When I was growing up, I never suffered from seasonal allergies despite constantly playing outside on fields of freshly cut grass and getting as close to the flower beds as I possibly could. But as I've become older, I've noticed that as soon as April rolls around and the flowers and trees in my area start pollinating, I get a serious case of the sniffles.

I always thought I was the chosen one who would never suffer with allergies, but oh, how wrong I was. Over the years, I've moved to different cities, and this can have an influence on my reaction due to the different environments, meaning that I've become more sensitive to things like dust and pollen.

So this year I've invested in the Shark Never Change air purifier, and it's completely altered my home. I've been using it for a month, and here are three of the biggest changes I noticed.

Reduced dust

The first thing I noticed within a week of having the air purifier was the reduced dust floating around my home. My house has never been dusty by any means, but it's only natural to spot dust floating around when sunlight beams in through the windows.

I hardly notice any dust now, and on my weekly clean, there's way less dust settling on surfaces. This has been a game-changer for me since, as well as dealing with seasonal allergies, my skin is extremely sensitive to triggers like disturbed dust.

The filters on the side of the air purifier need to be cleaned intermittently, and the more dust there is, the more often you'll need to do this. I find this task very simple: I pop out the side filters, wipe them down with a damp (not wet) cloth, let them dry, and then put them back in. You could also vacuum the filters if that's easier for you, and it saves you waiting around for them to be completely dry before reinstalling them.

Pollen detection

Whether you're someone who suffers the most when the tree pollen hits you as soon as you step outside, or whether it's the lingering effects it has in your house when it gets on your rugs that affects you the most, the air purifier is one of the easiest ways to combat the effects.

The HEPA filter ensures that particles as small as 0.3 microns are captured before the fresh air is returned to your home.

There are also settings on the screen that can show you the level of pollen in the air and how the air purifier is dealing with correcting this. I've let that dictate how often I take antihistamines, and it's become a great way to manage my symptoms.

Improved sleep

While the air purifier isn't in my bedroom, it works hard to filter the air from all around my home. As allergy season began, I was waking up in the night occasionally, but since having the air filtered, I've been sleeping like a baby.

I track my sleep every night with my Oura Ring, and the difference from the week before the air purifier and the week with the air purifier is undeniable.

Having this air purifier in my home has allowed my immune system to rest and created a sanctuary. I can't recommend a device like this enough, especially if you hate dealing with seasonal allergies like me.

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Spring is officially here. And while I’m excited to see warmer weather and (finally) open the windows, this also brings pollen, dust, and other tiny particles that can affect the air quality inside.

And if you suffer from seasonal allergies or haven’t yet invested in one of the best air purifiers to clean your air, you might want to consider a more natural and budget-friendly alternative. Did you know certain plants are known to remove toxins and improve air quality in your home without a purifier?

I asked the houseplant experts to shed some light on this and reveal the best air-cleaning plant for my home. And you might be surprised.

The power of the peace lily

Peace lilies are popular for their stunning white blooms and lush leaves, but it turns out this plant can do much more than brighten any room. According to experts, this plant is considered a great natural air purifier, known for removing common indoor pollutants.

“Peace lilies are one of the best,” states Steve Corcoran, CEO, Lawn Love. “It’s not actually the flowers that work to purify the air — it’s the leaves. Their leaves can remove pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, ammonia, and trichloroethylene from the air more effectively than most other plants.

“They do this by absorbing those pollutants through their surfaces, and then the pollutants are broken down by microbes in the roots of the plant.”

Better still, the peace lily can also reduce mold spores that grow in the home, which can also cause problematic health issues. This makes a great alternative to use alongside one of the best dehumidifiers to reduce moisture levels.

Typically, the best plants for improving air quality are healthy plants with lush foliage and robust root systems. This includes plants like the Boston Fern that can absorb airborne toxins through its leaves and roots — releasing moisture and oxygen. Or the low-maintenance, Snake Plant (Sansevieria), which experts claim can remove four major toxins), and a rubber plant.

"Rubber plants are easy to grow and are one of the best for removing toxins from the air," adds Bryan Wu, plant expert at Wuhoo Tropicals. "This plant takes in the carbon dioxide and mixes it with hydrogen, creating oxygen, which is released back into the air through the plant leaves helping keep your air clean!"

Where can I place my peace lily in the home?

So, where is the best place to put a peace lily in the home for maximum benefits? And does it really make a huge difference? “It’s usually best to have air purifying plants in areas of the home where breathing healthily and easily are most important to you (like your bedroom, since that’s where you sleep),” advises Corcoran.

“It should also be noted though that even the best plants for air-purifying aren’t as effective as actual air purifiers.”

In addition, peace lilies are relatively low-maintenance, thriving in various light conditions, including very little light. All they’ll require is adequate indirect daylight and watering every few days. Which works great for me, as I often forget to water my plants!

“If you want to get the maximum benefits from your peace lily, make sure to place it in a spot that receives bright, indirect sunlight and keep the temperature anywhere between 55–75°F,” advises Angelika Zaber, gardening expert at Online Turf.

“At the same time, keep your peace lily away from heat sources and draughty locations as it does not respond well to drastic temperature fluctuations.”

Another thing to note is that the peace lily is known to be toxic to both pets and humans when ingested. So keep this in mind if you have young children or pets, and make sure the plant is kept out of their reach.

So whether you want to use this plant alongside your air purifier or simply want a naturally fresh-smelling home, don’t underestimate the power of the peace lily.

For more tips on the benefits of peace lilies, check out these 9 reasons why every home needs a peace lily.

Gardening essentials we love

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If you're after one of the best air purifiers to deal with pet hair and concerned about noise pollution, you're in luck. The Oneisall Air Purifier does both. In fact, I forgot all about it while it was running all day long in my living room, as it’s super quiet and rather compact for the amount of air purification it boasts.

And for the luddite in me, the lack of an app to control the unit actually became a benefit: I didn’t have to think about it at all to get the benefits out of it. But for those who like to control their devices from their phone to turn them on or off, adjust them, or otherwise get tons of data in one convenient place, the lack of an app might be a dealbreaker.

Note that it’s advertised as a pet hair specialist. And while it did suck up some of my dog’s hair (who was shedding like mad during testing), it wasn’t as much of a pet-hair-pro as I was expecting.

Still, the Oneisall Air Purifier is so easy to use and so quiet that it adds peace of mind simply by not being top of mind. Here's what happened when I put it to the test in my home.

Oneisall’s Air Purifier review: Price and availability

The Oneisall Air Purifier is available on Amazon for $80 and on Oneisall’s website for the same price.

In addition, the company offers free shipping, a 30-day money back guarantee, and a stout 24-month warranty.

Oneisall’s Air Purifier review: Design

Despite its relatively small size, the Oneisall Air Purifier packs a lot of punch, according to the spec sheet. The 360-degree dual intake captures 80% more pet hair than a single intake, according to Oneisall. There’s a filter on the front of the unit and another out back to capture junk from both sides.

The H13 HEPA and dual carbon filters remove odors and tiny particles. Oneisall says the unit will capture 99.97% of micro particles and 99.99% of air pollutants, in spaces up to 1,410 square feet, giving it an impressive CADR of 320m3/h (188CFM).

The pre-filters are washable too, so you should get plenty of life out of them. Plus the odor removal comes courtesy of activated carbon, which Oneisall says will freshen your air twice as fast as its competition.

Noise-wise, the air purifier is very quiet on its lowest setting. Oneisall says it operates at just 25 decibels. The noise level will increase, of course, as the fan level goes up. Speaking of which, the unit auto-adjusts fan speed based on information received through its smart sensors.

The LCD screen is positioned at the front top of the unit. It’s color-coded to give you a sense of your current air quality at a quick glance. Green is good; red is bad. You can manually adjust the air flow with the touch screen, but the unit will also auto-adjust based on air quality. You can also lock the screen to prevent accidental adjustments.

In the box, you’ll find the main unit, 2 HEPA filters, power cable, and a cleaning brush. This can be used to dislodge pet hair that accumulates on the filters.

Notably, there is no app to use in conjunction with the Oneisall Air Purifier. So any adjustments to the unit would have to be made at the control panel on the unit itself.

Oneisall’s Air Purifier review: Performance

I plugged in the Oneisall Air Purifier and walked away. That’s it. Super simple, no setup to speak of and no app to download. Honestly, it was refreshing as it seems every device these days requires your email registration in a companion app that may or may not actually be useful. I didn’t miss that part of the setup process, and definitely didn’t miss fiddling with an app.

But if you’re data-obsessed, you’re not going to get much from this unit. The color-coded screen will let you know whether your air quality is good or bad, but you won’t get any other data if you’re the sort who likes to track that sort of thing. I did miss having that information at my fingertips at first, but the longer the unit ran, the more I wondered whether having that granular data really benefitted me in any way. It’s a decision you’ll have to make for yourself. If you’re after a set-it-and-forget-it unit, look no further. Data nerds, look elsewhere.

.One thing I noticed as I played with the various fan settings was the slight difficulty of using the touchscreen buttons. I would press the lighted area that indicates the fan setting, but the setting would not change. It sometimes took two or three presses to get the screen to respond. This didn’t happen all the time, but enough times to be annoying. I had the most success tapping the upper right corner on the top part of the touch screen to get the display to show, and to make the buttons easier to activate. Still, It would be helpful if the touchscreen was more sensitive to touch.

Like many pets, my dog has his favorite spot to spend much of his day. It’s a chair in the corner of our living room that’s almost always covered completely in dog fur and comes with a warning to guests not to sit there for fear of dog sighs and fur coverage. So I positioned the unit next to my pup’s chair and let it run for two weeks.

I was expecting the filters to get pretty furry after constant use for two weeks. But that wasn’t really the case. While there was evidence of a fair bit of dust, there wasn’t much fur at all on the filters or pre-filter. That was surprising, given how much fur coated doggo’s chair. He comes and goes a lot, walking right past the unit, and he often shakes himself as dogs do. So the lack of fur on the filter was a bit of a head scratcher given Oneisall’s claims.

That said, the pre-filters and the filters themselves did seem to catch quite a lot of dust. And a lot of what air purifiers like these are designed to suck up aren’t necessarily visible to the naked eye.

To check in with hard numbers, I used an Alexa air quality monitor. The Oneisall PM2.5 reading on the front of the unit showed 005, which I assume means .005 pmµ/g3. Alexa registered a slightly lower reading than that, at 0035. Again, this seems to be within a reasonable margin of error.

Oneisall’s Air Purifier review: Noise

It’s also super quiet. I forgot it was running most of the time and even found myself checking early on to make sure it was actually on. Granted, the air quality light read green most of the time.

My decibel reading read slightly higher than the advertised level; I got 30 decibels. I’d say this is within a reasonable margin of the advertised level. But even when the air flow fan kicked up a notch, the noise level was a quiet 42 decibels.

On the highest setting, my decibel meter picked up 58 decibels. That’s still much quieter than other units I’ve tested, which creep into the mid-60-s and low 70s at high settings

Oneisall’s Air Purifier review: Accessories

The only accessory that comes with the Oneisall Air Purifier is the cleaning brush. It’s used to dislodge bigger detritus and pet fur from the pre-filters and filters. It’s easy to use and also fairly easy to lose. I wish it had a little mount on the unit itself so I had a place to stow it when not in use.

Otherwise, there aren’t many other accessories to speak of, except for replacement parts. You can buy refill filters on the Oneisall website.

Oneisall’s Air Purifier review: Competition

The air purifier market is very, very crowded. There are tons of options, each one promising varying levels of specialization. Many of Oneisall’s most direct competitors are larger, more expensive, and definitely louder. But some are also more versatile and offer data that the Oneisall can’t.

For instance, the Mila Air Purifier, which you can customize with several different filters, each intended for a different use. It comes with a companion app too, so you get more control and information. But it’s also bigger, louder, and more expensive than the Oneisall, so you'll have to consider what's important for your needs.

Oneisall’s Air Purifier review: Verdict

The Oneisall has a lot going for it: quiet operation and super simple with its app-free use. I was disappointed to see that the filters weren’t more clogged with dog fur after my testing, but that’s not exactly an indication that the Oneisall Air Purifier isn’t doing its job.

If you love data however, you’ll miss the app. Similarly, if you prefer to operate the unit from afar or integrate it into your smart home ecosystem, the Oneisall probably isn’t for you. However, if you just want to 'set-it-and-forget it', the Oneisall Air Purifier is ideal for anyone looking for a simple unit to purify your air without having to think about it.

I pride myself on having a great-smelling home. The second you step foot in my entryway, a subtle warm scent oozes through the air — and not to toot my own trumpet, but considering I have a messy pug and a crazy toddler, this is quite impressive. Just ask my friends — they're always asking me what the scent of the season is.

Yes, I've reviewed many a candle and reed diffuser, and while I do have several of these dotted around my home, there are certain hacks I always find myself doing when guests are around the corner, my house is upside down, and it's too cold outside to open all of the windows and doors. And it's not just lighting a candle and walking away, as I only use these when my child is asleep, so this isn't even an option.

These are all of my failsafe ways to ensure my home has the most wow-worthy scent, to greet guests with the smell of the Holidays as they walk inside, gifts in hand and ready to fill their tummies. Because you don't know when you'll need this advice, make note of these things for next time your guests call and say they'll be a little early, and you're famously unprepared. It happens to the best of us.

8 steps to refresh your home when guests are around the corner

1. Pick up a fragrance pod

This little device is cord-free, so it does require charging every now and then. Essentially, inside the NEOM Wellbeing Pod sits a bottle of NEOM essential oil, and this nifty pod works to filter this fragrance into the air, subtly. It does make a slight noise, but I'm not lying when I say that almost everyone who has ever been to my house has commented on it.

Once switched on, it's anything but overpowering, even when used in a smaller room. Because of my bathroom placement (just off my entryway), it manages to flood some of the fragrance through to my front door, to greet my guests. I've owned this for 4 years now, and it has never let me down.

A simple press of a button is all you need to do to ensure your powder room is fresh.

2. Turn on your range hood

This is especially handy if you need to get rid of a bad or strong smell, fast. Has the dog just eaten? A pooey diaper just been changed? Fish just finished cooking? Switch your vent hood on to max, and it'll clear the air of odors fast.

If you don't want to open a window and let in the cold air, to keep the vibe feeling cozy and your utility bills down, then don't miss this quick hack.

3. Shake out your rugs

I have a few smaller rugs, like a fluffy one in my entryway, to make my hardwood floor feel warm on a winter's day. I find that the simple act of taking this rug out to my yard and giving it a shake does wonders for this tight space.

This way, when I do flip my reed diffuser, it's not battling with any odors coming from my rug. And since it's furry, this rug does tend to harbor debris, crumbs, hair, and other unpleasant things.

4. Flip one of your reed diffusers

Now, I wouldn't suggest going around your home and flipping all of your reed diffusers, or you'll just be left with several different scents, all battling with each other to be the most powerful.

Instead, choose your favorite (and the most festive) and flip those reeds just before they walk through the door. Even better, if you can, then move this diffuser to the center of the space you'll be spending the most time in.

5. Turn up your air purifier

If you already own an air purifier, perhaps it lives in your bedroom to help you snooze better? Well, you're going to want to bring that down and put it into the room you'll be using the most this season — trust me.

I own the Shark NeverChange, which is currently on sale at Amazon, and it's a game-changer. It works fast to tackle airborne odors and allergens, including those from cooking, strong perfumes, smoke, pets, and more.

6. Empty that trash can

If your trash can is almost full, then it's best to just empty it before guests arrive. We all know how fast it gets filled the minute there are extra feet in your home, while a kitchen trash can is often the biggest reason for smells in a kitchen.

Give the lid (inside and out) a good clean with an antiseptic wipe, too. Truly, this will turn your kitchen from drab to fab in seconds.

7. Start warming the mulled wine ASAP

Freshly baked cookies, recently dried laundry, and mulled wine on the stovetop are among the best natural home scents around. So, if you are going to be serving up some warm wine, then get yours on the stove and season it well ahead of guests arriving.

Leave it to warm low and slow, and its scent will fill your kitchen and bring all of the cozy vibes. Simple.

Bonus: Don't forget about your Christmas tree

Real or artificial, a Christmas tree needs to smell good. Obviously, if yours is real, you'll be watering it, but there's so much more that you can do. Grab an empty spray bottle, add a few drops of this Christmas tree essential oil, and fill the rest with water.

Spritz it sparingly around your tree, and your guests will think that it smells that good. They'll be asking which Christmas tree farm you got it from, and if it's fake, they might just think that it's the real deal.

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Whether you suffer from allergies or simply want cleaner indoor air, investing in one of the best air purifiers can make all the difference. And if you use it on a regular basis, you probably want to get the most out of its filters.

However, replacing filters can be costly, depending on the model you have. Certain models are fitted with filters that can last for years, but are very expensive to replace, while cheaper options may need replacing more often.

But, is it ok to clean and reuse your air purifier filters? While this might seem like a cost-effective solution, is this a bad idea for the performance of your air purifier?

Fortunately, we’ve got the industry experts at hand to determine whether it’s fine to clean or replace your air purifier filters.

Can you clean and reuse your air purifier filters?

So, is it ever a good idea to clean and reuse your filter instead of replacing it? While the general consensus is a firm no, cleaning will also depend on the type of filter you have, and the manufacturer guidance.

Typically, HEPA filters, which are the most common, are not designed to be cleaned and reused. "The vast majority of air purifier filters, especially those using HEPA technology, are designed for one-time use and cannot be effectively cleaned and reused,” advises Edwin Cheung, the Founder of Rabbit Air.

"Unless a manufacturer explicitly specifies their product uses cleanable filters (which is rare among high-efficiency models), you should assume the filter is disposable. HEPA filters (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) work by trapping microscopic particles deep within a dense web of fibers. This structure is not designed to release the particles.

“Attempting to wash or vacuum a HEPA filter typically damages the fine material, creating large pores that allow harmful particles to pass right through, severely compromising the purifier's function." So always check first the type of filter and rule out HEPA types.

So what is the case for non-HEPA filters? Are those fine to wash and reuse? “Washable filters are typically made up from more durable mesh or foam so they can be rinsed under running water and dried fully before reinstalling them,” says Scott Hardesty, CEO of Caccia Home Services. “It's important to avoid using harsh chemicals though as they can damage the materials.

“It's also important to remember that every time you clean a filter, it's likely reducing its efficiency. You might think you are extending its lifespan and saving money but it is something you need to consider. A worn or poorly cleaned filter won’t catch fine particles like pollen or smoke for example, so you end up recycling dirty air through your home.”

Before doing so however, be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions and follow them exactly.

How do you clean a pre-filter?

In some cases, there are pre-filters that can be vacuum cleaned and washed, as long as you follow the guidance. Essentially, a pre-filter is the first line of defense in an air purifier's purification system and can be cleaned.

“A lot of pre-filters are reusable, they trap the larger particles like hair and dust,” advises Martyn Fowler, Founder of Elite Renewables. “A quick vacuum and rinse every couple of weeks helps keep the unit running efficiently. The important thing is to avoid damaging the filter during the process.”

