Best Air Purifier for Dust 2021

THE SEEMINGLY BENIGN HOME AGGRAVATION: DUST

As sure as the sun sets in the west, houses collect dust. These tiny clumps of particles are not only a nuisance when trying to achieve a clean looking home, they are also noticeably aggravating to the asthma and allergy sufferer – or anyone with a respiratory tract disorder for that matter. In this article we will cover what exactly dust is, how it’s potentially harmful to you and your family’s health and the best way to combat it.

WHAT IS DUST?

We all know dust as the grayish powder that lovingly accumulates week after week on our TVs, tables, floors, desks and that can be seen floating through the air, being made visible as the sun rays shine through an open window. Above all, there seems to be a never-ending supply of these tiny specks.

What exactly is in this mysterious substance?

• YOU! Yes, YOU reading this dust article. You contribute to the dust population in your home – pieces of your dead skin cells and hair that fall off are a major contribution
• Pets – hair and dander that falls off every day from our beloved animals.
• Tiny creatures – bits of dead insect, bacteria, dust mites
• Earth and beyond – tine pieces of dirt and sand, pollen and meteorite
• Clothing, furniture and carpet fibers – the breakdown of these materials over time
• Man-made Pollutants – persistent organic pollutants, PCBs, DDT, phthalates, flame retardants and industrial emissions – all have been found in dust in the average home
• Road origin – brake dust and bits of road from tire and road friction
• Smoke – A single puff of cigarette smoke contains an estimated four billion large dust particles.

IN A NUTSHELL, dust is the end result of when things break down. We live in a world filled with things, so like death and taxes, dust is another one of life’s guarantees.

The scientific term, dust bunny, refers to large clumps of dust that accumulate under the bed, couch or in corners of the house. Although these creatures do not carry rabies, they do carry microbes and mites that can be detrimental to your health. For more information on dust mites and the symptoms that show up with them, click here.

HOW IS DUST HARMFUL?

Breathing, you’ve heard of it right? The process where your lungs repeatedly expand and contract in order to allow for oxygen to enter your bloodstream and carbon dioxide to escape back into the atmosphere.

Our body has a natural in-house cleaning system to help rid the respiratory tract of dirt and debris. It has mucous to trap the debris, and tiny hair-like structures called cilia that sweep the mucous-debris mixture up to the mouth where it can be swallowed or spit out. Dust is debris.

More dust = More debris that your lungs have to deal with = More STRESS on the body!

The constant assault on our respiratory system can lead to health issues including:

• Allergy symptoms– runny nose, irritates eyes
• Aggravated asthma
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Can worsen symptoms of COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder)

BEST WAY TO GET RID OF DUST?

The notorious ‘feather duster’ or dust cloth with microfibers **(look up exact names) are common ways that people will clear dust from surfaces in their homes. These dust removal techniques require both TIME and EFFORT on the part of the individual looking to rid their space of dust. Time and effort are both precious commodities in life. Who wants to waste them on mundane tasks like dusting? So what’s the alternative you ask?

AIR PURIFIERS TO THE RESCUE

Air purifiers are the ultimate way to filter your home of dust so that it is TRAPPED by the filter and cannot RE-ENTER the air. What’s that you say? You already have an air filter in your HVAC system? If you are being honest with yourself, do you change your air filter EVERY 3 months like clockwork? Portable air purifiers are the helping hand that your HVAC system calls on to help take on the war of air dirt.

BEST AIR PURIFIER 2021 – Small sized space (up to 86 sq feet)

The LEVOIT LV-H 132 Air Purifier wins the title of BEST AIR PURIFIER for tackling dust in a small space. This would be great for a small to medium sized bedroom, an office or cubicle.

FEATURES:

• It covers up to 86 square feet.
• This 3-in-1 air purifier with three stages of filtration (Fine Preliminary, True HEPA, Activated Carbon filters) tackle 99.97% of particles and odors
• It has a night light if you or your children want to avoid absolute darkness
• NO OZONE released
• It comes with 3 Speed Settings so you can chose how intensely you wanted running for your specific environment. It has a max noise level of 50 dB and a power consumption of 28 Watts.

SUMMARIZING REVIEWS:

PROS:

• FOREST FIRE HELP
  • Many have testified that it has helped eliminate the smell of smoke in their homes surrounding the forest fire areas.
• Odor removal – people have stated that it has completely removed cat odor from a 10×10 room where kittens were being tended to
• Congestion eliminator – People who were consistent mucous generators swore by this as the remedy for their congestion. Whether from smoke, pollen/allergens, or city air, people consistently say that they wake up with zero traffic on the nostril highway. Clean nose pipes and better sense of wellbeing with a greater ease of breathing.

CONS:

• Some who have identified themselves as light sleepers said that they had trouble sleeping with the level of noise emitted from this device.
  • There was a claim that on the lowest setting it emits sound at 36 db – this somewhere in between the sound of a quiet rural area and the sound of a library.
  • So if you are someone planning on using it in the bedroom and you require dead silence, you may need to also invest in earplugs or perhaps this system may not be for you.
• Someone claimed that the unit reduced PM2.5 (very small particulate matter (pieces of air dirt)), but that the unit releases VOCs which could be smelled and measured.
  • Levoit claims that this unit is CARB (California air resources board) certified which means that it has been tested and found to release ozone in concentrations under 0.050 parts per million. If there is any issue with the unit there is a two year warranty if a replacement is needed.

