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You know as well as I do, the world of air purification can be overwhelming. The good news is, air purifiers with UV light tackle different types of contaminants, thanks to their extensive filtration. In this article, I’ll review the best UV air purifiers on the market.
Best UV Air Purifiers
- SilverOnyx
- Germ Guardian AC4300BPTCA
- AZEUS 7-in-1
- VAVA VA-EE004
- Germ Guardian AC5900WCA
- HomeZens Portable
The 6 Best UV Air Purifiers
If you feel that the market is oversaturated with ultraviolet air purifiers and need help navigating through the crowd, I’ve got you. So, here is a list of the best ones available right now.
1. SilverOnyx
You can’t clean the air in a large room without getting an adequate air purifier. It needs to have enough coverage to perform effectively, and that’s exactly what the SilverOnyx air purifier does.
At first glance, this device looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. It looks sleek and modern and comes in three different colors. Its cylinder design isn’t just for aesthetics; it creates 360-degree air purification.
In addition, the SilverOnyx UV purifier covers up to 500 square feet, so it can definitely handle your bedroom, kitchen, living room, and office.
It employs five air filters. The mesh pre-filter handles large pollutants, while the True-HEPA H13 charcoal filter targets 99.97% of 0.3-micron pollutants, such as mold spores and pollen. It also includes an activated carbon filter that eliminates odor and smoke. Of course, the ultraviolet light, along with a built-in ionizer, attacks bacteria and germs.
This purifier stands out in its auto mode, which senses the air quality and adjusts accordingly. It also has a filter indicator that tells you when to change it. Moreover, it gives you five different speed settings to choose from.
However, nothing is flawless. This purifier is loud. Even at its lowest speed, it is still louder than other lower speeds. Still, if you don't mind a little bit of whine noise, it’s a great choice.
Pros:
- Suitable for medium to large rooms
- Five-step filtration
- Filter indicator
- Sleek look
- Five-speed settings
- Auto mode
Cons:
- Loud
2. Germ Guardian AC4300BPTCA
People who want to get rid of germs, bacteria, and viruses in the air while adding a sleek-looking device to their homes will love the affordable Germ Guardian AC4300BPTCA air purifier.
The first thing you’ll notice about this device is how nice it looks. Its futuristic, sleek, and space-saving design will be a valuable addition to your home. Also, it comes in both black and white. Moreover, Germ Guardian backs it with a 3-year warranty, meaning that they have faith in its durability.
In addition, this UV air purifier covers up to 153 square feet, so it works best in small to medium rooms. In fact, it cleans rooms of such size at a rate of four times per hour at maximum speed, and you can choose between three different speeds. Plus, it’s Energy Star certified, so it works 24% more efficiently than the average air purifier.
It utilizes a five-step filtration system: pre-filter for large contaminants, electrostatic media to charge and trap pollutants, a True HEPA filter, an antimicrobial agent, and UV-C sanitizer with Titanium Dioxide to eradicate volatile organic compounds. Also, it’s CARB-compliant, meaning that it won’t emit harmful chemicals.
However, there’s just one flaw in this device; despite the ultra-quiet sleep mode with a timer, it’s still too loud to sleep while it’s running as it isn’t the quietest device to be around.
Pros:
- Five-step filtration
- Energy Star certified and CARB compliant
- Three-speed settings
- Sleek look
- Two-color options
- Affordable
- 3-year warranty
Cons:
- Not that quiet
3. AZEUS 7-in-1
If you have a large area with some serious contamination, consider a UV air purifier with a multi-step filtration system. The AZEUS 7-in-1 air purifier blew me away with seven air filters.
Starting with the design, it has a familiar white exterior that protects you from the UV light and an easy-to-use control panel on top. The way it’s designed results in an effective 360-degree air intake.
You can easily use this unit to purify the air in rooms of up to 540 square feet at a rate of 2.5 air changes per hour. Unlike most air purifiers on the market, this one uses seven filters.
The pre-filter catches the bigger impurities. Then, the True HEPA filter traps small airborne particles. Meanwhile, the activated carbon filter attracts volatile organic compounds, and the formaldehyde adsorption particles clean your home from post-renovation pollution.
Further, the UV-C light sanitizer penetrates viruses and bacteria with the help of an optional CARB-compliant ionizer.
In the auto mode, the air quality sensor adapts to its surroundings. Also, this purifier offers three-speed settings and a sleep mode for your quiet needs. One of the best things about this unit is that it comes with a remote control so that you can adjust its settings from afar.