So what is the best method of cleaning a pre-filter? “You'll need to use cold water with no soap or detergents — and no scrubbing the filter,” advises Fowler. “Once it's been rinsed, make sure it’s absolutely bone dry before you put it back in the unit. If there’s any moisture left, you’re just inviting mold into your air purifier, which defeats the purpose entirely.

“HEPA filters do the heavy lifting in your air purifier and they are generally not designed to be cleaned and reused. They trap the fine particles like pollen and spores. If you wash them or try and blow them out with compressed air you’ll damage the fibres and make the filter useless. Once a HEPA filter’s saturated, it’s time to replace it.” Note, it’s important to remember to always unplug the unit before cleaning and never use harsh chemicals or submerge any parts in water.

For more top tips, check out these 7 air purifier tips to get cleaner air at home.

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One thing I love is a home appliance that promises to do it all. And that’s exactly what you get with the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1: an air purifier, space heater, and cooling fan, all wrapped up in a sleek tower design. If you’re like me and lacking space at home, then having three separate appliances in one unit is utter perfection, saving on the hassle of finding space and storage. But with Dyson’s premium price tag, I was intrigued to find out whether it really lived up to the hype.

I live in a Victorian terraced house, and as much as I love older homes like mine (full of character, as I like to try and convince myself), they can be prone to damp and mold, which is far from ideal. Throw in two terriers that smell of 'eau de wet dog' and shed hair everywhere, and an air purifier is more of a necessity rather than a luxury.

Since the best air purifiers can help to remove allergens, pet dander, dust, and even lingering odors, they are a great addition for most households. Especially if you suffer from allergies, have pets, or live in a slightly damp home.

I tried the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 out for a month, putting it through its paces to really test whether it’s worth the investment. I moved it between my living room, home office, and kitchen to see how well it tackled everything from cooking odours to dog dander. I monitored how quickly it heated and cooled the room down, and of course, the air quality. The big question is, can it really do it all and do it well, or is it a case of style over substance? Here’s what happened.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: Price and availability

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 has been around in the US for a couple of months and is currently retailing at $659.99 direct from Dyson. You can also purchase the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 via Amazon, for the same price.

It launched this September in the UK and you can buy it for £549.99 from Dyson. It also comes with a two-year guarantee that covers parts, repairs, and replacement if your unit is unrepairable.

Whilst you won’t need to think about it for the first year, Dyson does recommend changing the 360° glass HEPA and activated carbon filter every 12 months or when notified by your machine if it’s needed sooner. This is going to set you back $79.99 or £75 if in the UK.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: Design

If there is one thing that Dyson does better than any other company, it’s make household appliances look good. And the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 has the signature Dyson look: modern, sleek, and instantly recognizable. It follows the same oval loop design as other air purifiers and fans in the Dyson line-up, so it’s certainly a design you’ve seen before.

I was taken aback at how big it first appeared. I’ve never owned a Dyson before, so looking at the photographs, I thought that it would be a little smaller. Standing at 77cm tall, this is a machine that will get noticed, but it does have a slim, sphere base, which means it doesn’t take up too much floor space. It’s not heavy either, at 5.3kg, it’s light enough to be able to move it from room to room or between floors with little effort.

It comes in a white finish, although black is available in the US, and there is a small LED display to the front which will give you everything you need to know, including air quality, filter life, fan speed, and temperature. The controls are kept to a minimum with just an on/off button, as it can be controlled via the remote or the MyDyson app. The remote is small, but if you’re like me and forever losing remotes, you’ll be impressed to hear that it’s magnetised and attaches to the top of the purifier, so when it’s not in use, it’s much harder to lose. The remote is straightforward to use with all the buttons clearly labelled.

Another standout design feature is its wide oscillation. This machine can rotate up to 350º, meaning air will circulate to all corners of the room. You can also tilt the loop to be able to direct the airflow where you want it, but this feature isn’t really needed with the oscillation being so wide.

The filter sits inside the base and is completely sealed. It can be opened up by pressing the two push buttons on either side of the base, making changing the filter completely hassle-free.

Whilst Dyson hasn’t had a design shake-up with this air purifier, you’d be hard-pushed to tell the difference between other models. It does tick both the stylish and functional boxes. I was impressed at how seamlessly it blended into each room I placed it in.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: Set-up and use

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 arrived in a simple, but branded cardboard box. The box is quite big, but I was easily able to lift it out. I was impressed by the packaging too, apart from a couple of plastic coverings, everything was recyclable and fit in my main recycle bag at home, so total win if you don’t want boxes hanging around your house for weeks.

The main unit was already attached, so the only thing to do was to place the filter inside. These go into the base of the unit, so once the stickers holding the base together are removed, just clip the filter in, plug in the machine, and you’re ready to begin the set-up.

Set-up was surprisingly easy. I always dread anything you have to set up with an app because for some reason, it takes ten times longer, but this was a really quick process. I scanned the QR code on the front of the machine and downloaded the app, once the Wi-Fi was connected, it instantly detected the fan and connected it to my devices.

You can, of course, just control it with the remote control, this already has batteries included, so it’s just a case of turning it on and switching to the setting you want to use. To be honest, if you’re going to enjoy the full benefits of it, download the app so you can control it from anywhere, which is handy if you want to warm up or cool down a room before use.

Having tested other air purifiers in the past, including the Mila, this is the easiest and simplest set-up I’ve experienced, taking under five minutes of coming out of the box. Probably the biggest hurdle was learning what all the functions are, and even that didn’t take too long.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: Performance

Testing air purifier

I put the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 to the test in the four main areas of my home: the living room, my home office, the kitchen, and the bedroom, to really test its performance.

I’ve been using the Mila air purifier for a while, and that usually tells me that the air quality isn’t very good, so I was very pleasantly surprised to see that the air quality came up as good in each of the rooms I tried it in. With all rooms reading as good, I initially started to worry that the air purifier was faulty or I’d left plastic on the filter (something I’ve done before), but I realised that’s not the case.

The Dyson purifies the room with an activated carbon filter which has been enriched with Tris, a chemical that captures gases and 99.97% of pollutants. And this air purifier works so fast, it brings the air quality down to good in mere minutes.

I tested this theory in a couple of ways. First, I lit two large, scented candles and left them by the machine. This didn’t spike the air quality as much as I thought it would, but having looked into it, the Dyson has the sensors on the bottom, so it would’ve already filtered the air by the time it had sucked it in.

My next test was with room spray. I gave my living room a good spritz around, and the air quality went instantly went into the red zone, which is very poor, and the fans kicked in to start bringing the air quality back to green. It took just seconds to go from very poor to good, and I felt the difference in the air too. Normally, the room spray will make me cough and splutter, but it totally neutralised it and left the air feeling fresh.

Another test was during cooking. I grabbed my cast iron pan, which creates a lot of smoke, and started to fry an egg in oil. Usually, that smell lingers for hours, but the Dyson ran throughout. Not only did it limit the smoke but also neutralized cooking odors, leaving the kitchen feeling fresh and clean. Checking the history on the app, you can see where the PM2.5 and PM10’s rose during those times, before the fans kicked in on auto function to keep the air quality in a good range.

Testing heater and cooling fan

My next tests were for the heater and cooling fan performances. It has 290 litres per second of powerful airflow and it really does feel like it, but because of the bladeless design it feels more natural.

Again, I tested it in different rooms, and the results didn’t disappoint. I’ll start with the cooling fan which can bring the temp of your room down to 33 degrees Fahrenheit. When I first tried it, I didn’t think that it really got that cold, but the trick was putting it on top speed and then reducing it when the cold air kicked in.

The fan speed affects how strong the cooling sensation feels rather than being able to set a certain temperature. The great thing about this cooling fan is that it feels more like a breeze (especially when the oscillation is on) rather than it just blowing directly onto you.

Similarly, the heat setting can get your room up to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Trust me when I say, it heats up quickly and it maintains the temperature for ages. This is because the heat element uses ceramic plates, and the heat felt more like a nice, warm breeze rather than oppressive heat like when using a space heater. I set it up in my living room, which is a little compact to say the least, and it heated up within five minutes. This is good news as it means that it’s more cost-effective than putting the central heating on for the whole house.

Whether it’s air purifying, cooling, or heating, the Dyson works really quickly and efficiently. The built-in sensors and automatic adjustments make it so convenient and efficient. Plus, having the option to control it from anywhere via the app is a really nice touch.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: App

The app is where the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 really excels. In fact, it’s the key to getting the most out of this machine.

Downloading the app is quick and easy, and it’s available on all platforms. The only thing I found was that sometimes there was a little bit of lag between my app and the machine, but that is most likely down to my Wi-Fi signal rather than the machine itself.

Inside the app, you’ll find everything you need to know about the air quality in your home. It updates the air quality every 30 seconds, so you get a real-time view of what’s going on. Although, I will say that the purifier works so well with this machine that you’ll rarely see anything but “good” pop up on the screen.

Additionally, it gives you the overall air quality report, which ranges from severe to good. There’s an auto-target setting, which when in auto mode means your machine will automatically increase its fan speed and start purifying the air when it notices air pollution going above a certain level.

It monitors the PM2.5 and PM10 levels. PM2.5 is when microscopic particles are smaller than 2.5 microns, this is usually smoke, cooking smells, candles burning, or room sprays. Then PM10 is when microscopic particles are smaller than 10 microns, this includes pollen, pet dander and other allergens. It also gives a chart of the indoor temperature in your room.

The app allows you to fully control your machine. It has an on/off button and night mode. Night mode is great if you want to continue to use the air purifier whilst you sleep, it dims the LED screen and reduces the fan speed so that you’re not disturbed whilst you try to sleep.

You can turn the heater or the fan on and set it to a desired temperature. Once it reaches the temp you’ve set, the machine will auto switch off and only turn back on when it drops below that level. My favourite feature is how you can control the oscillation. The machine can oscillate up to 350º and you can set it in increments of 45º, 90º, 180º and 350º. But the clever thing the app allows you to do is drag the oscillation to where you want it to be directed. So whether that’s direct in front of you or a certain area of the room. It’s a really clever feature because it gives you more control over where you can place your fan, instead of having to have it close to you.

There is a timer function. You can time it to switch off anywhere between 15 minutes and 9 hours. If you want to create a schedule for your air purifier, this can also be done in the app. You can choose to turn your machine on at specific days and times.

If you use a voice assistant like Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Siri, then you can pair it with that. I tested it out with Siri and you can add a variety of different commands such as Turn on the heat, Turn on cooling, Say goodnight etc. You can set these commands up to be whatever you want and it was really easy to do, just add the settings and record the phrase you want to use in conjunction. This worked really well some of the time, but that’s mostly down to Siri as half of the time it doesn’t understand me anyway (not sure if it’s the Welsh accent or I just don’t speak very clearly).

The app is optional but in my opinion, it’s absolutely essential to ensure that you can use your machine in the best way possible. It’s free to use and if you have a smartphone, there’s no harm in downloading it and giving it a try.

Plus, if you have other Dyson products, they’ll all be in one place. We have the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine wet and dry vacuum and that can be monitored and controlled via the same app.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review:Noise levels

One thing I hate about having a fan on during the summer months is the noise. I can’t stand the sound of a fan whirling away in the background, and would actually prefer to just be too hot. So when I read that the Dyson had ten fan settings, I thought there was no way that I’d be turning it up to ten, no matter how hot or cold I was, purely because of the noise.

Well, I’m happy to admit that I was wrong. Even at full speed, this unit doesn’t get too loud. Dyson say that it reaches 63dB but at full speed I didn’t have to turn the TV up, of course I could hear it for anyone out there worried about my ear health but it just wasn’t that annoying. At the lower speeds, it was barely noticeable. This makes it a great choice for anyone who likes to have the fan on whilst they sleep or work because there are no distractions at all.

Not the most scientific test, but I popped my Apple Watch on and sat next to the fan to see what kind of sound level it picked up. At the lowest fan setting it didn’t even register, but I was not too shocked to see that even at full speed it was as Dyson states just 63dB.

If you’re a very light sleeper, then maybe it would be too disruptive, but for the average person, you’ll hardly notice it on other than feeling that rush of warm or cold air.

It is worth noting that whilst it monitors air quality, it doesn’t make any noise, so if you want to keep an eye on your stats, you don’t have to have the fans running, it will just keep a check on the quality but not actually purify the air.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: Storage and maintenance

When it comes to maintenance, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 is pretty straightforward. Even though it doesn’t have blades, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still attract dust, so it is important to regularly wipe the outside of your machine with a slightly damp, lint-free cloth. I personally do this every week because it just stops dust from building and causing any blockages, which can affect the performance of the machine.

The major maintenance comes with the filter. It comes with a 360° HEPA + Activated carbon filter, which needs to be replaced every 12 months or sooner if needed. Once the filter needs replacing, the LED screen to the front of the unit and the App will send a notification. In the app, if you navigate to machine settings, it will tell you how much of your filter life is remaining, this is handy as you can at least get a head start on when you need to start budgeting for a new one. You can also order a new filter via the app so you know you’ll be getting the right one for your machine.

The process of changing the filter is also simple. The side of the unit has two push buttons, which will release the outer cover. Once that’s off, you’ll see the filter has two tabs which, when pushed down, removes the filter. Push the replacement filter in its place and replace the outer cover. It does feel like the outer cover isn’t quite on when you replace it, but you’ll know it is because it clicks into place.

The filters aren’t the cheapest, coming in at $79.99, but it’s really important that you commit to changing them every year. If you don’t, then the purifying function just won’t work, and instead of trapping pollutants, it will potentially push them back out into the air.

When it comes to storage, you’re probably not going to want to put this unit away. After all, it can be used all year around so it’s not really a case of having to pop it in the cupboard until the appropriate season rolls around. It’s not the smallest but it’s curved design does mean that it will fit neatly in to any space even when not in use. The great thing with this machine is even if you don’t want to use it as a fan or heater, you can leave it just run in the background to purify the air.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: How does it compare?

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 is a step up from the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool HP01. The HP1 has a few differences, including an upgraded activated carbon filter, which is enhanced with a chemical called Tris that can capture more gases, odours, and VOCs.

It also has a real-time air quality display via the LCD and the app, showing the different levels of pollutants, which the HP01 lacked. The HP1 also has an automatic mode which uses enhanced sensors that can automatically detect the changes in air quality and adjust its fan speed to keep the air healthy. This makes a huge difference as it can save plenty of energy - which is always good during a time of rising energy costs.

Oscillation is another huge change with the HP1; this one now oscillates up to 350º, whereas the HP01 only went to 70º. Finally, the HP1 uses Air Multiplier Technology; whilst other models offer this, this one has a powerful airflow of up to 290 litres per second, which means it can heat and cool a room quickly and effectively.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Review: Verdict

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 is a brilliant air purifier that also has the added benefit of having a heater and fan included. Although it’s marketed as an air purifier first and foremost, it works just as well for anyone looking for an easy way to heat up or cool down a room.

At $659.99/£549.99 it’s not a cheap option, but is it worth the money? I certainly think so. After all, you’re putting three machines in one unit. It delivers HEPA grade filtration, rapid heating via ceramic plates, cooling tech for the summer months and plenty of smart technology and controls via the MyDyson app.

If you have a large space then this is a great option, this air purifier can reach up to 81m³. Plus the 350º oscillation really spreads the heat and coolness to all corners of a room.

There’s also plenty of unique touches, such as a magnetic remote, bladeless fan design, and automatic settings, so you can relax knowing your room will be kept at an ambient temperature, and the air quality will also be good.

It is a premium air purifier, and whilst pricey, it does offer great value for money. It’s also light enough to move from room to room so you don’t have to have multiple fans to cover all bases. I’m also really impressed by the connectivity too as it kept well connected and never dropped out. Plus, with plenty of stats to keep on top of how well the air quality in the house is doing, it’s a brilliant machine that in my opinion is worth the high price tag.

If you often suffer from congestion, a runny nose or a sore throat (at any time of year), chances are, it might be down to your AC and indoor air quality. Like most systems around the home, even the best air conditioners need regular care and maintenance to ensure it ventilates air properly, and always blows cold air.

But, could an air conditioner potentially make you sick? Before you buy a new AC system, we asked the experts to answer our questions and explain the things we need to look for.

Could your AC make you sick?

According to experts, the answer is no. In fact, it’s not your actual AC unit that is making you feel sick — but the way you use or maintain it.

“It’s not your AC making you feel sick,” states Keith Wortsmith, President of DASH Heating & Cooling. “It’s you forgetting changing filters, never cleaning coils and drain line, shutting doors with no return vents tightly, and having a vent blasting right at you."

There are a few causes, but dirty filters are still the number one. When a filter is dirty, everything, including dust, viruses, and allergens slip through, collect on the coil, and get blown back into the room.

"Closing doors with no return paths when the air conditioner is running can really make you feel bad but almost nobody even knows about it," Wortsmith adds. "When you close the door, air comes in but can’t get out, and this creates a pressure imbalance that sucks dusty musty air from the attic through tiny cracks. This is how you get stuffy nose, scratchy throat, dry eyes, headaches, and lousy sleep.”

Additionally, a clogged filter can not only become a hotbed for bacteria, but can spread it around the home. “AC systems pull in particles, moisture and debris which creates a breeding ground for bacteria mold and other pathogens so every time your AC runs it is circulating contaminants throughout your home,” adds Jason Spurk, the owner of Spurk HVAC.

“A properly working air conditioner can improve indoor air quality, but if it is neglected, it can become the root of your air problems,” he says.

If you do want to quickly filter airborne pollutants however, or suffer from allergens, it’s always good to invest in one of the best air purifiers.

How often should you clean the filter?

So now we know symptoms are down to a dirty AC filter, how can this we fix this?

"In most homes, AC filters should be cleaned or replaced every 1 to 3 months, depending on the usage, the type of filter and the environment,” says David Miloshev, HVAC expert at Fantastic Services.

“For example, households with pets, smokers or people with allergies will often need more frequent cleaning. If the filters aren’t maintained, dust and debris will gradually clog them, restricting airflow and forcing the system to work harder. This not only reduces its cooling efficiency but also drives up the energy costs and increases the wear on components such as the blower motor.”

Tips to avoid feeling unwell when using your AC

Luckily, there are some things you can do to prevent feeling unwell. The key thing is to allow proper ventilation and overall care.

“Neither you nor your system feels good with dirty filters, dirty indoor coil and drain, and bedroom doors are tightly shut — so fix that first,” agrees Wortsmith.

“And remember about these three tricks that are actually just the basics that people neglect: set the fan to “auto” (not “on”), direct vents away from beds and sofas, and set the thermostat to 2°F higher so it runs longer and pulls in excess moisture. People feel best when indoor humidity hovers around 35–60% range.”

If you do suffer from high humidity in your home, particularly in bathrooms with no windows, you can invest in one of the best dehumidifiers to help draw in moisture.

Top tips to use your AC during fall/winter seasons

Although our AC unit works harder during summertime, it can still be used during fall months, with the following tips.

"Run the fans or occasional AC cycles even when heating, just to keep air moving and filters working," suggests Spurk.

"Keep filters fresh, and flush the system before summer. A final pre-winter cleaning staves off spring surprises. Also, consider switching to heating system air handlers, but keep the same cleaning habits. Dirty air doesn’t take the season off."

