Air Purifiers 101

Home Air Purifier Buying Guide

When it comes to living a lifestyle of wellness, one often overlooked element is your home’s air quality. Just as we purify and drink clean water, it is also important to breathe healthy, clean air. One of the best ways to ensure your indoor air quality is safe and clean is to have a home air purifier. But what is an air purifier? And how do you know which purifier is right for your home?

In this home air purifier buying guide, we will help you understand everything you need to know about air purifiers, including which air purifier is right for your home.

How do air purifiers work?

One thing is clear: air purifiers clean the air. But how do air purifiers work? Air purifiers work by pulling in dirty air from the room around you. The air is then filtered while unwanted particles like dust, bacteria, allergens, and more are captured in the air filter. The purifier then releases the fresh, clean air back into the room, providing you with a pure home atmosphere.

Types of air purifiers

There are many different types of air purifiers, so it is important to understand what type of home air purifier is right for you. Here are some of the most common types of air purifiers:

HEPA or True HEPA air purifier

Most modern HEPA air purifiers use HEPA technology to filter the air. HEPA stands for "High-Efficiency Particulate Air," which means it's highly effective at trapping particles in the air. To be considered "True HEPA" the filter must be rigorously tested to prove it can capture up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. Microns are a unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter, and scientists use it to refer to the most common air pollutants including dust, smoke, pollen, and more.

Ionic air purifier

HEPA air purifiers are not the only air purifiers available for home use. Ionic air purifiers clean the air without a filter, using electrostatic precipitators that have positive and negative charged plates that capture particles as they pass through the air purifier. Unfortunately, ionic air purifiers are not always as effective at efficiently removing the smallest particles.

Carbon filter air purifier

Some air purifiers come with a carbon filter. These carbon filter air purifiers do not actually remove or capture the particles in the air. Instead, carbon filter air purifiers trap odors as they pass through the purifier, leaving your air smelling fresh. Combining a carbon filter with your True HEPA filter offers the ultimate protection from unwanted odors in your air.

UV air purifier

The UV air purifier uses ultraviolet light to zap bacteria, germs, and viruses in your air. While UV air purifiers are rarely standalone units, they sometimes are added to traditional HEPA air purifiers for an extra layer of protection.

What is the best air purifier for poor indoor air quality?

If you are looking for the best air purifier for poor indoor air quality, look no further than the Bionaire® True HEPA 360° UV Air Purifier. Featuring 6 stages of filtration including UV Light Protect™, this home air purifier brings fresh, pure air into every corner of your home, to help you breathe better and feel better. The 360° air intake system pulls in air from all around you, surrounding you in fresh, clean air. The Bionaire True HEPA 360° UV Air Purifier filters the air in a 175 sq. ft. space in just 12.5 minutes (4.8 air changes per hour based on AHAM recommended removal rate) or a space up to 424 sq. ft. in 30 minutes. This means it delivers a 113 CADR, providing coverage for medium-sized rooms up to 175 sq. ft.

Best home air purifier by room size

A major factor to consider when looking for an air purifier is the CADR, which stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate. The higher the CADR, the larger an area the purifier is capable of cleaning. Because every air purifier has a different CADR, that means they can clean the air of different room sizes. So, what is the best home air purifier by room size?

CADR is determined by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, or AHAM, based on the length of time it takes your home air purifier to completely change the air 4.8 times per hour, or every 12.5 minutes. For example, the Bionaire True HEPA 360° UV Air Purifier has a CADR of 113, and can purify the air in 175 sq. ft. in just 12.5 minutes.

Best air purifier for large rooms

The Bionaire True HEPA aer1 Tower Air Purifier delivers a 188 CADR, providing coverage for large-sized rooms up to 291 sq. ft., making it the best air purifier for large rooms. With a 3-stage aer1 filtration system, this tower air purifier captures up to 99.97% of unwanted dust, smoke, pollen, and more, as small as 0.3 microns.

Best air purifier for medium rooms

The Bionaire True HEPA 360° UV Air Purifier filters the air in a 175 sq. ft. space in just 12.5 minutes (4.8 air changes per hour based on AHAM recommended removal rate) or a space up to 424 sq. ft. in 30 minutes. The CADR of 113 is ideal for medium-sized rooms. The 360° air intake system pulls in air from every direction through the 6-stage filtration system, including UV Light Protect, leaving you in a soothing oasis of fresh, clean air.

Best air purifier for small rooms

Experience a home in harmony with the Bionaire® 360° 3-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier. Bedroom, office, and playroom approved, the 100 CADR is ideal for small-sized rooms up to 155 sq. ft. The 360-degree air intake system pulls in air through the 3-stage filtration system for fresh, clean air everywhere.

Best air purifier for pets

The Bionaire True HEPA 360° UV Air Purifier features 6-stage filtration system and uses 2 layers of pre-filters, a True HEPA filter and a carbon filter, to capture up to 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns (including pet hair, dander, and odor) making it the ideal air purifier for pet owners. In fact, here’s what the Canine Journal had to say about it:

"I was sent a Bionaire True HEPA 360° UV Air Purifier in exchange for an unbiased review. I noticed my basement had more of a pet odor mixed with humidity. I leave my dog in the basement when I’m away from home, so it can start to smell downstairs at times…

I plugged the Bionaire Air Purifier into the outlet and set it on the low setting. Within a couple of days, I stopped noticing the smell in the basement. I’m unsure about what the air quality level was in the basement…but I can tell that it improved it…

Overall, I’ve been happy with it and think it’s a great option for a medium-sized room."

– Kimberly A., Canine Journal

Air purifier and humidifier differences

While air purifiers and humidifiers both affect the air that you breathe, they have very different functions when it comes to your home air environment. So, what are the biggest air purifier and humidifier differences? Air purifiers clean the air by removing unwanted pollutants and particles in your air. However, humidifiers affect the moisture in your air by evaporating water into your air. This can help alleviate the stuffy, dry feeling in the air, but it unfortunately does not clean the air.

Conclusion

There are a lot of questions when it comes to air purifiers. Bionaire is dedicated to helping you understand everything you need to know to keep your home’s air clean. So, if you are looking for an air purifier that provides your home fresh clean air, come home to comfort with Bionaire. Looking for tips on your air filter? Read our Air Filters 101: Home Air Filter Buying Guide for tips on how to replace your filter and which replacement filter is right for your Bionaire air purifier.