Air purifiers are electronic devices meant to improve the quality of air in your house. Modern units come with several filtration stages to remove all impurities, allergens, and odor. However, you can rest assured that they are still affordable, even when there are many features that look appealing to you.
Choosing the right type of air purifier is a time taking task so to save your precious time, we have reviewed 48 various products available in the market. And we agreed that LEVOIT LV-H132 appeared to be the best air purifier under $200 for us. However, to suit your varying needs, we’ve further listed 8 more products. With each one of them having their own unique qualities, you can choose the best product according to your needs.
For this article, we’ve spent 53 hours to complete our research and have asked a team of experts to help us find more about these devices. It appears that the most important things with those units are filters. While HEPA filters can eliminate harmful bacteria, viruses, and pet dander, carbon filters remove smoke and odor from the air. Noise levels are also crucial if you want to keep your air purifier in your bedroom. Fan speeds determine how quickly it will filter the air. Dimensions are important if you don’t want your air purifier to take much room space. For your ease, this article is divided into three parts. The first section is the table where you can see the ratings of every product we’ve reviewed. In the second part, you will find our in-depth reviews of each product, and the third part is a buying guide with FAQs, where we will explain more details.
More features: circulates room air over 4 times per hour, removes 99.97% of airborne contaminants as small as 0.3 microns, two brightness settings, filter replacement indicator
The LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier is a compact yet extremely powerful and quiet unit that can be placed anywhere in the room because of its small size.
This is one of the best air purifiers under $200, and it was designed in California, USA. It comes with a 1-year warranty and has a filter change reminder. This air purifier features an advanced three-stage filtration process with a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, and a high-efficiency activated carbon filter. However, make sure to use it in an open space for some time before bringing it into your room to avoid the odor on first use.
Another good reason to go for the LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier is that it has a light, which can be used as a night lamp. It is a high-efficiency air purifier that circulates the air in the room approximately four times in an hour
More features: removes 99.97% of microscopic particles, 2 night light options, filter indicator, child lock
If you’re looking for a compact and budget-friendly high-performance HEPA air purifier under $200 that you can use in your bedroom or office, then the Home Labs model is the right choice for you.
This product comes with a True HEPA H13 filter, which captures particles as small as 0.1 microns and removes any unwanted contaminants in rooms up to 194 square feet effortlessly. Except for the True HEPA H13 filter, it is equipped with an activated carbon filter as well as a pre-filter. This helps reduce odors from cooking, smoking, etc., plus you won’t be needing any air fresheners or scented candles to cover up the foul smells.
Unfortunately, some owners found it to be a bit noisy. Still, it features a three-speed fan control button so that you can put it on low and sleep peacefully.
More features: smart sensors, auto mode, sleep mode, captures 99.97% of airborne pollutants, dust mites, pet dander, pollen and other allergens as small as 0.3 microns, filter replacement indicator
The Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier features PlasmaWave technology and odor-reducing washable AOC carbon filter. It’s compact, and the HEPA filter takes care of 99.97% airborne pollutants. The PlasmaWave technology used in this air purifier breaks down chemical vapors and other pollutants with no harmful ozone and eradicates allergies and eczema. Smart sensors detect the quality of air and then automatically adjust the fan speed to filter accordingly to your requirements.
The fan in this air purifier features four speeds, which are low, medium, high, and turbo. The turbo speed is used for maximum airflow and filtration power. It also comes with remote control. Dimensions of this air purifier are 15 inches by 8.2 inches wide and nearly 2 feet tall. The recommended coverage area for this model is around 360 square feet.
As for the drawbacks, you can’t use auto mode during the nighttime, and the night mode will be activated automatically, so you will need to use a manual mode for faster results.
More features: traps allergens and kills germs, reduces odors, sleep mode, filter change indicator, 118-125-108 CADR rating
If you’re looking for an air purifier with a user-friendly design, then the Germ Guardian AC4825W is the right choice for you. It features a UV-C light, activated charcoal filter, True HEPA filter, and a pre-filter, which is why it eliminates allergens, germs, and odors efficiently.
The CADR ratings are 118 – Dust, 125 – Pollen, and 108 – Smoke. The coverage area of this purifier is approximately 167 square feet, which is decent for its compact size. The best part about the Germ Guardian AC4825W air purifier is that it comes with a three-year warranty. It’s also very easy to use with a single knob, plus it is ozone free.
The only downside is the bright LED light on the control panel, which can’t be turned off at night. It’s highly recommended that you use easily available genuine Germ Guardian filter replacements to ensure the longevity of your product and better air quality in your house.
More features: filter indicator, air quality sensor, 360-dergee air intake, warm night light, timer
The Vremi Large Room Home Air Purifier is a powerful odor eliminating machine that is specifically designed for pet owners and people having allergies from pets.
