About

We've chosen a narrow set of criteria — the ones we've found most important from our clients and research at Lightwork, and the ones that are most quantifiable across purifiers:

Quiet throughput

Particulate air purifiers need good throughput to clear the air in your room. This is typically reported as Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). But maximum CADR is meaningless for daily use — it's usually way too loud. What matters is how much clean air a purifier delivers at a volume you can live with. We rank by CADR at 41 decibels or below by default (the speed setting to reach this varies by unit).

Design quality

The one subjective component. We've found that a purifier people are willing to keep in their living room gets used more than one they hide in a closet. You can toggle this off.

Filter lifespan

A purifier without regularly replaced filters is no good at all, and we've found that too-short lifespans mean people stop replacing them. We default to 12+ months. Listed lifespans are averages — actual life depends on usage and air quality. You can adjust the minimum.

VOC filtration

We have a separate guide focusing on chemical and VOC filtration, where airflow, carbon weight, and media choice matter most. Different VOCs and SVOCs require different filtration media, so this is something you'd want a professional to evaluate unless you're certain of a specific source.

There is nuance in every air purifier that makes apples-to-apples comparison hard. Airflow constraints (can it sit against a wall or does it need clearance?), peripheral additions (how much carbon is in a particulate-focused unit?), ionization preferences (we don't recommend it, but some people want it), and more.

This site is meant as a starting place. We focused on the facets that are most quantifiable and most impactful for most people. Your mileage may vary.

Some systems report different metrics or claim different results, which makes them impossible to rank alongside the purifiers here.

Some are quite good — we believe Dyson purifiers generally perform well, but they don't publish the same CADR data as everyone else, so they can't be compared. Others we're less positive about — we don't like Molekule's technology approach and think you'd be better off with HEPA-based purifiers like the ones on this site.

If you have questions about a specific product or technology, reach out and we're happy to help.

This site helps with one piece of indoor air quality — choosing a particulate air purifier. But healthy indoor environments involve a lot more than that.

At Lightwork, we do comprehensive home health assessments covering:

Air quality testing

Particulates, CO2, ventilation rates, combustion gases and carbon monoxide, humidity, and more. Filtration is only useful if you know what's actually in your air.

VOC identification

Different VOCs require different carbon media. We test for specific compounds so you can choose the right filtration rather than guessing — which is especially important for formaldehyde, SVOCs, and chemical off-gassing concerns.

Room prioritization

Not every room needs the same level of filtration. We help figure out where purifiers matter most based on how you use your space, where pollutant sources are, and where you spend the most time.

Water, Lighting, EMF, and so much more

Air is one part of a healthy home. We also test water quality, evaluate lighting conditions and sources, measure electromagnetic fields, evaluate mold, household products, and so much more.

If you're interested in a full assessment, visit our site or get in touch.