Room air purifier. How an apartment air purifier solves important problems

A good air purifier is a useful purchase for a home where allergy sufferers, children, and the elderly live. It is very important to choose a device that will last for many years, be effective and comfortable to use.

Criteria for choosing a good air purifier

Maximum air exchange

It is known that with effective operation, the device must pass through itself the air in the room 2-3 times in 1 hour. Therefore, calculate the volume of the room (in cubic meters) and multiply this number by three, and then compare the result with the parameters of different air purifiers.

Filters used

There are several types of filters: electrostatic, ozonating, photocatalytic, water, carbon, HEPA filters. Each has its pros and cons. High-quality models are characterized by the presence of several filters at once, i.e. multi-stage cleaning.

Ease of maintenance

There are 2 points to consider:

• the time you are willing to spend on caring for the device. If an electrostatic filter requires washing no more than once a week, and a photocatalytic filter - once every six months, then air washers need daily attention (change and addition of water);
• the presence of replaceable blocks in the design, the cost and frequency of their replacement.

Additional functions

These are indicators, displays, backlights, timers, aromatization, UV lamps, etc. The most important “bonus” feature that is worth paying for is the ability to control air humidification.

Air purifiers-humidifiers

Air washers

Washings simultaneously humidify and clean the air from dust and other contaminants. An important advantage of these devices is that you do not need to buy consumables for them. Air humidification and purification is carried out without the use of replaceable filters.
For cleaning, air is forced either through a system of water-moistened disks or through a water curtain forced by a fan.
This is another advantage of air washers - the water evaporates naturally, and the humidity in the room cannot rise above a comfortable 60%. The disadvantages of these devices include noise and decent dimensions.

Climate complexes for air purification and humidification

Multifunctional devices that combine three separate devices in a single housing: a full-fledged air purifier, a humidifier with traditional “cold” evaporation and an ionizer.

Advantages of climate systems:

• The presence of an intelligent control system for air quality and relative humidity levels, which allows the device to be used in automatic mode;
• High degree of air purification with or without humidification (unlike classic air washers).

Flaw:

• The need for periodic replacement of "dry" and (or) humidifying filters.

If you have opened this article, then for sure you no longer have the question Why do you need an air purifier? But how to choose an air purifier that will last for many years, will purify the air in the room, solving all the problems associated with air pollution and at the same time will not break down and make a lot of noise is not an easy task. There are so many climate equipment on the Russian market today that even a professional will not always immediately understand, and even an ordinary person who has not been interested in air purifiers before is quite easy to get confused. We do not want to leave you alone with the problem of choosing an air purifier, and we will honestly tell you about all the advantages and disadvantages of different devices. Here are our tips:

1. Each air purifier is designed for a certain area of ​​​​the room, so you need to first decide on the size of the room.

Are you ready to buy an air purifier in each room or will you carry it with you when you are in one of the rooms for a long time.

• If in each room - then choose clearly in accordance: the area of ​​\u200b\u200byour room - the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe air cleaner.
• If you plan to transfer, then focus on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe largest room in your apartment (house, office). It is better to choose the air cleaner model that will be designed for a slightly larger area - the air will be cleaned faster and better.
• If the room is very small, then you can choose a car air purifier, which can also be used in the room, and purify the air with one device both at home and in the car.

2. Decide what problems you are going to solve with the help of an air cleaner.

Its price will depend on this. There are many air purification technologies, each of which solves some problems better, others worse. How many cleaning technologies the selected air purifier model uses will determine its cost.

• Large amount of dust.
  1. Air purifiers with electrostatic (plasma) filters : These filters attract dust using an electrical charge, are easy to wash, and you don’t have to constantly order replacement filters. But if there is really a lot of dust, then the device will not be able to cope with it. Also remember that electrostatic cleaners can remove no more than 90% of dust. If higher quality cleaning is required (there are children, allergy sufferers, asthmatics in the house), then it is better to choose the next option.
  2. : the filter is easy to care for: vacuumed once a month and changed every six months to a year, depending on the degree of air pollution. A HEPA filter is the most effective means of removing dust, because... form a continuous barrier in the path of moving air, and even a microscopic speck of dust or bacteria will not be able to fly past, lingering in the pores of the filter. When a high degree of dust removal is required, an air purifier with a HEPA filter is the best choice.
  3. deposit dust flying in the air onto horizontal surfaces, thereby purifying the air. They do not collect dust inside the air cleaner housing; you do not have to wash or change the filter. Therefore, such air purifiers are suitable for those who want to avoid additional costs for maintaining an air purifier, but are willing to more often collect dust from surfaces with a vacuum cleaner or rag.