It has a built-in pollution sensor that indicates live air quality with color. For instance, blue for very good air, green for good, orange for unhealthy and red for hazardous air. It’s relatively small, approximately 15 inches tall and 8.7 inches wide in diameter. The Vremi Large Room Home Air Purifier features a premium quality ABS outer body plus a built-in night lamp with a single color. However, some users really expected it to be a colorful lamp.
It operates in a very subtle manner with 360-degree air intake, and when in sleep mode, the noise level is only around 28 dB, which is very low. The coverage area of this air purifier is around 300 square feet, which means it can easily be used in your living room or any large room.
More features: programmable timer, reduces up to 99.97% of harmful pollutants, prevents growth of mold, mildew and odor-causing bacteria, filter indicator, night light
The Germ Guardian AC5350B Air Purifier is an AHAM verified unit. This means that it is tested and rated by the Association of Home Appliances Manufacturers for its ability to clean pollen, tobacco smoke and dust from the area it is operating in. It’s also Energy Star certified, which means it’s highly energy efficient.
This air purifier can be used in the home, office, or in the bedroom, plus it can be used if you have pets. On top of that, it has a sleek design, which easily blends into your room’s ambiance. It also comes with a UV-C light hidden inside the chassis, which kills the germs and airborne viruses such as influenza, rhinovirus, etc.
The only bothersome thing is that there is side venting, so it can limit you in terms of where to put it. Luckily, this model does its job well at preventing the growth of mold and bacteria, and it is quite long-lasting and comes with a three-year warranty.
More features: auto mode, LED display, sleep mode, timer, display-off function
If you’re looking for an ozone-free air purifier that also doesn’t use the UV-C light purification method, then this is the right choice for you.
The LEVOIT LV-PUR131 air purifier is Energy Star and CADR certified, which means that it’s considered to be energy-saving, and the quality of this air purifier is checked to ensure that you will get the best. It’s equipped with an advanced filter that features a honeycomb design that absorbs cooking odors and smoke effectively. However, finding genuine replacement filters can be a bit tricky. Its fully automatic mode detects the air quality through its built-in sensors and adjusts the fan’s speed according to the real-time air quality readings.
The coverage area for this air purifier is nearly 360 square feet, which means that you can use it in very large rooms. One of the most amazing features of this air purifier is that the LED display on top of it can be turned off, which means there won’t be any irritating blue, red or white light coming out of the air purifier to keep you awake at night.
More features: touch controls, auto-off timer, control panel light, filter indicators, removes particles like pet dander, pollen, dust, and more
Honeywell is a brand famous for durability and the quality of materials they use. If you’re looking to get a product that is not very expensive and lasts long, then this is the right option for you.
This air purifier circulates the air 5 times per hour in the room, which none other from our list does. It features four cleaning modes, which are Germ, Allergen, General Clean, and Turbo. The light of the control panel is dimmable, which means there won’t be any annoying lights at night to keep you awake, plus its touch controls are easy to use.
However, the smell is slightly bothersome when you use it for the first time. Still, the Honeywell HPA200 Air Purifier is a wonderful option for 310 square feet rooms. It comes with a five-year warranty, so it’s worth the price.
More features: captures 99.97% of dust and allergens, reduces odors, low energy consumption, timer, child lock, sleep mode
If you’re looking for an air purifier that’s ideal for reducing odors and is also ideal for allergen removal, then you should go for the Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P Air Purifier. This air purifier comes with Whispure technology, which eliminates 99.99% of bacteria and viruses that may grow on filters. As a result, your filters stay fresh longer, and it’s much healthier to breathe with this unit on.
This technology also helps purify the air with high efficiency and avoid the noise. However, the only bothersome thing is that if you don’t change the air filter on time, a squeal may occur due to dust even on the lowest setting.
It comes with the five-year limited warranty backed by one of the biggest name names in household electronic appliances. This air purifier features an attractive design and blends in beautifully in most rooms. Additionally, it comes with a child lock, so your settings won’t change if the child touches it by mistake.
Getting the right air purifier definitely helps to enhance the air quality in your house. In order to find the best air purifier under $200, we’ve created this section, which includes important features of these devices and technologies they present. Nothing would be worse than buying the wrong type of an air purifier, so stick with us to explore more about these products. By the end of this guide, you will be able to get the most effective unit for your needs.
Air purifiers are one of the must-haves when it comes to healthy living. According to the statistics provided by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is estimated that on average, indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air as indoor air consists of toxic pollutants, allergens like pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and mold spores. Air purifiers quickly clean and freshen the room’s air so that allergy sufferers can breathe peacefully. Poor air quality can cause itchy stinging. Air pollutants also trigger skin irritation, so it’s important to purify the air to reduce rashes, acne, and avoid other health issues. Air purifiers are also beneficial for babies because cleaner air will allow them to grow healthier. It is obvious that air quality affects your mood, efficiency at work, and your general condition.
