Do you live in an area where wildfires are common? Here are my handpicked seven best air purifiers for wildfire smoke, to help keep your family safe.
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Nearly 37mn Americans live with chronic lung ailments. Having a house near the forest area can increase the chances of wildfire smoke entering the house. Microbes can cause allergies, asthma, and other respiratory complications.
In the US alone there were 58,985 wildfires in 2021, which affected the health of many residents. I live in California which has the most wildfires in the country. The only way for me to protect my own, as well as my daughter’s health from wildfire smoke, is to use an air purifier. Air purifiers help get rid of pollen, dander, and wildfire smoke perfectly.
Below I am sharing my secret sauce. I have selected air purifiers with HEPA filters that can filter over 99.9% of allergens. The carbon filter in these air purifiers can help you eliminate odor and airborne chemicals.
It can not only refresh the air of your house but also reduce the chances of indoor pollutants, resulting in neurological problems and aggravating asthma symptoms. So stay tuned to understand these eight excellent air purifiers.
What To Look For In An Air Purifier If You Live in an Area That Has a Lot of Wildfires?
Many elements in an air purifier should be considered before selecting one. Some essential factors like noise levels and the air purifier’s performance are highlighted over here. These factors determine the quality of air purification and its efficiency. Let’s have a look at some essential aspects of air purifiers.
Performance:
Selecting an air purifier based on the air changes per hour is essential. The air purifier of the room you use should offer 2 to 5 air changes per hour. It is perfect for a medium-sized room.
The air purifiers that clean the air every 30 to 60 minutes are excellent. As I have pets in my house, I have selected a maximum of 5 air changes per hour to significantly reduce the number of allergens and airborne particles in my home.
HEPA filter:
An air purifier that can remove at least 99.9 7% of pathogens or bacteria with the size of 0.3 microns is considered ideal. I have selected the products that can remove the airborne particles with about 0.1 microns.
All these products remove 99.9 7% of aerosols. When looking for an ideal HEPA filter in the air purifier, make sure that it consists of a HEPA-13 filter or HEPA-14 filter.
Noise level:
The noise level is one of the most prominent aspects which need to be taken care of. Despite having a powerful motor, the air purifier which makes noise can result in irritation and affect my sleep. That’s why I have recommended all the products with a low to medium range of noise levels. A good purifier has a voice level of around 30 to 40 DB.
Area covered:
The CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) value should be selected depending upon the room type. For an area of about 300 square feet, the CADR value should be 140. The CADR value must increase to 270 when it covers an area of about 500 to 600 square feet. For larger areas like 1000 square feet, the CADR value must be 400.
Other features:
As I live near a forest area, wildfire smoke is one of the most common problems I suffer from. I have listed some of the essential features we should notice in an air purifier.
- Carbon filters- Carbon filters are excellent in trapping gaseous pollutants like VOCs through adsorption.
- Energy consumption- As I wanted to keep the energy cost low, I selected the units that work on less than a hundred watts at the highest setting.
- Ozone emissions- Ozone is a toxic pollutant that harms the cells in the lungs. Try to avoid the air purifier which emits ozone.
Answers to More Questions About Air Purifiers, Wildfire and Even Covid-19!
Do air purifiers work on wildfire smoke?
Yes, air purifiers help to overcome wildfire smoke. These products have HEPA filtration systems that help trap fine particulate matter. All these air purifiers help to reduce airborne particles and improve air quality.
Which type of air purifier is best for smoke?
The air purifier with HEPA filtration system works best for the air purifier. They help to overcome the small particles between 0.3 to 10 microns.
What is the best air filter for Covid 19?
While air filters are not enough in themselves to prevent Covid 19, they are an important part of the range of activities that you should undertake to prevent the spread, including masking and social distancing.
For removing viruses from the air, an air cleaner needs to be able to remove particles that are in the range of 0.1-1 um. This can be read in many ways: for example, in some cases you might see the label 99.9% particles removed with particles as small as 0.3um.
I have mentioned above the CADR measurement and how it varies with room size. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing your air filters and purifiers and buy the one with the right CADR based on your room size.
Units that mention specifically that they are good for wildfire smoke, or have HEPA filters are generally a good option in this respect.