• 

  The main problem here is the smallest dust invisible to the eye; it is this that causes sneezing attacks, redness of the eyes and allergic runny nose in allergy sufferers. Your choice
  1. Air purifiers with HEPA filters - removes the smallest specks of dust from the air, cleaning efficiency is up to 99.9%. The best way to prevent allergies has not yet been invented.
  2. Air purifiers with electrostatic filters - less effective than with HEPA filters, because dust is attracted to the plates only due to an electric charge, and the plates are located at a certain distance from each other, i.e. Some of the dust flies past. Cleaning efficiency 81-90%.
  3. Air washers - purify the air by driving it through a sprayed suspension of water. Water washes away the smallest particles of pollutants, leaving no chance for them to return to the air in the room. Air washes with pre-ionization are the most effective, because... charged dust is better attracted to the drum plates. Cleaning efficiency - 80-95%.
  4. Air purifiers and humidifiers - humidify using an evaporation filter located in the water or water sprayed inside the apparatus itself. Cleaning is also carried out using a water suspension. Cleaning quality 80-90%.
  5. Air purifiers - ionizers with remote ionization, producing a large number of ions around the air purifier, are able to remove a maximum of allergens from the air, depositing them on the surface.
  It is important to remember that allergies are caused not only by the dust itself, but also by the dust mites, mold, and fungus contained in it, and by destroying them, you will eliminate the very cause of the allergy. Photocatalytic air purifiers and air purifiers - ozonizers will help to cope with dust mites and mold, but photocatalysis and ozonation in the selected air purifier must be supplemented by one of the previous cleaning options - a filter that removes the dust itself.
  1. clean and disinfect the air due to the interaction of UV light and a catalyst, decompose toxic chemical compounds, and destroy microorganisms.
  2. - ozone also decomposes toxic substances, kills microorganisms and germs due to its powerful oxidizing properties. Ozonizers can be used when there are no people in the room.
• Tobacco smoke, any other smoke. Your choice
  1. Photocatalytic air purifiers - ionizers , it is better if they have an electrostatic filter, because it is easier to wash it from precipitated nicotine resins. If you choose a HEPA filter, you will have to change it quite often. Photocatalysis breaks down the toxic elements of tobacco smoke, ionization disperses the smoke, and the electrostatic precipitator precipitates tar and purifies using microdoses of ozone.
  2. Air purifiers - ozonizers decompose smoke into harmless carbon dioxide and water.
  3. Air washers - less effective, because they do not have time to capture most of the smoke rapidly rising upward, and water itself is not so effective against smoke.
  4. - also do not have a high degree of efficiency, since it is quite problematic to quickly drive smoky air through the air cleaner body (so that smoke particles are adsorbed by the filter).
• Unpleasant odors (car, industrial emissions from windows, kitchen smell, burning, rot, from pets, finishing materials, office equipment, etc.)
  1. Photocatalytic air purifiers - decompose any odors in the presence of people.
  2. Air purifiers - ozonizers - oxidize and break down any chemical and organic components in the air, including odors.
  3. Air purifiers with carbon filters - odor molecules are adsorbed in micropores on the surface of coal granules, but the efficiency of a carbon filter will be several times lower than a photocatalytic one.

• 

  Air disinfection(if children or you yourself often get sick, during epidemics of viral diseases, in children's institutions, etc.). you better choose
  1. Photocatalytic air purifiers - disinfectants, disinfecting the air using ultraviolet light and photocatalysis reactions, in which most microbes, bacteria and viruses die.
  2. Air purifiers - ozonizers - the best choice, because Ozone is 2-3 times more effective than ultraviolet radiation, i.e. It will take much less time to process. In standard mode, such devices are capable of disinfecting air using ionization.
• Significant dryness of the air in addition to its pollution.
  1. Air purifiers-humidifiers - humidify and purify the air through filtration.
  2. Air washers - purify the air with water and at the same time humidify it.
• Poor health, lethargy, fatigue, poor sleep, frequent illness. You should choose
  1. Ionizer- ionization improves the general condition of the body, strengthens the immune system, and improves mood.
  2. Air purifier - ozonizer - ozone in small doses is very beneficial for health and is a natural immunostimulant.

3. Decide whether you are ready to incur additional costs for maintaining the selected air purifier or whether you want to buy it now and in the future spend a minimum of money on maintaining clean air.

If spending doesn’t bother you, you can safely choose air purifiers with filters; they have the highest degree of air purification, because... Several stages of air purification are better in any case. If additional costs are burdensome for you, then choose: air purifiers - ionizers, ozonizers, photocatalytic, electrostatic (plasma), air washers.

