But what should you be looking for when you shop for the best air purifier? To help decode the often confusing array of technical terms associated with air purifiers, we've enlisted the help of Lars Dunberger, Technology Development Manager at Blueair, a Swedish manufacturer that specialises in air quality products. First up, CADR... Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)

Well, yes, regular ventilation like opening the windows and doors in your home is key to a healthy building. In fact, this is how long to keep windows open to stop mould, as recommended by the experts. However, if you live in an area with poor outdoor air quality, or are sensitive to pollen, then this isn’t always as good a solution as we might hope. This air filter also has Smart capabilities and can be connected to an App for remote operation. Sadly, in practice, we found the briiv's controls – both manual and App-based – a little fiddly and unresponsive.Naturally, air purifiers with a higher CADR, intended for use in larger areas, will have a higher power consumption than air purifiers for smaller areas. For this reason, the power consumption should always be compared to the CADR performance of the unit. A common way to compare the power consumption of different air purifiers is to look at or calculate the CADR/Watt measurement. The higher CADR/W, the better the efficiency'. Noise levels While trialling this purifier, our reviewer Millie found it very simple to set up and use and quiet to run throughout the process. It helped to alleviate allergy symptoms after use, and it was satisfying to watch the numerical reading on this air purifier drop as the air got cleaner. It would be nice to think that we could all rely on good air quality as standard, however, with increasing levels of pollution both inside and out, many of us are turning to air purifiers to help counteract potentially harmful particulates in the air. A higher CADR rating means that the air purifier can clean the air faster, making it more efficient. An air purifier with a low CADR rating may not be as effective in removing pollutants from the air. CADR is a standardized measure that allows you to compare air purifiers of different sizes. The AHAM recommends a CADR rating of at least 2/3 of the room's area'. Removal rate Despite its relatively affordable price point, this model offers a pre-filter to capture large particles such as dust, lint, fibers, hair, and pet fur, a HEPA filter that traps fine dust, smoke particles, and allergens such as pollen and pet dander, and a carbon filter that works to neutralise smoke, fumes, VOCs, and household odours such as cooking smells and pet odours.

The controls are easy to operate, with anLED displayand largepush buttons. The unit also has wheels, a retractable carry handle, and a cable tidy that makes it easy to move around the house and store neatly away when it's not in use. Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) is a measure of an air purifier's efficiency in cleaning the air in a particular room. CADR measures an air purifier’s effectiveness based on room space and the volume of clean air it produces per minute. This shows how well dust, pollen, and smoke, the three most common indoor air pollutants are removed from the air that you breathe', says Lars Dunberger.The best air purifiers use activated carbon filters will remove the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that cause smells. That could be a musty smell, the particulates from a scented candle, or aerosol. How do I get the right size air purifier for my room? Our testers found the top control panel to be very user-friendly, with an auto mode that uses the built-in sensor to adjust filter speed accordingly, and a handy digital display on the top that gives you real-time information on air quality levels. The lower section of this cylindrical air purifier is wrapped in what the brand calls a fabric 'pre-filter', designed not only to look attractive but also to catch larger particles and extend the life of the primary filter inside. You can vacuum the fabric outer or pop it in the wash to clean it.

Dust pre-filter – think of air filtration as sifting sand on a beach. You want to remove the large pebbles first with a big sieve before using a finer one. Otherwise, the fine filter gets clogged up. It's not quite as quiet as the Blueair Blue 3210 air purifier on its lowest setting, offering noise levels of 24dB compared to the Blueair Blue 3210's lowest 18dB setting, but it's still pretty quiet compared to other options. However, like the Blueair Blue 3210, those noise levels do get considerably higher as you move up the fan settings. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Noise from air purifiers generally comes from the fan or motor and the air pressure through the filter. When specifying an air purifier’s noise level, an A-weighted decibel value, or dB(A), is commonly used. “A-weighted” means that the measurement compensates for the ear’s inability to perceive all acoustic frequencies in the same way.

Small, lightweight, and relatively affordable, we think the Levoit Core 300 air purifier is a great option for smaller homes, and, thanks to its unobtrusive build and quiet 'sleep mode' we rank it alongside the Blueair Blue 3210 air purifier as one of the best air purifiers for the bedroom. The irony of an air purifier is that whilst they may help to remove air pollution from our personal environments, the plastics and other manmade materials used in their manufacture potentially contribute to overall environmental air pollution. briiv aims to reduce this problem by creating an air purifier with a difference.

HEPA filter – this catches more dust, pollens, other allergens, and even bacteria, so you’ll breathe cleaner whether you suffer from pet allergies or hay fever. This small air purifier uses hypochlorous acid (HOCl),a naturally occurring molecule created using non-iodized salt, water, and electrolysis, to clean, deodorize, and humidify dry air. Thankfully you don't have to buy two separate products, with the MeacoDry Arete One dehumidifier and air purifier offering the best of both worlds. This multifunctional unit gets our vote for the best dehumidifier money can buy thanks to its generous water tank, high moisture extraction rate, easy-to-use design, and its air filtering capabilities with washable dust filterandHEPA filter. Yes, dust and pollen are some of the largest particles likely to be in the air, so most air purifiers will manage to capture and filter out a good amount of dust particulate from the air. Do air purifiers remove smells?

How we tested

CADR is an industry-standard measure defined by the independent Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) in the U.S. Certified and verified by an independent laboratory, CADR provides consumers with a reliable way to compare the efficiency of different air purifiers'.