Best Air Purifier for Pets Allergies in 2023 (Remove Pet Dander)
We all love pets, but it can be hard to live with their hair and dander if you’ve got allergies. But if you’re looking for a way to enjoy easy breathing and the company of your loyal companions, consider investing in an air purifier.
A great addition to any home, they can help in filtering bacteria, dust, pet dander and more. The result? Cleaner, fresher air, and a home where you are better able to manage your pet allergies without calling the pound.
To help you in your process of finding the best air purifier for pet allergies, we’ve put together a guide of the best units on the market. We’ll show you what the pros and cons are of each air purifier, answer some FAQs, and provide you details of what to look for when it comes to an air purifier.
What Is The Best Air Purifier for Pet Allergies?
We’re focusing today’s article on the air purifiers that are specifically able to neutralize allergens (like dander and hair) from your pet, but in reality you should be looking for a filtration system anyway. On average, the air inside your home is far less wholesome than outside, as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) accumulate to hazardous levels. But with the right air purifier, you can regain the ability to breathe easy.
Our recommendations below are picked for use in the home, and won’t break the bank.
1. Winix FresHome P150 Air Purifier with True HEPA and Active Carbon Filter
The Winix FresHome P150 Air Purifier with True HEPA and Active Carbon Filter air purifier not only captures 99.97% of airborne pollutants, it also has an activated carbon filter to help with pet dander, household odors, smoke and more. The PlasmaWave technology within the air purifier helps to safely break down chemical vapors and other pollutants without producing any harmful ozone.
There’s also both Auto mode and Smart sensors within the air purifier so you can accurately gauge the room’s air quality. Worried about noisy operation interfering with your beauty rest? Sleep mode means that you’ll have a good night’s rest free from both noise and air pollution. The FresHome P150 is powerful yet compact, and is made with high quality materials for superior durability.
Who Should Buy This?
This air purifier is great for all users and comes with a plethora of great features. It’s not only quiet, the air purifier also has an auto mode as well as a light sensor so it only functions when it is absolutely needed, rather than gobbling up energy throughout the day. Best of all, the air purifier is easy to maintain and clean, as the entire front panel can be removed.
Pros:
- Whisper quiet at its low setting
- PlasmaWave technology means it doesn’t produce harmful ozone
- Easy to maintain and clean
- Has a range of useful and powerful features
Cons:
- Some users have mentioned that certain settings can take a moment to kick in after you’ve selected them
2. RIGOGLIOSO Home with True HEPA Filters
The highly affordable RIGOGLIOSO Home with True HEPA Filters comes equipped with a 2nd-gen Super Big filter which neutralizes 99.97% of all dust, pollen, smoke and of course, pet dander that might be floating in your air. At night, you can enjoy a helpful built-in night light, or easily shut it off if you prefer to sleep like the dead–to be sure this filter won’t be waking you up otherwise with its incredibly quiet operation. For any time of day, you can tweak the output with three different speed settings for optimal usage.
The sleek and contemporary design of the RIGOGLIOSO Home allows for easy placement anywhere in the house without presenting a tripping hazard or an eyesore. During operation, you’ll never have to worry about harmful ozone getting released from the filters. If you’re looking for a great way to purify and circulate your air without breaking the bank, this is a great bet.
Who Should Buy This?
Those looking for something that’s a tad less pricey, but also effective. The air purifier itself is of a smaller size, so its functions and aesthetics are minimal. There’s only one button to control the air purifier, and you can toggle between high and low fan power.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing
- Easy to use
- Portable and compact in size
Cons:
- Since it has a smaller size, it isn’t as effective as other air purifiers
3. QUEENTY Portable Air Purifier for Office
The QUEENTY Portable Air Purifier for Office packs the true HEPA filter with three-stage filtration system you’d expect from a premium device, yet remains a surprisingly affordable way to filter out pet dander and other VOCs. While its name and design intend the unit for office usage, don’t let that fool you into thinking this is anything less than ideal for home usage as well. Consider its ozone-free operation, as well as negative oxygen ionization which scrub the air of pet dander, all without irritating your eyes or asthma with overly dry air.