4. A very important point! If you choose an air purifier with replaceable filters (not photocatalytic, not electrostatic or plasma), be sure to make sure that it has an ionization function.

Air passed through any filter loses its natural charge and becomes absolutely “dead”; it is unsafe for humans and animals to be in such air, because its inhalation leads to various diseases. All air purifiers presented in our online store, which purify the air using filters, are ionizers. Therefore, when choosing an air purifier from us, you can be absolutely calm about your health. This advice will only be useful to you if you decide to purchase an air purifier elsewhere.

5. Be honest with yourself about how often and how much time you can devote to your air cleaner.

It cleans the air for you, but you, in turn, must clean it, otherwise it simply will not be able to work and will break.

• If you are ready to use it every day, choose an air washer or an air purifier-humidifier - you will have to change the water in them every three days and add water when it runs out.
• If it is not burdensome for you to take care of your air purifier once a week, your choice is an electrostatic (plasma) air purifier. About once a week you need to wash the electrostatic plates (filter) in it.
• If you want to spend a minimum of effort and remember to clean the device only once a month, then you should choose an air purifier - ionizer, photocatalytic purifier, air purifier - ozonizer or a purifier with replaceable filters (usually HEPA filters), which only need to be vacuumed once a month.

6. Consider how often you plan to use the air purifier.

It is optimal that it always works, and that the air in the room is always clean and has high quality indicators necessary for your health.

• If you plan to operate the air purifier around the clock, and savings are important to you, choose an air purifier with low energy consumption (see the parameter - power consumption).
• If periodic use of an air purifier is optimal for you, then air washers or air purifiers-humidifiers, which cannot be left idle for a long time with water filled with water, are unlikely to suit you. it may turn sour. If you are ready to drain the water every time, disassemble the air purifier and dry the parts, then the choice of air washers or air purifiers-humidifiers should not scare you.

7. Decide what features you need and who in your family will control the air purifier settings.

Do you need several fan speeds to choose more intensive or background air purification and reduce noise at night? Or do you want your air purifier to have maximum capabilities - a timer for automatic cleaning in certain modes, air pollution sensors, a hygrometer (for measuring humidity), night lighting, a function for air disinfection in the absence of people? As you understand, all the additional “bells and whistles” cost extra money, so decide right away whether you want to have them, or you won’t use them and will only get confused in a large number of buttons and modes. It all depends on what exactly you want to get: for some, it’s important to have all kinds of functions, but for others, they simply don’t want to understand them. So decide right away so you don’t regret it later.

8. Answer the question - do you sleep soundly, and how much do extraneous noises bother you?

If noise is not an important issue, you can skip this point; if not, then choose an air purifier with a night mode of operation that has a reduced noise level, or generally silent air purifiers - these are air purifiers - ionizers or photocatalytic air purifiers, devices without a fan or with the ability to turn it off completely .

9. Decide where you want to place the purchased air purifier, where it will best fit in your room or office.

There are models that need to be placed at a height of approximately 1.80 m from the floor, there are floor-standing models, wall-mounted or plugged directly into a socket (with a plug on the body). This is actually important because... If you choose the wrong model of air purifier now, you can then simply push it into the far corner, where it will not be able to optimally purify the air, and you will continue to breathe dirty air and get sick. In addition, many air purifiers effectively purify the air when installed at a certain distance from the wall, usually 10-50 cm; this also needs to be taken into account when choosing the location for installing the device.

Experts from the World Health Organization attribute more than seven million deaths annually to poor ecology, including dirty air. But if it is difficult to protect yourself from inhaling pollutants on the street, then at home it is quite possible. We have selected the most effective air purifiers: they will help create a healthy atmosphere in your apartment or at work.

Criterias of choice

What does "efficient air purifier" mean? What were we guided by when choosing models? Let's explain. In our opinion, the best way to purify air is through filters (mechanical cleaning). In any case, nothing better has yet been invented for household models. So the main criterion is the quality of the filtration system.

In the text we mention air filters of various classes. For your convenience, we provide information about their effectiveness in the infographic below.

IQAir HealthPro 250: super filters, expensive

The triple air purification system implemented in the Swiss IQAir HealthPro 250 allows it to cope with fine dust, allergens, bacteria and viruses that are dangerous to our body, as well as odors and gaseous air pollution.

At the first stage of cleaning, the air passes through a pre-filter - large dust is retained. Then he hits a massive ( 2.5 kg) two-component adsorption filter MultiGas (based on granular activated carbon), which is responsible for purifying the air from a wide range of gaseous chemical pollutants and odors, including cigarette smoke.

