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If your home is located in an area prone to wildfires, you should consider investing in an air purifier to combat the effects of frequently inhaling wildfire smoke. To save you the hassle of wading through countless options, I’ve compiled a list of the best air purifiers for wildfire smoke.
Best Air Purifier for Wildfire Smoke
- Coway AP-1512HH
- Rabbit Air MinusA2
- Levoit LV-H132 Compact Air Purifier
The 3 Best Air Purifiers for Wildfire Smoke in 2021
1. Coway AP-1512HH
Dealing with wildfire smoke in your home requires robust and rigorous filtration to get rid of very fine particles. This is where the Coway AP-1512HH truly shines.
Unlike most air purifiers, this HEPA air purifier employs a 4-stage filtration system. This makes it especially suited for tackling wildfire smoke particulates, and its additional activated carbon deodorization filter will deal with any lingering unpleasant odors.
Additionally, it also includes a pre-filter for larger airborne particles and a True HEPA filter that captures fungi, pollen, and dust particles as tiny as 0.3 microns.
The Coway AP-1512HH’s deceptively quiet operation may fool some people into thinking it isn’t a strong air cleaner. However, it actually has impressive room coverage of 360 square feet, and it even performed well in my living room, which is larger than the specs indicate.
This model has a sleep timer, and it can turn itself off after 1, 4, or 8 hours. However, the real standout feature for me was the auto-shutoff feature. If indoor air quality is maintained for 30 minutes consistently, the fan automatically switches and runs on Eco mode, thus saving energy.
Pros:
- Thorough 4-stage filtration
- Eco-mode for high efficiency
- Hardly audible noise level on low fan setting
- Sleek, compact design
- Auto shutoff feature
- Filter replacement indicator
- Huge room coverage
- 3 fan speeds
- High clean air delivery rate (CADR)
- Long-lasting pre-filter
- Energy Star certification
Cons:
- No remote control
- LED light can’t be turned off and might be distracting
2. Rabbit Air MinusA2
Taking multiple-stage filtration even further, the Rabbit Air MinusA2 air purifier is another excellent model for combatting wildfire smoke thanks to its advanced 6-stage filtration system.
The purification system includes a pre-filter for trapping the largest particles, a medium air filter to capture dust particulates and large allergens, and a BioGS HEPA filter capable of capturing at least 99.97% of fine particles as small as 0.3 microns.
The fourth stage is a customized filter that allows you to choose from 4 different filters (Germ Defense, Pet Allergy, Toxin Absorber, and Odor Remover). I found the last 2 to be incredibly effective for wildfire smoke.
There’s also a charcoal-based activated carbon filter to neutralize unpleasant odors and a negative ion generator for the best indoor air quality.
Moreover, this air purifier has various smart features. I was very satisfied with its light sensors that automatically switch to sleep mode when the room is darkened.
This unit boasts a room coverage of around 800 square feet, but I suggest using it for around 400 square feet instead of filtering wildfire smoke. Thankfully, the unit can be securely mounted to the wall, so you don't need to worry about finding sufficient floor space.
Pros:
- Comprehensive purification thanks to 6 stages of filters
- Customizable air filter
- Wall-mountable, so it won’t take up room space
- Near-silent operation
- Smart device with Wi-Fi connectivity
- Sleep mode
Cons:
- Higher price bracket
- Power outages will cause the loss of all settings and presets
3. LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier
The Levoit LV-H132 is another budget-friendly HEPA air purifier that offers excellent indoor air quality. While its square footage isn’t as large as the first 2 (at only 129 square feet), it’d still make for a great addition to your home, boasting a 3-stage air filtration system.
First, there’s a pre-filter to capture dander and particles like dust mites. Then, a True HEPA filter traps smoke particles and other airborne particles such as pollen, germs, and viruses. Finally, the activated carbon filter keeps the air smelling fresh by tackling any lingering odors.
During operation, the device is almost silent on low fan speed, and even the higher speeds aren’t distracting at all. The only downside is that it may get noisier the longer you use it.
This air purifier is user-friendly, with a simple set of controls at the top. It has power, LED night light, fan speed buttons, and a light indicating when you need to change the filter. Unfortunately, it lacks a remote control or an automatic shut-off feature.
The model doesn't use UV-C light or an ionizer. However, this is a blessing in disguise, especially for children and sufferers of asthma, since they produce traceable amounts of ozone, a harmful pollutant.
Pros:
- Ozone-free
- High-efficiency air filters
- 3-stage of air filters including True HEPA air filter
- 2-year warranty and lifetime support.
- 3 fan speeds
- Lightweight and portable build
Cons:
- No timer or automatic shut off
- Noise level may go up the longer it’s used
Here at Dehumidifier Critic, we have expertly-reviewed the following air purifiers to create our 2021 buyers guides.