To purchase the Levoit LV-H132 Air Purifer or read more information click the link below:

LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier with True Hepa Filter, Odor Allergies Eliminator for Smokers, Smoke, Dust, Mold, Home and Pets, Air Cleaner with Optional Night Light, US-120V, White, 2-Year Warranty

BEST AIR PURIFIER 2018 – Medium sized space (up to 360 sq ft.)

The Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier is our top pick as the best air purifier to suit your medium sized room needs. It tackles dust, allergens, molds and microbes and will keep your air clean and odor free.

FEATURES:

• The Winix air purifiers all come with VOC (volatile organic compound – harmful gases in the air) sensors and will give you REAL-TIME feedback about the quality of your air.
• All Winix models have a Change Filter monitoring system. There’s an indicator light on the Control Panel which will glow when it’s replacement time. So no need to guess when the filter needs replacing
• The Winix 5500-2 works using 3 different filters AND it’s PlasmaWave technology:
  • When air first enters the unit it goes through the pre-filter – This collects the biggest particles like hair and large dust, and helps extend the life of the other main filters. It is washable and can be cleaned every couple weeks.
  • Next it will go through the Advanced Odor Control Carbon filter. This removes harmful gases like VOCs and odor molecules from pets, cooking and smoke.
  • Then the air will go through the TrueHepa filter which will remove 99.97% of unhealthy air particles including dust, pet dander, pollen, microbes, smoke and mold.
  • PlasmaWave Technology: The final cleaning stage, this patented technology generates and releases thousands of negatively and positively charged ions which combine with water vapor in the air to form Hydroxyls. These Hydroxyls work to instantly neutralize airborne viruses, bacteria, chemical vapors, odors, and gases. The PlasmaWave function can be turned off and on via the control panel so you can put this to use or just rely on the barrier filters.

SUMMARIZING REVIEWS:

PROS:

• Can be placed directly against the wall to save space – the air enters through the front and exits vertically out of the top.
  • Plus it’s very compact to further save space.
• VERY noticeable odor improvement immediately after turning it on from the majority. Specifically better smells around – cat litter, smoke, animal odors
• Dramatically reduces the amount of dust within hours after turning on the unit. People start with it on a HIGH setting for a couple days then just put it on auto – so it will only go on a higher setting (faster fan speed) as needed.
• The PlasmaWave patented Ionizer can be turned off whenever you like if you are concerned about the ions released or potential ozone release. The company claims that NO OZONE will be released, so this if for those of you who are extra cautious.

CONS

• The washable pre-filter needs to be vacuumed every few days if you have a pet that sheds… (better the hair in the garbage than in the air or on your furniture though).
• On the Turbo fan setting mode is a little loud – BUT the lower settings are very quiet. Also, there is a sleep mode that will make it almost silent while you catch some Zs.

• • The entire unit is much quieter than the Honeywell HPA300

To purchase the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifer or read more information click the link below:

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier with True HEPA, PlasmaWave and Odor Reducing Washable AOC Carbon Filter

BEST AIR PURIFIER 2018 – Large sized space (up to 1256 sq feet)

Airmega Coway – The Smarter Air Purifier 300. This device takes first place as the best air purifier for dust. It consistently gets great reviews and is a very fair price for the amount of space covered. A very welcomed addition to your home if you are looking to reduce dust and other harmful air particles.

FEATURES:

• Real-time Air Quality Monitoring. Airmega’s air quality sensor tells you the quality of the air in the room in real time. The brightly colored LED ring indicates how clean or dirty your air is every single minute of the day, so it takes the guesswork out of what kind of air you have in your air.
• Smart Mode
  • Auto: Airmega’s Smart Mode automatically adjusts the air filtration speed according to the room’s current air quality.
  • Eco: When the air quality remains good for 10 minutes or more, Airmega conserves energy by shutting down the fan. If the sensor detects pollution in the air, the fan will restart automatically.
  • Sleep(400): When set on Smart Mode, Airmega’s light sensor detects when it’s dark and the air purifier automatically reduces its fan speed so it runs much quieter. (Sleep mode can be activated by manual for 300).

SUMMARIZING REVIEWS:

PROS:

• Less dust and odors
  • eliminated dust and odors of varnish and stains from people renovating
  • removes pet cooking and smoke odors
• A simple design allows for the filters to be changed with ease. There was a specific comparison to the IQ air and this one was said to be easier to change.
• Great for ALLERGIES and RESPIRATORY health. There’s countless reports of symptom improvement and people feeling so much better after the Airmega Conway was added to their home.
• VERY quiet – people say that it’s usually on the low setting and that you barely notice it’s running.

CONS:

• People said that the filter replacement was a little expensive – ($80.99 on amazon at time of publishing article)
  • (link to filter)
• The unit is a little heavy weighing in at 12.7 Kg or 28 lb

To purchase the Conway Airmega 300 or read more information click the link below:

AIRMEGA 300 The Smarter Air Purifier (Covers 1256 sq. ft.)

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5269654/