The quality of the air you are taking inside your body is a key factor that determines your overall health. Although we can do nothing about the deteriorating air quality outdoors, instead of wearing a face mask, we can improve the indoor air by getting the best air purifier for office or home.
Air purifiers significantly remove viruses, mold spore, and pathogenic bacteria hence lowering the chances of getting common diseases. They also have a positive effect on our respiratory system as they are capable of removing all types of dust, odors, gases, and organic chemicals from the air.
Before you buy any product, it’s a nice idea to know what you are buying actually. Therefore, In this article, we have reviewed five best air purifiers under $500
5 Best Air Purifiers Under 500 Dollars
- Best Overall: GermGuardian True HEPA Filter
- Best Budget: Blue Pure Energy Efficient 211+ Air Purifier
- Best HEPA: Coway AP-1512HH White Air Purifier
- Best Mini: LEVOIT Core 300 Quiet Air Cleaner
- Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA Air Purifier
1. Best Overall: GermGuardian True HEPA Filter
Rating 4.5/5
GermGuardian 3 air purifier is one of the top picks of the year. It is a 22-inch tall machine that usually tends to sit on the ground, but you can place it on a table or bench if you want. It can operate on three different speeds, slow, medium, and high, by the speed-setting dial on the top.
The GermGuardian air purifier can purify the air within an area of 160-170 sq-meter that is the size of a medium to a small room. Moreover, it has the ability to filter the air four times per hour when it runs at maximum speed.
It uses a three-stage filtration technology for the removal of dust, smoke, bacterias, dander, pollens, allergens, and many more.
In the first stage of filtration, you will get a washable preliminary filter with an activated carbon layer. The pre-filter traps large particles like hair, dust, and pet dander hence indirectly extends the life of Hepa filters. The activated carbon layer sucks in all types of unwanted odors and fumes, leaving a healthy and fresh air behind.
At the second level, the true HEPA filter is there to filter those impurities that we cant see with the naked eye. It removes 99.97 % germs like bacteria, viruses, mold spores, and allergens as they have the ability to trap as a small-sized particle as that of 0.3 microns.
There is a UV-C light lamp at the top, which is the third and final stage of filtration. UV-C light guarantees the finest purification by killing airborne pathogenic bacterias and viruses. In addition to that, UV bulb works in co-ordination with Titanium dioxide that amazingly decomposes the lethal airborne molecules like VOCs.
You would like this air purifier because it doesn’t create too much noise (24 dB) even at the fast speed. For more quiet operation, while watching movies or sleeping, you can change the speed setting easily from the dial.
Some people are concerned about ozone production due to UV light filters, and others may find the blue light distracting in a small room. To sort out this issue, UV-lamp is optional. You can turn it on or off by your choice. Lastly, if you want to go for best air purifiers under 200 dollars then check out our linked guide.
Well, GermGuardian 4825 true HEPA filter air purifier is the best portable option for those who search for an affordable air purifier although cost less than $100, it has many amazing features like true HEPA filters, UVC light, and multiple speed fans, that help it stand out in the market.
2. Best Budget: Blue Pure Energy Efficient 211+ Air Purifier
Rating 4.6/5
Blue Pure 211+ is another amazing model to consider under $500. It belongs to the low range air-purifier Blue Pure family and is an advanced version of the previous model. It is a lightweight machine with a simple and elegant design that looks great with the interior of your house.
For air cleaning purposes, it uses a three-stage filtration mechanism. In the first stage, visible large airborne particles are trapped in a fabric pre-filter. You can wash or vacuum the pre-filter on a regular basis for optimal performance and avoid the replacement cost.
Moving further, there is a polypropylene fiber filter instead of a HEPA filter. They work on electrostatic principles and are anti-bacterial in nature. Also, they are relatively more silent than HEPA filters during operation.
While HEPA filter being so popular these days ne may doubt about the performance of Blue Pure 211. While in reality, The Blue Pure 211+ shows a 300+ average CADR rating and efficient performance like its competitors with true HEPA filters.
The third and the last filter is an activated carbon filter that absorbs all types of unwanted odors, harmful gases, fumes, and VOCs, leaving a clean and pure air to breathe.
Another major concern regarding air purifiers is the noise they create during the operation. Well, the noise level in BluePure 211+ is reduced to a larger extent by using HEPAsilent technology. But the noise level of this model is 56dB for the highest fan speed and 31dB for that of lowest fan speed, which is really impressive for such a big machine.
It has a 360 degrees air intake system that guarantees the efficient performance of fans in large rooms. It works efficiently within an area of 540 square ft and can purify the air in 12 minutes if it operates at the highest speed.
It doesn’t include UV-C bulb-like many other air purifiers with the same price in the market. It makes ait an ozone-free device. Therefore may garb the attention of asthmatic people who want to breathe in an ozone-free environment.
Highly powered fans, 360-degree air intake, and 3-stage air cleaning system, this air purifier compete well in the market. With 300+ CADR ratings and larger area coverage, the BluePure 211+ is a popular choice under $300.
3. Best HEPA: Coway AP-1512HH White Air Purifier
Rating 4.7/5
With an elegant design, efficient performance, high CADR rating, and overall low maintenance cost, Coway AP-1512 has almost all those features that you want to have in your air purifier. Coway is a well-reputed Korean brand known for its innovative and quality products.
It is an 18-inches taller device that usually sits on the ground. White in color, it has a compact yet elegant design, which gives it an overall nice appearance in the house. It has a 360-degree air intake system to ensure maximum filtration within an area of 360 square ft. The fresh air comes out through a top-mounted duct.