The only downside of this device is that it’s a bit hard to find its replacement filters.
Pros:
- Medium to large rooms
- Remote control
- Auto mode
- Seven-step filtration
- Three-speed settings and sleep mode
- CARB compliant
Cons:
- Replacement filters are hard to find
4. VAVA VA-EE004
Air purification is a necessity in this day and age, but it can be costly when we’re not careful. So, it was nice to find the VAVA VA-EE004, the best UV air purifier with an energy-saving timer.
This purifier prides itself on a stealthy look that can easily blend with its surroundings; the black color is a plus to me when you don’t want things to look too bright, such as in the bedroom. Will it cover your whole bedroom? Definitely. It provides coverage for up to 1,350 square feet.
The VAVA VA-EE004 employs a pre-filter against contaminants that are large enough for you to see. Then, the True HEPA filter eliminates 99.97% of pollutants equal to or larger than 0.3 microns, such as dust mites and pollen.
Odor-packed homes will love the activated carbon filters. Next, the CARB-compliant UV-C light will sanitize the air and kill airborne germs and viruses.
I love how it offers three different speed settings, besides the quiet sleep mode. Also, it comes with an energy-saving timer that works at 8-hour intervals. If you constantly forget to change the filter, the filter indicator will remind you.
I’m impressed with the smart memory function that makes the device remember your preferences. I just wish the replacement filters were easier to find.
Pros:
- Memory function
- Three-speed settings and sleep mode
- CARB compliant
- Energy-saving timer
- Multi-step filtration
- Filter indicator
Cons:
- Replacement filters are hard to find
5. Germ Guardian AC5900WCA
Although air purifiers technically have the same job, which is to improve the indoor air quality, sometimes you don’t want to settle for less. The premium Germ Guardian AC5900WCA air purifier comes with a price tag that matches what it offers.
First things first, this air purifier has a notably minimalist, sleek design. So, if you don’t want a device that distracts from the rest of the environment, it’s perfect. Germ Guardian backs it with a 3-year warranty, which means less worrying, more air cleaning.
It covers up to 338 square feet so that it will work effortlessly in most medium to large rooms. Also, it’s Energy Star certified, so it won’t lead to your energy bills skyrocketing the way some less efficient air purifiers do.
Dust, hair, and large particles won’t be able to escape the claws of the pre-filter, while the True HEPA filter will target the smaller, more challenging particles. The activated charcoal filter is here to reduce odors and smoke. Of course, the CARB-compliant air purifier uses UV-C light and Titanium Dioxide to eliminate viruses and VOCs.
This device also prides itself on its three-fan settings that you can choose from yourself. Also, the programmable timer is a nice touch that puts you in control.
However, there’s no denying that this air purifier isn’t budget-friendly, and neither are the replacement filters.
Pros:
- 3-year warranty
- Multi-step filtration
- Energy Star certified and CARB compliant
- Programmable timer
- Three fan settings
- Medium to large rooms
Cons:
- Expensive
- Filters are expensive
6. HomeZens Portable
Smaller rooms need air purification, but a device that takes up half the room would definitely be a bit of an overkill. That’s where the HomeZens Portable UV air purifier comes in.
Unlike any other air purifier with UV on this list, this one is a plug-and-go kind of device; its 180-rotatable plug does make its placement easier. It is very small, at only seven inches, meaning that you will forget it’s there.
The top cover completely seals the UV lamp, so there won’t be any radiation to be scared of. Also, there’s no ozone production, thanks to the purifier’s clean technology.
This tiny device can clean the air of up to 107 square feet. So, it is the ideal choice for your litter box room, small kitchen, bathroom, and nursery. Remember that it’s Energy Star certified, so it won’t consume more energy than it needs.
The UV-C light eliminates 99% of germs, mold, viruses, and bacteria, which is great news for anyone who’s constantly worried about the air. Despite all of this goodness, it is the most affordable item on this list.
Yet, there are a few things to note. This tiny device won’t be suitable for medium to large rooms. Also, since it has no other filters than UV light, it won’t remove airborne particles as a True HEPA filter does.
Pros:
- Most affordable
- Most portable
- Energy Star certified
- Plug and play design
- No ozone production
Cons:
- Not suitable for large rooms
- No filtration for airborne particles
How to Pick a UV Air Purifier
Looking for a UV air purifier can be challenging if you don’t know what you should pay attention to. However, your quest will be much easier if you keep in mind the aspects I’ll mention below.