There are plenty of things you should consider before buying an air purifier, as this thing directly affects your health, and you will probably be using it in your house with your loved ones. There are many things one should consider, but the most important ones are:
Filtration stages are the levels that air has to pass through in order to be purified. Most of the air purifiers we’ve reviewed feature 3-5 stage filtration. The five stages of filtration usually include the washable mesh filter, True HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, the ionizer, and the UV light.
The washable mesh filter captures large particles like hair, dust, and fur. The True HEPA filter traps up to 99.97% of airborne germs and contaminants as small as 0.3 microns. The activated carbon filter absorbs household odors such as smoke, cooking smells, and pet odors. The ionizer freshens the air by adding negative ions in the air, and the UV light kills the airborne viruses and bacteria.
Clean Air Delivery Rate is commonly known as CADR rating, and it describes the efficiency of an air purifier. It demonstrates how quickly the air purifier can filter the air inside a room.
CARD rating shows how much dust, smoke, and pollen an air purifier can remove. These air pollutants are not only tiny but also the most unwanted particles in the air we breathe.
As per our research, if you want an air purifier with a high CADR rating, then the Vremi Large Room Home Air Purifier can be an ideal choice for you.
The area or size of the room where an air purifier shows its maximum efficiency is known as the coverage area. If you’re looking for an air purifier with a decent coverage area or which you can use in a large room, then we recommend you going for the LEVOIT LV-PUR131 or the Winix 5500-2. They both have high coverage areas, which are 360 square feet, and they can easily be used in large rooms or in a TV Lounge.
Eco mode and auto mode are the two settings that are most commonly found in air purifiers. Eco mode means that the air purifier is going to consume a lower amount of energy when operating. The auto mode makes an air purifier estimate air quality and purifying it accordingly.
Another aspect to consider in an air purifier is the fan speed. Most of the air purifiers that we’ve reviewed come with a 3-speed fan, but if you’re looking for more adjustability, the Honeywell HPA200 with a four-speed fan can be ideal for you.
With a higher fan speed, you will achieve quicker air purification. On the other hand, this will make your unit produce more noise.
A good air purifier should not produce a lot of noise. Noise levels are measured in decibels. In the list of air purifiers that we’ve reviewed, the quietest model is the LEVOIT LV-H132, which only makes 25 dB, and it is considered very low.
If you’re looking for the combo of efficiency and low noise, then it’s hard to look past the Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P with only 35 DB noise level.
Dimensions refer to how much space do you need for your air purifier. Your unit should not be occupying a lot of space, or it should not be super prominent in your room. Weight of an air purifier is also an important consideration because if it’s heavy, moving it will be a hassle.
One of the smallest purifiers that we came across was the hOmeLabs Air Purifier with True Hepa H13 Filter, which is just 12.8 inches tall and 7.9 inches wide in diameter, so it is quite compact. Whereas the biggest purifier that we found was the Honeywell HPA200. Additionally, the LEVOIT LV-PUR131 appeared to be the lightest product on our list.
The warranty is sometimes considered as a very important thing when buying electronics, as any device can stop working at any point in time.
With the warranty, you minimize the risk that you will end up with a faulty product. It’s sort of an assurance that your product will at least last for this specific period of time. Or you will get a replacement if it doesn’t.
Most of the compact air purifiers that we’ve reviewed come with a standard one-year warranty. Whereas the ones that are from renowned brands like Honeywell and Whirlpool come with a 5-year warranty.
As for the extra features, you can expect to find units with a night light, LED screens, filter change reminder, and so on. These extra features add more value to your product and increase its functionality.
For example, the Whirlpool Whispure WPT80P comes with a child lock, which ensures that your kid won’t be able to switch its settings. The LEVOIT LV-PUR131 has a “display off” function, which means that you can turn off the display before you go to sleep, so the lights won’t disturb you. The Germ Guardian AC5350B Air Purifier boasts a filter indicator that reminds you if the filter needs replacement.
We live in a world where everything that we see, eat, wear, or own is of a brand. People tend to be more inclined towards good brands as they assume that because of its good reputation, the brand would not sell a product that is not of perfect quality. The price of an air purifier is also a crucial thing to check. How much you spend matters and definitely changes the choices you have in front of you. As per the air purifiers that we’ve reviewed, the cheapest one that we found is the hOmeLabs Air Purifier with True Hepa H13 Filter, which runs around $69.
To sum it all up, we understand that choosing the right type of air purifier mostly depends upon your needs and the features you want. We’ve tried to enlighten you with the most relevant info that’ll help you choose the best air purifier under $200 as easily as possible. Based on our research and review, we would recommend three best air purifiers.
First is the LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier, which is the quietest, affordable, and high-efficiency model. It features three filtration stages and works great in medium and small rooms.
Second is the hOmeLabs Air Purifier with True Hepa H13 Filter. It doesn’t cost much, has convenient child lock function and two night light options.
Finally, we have the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier. This premium model has smart sensors to control air quality and various modes for better results.
