Best air purifiers for allergies 2024: Tried and tested - Livescience.com

Investing in the best air purifiers for allergies can bring much-needed relief to your symptoms If you have allergies to airborne particulates. This is because these smart appliances can trap and remove a wide range of airborne allergens, helping you to breathe cleaner, fresher air in your home or workplace.

We may not be able to see them with the naked eye, but there are many different particulate matters in the air around us, and some can trigger asthma attacks and symptoms of allergies, Wei-Ning Wang, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University, told Live Science. "Examples include dust, pollen, mold, smoke, and airborne bacteria and viruses," he said. 

These airborne particles are not easy to trap, which is why the best air purifiers for allergies are equipped with a number of advanced technological solutions that may not be featured in some of the more basic appliances. For example, most air purifiers for allergies come with a High-Efficiency Particulate Absorbing (HEPA) filter, a piece of tech able to trap 99.97% of indoor air pollutants down to 0.3 microns in size. Many appliances will have extra filters that capture pet hair or reduce bad smells caused by pets, smoke and cooking. However, this also means that air purifiers for allergies tend to be on the pricier side.

We have tried and tested a vast range of air purifiers specifically designed to ease the symptoms of asthma and allergies. We have looked at price, size, design, and ease of setup, but most importantly, performance. We've also tested the best air purifiers for more general use. Alternatively, you may also want to check out best humidifiers to banish dry air and best dehumidifiers to help with mold and condensation.

The quick list

See the quick list below for a summary of our favorite air purifiers for allergies, or scroll further down for more detailed reviews of each appliance.

Best air purifiers for allergies in 2024

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Best overall

The Levoit 600S is our top choice for an air purifier that effectively captures allergens in your home, and with good reason. Not only did it perform well in all of our tests during our full Levoit Core 600S review, but it's also quiet, easy to use and comes with a range of handy smart features. 

Thanks to its True HEPA H13 filter, this air purifier aced our tests under a number of conditions, removing 99.9% of particles smaller than 0.3 microns at certain times. The air purifier also has the ability to capture some bacteria and viruses, and with advanced activated carbon, the machine filters volatile organic compounds from the air. 

Not only is the Levoit 600S a powerful air purifier, but it also gains points for its discreet design — the toned-up colors and traditional rectangular shape make it easily blend with most home decors. 

We found that setting up the air purifier is easy thanks to the intuitive controls, and there's plenty of information accessible on the app connected to your purifier, which gives you statistics on historical and current air quality within your home, which we thought was a great feature.

On the other hand, the Levoit 600S is quite a bulky machine, so it may not be suitable for tight spaces. It is also relatively expensive so might not be ideal if you're on a budget — but that said, it's still more affordable than some of the Dyson and RabbitAir models, for example. 

  • Read our full Levoit Core 600S review 
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AttributesNotes
DesignSleek and discreet, but not necessarily small.
PerformanceQuiet even without sleep mode.
FunctionalityControlled from a handy app.
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Best budget option

If you're on a budget and need an air purifier to tackle your allergy symptoms, then the GermGuardian AC4825E will be an inexpensive purchase that can go a long way to help you breathe more easily. 

Complete with a HEPA filter and a charcoal filter to filter odors, this appliance can make your living space a nicer place to be. It's also ultra-quiet, meaning it can work away in the background without distracting you from whatever you're doing. 

As you might expect with a smaller unit, the coverage of this air purifier is not quite as extensive as bulkier models. It would be suitable for single rooms, rather than expansive spaces, and stands at just 22 inches tall, meaning it won't be too disruptive to your room's decor, although it's not quite sleek enough to blend in. 

There are some other handy features too, including a light to indicate a filter change is due and three speeds including an ultra-quiet sleep mode so that you can keep your machine running into the night.

We were impressed by its ability to remove harmful particles in our match and incense tests during our full GermGuardian AC4825E review, especially for its price point. If you want a no-frills, but a very effective air purifier, we'd recommend the GermGuardian. 

  • Read our full GermGuardian AC4825E review
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AttributesNotes
DesignSmall and compact.
PerformanceImpressive performance for its price.
FunctionalitySimple controls, no smart features.
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