UV-C Light Intensity
Why UV-C?
Ultraviolet light has very short wavelengths that we can’t see with our naked eye, and experts divide it into three categories: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. Air purifiers use UV-C light because it’s the shortest wavelength at less than 280 nm, so it doesn’t cause skin damage or penetrate it the way UV-A and UV-B do.
More importantly, this wavelength range gave it germicidal properties, which means that it neutralizes and damages the DNA of carbon- or organic-based compounds that harm us indoors, such as mold spores and pathogens, so that they can’t reproduce.
These powers against microorganisms have made UV-C bulbs common for sterilization purposes in hospitals and kitchens and disinfection of contaminated water. Now, they’ve made it into residential air purifiers.
How Intense
In order for UV-C light to do its designated job, the microbes need to come into contact with the UV bulbs. There also has to be enough exposure time because this high-energy light needs enough time to penetrate viruses and bacteria to alter their DNA. Quick airflow where the gaseous contaminants pass through the purifier fast won’t do the job.
So, a sufficient dwell time and a limited airflow rate help make the bulb more effective. Also, wattage plays an important role in how a UV-C bulb performs. Higher watts increase the dosage of UV exposure to airborne contaminants.
Ozone Safety
While high-intensity UV light has the ability to turn bacteria and viruses into inert solids, it’s important to ensure that such intensity is safe for people. Unsafe UV air purifiers emit ozone into the air, which is counterproductive since air purifiers are meant to improve air quality in the first place.
What you can do from your end is to look for air purifiers with ozone-safe certifications, meaning that they either emit less than 0.050 parts per million or don’t emit ozone at all.
Filtration
UV light is rarely used as a stand-alone filter; it usually accompanies a multi-step filtration system to help eradicate other types of pollutants that UV light can’t neutralize on its own.
The first part of most multi-step filtration systems is the washable pre-filter, whose purpose is to prolong the life of the main filter, and it targets large particles, such as pet dander and dust. Then, traditional air filters, such as the True HEPA filter, come in to remove 99.97% of airborne particles. A HEPA air filter is essential for proper air purification.
If you’re dealing with odor, smoke, volatile organic compounds, or any other invisible enemies, you may want to look into an air purifier with an activated carbon filter, which uses a porous surface to attract and trap harmful chemicals.
Coverage
Before you buy any HVAC system, it’s always important to know how many square feet it can cover; this is especially important when discussing UV air purifiers because the air needs to pass through the purifier itself and be exposed to UV light to be cleaned. So, the unit needs to match the room size in order to work effectively.
There are air purifiers with dramatically different coverages, with some covering as little as 89 square feet or as much as 1500. So, compare the unit to the area in question.
Design
There’s no right or wrong in terms of design; it all depends on what you prefer. If the area that you want to clean is really small, you may want to consider a wall plug-in air purifier. However, there are also tabletop purifiers that would look good on your desk. More demanding needs may require larger air purifiers with wheels and handles.
The design doesn’t refer only to the functionality but also the looks. Some UV purifiers look futuristic and modern, while others look like old air conditioners. Your choice will depend on your environment and how much aesthetics and uniformity matter.
Efficiency
Like all HVAC systems, air purifiers consume energy, but you don’t want them to consume too much, or else the energy bills will insanely pile up. So, an ideal air purifier would use the electricity it consumes efficiently, but how do you know before you buy them?
Look for Energy Star certified air purifiers because they are proven to be 27% more energy-efficient than their counterparts. They tend to cost more upfront but save more in the long run.
Also, it always helps to have an air purifier with an energy-saving mode or sensors when you don’t need it to perform at full capacity at all times.
Final Thoughts
I hope that by now, my picks for the best ultraviolet air purifiers and the features that you should consider have helped you form a clear idea of what you want to get.
If I could nominate just one air purifier, it would be the SilverOnyx one because this beast has it all. It has that modern, sleek look that any home in 2020 would love to have. Also, it has enough coverage to handle most rooms. Plus, it employs a five-step filtration system, including germicidal UV light to clean the air from small, large, and invisible pollutants.
It doesn’t stop there. It stands out by offering five different fan settings to choose from. It even has an auto mode in which it depends on a sensor that efficiently adjusts the intensity according to the environment. It’s also equipped with a filter indicator to remind you when to change the filter. So, it basically wins in my book.
Additional Reading
