The purpose of an air purifier is to get rid of pollutants and allergens in your home. It will draw out these particles from the air and trap them in a filter or collector plate. The products are useful for getting rid of all sorts of impurities from the air, including pet hair and dander, dust and mites, and some of them even remove smoke odors. This is great for people who suffer from allergies to any of these substances. It will give them much relief from their symptoms.

If you have a baby, young children or an elderly person living in your house, running an air purifier is an excellent way to protect their health. These age groups are particularly susceptible to illness, and by keeping the air clean, you'll reduce the chances of any problems arising.

Ionic or HEPA?

When it comes to your typical home air purifier, the two basic choices in technology are HEPA filter or ionic units.

HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) is a term that you've probably heard of, but maybe don't completely understand. HEPA refers to a manufacturing standard, and these kinds of filters must eliminate 99.7% of all contaminants in the air. Because of these requirements, HEPA filters are considered to be twice as effective as regular filters at eliminating contaminants from the air.

An ionic air purifier works by emitting ions that attach themselves to contaminants in the air. They are then attracted to a collection plate in order to eliminate them. The downside is that this technology has been shown to produce ozone, which can exacerbate allergies and increase the risk of suffering an asthma attack. However, many people notice a significant improvement in air quality when using these machines.

Filter or No Filter?

Some air purifiers utilize a filter to trap the contaminants in the air, while others rely on a collector plate. What are the advantages of each?

With the filter free models, the collector plate can be easily rinsed off in the sink. The advantage here is that you don't have to purchase replacement filters and remember to change them regularly. This is your best bet if you're looking for ease of maintenance. However, the downside is that these products are usually more expensive than the kinds that use a filter. You really need to do the math and see if the higher initial cost is worth the savings from not having to purchase filters throughout the estimated life of the unit.

When it comes to an air purifier that uses filters, it's already been noted that they're less expensive, but they will entail additional expenditures for the purchase of replacement filters. Some models will need their filter replaced every few months, while others will last a year or longer. Find out how often you need to replace the filter as well as the cost of the replacements in order to decide what your long term costs will be.

If you do decide to choose one of these products that utilizes a filter, you're advised to get one that features HEPA technology. If it claims to use HEPA filters, it must meet certain criteria that ensure their superior performance. Although they're slightly more expensive than regular filter air purifiers, they're almost certainly worth the cost.

What Size Should You Get?

If you've spent any time at all researching air purifiers, you know there's a huge assortment of makes and models. Although you'll want to examine the kind of technology each of these units utilizes, it's also important to get one that is appropriate for the size of your room.

Most air purifiers are made to handle a relatively small area, usually about the size of your living room. It's important that you check the actual square footage it is designed for, and measure the room you plan on using it in, in order to get the most effective results.

There are also personal air purifiers that just clean the air immediately surrounding you, or a whole home air purifier that has to be installed in your heating and cooling system. The former is really only useful for taking with you to use in the car or while out shopping. The latter, although very effective, is also very expensive and generally most suitable for people who have severe allergies or respiratory problems.

Most people tend to rely on a single room air purifier unit, even if they have to buy more than one for various rooms in their house. These products are available in a large assortment of technologies, sizes, styles and capabilities, not to mention prices. You can find a low end air purifier for $50 or so, but some of them run as high as $1000. It all depends on the quality and the capabilities. Generally, the higher the price, the more effective the unit. In spite of the fact that they cost much more, these high end machines might be your best value.