In addition, don't forget about maintaining the outdoor AC unit to protect it from the elements. “For the outdoor AC unit, cover it with a breathable cover to protect it from leaves, snow and ice, but avoid sealing it completely, because any trapped moisture can cause corrosion,” adds Miloshev.

“Running the system occasionally on fan-only mode during milder days can help keep the air circulating and reduce indoor stuffiness. Maintaining proper humidity is especially important in winter, since dry air can cause respiratory discomfort and static buildup, so consider using a humidifier in combination with your HVAC system.

Lastly, don’t forget your thermostat. Switch it to a heating schedule and if you have a programmable or smart model, adjust the settings to save energy when you’re asleep or away from home.”

More from Tom’s Guide

• Mold could be hiding in your AC — an expert shares how to protect your health
• Air conditioner vs. heat pump: Which is best for your home?
• Why is my upstairs always hot even with AC on?

If you’re after the best air purifier that won't look like an eyesore, the Blueair Signature is meant to be seen.

Although it looks like modern furniture, under its neutral colored skin is an air cleaner is like no other and can be used as a table or footrest.

The Blue Signature’s unique 7 stage cleaning process starts with electrostatic and HEPA filtration and extends to multi-layered odor elimination but lacks any germ killing ability, though.

Quiet and easy to forget about, the Blue Signature efficiently cleans the air and is a great place to put your feet up or your coffee cup down.

Read our Blue Signature Air Purifier review to see if it performs just as well as it looks.

Blueair Blue Signature Purifier review: Price and availability

The Blueair Signature is available for $499 on Amazon but is often discounted.

It costs the same with a filter subscription that ships replacements as needed based on use. They cost $100 or $85 with the subscription.

There are also washable fabric prefilters that cost $25 and are available in six colors if you decide to repaint the room. The stretchy fabric pre-filter needs periodic vacuuming and can be machine washed.

Plus, Blue Signature has an add-on chrome base for $100 or four wooden screw-on legs for $80.

Blueair sells a variety of air cleaners, heaters and humidifiers that range from the $100 Pure Air 511 to the $700 flagship Classic Pro CP7i.

Blueair Blue Signature Purifier review: Design

At first glance, the Blue Signature purifier looks more like furniture than an air filtering device.

Designed in Sweden and built in Asia, it has a restrained Nordic aesthetic.

It has a slightly conical profile and takes up 15.8 by 15.5 inches of floor space. At 17.2 inches tall, it’s one-third larger than the Windmill air cleaner.

At 13 pounds, it’s light enough to grab its integrated handles and carry it from room to room, but the Blue Signature lacks wheels.

Blueair sells an add-on $100 Chrome base as well as $80 screw-on wooden legs that raise it about four inches off the floor. Either way, it would be a shame to hide it in a room’s corner.

On the other hand, its 11-pound weight limit means that sitting on the Blue Signature is not a good idea. It is, however, OK as a footrest and table for light items, like books or coffee mugs.

Room air enters through the fabric pre-filter around its circumference and passes through the Blue Signature’s two-stage HEPA filter that removes 99.97 percent of particles 0.1 micron or larger from the room’s air. This is followed by an electrostatic filter that eliminates charged air pollutants.

While competitors treat smell reduction as an afterthought, Blue Signature Active OdorFence has four separate elements, ranging from removing volatile organic compounds and an activated carbon layer to an enzymatic treatment and a unique mineral odor fighter. It lacks any germ-killing ability, though.

The cleaned and deodorized air comes out the vaned ring at the top in a vertical spiral of cleaned air. There are no louvres to aim its flow.

Additionally, Blue Signature’s laser sensor can detect particulates of 1-, 2.5-, and 10 microns in diameter. It, however, does without a volatile organic detector, something the Airthings’ Renew filter has for greater control of the cleaning process.

Blueair Blue Signature Purifier review: Ease of use

Getting the Blue Signature up and running took all of 7 minutes and started with unboxing it and removing the packing materials.

On top are Blueair’s philosophy and the product’s attributes. And it came ready to go with a sticker on top that details its basic operations.

It was easy to upload the app on my Samsung Galaxy S25 phone and tapped the “+” in the upper right, followed by selecting the device.

After I pressed the unit’s Auto button for five seconds, the WiFi connection process started before I added my network and password.

Its two-prong plug means the Blur Signature is "old house friendly", and the 74 inch cord was convenient. Unlike the Molekule Air Pro, there’s no place to spool any excess cord.

Don’t let the Blue Signature’s old school dot matrix display fool you. The touch-screen interface is sophisticated, showing the current PM2.5 level as well as whether it’s in automatic mode or the fan’s setting.

Its purposely crude animation shows a half-moon for nighttime, and how much time remains until the air will be fully cleaned. A checkmark means the filter is OK.

Upfront, the Blue Signature’s color-coded LED bar shows the current air quality. Blue meaning the air is excellent, while green and yellow indicate moderately dirty air.

Once the light is red, it’s a good idea to open a window or leave the room.

Blueair Blue Signature Purifier review: Performance

Once I set up the air purifier in my 300 square foot office, I noticed the Blue Signature’s Auto mode was surprisingly quiet. However, it got a little loud when working hard to clean polluted air.

Blue Signature’s manual mode has five fan settings, including a setting where the fan is off, but the unit continues to operate.

Measured a foot from the Blue Signature, the no. 2 level – the lowest fan speed – wasn’t enough to register with my La Crosse anemometer wind gauge.

While settings 3, 4, and 5 pushed a 1.2-, 4.3-, and 7.0 mile per hour (mph) breeze. That’s slightly more air flow than Blueair’s larger Classic Pro CP7i top speed of 6.5 mph.

In Auto mode, the Blue Signature’s operation is controlled solely by its particulate readings. It was particularly fast to react to the grass outside my office being cut (with the window open), and had spiked for three minutes.

Similarly, when I lit my bad-smelling candle, the Blue Signature’s LED went red, then yellow and green with the fan at full blast. After I blew it out, the filter took 6 minutes and 41 seconds to clear the air.

On the flour particle test, the Blue Signature displayed a yellow light, and then the air was clean 1:30 later. It took a little longer to remove the perfume smell from my office at 2:10, although it never got above the lowest fan setting.

With the nearby gas grill firing away, and the office windows open, the Blue Signature’s air quality light went from blue to yellow and briefly to orange. It was back to blue five minutes after I had finished burning dinner.

Noise and energy

With the fan off, but system still running, the Blue Signature rated a quiet 37.2dBA noise level measured 36 inches from the device in a room with a 37.0 dBA background noise level.

When I switched the fan level to the first three speeds, the fan noise rose to 38.3-, 41.0-, and 51.6 dBA. At the highest fan speed, it was moderately noisy at 58.5dBA, but a lot quieter than the Molekule Air Pro’s boisterous 70.1dBA.

While in use, the Blue Signature’s power needs were modest, making it one of the most efficient devices of its kind with a measured power consumption from 2.2 to 40.6 watts.

Over the course of a typical day in my office, the unit’s Auto mode used 800 watt-hours of energy. That corresponds to $4.67 in electricity bills over a year (if you pay the national average of 16 cents per kilowatt hour), making it a bargain to use compared to Molekule Air Pro’s $38.40 in estimated electricity costs.

Maintenance

The app and device interface indicates when the filter needs changing.

Plus, the air filter has a hidden innovation inside. Instead of a QR code or Web URL, the Blue Signature has an NFC communications spot that took my phone to Blueair’s filter ordering.

Blueair Blue Signature Purifier review: App

The Blue Signature air filter doesn’t include an infrared remote control, but the new Blue Air app is more than enough.

Be warned, it can take upwards of half a minute for the app to relay air quality data when first using it. However, it’s worth the wait because along with what mode the cleaner is in, the interface shows the current PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 readings as well as an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading.

Simply tap on PM 1.0, 2.5 or 10 to see recent readings along with how they fit into the LED’s color scheme.

Unfortunately, its design cut off the right edge of the PM10 readings on my S25 phone’s screen, and It doesn’t run in landscape mode.

Further down is where I scheduled the Blue Signature’s activities, and adjusted the display’s brightness.

The unit’s Device settings is a must-see area for using the Blue Signature’s AirSense. It blasts the room with cleaned air for 15 minutes at 10 AM and 6 PM, regardless of the air quality.

Its Wave to Wake mode starts up the filtration when it senses motion in front, but Blue Signature lacks compatibility with Alexa and Google Home.

Blueair Blue Signature Purifier review: Verdict

Blueair’s Blue Signature is not only a powerful air purifier, but it looks good as well.

The slightly conical device should fit in just about anywhere with the option of adding a chrome base or four wooden legs. Plus, its two main colors and choice of six fabric prefilter coverings should fit in just about any home decor.

For Blue Signature, it’s what’s inside that counts with a combination of electrostatic and HEPA filtering along with Blueair’s unique four-stage odor reducing system.

It’s laser particulate sensor controls its action, but the Blue Signature lacks a volatile organic compound sensor or any way to kill airborne germs.

In any case, the Blue Signature is a powerful air cleaner that can also double as a footrest or end table.

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 things I wish I knew before buying an air purifier
• Check out how air purifiers work
• 7 ways to get more out of your air purifier

If you’re after the best air purifier that is powerful and won't look like an eyesore, the Molekule Air Pro is a good contender.

With a four-stage filtration process, the Air Pro is among the most thorough air cleaners available, but it lacks an electrostatic filter that others have. Still, it claims to eradicate bacteria and viruses, making it stand above its competition.

However, it's also one of the most expensive air cleaners you can get, and its replacement filters are similarly big-ticket items. So you'll need to weigh up these factors for long-term value.

Read our Molekule Air Pro Air Purifier review to see if it fits into your home and budget.

Molekule Air Pro review: Price and availability

The Molekule Air Pro is now available for $1,014 on Amazon with one HEPA filter, two or three times what others cost.

If you sign up for the company’s automatic filter delivery schedule, the price drops to $979. They cost $175, easily twice what some competitors charge.

However, if you're on a strict budget, the company’s Air Mini+ sells for $359 on Amazon, and can cover a smaller room.

Molekule Air Pro review: Design

The Molekule Air Pro has a modernist design that looks like it could be a giant’s water bottle. It might not be for everyone, but the brushed aluminum tower is a welcome change from traditional, box-like air cleaners.

It stands 23.1 inches tall and has a diameter of 11.6 inches, making it easy to hide. That would be a shame because the extruded aluminum body and white plastic base are striking.

At 23 pounds, it’s a lot to carry. Adding wheels would have been a big help in making the Air Pro more portable, but its leather handle at least helps make it luggable between rooms.

The air enters from below, passes by a set of sensors and filters to emerge straight up through angled louvres. These give the cleaned air stream a spiral counterclockwise rotation, although there’s no way to aim its flow. Its circular vent has a blue backlight from the sterilization equipment.

Molekule Air Pro review: Ease of use

Easy to unpack, the illustrated setup instructions and a statement of Molekule’s air cleaning philosophy are printed on the box.

It came in a white duffle bag that can be used for storing the Air Pro, or as a neat laundry bag. After firmly pressing the circular top, it popped up and out, providing access to the plastic-covered HEPA filter. In a minute, everything was unwrapped, back together and ready.

It sits solidly on the floor but lacks an auto shut-off switch if the device is tipped over. The Air Pro’s heavy-duty 6-foot cord has a three-prong plug, so it might not easily fit into an older house with ungrounded outlets.

On the other hand, the Air Pro is the rare air cleaner with a place to spool the excess cord underneath, making it the one for neat freaks.

While many other air cleaners rely solely on a particulate sensor, Molekule’s technology adds measurements for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), which the Air Pro’s activated carbon layer can absorb.

Additionally, there are sensors for humidity and carbon dioxide, which can’t be significantly changed by the device’s operation. It took six hours for the sensors to calibrate themselves and provide readings.

The results show up on the Air Pro’s unique circular screen at the center of the vent. The main display shows an air quality index with lower numbers indicating better air and anything from green for “Good” to purple for “Very bad”.

Simply swipe right to see the VOC and particulate levels and swipe again to choose between Manual operation and Auto Protect; it also has an Auto Protect Quiet mode for nighttime use.

One more swipe and the filter’s lifespan is shown, followed by a screen that allowed me to turn the system off and change the language to Korean or Japanese. There’s also a place to see the device’s serial number, firmware and name.

After a few minutes of inactivity, the screen goes dark; press it to wake it up. This means that during the day there’s no outward indication that its actually running, although at night you can see the system’s blue glow. In other words, it’s unobtrusive as it gets.

Molekule Air Pro review: Performance

The Molekule Air Pro fit well in my 25 x 12 foot office and its cable spool means that there’s no extra power cord to trip over.

Inside, its VOC and laser particulate sensors track the air’s quality and adjusts the filter’s operations accordingly with six fan speeds. The system delivered 4.7 mph air speeds at its highest setting, although its lowest was too slow to register on my La Crosse anemometer. That was well below the Windmill Air Purifier's 6.5 mph peak.

I set it to Auto Protect mode and left it to get to work. It reacted quickly when I fired up the grill, that is just outside the room on a patio. The PM2.5 level rose to over 100 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³), although it quickly dropped back to 2-4 µg/m³.

Our indoor tests were just as impressive. During the perfume test, the Air Pro sensed a rise of VOCs to 550 parts per billion (ppb) and PM2.5 to a peak of 25 µg/m³. It was no surprise that the fan speed went to full, and 15 minutes later, it was back to normal with no lingering odor. Not bad!

Similarly, the dust (flour) test gave a decent reading. The PM2.5 level rises to 60 µg/m³ and then 15 minutes later, back to a baseline of 2 µg/m³.

And while the candle test yielded air laden with 390 ppb of VOCs, it quickly dissipated. After 15 minutes, you could no longer smell a burned match or candle scent in the air.

Noise and energy

Noise-wise, the Molekule Air Pro is generally at a low level in the background. Still, it was very loud at 70.1 dBA, which is the upper threshold of a conversation.

Along the way, the Air Pro used between 23.9 and 57.5 watts of power, well off the Windmill’s 68.8 watts at full power.

After recording its electricity use over a full day, it should cost an estimated $38.40 a year to operate, making it the most expensive to use. The Rabbit Air BioGS uses one quarter as much electricity. If you are energy conscious though, the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Auto gave us a lower energy usage reading.

Maintenance

There’s little maintenance required to keep the air flowing, but you will need to vacuum or shake clean the pre-filter monthly and replace the pair of HEPA filter once or twice a year.

The filter elements cost a reasonable $60 and after three weeks of continuous use, it had 93% of its lifespan remaining; it helpfully shows 171 days until a replacement will be necessary. You can sign up for automatic shipping.

It's worth noting that the Air Pro emits a sweet odor, that Molekule engineers says is from the blue light cleaning organic matter from the filter. However, this wasn't a real deal breaker.

Molekule Air Pro review: App

Despite lacking a remote control, the Molekule Air Pro's app is top notch with versions for Androids, iPhones and iPads.

The main page shows the swirling action of the filter’s fan, its mode and the status of the filter. While the indoor current Air Quality Index is at the top.

What's even more impressive is that the app has an outdoor air quality section that gives an overall appraisal based on your Zip Code when registering. You can other details like ozone, PM2.5 and several types of pollen.

Along the bottom, the app’s More tab has help for things like changing the WiFi network. It also has a place to be notified when the filter needs to be replaced. It lacks its own scheduling ability but can connect to Alexa voice control. It does without Google Home Assistant integration.

Molekule Air Pro review: Verdict

If you're after function and modern style, the Molekule Air Pro is one of the most striking purifiers yet (right up there with the Windmill Air Purifier).

In all our tests, the Air Pro performed well, keeping the atmosphere in a mid-sized room clear and breathable. Its four stage filtering process includes a germ killing stage, although it does gives off a sweet smell. This is something the makers attribute to its HEPA filter coating that sterilizes the air flow.

In fact, many buyers picked up on its characteristic odor while running as a negative aspect of the Molekule Air Pro. While others may be turned off by its noisy operation.

However, it is among one the most expensive air cleaners I've tested, at over $1,000, so it’s a luxury that you'll need to consider.

If you’re dealing with allergy symptoms, dry skin or stuffy rooms in your home, you might consider getting one of the best air purifiers or a humidifier.

But choosing between the two can seem tricky—especially if you’re unsure how they differ and which one will work best in your home.

Comparing an air purifier vs. a humidifier can help you decide which appliance to get (or whether to get both).

This article covers the main differences between the two appliances, how each one works, and the signs that your home needs one or the other.

We spoke with two air quality experts to get the inside scoop on air purifiers vs. humidifiers, and help you make an informed choice for your home.

How do they work?

Before deciding between an air purifier and a humidifier, you must understand how each appliance works.

Both appliances can improve the indoor air quality in your home, but each has a different purpose. So what exactly do we look out for?

“An air purifier cleans the air of pollution, while a humidifier adds moisture to a space," states Peter Mann, founder and CEO of Oransi. "A humidifier does not clean the air of pollution, and an air purifier does not impact relative humidity.”

Humidifiers are recommended if you live in a region with low year-round humidity, such as the Southwest. They can also be helpful in households that experience low winter humidity.

“A humidifier deals with moisture in the air,” explains Michael Rubino, founder of HomeCleanse and chair of Change the Air Foundation. “It helps add moisture to the air and increases indoor humidity levels.”

A humidifier releases water vapor and steam from a built-in water tank. The machine monitors the home’s humidity levels and adjusts its output accordingly. If the tank runs out of water, the humidifier won’t run, so it’s essential to keep an eye on the water level in the tank to prevent this from happening.

Air purifiers, on the other hand, remove contaminants from the air to improve your home’s air quality. “Based on the type of technology used, these machines help pull out particulate matter like dust, mold spores, pollen, and other particles,” says Rubino.

“Some machines also have the capability to deal with VOCs [volatile organic compounds], gases, and odors.”

An air purifier uses a fan to draw in polluted air, then uses a series of filters, including a pre-filter and a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, to remove airborne pollutants.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a HEPA filter can remove around 99.7% of airborne particles, including dust, pollen, mold, and bacteria.

Signs your home needs an air purifier

There are many reasons why you may need an air purifier. For instance, if you live in a region with low air quality, in a high-polluted city or a wildfire-prone area.

“There are many reasons to need an air purifier, such as suffering from allergies, disruptions to sleep, breathing in asthma triggers, wildfire smoke in the area, pollution from a highway or urban area, [and] installation of new flooring or furniture,” states Mann.

The latter can cause off-gassing in the form of VOCs, which can be harmful to your health if you breathe them in.

Other signs are less obvious. Rubino says an air purifier can benefit a home with water damage or visible microbial growth. He recommends watching out for signs like constant high levels of dust and musty or earthy odors, both of which signify poor indoor air quality in your home.

Allergy sufferers can benefit from installing an air purifier in their home—especially if they are allergic to dust mites or pet dander. Seasonal allergy symptoms can also decrease with the consistent use of an air purifier.

Signs your home needs a humidifier

The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30% and 50% for optimal health.

If the humidity level in your home is often less than 30%, a humidifier can help add moisture to the air and make it more comfortable.

