If you’ve got a furry friend, you’ll be well aware of just how annoying pet dander can be. While it may seem harmless, pet dander can be pretty dangerous stuff when left unchecked. It can clog your heaters and coolers, cause you allergic reactions and stick to your upholstery.
Thankfully, there’s a solution: an air purifier.
To protect your family’s health as well as yours, you need an air purifier. An air purifier is incredibly useful in cleaning the air in your home from pet dander and numerous other allergens.
But which one is the best air purifier for pet owners? The answer is right here on this page. This article will review the best air purifiers for pets available today – helping you choose an air purifier that works in your home.
Category | Air Purifier | Dimensions (l x w x h in inches) | Room Coverage (sq. ft.) |
---|---|---|---|
Small | KOIOS Desktop Air Purifier | 7.5 x 6.9 x 6.9 | 60 |
Levoit LV-H132 | 9.7 x 9.8 x 14.6 | 86 | |
GermGuardian CDAP4500BCA | 8.9 x 6.4 x 22 | 124 | |
Medium | Honeywell 50250-S | 18 x 18 x 19.6 | 390 |
PureZone 3-in-1 | 10.8 x 6.9. 12.1 | 200 | |
Winix WAC9500 | 16.5 x 8.9 x 21.9 | 283 | |
Levoit LV-PUR131 | 14.5 x 7.2 x 18.5 | 322 | |
Large | Rabbit Air SPA-625A | 16.6 x 9.8 x 22.2 | 625 |
Advanced PureAir Air Shield | 12 x 14 x 25 | 800 |
|
IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier | 16 x 15 x 28 | 900 |
Small Space
For the first category, we will review air purifiers from KOIOS, Levoit, and GermGuardian. These three make excellent choices for living spaces less than 150 square feet.
#1. KOIOS Desktop Air Purifier
The Kois air purifier desktop is the perfect purifier for a small room. It measures 7.5 x 6.9 x 6.9 inches and only weighs 2.1 pounds. That’s tiny!
With this thing in your bedroom, you can sleep better at night without worrying about getting up with a stuffy nose or sore throat. Even though it’s small, it’s more than capable of trapping any pet dander that has made its way into your bedroom.
One strong point of this unit is that it’s very quiet. You can sleep soundly without getting annoyed with buzzing or whirring sounds. It is also easy to operate and has straightforward settings.
This unit does not produce ozone, so if you’re sensitive to ozone, you don’t worry. Feel free to put this right next to your pet’s cage too. You’ll have peace of mind that this unit will remove pet dander from the air your family breathes.
There’s only one thing we’re not so keen on about this unit. It doesn’t have any option to turn off the blue light. The intensity may be too intrusive for some.
Overall, it’s definitely one of the best air purifiers for pets.
Pros
- Small and lightweight
- Can be put anywhere
- Works well in small rooms
- Ozone-free
Cons
- No way to turn off the light
#2. Levoit LV-H132
The LV-H132 uses 3-stage filtration: a fine pre-filter to catch rougher particulates like pet hair, a true HEPA filter to trap smaller ones, and an activated carbon filter to eliminate odor.
At 9.7 x 9.8 x 14.6 inches and 6.6 pounds, the Levoit LV-H132 is small enough for a bedside table or desk. It will trap airborne pet allergens before they interrupt your sleep or your work.
This model is also very stylish and uses three-speed settings. On low, the fan noise is so quiet that it won’t interrupt your sleep. The unit also has a night light, which you can turn off if that irritates you.
The bedroom is not the only place in your home where the LV-H132 can do wonders. You can put it in any room up to 86 square feet in size to reduce pet dander and odor problems.
If you have an allergy or sensitive respiratory system, just leave it on high throughout the day, and you’ll be able to breathe easier.
The LV-H132 is one durable machine. Feel free to turn it on continuously for months. It will still do its job flawlessly. Levoit only gives this unit a 2-year warranty, but they provide you with lifetime support if there’s a problem with this unit once the contract expires.
