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Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
As much as we love our cats and dogs, pets can often negatively affect the air quality in our homes. In addition to the unpleasant smells (think accidents on the carpet and litter box odors), all the pet hair and dander floating around can be almost unbearable for allergy sufferers. That's where air purifiers come in.
These appliances generally use multiple layers of filtration to remove particles from the air. But the best air purifiers for pets capture everything, including dander, pet-related allergens, and clumps of loose fur.
"It's a good idea to invest in portable air cleaners (air purifiers) in rooms where you spend the most time like your bedroom, home office, or living room," notes Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).
To determine which models are the best air purifiers for pets, we tested 67 air purifiers in our lab in Des Moines, Iowa. We placed each air purifier in an enclosed space and exposed it to pet hair and smoke to see how well it captured tiny particles and pieces of hair alike.
We also carefully examined each device to determine its quality, what features it offered, and how helpful those features were for daily use. Then we took the top models home and tested them in our daily lives for up to six months.
There’s an option for a pet-specific filter in addition to the four other filters that are included.
It’s not as effective at collecting hair.
The best air purifier for pets has to be adept at eliminating all kinds of allergens, from dander to odors to hair. The Rabbit Air A3 earned a 5/5 for effectiveness during our tests and impressed us with its ability to eradicate various contaminants.
It comes with five filters—a pre-filter, medium filter, activated carbon filter, HEPA filter, and a customizable filter. Options for the customized filter include pet allergy, germ defense, toxin absorber, and odor remover.
While we did think this was a touch gimmicky—we felt that, for the cost, the air purifier should be able to take care of all these elements without a special filter, or that all of the filters could have been included off the bat—there’s no denying the machine was extremely effective in most areas we tested for.
It noticeably cut down on smoke and odors on the low and high settings. Though we didn’t notice as much of a qualitative difference on low, it lowered the PM2.5 numbers by 90% and the TVOC by 80% during the 30 minute testing period.
The main downside is that we didn’t notice any hair collected in the filters after the test, which indicates it might not be quite as effective at gathering pet hair. This could be a problem if you have a pet that sheds a ton, or live with someone who is sensitive to pet hair.
We used the Rabbit Air A3 at home for two months and noticed a quick improvement in air quality and less dust built up on surfaces. While the bulky size is a bit of a downside, we love that it can be hung on a wall to keep it out of the way.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 1070 square feet | CADR: 357 (smoke,) 262 (dust), 315 (pollen) | Noise Level: 58 decibels | Dimensions: 18.9 x 19.7 x 8.4 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
This air purifier gives you plenty of flexibility with colors and filters, and its wide range of features makes it worth the higher price tag.
With a coverage area of 1,300 square feet, it might not be the best choice for small rooms since it'd be unnecessarily big.
This splurge-worthy Alen BreatheSmart air purifier can be customized to your preferences in two ways. There are eight different finishes available, including classic white and brushed stainless, so you can choose one that matches your aesthetic.
You can also pick one of four filters that target specific issues like pet dander and odor or mold and bacteria. The pet-specific version consists of an odor neutralizer that reduces smells from accidents or litter boxes and a True HEPA filter that relieves allergy symptoms by capturing 99.99% of particles bigger than 0.1 microns.
At the highest setting, it's capable of filtering the air every 30 minutes in spaces up to 1,300 square feet. There's even a built-in air quality sensor so you can see that it's working.
We found that this model was supremely easy to use and understand, with a color-changing LED display to indicate the air quality in your home and a wide range of fan speeds and settings to cycle through. You'll be able to download the app and pair it to your device, too, if you want to change the settings remotely.
Since this air purifier is designed to work in large spaces, it's likely too bulky to be used in a smaller room like a bedroom or bathroom. If you need an air purifier for a more confined space, we'd recommend choosing one that's more compact and uses less energy.
We loved how the Alen BreatheSmart performed once we brought it home. It's large enough that we were able to purify an entire 850-square-foot apartment with just one device.
