The best air purifiers in the UK

Short answer

The Philips PureProtect Quiet 2200 (AC2220) is the best air purifier for most UK homes. Its 420 m³/h CADR suits a room of up to about 35 m², it runs at 13 dB on its lowest setting, and Philips rates its filter for about three years. The Winix T800 moves more air for less money, but only Winix sells it in the UK; the smaller Winix T500 is our budget pick.

Best overallPhilips PureProtect Quiet 2200 Series (AC2220/10)

£229.99at Philips · checked 2 Nov 2026

Check price at Philips (opens in a new tab)

An air purifier is a fan that pulls room air through a filter, so what it cleans depends on how much air it can push through that filter: its clean air delivery rate, or CADR. We ranked the purifiers we track on three things: enough CADR for the room, low noise on the setting you leave it on, and how often the filter needs replacing. The six below run from a double bedroom to an open-plan ground floor. All 16 air purifiers we track, including those that didn’t make this list, are in our air purifier comparison.

Our picks at a glance

1. 1
   Best overall

   Philips PureProtect Quiet 2200 Series (AC2220/10)

   Three-year filter and a 13 dB sleep setting at a mid-range price

   • 420 m³/h CADR
   • rooms up to 109 m²
   • 13 dB(A) on sleep
   £229.99at Philips · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Philips (opens in a new tab)More retailers for the Philips PureProtect Quiet 2200 Series (AC2220/10)
2. 2
   Best value

   Winix T800 WiFi

   500 m³/h CADR, app control and one filter set a year

   • 500 m³/h CADR
   • rooms up to 120 m²
   • 23.2 dB(A) on sleep
   £149at Winix · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Winix (opens in a new tab)
3. 3
   Best budget

   Winix T500 WiFi

   App, particle sensor and a filter set that lasts about a year

   • 250 m³/h CADR
   • rooms up to 50 m²
   • 26.5 dB(A) on sleep
   £99at Winix · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Winix (opens in a new tab)
4. 4
   Best for large rooms

   Levoit Core 600S

   The highest CADR we list, 697 m³/h, with app and auto modes

   • 697 m³/h CADR
   • rooms up to 147 m²
   • 26 dB(A) on sleep
   £299.99at Levoit · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Levoit (opens in a new tab)
5. 5
   Best for bedrooms

   Coway Airmega 150 (AP-1019C)

   Quiet Mark certified, 20 dB at its quietest, filters last a year

   • 281 m³/h CADR
   • rooms up to 29 m²
   • 20 dB(A) on sleep
   £149.99at Coway · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Coway (opens in a new tab)

Side by side

Best overall

1. Philips PureProtect Quiet 2200 (AC2220)

Clean air delivery rate (CADR)

420 m³/h

Recommended room size

109 m²

Noise at lowest setting

13 dB(A)

Main filter

HEPA-type (class not stated)

Filter life (maker's estimate)

36 months

Replacement filter

FY2200/30

The AC2220 passes all three of our tests without a catch that rules it out. Philips states a CADR of 420 m³/h to GB/T 18801-2022, enough by our rule for up to about 35 m², a living room or a large bedroom; Philips’ own 109 m² figure assumes far fewer air changes. On its lowest setting Philips quotes 13 dB, the lowest figure of any purifier we list. The single FY2200 filter, with pre-filter, HEPA NanoProtect and carbon layers, is rated for about three years, where most rivals need three or more filters in that time. The catch: ignore the replacement alert and it locks until a new filter goes in. Unlike the Winix models, it is sold by more than one UK retailer. Read the full Philips AC2220 review.

Where to buy the Philips PureProtect Quiet 2200 Series (AC2220/10)

• Philips£229.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Philips (opens in a new tab)
• John Lewis£229.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to John Lewis (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Best value

2. Winix T800 WiFi

Clean air delivery rate (CADR)

500 m³/h

Recommended room size

120 m²

Noise at lowest setting

23.2 dB(A)

Main filter

H13 HEPA

Filter life (maker's estimate)

12 months

Replacement filter

Filter GR (1712-0118-04)

On paper the T800 is the strongest buy here. Winix rates it at 500 m³/h, enough for about 42 m² at five air changes an hour, and it draws only 2.5 W on its lowest setting. One Filter GR set (1712-0118-04: a pre-filter, a carbon layer and a HEPA layer Winix’s UK page calls H13) lasts about 12 months. It isn’t our top pick because of where you can buy it: we found it on sale in the UK only at Winix’s own store, which delivers to mainland UK addresses but not to Northern Ireland. Its PlasmaWave ioniser starts switched on; a button turns it off. See the Winix T800 review.