The unit is easy to install, portable, and has a quiet mode so you won’t have to worry about being disturbed at work or losing sleep at night.
Who Should Buy This?
This is great for anyone looking for air purifiers that are small, compact, and easy to install within the office or home. It’ll help in capturing pet dander, neutralizing air dust, as well as trapping pollen and allergens.
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Produces negative oxygen ions that relieve certain allergy symptoms
- Easy to operate
- Has 360-degree air purification and will help cleanse the air from all directions
Cons:
- Due to its small size, its filter doesn’t have the most powerful air intake
4. Pro Breeze 5-in-1 Air Purifier
The 5-in-1 Air Purifier from Pro Breeze offers an impressive array of features, including a pre-filter, true HEPA filter, a cold catalyst, and an activated carbon filter. Taken together, the Pro Breeze’s patented system outputs enough clean, clear air to quickly fill a 430 square foot room. Whether your main enemy is pet dander, pollen, odours or other irritating VOCs, you can count on this sleek, family-safe unit to guard your health and breathing comfort.
Even better, the 5-in-1 is Quiet Mark Certified, making it ideally situated for silent usage in the bedroom or anywhere else you plan to get some shuteye. There’s also the independently controlled negative ion generator, which works to utterly neutralize most airborne pollutants that pose a risk to your health, including pet dander, mold, and smoke. It’s not only that, but negative ions have other proven health benefits, including mood enhancement, cognition, and general antimicrobial properties. Not bad for a “mere” air purifier.
Who Should Buy This?
Those who want an air purifier with a negative ion generator. This helps in removing unwanted positive ions in the air for a cleaner and healthier environment. The air purifier can also help clean the air in small, medium, and even larger rooms.
Pros:
- Negative ion generator
- Easy to use touch panel
- Replaceable filter
- A quiet air purifier
Cons:
- Some individuals have mentioned that there’s a smell emitted from the air purifier
5. Air Purifier Home with Real HEPA Filter & Ionizer
Don’t be fooled by its low price, the Air Purifier Home with Real HEPA Filter & Ionizer provides incredibly effective filtration in a small but sturdy frame. Scrubbing the air of 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns in size, you can say goodbye to pet allergies for good. The secret is inside–there’s a pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter working together in tandem to deliver protection against all sorts of airborne irritants. You might also think that such performance would demand intense energy draw, but in fact it is highly efficient–and easily charged via USB besides.
Another beautiful feature of this device is its inclusion of a spice box, wherein you may place essential oils to add a pleasant fragrance to any room. Other convenient extras include soft lamp illumination (which is easily switched off), low-noise operation, and automatic shutoff to further conserve power. Finally, negative air ionization rounds out the health benefits of this magical little device.
Who Should Buy This?
Those looking for something that’s easy to use that also has a solid construction. The high efficiency HEPA filter and the honeycomb activated carbon filter will also help with air filtration and provide your home with clean air.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Comes with an essential oil function
- Has a quiet sleep mode function
Cons:
- You may want to look elsewhere for higher-powered units
6. LEVOIT Air Purifier for Home Large Room
While more expensive than other air purifiers on our list, the LEVOIT Air Purifier for Home Large Room is well-worth your investment for its power and multi-functionality. The centrepiece is its honeycomb active carbon HEPA filter, which offers up to 30% better performance in terms of speed and efficiency in scrubbing your air clean. Even in large room like a living room or conservatory, you can count on the LEVOIT unit to deftly remove pollen, odours, dust, smoke, and even larger particulates such as pet hairs. It does this all without ozone emission, as well.
Need more? How about considerate automatic and quiet sleep modes, which programme the machine to operate around your living schedule for best results. It also features an easy-to-read LED display, which can also be easily shut off when you’re tucking in for the night. You also never have to worry about guessing whether your filter still has life in it, as an onboard computer algorithm monitors the filter’s lifespan and alerts you in advance when it’s time for a change.
Who Should Buy This?