The sensors proved effective, responding to changes in air quality from the introduction of cooking smoke, hairspray, and other contaminants and quickly adjusting the fan. Strong odors such as frying bacon seemed to dissipate more quickly.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 1,300 square feet | CADR: 347 | Noise Level: 71 decibels | Dimensions: 18.5 x 11.5 x 27 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Three out of four filters collected visible pet hair on the high setting during the 30-minute testing period.
It was significantly more effective on the high setting.
Pet hair is one of the most irritating (sometimes literally) aspects of having a pet. Certain dog and cat breeds shed more than others, and pet hair in general can be a major allergy trigger. In these cases, the best air purifier for pets will be adept at sucking hair particles into the filter.
Though it might seem like a given, not every air purifier we tested was great at eliminating the synthetic pet hair we used in the lab, even if it excelled in other areas. That’s why we were especially impressed by the Black+Decker BAPUV350’s ability to pick up pet hair from the test environment.
When we examined the filters after running the machine for 30 minutes on the high setting, three out of four of them had visible pet hair collected on the surface.
The air purifier was also adept at removing odors on the high setting, making Febreze and incense distinctly less noticeable. We think this adds to its value as a pet-friendly air purifier since funky smells often come with the territory of pet parenthood.
Other notable features of this air purifier include sleep mode, auto mode, a UV light that helps remove viruses and bacteria from the air, and an air quality readout on the display.
It’s worth noting that the air purifier wasn’t as dramatically effective on the lower settings. While it still did a nice job of eliminating incense, it wasn’t as strong when it came to VOCs, and we could still smell some of the Febreze. We also didn’t notice pet hair in the filters on this setting, so if that’s your main concern, you’ll want to run it on high.
The Black+Decker air purifier did an amazing job of minimizing odors from pet messes due to a potty-training puppy. We stored it in a small closet where we discard used potty pads and paper towels and noticed a nearly immediate difference in the smell. Our one complaint is that it's louder than we'd like on the higher settings.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 500 square feet | CADR: 324 (smoke,) 309 (dust), 387 (pollen) | Noise Level: 63 decibels | Dimensions: 14.4 x 27.1 x 14.8 inches
This air purifier works in rooms up to 1,560 square feet, so it's a great choice if you have large rooms or an open floor plan in your home.
It's on the bigger side, so anyone with limited floor space or mobility issues might have trouble with it.
The Coway Airmega 400S air purifier is your best bet if you want to purify the air in large rooms or entire floors of your home. In a 1,560-square-foot room, it changes the air twice per hour and removes airborne particles floating through your home.
It uses three layers of filtration (including a washable pre-filter, activated carbon, and a HEPA filter) to clean the air at least twice every hour. Dirty air goes in through the sides and clean air pushes out the top.
When we tested this air purifier in our lab, we found that even at its lowest speed, it was able to effectively remove harmful particles from the air and reduce PM 2.5 levels from a hazardous rating to a healthy one in as little as five minutes.
It's not excessively loud, either—at 72 decibels on its highest fan speed, this air purifier would only be a slight distraction if you were sitting directly in front of it.
The Coway Airmega 400S even keeps you posted on air quality: The LED ring on the front changes colors (from blue to red) depending on how clean or dirty the air in your home is. Thanks to its smart mode, the air purifier can automatically adjust its settings based on detected air quality.
Plus, the filter indicators tell you when they need to be replaced or cleaned, so you don't have to keep track of it on your own. We noted that the air purifier has a modern white design, but it takes up quite a bit of space (it measures 14.8 x 14.8 x 22.8 inches) and weighs nearly 25 pounds.
We put the Coway air purifier through the ringer in a household with four pets—two dogs and two cats—and humans with allergies. It rose to the challenge, drastically improving the air quality over the course of six months of continuous use. The tech features (the app and Amazon Alexa compatibility) are useful as well.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 1,560 square feet | CADR: 400 (pollen), 350 (dust), 350 (smoke) | Noise Level: 72 decibels | Dimensions: 14.8 x 14.8 x 22.8 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
This air purifier is completely sealed, so there's no chance for any of the particles it captures to escape back into your home.
It doesn't have a pre-filter, so larger particles like pet hair may clog the HEPA filter more quickly than others.
