how to choose the right model and 11 proposals of 100 to 600 euros

Allergy to pollen, asthma, pets … respiratory diseases are an increasingly present reality and their prevalence continues to increase. If this is your case, you may have considered buy an air purifier (or even recommended by health personnel), a device that looks very similar to air conditioners but with the mission of returning a better air than the one they catch.

In this air purifiers buying guide You will find a simple explanation about how it works and how to choose an air purifier that suits your needs. Also, a selection of some of the most interesting models

How an air purifier works

The mission of an air purifier is remove elements present in the air: pollen, mites, dust, tobacco smoke … in general, pollutants. As a result it returns a cleaner air and in some cases, with less odors, since they trap the particles responsible for it.

To retain these particles, they first capture the ambient air using a fan and, after passing through a filtering system where impurities are trapped, the air returns to the room.

Although there are several technologies to purify the air such as electrostatic precipitators or the use of ozone, as we have previously advanced, the commercially used are high efficiency filters.

High efficiency filters offer an effective and safe solution. Of course, they are not perfect, requiring the replacement of these periodically to continue fulfilling its mission. In fact, the starting point when choosing an air purifier will be precisely know what degree of retention they offer.

Factors to consider when choosing an air purifier

HEPA filter

The retention capacity of the filter that integrates the air purifier is fundamental because it determines the quality of the air that will leave the room. In this sense, the recommendation is to look for models that have HEPA filters. High Efficiency Particulate Air) and not "HEPA type".

Why this nuance? In order for a filter to be called HEPA it must meet standards, that is, all particles equal to or greater than 0.3 microns in diameter must be trapped with 99.97% effectiveness.

Thus, we can also find models with "HEPA type" filters, usually more affordable but also less efficient, which either do not meet HEPA standards or have not been tested in independent laboratories.

The European standard EN 1822-1: 2009 defines several kinds of HEPA filters based on their degree of retention:

How big is the room to purify

The next aspect to value is know the cubic meters of the room whose air we are going to purify. And it is that as with the air conditioners, it is not the same to operate in a room of 10 square meters than to condition a room of 50 m ^ 3.

To size the room we will simply calculate its volume. This is: its surface multiplied by the height. Air purifiers offer this information in their specifications or an approximation to the surface to be purified.

It is important to know this data to be able to size our purification needs, so that we do not fall short or invest more than necessary in an oversized purifier.

Power

Hand in hand with the purification needs is the power necessary to carry it out in the time detailed in the specifications. In general, the more cubic meters we have to cover, the more power we will require. This power is usually given based on the flow of purified air per unit of time.

In case of not having enough power, the air purifier would be forced to operate for a longer time, something that in the long run would affect both the performance of the device, its useful life and electricity consumption.

Noise

It is easy to ignore the noise section when we are choosing an air purifier, an error that we will pay as soon as we take it out of the box and put it into operation.

Although it is true that because of its dimensions it is a portable device, it must be taken into account that the air purifier will be operative in our home continuously, in our presence and sometimes, when we are sleeping or doing activities that require silence .

In this sense, it is worth taking a look at the level of noise generated, always looking for those that are quieter or have a night mode. However, using it in the baby's room is not the same as putting it in an office.

To be done an idea of ​​noise levels, a couple of notes: the ideal way to sleep is that it is less than 30 dB and the noise generated by a well functioning refrigerator ranges between 30 and 50 dB.

Other factors to consider

After reviewing the fundamental factors, there are others that may be interesting.

• How they are handled and if they are programmable. While the most basic models are controlled in situ from the device itself, there are programmable and with remote control or even with an application to handle it electronically. Although they are not as popular as air conditioners or vacuum robots, there are already some models that can be integrated into the smart home, so that we can manage them using a voice assistant.

• That include sensorial so that they work autonomously, detecting variations in air quality and particles, thus adjusting both its operating time and the power used.

• That have extra technologies that complement the purification of HEPA filters such as ionization, active carbon or ultraviolet light. Thus, those with additional carbon filter are interesting if we seek to neutralize odors, ionizers help to neutralize particles and UV help neutralize bacteria accumulated in the filters.

