Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). A budget pick contender, the Levoit LV-H132 performed poorly in our tests, reducing particulates in our 200-square-foot test room by just 60% on high.
Smaller purifiers tend to be less energy-efficient, but the Clorox is an exception, with lower long-term running costs than is typical for this size. A display shutoff and child lock on the controls make it easier to sleep near and suitable for nurseries and playrooms. A slightly pricier honeywell purifier version of it is Alexa-enabled for remote or voice operation. Despite the name, this is strictly a small-room purifier, and in larger spaces, it doesn’t keep pace with our other picks. According to the EPA, air pollution inside the home can be two to five times higher than outside.
The PowerPlus is also easy to maintain and includes an indicator light that tells you when to replace the widely available filters. In the North American definition, “true HEPA” means that a filter removes at least 99.97% of airborne particles honeywell purifier of a 0.3-micron diameter in a single pass. For reference, human hair usually measures between 20 and 180 microns across. A particle with a 0.3-micron diameter is the toughest size to remove via physical, HEPA-type filtration.
Based on our years of real-world testing, we know that four ACH ensures rapid and nearly complete cleaning of highly polluted air. Want to learn more about air purifiers and how to select the right air purifier for you needs? Before making the Honeywell HPA300 the top pick in our air purifier guide, the Honeywell HPA3300BV1 PowerPlus True HEPA Air Purifier held the honor. We removed it because it’s frequently out of stock, but we strongly recommend it.
Once the Honeywell Intelli-Check Monitoring System displays a dirty pre-filter warning, users are advised to replace the pre-filter for optimal and effective air purification. Fortunately, Honeywell air cleaners contain a long-life HEPA filter which will typically last anywhere from 3 to 5 years or longer. Honeywell’s pre-filter will last up to an average of three months. The bulk of the pre-filter is a non-woven polyester which will continue to remove large, visible particles well beyond three months.
Doing all this may damage the fan’s motor, and we wouldn’t consider it to be a long-term solution for air-quality issues. But if you experience an air-quality emergency—say, regional wildfires creating a purifier supply shortage—it’s worth a shot. On that setting, the Air Pro emitted an earsplitting 71 decibels, measured from a distance of 6 feet. That’s by far the loudest of any purifier we’ve tested, and it would be absolutely unlivable in real-world use. I could hear its jet-like whine from 40 feet away, and it was on the other side of a heavy, acoustically sealed door. For reference, we set the limit of comfort at 50 decibels, and humans perceive a 10-decibel increase as roughly a doubling of loudness.
The Pre-Filter is the first level of filtration and helps capture large particles such as dust, lint, fibers and pet fur and helps to reduce VOCs & odors from cooking, smoke, bathrooms and honeywell humidifier pets. The filter check/reset light will remind you when it’s time to change your filter. To ensure stated product performance, use only genuine and certified Honeywell replacement filters.