Asthma attacks are no joke, and millions of people suffer from them every year. Asthma is often caused by an overreaction of your immune system to particles of pollen, dander, dust, and other “allergens.”
While other things can trigger asthma attacks, such as vigorous exercise; many struggle to get a good night’s sleep or enjoy a day at home thanks to allergens in their home or workplace. Air purifiers, however, may be able to bring asthma sufferers some relief.
While our other guides tend to target a more specific air purification problem – this one addresses a broader topic. Therefore, results you experience will depend on what contaminants trigger your asthma.
How Do You Know if an Air Purifier is Good for Asthma?
First and foremost, pay attention to previous buyer feedback. This will tell you if an air purifier actually works against allergens, if it fights odors, and what you can expect from customer service. Look for purifiers with HEPA filters, because they filter the smallest particles out of your air with the greatest efficiency.
Multi-stage filtration not only extends the life of expensive replaceable filters, it also helps catch the most contaminants. Quiet motors and Energy Star certification will help you run your air purifier longer. Even though they don’t directly combat asthma, these last two features can help you get the most out of your unit.
We’ve compiled a list of the very best air purifiers for asthma sufferers. These units have different prices and features, but we’ve included both feature summaries and customer sentiment to help you make your decision. If you’re in a rush, check out the pros and cons lists beneath each product review.
Recommended Air Purifiers
Alen BreatheSmart HEPA Air Purifier
The Alen BreatheSmart is available in five different colors. It boasts an 1100 square foot area coverage, as well as a Lifetime Limited Warranty. It’s a great purifier in term of build quality and performance.
While many air purifiers are limited to small living spaces and bedrooms, the Alen BreatheSmart can handle open concept rooms and large living spaces. Alen rates this model for rooms as large as 1100 square feet.
Highly customizable, the BreatheSmart allows users to not only change its outward appearance to match their décor, but also the type of filter within. This allows asthmatics to filter by season. It’s easy to pick filters that remove pollen, dander, and dust.
The SmartSensor keeps track of the room’s air quality, so your air purifier can work harder to handle spikes of pollen in the early morning that may trigger asthma attacks, and it will automatically slow when it isn’t needed. This saves power. Speaking of savings, the BreatheSmart is Energy Star certified.
This product also comes with a 60-day guarantee to ensure it meets customers’ needs.
Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0
The Rabbit Air BioGS provides allergy sufferers with a holistic approach to air purification. With a smaller lighted display and a back-end air outlet, Rabbit Air aims to reduce both light and noise pollution while scrubbing your home’s air.
This air purifier is sized for rooms up to 550 square feet. While it may not be suitable for large, open living spaces, it can clean the air in bedrooms and home offices very effectively.
This purifier has four stages of filtration, including a washable pre-filter that extends the life of the interior carbon and HEPA filters. With the pre-filter, the carbon and HEPA filters can last up to three years. As the name suggests, this air purifier has a quiet motor with five available speeds for optimal noise management. The Rabbit Air has a five-year warranty and Energy Star certification.
Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier Review
This air purifier offers a three-stage filtration system, beginning with a pre-filter, and ending with a true HEPA filter.
Although it can only filter up to 500 square foot spaces, the Whispure can circulate a room’s air more than four times per hour. The unit includes a pre-filter, a carbon filter, and a true HEPA filter. The pre-filter catches large particles, the carbon filter catches odors, and the HEPA filter can catch particles .3 microns or larger.
This machines has four fan speeds along with sleep and turbo modes.
Closing Thoughts
Every person is different, and it’s a good idea to confer with your doctor before investing in an air purifier. Your doctor may be able to point out specific allergens that trigger your asthma, and you’ll be able to shop as an informed buyer. In general, however, the Alen BreatheSmart appears to be the best air purifier on our list. Not only can it handle the largest area, but it’s changeable filters ensure you can always target your specific asthma triggers. It is also, however, the most expensive. The second best option is definitely the Rabbit Air, which has the advantage of noise control and a better pre-filter over the Whispure.