• Filter replacement frequency. The useful life of a HEPA filter is limited and, although the manufacturer usually provides an approximate period of time to change it, there are models that notify how the deterioration of this key piece is.

Featured Models

Beurer LR-200

The Beurer LR-200 (109 euros) is a simple and compact model to purify a room that integrates a 3-layer filtration system. This model allows its programming manually from its control panel, where we will visualize the function of the timer and the 3 levels of purification.

It includes an optional ionic function, quieter night mode with dimmed panel light and a filter change indicator.

De'Longhi AC75

The De'Longhi AC75 purifier (117.47 euros) stands out for its combination of purified, combining HEPA filter, an ionizer to neutralize particles and a carbon filter. In addition, its filter is washable. It works with 3 speeds and has a control panel with LED and a timer from 1 to 3 hours.

Honeywell HPA100WE4

Also compact and very simple to use, the Honeywell HPA100WE4 (124.80 euros) includes a double micro filtration system with a specific prefilter for odors and gases, in addition to four levels of operation. An interesting point is its power consumption of 25W.

Bionaire BAP1700

The Bionaire BAP1700 (139 euros) consists of a HEPA filter for particles up to 2 microns easily washable and an ionizer that enhances the effectiveness of the main filter.

With a compact and discreet design, a sensor to measure air quality is included inside, allowing the possibility of operating in automatic mode.

We can adjust the timer up to 8 hours and know the status of the filter by means of a light. With night mode and energy saving. Of course, its energy consumption is not the lowest (65W) and its standard mode is considerably noisy.

LW-220 Beurer

The LW-220 Beurer (186.82 euros) is a compact model to purify the air of small apartments and at the same time humidify it.

With 3 levels of purification, several humidification programs, it is easily managed through its interface in the form of a screen, where we can see the water level. Its energy consumption is very low.

LR-330 Beurer Comfort

The LR-330 Beurer Comfort (205 euros) cleans the air and humidifies it at the same time. It consists of a three-stage filtration system with prefilter, activated carbon filter and HEPA. Its filters are washable, it has 3 operating levels and a screen to control it easily.

Rowenta PU6020 Intense Pure Air XL

If you need an air purifier for your entire home, the Rowenta PU6020 Intense Pure Air XL (239 euros) offers a high-performance solution with little interesting noise in terms of performance and cost. In return, it is not the least noisy nor the most energy efficient speaking.

With a system of sensors that quantify how polluted the air is and activate its start-up, it offers four levels of filtration with a prefilter for larger particles, one of activated carbon for odors, gases and volatile organic compounds, the HEPA filter and a room of the NanoCaptur type, indicated for formaldehyde.

Its operation is intuitive, with a control panel that changes color depending on the air quality, filter change indicator and timer.

Philips AC2887 / 10

The Philips AC2887 / 10 (297.92 euros) belongs to the input range of Philips purifiers, the 2000i series and consists of a HEPA filter and another activated carbon filter.

It is very quiet, easy to use from your touch panel and allows you to control the air quality in real time from your screen. It has three levels of operation: general, for allergens and for bacteria and viruses, with certifications

Dyson Pure Cool Me

The Dyson Pure Cool Me (349 euros) is a silent, elegant and effective solution in its mission to purify the air while cooling with its ventilation system.

With a very intuitive interface through its screen and remote control, we can control its operation throughout the day, activating its night mode when we need to be silent to rest. With washable filters and timer.

Dyson Pure Cool

With the most original and compact design, the Dyson Pure Cool (599 euros) is capable of filtering particles below 0.1 microns, according to the manufacturer and tested according to EN1822.

Thanks to its sensor it is able to detect the level of particles and gases, informing us in real time both from its color screen and from the Dyson Link app.

Philips AC5659 / 10

The Philips AC5659 / 10 is a connected air purifier, so that we can control the device and its surrounding air quality wherever we are from the app.

It consists of a double airflow system capable of purifying the air of enclosures of a considerable size, being sufficient for complete floors.

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