HEPA Air Purifiers: What They Are, How They Perform & Top Picks

If you are Googling best air purifiers, you may find the buzzwor "HEPA".

What are HEPA air purifiers?
Are they worth buying?
How HEPA air purifiers work?

Bumped by these questions?

Got your back! Check this complete guide for your true HEPA air purifiers!

Skip To:
#1. What Are True HEPA Air Purifiers
#2. How HEPA Air Purifiers Perform
#3. HEPA Air Purifier Best Picks

#1. HEPA Air Purifier Beginners's Guide

The buzzword HEPA, is the abbreviation of high-efficiency particulate absorbing. The HEPA filter inside the air puffier is the core that is able to filter airborne articles, such as dust, pollens, etc.

HEPA is an efficiency standard of air filters. True HEPA filters must remove at least 99.95% of particles whose diameter is equal to 0.3 μm, from the air that passes through.

For example, Purivortex 201B, with the true HEPA filter, is able to filter out more than 99.95% of particles and dust (diameter = 0.3 μm) passing through the air purifier.

It means that any particles larger than 0.3 μm will be blocked by the HEPA filter.

HEPA grades can be classified into H10, H11, H12, H13 and H14. Different HEPA grades can filter different number of airborne particles.

HEPA Filter Efficiency

Thus, only air purifiers with H13 and H14 HEPA filters can be called true HEPA air cleaners. These HEPA filters are typically used in home & office air purifiers, clean rooms, operating theaters, research facilities, micro electronic industry, pharmaceutical industries, factories, vacuum cleaner filters, etc.

HEPA technology has taken a step forward recently. Engineers developed a leap in HEPA, which is called ultra low penetration air filters (ULPA filters). This type of new filters can be classified into U15, U16 and U17 grades.

ULPA Filter Efficiency

This kind of advanced filter is typically applied in supe clean rooms, airline cabin air purifiers, operating theaters, research facilities, micro electronic industry, pharmaceutical industries, etc.

#2. How HEPA Air Purifiers Work and Perform

When you plug the air purifier into an outlet, and turn it on. The built-in motor starts to absorb the air into device and the air is filtered by the HEPA filter.

The HEPA filter keeps those small particles (≥ 0.3 μm) at bay. The filtered-out and fresh air pops up from the air outlet.

So what exactly home HEPA air filter purifiers can filter? Do they actually block all particles and smell?

Now magic uncovered…

Both commercial and home HEPA air purifiers cannot absorb everything. They are capable of swallowing those particles and dusts larger than 0.3 μm diameter.

To maximize the efficiency and usage life and help reduce the burden of HEPA filters, air purifier manufacturers typically add a pre-filter, to filter most of the larger dust, hair, PM10 and pollen particles or particulates.

The HEPA filter, as the second layer, removes the smaller particles that escape from the pre-filter, able to remove more than 99.95% of particles. Even without the pre-filter, the HEPA filter is able to filter all of these particles larger than 0.3 μm.

Some of air purifiers can also remove unpleasant small, such as smoke, pet dander, odors, VOCs, etc. with the carbon-activated filter, aiming to truly purify the air.

True HEPA air purifiers can filter the below airborne particles larger than 0.3 μm:

• Dust
• Hair
• Pollens
• Soot
• Smoke
• Dust mites

HEPA can filter out these particulates but cannot absorb gasses. Carbon-activated filters stop smells and VOCs, such as pet dander, formaldehyde, odors, strong fragrance or perfume, chemicals, etc.

HEPA air purifiers are helpful to ease allergies by reducing dust or pollens and ensure your health.

You may check this post for more air purifier benefits.

#3. Best Air Purifiers with HEPA Filters

If you are searching for the best HEPA air purifiers for allergies, for small or large rooms in your home and office, you can take a look at below true HEPA air purifiers.

Pick 1. Purivortex 201B – Small & Portable HEPA Air Purifier

201B, a small but robust air purifier, adopts 3-layer filters to filter out particles and absorb unpleasant odors – pre-filter, H13 HEPA filter and carbon-activated filter.

By adopting true HEPA filter, this small air purifier is extremely efficient in cleaning the air, and able to remove at least 99.95% of particulates floating in the air. Meanwhile, the carbon-activated filter stops any unpleasant smell and odors, so that you can truly breathe freely in truly fresh and clean air.

It is extremely quite (as low as 20 dB) so you can enjoy clean air during sleep without disturbance.

Watch the video to see why Purivortex 201B is the Essential Home and Garden media’s BEST Pick.

Pick 2. Purivortex 201B Pro – Upgrade 2-in-1 HEPA Air Purifier

201B Pro is the upgrade version of 201B. The new version adds the small bracket or handle so that it can lie down on your table for fresh air at every angle. You can take this air purifier with you easily.

201B Pro changes the blue LED light into warm candlelight, so that you can have a cozy night light for better sleep.

When the air purifier is lay down, the clean air breezes your face, which makes this cute gadget not just an air purifier but a fan.

View Purivortex 201B Pro honest review done by Tom Horsman, an experienced home gadget influencer.

Pick 3. Purivortex V1 True H13 HEPA Air Purifier

V1 HEPA air purifier, uses the advanced true H13 HEPA filter, is able to filter as small as 0.3 μm particles – be it dust, pet dander, pollen, smoke, etc. – all killed.

Meanwhile, the sleek portable air purifier is lightweight, so that you can move it from room to room, place to place, for clean air wherever you are.

You can place this air purifier for your bedroom, without worrying about the noise. Tap the sleep mode button on the display panel. This little gadget only produces soothing white noise (only 24 dB, just like whisper) for your sweeter dream.

Watch the video for more details about this HEPA air filtration system.

For best HEPA air purifiers for allergies, asthma, home, office, mold, bedroom, dust, small room, you can shop them on the official online store, Amazon, Costco, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Target, Best Buy, eBay, Macy's, Walmart, etc.