If you have mold in your home (and many people do, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), U.S. News & World Report compiled a list of the best air purifiers to tackle this problem. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, and the concentrations of some pollutants can be anywhere from two to five times higher compared to outdoors.
Best for Versatility: Alen BreatheSmart 45i Air Purifier
While all of the filters for the Alen BreatheSmart 45i Air Purifier are medical-grade H13 HEPA air filters that capture 99.9% of harmful particles, you can choose from four different options: Pure (medical-grade H13 HEPA filter), Fresh (medical-grade H13 HEPA filter with carbon), Odor (medical-grade H13 HEPA filter with odor neutralizer), and VOC/Smoke (medical-grade H13 HEPA filter with extra carbon). Note that VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, which are gases emitted into the air from sources like paint, carpeting, aerosol sprays, and new mattresses.
Another feature that sets this air purifier apart is the variety of front panel colors to choose from, including brushed stainless, white, graphite, espresso, oak, and weathered gray. You can choose the panel color that comes with the air purifier initially, and the others can be purchased separately. These easily pop on and off, so you can swap out the panels whenever you want to change the air purifier’s look. The purifier also has a handle to make it easier to carry, though it is rather heavy.
On the controls on the top of the air purifier, the display shows one of five LED colors to indicate the air quality ranging from very good to very bad using blue, green, orange, red, and purple. There’s also an ionizer setting, and this model, according to Alen, is an ozone-safe ionizer that helps to remove even more airborne particles. However, if you don’t want to use it, you can turn this feature off with the press of a button. The air purifier also has four fan speeds, in addition to an Auto mode. The machine can be monitored on your smartphone via the Alen Air app, which allows you to control the device and get air quality updates.
The pre-filter should be vacuumed at least once a month, while the filter pack lasts for nine to 12 months before it needs to be replaced.
Read the full coverage: Best Air Purifiers for Mold of 2023
