5 Best Small Room Air Purifiers Under $200
Tips and Recommendations to Help You Find the Right Air Purifier on a Budget
By Becky Dotson
12 min read
When deciding on the right small room air purifier for your needs, you may find that many top-rated units typically have higher price tags. Although many of these units are worth the price, there are still several good-quality air purifiers available for a lower price point.
In our mission to provide you with the best air purifier options to fit your specific needs, here is some helpful information, as well as our recommendations, to keep in mind when shopping for a small room air purifier under $200.
What is Considered a Small Room?
When we say small room, we mean your bedroom, home office, bathroom, nursery, and similarly-sized rooms (rooms around 150 sq. ft. or less).
You will find that many air purifiers priced under $200 are most effective in smaller rooms and will likely not clean the air as well in a larger space. All of our recommended air purifiers should have enough power to generate two times an hour (our minimum) air exchanges at the highest speed setting in small rooms.
What to Keep in Mind
When shopping for a small room air purifier, keep in mind that the fan is also smaller and will require higher operating speeds. Air filters that are True HEPA H12 or H13 and quality seals on the air purifier make it so that these models clean the air effectively at high/turbo speed, making it slightly noisy.
Running a small room air purifier at an operating speed of level 2 is typically a comfortable sound level for most people. When running at moderate speed, air purifiers can create non-intrusive white noise that masks outside noise, making them soothing in spaces like a bedroom or nursery. While running air purifiers at lower speeds usually reduces the noise, it is good to run them at high speeds throughout the day to create enough air exchange to make it beneficial.
When selecting a small room air purifier, consider that air filters will need to be replaced more frequently (around four times per year). Many smaller units have filters that combine HEPA and carbon, and often the modest amounts of carbon in the filter get depleted long before the HEPA runs out. Because of this, it is wise to avoid unknown or less established air purifier brands as you want to ensure replacing filters won’t be an issue down the road.
Medify
Winix
Levoit
GermGuardian
HoneywellThe Bottom Line
When shopping for an air purifier, remember to keep in mind the size of your room and the concerns you are wanting to remedy. The five air purifiers we have recommended are our top picks in this price range for rooms the size of a bedroom or home office. If you are looking for recommendations outside of this site, we encourage you to read reviews and choose brands that are known for their quality, customer service, and value.
