CNET’s pick for best air purifier of 2024

An air purifier unit can help improve the air quality in your home.

These compact devices can filter out pollutants like dust mites, mold spores, tobacco smoke and pet dander to help you breathe easier. We found that the best air purifier for most people is the BlueAir Blue Pure 311i Max. However, there are other models that work great. For the complete list, visit CNET.com.

CNET TAKE: Every air purifier we test goes straight into our custom-built test chamber, where we release a controlled amount of smoke into the air and see how long it takes for the purifier to get things back to normal. Among all of the medium-size air purifiers we tested, BlueAir’s Blue Pure 311i Max was the top finisher at both low and high fan settings, bringing the particle count down to pre-smoke-bomb levels in 6.6 and 2 minutes, respectively. On top of that, the Blue Pure 311i Max was the second most energy-efficient unit in its class and quiet, too, reaching only 46.1 decibels when running at its highest fan setting.

The Blue Pure 311i Max features voice controls and comes equipped with a five-color air quality indicator and a pollution-detecting particle sensor. It retails for $230, though is often on sale. BlueAir claims it can cover an area of up to 900 square feet and has a CADR rating of 250 cfm for smoke, pollen and dust.

CNET.com