The 9 Best Air Purifiers to Keep Pet Dander and Allergies Out of Your Home
We love our pets for all they give us: endless joy, affection, companionship, and love. However, even the biggest of pet lovers can admit we don't love everything our pets give us, like the pet dander, pet hair, pet allergies, and pet odors.
According to a 2018 study, about 10–20 percent of the worldwide population is affected by pet allergies. While we aren't aware of a study on how many people don't enjoy pet odors, we assume it's close to 100 percent.
Fortunately, you can enjoy all the best parts of being a pet parent while managing the not-so-good (and sometimes downright smelly) parts by purchasing a quality air purifier for your home. An air purifier can help eliminate allergy-triggering pet dander, hair, and unpleasant odors so that you, your family, and your friends can breathe easier in your home. After all, there's only so much cleaning and vacuuming you can do.
Finding the best air purifier for pets, however, is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. You need to consider your budget, the square footage the purifier needs to cover, and the element you most want to be eliminated from the air (i.e., odor, dander, hair, etc.). We put together an extensive guide to help you find the best air purifier for your pet and home to help get rid odors and allergies, once and for all.
Best Overall Air Purifier: Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier
This affordable product has all the perks you'd want in an air purifier and a few you probably hadn't even thought of. Not only does this multi-use device capture 99.97 percent of the pet hair, dander, and odor that circulates in your home, it also breaks down harmful gases such as formaldehyde and eliminates pollutants such as pollen and smoke. Plus, it's easy to assemble, quiet, and compact enough to fit in any room.
Shop now: Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier, $119; amazon.com
Best Splurge Air Purifier: Rabbit Air MinusA2 Air Purifier with WiFi
This high-tech air purifier is made for gadget lovers. It offers six different settings for purification and deodorization so you can customize how it rids your house of unwanted allergens, odors, and pollutants. But the best part of this purifier is the Wifi capabilities that allow you to control it from anywhere in your house.
Shop now: Rabbit Air MinusA2 Air Purifier with WiFi, $620; amazon.com
Best Budget Air Purifier: Germ Guardian Pluggable Small Air Purifier
This small but mighty air purifier plugs into your wall and immediately goes to work, blasting germs, viruses, and odors. It uses UV-C light to kill unwanted airborne invaders and doesn't require a filter change—simply change the UV-C light bulb about once a year. For convenience and price, you can't beat it.
Shop now: Germ Guardian GG1100W Pluggable Small Air Purifier, $35; amazon.com
Best Air Purifier for Small Spaces: Levoit LV-H132 Compact True HEPA Air Purifier
With over 16,000 five-star ratings on Amazon and weighing in at just 6.6 pounds, this Levoit air purifier is a sleek, stylish, and effective choice for small spaces. The purifier includes a night light and a built-in filter change reminder, and its quiet hum will soothe you to sleep while filtering out pet hair, dander, mold, smoke, and odor from the air.
Shop now: Levoit LV-H132 Compact True HEPA Air Purifier, $90; amazon.com
Best for Large Spaces: Coway Airmega 400 Smart Air Purifier
This smart, energy-efficient air purifier is specifically designed for large spaces, covering 1,560 square feet. It comes with three air quality settings that automatically adjust based on the room's conditions, and a real-time pollution sensor lets you know how clean or dirty your indoor air is at any moment. As one Amazon reviewer put it, "This thing is awesome!"
Shop now: Coway Airmega 400 Smart Air Purifier, $514; amazon.com
Best Air Purifier for Pet Odors: Alen BreatheSmart 45i HEPA Air Purifier
No one wants pet odor to smack guests in the face as soon as the walk in your door. Pet odors linger longer than we'd like, and the Alen BreatheSmart Air Purifier works to change that by circulating air up to five times an hour, ensuring that all pet-related smells are sent packing. Not only is this purifier quiet, but it also emits a "pink noise" that promotes better, deeper sleep.
Shop now: Alen BreatheSmart 45i HEPA Air Purifier, $444; amazon.com
Best Air Purifier for Pet Hair: Hamilton Beach TrueAir
This high-performance system includes three filters to target every airborne invader possible. A permanent pre-filter captures pet hair and other large particles, another targets pet odor, and the last one filters out small particles such as smoke and pollen. All filters only require vacuuming; they don't need to be replaced. This is suitable for rooms up to 140 square feet.
Shop now: Hamilton Beach TrueAir, $60; amazon.com
Best Air Purifier for Pet Allergies: Germ Guardian AC4200W HEPA Filter Air Purifier
This purifier is touted as an allergy-sufferer's savior. A 360-degree HEPA air filter reduces up to 99.97 percent of dust and allergens, allowing you to breathe better in all directions. An additional charcoal filter helps reduce odors and other pollutants. It includes a programmable timer, four-speed settings, and a filter change indicator.
Shop now: Germ Guardian AC4200W HEPA Filter Air Purifier, $68; amazon.com
Best Air Purifier for Pet Dander: Blueair 211+ Air Purifier
Many people think that an allergy to pets means an allergy to pet hair, but usually the culprit is dander, the microscopic flecks of skin pets shed. This energy-efficient Swedish air purifier targets the tiniest particles, including the pet dander, dust, mold, and bacteria. This product has a simple one-button control, is extremely quiet, and covers up to 540 square feet.
Shop now: Blueair 211+ Air Purifier, $299; amazon.com