Air purifier IQAir HealthPro 250. Designed for 85 m². Cost - about 100,000 rubles*

Further along the air path is a proprietary HyperHEPA filter of impressive size (working surface - 5 m², class: H 12-H 13, depending on the cleaning speed). It traps particles as small as 0.003 microns - this is almost seven times smaller than the size of the smallest viruses. In addition, it almost completely - with an efficiency of 99.97%, according to the manufacturer - copes with particles ranging in size from 0.3 microns.

The electronic control of the IQAir HealthPro 250 allows you to select the desired intensity of air purification (maximum productivity - 440 m³/h: 10 minutes to purify the air in a room of 15 m²), create a work schedule and be aware of the status of the filters. This is not a small air purifier, but it has a chassis and a comfortable handle, so moving it around will not be a problem.

*All prices in the material are current on the day of publication.

site explains:

The larger the size of the filters in the air purifier, the longer they work at maximum efficiency, and the less often they need to be replaced. But, as in the case of IQAir, the size of the filters also affects the dimensions of the device, increasing them. Here you need to choose - either a more compact model and more frequent replacement of filters (this is an additional expense), or a larger air purifier and, accordingly, less frequent replacement of filters.

LG PuriCare: it knows what to do

An important feature of the South Korean air purifier LG Puri Care AS60GDPV0 is air quality sensors. One monitors the presence of fine dust with a size of 1 micron, and the other checks for foreign odors and gaseous contaminants. Based on the data from these sensors, the Smart mode operates: the air purifier independently optimizes its operation - selects the cleaning intensity.

Air enters the purifier along the entire circumference of the body - this way, according to the Koreans, the cleaning process occurs faster. In Booster mode, a special additional fan is activated at the top of the device, which helps to quickly distribute clean air throughout the room.

Air purifier LG Puri Care AS60GDPV0. Designed for 58 m². Cost — 59 000 rubles

A pre-filter traps large dust, a highly efficient HEPA filter (LG does not provide information about its class) traps fine dust, plus a special filter insert frees it from odors and gaseous contaminants. The filters are not as big as the IQAir, but the purifier itself is smaller. The manufacturer reports that the replacement of filters is required every 1-2 years. The cost of a set of filters is 5,999 rubles. LG Puri Care itself will cost 59,000 rubles.

Daniil Golovin, site project expert:

Air purifiers are designed to purify the air in rooms of different sizes. Often it can be 50 or even 100 m². And what? Is one purifier enough for the whole apartment? No: manufacturers always have ideal conditions in mind - no internal walls, closed doors or anything else that interferes with air distribution. In an ordinary apartment, if it is not a "studio" type of housing, all this is difficult to implement. So you will have to install a purifier in each or almost every room if you want the maximum effect - clean air everywhere.

Boneco H680: cleansing and moisturizing

Boneco H680 solves two problems: it purifies the air and humidifies it (normal air humidity is no less important than its purity). The functions can be used separately - only cleaning or only moisturizing. A hybrid filter that captures fine dust and odors is responsible for air purity.

It has an EPA component (filter class - E 11) - copes with 95% of fine particles (see the filter efficiency table at the beginning of the material): dust, bacteria, pollen, etc. An activated carbon filter combats odors.

A special humidifying drum based on sponge material is constantly wetted with water and maintains optimal humidity in the room. Purified air, passing through it, takes moisture particles with it into the room. The water consumption of the humidification system can reach up to a liter per hour, the volume of the clean water tank is 11 liters.

Boneco H680 air purifier. Designed 100 m². Cost - 60,000 rubles

Boneco H680 has electronic control. The climate complex monitors the degree of air pollution and humidity levels - the information is reflected on the display. Based on this data, auto mode operates to maintain optimal air quality. There is an optimized mode for the children's room, as well as a night mode. When it is necessary to replace the filters, the device will indicate this with an indication on the display.

Dyson Pure Hot + Cool: three in one

Having created a bladeless fan with Air Multiplier technology several years ago (air “blows” through a special circuit), the British seem to have decided to get the most out of it. In addition to the humidifier we are talking about, they created another device based on it, in which heating and air purification were added to the fan function - Dyson Pure Hot + Cool.

The air purification system here is classic: an H13 class HEPA filter catches fine dust, bacteria, pollen, viruses and other allergens. Allergy sufferers and asthmatics can use this purifier without fear - the model has passed special certification.

The filter layer of activated carbon with special treatment, according to the manufacturer, has an increased ability to capture odors and gaseous pollutants from the air. Watch our video about this air purifier.

Dyson Pure Hot + Cool air purifier. Calculated 37 m². Cost - about 35,000 rubles

In addition to purifying the air at any time of the year, in cold weather you can turn on the heating mode, and in the summer you can use Pure Hot + Cool as a fan. The official website, however, says that it cools, but this is a marketing exaggeration - there is no air conditioning function here. It is also convenient that there are two modes of air distribution - directed and diffused.

Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2: inexpensive but cool

There is an interesting story with this air purifier - Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2: it seems to exist in Russia, but it seems like it doesn’t exist. That is, you can buy it, including in Russian online stores - there are dozens of offers on the Yandex Market. But, as they explained to us at RDC GROUP (this is the official representative and distributor of Xiaomi in Russia), these air purifiers are not yet supplied to our country through their channels.

However, the model is interesting - like many other Xiaomi products - in terms of characteristics and price-quality ratio. Design in the spirit of minimalism. Dirty air is sucked in from four sides (in fact, like the Korean LG PuriCare, only the “Chinese” case is less rounded). The maximum cleaning intensity is 310 m³ of air per hour: in about 10 minutes, you can clean the air in a room of about 20 m².

Air purifier Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2. Designed for 39 m². Cost - about 9,000 rubles

The cleaning system is traditional. First, a preliminary plastic mesh - for coarse dust. Next is the highly efficient EPA E11 filter, manufactured by the Japanese company TORAY (a well-known concern specializing, among other things, in the production of water and air purification systems). Plus a special layer based on activated carbon - against odors and gaseous air pollution.

The purifier can be controlled from anywhere - using a proprietary mobile application - and even create a work schedule. And also receive information about air quality, temperature and humidity at home, about the need to replace filters. It's very cool that Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2 can be bought in Russia for 8,500-9,000 rubles - this is a great price for such functionality.

- If space allows - use an air purifier with large (volumetric) filters: these work longer with maximum efficiency.
- Do not forget to regularly change those filters in the purifier that require it - over time, their effectiveness decreases.
- To make the effect most noticeable - install an air cleaner in each room of the apartment where you spend a lot of time (bedroom, living room, children's room).
- The fastest air is cleaned in completely isolated rooms, but do not neglect periodic ventilation.
- Use the remote control capabilities, if provided - this is convenient and will optimize the performance of the cleaner, extend the life of the filters.

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Which air purifier is better to buy? In stores, the abundance of air purifiers makes your eyes wide open. You read reviews on the Internet and don’t understand where the truth is and where the order of marketers is. So we decided to put everything in its place: let’s take several household air purifiers and compare the cleanliness of the air coming out of them.

It is unlikely that anyone will argue that dirty air is harmful to health. The air at home can be even dirtier than outside. Plant pollen, wool, dust, fumes from household chemicals accumulated over the years, in addition, skin flakes from our pets and even furniture excretions, various bacteria, fungi - all this is added to the street air entering the house.

An air purifier should clean the air. It should, but does it lead? Let's see how models of different brands cope with this and try to determine the best air purifier.

Which air purifiers did we compare?

We chose the most popular, technologically advanced and expensive air purifiers, wanting to know which air purifier cleans the air the best. In total, 8 top air purifiers from well-known brands took part in the research: Daikin, BORK, IQAir, Ballu, Tefal, Xiaomi, Philips and Panasonic.

Model	Average price, rub.	Room area, m2
Daikin Ururu MCK75JVM K	49 500	46
BORK A803 AirEngine	69 990	80
IQAir HealthPro 250	99 990	85
Ballu AP-155	9 250	20
	18 999	35
Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2	13 490	42
Philips AC3256/10	32 950	76
Panasonic F-VXK70R	44 890	52

How we determined the effectiveness of air purifiers

You can evaluate the effectiveness of air purification by measuring the number of particles in the air that enters the device and checking what the “output” result is. All measurements were made in the same room using a professional laser counter for fine particles, which is able to record the number of suspended particles with a size of 0.3 microns.

The room is not small, so there is no fear that the difference in the initial measurements and the operation of the devices being tested will affect the result.

No sooner said than done: the initial indicator of the level of air pollution in our office is about 2 million fine particles, the size of which is from 0.3 microns, per 1 cubic meter. foot, or more than 70 million in one cubic meter (1 m3 = 35.314666721489 cubic feet). The value was recorded by a laser analyzer of suspended particles in the air - fair game.

It is important that the purity of the air flow emanating from the air purifiers was measured when each model was operating at maximum speed - there is a greater likelihood of the so-called contaminant slipping through the filters. We brought the analyzer to the purified air distribution grid.

