How A Public Health Expert Keeps His Home Healthy During Bouts Of Poor Air Quality

Best budget: GermGuardian AC4100

This straightforward, easy-to-use air purifier comes recommended by Masri. He says it performs well in small-to-mid-sized rooms, specifically during wildfires. The compact device works to filter out up to 99.97% of germs, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and more, and its UV-C light helps kill harmful airborne viruses, including influenza and rhinovirus. Its pre-filter also catches dust, pet hair, and other large particles, which is a big help, especially for pet owners.

An expert-recommended charcoal filter helps this purifier remove unwanted odors from the air. The machine works exceptionally well when it comes to reducing smoke particles from indoors. “I've tested it during wildfire smoke events and have seen 50-70% reductions in PM2.5 with the doors and windows closed,” Masri adds.

Best for small spaces: Levoit Small Room Air Purifier

This tabletop option can easily be placed on desks, counters, nightstands, and other small spaces. It boasts a three-stage dual-filter design equipped with dual-sided H13 True HEPA filters to help filter out 99.97% of airborne particles. What's more, the entire device clocks in at just around three pounds—so no sweat if you need to move it from room to room. You could even take it on trips!

Light sleepers or those looking for a no-fuss system can rest easy; this unit is whisper-quiet and has a single-button control. The machine will alert you when its filter needs to be replaced, typically every six to eight months. Another key feature: This pick has an aromatherapy pad where you can add a few drops of essential oils to create a spa-like experience at home. Reviewers love the way this purifier eliminates odors and leaves their air with a fresh, clean scent. Many mention using the device to filter smoky air from wildfires.

Best with remote control: Shark HE402 Advanced Air Purifier

Shark may be best known for its top-rated vacuums, but the brand also makes high-quality air purifiers. This remote-controlled model has Clean Sense IQ, which allows it to keep tabs on the air quality of a room and auto-adjust according to pollution levels. There's also an easy-to-read panel that displays real-time feedback on air quality. The display screen can be dimmed or shut off during the night to avoid sleep interruptions.

The device can cover up to 1,000 square feet and comes with a Nanoseal HEPA air filter, which the brand says removes up to 99.98% of particles. The filter has an advanced odor guard to help eliminate odors from pets, cooking, and more.

This space-saving pick is applauded for its sleek design and ability to improve the quality of dusty, odorous air quickly. “Been using it for well over a year, and I've noticed the dust in the house has been minimal since purchase. Great product, highly recommended,” shared one shopper. Another elated customer commented, “The noise level was minimal, and energy efficiency was fantastic! Didn’t use the remote. Live in El Dorado Hills, California, and was purchased during the Caldor fire. Was a lifesaver. Since then have been used during winter to help with stuffiness and furnace, also now spring and allergy season. Best money spent by far.”

Best for large rooms: Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier

If you need an air purifier for a large room, this one's for you. Available in creamy white and black shades, this highly-rated air purifier can cover up to 1,095 square feet. In fact, the brand claims that it can totally purify the air in a room this size in under 60 minutes. Its timer allows you to set it for run times of either 2, 4, 6, or 8 hours, and its small size allows it to go undetected in rooms easily.

The best part? This device is both Energy Star and CARB Certified. It also has a three-layer filtration system: a pre-filter that captures dust and pet hair, an H13 True HEPA filter that works to eliminate bacteria, smoke particles, pollen, and pet dander, and a high-efficiency activated carbon filter that removes smoke, fumes, VOCs, and odors.

Boasting nearly 64,000 5-star ratings, this compact pick is a favorite among many shoppers. One says it's "worked wonders" for clearing wildfire smoke, and others rave that the purifier helps improve their breathing significantly.

Best quiet: Clorox Air Purifier

You may be familiar with Clorox’s cleaning products, but the trusted brand also makes air purifiers that can quickly boost the air quality in your home by filtering out wildfire smoke, pet allergies, dust, and more. Lauded for being incredibly quiet, this model is constructed with a true HEPA filter that can capture up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.1 microns and two more filters that help grab larger particles while also reducing odors.

Perfect for medium-sized rooms, this option has a sensor that can accurately detect the current air quality in a room—it shows real-time information on a sleek digital display screen, and the purifier’s fan speed will adjust based on this. It also has a 360-degree airflow that draws in air from all parts of the room. It can completely clean the air of a 225 square foot five times each hour and filter the air of a room of approximately 1,000 square feet once every hour.

Best quality: Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier

There’s a reason why the Winix 5300-2 has thousands of positive reviews. This high-quality purifier works well in big and small rooms and has a three-stage cleaning system that helps to remove various allergens, like mold spores, cigarette smoke, organic chemicals, and more. Its five different speed options (sleep, low, medium, high, and turbo) is a nice detail, especially the sleep mode option. When the room darkens, the unit automatically will go into sleep mode and become dim and quiet. It’ll return to auto mode once the room has light.

Another notable feature is that this unit has an air quality indicator and a dual smart sensor that adjusts the fan speed based on how good or bad the air quality is. When the red light on its display turns on, the filter needs to be replaced. Reviewed who purchased this pick specifically to combat wildfire smoke say it does an excellent job of cleaning the air and removing odors.

Best design: Dyson TP01 Pure Cool

Known for its iconic shape, the sleek Dyson Pure Cool captures up to 99.97% of air pollutants while providing a steady, cool breeze. It's certified Asthma and Allergy-Friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, and comes with a remote that can be used to program it to diffused or focused airflow and between stationary or oscillating.

I (the writer!) have tested the Dyson air purifier myself, and am completely obsessed. Besides being incredibly nice to look at, it's been nothing short of a lifesaver. I finally picked this up a year ago, after admiring it from afar for what seemed like forever—and I have been using it almost daily ever since. I ran it in my apartment during the recent intense wildfire smoke we had in New York City and it helped boost indoor air quality while eliminating the unsettling smoky smell.

We love that this pick comes with different fan speeds and you can program it to blow straight ahead or rotate from side to side. It also has a magnetic spot on the top where you can securely place the remote control when you’re not using it. It’s not as quiet as other models, but it’s still a must-have product.

Features

Many of the best air purifiers for smoke come with a wide range of extras, including air quality sensors, sleep modes, and more. We honed in on each product’s features to help inform your decision process.

Expert advice

We used expert advice and insight, such as looking for purifiers with certifications, to help guide us in choosing which air purifiers we include on the list.

Reviews

Customer reviews gave us a better idea of how these air purifiers work and any nuances to keep in mind.

Size

Whether you need an air purifier for a small home office or a larger model for a spacious living room, we highlighted a variety of devices that work well in all spaces.