#1 LEVOIT Air Purifier for Home Allergies Dust Smoke
Features:
- Performance: 9.9/10
- Noise level: 9.7/10
- HEPA filter: 9.6/10
- Area covered: 9.8/10
- Other features: 9.5/10
Technical specifications:
- Item weight: 8.8 pounds
- Power source: Ac
- Control method:
- Item dimensions: 8.7× 8.7× 16.25 inches
Pros:
- You get multiple filter choices
- You can enjoy the fresh air with a core 300 True Hepa air purifier
- It is one of the most silent air purifiers
Cons:
- Some users complained that the machine makes more noise than it should.
Bottom line:
I was satisfied using this air purifier as it is beneficial for wildfire smoke as this purifier has an additional carbon filter alongside the HEPA filter. The purifier doesn’t use UV-Light and doesn’t emit secondary pollution.
Detailed features:
- Performance: I liked that this is a high-performance air purifier as it has a 360° air intake and the core 300 present in it cleans the room perfectly.
- Noise level: I find it one of the quietest air purifiers as the noise levels are 24 DB. I choose sleep mode during nighttime. This function automatically turns off the air purifier at night.
- HEPA filter: The h13 HEPA filter in air purifiers works alongside the pre-filter and high-efficiency activated carbon filter to capture 99.97% of dust particles and smoke in the house. I was impressed by the fact that these filters actually keep the smoke at bay and purify the entire room within a short period.
- Area covered: My house is spick and span because of this air purifier. I use it in my bedrooms and medium-sized rooms as it covers around 547 square feet in 30 minutes and 219 square feet in 12 minutes. The CADR rate is 141 CFM.
- Other features: The sleek design and multiple filter choices have attracted me to this filter. It helps me to overcome Wildfire smoke. The pet energy filter helps to capture pet dander and absorb the unpleasant odors.
#2 Honeywell HPA200 True HEPA Allergen And Smoke Remover
Features:
- Performance: 9.2/10
- Noise level: 9.4/10
- HEPA filter: 9.1/10
- Area covered: 9.5/10
- Other features: 9.3/10
Technical specifications:
- Item weight: 13.91 pounds
- Power source: corded electric
- Control method: Touch
- Item dimension: 19.37× 11.54× 20.32 inches
- Warranty: 5 years
Pros:
- It is suitable for large rooms
- It comes with three air cleaning levels
- This air purifier protects from allergens
- It comes with a 5-year warranty
Cons:
- Some users complained that a burning odor prevails after using it for a while.
Bottom line:
I am amazed after using this purifier because this air purifier captures around 99.97% of the microscopic airborne particles like pollen, pet dander, smoke, and dirt. Being an asthma patient, this is great as it prevents various respiratory ailments.
Detailed features:
- Performance: This effective air filter comprises three air cleaning levels, including Turbo clean. It helps to keep the environment clean in my house.
- Noise level: The device works quietly on the germ mode despite having such a powerful motor. I find it to be a bit louder on the general model. The turbo setting also sounds to be a bit louder.
- HEPA filter: All of us look for HEPA filters in the air purifier because of their unique mechanical air filter. The HEPA filter present in this air purifier helps me create a cleaner environment that is fresh and free from any kind of airborne particles.
- Area covered: This air purifier filters in about 310 square feet of the room about 4.8 times an hour. I find it to effectively clean the air.
- Air filter: My house’s clean and pristine environment is due to this air purifier. It captures around 99.97% of microscopic airborne particles in the house. It is known to prevent pet dander, pollen, and smoke.
- Other features: The power source of this air purifier is corded electric, which is highly beneficial as I can charge it at my convenience.
#3 Winix Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter
Features:
- Performance: 8.9/10
- Noise level: 8.6/10
- HEPA filter: 8.7/10
- Area covered: 8.8/10
- Other features: 8.5/10
Technical specifications:
- Item weight: 15.4 pounds
- Power source: Corded electric
- Control method: Remote
- Item dimension: 15× 8.2× 23.6 Inches
- Warranty: 2 year
Pros:
- It comes with an LED light changes in real-time based on the air quality
- It comes with built-in air quality sensors that can adjust the fan speed in real-time.
- The sleep mode gets automatically activated when the room is darkened.
- It consists of plasma wave technology.
Cons:
- Plasma waves emit ozone. While the amount of Ozone produced is within safety limits, over time, Ozone can accumulate, especially in small and ill-ventilated rooms, which can be risky.
Bottom line:
This air purifier works excellently. It controls the dirt efficiently, and my baby is free of eczema though we use diapers and waves. The runny nose and coughing have also vanished after using this for a couple of days.