Those looking for a reputable brand that produces a high-quality product suitable for large spaces. There’s a change filter indicator that comes with the air purifier along with three fan speeds, a 12-hour timer, and is also incredibly safe and reliable.
Pros:
- High quality product from a premium brand
- 100% ozone-free
- Display off function and quiet mode for a good night’s sleep
- Smart filter life and energy saving star
Cons:
- There have been a few bad batches of units coming off the factory floor that lost functionality soon after first use, though we expect this has since been remedied
7. Levoit Air Purifier for Home Allergies
With a range of technological features, the Levoit Air Purifier for Home Allergies is great for anyone looking for a more advanced air purifier for their home. The brushless motor means that you’ll be saving on electricity, and the three-stage filtration and filter change reminder means you’ll be eliminating airborne bacteria, allergens, pet dander and more.
All of Leviot’s air purifiers are 100% ozone free and come with quality assurance. There’s also three-fan speeds and timer settings along with sleep mode and a gentle night light. The solid construction and sleek design means that your air purifier will also last for many months to come.
Who Should Buy This?
Those looking for an air purifier that has some technological features. There’s a three-timer option on this air purifier, three fan speed settings, and even an advanced brushless motor.
Pros:
- Save on energy costs with this air purifier
- 100% ozone-free
- Sleek design
- Three fan speed settings and timer options
Cons:
- Some users mention that the motor is a little weak
8. Winix Zero Air Purifier Zero Pro
The Winix Zero Air Purifier Zero Pro has everything you need to completely clean the air in your home. Features include a 5-stage air purifier filtration system to a true HEPA filter and PlasmaWave technology. Allergens as small as 0.3 microns are filtered thus offering superior protection against pet dander, household odours and more.
Sleep mode dims the lights and sets the Winix Zero to the quietest operation, so you can rest without noisy interruption. For more efficiency, you can set on the auto mode, which adjusts fan speed according to the inbuilt particle sensor. We’ve already mentioned PlasmaWave technology, but it bears repeating for pet owners looking to combat microbes and noxious gasses in the home without producing harmful ozone as a byproduct.
Who Should Buy This?
Anyone looking for a professional-grade unit that is still efficiently used in the home. Advanced features rid your air of even the smallest particles, and are more than a match for pesky pet dander.
Pros:
- Plasma wave technology that neutralizes both viruses and gases without releasing ozone
- Sleep mode to ensure that you have a good night’s rest
- A powerful fan means that air flow is strong and circulates well
Cons:
- Hard to have the air purifier functioning properly on auto in the dark
9. Alen BreatheSmart Classic P1000
Your pets likely spend a majority of their time in larger spaces like the living room, so you need an air filter which is tailor-made for heavy duty. Texas-based company Alen’s BreatheSmart Classic P1000 is just such a device, designed to scrub spaces as large as 102m2 in just 30 minutes.
Indeed, Alen specialises solely in air purifiers, with the P1000 as their flagship. They’re in a position to focus their design expertise on delivering powerful filtration, reliable performance, and a quality guarantee. To wit, the BreatheSmart Classic features best-in-class HEPA Silver Carbon filtration, designed to clean 99.9% of all airborne allergens including pet dander, smoke, pollen, fungi, viruses, bacteria, and mould.
Used as intended, you’ll run the P1000 24/7–but fear not for higher power bills! Alen’s smart sensor technology monitors the air for any drop in quality, and self-activates the filtration system in response. There are four levels of filter intensity, and the sensor will choose the best for the current need, and scale down as the air becomes cleaner.
And if you’re a light sleeper, you’ll love the BreatheSmart Classic, as its fan is designed to emit a soft pink noise shown to improve your sleep quality up to 24%.
Who Should Buy This?
The only real knock against the Alen P1000 is its starting price tag, so you should consider it if your budget allows. That said, it offers much in the way of long-term energy savings, and you only need to replace the filters once per year at the most.
Costs aside, if you are looking for a “set-it-and-forget-it” solution to pet allergies that works fast even in large spaces, it’s hard to do better than the BreatheSmart Classic.