Where to buy the Winix T800 WiFi

• Winix£149In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Winix (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Best budget

3. Winix T500 WiFi

Clean air delivery rate (CADR)

250 m³/h

Recommended room size

50 m²

Noise at lowest setting

26.5 dB(A)

Main filter

HEPA-type (class not stated)

Filter life (maker's estimate)

12 months

Replacement filter

Filter O (1712-0110-04)

The T500 is the compact version of the same idea. When we checked, it cost about the same as Philips’ simplest app-connected purifier, the AC0650, yet it adds a particle sensor, auto mode and a carbon layer. Its 250 m³/h suits about 21 m² by our rule, so it is sized for a bedroom or a small living room, not the 50 m² Winix quotes. Filter O (1712-0110-04), one cartridge with pre-filter, carbon and HEPA layers, lasts about 12 months. It is the loudest of our picks on its lowest setting, at 26.5 dB, and sleep mode switches the PlasmaWave ioniser off for you. Like the T800, it is sold here only by Winix, with no delivery to Northern Ireland. See the Winix T500 review.

Where to buy the Winix T500 WiFi

• Winix£99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Winix (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Best for large rooms

4. Levoit Core 600S

Clean air delivery rate (CADR)

697 m³/h

Recommended room size

147 m²

Noise at lowest setting

26 dB(A)

Main filter

HEPA-type (class not stated)

Filter life (maker's estimate)

6 months

Replacement filter

Core 600S-RF

For an open-plan ground floor or a long through-lounge, the Core 600S is the one to look at. Levoit’s UK page gives it 697 m³/h, the highest CADR of any purifier we list, which covers about 58 m² at five air changes an hour; Levoit’s own 147 m² assumes two. Its app adds three extra auto modes. Levoit rates sleep mode at 26 dB but gives no top-speed figure, and names no test standard for the CADR. The trade-offs are bulk and filters: it stands 60 cm tall, weighs 6.2 kg, wants 38 cm clear on every side, and its Core 600S-RF filter is due every six to 12 months. Levoit says it uses no ioniser. See the Levoit Core 600S review.

Where to buy the Levoit Core 600S

• Levoit£299.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Levoit (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Best for bedrooms

5. Coway Airmega 150

Clean air delivery rate (CADR)

281 m³/h

Recommended room size

29 m²

Noise at lowest setting

20 dB(A)

Main filter

HEPA-type (class not stated)

Filter life (maker's estimate)

12 months

Replacement filter

Airmega 150 Filter Set (3109700)

For a bedroom, the Airmega 150 is the quiet specialist. It is on Quiet Mark’s UK list of certified purifiers, and Coway rates its Silent mode, which it suggests for sleeping, at 20 dB. Its 281 m³/h CADR suits about 23 m² by our rule, a generous double bedroom (Coway says it cleans 29 m² in 15 minutes). The pre-filter slides out without opening the case and can be washed; the carbon and GreenHEPA filters come as one set (3109700), replaced every 12 months. There is no app, remote or timer, and Coway asks for 20 cm clear on every side and 2 m from a TV. See the Coway Airmega 150 review, or our best air purifiers for a bedroom.

Where to buy the Coway Airmega 150 (AP-1019C)

• Coway£149.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Coway (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Best for smoke

6. Blueair Blue Max 3450i

Clean air delivery rate (CADR)

481 m³/h

Recommended room size

43 m²

Noise at lowest setting

25 dB(A)

Main filter

Electrostatic (HEPASilent and similar)

Filter life (maker's estimate)

9 months

Replacement filter

110412

Blueair is the only brand among our picks that gives a CADR for each kind of particle: 481 m³/h for smoke, 533 for dust and 620 for pollen. Those are the three categories the US AHAM test measures, though Blueair’s UK page names no test standard. We size the 3450i on the smoke figure, the smallest particles and the lowest number, which still covers about 40 m². Its filter has particle and carbon layers, so it takes on smells too. The catches are on Blueair’s own UK page, which gives two room sizes (54 and 43 m²) and two low-noise figures (23 and 25 dB), and the main filter (110412) lasts up to nine months. See the Blueair Blue Max 3450i review; for a smaller room there is the Blue Max 3250i.

Where to buy the Blueair Blue Max 3450i

• Blueair£299In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Blueair (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

What about Dyson, Shark and IQAir?

Dyson publishes no CADR for any model we track; it bases its whole-room claims on its own test, run at maximum setting in an 81 m³ room. Shark gives no CADR for the HP150UK, and IQAir gives airflow, not CADR, for the HealthPro 250. Without a CADR we can’t size them on the same scale, so they aren’t ranked here, and our comparison shows “not published”. Most Dyson models are in our purifier fans and heaters; see also Dyson Hot+Cool vs the Philips 3-in-1.

How to choose an air purifier

Size comes first: no feature makes up for a purifier that is too small for the room.