“The best way to determine whether a humidifier is needed is to measure the relative humidity,” adds Mann. “If the humidity falls below 30% (which typically happens in the winter when the heat is running) you would benefit from a humidifier to raise the humidity level.”

Experts also suggest measuring the humidity levels in your home with a hygrometer or a smart thermostat. “Air that ‘feels’ dry [can lead] to cracked lips and skin, respiratory problems, or irritated eyes,” says Rubino.

He also recommends watching out for cracked or warping wood surfaces, hardwood floors separating, and dry-feeling air as signs your home needs a humidifier.

The humidity levels in your home can change depending on the season. It’s more common to see low humidity levels during the winter.

Can you use both?

If you struggle with both low humidity levels and poor air quality, there’s no reason not to purchase an air purifier and a humidifier for your home.

In fact, the two appliances can complement and benefit each other. “An air purifier will act as an added layer of protection for the humidifier, helping prevent microbial growth by reducing the levels of mold spores and bacteria within the air,” explains Rubino.

Mann agrees. “If the humidity levels are below 30% you should use a humidifier and an air purifier can be safely used in the same space to clean the air".

Choosing the right appliance for you

Now you know the main differences between an air purifier and a humidifier, you can decide which appliance will work best in your home.

That means considering the main issues with the air in your home. “[Both appliances] improve indoor air quality; however, the purposes are quite different,” explains Mann. “It depends on whether you need to clean the air or raise humidity levels.”

Rubino agrees. “As they serve different purposes, they’ll need to be chosen based on the situation,” he says. “If the humidity in the home is too low, a humidifier would be a tool to address this issue. An air purifier should be used if there is an indoor air quality problem. “

However, Rubino recommends installing an air purifier in most homes. “With modern homes built to be energy efficient and keep indoor air trapped tight, and more products than ever containing contaminants like VOCs, every home can benefit from an air purifier".

More from Tom's Guide

• What size air purifier do you need?
• Here are 7 ways to get more out of your air purifier
• How to clean a humidifier

Spring is finally here and while it brings about warmer weather, it also brings the start of pollen and allergy season.

And if (like myself) your allergies are constantly keeping you up at night, Dyson has just launched its new, high-tech air purifier fan that promises to banish airborne irritants and ensure you get a good night’s sleep too.

Dyson is known for its exceptional filtration and innovative, stylish design, which makes it one of the best air purifiers. And the new and improved Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 (TP11) boasts even more innovative tech, packed with the handy settings you’ll need to beat allergy season.

Breathe Easier

To help keep our air even cleaner, the new and improved Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 comes with an upgraded, powerful filtration system that automatically captures gases, odors and 99.95% of small pollutants (as tiny as 0.1 microns), such as pollen, dust mites and other allergens.

Another new feature is that it can now pair with the MyDyson App. So If you want to know exactly how polluted your air is, the handy app will give you real-time reports to help you manage your allergens, and take immediate action.

Thermal comfort

There’s nothing worse than having your sleep disturbed by sneezing fits or congestion in a stuffy room. The Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 also offers thermal comfort, which will help to maintain an ideal temperature for bedtimes.

Essentially, as the temperatures slowly rise, the purifier’s powerful airflow will automatically detect the changes in air quality, and respond by cooling you down at night.

Plus, if you don’t want the fan blowing cool air directly at you, it has a clever backward airflow mode.

Whisper quiet operation

Air purifiers tend to be noisy appliances, which doesn’t bode well when you, or other members of the family are trying to sleep soundly.

The Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 has taken this into consideration, and is engineered for whisper quiet operation. 'Sleep Mode' will set it to the quietest levels, with a dimmed display, so you won't get disturbed from your slumber.

What’s more, its slimline, modern design in white means that it can fit seamlessly into your home decor without being an eyesore.

So if you want to breathe easy, and have a restful night, the new Dyson purifying fan has got you covered.

The Dyson Purifier Cool PC1 (TP11) will be available in Dyson Demo Stores and at Dyson.co.uk on March 12. Stay tuned for our full review.

More from Tom's Guide

• 10 things you need to know before buying an air purifier
• 5 reasons you need an air purifier
• How Do Air Purifiers Work?

If you’re prone to indoor allergies, dust could be one of the culprits — and is (unfortunately) everywhere. No matter how often we clean to reduce dust in our homes, it isn’t very long before we spot a fresh layer of dust somewhere.

One solution is to invest in one of the best air purifiers to filter pollutants, pollen, and other irritants that contribute to dust buildup. In addition, they can remove nasty odors, improving indoor air quality. But if you’re still seeing dust on surfaces even when using a powerful air purifier, this might indicate a problem.

Luckily, we’ve called on the experts to reveal what this could mean and top tips on how we can reduce dust mites. After all, nobody wants to spend all their free time cleaning every room! So if you’re wondering why your home is still dusty with an air purifier, here are five reasons why.

Why is my room still dusty with an air purifier?

If a quality air purifier aims to reduce the levels of dust, why is a room still dusty?

“Air purifiers do reduce dust, but they won’t eliminate it completely,” Michael Zohouri, founder of the Retrofitters, says. “Dust is constantly being generated by everything from your clothes and dead skin cells to outdoor pollutants.

That said, there are some reasons why your air purifier isn't helping to combat persistent dust.

You're using the wrong filter

HEPA filters are the most effective at capturing fine dust particles, but some purifiers use lower-grade filters that don’t trap as much.

"A high performing air purifier can generally capture particles from 0.1 – 11.14 μm in size," Odell Liu, Chief Product Officer at Blueair says. "But, there are often larger particles that are too heavy to stay airborne and will fall to the surface/floor, which cannot be filtered through an air purifier."

Your air purifier isn't in the best spot

Placement is another key factor. If the purifier is stuck in a corner or blocked by furniture, it won’t be able to pull in air from across the room properly.

According to experts, correct placement can help to reduce dust levels, and the best place to put an air purifier is in the center of the room.

“Make sure it’s placed in an optimal location away from walls and obstructions to allow for better airflow and efficiency,” Dhau advises, “If you have a larger room or areas with higher dust accumulation, consider using multiple air purifiers or selecting one equipped with PECO (Photo Electrochemical Oxidation) technology and True HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters for enhanced coverage and improved air quality.”

You're not using your air purifier enough

You also need to run air purifiers constantly to make a noticeable difference. If they’re only switched on occasionally, dust levels will remain high.

You have the wrong size air purifier for your room

Another reason why you may still be battling dust is having the wrong sized air purifier for the room. “If you're still seeing dust in your home even after using an air purifier, it’s possible that the unit you’re using is not the right size for your space,” Dr. Jaspreet Dhau, Vice President of Research and Development at Molekule, says.

“Air purifiers are designed to work most effectively within certain room sizes, and if your purifier is too small for the area you're trying to clean, it may not be able to circulate and filter the air effectively enough to capture all the dust.” Here's how to find the right size air purifier for your room.

You need to clean your air purifier

Other reasons for seeing dust are blocked or dirty air purifier filters. “Air purifier filters need to be changed regularly,” Zohouri says. “A clogged filter won’t work efficiently, so check and replace it as recommended by the manufacturer. If dust levels are high, it may need changing more often than usual.”

What else can I do to prevent dust?

Of course, regular cleaning and floor maintenance with one of the best vacuum cleaners or best robot vacuums are essential for dust-busting.

“I’d always recommend a vacuum with a HEPA filter that traps fine particles,” Zohouri says. "Running the purifier on a higher setting when dust levels are high can also help improve air quality more quickly. For larger homes or particularly dusty rooms, using multiple purifiers may be necessary to achieve the best results."

And don't forget your soft furnishings including your drapes, blankets or rugs that can easily harbor dust.

“You should also make sure that you are putting the proper effort into cleaning soft furnishings like your rug and curtains,” Courtney Cole, interior designer at TileCloud, says. “These will act like dust traps in the home and should be cleaned as often as possible to avoid dust being stirred.”

For more tips, check out how to clean a rug, or 5 expert tips to keep your carpets looking brand new.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to get rid of dust mites quickly
• 5 reasons you need an air purifier
• 7 ways to get more out of your air purifier

Whether you want to improve the quality of your indoor air, have pets or suffer from dust allergies, there are many reasons you might need an air purifier. These handy appliances will work hard to filter bacteria, pollen, and other pollutants in the air, as well as deodorizing the air.

However, even if you invest in one of the best air purifiers , its output can suffer if not used correctly. In fact, there are some common air purifier mistakes you’re probably making — that can affect its performance and air quality. From buying the incorrect size for your space to having dirty filters, these can also lead to further health issues and discomfort.

So if you want to get the most out of your appliance, just avoid these 3 common mistakes you might be making with your air purifier.

1. Not considering room size before buying

Matching your air purifier to your room square footage and type is essential for it to work at its best. And just because an air purifier might look more aesthetically pleasing (or was a bargain in the sales!), doesn’t mean it’s right for your space.

If your air purifier is too small for your room size, it might struggle to clean the air properly. While if too large, it could be powerful for a smaller space, consuming a lot of energy and louder than necessary.

First, measure up the size of the room to find out its square footage and cubic volume. To calculate square footage, use the formula Length x Width= Square Feet (or ft²). And for the cubic volume its Length x Width x Height = Cubic Feet (or ft³). Once you have measurements, make sure the specs of your air purifier is suitable.

2. Putting it in the wrong place

Another common mistake we often make with an air purifier is placing it in the wrong place. And if you tend to put it in a corner of the room — out of the way, experts say this is a no-no.

It’s recommended that the center of the room is the best place to put an air purifier. However, some experts state this will also depend on the shape of it. “Generally speaking, an air purifier in a room should be centrally located but not close to walls, furniture, or even curtains,” says Shu Saito, Air Filtration Specialist at All Filters LLC.

“The reason it should be placed in the middle of the room or open space is so that the air purifier gets to reach the air directly. When it is positioned against a wall or corner, this may bring blockages to airflow and impede its ability to take hold of particles flowing in the air.”

Another consideration when placing an air purifier, is to make sure there are no obstructions that can block circulation. Things like furniture within a few feet of the air purifier, so that it can draw in air from across the room more effectively. Also avoid placing it near heating vents or air returns as those will also expel or draw in air and create circulation

3. Forgetting to clean/replace the filter

Like all household appliances, maintenance is also essential to get more out of your air purifier.

You should always clean or replace clogged filters. If left unchecked, these airborne particles will build to such an extent that your air purifier will eventually struggle to pass the air through, effectively reducing its CADR and overall performance.

“Make sure to look at and replace filters as instructed so that performance is consistent,” adds Saito “Clogged or dirty filters lessen the efficiency of an air purifier. Also, ensure the air purifier is of the right size for the room you use it in. Some of these purifiers are designed for smaller rooms, and when used in larger spaces, the filtration may be incomplete. Also, avoid placing it near windows or doors where any drafts will interfere with the working of the purifier.”

What’s more, some air purifiers feature sensors to tell you when to replace your filter. This can range from indicator lights to smartphone notifications if your machine comes with app connectivity

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 ways to get more out of your air purifier
• How do air purifiers work?
• 7 simple ways to improve air quality in your home without a purifier

If you’re looking to clear the air in a large room, Dreo’s Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S can do the trick with a powerful fan, HEPA filter and the ability to oscillate back and forth — sort of like a fan and air purifier in one, or a less expensive version of a Dyson Air Purifier TP07. 

However, the Dreo is huge, it lacks charcoal filtration to remove odors and it has a very low CADR rate, making it less effective at cleaning the air in your room than some of the best air purifiers we’ve tested. But, this two-in-one device may be a good fit for your home, so check out the rest of our Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan review to see if it can make breathing a little easier.

Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S review: Price and availability

The Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan is available for $300 at Amazon or the Dreo Web site, although at the moment, there’s a $280 special price. That’s roughly twice the price of the Wi-Fi enabled Clorox Large Room True HEPA Air Purifier and $100 more than the company’s Macro Max S Air Purifier, both of which delivered more filtered air. 

Its replacement HEPA filters cost $40. The company also sells a wide variety of air purifiers, fans, heaters and small kitchen appliances.

Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S review: Design

For good and bad, the Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S looks more like a rocket that Elon Musk might dream up than a device to clean your air.

Its silver and black design takes up a modest 11.0 x 11.0 inches of floor space but is 46.5 inches tall, making it one of the largest air cleaners in its class. It’s also a bit on the heavy side, weighing 18 pounds. It does have a built-in handle, but it might have benefited from wheels to ease getting it from room to room. 

Made by Changsha Hesung Innovation Limited, the Dreo air cleaner has been designed around two brushless DC motors: one for pulling dirty room air in from the bottom, running it through filters and the other to oscillate the entire unit up to 60-degrees right and left. This is plenty to spread the cleaned air throughout a big room while adding a level of cooling.

Designed for rooms of between 150 and 300 square feet, the filter element is undersized with the air flow augmented by using one of the unit’s 12 fan settings. On the downside, using the fan bypasses the filter, making its output a mix of filtered and unfiltered air. 

Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S review: How it works

The MC710S works by routing the room’s air through a foam prefilter to remove large particulates that might prematurely clog the High Efficiency Particulate Area (HEPA) filter. It can remove up to 99.97 percent of particles that are 0.3 micron or larger, which includes bacteria, pollen and smoke. It, however, lacks an activated charcoal filter to remove organic vapors or smells or any technique to sterilize the air. 

With an air delivery rating of 1,558 cubic feet per minute (CFM) at full blast, the Air Purifier Tower Fan blows air horizontally across a room. But raw air flow is only half the story because of the filter’s low Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) rate of 60 CFM. The Dreo Air Tower's CADR rating is a small fraction of the filtered air output of our favorite Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Auto's 353 CFM(smoke), 347 (dust) and 380 (pollen).

The Air Purifier Tower Fan is the rare air cleaner with three different ways to control it, starting with the device’s display and control panel. The screen shows the air quality based on an internal laser sensor that glows blue or green when the air is excellent or of moderate quality, while orange corresponds to a poor rating. Red means unhealthy but these color codes don’t explicitly correspond to ranges of particulate levels.

The touch interface on top is for setting up the air cleaner’s Wi-Fi connection, using Manual or Automatic operation as well as choosing among displaying the particulate level, fan level, temperature and how much life is left on the filter. It’s easy to set the fan’s auto shutoff timer and adjust parameters with the “+” and “-” keys. Unlike others, it will remember the previous setting if it’s unplugged, perfect for moving it from room to room.

There’s also a small remote control that had a range of about 30 feet and came with the needed CR2025 button battery.

The Dreo app brings it all together; the main screen shows a logo of the fan with the current settings and air quality, temperature as well as any set schedules. Additional settings for such things as oscillation, air quality, and temperature can be found in submenus. At the bottom is a measure of the air filter’s remaining life. The air purifier responded nearly instantly to commands from the app, and you can also control it via Alexa or Google Assistant.

All the filtration action is in the Home tab, while the Notifications tab oddly has cooking recipes, the Discover tab is for other Dreo products and the Profile section is for Dreo orders and changing things like the time zone. That said, the app’s Settings has a way for others with the Dreo app to share control, although it might lead to a family dispute. 

Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S review: Performance

The fan arrived in a huge box, nearly ready to go. All I had to do was unwrap it and set it up; Dreo recommends leaving at least 15 inches between the Air Purifier Tower Fan and the wall. You’ll need to periodically clean the prefilter and replace the HEPA filter about every six months. I used up 11 percent of its filtering capacity over three weeks of a particularly pollen-laden spring. 

Its two-prong plug has a built in 2.5 amp fuse to prevent overloads, although it doesn’t use nearly that much power. It worked well in my 300-square foot office set to automatic, where it ran in the background with a mild breeze but once the particle counter rose to 38 particles per cubic meter, the LED changed to orange briefly as the fan went into overdrive. It quickly settled down after a few seconds. Overall, it cleaned the air but lacking an activated carbon layer it could do nothing to counteract the smell of cooking salmon in the nearby kitchen. 

Its horizontal output blasted a 6.7-mile per hour gust at the top setting, measured 36 inches from the exhaust grill. That’s between the weaker Clorox Large Room True HEPA Air Purifier’s 4.9 mph and the Wyze Air Purifier’s stronger 7.8 mph wind. The lowest of the 12 different fan levels yielded a 1.4 mph gentle wind.

It consumed 44.2 watts of power at its highest setting, 14.3 watts at its lowest and 1.4 watts at idle. If the tower fan runs 24/7 in Automatic mode, it might cost about $10.30 to operate, assuming that you pay the national average of 15 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity. That’s double the cost of the Clorox Large Room True HEPA Air Purifier.

Considering the amount of air being moved around, the Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S is surprisingly quiet. Measured 36 inches from its outlet, I recorded 55.0 dBA of noise at full blast in a room with a background level of 37.3dBA. That’s significantly quieter than the Clorox Large Room True HEPA Air Purifier’s 58.7dBA.

While it is well-made and sturdy, the Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S comes with only a one-year warranty, versus five years of coverage from Wyze air filtration systems. Figure that you’ll need to get a $40 HEPA filter twice a year. Dreo doesn’t have an automatic replacement program for the filter elements. 

Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S review: Verdict

One of the largest home air filters on the market, Dreo’s Air Purifier Tower Fan is ironically less than meets the eye, as it’s less effective at filtering the air than many smaller and less expensive air purifiers. It also lacks an activated carbon filtering stage to get rid of odors and its warranty lasts for only a year. 

Still, it could have a place in a home where you don’t want both a fan and an air purifier cluttering up the place. In fact, it worked well in delaying turning on the air conditioning in my office by about two weeks. The Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S is better as a high volume room fan than for filtering air. I just wish it was smaller.

IFA is one of the most important events on the consumer tech calendar, and it’s rare for the show to disappoint. Whether you’re interested in the best TVs, upgrading your smart home devices, or gadgets that are straight-up weird, IFA’s the place to look if you want to see everything that’s coming in the weeks and months ahead.

Sustainability was one of the biggest trends in Berlin this year, with companies going all out with their push on more sustainable and environmentally-friendly goals. We’ve also started seeing a lot of big names taking mini-LED seriously, with several showcasing all their own examples of the next generation displays.

After meeting the companies on the show floor, and spending far too much time navigating the labyrinth that is IFA 2023, we’ve found a lot of amazing gadgets and gear that we know people are going to love. Here we present our very favorites in the form of the Best of IFA Awards 2023, coming to you directly from the writers and editors of Tom’s Guide.

Best of Show: Lenovo Legion Glasses

Gaming on the go is great, but don’t you wish you weren’t limited to such a small display? The Lenovo Legion Glasses can make that happen, offering a virtual 27-inch display that displays all your visuals in up to 1080p resolution and with a 60Hz refresh rate. If you’ve had doubts about face-based wearables before, the Legion Glasses should wipe them away. 

They’re light, comfortable and have none of the ugly side-effects that can stop so many other people enjoying games on larger virtual and augmented reality headsets.

The best part is that while the Legion Glasses are launching alongside the Lenovo Legion Go handheld and Legion 9i gaming laptop, those devices don’t get exclusive access. In fact, Lenovo says the Legion Glasses will work with just about any device that supports AR — including Android and iPhones. Lenovo's specs may not be as technologically impressive as the Apple Vision Pro, but they certainly seem more appropriate (and affordable) for most of us to use — Tom Pritchard

Best Design: LG StanbyME Go

There are plenty of screens you can take with you in the world, but size and portability are often the limiting factors. What if there was a TV-sized screen that was literally built for travel? That’s where the LG StanbyME Go comes into the mix. This isn’t just a TV you can take with you when you explore the world, it’s a 27-inch mobile TV that comes with its very own suitcase.

