Kmart vs Ikea: Who has the best cheap air purifiers?

Above all else, the quality of the air filter is the greatest indicator of how good an air purifier actually is. Every Kmart air purifier has a three-layer HEPA 13 filter, while Ikea's range has a single EPA 12 filter and an optional gas filter you can purchase for an extra $20-25.

HEPA filtering is the medical standard which has flowed into most consumer goods. The lowest HEPA rating is H13 which removes 99.95% of particles including dust, pollen, viruses and bacteria, and the highest is H14 which has a 99.995% efficiency. EPA filtering on the other hand is rated to 99.5% efficiency, and isn't particularly good at capturing dust particles.

Not only do Kmart's air purifiers have a better filter standard, they also include a pre-filter and an activated carbon filter that trap large dander and odours, respectively. Ikea does have additional gas filters available for every air purifier they stock which absorb pullutants such as formaldehyde, but you'll need to pay extra for this.

The more you pay, the more features you'll get, so it makes sense that the most expensive of the cheap air purifiers does in fact have the most smarts too. Ikea's Starkvind air purifier, which retails for $199, or $249 inside a table is compatible with Ikea's Home Smart app.

Within the app you can see detailed air quality readings, set timers and schedule operations, and do it all remotely. Unfortunately this functionality isn't entirely baked in. You'll need to purchase a Dirigera smart home hub for $99 to be able to access all these smart functions. That does bring the total cost of the device up to at least $299, which is still cheap for an air purifier but expensive for one without HEPA filtering.

Another good option is once again Kmart's Large Air Purifier which has timers, a 30-minute auto-off function, and a remote control. Couple it with a smart switch and you can somewhat replicate the functionality you'll get with Ikea's app.

Notably, none of the models across either brand have air quality readouts. Usually air purifiers use a simple traffic light system to indicate whether air quality is excellent, good, or awful. Even at its most basic this at least lets you make informed decisions about how fast you need to pump your purifier. Ikea somewhat circumvents this by offering the Vindstyrka air quality sensor for $59 which can be connected to a Starkvind, or the less sophisticated Vindriktning for $19 to go with the Fornuftig. The Vindstyrka displays PM2.5 readout, the room temperature and humidity, and if the total volatile organic compounds are increasing or decreasing.

While none of these are particularly expensive, Ikea's total pricepoint is just that little bit higher overall. Kmart's air purifiers range from $49 - $149 while Ikea's go from $49 - $199, for just the air purifier elements alone.

Kmart's air purifiers are however the full product as is; triple filters, and their admittedly barebones extra features are all bundled in to that one price. Ikea on the other hand requires you to buy an additional gas filter (if you want extra filtration), and other extras like an air quality filter, and a smart home hub. If you do opt to up your air purifier game with Ikea then you're down an extra $25 for a gas filter, $19 for a basic air quality indicator, and $99 for the home hub. It all really adds up. 

Replacement filters are incredibly affordable across both Ikea and Kmart. Ikea's smallest particle filter starts at just $6 for the Dajlien (and Uppatvind), and caps out at $25 for a Starkvind gas filter. Kmart's range goes from $14 - $29, but it is worth considering how long Kmart will continue to stock these filters for. At the time of writing many older filters were entirely out of stock, so there may come a time when it becomes harder to get replacements.

If you're tossing up between Kmart or Ikea for your cheap air purifier, we would recommend going with Kmart. Equipped with medical grade HEPA filtering, and two additional filters built in to the product, Kmart shoots Ikea's EPA rating out of the air. On average you'll also end up with larger coverage, and more affordable filter replacements too.

Admittedly Ikea's range is more stylish, and for an additional fee you can add in smart features and air quality readouts. If you could also purchase HEPA grade filters we would probably recommend Ikea instead, but as it stands it simply won't be as effective.

While you will miss out on smart features, for the price you really can't get much better than what Kmart is offering.