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CNET has tested dozens of air purifiers over the years to help you choose the best one for your needs — whether it’s for cold and flu season, to reduce dust and allergies, or to deal with pet shedding. All we have Air purifiers Rigorously tested at the CNET Labs product testing facility in Louisville, Kentucky. When evaluating our scores for air purifiers, we take into account particle removal ability, energy efficiency, loudness, price, and features. Each module is given a score out of 10 for each criterion, and then receives a final weighted score out of 10.
Editors’ Choice Awards and CNET Lab
The lab’s new winners for high and low fan particle removal are the Coway Airmega 400S and the Shark HP232.
After we test air purifiers, we also evaluate the best performers Editors’ Choice Award As the best buys for most consumers, based on quantitative and qualitative factors such as particle removal, energy efficiency, noise level, price, and unique features. This award went to our current best device, the BlueAir Blue Pure 311i Max, and our pick for best cold and flu prevention device, the Shark Large Air Purifier HP232.
We also evaluate the results of purely quantitative tests with our rigorous methodology to distinguish a laboratory award winner. our Laboratory Award Winner For faster particle removal at high fan setting is Kawaii Ermega 400Sachieving T90 for 21 seconds at the highest fan speed. It also ranks second in overall particle removal and is a great choice for large rooms. the Share Air Purifier HP232 Max It received our other lab award for fastest particle removal at a low fan setting. It was the best performer in overall particle removal speed, with the T90 reaching 1 minute and 17 seconds. It was also the cheapest unit to operate in terms of energy efficiency.
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How we test air purifiers
Award-winning Coway AirMega 400S
- Particle removal (30%): The average time it takes an air purifier to remove 90% of particles from a test room.
- Energy Efficiency (20%): We also calculate the average energy measured in kilowatt-hours used by an air purifier over the course of a month.
- Overall loudness (20%): Average noise level across low, medium and high fan settings.
- Price (20%): We think about how expensive or affordable an air purifier is. Most of our recommendations range from $300 to $800, depending on size.
- Features (10%): We think about features like app control, remote controls, and design elements that help it fit into the room.
The Coway AirMega 400S was set up in our smoke chamber for testing. This photo shows an old particle counter that has since been replaced with a newer model detailed below.
Particle removal test
The air we breathe is not just air. In fact, it is a mixture of human-produced and naturally occurring particles. The former consists mostly of urban, industrial, and automobile emissions of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and combustion byproducts, and the latter mostly represents smoke from forest fires, sulfates, soot, and materials from volcanic activity worldwide.
This animation shows the smoke chamber filling with smoke after the smoke bomb is ignited. This photo shows our older particle counter rather than the newer model we currently use.
according to Environmental Protection AgencySome of these microscopic solids and liquid droplets, which can be composed of hundreds of different chemicals, are so small that they are almost inevitable inhalation.
Fine versus coarse particles
Our particulate removal test evaluates how quickly an air purifier can remove smoke from a room.
Regarding smoke, seasonal allergens, and dust, an important consideration when purchasing an air purifier is whether it has an auto mode. Some air molecules do not remain constant all year or even all day. While the different types of particles are indistinguishable from the air purifier itself, according to the experts we spoke to, an important consideration for particles like pet dander is energy draw, because this type of pollutant theoretically remains persistent in your home and necessitates continued use of the air purifier.
We test our air purifiers against fine and coarse particles. Coarse particulate matter, including PM10 and PM2.5, which are particles less than 10 and 2.5 micrometers in diameter, respectively, pose the greatest risk to human health once inhaled. They are absorbed deeply into the lungs and even into the bloodstream, impairing the proper functioning of the lungs and heart. At the PM2.5 level, these particles include combustion particles, organic compounds, and metals.
The GreyWolf PC3500 Particle Counter is the new particle counter we use in our smoke chamber
At PM10, these include dust, pollen and mold. Large coarse particles greater than PM10 include fine beach sand (PM90), which is less of a concern because it does not usually enter the lungs, but can still irritate your eyes, nose and throat.
Microparticles are 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller. These include ultrafine particles and nanoparticles, which are less than 0.1 micrometer in diameter.
Smoke chamber test
Below are some of the raw ingredients we use to make the smoke bomb.
Using a GreyWolf PC3500 particle counter, we were able to verify that 0.5 grams of smoke bomb dry mixture yielded approximately 590 to 610 million particles per cubic meter. The device is capable of counting particles of different sizes, including PM2.5 and PM10, and records this data once every 15 seconds. Although we are able to count particles of different sizes individually, the total number of particles we are interested in is the sum of all particles of different sizes.
A 0.5 gram smoke bomb is ignited in the smoke chamber.
We prepare a 0.5 gram smoke bomb, which is ignited through the ignition port after installing the air purifier and ensuring proper sealing. As soon as the air in the room becomes saturated with particles (more than 580 million particles/m3), we turn on the respective air purifier. The data extracted from the particle counter allows us to accurately track the air purifier’s effect on particle counts in real time.
Noise level
Our new independent sound level meter we use to measure the noise level in air purifiers.
Using the decibel meter, we measure how loud air purifiers are at low, medium, and high fan settings. This is especially important if you plan to run the air purifier in your bedroom throughout the night and don’t want it to disrupt your sleep. We perform this test in our sound-controlled studio to ensure that the decibel meter only picks up the sound of the air purifiers, excluding other potential sources.
To give you a frame of referencewhisper quiet is about 25 dB. A normal conversation can range from 60 to 70 decibels. The power of the vacuum cleaner ranges from 65 to 80 decibels. A subway train 200 feet away reaches 95 decibels. Since most of our air purifiers are no louder than 65 dB even at maximum fan setting, you’re typically looking at a noise level on par with normal conversation. In general, noise level is not weighed as heavily as other factors, but it is important, especially if you are looking for an air purifier
Energy consumption
The HOBOware data logger helps us measure energy consumption.
To evaluate how much energy an air purifier consumes, we use the HOBOware Data Logger, an energy monitoring device, to measure how much energy each air purifier consumes at different fan settings. We can take this measurement and estimate the cost of running an air purifier over the course of a month in different states. Knowing your air purifier’s power consumption can make a difference in your energy bill, and we consider it a factor in our rating.