Detailed features:
- Performance: I find the performance of this air purifier to be fantastic as the plasma waves act as a permanent filter to break down odor, allergens, chemical vapor, and other pollutants. The washable AOC carbon filter consists of activated carbon granular, which is essential for removing household odors.
- Noise level: despite having such a powerful motor, I find this air purifier quiet. The voice of this air purifier is 27.8 decibels.
- HEPA filter: The HEPA filter captures 99.9 7% of the airborne pollutants. Though my house is near a forest, after using this air purifier, my house is free from allergens, pollen, dust mites, and pet dander as small as 0.3 microns.
- Area covered: This purifier covers around 360 square feet of room size as per the CADR rate. It keeps the environment of my medium and large-sized rooms clean.
- Other features: The smart sensors present in this air purifier gauges the air in my house. The auto mode adjusts the fan to filter the air as per the requirement.
#4 HATHASPACE Smart Air Purifier for Home
Features:
- Performance: 8.1/10
- Noise level: 8.3/10
- HEPA filter: 8.5/10
- Area covered: 8.4/10
- Other features: 8.2/10
Technical specifications:
- Item weight: 12 pounds
- Power source: AC
- Control method: Remote
- Item dimension: 13 × 7× 20 inches
- Warranty: 2 year
Pros:
- You can get rid of up to 98% staphylococcus Albus and Escherichia coli.
- It protects from airborne particles
- It is excellent in eliminating odor
Cons:
- Some users were not fully satisfied with the product but I had no such issues with it.
Bottom line:
It emits negative ions into the air to clean it, which is harmless to you. It helped me get rid of the odor as it consisted of an inbuilt iron ionizer. It is just perfect for bedrooms, offices, and other common areas in the house.
Detailed features:
- Performance: My all-new air purifier helps me exclude over 99.9 7% of particles down 2.3 microns. It captures all the pollutants in elegance. I could breathe easily without any discomfort or irritations.
- Noise level: The air purifier doesn’t make noise and irritates my ears. Despite having such unique characteristics, it works efficiently and doesn’t produce noise.
- HEPA filter: I find the 5 stage HEPA filtration system to be impactful as it helps to keep my house away from dust particles, smoke, and toxic volatile organic compounds.
- Area covered: It helps me purify 100% of the air in 700 square feet of space every hour of my house. The smart auto mode and changeable speed control help me create a breathable environment in my home.
- Other features: It helps to get rid of the unpleasant smell and odor of the house. It automatically gets activated in the night mode.
#5 Medify MA-25 Air Purifier with H13 True HEPA Filter
Features:
- Performance: 7.5/10
- Noise level: 7.3/10
- HEPA filter: 7.2/10
- Area covered: 7.1/10
- Other features:7.4/10
Technical specifications:
- Item weight: 8.63 pounds
- Power source: corded electric
- Control method: Touch
- Warranty: lifetime warranty on parts and services
Pros:
- It has a sleek touch screen operation panel
- Helpful in creating a breathable environment
- Suitable for medium to big sized rooms
Cons:
- Some people complained about the product packaging but my purifier came in a nice box with all things safe.
Bottom line:
The dual air intake present in this air purifier is just amazing. The pre-filter catches particles like hair and dust. The activated carbon absorbs and eliminates odor.
Detailed features:
- Performance: The air purifier is my first choice as it works efficiently and helps me clear out 99.9% of harmful particles. The replacement filter also lasts for about 3 to 4 months.
- Noise level: The air purifier shouldn’t make noise, leading to irritation. This purifier produces only a minimum noise level of 35 DB and a maximum of 51 DB. It doesn’t lead to excessive noise.
- HEPA filter: The HEPA h13 filtration present in this air purifier helps me eliminate 99.9% of harmful particles, which consists of odors, VOCs, smoke, pollen, pet dander, dust, small contaminants, allergens, and more than 0.1 microns in size. It captures even finer particles than HEPA h11 in my house.
- Area covered: The purifier cleans around 1000 square feet in 1 hour and 500 square feet in 30 minutes. The CADR is 230. It works excellently for my living room and bedroom.
- Other features: It provides the maximum coverage in my house and has a HEPA H13 filtration.