Simply open up the case, unfold the stand and pray you didn’t leave the remote at home. You can use the touchscreen if that’s the case, but what good is a TV if you have to stay within arm’s reach all the time?

The StanbyME Go has everything you’d expect from a modern smart TV, except the ability to tune into traditional broadcast signals. Not that it matters when you have a full suite of streaming apps, HDMI input, a web browser and three hours of battery life. Because your odds of finding a power outlet in the park aren’t great.  — Tom Pritchard 

Innovation Award: Fairphone 5

The Fairphone 5 is not designed to beat the iPhone 15 or Galaxy S24. Fairphone is all about offering fair wages to people involved in making the devices, and ensuring manufacturing relies on as many ethically sourced materials as possible — with an emphasis on recycled and sustainable options.

From a consumer standpoint you do get a drop in hardware compared to the latest flagships. But the “fair” part of Fairphone applies to you, too, so what you lose in terms of raw hardware you get back in better repairability and software support that other phone makers couldn’t dream of. Full Android support up to Android 18, and further software support to at least 2031 — perhaps even extending to 2033. If you still have the phone by then, of course.

Other phone makers are only just starting to take sustainability and long-term phone support seriously, but they’re going to have to seriously step up their game if they want to try outdo Fairphone. — Tom Pritchard

Best of Computing: Lenovo Legion 9i gaming laptop 

We tend to see a lot of gaming laptops, and the Lenovo Legion 9i has already found its place on my letter to Santa. That’s because of how incredible this machine really is. Not only is there a svelte carbon fiber design, which Lenovo says makes the look of each Legion 9i unique, there is a lot of great hardware under the hood. Plus a liquid cooling system, which hasn’t been done in a 16-inch gaming laptop before.

The Legion 9i runs from a 13th generation Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU paired with a Nvidia GeForce RTA 4090 laptop GPU - with support for up to 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. Suddenly that liquid cooling system doesn’t seem like such a wild idea, because this laptop could easily be a powerhouse that needs to take advantage of that extra cooling. Plus, you get a sharp and colorful 16-inch 3.2K mini-LED display. 

There’s a lot going for the Legion 9i, especially with support for the AR Legion Glasses. Frankly, we can not wait to review it. — Tom Pritchard

Best Phone: Honor Magic V2

IFA's not known as a smartphone show, but Honor's chosen this event as the ideal platform to announce the global launch of its Magic V2 foldable. And what a foldable it is.

The Magic V2 offers larger displays inside and out than the obvious comparable models from Samsung and Google, but remains slimmer and lighter than both. It's also got a larger battery using cutting-edge silicon-carbon technology and upgraded camera sensors befitting a flagship phone. And if the current Honor Magic Vs is anything to go by, it'll be quite a bit cheaper than a Samsung or Google foldable in the markets where it's available.

We'll want to spend more time testing the Magic V2 before adding it to our best foldable phones list. But we're very excited for what this kind of competition to the Galaxy Z Fold 5's dominance will mean for foldable buyers in the near future. — Richard Priday

Best of TV: TCL X955 QD mini-LED TV 

TCL’s latest TV reveal could put it in the running for our list of the best TVs. Not only does the TCL X955 feature a QD mini-LED panel, and gargantuan 85- and 98-inch sizing options, TCL claims that this beast will have over 5,000 local dimming zones and the ability to output 5,000 nits of HDR brightness. Typically it’s rare for TVs to exceed 2,000 nits, so this is a very big deal.

Why does that matter? The more control there is over the TV’s light the better the picture quality you’re going to get. The X955 also packs a 4.2.2 channel speaker system, with Dolby Atmos and a 160w power output, alongside a 144Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and AMD’s Freesync Premium Pro.

We don’t know about U.S. Availability, or even how much the TCL X995 will cost, but it goes without saying that it’s not going to be cheap. But with display tech like that, you know you’re paying for something special. — Tom Pritchard

Best of Audio: JBL Authentics smart speaker 

With wireless smarts running to both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the new JBL Authentics smart speaker series was the standout audio showcase at IFA 2023. The new series integrates both Alexa and Google voice assistants and marries JBL’s sound prowess to a retro design — inspired by the legendary JBL L 100 stereo speakers from the 1970s.

Three Authentics models each offer different cabinet sizes and power outputs. Whether you opt for the flagship 500, portable 300 with 8-hour battery life, or the compact 200, each speaker is a full music system that can be integrated with the other model in the series in multi-room setups. And you can even pair two of the same speakers together for traditional stereo sound with the speakers spaced several meters apart.

Hearing the sound blast out of each of the individual speakers was impressive, even though the exhibition space was marred by high levels of ambient noise. Each model made itself heard and bass levels cut through the noise. But it was the Authentics 500 with Dolby Atmos support that impressed the most thanks to the 270W power output and 6.5-inch down-firing subwoofer which stole the show. — Lee Dunkley 

Best of Gaming — Lenovo Legion Go

There’s going to be no shortage of handheld gaming PCs in the future, but they’re going to have a hard time living up to the Lenovo Legion Go. This handheld has “Steam Deck killer” written all over it, with an impressive set of hardware specs, a screen like no other and hardware that should give Valve pause for concern.

That screen is an 8.8-inch touch-enabled panel capable of QHD+ resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. On top of that you have up to 1TB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and up to an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip. Not to mention 2 USB-C ports, a microSD card slot, headphone jack and a nice big kickstand.

Because the Legion Go runs a full version of Windows 11, with all the features and capabilities the operating system offers, there are two mouse options to make up for the analogue sticks’ shortcomings. That includes a trackpad and an “FPS Mode” that turns your right controller into an actual mouse for that more refined PC gaming aiming experience. — Tom Pritchard

Best of Smart Home: Eufy E330 (Professional)

Every smart camera company offers incident-based recording, but Eufy is taking things a step further with the E330 (Professional) camera system. Not only are these cameras recording non-stop, like a hi-tech CCTV system, the system uses AI to splice together footage from multiple cameras into a single chronicle of events. 

The E330 cameras also come with all the same perks and benefits of other Eufy products, including 4K resolution, 8x zoom, super-sharp night vision, AI face and object recognition and subscription-free local video storage. Plus, the Eufy HomeBase 3 can support a hard drive up to 16TB in size, which means you’ll be able to keep a bunch of the footage safe for a long time. — Tom Pritchard

Best robot: Ecovacs AirBot Z2 

Robots in the home are nothing new, but the idea that there are robotic air purifiers is blowing my mind a little bit. And products like the Ecovacs AirBot Z2 do exist, with the ability to freely roam around your home like a miniature Dalek hell-bent on exterminating air pollution.

Ecovacs claims that this bot has the ability to manage the air in “five dimensions”, which in layman's terms means it has 5 specific air-purifying functions. That includes removing pollutants, antibacterial effects, fog-free humidification, permanent air freshening and a special function for filtering out both pet hair and odors.

The only real downside is that it doesn’t vacuum as it roams around your house.  — Tom Pritchard

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• This robot cleans air all around your home — and I want one
• This robot lawnmower may finally be able to cut your massive lawn for you

Of all the appliances in my home that could be roboticized, I never considered one of them could be an air purifier. And yet, Ecovacs has not only done this with the Airbot Z1, it’s brought a second generation model to show off at IFA 2023.

The AirBot Z2 is a self-navigating robot, able to navigate your home autonomously - much like the best robot vacuums. Thereby ending the age-old question of where to place your air purifier for the best results. It’s just a shame the AirBot Z2 doesn’t also have a vacuum cleaner, because it could easily take care of two jobs at the same time.

According to Ecovacs this ‘bot can purify air with a “5-stage Deep Rejuvenation System”, which is capable of “active air management in five dimensions”. I’m not sure Ecovacs is using dimensions in the way I would, but apparently this means the AirBot Z2 is capable of treating the air in a bunch of different ways.

This includes removing air pollutants, a permanent antibacterial effect, fog-free air humidification, permanent air freshening and all while offering a noticeable breeze. There’s also a hair removal and odor filtering function that’s been specifically designed for homes with animals. So if you have a dog that sheds far too much, just like mine, this could prove very useful.

Seriously, there’s a layer of hair on every surface and no amount of cleaning will solve the problem. I could really use a robot to help reduce the amount of time I need to spend with a lint roller.

Plus, based on the display we saw at IFA, the robot shouldn’t have issues navigating around your pets. It certainly didn’t have any problems moving around the (toy) cats that were deliberately sitting in its path.

The downside here is there’s no word on when this robot will be available outside of China, or how much it will cost. However, The Ambient has been tipped off to the fact this ‘bot could make an appearance at CES in January, meaning you may find it cleaning up the air in your homes very soon.

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• This robot lawnmower may finally be able to cut your massive lawn for you
• Eufy’s new home security camera promises 24/7 recording with ‘no blind spots’
• AirPods Max 2 could launch at Apple event — 3 upgrades I need to see

On 7th June 2023, New York City was ranked first for having the most hazardous air quality in the world. This came after smoke from 400 wildfires in Canada cast an apocalyptic-like, orange haze over much of the city. And with at least 13 other states being issued air quality alerts, this will inevitably impact the air quality inside homes and personal spaces.

That’s where having one of the best air purifiers can make all the difference in filtering airborne pollutants and improving the quality of air. In addition, air purifiers can benefit those who struggle with allergies or asthma, and can also help you sleep easier at night. In fact, it was reported by Fox News that New York City stores sold out of air purifiers during the first days of the hazardous haze. 

Due to the ever-growing popularity, there are more air purifiers available than ever before. As a result, it can be tricky to know the difference between the models, and what features they offer to suit your needs and home. Essentially, the things you need to know before buying an air purifier include the CADR rating (clean air delivery rate), specs, size and/or noise levels. The higher the CADR rating, the more effective it is in removing pollutants, allergens and cleaning your air overall. 

To help you decide, we’ve curated a list of three air purifiers that are great options if you’re looking to buy or upgrade your existing model. 

Find out how our streaming editor’s air purifier saved her during the NYC air quality crisis. 

Buy this: BLUEAIR BLUE PURE 211+ AUTO

We tested some of the best air purifiers on the market, but the one that came up tops for overall performance was the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Auto. Despite being mid-sized, it’s a beast of a machine that offers first-rate air purification capabilities.

In fact, during testing it received a CADR of 353, 347, and 380 respectively for smoke, dust and pollen — performing impressively in all three categories. Suitable for large spaces totaling 550 square feet, this makes it the ideal option for most homes.

As well as performance, it’s simple to set up and use. When you plug it in, it starts out on auto mode and cycles through three colors (blue, yellow, and red), as it detects the air quality in the room. A blue light indicates a fine air quality, red means it’s working overtime to clean the air, while orange is somewhere in the middle. 

It also comes with three fan speeds that can be toggled by pressing the button on the top, from lowest to highest. And there’s also a night mode last in rotation, that turns the front light off, whilst still softly running the fan. 

Despite being over 20 inches tall (and bulkier than other purifiers), its cube-shaped, sleek design is durable, attractive and won’t look like an eyesore in the home. Plus, we like the fact it comes in other colors including grey, pink, blue, and green —  so you can match your interior style. The only downside is it can be slightly noisy at full power, clocking in at 60.8 decibels at the highest. However, this can easily be overlooked based on its impressive performance overall.

Buy this: HONEYWELL HPA 300

If you’re spending on a budget, but need a purifier to handle a large space, we recommend this Honeywell HPA 300. Despite its small price tag, it offers a strong performance, suitable for rooms of up to 465 square feet – which is a decent size. 

With CADR scores of 300, 320 and 300 for dust, smoke and pollen respectively, this is pretty impressive for a budget air purifier. Plus the replacement filters only cost around $40, which is excellent value. 

Alongside performance, it was also one of the easiest air purifiers to use. It comes with a touch-based control panel that is very intuitive to operate, and a quick reference guide. Additionally, it offers four different fan speeds (including a turbo mode), as well as a timer for two, four or eight hours. There’s also the option to dim the device for night time operation, and indicators showing the three HEPA filters and activated carbon pre-filter within. 

While it lacks an auto mode (meaning you’ll have to manually change the fan speeds), and other advanced settings, performance is still rated highly than some of the more expensive/advanced models. It’s also worth noting, the honeywell HPA 300 is pretty loud — which hit the noisier end of our tests, producing 59.6 dB on its loudest setting. And although it has a high CADR rating, it does consume a lot of energy to run this machine. 

However, you do get an amazing performance that you may not with more “energy-efficient” models, so you’ll need to weigh the costs. It may not be the quietest air purifier for your home, but it will definitely get the job done well, and is great value for money. 

Buy this: BLUEAIR HEALTHPROJECT 7470i

If you want a splurge buy, and prefer a smart air purifier, we can recommend the Blueair HealthProtect 7470i. 

With a strong performance, it scored a CADR rating of 270, 275, 280 for smoke dust and pollen, and suitable for rooms of up to 418 square feet. Besides an impressive filteration, it comes with all the mod cons including smart connectivity, which allows you to monitor and control it via your phone.

Its LCD screen on top of the device gives you real-time information on what it’s sensing . This includes the local temperature, filter lifetime remaining, and relative humidity of the room. Plus, it has two lights on the front representing gas pollutants and the other for larger particles — both of which are rare in other models.  

The Blueair HealthProtect 7470i comes with three speeds and an auto mode. Plus, it has a night mode that helps to reduce noise and light at bedtimes, which can all improve the quality of sleep. Using the app is very simple, and all the features you need are quick to locate and to navigate around. Best of all, it's one of the quietest air purifiers there is, reaching only 35.3 dB on its lowest setting and 48dB on its highest.

Bear in mind, it's the heaviest air purifier we’ve tested, weighing a hefty 27.6 pounds. And even though it comes on a set of wheels, it's still quite heavy to easily move around the home. It also consumes a lot of energy, which is the downside for outstanding performance and advanced features.

In addition, this was one of the most expensive air purifiers we tested, at just over $750  — but this model can often be found on sale at certain retailers. However,  the  Blueair HealthProtect 7470i is an exceptional air purifier that gives you performance, more information and value than you can get from other affordable models.  

More from Tom's Guide

•  TG's own Kate Kozuch wore Dyson Zone air-purifying headphones 
•  Here are 7 ways to get more out of your air purifier 
• Check out why Dyson Zone will purify your air while canceling noise — but it'll cost you 

I had high hopes for the Dyson Zone, the air-purifying and noise-canceling headphones that look like they were stolen off a cyborg-like supervillain. But after wearing and traveling with the contraption, it’s not quite as practical for everyday use as I expected. In fact, it came in handy most during an unprecedented, apocalyptic-like bout of air pollution caused by wildfire smoke.

First announced in 2022, the Dyson Zone arrived well after the peak of the pandemic. Mask mandates had eased up and, in general, people were out and about in the world again. Still, the product came out specifically saying that it’s not for airborne viruses. Instead it promised a futuristic experience of having air pollution filtered out for commuters. Plus, the noise-canceling headphones aspect of it meant that you could also filter out sound.

And while the audio performance is impressive coming from a company known for premium air purifiers, vacuum cleaners and hair-styling tools, it’s probably not enough to justify the Dyson Zone’s starting $950 price tag for most people. Comfort and good battery life are essential to the best headphones, but this Dyson Zone review will explain why they feel like an afterthought with the wearable filtration system (admittedly, an impressive engineering feat) stealing the show.

Dyson Zone: Price and availability

The Dyson Zone is available now in two configurations. The entry-level bundle, featuring a silver visor, costs $950 and comes with a hard case, visor sleeve, visor cleaning brush and a spare set of electrostatic carbon filters. 

I tested the higher-end bundle, featuring a copper visor. It costs $999 and comes with a purse-like carrying case instead of a standard hard case, as well as a flight-adapter kit. Both models sport the same audio and air-filtration systems, so they offer the same performance.

Dyson Zone review: Design

I’ve heard the Dyson Zone design compared to the mask worn by Batman foe Bane, a Transformer faceplate, and something Tony Stark built in his lab. As much as the device feels pulled from science fiction, I happen to think it looks like, well, a Dyson product.

But adapting the Dyson design language to a pair of headphones might not have been the best move. With the visor, the headset weighs a hefty 1.47 pounds. That’s a lot to carry on my head and to walk around with. Both the AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM5 are well under a pound for comparison, so I do think these are just too heavy. I respect that it needs to accommodate the air purifiers, but at what cost to comfort?

What’s more, the materials on the headphones itself actually look very premium, but by contrast, the visor seems cheap. It’s mostly plastic, and looks like it could snap if bent the wrong way. Plus, it attracts fingerprints and makes a lot of clicky noises.

The safest way to carry the headset around is with a purse-like carrying case included with the $1,000 bundle. For city-living, I love a functional bag. I could even fit my phone and wallet inside along with the headset. I’m not sure Dyson navy is my color, but I think I made it work during this review period.

Dyson Zone review: Performance

When wearing the Dyson Zone and visor, it felt like getting a direct oxygen line — it’s honestly a nice sensation. If I were to start moving around or running to catch a subway with the headset set to Auto mode, it’ll even kick up the amount of air being pushed through the visor. Otherwise it has three airflow settings that can be adjusted either in the companion Dyson app or directly on the headset.

The Dyson Zone also has an easy filter installation and replacement system, and comes with an extra set of filters in the packaging. Plus, the app tells you when your filters need to be replaced, so there’s no guessing involved.

The app is also how you see the air quality around you, both in your location and actually what the headset is picking up around it. It specifically reads the level of nitrogen dioxide, which gets into air from burning fuel, so places with a lot of buildings or industrial parks or big trucks and buses, even just a ton of cars in traffic. Most places in NYC I wore the headset didn’t register concerning levels of pollutants on the average day, so unless I just wanted to feel the airflow, I didn’t find it necessary to wear. Mind you, I don’t have any kind of breathing conditions, such as asthma.

It wasn’t until wildfire smoke wafted over the city that the Dyson app warned me of an unhealthy AQI, and I felt glad to still have the review unit in my possession. While this let me know I should try to avoid time spent outside, I did want to see how the Dyson Zone fared with air filtration. Since the headset can capture 99% of particles as small as 0.1 microns that pass through the filters, it meant that at least some of the air pollution should be filtered out. It might not have the seal offered by a KN95, but it’s certainly better than nothing.

Dyson Zone review: Battery life

Continuous air flow poses a major setback, though. With the whole operation running, the Dyson Zone only lasts about two hours on a full charge. That means on a 6-hour flight, I needed to keep them plugged into an outlet most of the time. Luckily on my commute back home, I could get through both morning and evening trips, but I still had to charge them every night. 

Without using the visor, I could listen to music with active noise cancellation for much longer, past 10 hours in my experience. It’s still not as long-lasting as the Sony WH-1000XM5 I normally use for travel, those have over 30 hours of battery life.

