To determine which brands make the best air purifiers, Consumer Reports built a statistical model that analyzes the models in our ratings. Those scores reflect lab performance for particle removal on both high and low fan speeds, plus factors like noise, energy use, and room-size coverage. We also fold in predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, and price. A brand gets extra points if it makes reliable and high-scoring air purifiers that are more budget-friendly. Keep in mind that these scores cover only the brands we’ve tested, not every air purifier brand on the market.
We’ve highlighted models and brands in the most common room categories: medium, large, and extra-large. For these comparisons, we only included companies with at least three tested purifiers in our current ratings. We focused on portable room air cleaners and didn’t include whole-house systems or ozone generators.