#6 Bissell Smart Purifier (HEPA + Carbon Filter)
Features:
- Performance: 6.9/10
- Noise level: 6.8/10
- HEPA filter: 6.7/10
- Area covered: 6.6/10
- Other features: 6.5/10
Technical specifications:
- Item weight: 18.25 pounds
- Power source: corded electric
- Control method: touch
- Item dimensions: 8.3× 14.75× 25 inches
Pros:
- It consists of a three-stage filtration
- You can access the filter easily
- You are provided with an industrial-grade large fan
- You can control it with the touch method effortlessly.
Cons:
- It produces some weird voices, which can be annoying for some users.
Bottom line:
The purifier is composed to target large rooms. You can filter a huge distance by changing the filters. I don’t need to change it again and again, and it is equipped with five fan speeds to cover my entire living room.
Detailed features:
- Performance: I am utterly amazed at the performance of this air purifier. It consists of a pre-filter, activated carbon filter. These filters target the large and fine particles, home odors, and orders from pets in my house.
- Noise level: Another reason I find this air purifier to be excellent is the sound level. It is perfect for my bedroom as it contributes to a peaceful sleeping ambiance.
- HEPA filter: I recommend this air purifier to everybody. It consists of a medical-grade HEPA filter that captures 99.9 7% of smoke particles and 0.3 microns even on the lowest fan speed. It helps me eliminate irritants like dust pet, pet dander, smoke from wildfires, cooking, smoking, and Airborne.
- Area covered: The air purifier helped me cover 1252 sq. ft with one air change/hour, filter 626 sq. ft with two air changes/ hour, filter 417 sq. ft with three air changes/ hour, filter rooms 258 sq. ft providing 4.8 air changes/ hour.
- Other features: This air purifier comes with a honeycomb structure carbon filter. The filter contains volatile organic compounds and carbon pellets that can remove common odors and particulate matter.
#7 Bulex Air Purifier Air Cleaner for Home
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Features:
- Performance: 6.1/10
- Noise level:6.3/10
- HEPA filter: 6.5/10
- Area covered: 6.4/10
- Other features: 6.2/10
Technical specifications:
- Item weight: 5.6 pounds
- Power source: corded electric
- Control method: touch
- Item dimensions: 8.27× 8× 13.58 inches
Pros:
- It reminds you to change the filter after 2000 hours of working time depending upon the air quality
- The LED touch panel allows you to control the functions with one-touch
- The automatic timer can run automatically at night without disturbing your dreams.
Cons:
- The fan may stop working after a certain amount of time which again starts working properly after a small repair.
Bottom line:
One unique thing in this air filter is where other purifiers in the same category offer a 3 stage filtration system Bulex air purifier upgrades to a 4-stage filtration system, including activated carbon filter, pre-filter, true HEPA filter, and net filter.
Detailed features:
- Performance: The performance of this air purifier is remarkable. Bulex air purifier offers a 4-stage filtration system, including an activated carbon filter, pre-filter, true HEPA filter, and net filter. It efficiently filters particles as small as 0.3 microns and removes 99. 97% of airborne particles, such as dust, lint, hair, etc. and refresh the air quality around you.
- Noise level: The air purifier can slow down the fan speed and works only at 32 decibels, and lets me enjoy the healthy and quiet night design.
- HEPA filter: The air filter comes with a patented true filter. The HEPA filter comes with a net filter and an activated carbon filter. It works with high efficiency.
- Area covered: The filter can purify 404 square feet efficiently. In less than 15 minutes, it could remove the smoke, dust, and odor from my bedroom.
- Other features: The purifier comes along with a multifunction touch panel. The three-timer setting and custom 4-speed fan allow me to breathe fresh air over four times per hour.
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My Top 3 Choices
The air purifier is one of the essential elements of a house. It not only protects us but also helps us cope with respiratory ailments. We have selected the eight best air purifiers that help cope with the smoke, dander, and air pollen. The detailed features and technical specifications of all these products are also mentioned in the article. Make sure you go through it.
Let me highlight three options as a final summary of my review:
The best option is the LEVOIT Air Purifier for Home Allergies Dust Smoke. This is because the h13 HEPA filter in air purifiers works alongside the pre-filter and high-efficiency activated carbon filter to capture 99.97% of dust particles and smoke in the house.
The Honeywell HPA200 True HEPA Allergen And Smoke Remover is another great choice. It offers great performance and filters air in about 310 square feet of the room about 4.8 times an hour.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the No products found., which offers great performance, keeps the home smoke, dust and odor free and all this at a very reasonable price point.