Dyson Zone review: Audio performance

In some ways, the whole visor-filtration situation undermines the audio performance of the Dyson Zone. As the company’s first true audio product, it’s actually very good. Is it better than headphones that are half the price (or less)? No, but it’s on par with some of the best noise cancelling headphones you can buy right now.

Listening to Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” the Zone delivered a huge beat drop with stronger bass than I expected. The synths and Eilish’s whispery vocals layered beautifully, creating that in-studio feel I look for when I test headphones. 

The Dyson Zone’s active noise cancellation is strong, too. On the airplane, I couldn’t hear crying babies or beverage service taking place while listening to shows and music. Outside, the sirens from emergency vehicles I regularly hear and see on my commute sounded much less blaring. I liked how I could see live sound data in the Dyson app to get a sense of my daily exposure as well. No surprise, in the city it’s quite high, telling me I might want to use ANC more often to protect my ear health.

Dyson Zone review: Verdict

I had higher hopes for the Dyson Zone. As I began testing for this Dyson Zone review, I felt so cool and futuristic. But I quickly realized that it lacks enough practically to justify the high price. On a day-to-day basis, I didn’t find the air purification all that useful, and the heft doesn’t make them the most comfortable over-ear headphones, either.

That said, if you do actually have a situation where you think or know that your health is harmed by air pollutants, the Dyson Zone could be a smart contraption to own. I was sure glad to have it when the wildfire smoke blanketed New York City, and I do know that there are areas that experience this kind of air pollution on a more regular basis. To that point, the Zone might not be a device that you hope to have to use, but one you might be glad to have in certain situations.

However, If you ask me, the answer is greater action against air pollution and burning fossil fuels, so that we don’t get to the point of needing to breathe through something like the Dyson Zone in the first place.

Our Dyson promo codes can help you save on the Dyson Zone, the innovative air-purifying headphones. Use our codes to get discounts on this cutting-edge product and enjoy clean air and immersive sound for less.

New York City looked like a sepia-toned post-apocalyptic hellscape on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

An air quality crisis hit NYC like never before, thanks to wildfire smoke that floated down all the way from Ontario and Quebec. Area residents watched in fascinated horror as the iconic Manhattan skyline disappeared in an orange haze. We saw air quality alerts turned maroon, the highest level. I realized this is what it must be like to live on the West Coast. 

Most outdoor events were canceled. Teachers were told to stay at home, while students observed an already-scheduled holiday. People who ventured outside wore masks, like in the early days of the pandemic. TG's own Kate Kozuch wore Dyson Zone air-purifying headphones. 

Many others, like myself, were able to remain indoors. And I was even more fortunate, since I had already invested in an air purifier to alleviate allergies earlier this year. 

The air quality crisis has renewed everyone's interest in purchasing the best air purifiers to keep indoor air clean. According to Google Trends, searches for "air purifier" increased by more than 450% during the worst of the airpocalypse. Fox News reported that New York City stores sold out of air purifiers.

I was already a big fan of my air purifier, a Coway Airmega AP-1512HH, for significantly reducing my allergies. It more than proved its worth during the air quality crisis. 

Wildfire smoke is very bad for your health

On Wednesday, New York City recorded its worst-ever Air Quality Index (AQI) at 352, which is deemed "hazardous."

The color-coding at that level is maroon, but believe me, nobody was dancing with no shoes and looking up at the sky — which was actually orange (h/t Taylor Swift). Stepping outside, I could smell the distinct odor of burning material, like I'd been stoking a campfire non-stop for half a day. 

Smoke pollution is considered "fine particulate matter," or microscopic bits smaller than 2.5 microns. That's even smaller than dust. It's so tiny that it can't be filtered out with surgical mask. 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) advised that exposure to PM 2.5 can "cause short-term health effects such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can also worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease."

Experts advised everyone to stay indoors if they could, but most particularly children, the elderly and people with preexisting conditions such as asthma, allergies, or COPD. 

But smoke can easily make its way indoors. Since Americans spend an average of around 90 percent of their time indoors, the quality of indoor air has a massive effect on our health.

That's where air purifiers can help.

My air purifier went on red alert

As I mentioned, I bought a Coway Airmega AP-1512HH earlier this year. I liked its compact, lightweight, unobtrusive design; washable outer pre-filter; deodorizing carbon filter; and HEPA filter to trap micro-particles. Also, it was on sale at Amazon. 

I keep my air purifier on eco mode, which automates fan speed according the air quality level. Prior to this week, I'd only seen it turn red (high fan speed) twice — once after I seared a steak and once while my bathroom was being repainted. 

On Tuesday evening, when the smoky haze started to ramp, I noticed my air purifier going into purple mode (medium fan speed) more frequently. 

On Wednesday, I opened my front door to retrieve a package (kudos to the poor delivery drivers) for perhaps 30 seconds. And my air purifier went RED. 

It stayed on high for about half an hour (even longer than the steak incident). And all through the afternoon and evening, as NYC turned into a scene from Dune, the air purifier ran near continuously in purple or red modes. 

Thank goodness, since friends who went outdoors (even with masks) reported symptoms like watering eyes, sneezing and headaches. Other friends who stayed inside but didn't have an air purifier said they could still smell smoke. Me? I didn't get so much as a whiff or a tickle in my nose.

While the East Coast in general, and NYC in particular, have been spared constant wildfire smoke, that could change in the near future. We may experience another air quality crisis like this one. Which is why I recommend getting an air purifier. When the next airpocalypse comes along, you'll breathe easy. 

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• The best air purifiers based on our testing
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Spring is just around the corner, and while it brings warmer weather and brighter mornings, it also produces no end of pollen with fresh plant life. One of the most beautiful times of the year can quickly become a hindrance if you struggle with allergies. 

Before you know it, your eyes are itchy, your nose is streaming and you can’t stop sneezing. 

This reaction is all too common, and it’s something we have to live with. But, that’s not to say you can’t reduce your exposure. To help navigate allergy season, we’ve pulled together 9 tips to reduce pollen allergies. 

We'll look at best practices while staying at home as well as venturing outdoors, so you can reduce your exposure around the clock. Here are 9 ways you can successfully fight back against allergy season.

Plus, check out these 5 cleaning tips to reduce pollen in the home. 

9 ways you can fight allergy season

1. Invest in an air purifier
2. Shut the windows
3. Take a shower
4. Clean your home
5. Dry your clothes indoors
6. Brush your pets outside
7. Monitor the conditions
8. Protect yourself
9. Fit a cabin air filter in your car

Read on to see detailed guidance for each.

At home

Outdoors

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• 9 ways to prevent mold in your home
• 7 underrated cleaning tools that will cut your cleaning time in half
• I bought this air purifier for my allergies — and it’s changed my life

'Tis the damn season for runny noses, coughing and congestion. Around the turn of the year, I was afflicted with heavy congestion, which I naturally assumed was a cold, COVID, RSV, the flu or any number of other illnesses that have been running rampant recently. 

Yet, I never ran a fever, didn't have a sore throat, only coughed occasionally and didn't feel that bone-deep tiredness that usually accompanies a virus or infection. After a week of not being able to breathe, yet without symptoms worsening, a lightbulb went off: Allergies. 

Allergies aren't confined to spring; winter allergies can be just as brutal. Once I realized the culprit behind my congestion, I immediately began taking my usual allergy regimen: over-the-counter antihistamine medication like fexofenadine (Allegra) in the morning or levocetirizine (Xyzal) at night.

They helped, but didn't make me feel completely better. Without fail, by late afternoon, I would feel stuffed up again. I needed another solution. 

It turned out to be an air purifier.

What causes winter allergies?

Americans spend an average of around 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Naturally, the quality of indoor air has a massive effect on our health.

In the winter, common allergy triggers include dust mites, pet dander, mold and pest droppings. 

In my case, I don't have pets and saw no visible signs of pests, so I figured the problem is dust or mold. 

I consulted my colleague Cynthia Lawrence's tips on reducing allergens in the home. I was already following most of the advice: I remove my shoes at the door, I run my robot vacuum several times a week, I regularly wash my bedding in hot water, and use vinegar to clean the bathroom (as suggested in our guide on how to clean mold).

There was one item on the list I hadn't followed yet: investing in an air purifier. 

An air purifier cleared up my allergies

After perusing our guide to the best air purifiers, I chose the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH for a number of reasons. First, it was on sale at Amazon for under $140 (the price has risen again, unfortunately). That was a fantastic deal for a well-reviewed model. 

I liked that it was fairly compact and unobtrusive in style, as well as light enough to move between rooms. According to our review and others, it does a good job of what it's supposed to do: purifying air. There's a washable outer pre-filter to capture large particles (like hair), a carbon filter that deodorizes and a HEPA filter that traps micro-particles.

I also appreciated the eco mode, which makes the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH very energy efficient. And it didn't have any bells and whistles that I didn't need, like voice controls or other smart features. The price of replacement filters, around $40 once a year, seemed in line with other brands. 

Once I unpackaged it and set it up, the air purifier has been simple to use. A light tells you the air quality level (blue is good, red is bad) and the eco mode automates fan speed according to that level. It can get a little loud on the highest fan setting, but that comes on rarely. The only time it's switched to high is after I seared a steak and created a lot of smoke. 

After just a few days with my new air purifier, I noticed my congestion easing. I wasn't drowning in mucus every afternoon. A week in, my nose was cleared and I could breathe easily again. Goodbye, allergies!

Air purifiers can be found in most homes these days. We use them to help us sleep through the night, to maintain the air in our home office and to deodorize the kitchen. So, there are many reasons you might need an air purifier. Some are even relied on to keep viruses at bay. The importance and reliance upon these appliances can’t be stressed enough. However, the output of even the best air purifiers can suffer if they’re not maintained properly. 

You may have noticed your air purifier struggling in terms of power as of late, or perhaps you haven’t had the performance you expected from the start. In either case, there are actually several factors at home which can impact the performance of an air purifier, all of which can be reduced or rectified with just a few small changes. Here, we will take you through exactly what’s holding back your air purifier, and how to get it working at its best.

Here are 7 ways to improve the performance of your air purifier.

Be sure to also check out 9 ways to fight allergy season. 

1. Change the filter

Every time you use your air purifier, it continuously passes air through several filter layers in the machine, which means airborne pollutants are constantly catching and building up on each layer. If left unchecked, these particles will build to such an extent that your air purifier will eventually struggle to pass the air through, effectively reducing its CADR and overall performance. This is why you can’t ignore the calls for a fresh filter. 

Some devices feature sensors to tell you when to replace your filter, which can range from indicator lights to notifications on your smartphone if your machine comes with smart connectivity. If the machine has no such alert, you may have to refer to your manual for guidance on how often to replace — recommendations usually range from 6 months to a year. How often you replace the filter ultimately comes down to use — so if you use your air purifier sparingly, it may last longer. It’s also worth bearing in mind that filters can be quite expensive, so you should always consider this cost when you’re buying an air purifier. 

It’s rare, but air purifiers do exist which never need the filter replaced, such as the Onelife X air purifier. However, you will still need to wash the filter when required, and these designs tend to be very pricey. 

2. Location

While some air purifiers admittedly struggle in terms of aesthetics, unfortunately you can’t just hide it behind the couch once you bring it home — not if you want it to work well anyway. An air purifier needs to effectively suck in and then distribute the clean air across the room for best effect, so it needs to be able to ‘breathe’ with room to ventilate. That means ideally leaving it in the open with no obstacles in sight. 

If you’re worried about the impact on your decor, some air purifiers do look better than others and can even be customized in different colorways to suit your home — such is possible with our winner, the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Auto. Alternatively, if you’re tight on space, some air purifiers can be wall-mounted for convenience, such as the IKEA Fornuftig. However, we always recommend focusing on performance over looks; otherwise there’s no point in the investment in the first place.

Also, keep the recommended room size in mind for your air purifier — if the room is much bigger than your air purifier can handle, that may be why its performance is struggling. Move it to a suitable space and invest in a more substantial air purifier for large rooms, or buy another air purifier to support the one you have. Conversely, if you’re only purifying a small space, remember that compact designs can offer more than what you need. For small rooms, we recommend the Blueair Blue Pure 411 Auto.  

3. Use the auto setting 

Most air purifiers now come with an auto setting, and you should take advantage if yours has one. With this function, your air purifier will automatically adjust its fan speed based on the quality of the air, which it uses sensors to determine. In doing this, your air purifier is only ever using as much energy as is required to clean your air. It also means the purifier will pick up the slack if a pollutant is suddenly detected in your home. 

This can improve the performance of your air purifier because it's essentially giving you more power when required. If you normally just stick to a low and constant fan speed, you’re not always using the most appropriate setting. While the highest fan speed setting can be loud on some models, it will only be used when necessary, so try switching to the auto setting and let your air purifier make the call on the fan speed.

Take advantage of the other settings on offer from your air purifier as well. If you want to run it at night, but can’t sleep through the lights on the unit, see if there’s a night mode available. This will dim the lights and the fan speed to help you sleep while still having an impact on the air.

4. Leave windows and doors shut  

While fresh air is of course important and air purifiers are no substitute for this, it’s counterproductive if you leave your windows and doors open while your air purifier is running. Any clean air will just escape, while any outdoor pollutants will continue to enter. Leave windows and doors shut while your air purifier is running, and only open them once it’s switched off. 

Try to alternate between the two and choose the best times to open your home to the elements. For instance, depending on your location and the type of pollution you’re trying to avoid, conditions may be worse in the early morning than it is in the afternoon, so you can use this to guide on when’s best to open the windows. You can use AirNow for current information.  

5. Give it a helping hand 

Avoid products which will deter the quality of your air at home. Otherwise, you’re just making unnecessary work for your air purifier. Candles as well as oil diffusers may smell nice, but each of these will release toxins and chemicals into the atmosphere in the form of VOCs. This is one of the main things your air purifier is actually trying to filter out, so why add to the problem?

When you have no choice but to use items which will pollute heavily, such as hairspray or cooking oils, try to open a window and ventilate the excess at first, rather than letting your air purifier do all of the heavy lifting. This will speed up the process of cleaning the air.

6. Give it a clean 

Air purifiers are one of the appliances we forget to clean, especially as the filters themselves are replaceable. But, you still need to give your air purifier a once over when required, otherwise dust can build up around the vents and sensors and impact the overall performance. 

Switch off the device and use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the exterior, being careful not to touch any electrical components. You can use a soft brush to remove the dust from the vents, if required. Locate the air quality sensor, if your model comes with one (check your manual for guidance). Follow the care instructions given by your manufacturer for cleaning the sensor. If none are supplied, use a cotton swab to remove excess dust from the sensor and vacuum its cavity with one of the best vacuum cleaners. The sensor should be cleaned every couple of months for guidance. 

7. Get one of the best air purifiers 

If your air purifier just isn’t giving you the performance you want, why not opt to buy one of the best air purifiers to replace it? We've tested a range of models, assessing everything from the CADR to the ease of setting up, as well as noise produced and electricity consumption in use, so you can rest assured that our winners will not disappoint. We’ve also found an option to suit every situation, so whether you’re shopping on a budget, or want a model with all of the bells and whistles, we’ve got a recommendation. 

For more tips, tricks and how tos check out dishwasher vs washing by hand, 11 things to look for when buying a washing machine and how do air purifiers work? You might also be interested in I’m buying an air purifier this spring to save my son this allergy season — 5 factors I’m considering

If you struggle to sleep soundly, you’re not the only one. In fact, it’s estimated that around a third of us will experience problems with our sleep at some point in our lives. Whether it be from lifestyle changes, stress or the long-term effects of COVID-19, these factors can all affect our bedtimes. And while you can learn how to sleep for longer, your sleep environment is as much to blame for your restless nights. 

Despite investing in one of the best mattresses, best cooling mattresses or even the best pillows for comfort, the answer to a good night’s sleep could be even more simple.

According to The Sleep Association , there is a direct link between clean air and quality of sleep. This is because pollutants in the air can lead to serious respiratory problems, and trigger conditions such as asthma. 

Once you develop respiratory issues, such as coughing, nasal congestion or a sore throat, these symptoms make it difficult to fall asleep. In addition, seasonal allergies are associated with poor sleep quality, resulting in snoring or constantly waking up in the middle of the night.

"Like other aspects of our health, the quality of the air we breathe can have a significant impact on our sleep" agrees James Wilson, a.k.a. The Sleep Geek. "The better the quality of the air we breathe the more efficiently your body can work, aiding our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep."

• Read more: Choose sustainable sleep this World Environment Day with these 6 organic bedding materials

Wash your sheets

Regularly washing your bedding will not only keep it fresh, but help you sleep better. "Invest in a good mattress protector that'll help keep dust and allergens at bay," agrees Alison Baretta, Sleep Editor at Tom's Guide, "and wash your sheets regularly, especially if you have pets who like to lounge on your bed." 

So, before you try some of the best sleep apps, improving your air quality might well be the answer for a good night’s slumber once and for all. 

Get an air purifier

To eliminate pollutants, one the best air purifiers should make a noticeable difference around your home.  "An air purifier could be incredibly useful if you wish to improve the quality of the air in your bedroom, and research has shown having plants in the bedroom can improve our sleep," Wilson says. 

Don't want to buy an air purifier? Opening a window, dusting or vacuuming with one of the best vacuum cleaners can also reduce the dust particles floating around in the air.

Things to consider when buying an air purifier 

• Consider the size (sq. ft.) of your room, and find one suitable for the space. Generally speaking, the larger the air purifier, the greater the space it can cover, but always refer to the suggested room size.
• Find an air purifier that can filter out specific pollutants to suit your home and needs (allergens, pet hair, dander etc). Refer to the CADR for information on its performance in terms of filtering dust, pollen and smoke.
• Always choose an air purifier that uses a HEPA filter, the gold standard of indoor air purifiers.
• Consider the air purifier’s noise levels (decibels), and choose one which will blend into the background — even when it's on maximum.
• Calculate the air purifier's ongoing maintenance (filter replacement) and electricity costs so you know how much to factor into your budget when buying an air purifier.

Ideally, you should change your pillow every one to two years, or you'll find yourself asking why has my pillow turned yellow? Why not try out this bed-making hack that went viral to make your life easier.

Air purifiers have spiked in popularity since the pandemic and the fact that more of us are working from home than ever before. An air purifier will essentially filter any airborne pollutants from your air, such as smoke, pollen and dust, and some have also been advertised as capable of capturing particles carrying the COVID-19 coronavirus. 

Because of this, there’s more air purifiers on the market than ever before. But, how can you actually tell the difference between these models? Here, we will break down everything you need to know when it comes to picking out an air purifier, including how to tell which will help you breathe easier and suit your room size. That way you can find the best air purifier for your home, whatever your budget and needs.   

Be sure to also check out 9 ways to fight allergy season. 

Quick tips for choosing an air purifier

• Figure out where you want to place your air purifier so you can choose one that suits the room size.
• Look for an air purifier that's good at filtering out pollutants specific to your home or health needs (removing pet dander or cigarette smoke, for example).
• Compare CADR ratings, which show how quickly the air purifier can filter air. 
• Choose a device that uses a HEPA filter, the gold standard for indoor air purifiers.
• Look at noise levels (listed in decibels) in product specs. Depending on where you're using your air purifier, you may want a quieter device.
• Calculate the air purifier's ongoing maintenance and electricity costs so you can budget beyond your initial purchase.

