As time goes by, not only outside but also the air inside our home is getting contaminated by VOCs, smoke from cooking, cigarette, allergen, pollen, toxins, odor, etc. Coughing, sneezing, allergies, itchy eyes, and poor sleep quality, all of these are an indication of poor indoor air quality, and to prevent it you need an air filtration system for your home.
Air purifiers are now a necessity for better living space quality. They can improve the air in your home drastically by removing 99% of the elements responsible for air pollution.
Aside from the traditional models, now smart air purifiers are also hugely popular for their performance and convenience. So without further delay, let's get more into how you can find the best air purifier for your home.
- Things To Know For An Air Filter
- Best Air Filter For Home In 2023
- How Often To Change Air Filter In Home Air Purifier
- Transform Your Air Purifier To A Smart One
Things To Know For An Air Filter
Before buying an air purifier for your home, there are a few things you need to know. Let's see what they are.
Type
There are a few different types of air filters. Among them, the most popular ones are pre-filter, true HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter.
Pre-filter works as the first step of the filtration system. It catches the largest elements or particles such as dust, pet hair, lint, etc. Pre-filters are made of either fabric or any porous materials.
True HEPA filters capture the smallest particles up to 0.3 microns in diameter such as pollen, allergen, dust mites, etc.
Activated Carbon filters are usually porous and capture the VOCS in the air. It also eliminates odor, smoke from cigarettes or cooking, toxic gases, etc.
Size And Shape
The size and shape of the purifier are just as important as other factors here. Make sure the size and shape are in accordance with the space where you're intending to place it.
For example, if it's a small room, then a smaller air purifier is the best choice that you can place on a desk or bedside table. On the other hand, if it's a large room, a bigger air purifier in the corner of the room will work better.
Performance
Performance means the area coverage of the air purifier as in how big of a space it can purify efficiently. Usually, the performance or capacity of an air purifier is denoted by square feet of area and time. For example, 500 square feet of area coverage in one hour.
To determine what capacity air purifier you need, first, consider the room size you're going to place it in. After that, you can easily find out what capacity air purifier will need to cover that much area.
Placing the air purifier in a room bigger than its coverage will lead to poor performance so it's very important to take all of these into consideration.
Maintenance
Air purifiers require regular maintenance for maximum performance. This includes replacing the filter inside. These replacement filters can cost from 20$ to as high as 100$ depending on the brand, size, type, etc.
You will need to change the filter at least once or twice a year which adds quite a few bucks to the yearly expense. Some of the brands can require more frequent replacement than others, so make sure to factor that when choosing an air purifier for your home.
Design
Design might not be the most important factor here but it's still a priority. Since air purifiers are supposed to be out in the open, most people want them to blend in with their furniture and other stuff.
So make sure to get one that matches the aesthetics of your living space and doesn't stand out too much.
Best Air Filter For Home In 2023
Let's see two of our best picks of air filters for home; for both large and small spaces.
Coway Airmega 400S
For air purifiers, Coway is one of the leading brands. They have multiple air purifier models and our first pick is their Airmega 400S suitable for spaces up to 1560 square feet. The filter can cover this large area in just 30 minutes so it's perfect as a whole-house air filtration system.
Besides, it has multiple modes suited to different scenarios including eco-mode, sleep mode, high mode, smart mode, etc.
The filter has impressive efficiency with a combination of 3 types of filter that removes almost 99% of any odor and VOCs.
You can even schedule their turn on/off time and monitor the air quality through the related Coway app.
What We Like
- Area coverage of up to 1560 square feet
- Eliminates 99% of VOC
- Has filter alert for replacement
- Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
What We Don't Like
- Large and boxy appearance
- Expensive
- Replacement filter cost is high
Blueair 411
The second pick is a more budget-friendly option for smaller spaces like studio apartments or a bedroom.
Blueair 411 air purifier can filter a 772 square ft area in just 60 minutes. It's conveniently small and portable so doesn't take up much space. The design is also sleek so blends in easily with the living space.
As for the features, this filter is proven to eliminate almost 99% of any odor, pollen, allergen, and other particles. It's also easy to operate with just one button. But the most notable aspect of this filter is that it's extremely quiet even in high mode.
What We Like
- Fast operation
- Almost no noise
- Eliminates 99% of allergens, pollens, odor, and dust particles
- Affordable replacement filter
- Easy to operate
- Energy efficient
What We Don't Like
- Not suitable for larger space
- Cannot schedule turn on/off
How Often To Change Air Filter In Home Air Purifier
Changing the filter regularly is an important part of air purifier maintenance.
While using an air purifier, the filter inside it accumulates dirt, dust, pet hairs, and other elements. Once these elements get stuck inside, it lowers the performance of the purifier. So, they require a change of filter every few months to work efficiently.
In most cases, specialists recommend changing the filter every 6-12 months. However, depending on a few factors the time may change.
For example, if you experience a lot of indoor pollution and tend to run the air purifier frequently, the filter will need replacement much earlier, say, every 6/7 months. Depending on the size of the filter and prefiltration system, the time varies as well.
On top of that, if your air purifier has a carbon pre-filter, it's better to change them after every 3 months. Changing and taking care of the prefilter properly gives you more time in between filter replacements.
Some brands also have washable filters. You can wash them at home with vinegar and water.
Transform Your Air Purifier To A Smart One
A smart purifier has multiple features that make it more appealing than a regular air purifier such as remote control, ability to schedule turn on/off, energy-efficient mode, various alert systems, and many more.
However, air purifiers are not exactly cheap, and buying a brand-new one when you already have a functioning purifier is not wise. Instead, you can use smart plugs to transform your regular air purifier into a smart one.
Our recommendation is the EVVR Energy Monitoring Smart Plug & Relay. It's a split-type smart plug & energy monitor combination. With it, you can control your air purifier from anywhere over the internet, and access most other features a smart air purifier would provide.
Final Thoughts
A good air purifier can change the air quality of your home drastically. Not only does it reduce dust and air pollution from the air but also helps improve your health and sleep quality. With a smart air purifier, the maintenance and controls are even easier.
Hopefully, this article will help you find a suitable air purifier for your home. For any further inquiries about smart air filtration for home, reach out to us!