Our only gripe with this unit is the touch sensor. They react even to the softest touch, and there’s no way to reduce its sensitivity.
All in all, this is an excellent unit to have when you have fur babies in the house. It’s definitely one of the best air purifiers for pets. Running this unit round the clock will ensure the number of airborne allergens is kept in check.
Pros
- Small and stylish
- Quiet for bedroom
- Light can be turned off
- Durable
Cons
- Touch sensors are too sensitive
#3. GermGuardian Smart
The GermGuardian Smart Air Purifier is a very popular choice, as it is highly effective and a great budget buy. The ability to control the machine from anywhere is also a huge factor.
Being a smart machine, the GermGuardian can be controlled with iPhones and Android smartphones. Once you download the app and complete the straightforward setup, you can control it remotely (even when you’re away from home).
This little machine works marvelously at filtering fine particles like pet dander. As for the microbes and airborne viruses, the UV light takes care of them easily.
This 4-in-1 air purifier will make a fine addition to your home, especially when you have active pets in the house.
The air quality monitor scans the air quality in your room and adjusts the fan speed accordingly to ensure optimum air filtration rate. The air quality reading on the LCD lets you know just how clean the air in your room is. It’s a cool quirk.
If you’re super sensitive to noise, don’t worry. This unit is super quiet in its lowest setting. Even on medium, you need to get close to it to hear its whizzing. Being silent is beneficial for pets too. We all know that some cats and dogs are easily scared by loud noises.
One thing that’s not so good about the GermGuardian is that the huge light ring on the front is too bright. Those who prefer to sleep with their lights off may find this quite irritating. You may want to tape a piece of paper over it to dim the light.
Pros
- Can be controlled remotely
- Very easy to set up
- Great at detecting changes in air quality
Cons
- Light ring is too bright
Medium Space
#4. Honeywell 50250-S
The Honeywell 50250-S is a neat but powerful unit at 18 x 18 x 19.6 inches. You’ll notice its presence wherever you put it, and we like it. It’s aesthetically appealing, and we love how it fits well in any room. It is also very stable.
There’s no wobbling or rattling even when you put it on hardwood or tile flooring.
In terms of effectiveness, this HEPA air purifier is excellent. It is rated for 390 sq. ft. room, and it works great, removing dust, pet allergens, and odor. Some purifiers for larger rooms require assistance from a ceiling fan to help circulate the air; this one doesn’t.
The Honeywell 50250-S circulates the air in the room five times in an hour. It moves so much attitude; you won’t even need a fan to keep the room cool. Moreover, the cylindrical shape means it has a 360o air intake, allowing it to suck air from all directions instead of just from one side.
Honeywell’s air purifiers are known to be durable. This model is no exception. It will provide its service, cleaning and purifying the air in whichever room you put it in, for years.
You need to replace the pre-filters every three months, but it is so easy to do. The HEPA filter can last 3-5 years if you vacuum it periodically.
We recommend having this unit in the living room or where your pets spend most of their time. You’ll notice the improvement in air quality the first day you have this running.
Even though the fan in this unit is pretty strong, it’s fairly quiet. It’s not the quietest compared to its more expensive competitors, but it’s more than acceptable. No need to worry about your dogs barking or your cats are hissing at it.
The lowest speed setting is perfect for providing white noise at night. It isn’t even loud enough for you to raise your voice while having a conversation near it.
There’s only one caveat. You see, some pet owners actually complained because their cats and dogs are not afraid of this Honeywell air purifier.
Their pets even deliberately sit right next to the unit, enjoying the breeze, and having their fur and hair groomed by it. This, of course, means you may need to replace the pre-filters more often.
Overall, we feel it’s excellent value – making it well worth its ranking on this best air purifiers for pets list.
