How to pick an air purifier for dust and pollen allergies

Arguably the most important part of any air purifier is its filter. Most air purifiers come with a HEPA filter of some sort, but there are some (like the ones from IKEA) that use EPA filters, which aren’t as effective. Pollen and dust particles are generally classified as PM2.5 particles, so you’ll need a filter that can effectively clear these.

The best at home results will come from an air purifier with a HEPA 13 filter. These are capable of extracting 99.95% - 99.99% of PM2.5 particles from the air, which should make your home a safe haven from dust and pollen. Technically they are medical grade, although hospitals do tend to use ULPA filters instead to create a sterile environment.

Filters, no matter their rating, do need to be changed to maintain their effectiveness. For hayfever and dust allergy sufferers, these changes may need to be more frequent than others. Generally we recommend swapping your filter out every six months, but if you have a dustier home or the pollen count has been high then you may find the filter filling up faster. While you definitely can just vacuum off the dust, the efficiency will still be lower, so if you want the ideal environment it is probably best to just buy a new one.

No matter what you’re looking for an air purifier for, you’ll want to pick one that can cover your room size. While it can be tempting to go for a small (and cheap) device, if it only covers 20 metres squared, and your bedroom is 35 metres squared then it isn’t going to help as much as you’d like.

Every air purifier worth its weight in dust (and pollen) will have its coverage clearly marked. Take some time to consider what you’ll need, or just take a look at our suggestions.

While air purifiers are simple machines they still get some fancy features every now and then. Unfortunately some of these features can actually be detrimental to those with respiratory problems. 

Both ozone technology, and ionic air purifiers generate ozone - yes like that layer we have in the sky. While they claim to effectively remove smells and help kill mould, ozone is actually the main element of smog. One of the very things an air purifier is meant to help clear from your home. This can be irritating to the respiratory system in the short term, but can cause more serious health risks long term.

Ionic air purifiers create less ozone than ozone-specific technology, but for those with asthma, or allergies it is better to steer clear.