What is the result

• DaikinUruru MCK75JVM K - 55 000 fine particles in one cubic meter. foot (almost 2 million per cubic meter).
• BORK A803 AirEngine - near 44 700 particles having a size of 0.3 microns, in 1 cu. foot of air (about 1.5 million in cubic meters).
• IQAir HealthPro 250 - 0 particles with a size of 0.3 microns per cubic foot.
• Ballu AP-155 - 24 000 particles in one cubic foot (this means - about 805 000 in cubic meter).
• TefalIntensePureAirPU4025- near 18 000 per cubic foot (if we talk about a cubic meter - about 630 000 ).
• XiaomiMiAirPurifier 2 - near 15 000 particle size from 0.3 microns in one cube. foot of air - and this is in a cubic meter 518 000 particles.
• Philips AC3256/10 - approximately 12 000 particles in one cube. foot, which means about 420 000 particles in 1 cubic meter.
• Panasonic F-VXH70- 8700 particles per cubic meter foot (or 304 500 in cubic meters).

All air purifiers made the air cleaner - they did it, but IQAir was the only one that could completely remove fine dust hazardous to health from the air completely

Why air purifiers coped differently

It's all about the filters. On the one hand, their set in all air purifiers except Daikin looks the same: preliminary, highly efficient HEPA and carbon.

What about Daikin? It has many different filters. Corrugated, which works in conjunction with a plasma ionizer (in this case, a positive charge is given to contaminants, and the filter attracts them), catechin, a filter with titanium-containing mineral, which allows you to destroy odors, viruses and bacteria, and also photocatalytic.

There is also a source of streamer charge, which generates so-called fast electrons - they should neutralize formaldehyde molecules, as well as other harmful chemicals.

But, as you can see, this “not frail” set, although it ensured a reduction in air pollution, did not allow Daikin to become a leader. The most important disadvantage of Daikin is the absence of a HEPA filter, which provides highly effective mechanical air purification. In our opinion, this is one of the main reasons for the insufficient air purification effect shown by the device.

Mechanical air purification with HEPA filters is a prerequisite for the highest quality results

Other air purifiers (BORK, Ballu, Tefal, Xiaomi, Philips and Panasonic) have mechanical air purification from pollution, including with the help of HEPA filters. But they were not able to achieve a perfect result either, although Panasonic, for example, made the air really cleaner - a good result. And yet - 0 particle counter did not show. Why?

Firstly, the design of the devices is often such that a small part of the air that gets inside passes by the filters. It simply isn’t cleaned and mixes with purified air at the outlet - the meter shows contamination.

Secondly, the filters of most household air purifiers are thin and small, have a small working area, and this negatively affects both the efficiency and their service life: in order for them to clean efficiently, they have to be changed frequently.

About ionization and humidification

Many manufacturers provide air purifiers with various additional functions and options. For example, an ionizer and a humidifier are built in (some comparison participants have these modes, for example Daikin, Panasonic). But is it really useful for its main function - air purification?

Ionization. During operation of the ionizer, the air is saturated with charged particles (ions), they “catch” dust, which then quickly settles on the floor, walls and other surfaces.

But the fact of the matter is that it does not disappear anywhere from the room, but settles, in addition to furniture and walls, also, for example, in a person’s lungs. And, by the way, we just need to walk next to a dusty surface (not to mention touching it) - and the fine dust is back in the air, we inhale it again.

The benefits of air ionization are not obvious: dust from the room does not disappear anywhere and can further harm health

Air humidification. Actually, this is a good thing. In our climate, indoor air is often dry. But for effective humidification, it is better to buy a separate device - a humidifier.

And not only because “additional” humidifiers often have low capacity and a small volume water box. It's not so bad.

The main thing is that due to constant humidity inside the device, the cleaning properties of the main air purifier filters may decrease. The same HEPA filters, for example, can absorb water.

Model	Hydration	Ionization
Daikin Ururu MCK75JVM K	●	●
BORK A803 AirEngine	—	—
IQAir HealthPro 250	—	—
Ballu AP-155	—	●
Tefal Intense Pure Air PU4025	—	●
Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2	—	—
Philips AC3256/10	—	—
Panasonic F-VXK70R	●	●

It is not advisable to combine an air purifier and a humidifier in one device. Moisture has a negative effect on the effectiveness of some air filters

There is a winner

Have you decided on the best air purifier? Our comparison showed that among the popular air purifiers of well-known brands sold in Russia, only IQAir (a little-known brand in Russia, but a recognized world leader in air purification), in particular the HealthPro 250 model, completely rids the air of fine dust, the most dangerous to humans, and other contaminants with sizes starting from 0.3 microns (cleaning efficiency - more than 99.97%).

PS By the way, we measured the efficiency of cleaning from particles whose size is from 0.3 microns. According to the manufacturer, IQAir air purifiers capture particles 100 times smaller - from 0.003 microns, with an efficiency of more than 99.5%.