Dyson is a trusted brand name when it comes to household appliances, and this smart air purifier is a great choice for anyone who wants to remove dust, dander, and more from their homes. It has two levels of filtration—an activated carbon filter for pet odors and a HEPA filter for small particles.
The machine uses the brand's signature Air Multiplier technology to circulate the clean air throughout the entire room. When we put the Dyson Purifier Cool air purifier to the test in our lab, we were amazed by how quickly this device cleared smoke, dander, and hair from the room.
Though the PM 2.5 levels quickly raised to 999 when we added pollutants to the air, the Dyson air purifier had no trouble capturing and removing these particles and reducing levels back to a healthy number in 10 minutes. We were so impressed that one of us was instantly influenced to buy one for her own home.
We also liked that the device has a built-in oscillating fan, which helps promote good airflow by circulating clean air throughout the room. The fully sealed purifier ensures that none of the particles this device just captured can escape back into the air, so you'll be able to keep cool without breathing in pollutants.
Dyson doesn't list the CADR for its air purifiers because the brand designed its own tests, but this model can handle rooms ranging from 500 to 800 square feet in size. You'll be able to connect your device to the Dyson Link app, where you can view detailed reports on your home's air quality and change settings from anywhere.
It doesn't have a pre-filter to catch pet hair, so this device's filter may get clogged more quickly than other devices if you typically find fur in every nook and cranny of your home.
Continued use further convinced us that the Dyson is worth the investment. Not only does it look attractive, running it nearly 24/7 for six months showed us just how sensitive the Auto setting is to changes in the air.The machine sensed when we were painting our nails, cooking pungent foods, or lighting candles and adjusted accordingly.
It also kept dirt and dust at bay in a 1950s-built home with one dog, cutting down on sneezes and sniffles. And the fact that it doubles as a fan further justifies the price and the size.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 800 square feet | CADR: Not listed | Noise Level: 64 decibels | Dimensions: 4.72 x 8 x 41 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
A digital readout feature gives you information about the room's air quality—no fussy apps are required.
This air purifier is louder than others we tested on its highest fan speed.
If you want an in-depth understanding of your home's air quality without the hassle of downloading and using a complicated app on your phone, the Bissell Air320 air purifier is for you.
This device has a user-friendly, color-coded display to help you understand your room's exact PM 2.5 levels and change settings to remove pollutants. It will also automatically adjust the fan settings based on the current air quality.
We discovered that this air purifier was one of the most effective when it came to removing smoke particles, pet hair, and allergens during testing. We detected a noticeable difference when entering the room during the testing period.
This device uses three different filters to help clear the air: a pre-filter for large particles like pet hair and dander, an activated carbon filter for odors, and a HEPA filter to remove 99.9% of particles 0.3 microns in size and smaller.
Compared to other air purifiers we tested, this model had some impressive features, since the display shows an exact PM 2.5 reading and changes colors to indicate your room's air quality at a glance.
You'll also be able to change the fan speed, set the device to auto mode, and see when your filter needs replacing directly on top of the machine. It even includes cord storage so you can wrap extra wire and neatly tuck the cord away when not in use.
This air purifier is Energy Star certified, meaning it won't cause a huge spike in your energy bill every month just to operate it. The only thing we'd change is its noise levels when run on the highest fan speed—it would likely be disruptive to run at this speed while sleeping.
However, since the air purifier is extremely effective even on the low fan speed (which is just 40 decibels), you can still operate the device at night.
In an apartment close to Times Square with typically "horrendous" air quality the Bissell made a noticeable difference in the amount of dust, cut down on smells from cooking, and improved seasonal allergies.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 327 square feet | CADR: Smoke (211), dust (221), pollen (245) | Noise Level: 66 decibels | Dimensions: 14.75 x 8.3 x 25 inches
Quiet operation and multiple brightness modes (including one that turns the light off) make this a nice bedroom option.
This was not as effective at picking up pet hair during our tests.
The compact Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max impressed us with its ability to clear smoke and chemical smells. We found it to be extremely effective in this regard on both the lowest and highest settings (it has four settings in total).
Even when running on low, it completely eliminated our need to sneeze when entering the test environment after 30 minutes. This is a great option if you have a pet that is prone to accidents.
