Which Air Purifier?

There are a bewildering array of air purifiers available, choosing one that meets your needs is far from easy! Manufacturers websites are a great source of information on their models but do little to help when trying to choose between the various makes and models available.

To confuse matters further different air purifiers use different techniques to clean the air, making side by side comparisons more difficult. The aim of this article is to provide guidance on the type of purifier available and to recommend those we believe offer the best performance. 

Broadly speaking air purifiers can be broken down into three main types:

1. Ionisers

Ionisers are generally speaking the least expensive type of air purifier. These work by generating negative ions which gently spread around the room. As they move through the air, they are attracted to individual particles of pollen, dust and smoke causing them to fall to the ground. The air will feel fresher as the particles (pollen, dust, smoke etc) are cleared. Ionisers are often found as an additional feature on premium filter based air purifiers.  The downside to a standalone ioniser is that the air borne contaminants are not collected or destroyed.

2. Filter Based

Filter based units are driven by a fan which sucks air in, the contaminants are collected by the filter and clean air is passed back into the room. Prices vary along with quality, generally speaking the budget priced machines will be noisier and will lack some of the more advanced features (eg: fan speed, timer control and the inclusion of an ioniser). It’s always worth checking the replacement cost of filters and how often they need to be changed as this is an important consideration when looking at the total cost of ownership. Our preferred filter based model is the Meaco Airvax offering superior dust, odour and bacteria removal.

3. Air Sterilisers

Air Steriliser/purifiers offer the ultimate solution for a germ and allergen free environment. There are different models available using various technologies to clean the air passing through them (UVC light, heat etc). Our favourite in this space is the Airfree range (we use an Airfree P125 in our office which keeps hayfever at bay during the summer and reduces the spread of colds and other nasties throughout the year ). The initial cost is more than some of the filter based machines but the Airfree models are maintenance free, no filters to change or bulbs to replace, therefore offering low overall cost of ownership. The other major benefit is that they are totally silent so perfect for a bedroom (they also have a dimmable nightlight, so perfect for a childs room) . These are designed to be plugged in and left on in a specific room, maintaining the cleanest air possible. 

Air And Your Health

The link between air quality and health is well known. In inner cities, respiratory conditions such as asthma are higher than in less-polluted areas, while infectious outbreaks from airborne 'superbugs' are becoming more common among hospitalised patients. Breathing clean air is of great importance to anyone who wants a healthy life, and especially for those who suffer from allergies like rhinitis, dust mite allergy, pet allergy, hay fever or have multiple chemical sensitivity. We offer a range of air purifiers from leading manufacturers to suit a variety of situations and room sizes.

To see our range of air purifiers please click here.