The material uses information from reviews and tests conducted by the Hi-Tech Mail.Ru project.

You don’t know which air purifier to choose for your home or apartment, what types they are. A treasure trove of useful information about compact household appliances is right in front of you. Read, draw conclusions and purchase the best models!

The environmental situation in modern megacities is a cause for serious concern. The “Fifth Ocean” is filled with heavy smog, bacteria, cigarette smoke and dust. Naturally, to combat all these “fruits” of humanity, you need a high-quality air purifier for your apartment that can eliminate harmful substances.

Compact household appliances are a vital necessity for allergy sufferers, and they will be useful for others too. So, which air purifier to choose for an apartment and what types of air purifiers are there? We will consider in detail the functions and parameters of devices that deserve primary attention when choosing.

There is a wide range of air purifier models on sale, based on several distinct operating principles.

Types of air purifiers and their features

The design of the device is simple - inside the device there is a fan and a filtration system. It is powered by the electrical network. When the wings rotate, the flow is directed into the air purifier, then passes through several filters, resulting in cleaner oxygen. You can purchase models with ionization and humidification functions.

What are the features of each type of device and what to consider when choosing.

Air washers and humidifiers

Dry air is practically useless for the human body. Therefore, air purifiers are very popular, especially among urban residents. They effectively purify oxygen from dust, small particles, and potentially dangerous impurities.

A conventional humidifier does not functionally cope with the cleaning problem. The household appliance is able to bind small dust particles, moistening them. Under the weight of moisture, they simply fall in small grains onto the surrounding surfaces. Clean air is created artificially, due to the release of the upper zone, where a person often breathes.

Air washes work on a different principle, where oxygen humidification is an additional option. The key function of climatic devices is to clean the air from dust by contact. Sinks consist of several parts, the main of which is a plastic tank filled with water.

Several plastic discs are lowered into the container, but not completely. Then they are blown by a fan. Wet discs attract small particles and dust, which, when the fans rotate, remain in the water. This is how almost all household air purifiers are arranged, and the differences come down to technical specifications. Modern models have a filtering or ionization function.

Air cleaners with dry filters

Air purifiers equipped with a dry filter system are characterized by high performance and good efficiency. It is not surprising that buyers purchase units of this type. The peculiarity of the device lies in the fact that air flows are passed through several filters at once.

Clean air is formed thanks to several types of filters:

• systems with pre-cleaning - we are talking about a sponge-mesh, which is blown without problems. Dust and small particles of dirt are effectively eliminated if their size varies from 1 to 5 microns;
• HEPA filters - perfectly eliminate the smallest particles, which are often allergens. When purchasing an air purification device, you should provide for the presence of this filter;
• fine cleaning system - the design is a frame laid like an accordion, and there are microscopic holes in it. Due to this original design, clean air literally settles in the room. The air purifier can effectively capture particles as small as 0.1 to 1 micron.

In terms of its operating principle, a dry air purifier for the home has much in common with a vacuum cleaner, better known as a “vacuum cleaner.” If the filters are protected with a separate chamber, the output will be a regular vacuum cleaner.

Devices with ionization function

An air purifier from dust for the home with an ionization function is a full-fledged climate complex, which includes several functional elements. Thanks to them, oxygen becomes cleaner, and potentially harmful impurities are removed from the air masses.

The process takes place in 7 stages:

• a powerful fan draws air masses inside the device;
• large dust particles are removed using a foam filter;
• Partially clean air is sent to a photocatalyst that destroys toxic and chemical compounds. It is partially possible to get rid of unpleasant odors;
• oxygen is disinfected with an ultraviolet lamp;
• an electrostatic field is formed on the blades of the plates, effectively retaining the tiniest particles of dust;
• negatively charged ions are created in the oxygen flow;
• through the outlet plastic grille, clean air enters the apartment.

The advantage of such a unit is that the kitchen air purifier does not accumulate dust and small particles of debris inside the housing. Maintenance of the device requires a minimum of effort. Prevention comes down to periodically washing the metal plates and cleaning the filter.

Using these air purification systems, it is necessary to regularly carry out dry and wet cleaning in the living room, since dust settles on the surface of furniture and floors.

Ozonizers

Experts know that the best air purifier is an ozonizer. This is the most effective device designed to remove dust from the surrounding area, and a similar effect is achieved by releasing a minimal amount of ozone. Since ozone is a derivative of oxygen, a high concentration of which is extremely dangerous for any living organisms.

With its help, they not only purify air masses, but also get rid of germs and disinfect rooms. The device works on a simple principle - oxygen collides with an electrical charge that arises artificially in the unit. This is how ozone is formed.

How to choose an air purifier for your home? - First of all, you should decide on the purpose for which the household appliance will be used.