In addition to the four speeds, it has three brightness modes, including one that turns off the light. Combine that with the quiet operation (we could hardly hear it when set to night mode) and it would work nicely in a bedroom.
The design is simple and sleek, with a Scandinavian-inspired silhouette, just a few buttons, and a light indicating when the filter needs to be changed. Blueair offers a filter subscription that will send a replacement every three, six, or nine months (the brand recommends changing the filter every six months).
App functionality allows you to monitor your home's air quality from a distance, change the settings, and use voice commands. One of the more unique features will put your air purifier on standby when you leave the house and turn it back on when your connected device gets close to your house.
Though we appreciated how well the Blueair cut down on unpleasant odors, we were less impressed by its ability to pick up pet hair. If your furry friend sheds a lot, this is probably not the best air purifier for pet hair. But if odors are your top concern, it can't be beat.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 219 to 526 square feet | CADR: Smoke (141), dust (125), pollen (114) | Noise Level: 53 decibels | Dimensions: 10.6 x 10.6 x 18.9 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
The air purifier collected more pet hair than most other options.
We found the interface slightly confusing—there's a learning curve.
The Molekule Air Mini+ is small but mighty. For such a tiny device it did a better-than-average job at collecting the synthetic pet hair in our test environment, which is why it's our pick for the best air purifier for pets to use in small rooms.
Molekule's air purifier uses a true HEPA filter, a patented technology they call PECO, and a carbon layer to go after dust, pollen, pet dander, VOCs, viruses, smoke gasses, and mold. We found that it was effective at improving air quality and decreasing odors.
The biggest plus side is how well it worked to collect pet hair during our lab test. This is a tricky area for many air purifiers, but the Molekule gathered quite a bit of the synthetic hair we used in our test environment. We think it would work even better in a real life situation with a real pet.
With five fan speeds and an auto mode, its fairly adjustable. While the lowest setting is nearly silent, the highest fan speed is loud enough that we think it would disrupt conversation or sleep.
While we were impressed with the Molekule's performance, especially for such a small model, we did have some trouble figuring out the interface. There are five small lights indicating fan speed and a larger light on top with a color for the air quality. You need to tap the center circle in order to change the fan speed.
All other features are adjusted via the app or Amazon Alexa. The overall design is very sleek and modern, with a vegan leather handle for portability.
Product Details: Recommended Room Size: 250 square feet | CADR: Not listed | Noise Level: 54 decibels | Dimensions: 8.26 x 8.26 x 12 inches
All things considered, the Rabbit Air A3 earned the top spot on our list because it successfully removed harmful particles from the air during our tests and has a customized filter to help remove pet hair and dander from your home.
To test the best air purifiers for pets, we assembled a team of experts to use 67 different air purifiers in our lab in Des Moines, Iowa.
We placed each air purifier in an enclosed space and then added smoke and pet hair to the room to see how quickly the air purifier was able to remove harmful particles from the room.
We manually checked PM 2.5 levels before and after adding pollutants to the air, then checked the levels again after five and ten minutes had passed.
We also evaluated each device based on its design, features, ease of use, and overall value for the price. After taking all of these factors into consideration, we created our list of the best air purifiers for pets.
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
One of the most important things to keep in mind is the room size an air purifier can handle. You'll want to make sure that you have the approximate square footage of the room you want to place it in so you can select the most efficient model based on the size of the area.
The best air purifiers for pets on this list range in capacity from 215 to 1,560 square feet. This stat is more important than the size of the air purifier itself when it comes to evaluating how well it will work in a particular room, though often larger air purifiers will be able to handle more square footage.
Another factor to consider when choosing the best air purifiers for pets is its Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR), though not all manufacturers list this stat for every model.
"A useful way to determine [if an air purifier is powerful enough for your room size] is by looking at an air cleaner's clean air delivery rating or CADR rating," Mendez says. "If you purchase an air cleaner with a CADR rating too low for your room, it will be ineffective."
According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, "CADR indicates the volume of filtered air an air cleaner delivers, with separate scores for tobacco smoke, pollen, and dust." The higher the number, the faster and more effective the air purifier will clean the air.
