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I’m going to be honest with you about how I ended up with two air purifiers in my home.
It wasn’t because I was thinking about low-tox living or VOCs or particulate matter. It was because I have three cats, one of whom is a long haired ginger, and cat hair was absolutely everywhere. I just wanted to breathe without inhaling a fur coat.
What I didn’t expect was that somewhere between buying them for vanity reasons and running them constantly, all three of us, me, my partner, and the ginger cat specifically, started sneezing a lot less. The other two cats never seemed to sneeze much anyway but the difference in the house was noticeable. I can’t say I felt dramatically different physically but mentally knowing the air in my home is being filtered gives me peace of mind that is genuinely worth something.
Turns out I accidentally did something really good for our health without even trying.
This is Sheldon — yes named after Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, yes he has his spot, and no you may not sit there. He also used to sneeze constantly before the air purifiers and now barely sneezes at all. Coincidence? I think not.
Why Indoor Air Quality Matters More Than You Think
Here’s something that stopped me cold when I first learned it: indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, even when you can’t smell or see anything wrong.
The sources of indoor air pollution are everywhere and most of them are invisible. Off-gassing from furniture, flooring and paint. VOCs from cleaning products and candles. Mold spores. Pet dander. Dust and pollen tracked in from outside. Cooking fumes. If you have an MTHFR mutation and your body is already struggling to detoxify efficiently, breathing all of that in every single day is adding to your toxic load around the clock.
Opening your windows every day helps, I talk about that all the time and I mean it. But an air purifier works even when your windows are closed, when it’s too cold or too hot outside, or when the outdoor air quality isn’t great either.
Meet Temperance, named after the one and only Temperance Brennan from Bones. She has always been unbothered by everything including questionable air quality apparently because she never sneezed much to begin with. Must be nice.
What to Look For in an Air Purifier
Before I get into specific recommendations here’s what actually matters when you’re shopping:
True HEPA filter — this is non negotiable. True HEPA filters capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns including dust, pollen, mold spores, pet dander and bacteria. If it doesn’t say True HEPA it’s not doing the full job.
Activated carbon filter — this is what removes odors, gases and VOCs. If you’re buying an air purifier for a low-tox home this matters just as much as the HEPA filter. VOCs from furniture, cleaning products and building materials are a real concern and activated carbon is what addresses them.
Room size coverage — every air purifier lists the square footage it can handle. Make sure you’re buying one rated for the size of the room you’re putting it in or slightly larger. Undersized purifiers work too hard and don’t clean effectively.
No ionizers — ionizers emit ions that stick to particles and cause them to settle on surfaces rather than being captured, and if strong enough they also generate ozone which is toxic to your lungs and causes inflammation. For a low-tox home skip any purifier that uses ionization as its main technology or make sure you can turn the ionizer off.
Noise level — you want something quiet enough to run constantly especially in a bedroom. Look for models with a sleep mode and noise levels under 50 decibels on low settings.
Best Air Purifiers for a Low-Tox Home
Levoit Core 300 — Best for Bedrooms and Small Rooms
This is the one I personally have in my bedroom and the one I recommend on my Water and Air Quality page. It’s compact, quiet, runs all night without disturbing sleep, and covers up to 219 square feet which is perfect for a bedroom.
It has a three stage filtration system with a pre-filter, True HEPA filter and activated carbon filter. The sleep mode is genuinely quiet and it has a timer function which is handy. Filter replacements are affordable and easy to find.
If you’re just starting out with air purifiers and want something simple, effective and not overwhelming the Levoit Core 300 is exactly where I’d tell you to begin.
Winix 5500-2 — Best Overall for Most Homes
The Winix is considered one of the best overall air purifiers because it does all three important jobs well and at an affordable price, a large washable pre-filter to capture pet hair and dust, a True HEPA filter that removes smoke, mold, pollen and bacteria, and activated carbon that adsorbs odors and VOCs.
It covers larger rooms up to 360 square feet and has an auto mode that detects air quality and adjusts its speed automatically. The washable pre-filter is a nice bonus because it extends the life of the HEPA filter and saves money on replacements. If you have pets this one is especially worth considering.
Coway Airmega 100 — Best Budget Pick
The Coway Airmega 100 is a top pick for small air purifiers, completing air cleaning tests faster than most other small models and offering excellent value for its low price and running costs.
It has a three layer filter system, an onboard air quality sensor with auto mode, and a color coded air quality indicator light. It’s compact enough to move between rooms easily and the filter lasts a reasonable amount of time before needing replacement. A great entry level option if you want to try an air purifier without spending a lot.
Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max — Best for Large Rooms
If you need to cover a large open living space the Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max is consistently one of the top performers. It covers up to 1,800 square feet and uses HEPASilent technology which combines mechanical and electrostatic filtration for quieter operation at high performance.
It’s one of the more aesthetically pleasing options too if that matters to you, it comes in several colors and looks more like a piece of home decor than an appliance. Worth noting that you should opt for the high carbon filter version for better VOC removal.
PuroAir 240 — Best Mid Range Option
The PuroAir 240 is AHAM verified, covers up to 1,000 square feet, features a three stage filtration system with pre-filter, HEPA and activated carbon, and includes a real time air quality display that shows you exactly what your air is doing at any given moment. It also has a pet mode that boosts airflow specifically for pet related odors which feels very relevant for anyone with cats.
A Note About Air Purifiers and Pets
If you have pets an air purifier is one of the best investments you can make for the whole household. Pet dander is one of the most common indoor allergens and it’s microscopic, you can’t see it, you can’t vacuum it all away, and it lingers in the air long after your pet has left the room.
I have one of my air purifiers running next to my cat litter boxes specifically for odor control and it works remarkably well. The activated carbon filter handles the smell and the HEPA filter catches any airborne particles from the litter. If you’ve ever walked into someone’s home and immediately known they had cats you know exactly why this matters. 😄
You can also find low-tox pet product recommendations on my Low-Tox Pet Essentials page.
This is Autumn, our newest addition at just one year old and already the most chaotic energy in the house. I wanted a name that felt like her own rather than something tied to her fur color — she came in like a whole season changing everything and Autumn just fit perfectly.
Where to Start If You’re Overwhelmed
You don’t need to buy five air purifiers at once. Start with one room, your bedroom is the most important because you spend eight hours (hopefully) there every night breathing that air while you sleep.
Get something with True HEPA and activated carbon filtration rated for the size of your room, run it consistently, and you’ll be doing more for your daily air quality than most people ever think about.
And if you already have an air purifier you bought for reasons that have nothing to do with low-tox living, like cat hair, keep running it. You’re probably doing more good than you realize.
— Ashley 🌿
Find all my air quality and low-tox home recommendations at lowtoxliving.carrd.co
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