Three best air purifiers for allergies, tested by experts

Dust mites, animal dander, mold spores, cooking fumes — no matter how clean a home you keep, indoor air pollutants have a way of hanging around. These contaminants are particularly irritating for the millions of Americans who suffer from year-round allergies. While an air purifier on its own will not deliver perfect indoor air quality, it can help relieve the worst symptoms. “Air purification is often used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan in the management of respiratory diseases,” said Derek Damin, M.D., assistant professor of clinical medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

That’s why air purifiers are on the list of continuously tested products at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Along with steps such as regular vacuuming and instating a no-shoes policy to prevent pollen from being tracked indoors, running a high-performing air purifier at home can cut down on the sneezing, sniffles and itchiness that can be triggered by allergic reactions.

Our latest air-purifier review took our total number of tested models up to 45. For this report, our experts looked for models that are ideal for allergy sufferers, thanks to features such as a pre-filter (for capturing airborne dust and pet hair) and true HEPA filtration (to snag smaller particulates, such as pollen and dander). When all the, er, dust had settled, these three air purifiers stood out from the pack. The following are our top picks.

BEST OVERALL AIR PURIFIER: Blueair 311i+ Max, $254 at Amazon

To effectively capture all the tiny allergens floating through indoor air, you need an air purifier with serious filtration. In our latest lab tests, Blueair’s newly released 311i+ Max took over the top spot, thanks to its advanced multilevel protection against contaminants of all sizes — not just dander and pet hair, but also cooking fumes, dust mites and pollen. “It was exceptionally fast at clearing the air in our test chamber; plus, it was among the quietest models, even on its higher fan speeds,” said Nikolas Greenwald, Good Housekeeping Institute lab assistant. For good measure, the device is certified by Quiet Mark, an outside organization that evaluates consumer products for sound.

The 311i+ Max’s washable fabric pre-filter that encases the device (available in five colors) snags fur, dust and other large particles. Next is a true HEPA filter for smaller particles down to .1 micron, the smallest of all tested air purifiers. That’s enough to clear up to 99.97 percent of pet-generated pollutants across 465 square feet in under 13 minutes. “It’s perfect for a family room or studio apartment,” said Greenwald, adding that “larger spaces will be better served by one of our more powerful top picks.” As for its feature set, our testers were impressed by the 311i+ Max’s connectivity and smartphone app, which lets you monitor your home’s air quality remotely. You can also program the air purifier to kick into standby mode when you leave the house and turn on when you are close to returning.

BEST VALUE AIR PURIFIER FOR ALLERGIES: Dreo Macro Pro, $120 at Amazon

Allergy sufferers often need more than one air purifier to manage air quality throughout multiple rooms in the house: one for the bedroom, one for the home office, etc. If you’re on a tight budget, you could buy three or four of these Dreos for the price of a single model from other top brands, without giving up much in the way of performance. The Dreo uses three-stage filtration — a fabric pre-filter, a true HEPA filter and an odor-neutralizing carbon filter. In extensive home testing that took place over several weeks, the Dreo effectively vanquished odors, as well as stale air. Plus, its compact design will not get in the way in smaller spaces.

“It seems to have really freshened up the air in our basement apartment, where we have a dog and lots of dust,” noted a tester. One caveat: The Dreo was not the most intuitive air purifier in our tests, so nontechies might find it frustrating, at least at first. Some testers quibbled that the interface takes a little getting used to, but in time, most appreciated the bevy of modes, including three fan speeds and separate modes for sleep, turbo and auto, in which the purifier uses onboard sensors to make automatic adjustments based on current air-quality conditions in the room.

BEST AIR PURIFIER FOR ALLERGIES IN LARGE HOUSE: Alen BreatheSmart 75i Air Purifier, $808 at Wayfair or $769 at Walmart

Got a lot of house and bad allergies? The 75i Air Purifier combines advanced filtration technology with a powerful fan for massive cleaning power across 1,300 square feet. It’s the only other model in our roundup (along with the Blue Pure 211) that can capture contaminants down to .1 microns. Not for nothing, this is also one of the better-looking models to pass through our labs, with its sleek front panel available in six colors.

The combination of peak performance and high design doesn’t come cheap. Besides the steep upfront price, filter-replacement costs are several times that of other models. One other note: Our safety experts point out that the Alen has an optional ionization setting designed to combat even more pollutants. We don’t recommend this feature on any air purifier since it can produce ozone, a lung irritant. But even without the use of the ionization setting, the Alen should capture plenty of allergens, while looking good in the process.