The methods used to clean the air from dust have led to the widespread use of these devices in everyday life. What is special about this unit?

• not only clean air “settles” in the apartment, but pathogenic microorganisms and mold are destroyed;
• harmful metals and chlorine compounds are removed from the water;
• from the room you can quickly remove the smell of rot;
• An air purifier is suitable for the kitchen; it cleans food from chemical elements, antibiotics present in meat, vegetables and fruits;
• Ozone can be used to treat shoes, underwear and bedding.

Doctors strongly recommend using ozonizers with extreme caution and following the user instructions. Some experts advise turning on kitchen air purifiers with ozonizers when there are no people in the room.

Household air purifiers with carbon filters

Experts classify household appliances equipped with carbon filters as fine cleaning units. They cope with a variety of gases and impurities without any problems. These air purifiers are suitable for kitchens, children's rooms and large rooms.

The units are equipped with special pre-cleaning elements (the same photocatalytic and HEPA filters).

Carbon filters are not able to fully and efficiently process oxygen. There may be several sources of pollution in an apartment. Dust is effectively eliminated in the traditional way, but potentially hazardous substances are eliminated using ultraviolet radiation. This is a reliable barrier to all kinds of contaminants that fill oxygen.

What kind of cleaner is needed for rooms with high humidity? The best models are traditional units. Models with carbon filters perfectly absorb excess moisture, but quickly lose their characteristics and cleaning qualities.

Air purification in the apartment is carried out using carbon filters. In a number of models they are supplemented with fine dispersion activated charcoal. Professionals recommend solutions with a pleated carbon filter, due to the large absorption area of ​​large particles.

Additional functionality

So, how to choose an air purifier for your apartment? In addition to the main function, a household appliance must have additional functions. Their presence simplifies the use of the device. These functions include:

• integrated work intensity regulator;
• LED display for service information;
• Remote Control;
• inhalation and aromatization option;
• built-in timer;
• function of automatic determination of the degree of contamination.

Having filled the theoretical gap, it is necessary to find out how to choose an air purifier that meets all the requirements of the home owner. There are several criteria that deserve primary attention:

• Each model comes with a technical data sheet (even if it is a kitchen air purifier), which indicates the power and performance of the device. Taking into account the characteristics of the device, you can select the unit for a specific room.

The choice of an air purifier begins with clarification of one important point - the device is planned to be used in one room or there will be several units. This can be either a stationary device or a mobile model. Experts recommend taking into account several recommendations:

• if you are planning to purchase an air purifier for the kitchen, it will be one specialized device; for the nursery, other devices are required;
• How to clean the air from dust in a very small room? Productive solutions for car interiors are perfect for small rooms. Their power is quite enough to service small housing;
• for cases when you plan to use an air purifier for the kitchen, for the nursery, for the hall, purchase units, focusing on the maximum area of ​​​​the room.

It is important to decide what exactly the household appliance is being purchased for. Standard models of the basic configuration can only boast a humidification function. More advanced solutions are sinks, devices with ultraviolet lamps, ionizers. Which air purifier is better - everyone decides for himself, taking into account the requirements and individual needs.

Along the way, one more issue needs to be resolved - deciding on the frequency of use of the device. To ensure that the oxygen always remains pure, the device must remain turned on at all times. Even if you manage to make your own air purifier, there is a very small chance that it will be able to function for 24 hours.

Air washers are ideal for periodic use. In such a device, water remains constantly, it can temporarily “fall asleep”, while the unpleasant odor remains in the tank, which can be absorbed for a long time.

How to make your own air purifier

You want to buy a climate control device, but you doubt its effectiveness. In this case, you need to read the material on how to make an air purifier with your own hands and at home. To make the device, affordable devices and tools that almost all of us have on hand are suitable.

You will need several products:

• plastic container with a lid;
• cooler from the power supply or computer;
• distilled water.

A hole is made in the lid the same size as the cooler. The fan is fixed with self-tapping screws or screws. Mounting methods may vary; we choose the most suitable one at our own discretion. The main requirement is reliable fixation.

The bottom of the tank is filled with water, but just enough so that the liquid does not reach 3 cm from the fan. You can use a switching relay as a fuse, which will automatically operate after some time. The hole on the side opposite the fan must remain free.

The propeller automatically takes in dirty air from the room. Small particles of dust and dirt remain on the surface of the water, which helps purify oxygen. It is difficult for these units to provide an acceptable level of cleaning over large areas, but they have good performance for a small room.

That's all the advice. The rest of the issues are up to you to decide. Be that as it may, it is necessary to build on the task at hand, the volume of the room, and the specifics of its use.