Pros
- Works incredibly well for medium-sized rooms
- 360o air intake and discharge
- Circulates air quickly
- Durable
Cons
- Not the quietest compared to its competitors
- May pull in a lot of hair and fur
#5. PureZone 3-in-1
The PureZone 3-in-1 is an excellent air purifier in a small, compact form. Although it’s rated for a 200 square feet room, many people comfortably use this to cover a 300 square feet area.
The design is sleek, and it feels solidly built. PureZone throws in a 5-year warranty for this model, which speaks a lot about PureZone’s confidence that this unit will last at least that long,
The PureZone is so simple to set up. You can have it up and running five minutes after you open the box. Once running, the activated carbon filter does a good job eliminating nasty odors from your pets.
When you and your pets spend too much time indoors in winter, this unit will ensure that your home smells fresh until spring comes.
The PureZone’s UV-C light destroys germs and viruses that may pose a threat to your family’s health as well as your pets. Of course, the HEPA filter easily traps hair, dander, smoke, pollen, dust, and other airborne allergens.
The filter cover is easy to pop off, making cleaning simple and easy.
PureZone claims that this air cleaner is whisper-quiet. At 30 dB on low, we have to say that that claim is on point. On high, the 50 dB noise level is quieter than normal conversation sounds.
The PureZone also has a Night Mode. It runs even quieter than the low setting and turns off all the lights. You can even set it to shut down automatically after a set hour. All these features make the PureZone an excellent air purifier for children’s bedrooms.
That’s right. If you have kids, put the PureZone 3-in-1 so your kids can sleep soundly through the night.
There’s just one thing we’re not fond of about this air purifier. We kind of wish there’s a dedicated button somewhere to turn the light off manually without lowering the fan setting. Alas, there’s no such thing. Nevertheless, it’s definitely one of the best air purifiers for pets.
Pros
- Whisper-quiet
- Night mode
- 5-year warranty
- Timer
- Has UV-C that destroys germs
Cons
- Night mode automatically lowers the fan speed.
#6. Winix WAC9500
If you dislike seeing pet dander floating around, the Winix WAC9500 is for you. It uses five filtration stages: pre-filter, HEPA filter, anti-bacterial treatment, odor control, and Winix PlasmaWave technology.
It traps fur and dander, destroys bacteria, and removes bad odor in one go.
The pre-filter and carbon filter in the Winix is washable, and that makes it the perfect choice when you have dogs or cats that shed a lot.
Many people who own this unit say that they only need to replace the filter once a year. The low running and maintenance cost is just another reason why many people love the Winix 9500.
We suggest running this unit on its highest setting for 24 hours at first. It will make a tremendous difference to the air quality in your home. After that, just let in a run on Auto.
The Smart Sensors can tell when it is time to kick into high gear. Your home will be free from pet allergens without you needing to tinker with the unit all the time.
This unit is rated for 283 square feet of space. That said, many users put the unit in a room much larger than that (up to 600 square feet), and it still works effectively. That speaks volumes on how good the unit is.
The machine also includes an ion generator (which they call ‘PlasmaWave’). The ion generator is not only excellent in reducing bad odor, but it’s also effective in tackling airborne bacteria and viruses.
In short, having the Winix 9500 in the house will keep you, your family, and your pets healthy. It’s a win-win solution for everyone.
Oh, and don’t worry about it being too loud. This thing is whisper quiet. On the second speed setting, you can barely hear it running. Overall, it’s definitely a solid purchase and well-deserving of being on the best air purifiers for pets list.
Pros
- Uses five filters
- Very quiet
- Filters only need to be changed annually
- Uses auto mode
Cons
- Looks like a microwave
#7. Levoit LV-PUR131
If you are a light sleeper, you will have no problem having this in the bedroom. Due to its incredible quietness, this unit is perfect for bedrooms. Even in the high-speed setting, the sound is very muffled. On low, you can barely hear a thing over three feet away.
Even though it’s boxy, the Levoit looks pleasing to the eyes (at least, to us). The boxy shape allows it to be placed against a wall. There’s no worry about blocking the air intake since air is sucked from the sides.