1. Choose the right air purifier for your room size

The first step to filtering out air purifiers (no pun intended) is figuring out how much space you want your device to clean. Small desktop devices aren't effective in large living spaces, while larger, heavy-duty air purifiers may be overkill in your kid's bedroom. 

One way to find the best fit is to look at "air changes per hour." This metric may be included in your air purifier's specs. It can help you understand how filtration works in practice, as a smaller air purifier could turn over the air in a 350-square-foot room eight times in an hour but manage just four air changes per hour in a 700-square-foot room.

You can also compare clean air delivery rates (CADR), which we'll get into below. 

2. The types of pollutants filtered out by air purifiers

Some air purifiers are better at filtering out certain types of pollutants than others. If your main concern is cigarette smoke, for example, you may need a different device than someone who lives with a lot of pets.

Air purifiers are rated based on how well they filter different pollutant sizes. While most air purifiers are similar across the board, some are slightly more effective at catching dust and dander than smoke (or vice versa). 

If odors are a concern, you'll want to find a purifier that has an activated carbon filter, such as the Coway Airmega 400.

If you're aiming for general air-quality improvement, look for a purifier, such as the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty, that performs well across the board.

3. What an air purifier's CADR rating means

Most air purifiers are labeled with a clean air delivery rate (CADR) number, a metric developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) that helps consumers understand how effective a device is at filtering various particles in a specific room size.

For example, a CADR of 200 for pollen means that the air purifier can reduce the pollen concentration at the equivalent of adding 200 cubic feet of fresh air per minute. 

In general, the higher the number, the faster it can remove particles and the larger the room the device can reasonably be expected to clean. 

If you're buying an air purifier to clean the air of a person who is sick with COVID-19, Consumer Reports recommends one with a CADR of 240 or above for its recommended room size.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers these guidelines for minimum CADR ratings by room size:

Some air purifiers have a single CADR number, while others have different CADR numbers for smoke and similarly small particles, dust, and pollen and similarly large particles. 

The EPA cautions that for a typical room size, most air purifiers don't have CADR ratings high enough to effectively remove large pollutants like dust mites and cockroach-related allergens.

MORE: 5 reasons you need an air purifier

Also, keep in mind that an air purifier's CADR rating reflects the best-case scenario. These numbers are determined in controlled testing environments. Variables in your home, such as drafts or dampness, may prevent your air purifier from hitting its optimal rating.

Finally, not every air purifier is tested using the CADR system. The manufacturer of the IQAir HealthPro Plus, one of our recommended models, has not submitted the device for AHAM testing. Read independent reviews to get an idea of how well an air purifier works in these instances. 

4. The types of filters used by air purifiers

The air purifiers we recommend use mechanical filtration, meaning that their filters physically trap the pollutants that pass through them. Your air purifier likely has at least two such filters: a prefilter, which catches large particles like pet hair, and the main filter, which nabs smaller pollutants.

There's not much of a difference between prefilters. A few are washable (or vacuumable), while others are disposable. The latter may cost you a bit more in the long run, but otherwise, there's not much to compare. 

What really matters is your air purifier's main filter. In general, you'll want to look for an air purifier that uses a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, the standard recommended by the EPA and the American Lung Association.

MORE: How do air purifiers work?

HEPA filters trap 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns (millionths of a meter) or larger in size, and, for technical reasons, almost all particles that are smaller. 

To put that in perspective, the smallest objects that the average human eye can see are around 70 microns in size. Human eyes may be able to distinguish light-scattering airborne particles that are as small as 10 microns in size. 

You may find devices that advertise "HEPA-type" filters but that aren't actually rated to meet a HEPA filtration level. Since individual HEPA filters aren't tested, it's hard to say that merely HEPA-type filters will always perform more poorly than actual HEPA filters. 

But your best bet is to go with a purifier that says it uses HEPA filters or "True" HEPA filters, which amount to the same thing.

Some purifiers have additional filters, often made of activated carbon or charcoal, that trap gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odor compounds. 

These extra filters can be helpful if you live with a smoker or have pets, but they are designed to absorb only a limited number of specific compounds and will have to be changed regularly to be effective. 

Some air purifiers advertise filtration processes that rely on ionizers or ultraviolet (UV) light. The effectiveness of these devices isn't well demonstrated. They may also produce ozone, which is a lung irritant that could make any breathing-related problems worse rather than better. 

The Coway AP-1512HH Mighty has an ionizer that can be switched off. The Blueair Blue Pure 211+ and Blueair Blue Pure 411 have ionizers built right into their proprietary HEPASilent filters, but their manufacturer says they produce very little ozone. The Pure Enrichment PureZone 3-in-1 True HEPA Air Purifier has a UV light.

5. How much noise do air purifiers make?

Most air purifiers have internal fans that pull air through a series of filters. Some of these fans are practically silent, especially on low settings. Others make a humming sound as you turn them up. 

If you're using your air purifier in a bedroom or baby's room, for example, you may want to choose a device that's relatively quiet even at higher speeds.

You'll find noise-level ranges measured in decibels in your device's specs. We've seen air purifiers, such as the Blueair Blue Pure 411, rated as low as 17 dB (similar to rustling leaves). Others, such as the Austin Air HealthMate HM400, can reach noise levels of more than 60 dB (akin to an AC unit 100 feet away).

6. How portable are air purifiers?

Some air purifiers are lighter and more mobile than others. The smallest air purifiers sit on a desk or shelf and are easily moved from room to room.

The larger and heavier air purifiers are best kept stationary, though some come with casters for portability. If you want to use your air purifier in your home office during the day, your living room in the evening and your bedroom overnight, look for a smaller device or one that rolls.

As we've mentioned, the size of an air purifier is loosely correlated to the size of the room it can effectively clean, so the best option for your nursery probably won't be the right choice for a family room that's three or four times larger. 

You'll want to find a happy medium between size and portability if you plan to have one air purifier cover your whole home.

7. Air purifier maintenance

The up-front cost of your air purifier matters if you're on a budget, but don't assume you'll be done paying for the device once you have set it up in your home. You'll have to periodically replace the filters on an ongoing basis.

Filter-replacement costs vary from machine to machine: Some have very expensive filters that last for years, while others use cheap filters that have to be changed frequently. Plus, while some of the prefilters are washable, the HEPA filters themselves are disposable and must be entirely replaced. 

Before you buy an air purifier, calculate the cost per year to maintain it, and compare that cost to those of any other air-purification device you might be considering.

8. Energy efficiency of air purifiers

Air purifiers are most effective when they're running almost constantly, so you'll also want to factor in electricity costs. Some of the air purifiers we recommend are Energy Star-certified, but each one pulls varying amounts of power depending on the fan speed you're using.

Small air purifiers like the Levoit LV-H132 generally use less energy than larger ones, but they clean much smaller spaces. 

On the flip side, air purifiers that are rated for large rooms and that have higher fan speeds, such as the Coway Airmega 400, tend to draw more energy. 

A few air purifiers have "eco" modes that power down the devices and place them on standby when their sensors no longer detect airborne pollutants.

MORE: Best air purifiers: Clean air for allergies, pets and mold

You can usually find your air purifier's estimated energy usage in the product specs. We've seen devices that supposedly draw as little as 1.5 watts on low, as well as power-hungry ones that draw more than 200 watts on high. You may not even notice the impact of the former on your electricity bill, but the latter could add up.

9. Bonus features

Some air purifiers come with additional features, such as:

• Filter-replacement indicator light
• Dimming and display shut-off options
• Programmable timer
• Remote control unit
• Smart functions (digital assistant and/or app integration)

These extras can add convenience to an air purifier, but they're not necessarily worth the added expense. For instance, you could set a calendar reminder to change your filter based on your air purifier's maintenance schedule, so you don't need the filter replacement light. 

However, the smart connectivity can be useful if it displays the difference the air purifier is having on the environment. Dyson's models are known for doing this. That way you can see the current quality of the air to much greater detail.  

Our top air purifier pick, the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty, includes several of these nice-to-have features and is reasonably priced. But in general, we'd recommend prioritizing other factors if your budget is a concern.

Air purifiers: Bottom line

There is no single air purifier that's right for everyone. When you're shopping for an air purifier, always look first at the CADR ratings and filter types to get an idea of how effective the air purifier will be for your specific needs. 

Once you've identified an air purifier that offers the best filtration for common pollutants in your home and that is the right size for your space, evaluate secondary features like noise levels and portability. Also make sure that the air purifier's energy costs and ongoing maintenance costs are within your budget.

Update: Dyson Zone is coming: find out the price and release date.  

The past couple of years have been strange, but not so strange that I'd have found myself trying out a pair of headphones with a built-in air purifier. But that's exactly what the new Dyson Zone offers. And no this isn't an early April Fool's, but it may be an innovation too far.  

The Dyson Zone is as crazy as it looks. It blends a sturdy pair of headphones combined with a vizor that crosses over the mouth. This unusual combination means the air you breathe will be purified while you’re on the move, with the added luxury of blocking out the noise of the real world. 

I got to pop on a pair of Dyson Zone headphones myself, and, well, I have some thoughts. Also see what my colleague Roland has to say about the this device with his take: I really like the Dyson Zone — but it’s still too weird.

Dyson Zone: Availability

The Dyson Zone will be coming to UK Dyson stores and dyson.co.uk from Fall 2022. During the press briefing, the company did not announce a price, nor when they would be available in other parts of the world.

Dyson Zone: Appearance 

Nothing can quite describe my initial shock upon first seeing the Dyson Zone. I really didn’t know what to expect when Dyson said it’s something new, but this definitely wasn’t even in the top 10. There was a profound silence as I soaked it in.

It looks like a pair of substantial headphones in iconic Dyson colors, complete with a purple headband and protruding grey earcups. Then there’s the unorthodox addition of a vizor which crosses over the nose and mouth and attaches to each cup. It really does look like something from the future, and I couldn’t make head or tail over what to think of it.

At first, I thought Dyson had gone crazy and taken things a step too far. Innovation for innovation’s sake perhaps. But then I realized how refreshing it was to actually see a new type of product on the market, fit to serve a whole new purpose. After all, didn’t we think the first pair of headphones looked crazy, and did we not judge the first air purifier as a bit pointless? In any case, I was keen to see what the Dyson Zone could do. 

Dyson Zone: Design 

The visor of the Dyson Zone is detachable and is held in place via magnets. It sits over your nose and mouth, but does not make direct contact. I was handed the headphones separately at first and found them easy to adjust from the band and comfortable on my ears. The cups are made from microsuede rather than leather.

I cautiously held the visor over my face towards the cups and it quickly snapped into place. You can control the Dyson Zone via the settings on-board the back of each cup or the Dyson app on your smartphone. There are three airflow speeds to choose from as well as an auto mode which self-adjusts. Three active noise cancellation modes are also available — Isolation, Conversation and Transparency — which varies the level of noise cancellation. 

If you want to have a conversation with someone, you can also drop the visor down which will automatically pause the music. Fitting it back over the mouth then starts up the air purification and music once again. You can use both functions at the same time, or you can detach the visor and just use Dyson Zone as a pair of headphones. There’s also a community face covering provided, should you want a sealed mask, plus an FFP2 face covering attachment.

In terms of battery life, the time you will get from a full charge depends on the settings you’re using. The Dyson Zone should last 40+ hours on audio mode, 4.5+ hours with low airflow mode selected, and 1.5+ hours on medium/high airflow mode with music playing. Dyson has yet to officially confirm these figures, but they were approximated during the unveiling. 

I was admittedly hoping for a bit longer on the highest airflow setting, but you are unlikely to use it at this speed for such a prolonged time. We don't yet know how long it takes to charge, but we do know it comes with a USB-C charging port, and you could leave it plugged in for long-haul journeys, such as on a plane. 

There were a couple of potential problems I spotted when trying on this unusual design. Firstly, the controls felt very sluggish — it took a few seconds for the headphones to register and keep up with my airflow selection. The weight also felt pretty heavy, not so much in the visor, more so in the headphones. I think this would take some getting used to.  

Lastly, I had a horrible moment where I forgot about the detachable visor, and as I started to remove the headphones, it fell off and bounced on the floor. I held my breath as I picked it up. No damage and the team didn’t seem at all worried. In fact, one demonstrated its durability by bending it out of shape. While this was a huge relief, it did raise concerns about how easily this could happen while you’re on the move. What if it fell into the train tracks for instance?

Other than that the design was certainly impressive — it felt premium and substantial. It’s supplied with a microfiber sleeve for protecting the visor and a neat Prussian Blue case for holding everything as well.

Dyson Zone: Air purification 

The Dyson Zone purifies air by sucking it in through the cups, passing it through dual-layer filters (including a carbon layer), and then supplying it to the nose and mouth directly via the visor. The removable filters are the smallest I’ve seen and sit within each cup. Unfortunately, these miniature filters aren’t washable, so you will need to replace them when the time comes. The app will give you a handy warning when it’s time to do this. Filter lifetime will depend on use and location, but should last around a year with regular use.  

I can’t judge the performance of the air purifier without data on the CADR, but I can say it supplied a good flow of air. There are three speeds to choose from to suit your level of breathing, as well as the auto setting which was mentioned earlier. The Dyson Zone uses on-board accelerometers to register your breathing pattern and adjusts the airflow automatically on this setting.

My only concern when using this function is how dry the air might feel on the mouth and throat after extended use. You don’t usually breathe air directly from an air purifier — it combines with the atmosphere first, including any moisture in the air. By breathing in more concentrated purified air, this may dry out your throat and make it uncomfortable to use. 

It does come with a mesh panel on the visor though to create a zone of clean air, rather than a solid jet of air, which should help. Plus, it’s still likely much better for your system than breathing in some of the heavy pollutants you will find in cities.

You can see the difference the Dyson Zone has made via the app, much in the same way you can with the Dyson air purifiers. Charts are displayed to show the levels of pollutants as well as any noise you’ve encountered too.

Dyson Zone: Audio  

As over-ear headphones, the Dyson Zone offers three ANC modes to suit different circumstances. Isolation mode puts the noise cancellation into full effect, and eradicates the noise of the outside world as much as possible. Conversation mode will activate automatically when you drop the vizor — the music will stop, and you will hear conversation much more easily in this setting. Transparency mode, on the other hand, amplifies the noise of the outside world when you need it, such as listening out for sirens. 

When I tried on the Dyson Zone, the noise cancellation was indeed effective; I could only just hear the hum of others speaking, even without music playing. The music also managed to cover up the sound of the air coming out of the vizor on its highest setting. The sound was crisp and clear; it’s safe to say these are a decent pair of headphones. 

Dyson Zone: Outlook   

It all comes down to this — will people be wearing the Dyson Zone on their daily commute? Perhaps. Will people think they’re crazy? Definitely at first. This wearable air purifier is a bold fashion statement to say the least, and it’s going to take confidence to be the first to walk down a street wearing it. But, considering we all listen to music as we travel anyway, is it really that far of a stretch?

Air purification has become more popular than ever since the pandemic too, so you could argue Dyson’s timing with this product couldn’t be better. There’s no indication of the price yet though, and you can bet it’s not going to be cheap. Only time will tell how this will fall on the market.  

The Dyson Zone will be available to buy in UK Dyson stores and dyson.co.uk from Fall 2022. Its release date will vary by geography and will be confirmed in the coming months. 

Have you ever wondered if you can swap your air purifier for a houseplant? You’re not alone. 

With some of the best air purifiers costing upwards of $600, an air purifier can be a hefty investment for something which isn’t always easy on the eyes. An air-purifying plant, on the other hand, is affordable, attractive and actively "breathes" carbon dioxide — but how well does it actually stand up to an air purifier?

Here, we will look into how each works to improve your air and the overall impact it will have so you can decide which is best for you.

How does an air purifier work? 

If you want to know how air purifiers work, there are actually a few variations on the market. Each of these air-cleaning methods functions differently, and many air filters combine one or more of them.  

• HEPA filter — This is arguably the most well-known filtration method. Essentially, the air purifier sucks in air from the room, which then passes through a series of filters, but most importantly a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter is particularly dense and will catch very small microbes and pollutants such as dust, pollen or smoke before recycling the air back into the room.  

• Carbon filter — These work in much the same way as a HEPA filter, but contain a carbon-based filter as one of the layers. The benefit of a carbon filter is that it’s more effective at collecting odors and airborne chemicals.  
• UV light — Many air purifiers contain UV lights that will kill bacteria and viruses that pass through them. Because this method won’t get rid of inert airborne particles, it’s often used in addition to HEPA and/or carbon filters. 
• Negative ions — An ionic air purifier works differently from the other methods in that it sends out negative ions which magnetically attract any particles in the air. Once they’re heavy enough, these ionized particles then drop to the ground or attach to surfaces, which then in turn need to be cleaned. Some ionic air purifiers create ozone, which can harm the lungs of children or the elderly. 

How do air-purifying plants work? 

Houseplants will naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the air via photosynthesis. During this process, the plant will convert light, carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, which the plant needs to live. Oxygen is then generated as a by-product and released for us to breathe. 

In 1989, NASA ran an experiment which found that plants absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air using their leaves and roots. VOCs such as benzene, toluene and formaldehyde, to name a few, can be absorbed. 

Such gases are emitted from products such as paint, building materials and cosmetics, so they’re more common than you’d think around the home. When you smell nail-polish remover, gasoline or the interior of a new car, you're smelling VOCs.

With that in mind, it’s no wonder that some are left favoring nature over the machine. But how does the air-cleaning performance between the air purifiers and houseplants compare? 

Air purifier vs. houseplants — how they compare

While it’s a nice idea to have plants clean the air, they unfortunately don’t come close to matching the effectiveness of an air purifier. Michael Waring, a professor of environmental engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia, analyzed 30 years of past research and concluded that plants remove VOCs at such a slow rate that you would need lots of plants to make the same impact as an air purifier. We’re talking about thousands of plants per household, so don’t even attempt it! 

Furthermore, houseplants can’t absorb particles such as dust or smoke, and if anything, they only add to the pollen count. This is a clear win for air purifiers, especially if you have allergies. 

Final thoughts

Don’t go throwing your succulents away, just yet though. Plants come with many other benefits. Studies have shown that plants can boost your mood as well as reduce stress and fatigue. While the overall impact may be minimal, they’re still having a positive effect on your air. 

Ultimately, I’d recommend having both air purifiers and plants in your home. Just make sure that the plants aren’t poisonous to cats and dogs if you have pets.  

Next: Here are 7 ways to get more out of your existing air purifier.

This year’s best air purifiers are being announced at CES 2022 with an impressive range of innovative designs and specs. Among the new models are offerings from LG, Levoit and Coway, who have each launched air-purifier models that will literally bring a breath of fresh air to the home. 

So far, we’ve seen the best air purifiers of CES 2022 equipped with powerful filtration technology and handy features, and available in a range of sizes to suit every home and lifestyle. 

The best air purifiers are smart-enabled, making it easier to control and monitor them at just a touch of a button from anywhere in or around the home. Some models also allow Amazon Alexa to customize indoor air quality and adjust fan speeds. 