• Start with the room. Floor area in m² × 12 is the CADR you need, for five air changes an hour under a 2.4 m ceiling; scale up for a higher ceiling. We sort every model this way: bedrooms and small rooms (up to 20 m²), living rooms (20 to 35 m²) and large and open-plan rooms (over 35 m²). Our guide to what size air purifier you need explains the maths and why brands’ room sizes look bigger.
• Leave headroom for quiet running. CADR is measured on top speed only. A purifier sized above your room can do the job on a quieter setting, so check the noise on the lowest setting too. Brands don’t all measure noise the same way: Philips gives sound pressure at 1.5 m, and most others don’t say how.
• Count the filters. Check the replacement’s part number and interval before you buy. Philips, Levoit and Coway say to fit only their own filters, and AHAM warns that compatible filters it hasn’t verified may not match the original. Our replacement filter guide and filter finder list what fits each model.
• Check the watts if it will run all day. Watts × hours ÷ 1,000 gives kWh to multiply by your own tariff; our running costs guide works through it.
• Carbon for smells. The US EPA says purifiers without a sorbent such as activated carbon won’t remove gases. All six picks have a carbon layer.
• Budget tiers. Under £150 mostly buys purifiers for bedrooms and small living rooms, with CADRs of about 120 to 280 m³/h; the better ones add a particle sensor, auto mode and an app. £150–£300 is where most living-room and open-plan models sit, from about 240 to 700 m³/h. Above £300 you mostly pay for extra jobs, such as heating, cooling or humidifying, not for more clean air, and many models there publish no CADR. Prices move, so check the price boxes above.

Shopping for one room in particular? See the best air purifiers for a bedroom or the best air purifiers for pets.

How we chose these

1. Started from what decides an air purifier: enough CADR for the room (our CADR ÷ 12 rule), noise on the lowest setting, and how often the filter needs replacing.
2. Compared makers’ UK spec sheets, manuals and filter pages for the 16 air purifiers we track, and noted which test standard each CADR follows, where a maker names one.
3. Checked prices at the Philips, Winix, Levoit, Coway and Blueair UK stores and at John Lewis, and show the date we checked.
4. Looked for owner reviews. For these six we couldn’t read enough for a fair summary, so the picks rest on published specs.
5. Revisit the list when prices move or a model is replaced.

What we don’t do: lab-test every product. When we have used one ourselves, the review says so.

Our full method

Air purifier questions

What size air purifier do I need?

Work from the CADR, not the room size on the box. Multiply your floor area in m² by 12 and look for at least that CADR in m³/h: about 170 for a 14 m² bedroom, 360 for a 30 m² living room. That gives about five air changes an hour under a 2.4 m ceiling. Makers’ room sizes usually assume fewer, so they look bigger. Our room size guide has worked examples.

How often do air purifier filters need changing?

Follow the maker’s interval and the filter light. Among our picks, Philips rates the AC2220’s FY2200 filter for about three years, Winix and Coway expect about 12 months, Levoit says six to 12 months for the Core 600S, and Blueair up to nine months for the 3450i. Smoky or dusty homes shorten all of them. Our replacement filter guide lists the part numbers.

How much electricity does an air purifier use?

Less than you might think on a low setting. The Winix T800 draws 2.5 W on its lowest speed, about 0.06 kWh a day if it runs non-stop, and the Coway Airmega 150 draws 2.9 W. Top speed is where the use is: the Levoit Core 600S is rated at 49 W, about 1.2 kWh over 24 hours. Multiply by your own tariff, or see our running costs guide.

Will an air purifier help with hay fever?

A purifier doesn’t treat hay fever, but its filter catches pollen-sized particles in the air it pulls through, and Allergy UK says running one continually, as the maker instructs, can help reduce allergens in the air. Pollen also settles on surfaces, so cleaning still matters. The NHS suggests keeping windows shut where you can; for symptoms, see a pharmacist, or a GP if they get worse. More in do air purifiers help with hay fever.

Do I still need to open the windows?

Yes. A purifier only cleans and recirculates the air already in the room: it brings in no fresh air and doesn’t lower carbon dioxide. The government’s SAGE-EMG advisers said air cleaners should never be a reason to cut ventilation. If pollen or outdoor pollution bothers you, Asthma + Lung UK suggests airing rooms for a few minutes at a time and checking pollen and pollution levels first.

Are ionisers safe?

UK advisers are cautious. SAGE-EMG didn’t recommend ionisers unless their safety and efficacy are proven, as they may make irritant by-products such as ozone, and the Department for Education advises schools against them. Of our picks, only the two Winix models have one, PlasmaWave, with its own off button; Winix says ECARF tests found ozone below 0.01 ppm. Philips, Levoit and Coway list none, and we found no ozone statement for the Blueair.