You should look for an air purifier with a smoke CADR that's at least two-thirds of the room's square footage. Manufacturers often list a recommended room size and a CADR score that is based on the appliance changing the air 4.8 times per hour.
Look for high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters for the best results. These filters can remove 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Some air purifiers for pets also have activated carbon filters to reduce odors.
If your pet has a lot of fur, a pre-filter will catch hair and prevent it from clogging the HEPA filter. Keep in mind that filters need to be regularly replaced (or cleaned, if it's reusable) for the air purifier to actually work. Some air purifiers, like the Molekule Air Mini+, have subscription services that will send you a new filter every few months.
You can also look for additional features that make air purifiers easier to use, like timers, air quality sensors, and filter replacement indicators. Some models even have night modes that limit noise and lights so they don't disrupt your sleep.
Many of the best air purifiers for pets can be used in conjunction with an app or smart hub such as Amazon Alexa. These let you change settings when not standing directly near the machine, and often provide detailed information about the air quality in your home and how it changes over time.
While we appreciate the more tech-forward models, some of our favorite purifiers that we tested are very simple with just a couple of settings. Features have more to do with personal preference than functionality.
If your air purifier doesn't come with one, you may also want to consider placing an indoor air quality monitor in your space to help ensure your air purifier is working effectively.
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
The Holmes Desktop HEPA-Type Filter Air Purifier was effective at removing pollutants from the air, but was difficult to assemble, and its design was cheap-looking compared to others in the same price range. The device does not indicate air quality, so you just have to assume it's working, which also caused us to give it a lower rating.
The GermGuardian 5-in-1 Air Purifier was only able to reduce the room's PM 2.5 levels to a "moderate" rating after 10 minutes. Other air purifiers we tested—including devices that cost less and were designed for smaller rooms—purified the air more quickly, so we chose to exclude it.
The design and effectiveness of the Blueair DustMagnet 5210i Tabletop Air Purifier made it less impressive than desired. After 10 minutes of operation in our test space, the PM 2.5 levels were still considered very poor. Additionally, we found that the legs on this device were uneven, so it wobbled slightly on the table.
Air purifiers are a great way to get rid of pet odors and reduce the amount of fur floating in the air. If pet odors are your main concern, look for a model with an activated carbon filter, like the Rabbit Air A3, to absorb smells coming from the litter box or unexpected accidents.
Anyone with pets that shed a lot should pick an air purifier with a washable pre-filter—it's a layer that catches large particles (like pet hair) and can be easily vacuumed and washed when it gets dirty.
According to Mendez, the best air purifiers for pets will be able to handle a wide range of allergens, seal off the pollutants they capture to prevent them from re-entering the room, and will not produce ozone as they purify.
If you suffer from allergies or asthma, you can find out if the device you're looking to buy has an Asthma and Allergy Friendly certification, which further ensures that the air purifier will be able to help alleviate your symptoms.
Some air purifiers have washable filters that can be cleaned or vacuumed, while others use disposable filters that need to be regularly replaced.
Every manufacturer has different guidelines, but you should be prepared to swap out replaceable filters at least every six months or so, depending on use. Some models have indicators that remind you when it's time to replace the filter, or offer subscription services that automatically send new filters.
If you see an air purifier labeled as having a True HEPA filter, it means that the filter meets the U.S. Department of Energy's standards of filtering 99.97% of bacteria, dust, pollen, and other airborne particles measuring 0.3 microns.
Filters labeled as HEPA-type or HEPA-grade may still remove particles from the air, but they have not been tested to meet those standards. Since 2022, we have only tested air purifiers with HEPA filters both at home and in our lab, since these are most effective.
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
This article was written by Samantha Jones, an associate commerce editor at Better Homes & Gardens who writes about the best home products worth purchasing. For this story, Samantha researched air purifiers and important features to look for when shopping, then compared her findings to testing insights gathered from our lab in Des Moines, Iowa.
She also spoke with Kenneth Mendez, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, for his expertise on this topic. The article has been updated by commerce editor Erin Mayer who manages air purifier content for BHG.
Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.
Looking for more products that have earned our BHG Recommends seal of approval? Check out our picks for everything from picnic blankets to humidifiers.
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