It uses four different types of filters for maximum air purification. The outermost permanent filter with a micro-mesh layer. This filter extends the life of expensive filters inside, by screening large particles like pet hair and molds at the first station.
Then comes the activated carbon filter. They are specialized to remove unwanted smells, harmful fumes, gases, and Volatile Organic Compounds. These filters need to be replaced every six months for the best performance.
At the third stage of purification, the HEPA filter is there to clean the air by removing germs like bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. They have the ability to trap the particle as small as 0.3 microns.
The fourth and final stage is an ionizer. Ionizer traps the particles by producing negative ions and deposits them at the bottom from where they can be collected with the help of a vacuum cleaner. The ozone production due to ionizer may create respiratory issues for asthmatic people. Therefore there is an option to turn it off.
Surprisingly Coway AP 1512-HH has many smart features that you generally dont expect in such a low price range. It has an air quality sensor that tells the current air quality. Furthermore, it has two working modes, Auto Mode, and Eco mode. In auto mode, it automatically adjusts the fan speed according to the air current air quality situation. Amazing! Isn’t it?
It’s a bedroom centric air purifier, so the noise level has m, maintained as low as 24 dB at the lowest fan setting.
After reading this review, you will have many reasons to buy this air purifier, but that stands out most is its affordability. The Coway AP1512-HH with a nice area coverage, upgraded filtration technology and minimized noise level is one of the best air purifiers under $500.
4. Best Mini: LEVOIT Core 300 Quiet Air Cleaner
Rating 4.7/5
After introducing many quality air purifiers with remarkable features, Levoit has this time introduced a small but efficient cheap air purifier. Levoit Core 300 has a sturdy, simple construction and has a 360-degree air intake system for maximum efficiency.
Like many others on the list, it also uses three traditional filters, the pre-filter, True HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. The washable pre-filter entraps larger airborne particles and works efficiently if you vacuum at regular intervals.
The true HEPA filters in the middle of the defensive line are able to remove bacterias, spores pathogen allergens, and particles with a size of 0.3 microns and greater. To get the maximum output, it is recommended to replace HEPA filters every 6-8 months.
At the final stage, granulated activated carbon filters purify the air by absorbing bad odors, bad gases, VOCs, and unwanted fumes.
The Levoit Core 300 works perfectly within an area of 215 sq.ft, which is the size of a small room. The best thing about this air purifier is that it has an extremely low noise level. It ranges from 24dB to 50dB for the minimum to maximum fan speed.
Its average CADR rating is less than 150, but it works really well in the smaller rooms. It doesn’t have any UV-C or ionizers, so its a totally ozone-free device. Moreover, it is an energy-efficient device that won’t add any extra burden to your electricity bill.
For small room owners who dont want to spend extra money on large, expensive, and energy-consuming air purifiers, Levoit Core 300 is the best option. It is capable of capturing 99.97% of airborne contaminants through its 3-stage filtration system, leaving a pure, soothing, and fresh air behind.
5. Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA Air Purifier
Rating 4.6/5
Honeywell HPA300 is the best air purifier for relatively large rooms as it works efficiently within an area of 465 sq.ft. Coming under a low price tag, this air purifier boasts some amazing features like 300+ CADR rating.
It comes with two original filters, the pre-filter with an activated carbon layer and the true HEPA filter. The pre-filter fights at the frontline block larger sized particles which indirectly extends the lifespan of HEPA filter inside. The activated carbon layer works as an odor eliminator and also absorbs gases and VOCs.
The HEPA filters can capture airborne bacterias, viruses, and other small invisible particles. The smallest particle size it can capture is as small as 0.3microns.
Moreover, it has a 360-degree air intake system, which ensures air purification in all the dimensions. Some smart features like timer, different working modes filter indicator lights make it the best air purifier under $500.
The pre-filters are washable, and you can also clean them on a regular basis by a vacuum cleaner. HEPA filters need to be removed once a year for optimal performance. You will get an indicator through red indicator light when it needs a replacement. The pre-filter has its own indicator.
It works silently on its low settings like germ mode but becomes a bit noisy at turbo mode. You can run it on germ mode at night time for abetter sleeping experience.
The major reason to buy the Honeywell HPA300 is its large coverage area. Well, under $500, you generally expect a small coverage area, but its not the case with HPA300. Furthermore, its best performance with 300+ CADR rating makes it an attractive device. Overall, it can be listed as the best living room air purifier.
Conclusion
An efficient air purifier is an inseparable part of healthy living. There are a number of air purifiers available, most of them dont come cheap. They actually dont work for many people due to the affordability issue.
For this reason, we have reviewed five best air purifiers under $500 that work efficiently and may exceed your expected performance limits. Of course, the expensive models are more competent and have more cool features, but before taking them into consideration must think that whether you need them or not?
In the end, here are the top three recommendations from the list
- LEVOIT Core 300 Quiet Air Cleaner under $100 with three-stage filtration and quiet operation
- Coway AP-1512HH White HEPA Air Purifier with 300+ CADR rating for larger rooms
- Blue Pure Energy Efficient 211+ Air Purifier for efficient performance with HEPAsilent technology for quiet operation.
The air purifiers use modern filtration techniques like HEPA filters, activated carbon filters, ionizers, and UV-C lamps. An efficient air purifier is capable of removing 99% airborne living and non-living contaminants form size of 0.3 microns to few millimeters. In short, under 500$, you are going to breathe fresh air which is a bang for the bucks.