Coway Airmega 200M, Coway Airmega 400, Coway Airmega 150, Coway Airmega, Coway AP-1512HH, Honeywell HEPA InSight HPA5300B, Honeywell Bluetooth Smart Air Purifier, Honeywell PowerPlus, Honeywell, Honeywell HPA100, Honeywell premium, Blueair Pure 411 Auto, Blueair Classic, Airpura. HEPA filters Blueair, TaoTronics TT-AP005, Blueair 411, Blueair Blue Pure 211+, Blueair Classic 280i, Blue Pure 411, 480i IQAir, IQAir Medical-Grade, Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool, Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Cryptomic, Wynd Halo & Max Bundle, Wynd Plus, Dyson Pure, Molekule, Mokulele, Levoit Core 300, Levoit LV-H132, Levoit H13 True HEPA Air Purifier, Levoit LV-H126, Levoit, Bissell, Levoit Vital 100, LEVOIT, LEVOIT H13, Alen BreatheSmart for HEPA filter, Alen BreatheSmart 45i, Bi-Polar Alen BreatheSmart FIT50, HealthProtect™, GermShield™, AirSoap, Winix, Oransi, PhoneSoap, AM90, Medify, Hathaspace True, AeraMax, TaoTronics HEPA, H13 True HEPA Filter, Partu BS-03, Winix 5500-2, Ikea Fornuftig, KOIOS, Pure Enrichment PureZone 3-In-1, Jinpus, Partu BS-03, Therapure TPP440, Envion by Boneco, TREDY TD-1500, PECO, Winix 5300-2, QuietPure, AHPCO, UV-C, Winix 5500-2, Airpura G600, AllerAir AirMedic Pro 5 Vocarb, Amaircare 3000 VOC, Philips AC3256/30, Winix, Proscenic A8, iAdaptAir, Whirlpool Whispure True, Toshiba, Toshiba Smart Wi-Fi air Purifier, GermGuardian AC4100, GermGuardian - GG1100B (HEPA Filter, Noise Level, Pure Cool Link TP02, Greenote Air Purifier, AHPCO, GermGuardian AC4825.
The above air purifier models were expertly reviewed for DehumidifierCritic.com.
Our resident HVAC engineer Oliver Periman has spent hundreds of hours looking at the air purifier or air cleaner models worldwide. From needing to improve indoor air quality for people with allergy or asthmatics. To helping filter second-hand tobacco smoke using an air handler unit and Pressure swing adsorbers air purifier. We have determined what models are of benefit for Dust, pollen, dander, mold spores, dust mite feces, allergens, allergies, particles, volatile organic compounds and even sick building syndrome.
We hope our expert air purifier content is helpful for you.
Why Is Wildfire Smoke So Bad for Your Health?
Wildfires result in gases and fine particles that may cause a range of health problems. Inhaling the gases resulting from wildfire smoke is undoubtedly risky, but it’s the microscopic particles that pose the most significant risk to your health.
Due to their small size, they can easily reach your lungs, causing many problems from irritated eyes to heart and lung diseases or even premature death.
Are Air Purifiers the Best Way to Lessen Exposure to Wildfire Smoke?
Technically, the absolute best way would be to move to a smoke-free environment. Even if you keep all your windows closed, fine particles are bound to get into your home. Unfortunately, that’s almost always not possible, logistically.
However, the next best thing is using an air purifier, especially one geared towards tackling particulate matter that results from wildfires. While it’s not a permanent solution, it can help eliminate harmful smoke particulates and improve air quality in your home.
Keep in mind that you should run it all day and night long to get the full benefit of your device. Also, make sure to close your windows to prevent more pollutants from seeping into your home.
Choosing an Air Purifier for Wildfire Smoke
When shopping for smoke air cleaners, it’s essential to keep a few factors in mind. First, you should pay attention to the air purifier’s square footage rating in order to ensure it can sufficiently clean the air wherever you choose to use it in your home.
You should look for an air purifier with sufficient air flow and a robust multiple-stage filtration system. Your best bet against wildfire smoke is HEPA filters. While they're slightly more expensive, they're much more efficient in cleaning smoke particles that other filters may not be capable of handling.
Air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters are capable of reducing particle concentrations by up to 85%. Moreover, some air purifiers may be fitted with carbon filters to neutralize unpleasant odors.
Final Thoughts
Investing in an air purifier in your home may be exactly what your home needs if you live in an area where wildfires are a common occurrence. After all, air cleaners may be the only thing standing between you and health issues.
My top pick is the Coway AP-1512HH. This model leaves little to be desired from the excellent indoor air quality, decent room coverage, powerful filters, and quiet operation to its sleek design and affordable price.
If you’d rather go the extra mile, then the Rabbit Air MinusA2 is also incredibly powerful. Unfortunately, it comes at a more premium price.