Despite not having Energy Star certification, The LV-PUR131 is very energy efficient in practice. On high, it only consumes 38 Watts.
On low, it draws 11 Watts. Suffice to say, if you keep it running 24/7 on down, it will only put a very small bump on your electricity bill.
One thing that’s not so great about the LV-PUR131 is its auto mode. It’s a bit slow in picking up changes in air quality. It will eventually pick up the pace, but it’s certainly not the quickest than its competitors.
In addition to having an auto mode, the LV-PUR131 also has a timer. You can set the timer to have this unit running between 1 to 12 hours. If these benefits are important to you, you’d be right to consider it one of the best air purifiers for pets.
Pros
- Has timer in addition to auto mode
- Energy efficient
- Super quiet
- Looks appealing
Cons
- Auto mode not swift enough
Large Space
Okay, these are the big ones that you should seriously consider when you have severe pet allergy problems, and you need to cover a living space over 400 square feet.
These bad boys get their job done no matter what you throw at them. We have top air cleaners for pets from Rabbit Air, Advanced PureAir, and IQAir.
#8. Rabbit Air SPA-625A
If you have a large room with pet dander all over, you need to get the Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0. This unit can circulate the air in a 625 sq. ft. room in just half an hour on the highest setting.
You’ll start noticing the improvement in air quality in no time. Doesn’t matter if you have dogs, cats, parrots, rabbits, or sugar gliders in the house. This unit can take care of pet dander without breaking a sweat.
Granted, you will need to clean the filters to ensure it continues to perform well, but the process is so easy. Even if you have many pets and need to clean the filter frequently, you can do it in mere minutes.
Being such a high-performance air purifier does not make this unit a power hog. This is an Energy Star certified model, which means it won’t jack up your electricity bill. Moreover, it is only as loud as a fan on the highest setting and whisper-quiet on the lowest.
If you don’t want to run it all the time but still want to come home to a fresh-smelling home without the pet dander and odor, just set it on auto. It will turn itself on whenever it senses the air quality is going downhill.
This model is a bit on the expensive side, but if you have an allergy or asthma and want your home to be free from pet allergen 24/7, you won’t regret getting this one.
We’ve listed it as our top choice in the ‘large space’ category for these reasons. It’s definitely one of the best air purifiers for pets.
Pros
- Great for large rooms
- Whisper quiet
- Power-efficient
- Filters are easy to clean
- Auto mode keeps the home fresh
Cons
- A bit on the expensive side
#9. Advanced PureAir Air Shield
When you have pets that roam all over your home, and you don’t want multiple air purifiers scattered across the room, you get the Air Shield. It is rated at 800 sq. ft. which should cover a large living room more than comfortably.
The 9-stage detection, filtration, and purification system may seem overkill, but it’s not. It’s there to guarantee that whatever impurities are sucked into it won’t have a chance to leave.
It’s a guarantee that no matter what kind of allergens there are, this machine will trap them and blow only the freshest and cleanest air out into your home. You’ll be able to breathe much easier with this machine working around the clock.
Since the air intake is located on the front, you can put this unit against a wall. There’s less chance of your foot bumping into it when you walk around the room. Clean air is pushed out through the top, allowing it to circulate farther around.
Just like many air purifiers, this one also has a large power indicator light. The good thing is, it can be turned off if it bugs you.
The HEPA, pre-filter, and metal filter are easy to clean. The metal plasma filter, however, requires extra care. You need a bottle brush to ensure the thin metal wires are not disturbed. Overall, it’s a solid buy for a great price. What more could you ask for?
Pros
- Covers a large area
- 9-stage detection
- Can be put against a wall
- Power indicator can be turned off
Cons
- Plasma filter requires extra care during cleaning
- Big and heavy
#10. IQAir HealthPro Plus
The HealthPro Plus uses a HyperHEPA filter that this filter is a hundred times more effective than a standard HEPA filter.
