A Complete Shopping Guide to Air Purifier with Activated Carbon Filters
Your home is the place for cooking, eating, raising children and pets, washing clothes, pooping, bathing, and, of course, sleeping and enjoying your leisure time.
The smell of the kitchen, pets, kids, poops, VOCs, cleaning products, and other chemical odors can be hindrances to your sleep and relaxation, and may even be harmful to your health.
If you are constantly plagued by odors in your home, you are in the right place 😉
Throughout this post, you will discover everything about air purifiers with carbon filters, their functionalities, the 3 best activated carbon filter air purifiers, their differences from HEPA filters, and the hottest FAQs.
Quick Click to Section:
1. What Is Carbon Filter in an Air Purifier
2. HEPA Filters vs.Carbon Filters
3. Air Purifier with HEPA and Carbon Filter
#1. AC400 - Best Pet Air Purifier with Carbon Filter
#2. 201B - Best Small Air Purifier with Carbon Filter
#3. V3 - Best Room Air Purifier with Carbon Filter
4. Air Purifier with Carbon and HEPA Filter - FAQs
1. What Is Carbon Filter in an Air Purifier
Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is a form of carbon and is often used for purification and filtration because of its strong ability to absorb gas molecules.
An activated carbon filter is made up of granulated or powdered solid activated carbon blocks. The numerous tiny pores on the surface of the activated carbon can absorb odors and harmful chemicals as air passes through it.
When gas molecules adhere to the carbon filter, they are trapped and unable to circulate back into the air. The more carbon pores in the filter, the better the ability to neutralize odors and gases.
Apart from air purification, it can be used as:
- Cigarette filter
- Water purification
- Industrial gas processing
Because carbon filters are 100% safe and effective, the EPA recommends using them in air purifiers to combat harmful chemical gases such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in paints, furniture, and cosmetics.
In summary, the benefits of activated carbon filters for air purifiers are making the room chemical-smell-free and odor-free.
2. HEPA Filters vs. Carbon Filters: What's the Difference?
Both are designed for different purposes. Carbon filters use highly porous charcoal to remove odors and gas molecules, whereas HEPA filters use tangled bundles of fine fibers to filter out allergens such as dust, pollen, pet hair, pet dander, and mold.
The diameter and tangle level of the polypropylene or fiberglass used in HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters determine the filtration level. According to European standards, an air purifier that uses standard filters must remove up to 99.95% of air particles.
Shortly, if you only need an air purifier to remove odors or chemicals from the air, you can get one with a carbon filter. A HEPA air filter is a good choice if you only want to remove air particles such as dust and pet hair.
However, both types of air pollution are always present in your home. VOCs are ubiquitous in homes with cosmetics, paints, furniture, and other chemical materials. Kitchen and pet odors, as well as allergens like dust, pollen, and dust mites, are obvious poor air quality problems.
If you want to completely address the air quality problems in your home, the best way is to get an air purifier with carbon filters and HEPA filters.
3. Best Air Purifiers with 3-in-1 & 4-in-1 Carbon & HEPA Filters (Even Colorful 🌈)
Purivortex, thankfully, incorporates both HEPA and carbon filters in one air purifier to ensure that you can breathe the purest air at home.
Here are the 3 best air purifiers with HEPA and carbon filters in various price ranges.
Pick 1. Air Purifier with Deep-Bed Activated Carbon Filter - AC400
Purivortex's R&D department has been working on the AC400 for several years, and it is a pleasant surprise that it is now available for purchase 🎉
This powerful machine has a CADR of approximately 110 m3/h and can clean space of up to 880 ft2, making it suitable for use in living rooms, offices, and nursery rooms.
As its filter size is 50% larger than other air purifiers with the same CADR, AC400’s purification efficiency increases by 50%, making it the most cost-effective.
Tips: Read this post for more CADR information and find out how much CADR value is suitable for your home.
Its filter capability will tell you that this new machine is not a gimmick. It has strong 4-stage filtration systems that can capture 99.99% of air pollutants like dust, fibers, hair, pet fur, pollen, dust mites, mold, smoke, VOCs, fumes, and other air contaminants.
If you are looking for an omnipotent air purifier under $100, this machine is the best choice.
The most incredible feature is that the lowest noise level is only 19.9 dB (just like your breathing), whereas most air purifiers on the market can only do 25 dB. If you are extremely sensitive to noise while sleeping, this is without a doubt the best option.
One of the most eye-catching features is the optional night lights. A seven-color cycle night light can be kept or changed to your favorite color, which makes it stand out among similar-looking air purifiers.
Pick 2. Portable Air Purifier with True HEPA & Carbon Filter - 201B
This is a small air purifier for bedrooms, kitchens, small offices, and other spaces up to 215 ft2.
It comes with powerful 3-in-1 filters that can quickly neutralize odors and particles in the air. If you have allergies, such as seasonal allergic rhinitis, this air purifier is an excellent choice.
This desktop air cleaner has enough activated carbon filters that are capable of absorbing all odors and chemical smells, making it the best-activated carbon air purifier for a kitchen or a newly decorated room.
Aside from that, the noise level of this air purifier under $50 is very low (only 20-40 dB). Even the biggest mode is as quiet as the library sounds, so you might not notice it when it's on.
If you can't sleep well because of poor air quality, place this bedroom air purifier on your bedside table; it will free your bedroom of air pollution, allowing you to sleep soundly.
Pick 3. Best HEPA Air Purifier with Carbon Filter - V3
V3 is a large room air purifier for rooms up to 1,076 ft2, making it an excellent choice for apartments, offices, or living rooms.
It features a washable fabric pre-filter and a powerful 4-in-1 filtration system that can remove almost all air pollution, providing your home with the purest and freshest air.
In addition to collecting large particles like dust and pet hair with its large pre-filter, its H13 true HEPA technology can remove 99.99% of air particles as small as 0.3 microns in size.
Additionally, it has enough activated carbon filters for odor and VOCs removal, as well as built-in cold catalyst filters to speed up its odor-cleaning process. When you turn it on, your room will be odorless within minutes.
This true HEPA air purifier with activated carbon uses an advanced and sensitive laser sensor to monitor real-time air quality and alerts you with different LED colors. If you live in an area where the air quality is unstable, you can get this machine to keep track of the air quality 24/7.
V3's auto mode can change the fan speed based on the air quality in your home, saving energy and working in a top form.
4. Air Purifier with HEPA and Carbon Filter - FAQs
Q1. Can You Wash Carbon Filters for Air Purifiers?
It is not recommended to wash your carbon filters because carbon filters can absorb water and cause dust mites to grow. Furthermore, the VOCs and other chemicals absorbed cannot be washed away.
Q2. Do Carbon Air Filters Really Work?
Absolutely yes!
If your home is always filled with smoke or other foul odors, using carbon filters will make a significant difference. Even if you don't notice any odors, a carbon air filter can remove harmful VOCs from the air in your home.
Q3. Do Carbon Filters Clean the Air?
Sure! Carbon air filters can remove VOCs and odors from the air. Most mechanical filters, such as HEPA filters, are incapable of handling these gaseous substances.
Q4. How Long Do Carbon & HEPA Filters Last?
These combination filters typically have a life span of 3 to 6 months. If you live in an area with poor air quality, you should check your filter monthly to see if it needs to be replaced.
Q5. Is Carbon Filter Necessary in Air Purifier?
The answer is yes.
To remove chemical smells and odors that HEPA filters cannot, a complete air purifier must include a deep-bed activated carbon filter.