Air purifiers are fundamentally simple machines—little more than a fan and a filter—but a well-designed purifier can capture virtually all airborne allergens, such as pollen and mold spores, as well as bacteria, viruses, and smoke.
After testing more than 50 air purifiers in the past nine years, our measurements have proven that the exceptional Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty is the best among them—powerful enough for a large room, quiet enough to sleep near, engineered to last for years, and inexpensive enough to set up in multiple rooms.
Our pick
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty
Perfect for bedrooms, playrooms, and living rooms, it’s one of the highest performing, most durable, and most economical purifiers we’ve tested.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $207.
Within 30 minutes, the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty reduced heavy smoke pollution in a New York office by as much as 99.6%, which is comparable with other top performers and has been consistent in multiple test spaces. We’ve pushed it beyond its on-paper limits in various ways—including running its filters 24/7 for two years, twice as long as recommended—and it has never wavered or weakened. It’s a great value on initial and long-term costs, and its compact form, quiet operation, and display-light shutoff make it especially well suited to bedrooms.
Runner-up
Coway Airmega 200M
Virtually identical to our top pick on features and performance, it’s a great choice if you prefer its looks or find it at a better price.
The Coway Airmega 200M is virtually identical to Coway’s AP-1512HH Mighty in every important respect. They’re equivalent in noise and performance measurements, the filters are interchangeable, and the similar controls on either allow you to shut off the display lights. The 200M has a square grille rather than a round one, but that’s the only major physical difference. If you prefer the 200M’s looks or if you find it at a better price, we recommend it.
Also great
Winix 5500-2
Overall terrific, this purifier has minor shortcomings, such as a stark look, no display shutoff, and slightly elevated electrical use.
The Winix 5500-2 is an exceptional performer on particulates air pollution, capturing as much 99.9% of the smoke in our test room in just 30 minutes on high. We prefer the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty for its lower energy consumption, smaller visual footprint, and manual display-shutoff feature. The related 5300-2 and C535 (which is exclusive to the Winix store and Walmart) lack a few of the 5500-2’s features but perform just as well and may be available at lower prices. We’ve had similarly strong results with every other Winix we’ve tested, including the AM80 and Wi-Fi–enabled AM90.
Also great
Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto
Though exceptional in performance and appearance, the Blue Pure 311 also has elevated running costs and no display shutoff.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $203.
The Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto is similar in capabilities to the Coway Mighty, Airmega 200M, and Winix machines, with notably quiet performance, terrific energy efficiency, and a control panel that automatically dims after you adjust the settings. It’s also particularly attractive, with a tweedlike, washable cover in several muted colors. Two minor knocks against it: The air-quality indicator lamp, a bright blue LED, shuts off only when the unit is on its lowest setting, and Blueair recommends replacing the filters every six months, pushing yearly replacement costs above those of the other machines.
Also great
Levoit Vital 200S
Top-class performance, quiet operation, and full display shutoff for better sleep earned this relative newcomer a recommendation after preliminary tests.
Levoit’s Vital 200S matched the Mighty in performance tests and is very similar to it in terms of energy efficiency, noise output, and the ability to shut off its display while maintaining the fan setting of your choosing. It’s a new release, however (January 2023), so we haven’t had time to long-term test it.
Upgrade pick
Blueair Blue Pure 211+
The Blue Pure 211+ aced our tests, and its ability to move extremely high volumes of air suits large spaces.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $300.
Budget pick
Levoit Core 300
In a small bedroom, dorm room, or office, the compact and affordable Levoit Core 300 performs extremely well and looks great.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $100.
In a space of around 200 square feet or less, the Levoit Core 300 is a solid, inexpensive purifier. It was impressive in our tests, reducing particulates by more than 97% on its high setting in 30 minutes in a 135-square-foot New York office. On medium, it reduced them by more than 92%. It’s attractive and compact, measuring just 14.5 inches tall and 8.5 inches in diameter. It’s the cheapest up front of all our picks, and it includes a display shutoff feature. But it’s not terribly energy efficient, and it doesn’t keep pace with our other picks in larger rooms.
Below, we cover a few other purifiers that fit specific needs, including a purifier for handling VOCs, an especially energy-efficient small-space purifier, and a truly smart air purifier.