Pros:
- Amazing lifetime warranty, so you’ll only ever have to buy one P1000
- Superior 4-stage filtration eliminates 99.9% of pet dander
- Automatic sensor controls four different fan speeds to match the need for filtration in real-time
- Whisper-quiet operation with a pleasant, relaxing pink noise as the only by-product
Cons:
- Expensive upfront cost
- Filters are hard to find in the UK, and will probably require purchase directly from Alen
What to look for in an Air Purifier for Pet Allergies
The best air purifiers are in fact something of a misnomer; what will be best at combatting pet dander may not be the best for another application due to differences in specifications. While the market is absolutely flooded with options, there are a few things you can keep in mind to make your search easier (should you choose to conduct one beyond our recommended air purifiers above):
Filters
You should take a closer look at the type of filters in an air purifier. It’s best to use air purifiers that utilize mechanical filtration. This means that they physically trap the pollutants that pass through them. Usually the pre-filter helps to trap larger particles, and there’s not much of a difference there.
What’s important is the main filter. You’ll want to look for a HEPA filter as they help to trap 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger in size. Some air purifiers may advertise that they have HEPA-type filters, but they actually don’t meet HEPA filtration level. Your best bet is to go with a reputable brand that states that they use HEPA or true HEPA filters.
Portability
Having a portable air purifier just means you can easily carry it around to different rooms. That way you’ll be able to easily shift it whenever necessary.
CADR Rating
Most air purifiers come with a clean air delivery rate (CADR) which helps consumers understand how effective the device is at filtering various particles in accordance with the room size. The higher the number of particles the purifier can remove, the more effective it is. This is an important number to look at when choosing an air purifier.
Room Size Listed
Air purifiers will usually indicate what room size is best for their capabilities. This is something that you should look at closely as you wouldn’t want to purchase a small air purifier to cleanse the air in a large room. It wouldn’t be effective and would take double the time of a large air purifier.
PlasmaWave Technology
The production of ozone or negative ions into the air can be incredibly harmful. Ozone in particular can be harmful for animals. Hence, choosing an air purifier that uses PlasmaWave technology is the best option for you. These air purifiers utilize water vapor to produce the same effect, so you won’t have to worry about harming your pet.
Other Features
There’s no harm in taking a look at the energy consumption of your air purifier as you’ll most likely have it switched on for most of the day. Try to purchase an air purifier that has unique functions to reduce the electricity utilized or aim to find an air purifier that has a higher energy star rating so you know it’s utilizing less energy.
You’ll want an air purifier that produces less noise so that it won’t keep you awake at night. Most air purifiers have quiet functions, so you’ll just have to purchase an air purifier that has that function to keep the noise at bay.
Other features that the air purifier can come with include filter indicator lights, a programmable timer, a remote, smart functions such as an application and more. These functions usually help with convenience, but they don’t make much of a difference to the overall effectiveness of the air purifier.
FAQ
Do air purifiers work for pet allergies?
Yes, they do. Air purifiers actually do a great job at helping to remove these tiny articles and providing relief for pet allergies. They also get rid of any pet odors in the indoor air.
Are air purifiers safe for pets?
Generally speaking, they are, but you need to be cautious as to what type of air purifier you purchase. Some release harmful by-products into the air which can be dangerous for pets. Your best bet is to avoid air purifiers that release ozone, and double check that they’re safe for pets.
Do air purifiers help with dust and pet hair?
Yes, they do. Most of the air purifiers are designed to remove pet dander through the filtration system, as well as dust. The air purifier will usually trap these particles before they have a chance to settle.
Conclusion
After reading the above, we hope you’ve gotten a better idea of everything pertaining to air purifiers for pet allergies. Having the right air purifier can really help with pet dander, pet odors and more.
We hope that this article was informative and enjoyable to read. Most importantly, we hope that you were able to find a product that works best for you. Whether you’re looking or a more expensive air purifier, or something a little more premium, there’s sure to be something on the list that suits your needs.