That HyperHEPA filter is rated for 4000 hours, and we’re glad it has such a long lifespan because the replacement filter is expensive. The LED display tells you how many hours are left before you need to replace the filter.
This unit has six-speed levels. It starts to get noticeably loud from level 4. At level 6, it is very loud. Level 6 is very useful, though.
When you have guests who have pet allergies coming in minutes, and you need to quickly get rid of any trace of pet dander from the guest room.
This air cleaner also comes with 5 pounds of active charcoal in the filter. Your guests will breathe in fresh air without any trace of a foul odor from your pets.
The IQAir HealthPro Plus is huge. It measures 15 x 16 x 28 inches and weighs 35 pounds. It’s a pain to move around. Luckily, it has four wheels at the bottom which help somewhat.
Before you buy the HealthPro Plus, we must warn you that this is the most expensive air purifier we review here. However, when you have 900 square feet of living space that you must absolutely make sure free from pet allergens, your best option is the IQAir HealthPro Plus.
Pros
- Covers a huge area
- LED display shows filter lifespan
- Very good at removing odor
- Wheels help you move it around
- The highest speed setting cleans the air in minutes
- 5 pounds of charcoal for superior pet odor removal
Cons
- Expensive
- HyperHEPA replacement filter is expensive
- Big and bulky
Frequently Asked Questions
Ok, now that we’ve shown ten excellent air purifiers for pet owners like you, it’s time to get some lingering questions answered.
Can an air purifier get rid of pet hair?
Yes, an air purifier can trap pet hair. If the hair falls close to the air purifier, there’s a high chance that the unit can suck the hair in. This is why it’s a good idea to place an air purifier close to your pets’ cage or the area where they spend most of their time in the house. You’ll have less hair and dander spreading around the house that way.
How can I get rid of pet dander?
First, you must regularly brush and groom your pets. There’s no other way around it. Secondly, you must also vacuum the house at least once a week.
While an air purifier does a wonderful job cleaning the air you breathe from airborne pet allergens, it cannot pull out those that are already stuck deep in the carpets, upholstered furniture, and beddings.
Is there such a thing as allergy-free cats or dogs?
No, allergy-free cat or dog breeds are just a misleading marketing gimmick. All cats and dogs produce dander. Some breed shed less than the others, but none truly dander free.
What are the symptoms of pet allergy?
Pet allergy symptoms may include runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, short breath, tight chest, itchy eyes, and skin rashes.
Do I really have a pet allergy, or is it something else?
Different allergies may indeed have the same symptoms. The only sure way to find out if you have a pet allergy is to see an allergist and have yourself tested.
The allergist may give you a skin-prick test, which is the most common way of diagnosing pet allergy. The test does not take long. You can have the result in less than thirty minutes.
Is it possible to build immunity to pet allergies?
Yes, it is possible to build immunity to pet allergies, but it’s a slow process. The bad news is, even when you finally develop immunity to a certain breed of cat or dog, you can still get allergic reactions from other breeds.
Which allergy medicine is best for pet allergies?
Antihistamines are the most common medications to treat pet allergy symptoms. They can reduce allergy symptoms, including sneezing, rashes, and swellings. While you can get antihistamines freely in drug stores, we recommend consulting a doctor or an allergist first.
Will my pet increases the risk of my children getting allergies
No, this study shows that exposure to dogs and cats in infancy does not lead to asthma or allergy at school age.
So if anyone giving you the beef for exposing your baby to pets, let them know that exposure to pets in the first year of life may reduce your child’s risk of allergic disease.
Conclusion
Overall, we’ve reviewed ten of the best air purifiers for pets. If you’re in the market for an air purifier, any one of these air purifiers will be a great choice.
Karie is a science-obsessed writer with a sensitive nose. She has been using air purifiers for many years, and uses them obsessively to keep her home dust-free. She is passionate about helping people find the right air purifier for them.