Besides removing dust spores, bacteria and various allergens around the home, some of the best air purifiers of CES 2022 include the option of adding essential oils to an aromatherapy-equipped base chamber. Not only does this get you cleaner air, but a sweeter-smelling environment as well. 

So whether you want to invest in a new, powerful air purifier or simply want to upgrade, here are the best air purifiers of CES 2022 so far.

Levoit Core 600S Smart True HEPA Air Purifier

If you’re looking for a smart purifier for large spaces, this model is ideal. The Levoit Core filters large indoor rooms of up to 635 square feet and can send back real-time reports to your phone. It operates on a three-stage filtration system that captures 99.97% of airborne particles and 99.99% of viruses. In addition, it has an auto feature that scans the air for particles and adjusts the fan speed accordingly. 

For those who want to watch their movies in peace, the Levoit Core is incredibly quiet, with noise levels as low as 26db. It also has Voice Control and can be connected to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for added convenience. 

LG PuriCare Aero Tower 

If you’re seeking style as well as substance, the PuriCare Aero Tower certainly looks the part. This air-purifying fan is designed to capture 99.7% of fine dust and allergens, and its advanced UVnano LED technology with HEPA filters can capture and kill airborne bacteria. 

The PuriCare Aero Tower delivers 360 degrees of clean air and has three airflow options (direct, diffused and wide). Best of all, you can control the air purifier via the LG ThinQ app that allows you to adjust the setting from outside the home. What’s more, its uber-stylish, cylindrical design will blend in with any modern decor.

Aura Air Purifier

The Aura Air is an all-in-one, smart air purifier that cleans and disinfects the air. Deemed as the "world’s smartest air purification system," it works using a powerful 4-stage purification system that detects and captures 99.9% of allergens, viruses and bacteria. With its unique Ray Filter technology, it can also remove odors and harmful gases lurking in the air. 

You can control or personalize your room settings via the easy-to-use Aura app, which also connects to Alexa or Google Assistant. What’s more, the Aura Air has a modern, lightweight design that allows you to easily hang it on a wall, making it ideal for compact spaces or apartments. It’s so discreet you’ll never even know it’s there. 

Dreo Air Purifier (DR-HAP002) 

If you want cleaner air in less time, the Dreo Air Purifier promises some impressive results. Equipped with a new "supercharged" airflow intake, this latest model offers a more powerful 360-degree system that can clean air in just minutes. Its advanced motor technology can pull in microns and bacteria 10 times better from afar to ensure the entire room is covered.

In addition, it has four air-quality lights, is Energy Star rated, and is super quiet at just 20dB — close to a whisper. The Dreo is ideal for when you want to put the kids to sleep or simply want some peace and quiet. 

Coway Airmega 150 Air Purifier

You can match your air purifier to suit your interior with the Coway Airmega 150's trendy colors and arty design. Choose from a range of tones, including dove white, sage green, peony pink, navy options, plus two botanical-art editions if you really want to make a statement. 

More importantly, the Coway Airmega 150 is powerful, armed with a 3-stage filtration system to easily capture dust, odors and fine particles. Despite its modest size, it has a 214-square foot coverage, more than ideal for mid-sized to small spaces, and its compact design makes it easy to store away discreetly.  

It also has a handy air quality indicator ranging from Good and Moderate to Very Unhealthy, so you can always keep an eye on your air cleanliness.  

Coway Airmega Icon and IconS

The Airmega 150 isn't the only Coway model introduced at CES 2022 — it was accompanied by two bigger siblings in the form of the Coway Airmega Icon and IconS. Each can clean a room of up to 700 square feet using a three-stage filtration True HEPA system to screen out 99.99% of particles, including most pathogens. 

The attractive neutral-colored fabric covering the Icon and IconS is water- and stain-repellent, and there's an air-quality sensor that helps adjust fan speed when necessary. The IconS model has Wi-Fi connectivity and can be controlled via the Coway IoCare mobile app, compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

Most noteworthy of all, the Coway Airmega Icon and IconS have a wireless charging pad built right into the control panel on the top of the device. You can place your smartphone or tablet on the purifier overnight to charge while it cleans the air. The Icon and IconS will be available in the United States in the second quarter of 2022.

Ible has revealed a wearable air purifier with built-in headphones at CES 2022. Part of its Airvida range, the Airvida E1 is able to purify the air around you while letting you enjoy your favorite music through a pair of noise-canceling headphones. On the paper, the concept sounds ridiculous, but the Airvida E1 may actually be bizarrely brilliant. 

Over the last two years, we’ve all become far more conscious of the quality of the air we breathe. Having access to properly purified air has never been more vital. To this end, several companies, including Ible Airvida, have seen increased demand for wearable air purifiers. The problem with these devices is that they look pretty odd while in use and serve only a single function. 

The Airvida E1’s smart integration of portable air purification technology and noise-canceling headphones creates a multifunctional device that wouldn’t look out of the ordinary on a packed commuter train or in line at the grocery store. We perhaps wouldn’t go as far as to call it a fashionable device, but it’s definitely a very functional accessory. 

Making use of Ible’s Breathing Pathway Eco Ion Technology, the Airvida E1 reportedly produces "negative ions around the user’s facial area which can disrupt and breakdown coronavirus’ carbon-hydrogen bond and inactivate them immediately.” These negative ions also attach themselves to airborne particles making them heavier and therefore fall onto the ground rather than being inhaled by the wearer. 

This unique purification system won an Innovation Award at CES 2020. It’s not just useful for fending off airborne viruses either, it’s also proven to help with seasonal allergies. The Airvida E1 could be a nifty device to have around your neck all year round. 

The Airvida E1 weighs 42 grams and sports a battery life of 8 hours with both the air-purifying function and the headphones in use. Without listening to music the battery life jumps up to more than 30 hours. You can also place the E1 on a supplied stand which turns it into a mini desktop air purifier for your home or office. 

It’s easy to dismiss the Airvida E1 as a novelty item. The elevator pitch of an air purifier with built-in headphones did initially have us scratching our heads, but its surprising usefulness quickly becomes apparent once you actually stop to consider its functionality. We do have our doubts about the quality of the supplied noise-canceling headphones though; we’re not convinced the Airvida E1 will be appearing on our best headphones roundup anytime soon. 

No release date or pricing information has been announced yet, but the Ible Airvida M1 (a wearable air purifier sans the headphones) retails for around $175 so we expect the Airvida E1 will cost around $200. We’ll update this article once we have more details. In the meantime, make sure to bookmark our CES 2022 live blog for the latest brilliant and bizarre announcements.

As an appliance tester, I was admittedly a little skeptical of the performance of air purifiers at first. I was sure that they were doing something, but I wasn’t confident on the effect, if any, it would have at home. I also had no need for one — when I was younger I luckily didn’t suffer from hay fever or allergies, so I had no need for such an expensive appliance taking up space in my tiny apartment. 

However, as the years went by, one summer I noticed something had changed. I was walking to the shops to pick up my groceries and decided to take the scenic route. As I walked past my park, suddenly my eyes started to water, my nose started to run and I sneezed without cessation. I looked and felt a mess, so much so that I had to turn back. When I got indoors, things improved, but the symptoms never fully went away. To make matters worse, I started to wake in the night with an itchy tongue and a blocked nose. I Googled the symptoms and just as I thought, there it was, hay fever. 

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Things went from bad to worse as every year the symptoms became more severe no matter where I went. Then I moved into my first mortgaged home which was on a building site, and I never considered what that would do. The heat of summer meant there was dust everywhere, so much so that I could see it building up in my apartment whenever I opened the windows. My allergies were through the roof and medication wasn’t cutting it anymore, so I needed to take action. That’s when I decided to try an air purifier.

Dyson first arrived on the air purifier scene in 2015 and have since aggressively expanded into the category. As well as different sizes of air purifier and improved capabilities, they have combined them with other appliances such as humidifiers and heaters to create multifunctional products. 

It wasn’t cheap, but desperate times called for desperate measures and so I bought a Dyson Pure Cool TP04 ($574 on Amazon). I placed it in the corner of my living room, switched it on and looked at it expectantly, like it would work a miracle. The small LCD screen immediately showed a yellow line to warn me that the air wasn’t up to scratch, and the fan started rotating around like it was on a mission. I left it to it and went about my day.

That very evening I started to notice a difference; I was sneezing less and my nose wasn’t running — it was a miracle!

I connected my Dyson air purifier to the app and looked over its charts to see what it had done. In addition to catching pollen in the air, Dyson Pure Cool TP04 had reduced VOC’s and nitrogen dioxide. I had no idea my air was so polluted! It even showed a spike where I had been cooking earlier. I decided to move the unit to the bedroom as that was where my symptoms were most annoying. I slept soundly that night and while the symptoms were not completely gone when I woke, they were definitely improved. 

I left my Dyson running day and night (using the handy Night mode) and took full advantage of the Automatic setting, too, where it uses its sensors to adjust the power. While my partner doesn’t suffer from hay fever as badly, he also noticed the difference and was happy with keeping it in the bedroom. 

When the pandemic hit, working from home became a necessity and I found myself carrying the Dyson air purifier from the bedroom to the home office every day. I also noticed that as soon as the Dyson moved, the quality of the air began to drop in the room it had come from. Sadly, one Dyson just couldn’t stretch to cover the entire apartment.

Being a new building, myself and my partner also noticed that the air could get quite dry now that the windows were often closed. There was a lot of static as we dressed and even when I brushed my hair. The extent of it made us nervous to touch anything metal in the bedroom for fear of static shocks. 

Luckily, Dyson had just released its Dyson Humidify + Cool PH01 ($799 at Best Buy), which fit the bill perfectly. I placed it in the bedroom and set the humidity to the recommended level. Having one model at each end of our home gave the overall space the treatment it needed. We could sleep better at night and no longer had to keep a stock of tissues wherever we went. The humidifying function also worked wonders for the dry atmosphere. 

I almost take the effect of these appliances for granted these days. It’s only when it crops up in conversation that I remember the impact. For instance, when my Dad visited recently, he commented that his allergies had stopped since he had been over. He too now wants to invest in a Dyson. Friends will also comment on them, asking if they work and if they’re worth it, and I always answer a resounding yes.          

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There's only a few hours left of Amazon Prime Day deals, so now's a good time to suck up some deals around Dyson appliances, as they've got some healthy discounts you'll not want to miss if you plan on upgrading your cleaning gear.  

Amazon Prime Day is here, and with it comes some of the best prices we've ever seen on Dyson appliances. Whether you're after a Dyson vacuum or some other product — air purifiers and hair care devices are also on offer — we've got the deals for you.

And don't think that it's all about Amazon. As other retailers compete for shoppers during the Prime Day event, we've seen some of the best deals from stores like Best Buy, Target and  Bed Bath & Beyond.

Dyson's products have a well-deserved reputation for premium quality and pricing to match. Pick up any Dyson product and you'll be treated to sleek designs and innovative technology, from stick vacuums that transform into handhelds, to air purifiers that offer heating and cooling. Even the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is a stunner. But good quality means high prices, which makes these discounts all the better. But move fast; these could sell out quickly!

From cordless vacuums to upright vacuums, and from hair dryers to air purifiers, we've got the best Dyson deals right here.

Best Prime Day Dyson deals right now

Vacuum cleaners

Air purifiers

Hair dryers

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Just in time for April Fool's Day — but not a joke — IKEA is releasing a new air purifier that's priced at a jaw-droppingly cheap $55. We're not sure it'll make our list of the best air purifiers, but at this price, that may not matter.

The Förnuftig (that's "Sensible" in Swedish) air purifier looks like a small piece of art when hanging on a wall, or a Scandinavian speaker when standing on the floor. It ships with a HEPA-like filter to screen out small particles, plus a prefilter to catch hair and large dust particles. 

IKEA Förnuftig price and release date

The Förnuftig is available on the IKEA U.S. website and in IKEA U.S. stores as of April 1, 2021. It costs $54.99. IKEA says the Förnuftig has been available in China since last fall.

You can also get an optional activated-carbon filter ($9.99) to absorb odors, gases and volatile organic compounds (gasoline, new vinyl, etc.). There's a space for the gas filter behind the HEPA-like filter in the Förnuftig's body. 

The operating cost is the main appeal here. Replacement filters for other air purifiers cost between $20 and $60, while the Förnuftig's filters cost much less. You do have to replace the Förnuftig filters a bit more frequently, but not often enough to make up the difference.

IKEA Förnuftig: Design

The Förnuftig looks pretty nice and nothing like the futuristic monoliths that most air purifiers resemble. The rectangular body comes in black or white, but the main thing you'll see is the attractive tweed-like gray-fabric prefilter on the front. That pops off and can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, but the two filters behind it have to be replaced every four months. 

The Förnuftig is about 12 inches wide, 18 inches long and four inches deep. At 7 pounds, 13 ounces, it's light enough to mount on a wall (air intake is on the sides, not the back), but you can attach an included stand for floor placement and a carrying handle as well.

IKEA Förnuftig: Room size requirements

IKEA says the Förnuftig can effectively clean the air in a room of 108 square feet (or 10 square meters), which is a small bedroom by North American standards. The FÖRNUFTIG isn't going to do much for your living room, but it might for your youngest child's room or a guest bedroom.

Compare that optimal room size to that of the $90 Levoit LV-H132, which can handle 129 square feet, or the $100 PureZone 3-in-1, which can do 200 square feet. That latter size is about the average size of a North American master bedroom, though the bedrooms in newer McMansions are a lot bigger. 

IKEA Förnuftig clean air delivery rate (CADR)

The Förnuftig's clean-air-delivery-rate (CADR), or air throughput, is a bit hard to figure out because IKEA's press package for the air purifier refers to the European cubic-meter-per-hour rate while we Yanks are stuck on the cubic-foot-per-minute (CFM) system.

The highest fan speed on the Förnuftig provides to a European CADR of 140 m3/h, which a Google-provided conversion formula translates to a U.S. CADR of about 82 CFM. However, then we drilled down into the Förnuftig product page on the IKEA website and saw that a maximum CADR of only 70 cfm was listed.

Either way, that's on the low side. The $100 PureZone 3-in-1 has a CADR of 80 CFM and the $90 Levoit LV-H132 also mentioned above tops out at 110 CFM. The EPA recommends a CADR of 65 cfm or more for even the smallest rooms.

IKEA Förnuftig fan speeds and power consumption

The Förnuftig has three fan-speed levels. IKEA's press brochure says the lowest speed is "quiet enough for sleep" (29 dB according to the user manual) which makes us wonder how loud the other two speeds are. The Förnuftig user manual has those pegged at 49 dB and 60 dB, respectively, the higher of which is roughly the volume of normal indoor conversation.

The three fan speeds draw about 1.5, 6.5 and 14 watts, respectively, according to the Förnuftig user manual. Your home internet router may draw up to 15 watts, while a smartphone charger draws between 5 and 7 watts.

IKEA Förnuftig costs of operation

If you have both the carbon and HEPA-like filters in your Förnuftig and replace them diligently every four months, then that will run you about $46 a year. Skip the carbon filter (you probably don't need it) and that drops to $16 a year. 

By comparison, replacing the HEPA or HEPA-like filters every six months on a regular air purifier will cost you between $40 and $120 per year.

IKEA Förnuftig care and cleaning

The prefilter mounted on the front of the Förnuftig can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner after you pop it off. The HEPA-like filter and the activated-carbon gas filter must be replaced every four months. An LED light on the top of the FÖRNUFTIG lets you know when it's time.

• Buying an air purifier? Here's what you need to know

If you're on the hunt to score yourself one of the best air purifiers on a killer offer, we've got you covered.

Today only, Best Buy has the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Air Purifier on sale for $549. That's a whole $100 off its original price of $649, making it one of the best Dyson deals we've seen this year. And with Best Buy's fast delivery service, you can get a hold of your brand-new Dyson device in as little as two days.

Sleek and premium design is something Dyson is well known for and the Pure Hot + Cool air purifier is no exception. This smart device has a metallic finish and a top that sort of resembles a paper clip. The top part of the Pure Hot + Cool is exactly what is capturing and purifying the air in your house, while simultaneously acting as either a fan or heater. And it's also safe for pets and children.

This multi-functional device features the HEPA Air and Carbon filters, smart senses that indicate the air quality on its LCD display all while purifying a room of up to 800 sq feet.

Now, when it comes to the canister on the bottom of the device, this is where the magic happens. The air is pulled in and treated with nearly 99% of allergens being removed. According to Dyson, the Pure Hot + Cool air purifier has been already certified as asthma- and-allergy-friendly and has been awarded the Quiet Mark accreditation, meaning that this device will minimize the amount of annoying fan noises.

For today only, Tuesday, Oct. 13, Amazon is selling Blueair air purifiers and fans for up to 35% off. This is one of the best Prime Day deals we've seen. Blueair is one of our favorite brands of air-cleaning products, and the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ and the Blue Pure 411 are near the top of our list of the best air purifiers.

Now you can get either of those two models, plus four others ranging from the Blueair Pure Purifying Fan to the heavy-duty Blueair Classic 680i, with a deep discount. Today is a perfect time to make sure your indoor air is clean during the upcoming long winter months.

• Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals 

Air purifiers can help reduce dander, pollen and even water droplets carrying the COVID-19 virus, making them essential to keeping indoor air clean during months when it's too cold to open a window. We're seeing nationwide shortages of certain models due to high demand, so be sure to take advantage of this one-day Blueair sale.

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LG just announced a product that could replace all the other face masks around: A wearable air purifier that straps over your mouth and nose, and filters everything you breathe into clean air.

The LG PuriCare Wearable Purifier uses technology similar to the brand's larger home air purifiers. Fans and filters are enclosed in a face mask-shaped device that secures around your ears and covers the nose and chin area.

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In an era where people around the world are wearing face masks for public and personal health, LG's wearable air purifier sounds more practical than apocalyptic — that is, if you're willing to wear it in public.

Its design, which LG says is "ergonomically designed based on extensive facial shape analysis," looks like something a movie character would wear as they traverse a dystopic, half-space half-atmosphere universe.  

But when we look past its menacing exterior, it seems like the PuriCare Wearable Purifier's two H13 HEPA filters, dual fans and patented respiratory sensor that automatically adjusts those fan speeds for up to 8 hours at a time could solve all our mask-related breathing complaints.

And keep us healthy, of course. The Wearable Purifier features UV-LED lights that kills harmful germs and will even notify you when your filter needs replacing.

Will wearable purifiers go mainstream?

There was a time where a wearable air purifier would've been called ridiculous.

In fact, at CES 2020, I included a product similar to the LG's wearable purifier called Atmos Facewear in our roundup of the weirdest gadgets from the show.

When the company behind the Atmos Facewear claimed its clear contraption way outflow prevents polluted, outside air from being inhaled, I wrote that I — and I quote — "fear a future where Atmos is required, both because of its distracting design and intended purpose."

Clearly the future came sooner than I, and most other people, expected.

Now, we're presented with a wearable air purifier from a leading electronics brand, and we're kind of... excited about it?

A device like LG's might not rid the planet of germs and virus particles, but it could help those living with compromised immune systems or other conditions that pose a health risk.

So if it takes strapping a Bane mask around our heads in public to keep people healthy, sign me up.