General Description

As with most products, a proper review of personal air purifiers requires some knowledge of air purifiers.  To do this you would need a general understanding of personal air purifiers.  A review of the workings of these devices shows that air filters utilize sieves which filter particles from the circulating air.  As the air flows into the air purifier the sieve traps the particles.  The finer the sieve, the smaller the particles it can catch.  The accepted limit for air filters has been set by High Efficiency Particulate Air filters, or HEPA filters, which trap on average 99.97% of airborne particles larger than 0.3 microns.  A micron is a standard unit of measure for air particles.  The smallest particle you can see is 10 microns.

HEPA filters remove allergens such as the following:

Dust

Smoke

Chemicals

Asbestos

Pollen

Pet dander

The more times air passes through a filter, the cleaner the air becomes.

Another type of method used by air purifiers is electrical attraction.  There are three types of air cleaners which use this technology.

Electrostatic

Electret filters

Negative Ion Generators

Electronic Purifiers

Electrostatic purifiers, or electronic purifiers, draw air particles in by a fan and charge them with a series of high voltage wires.  Plates then carry an opposite electrical charge which attract contaminants as they pass by the plates.  A review of personal electronic air purifiers show these to be perfect for people who don’t want the worry about constant replacements of HEPA filters.

Electret Filters

A review of these personal air purifiers shows a use of synthetic fibers used to create static charges to attract particles.  These filters come in a variety of types including the following:

Plain

Pleated

Disposable

Reusable

The type of filter needed will determine how often you will need to replace them.

Some types of electrostatic filters combine HEPA technology with the electrostatic method to create a more effective air filter such as the Blueair purifier.

Negative Ion Generators

These type of purifiers use tiny charged wires or needles to create gas molecules which contain negative ions that stick to airborne particles and collect inside the filter.  Reviews of some personal air purifiers of this type show that many of these ions end up returning to the air and attach to furnishings and other surfaces.

Ionic purifiers remove only certain types of particles and are mostly not effective against such things as gases, chemicals and odors.  Other products have shown to re-circulate the particles that they drew in.  This makes then less effective than traditional purifiers using the HEPA type of filtration.

Ozone Generators

Reviews of these personal air purifiers show that instead of using filters to trap particles, an ozone generator uses high voltage electrical currents to covert oxygen into ozone.  This then acts as a oxidant and breaks down the microorganisms in the air.  Multiple tests have shown this type of purifier is not very effective for removing indoor allergens.

The main concern with ozone generators is the potential of the following problems:

Aggravation of allergies and asthma

Damage to lining in nasal passages

Can cause coughing, throat irritation, and shortness of breath.

Depending on the need for a personal air purifier, a review of available systems is recommended.

Improving Indoor Air Quality

You are dedicated to improving the indoor air quality around your home.  You are also aware of certain steps which must be taken to reduce the amount of allergens and particles in the air.  Two of these steps, source control and ventilation have probably already been taken care of.  Next comes the use of an air purifier.  But how do you go about finding the best personal air purifier for your use?  If you are not sure what to look for, this can be confusing.

Understanding Air Cleaners

Once you understand the basic types of air cleaners and how they work finding the best personal air purifier will be much easier.  Proper research and information from organizations such as the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers which review and annually certify air purifiers makes it simple to compare different models and manufacturers.

Types Of Air Purifiers

There are five types of air purifiers available:

Ozone Air Purifiers – these release small amounts of ozone into the air to reduce pollutants

Electrostatic Air Purifiers – these use static electricity which draws particles into the filters within the unit.

Electrostatic Precipitators – these are similar to Electrostatic purifiers except there are no filters to throw out.  These use metal plates which attract particles to them.  When the plates are coated, you simply remove and rinse them to clean.

Ionizers – these release magnetic charges into the air causing particles to stick to the filters

HEPA filters – these are designed to remove over 99% of pollutants as they pass through the filter.  Lack of moisture kills trapped germs which is why these are mainly used in operating rooms and electronic labs.

Any one of these units can be the best personal air purifier depending on the situation.  You can also get more than one type and combine their use.

Will It Work?

There are ratings which have been developed to help compare brands and styles of air purifiers.  Two things to look for whenever shopping for the best personal air purifier are:

MERV – Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value; this is the rating system developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers.  The higher MERV the better the filter

CADR – Clean Air Delivery Rate; this helps you figure the amount of clean air in a room.  There are 29 manufacturers which list this number on their models for comparison.

Cost

Cost issues are part of finding the best personal air purifier.  Many cost factors figure into this.

Purchase price – this does not always match the quality of the device

Operating cost – how much does it take to run, filter replacement cost and cleaning included

Extras – such things as programmable ozone monitors are available

A review of personal air purifiers will allow you to find which product is best suitable for your specific needs.