pollutants – and much cleaner than the starting baseline!

Panellists noticed a difference in their homes, too. ‘This definitely improved the air quality,’ said one tester, while others noted how easy the device was to set up. The app is easy to use, too, and you can even connect it to your smart speaker to use via voice control.

The onboard controls are a little basic – there are just two speeds, and it’s slightly annoying to have to cycle through all the settings to change from low to high mode. The lightweight, compact design is easy to move around though, and the aromatherapy drawer (where you can drop essential oils to diffuse the scent) is a nice feature. A fantastic value pick overall.

Score: 85/100

This model has to be one of the simplest designs we’ve ever tested. It scored full marks for ease of use, thanks to the straightforward one-button controls, clear indicator lights, and excellent instructions. Set-up and filter changes are easy, too.

In our lab, its air purification performance was solid, especially when filtering out fine deodorant particles, reducing levels by over 99% within 30 minutes. With larger dust and ash particles, performance wasn’t quite as strong as other budget models we’ve tested – but the air quality was still significantly improved.

You won’t get smart features like an app, timer, or voice control with this model, although our testers loved having the option to add scented essential oils in the top. But if simplicity is what you’re after, this is a straightforward, set-and-forget air purifier that’s great for using in the bedroom.

Score: 81/100

This great value air purifier is pretty much ready to use straight out of the box – just insert the filter and switch it on using the simple control panel. There are three speeds to cycle through as well as a sleep mode and timer for added convenience.

In the lab, it worked best when tackling fine particles, removing up to 97% the aerosol we sprayed within an hour. The activated carbon filter worked effectively too, with our panellist noting the purifier removed odours quickly and made the room feel fresher.

When faced with dust and ash, the air purifier returned the air to a reasonable quality within half an hour but struggled to remove more than 78%, so if dust is a concern, this might not be the model for you. That said, pollutant levels were brought down below the levels for a standard room environment, and the price tag offers good value for money.