Getting an air purifier improves your quality of life significantly, especially if you suffer from respiratory problems and allergies or stay in a smoky or dusty neighborhood.
However, not all air purifiers are ideal for every need or use case. So, with careful and extensive research on the essential factors that make an excellent purifier, here are the best options in Australia.
Our Top Picks
Can’t go through the entire list of recommendations? Here are our top three picks:
Winix ZERO+ Pro Air Purifier
Best overall air purifier for Australians with a medical-grade HEPA filter, a 5-stage purification process, and multiple fan speed options.
Breville Smart Air Purifier
Best smart air purifier with 4-stage purification and HEPA-13 protection, 4 fan settings, 360° air intake, and smart app controls.
Breathe Air Purifier
Best cheap air purifier fitted with a HEPA filter, a 3-stage filtration process, 3 fan speeds, an easy touch panel, and an LED that indicates odour.
Top 9 Air Purifiers for Aussies
Our review and analysis of the top 10 air purifiers for Australians involved extensive research and testing to ensure we provide you with accurate and reliable information. Given the rising concerns about air pollution and allergens, clean air—and, by extension, air purifiers—is essential to maintain a healthy and comfortable living environment.
1. Winix ZERO+ Pro 5 Stage Air Purifier
Overall Best Air Purifier for Australians
Filtration: 5 stages
Room coverage: 49.5m²
Warranty: 2 years
The Winix ZERO+ Pro 5 Stage Air Purifier wins the badge for the best air purifier overall in Australia. Approved by the National Asthma Council Sensitive Choice, the Winix ZERO+ comes with a HEPA filter that assists in removing allergens like pet dander, pollen, and dust to give you cleaner air and help you breathe better. You can use it at home and work.
Courtesy of its air purification technology, the Winix ZERO+ can purify large spaces up to 49.5m² of space, which is a little around four bedrooms combined. It eliminates odours, bacteria, and viruses such as influenza and dog coronavirus by producing hydroxyls without emitting harmful ozone. And if you have pets, this unit captures pet hair, dander, and other large particles.
Winix's ZERO+ is also the best all-around air purifier: it features a 5-level air purification process, multiple fan speed options, a hospital-grade true HEPA filter, a triple smart sensor, and an LED display. The smart sensor monitors and alters the unit's operation to capture particles in your air, including dust and dust mites, pollen, spores from mould, and pet dander. It also automatically adjusts its settings to day, night, and odours detected.
Pros
- Approved by National Asthma Council Sensitive
- Engineered to cleanse the air in 5 progressive stages
- 2 years full warranty
Cons
- High Price
- Extra cost of replacement filters
2. Sunbeam Fresh Protect Air Purifier
Best for Automatic Air Purification
Filtration: 5 Stages
Room coverage: 49m²
Warranty: 12 months
The Sunbeam Fresh Protect air purifier is ideal for medium to larger spaces. It can easily clean up the air in rooms up to 49m². It's a compact yet powerful machine that takes care of air pollutants, leaving you with the cleanest air. Like the Winix ZERO+, the air purifier features a 5-stage filtration system, a true HEPA filter, and a comparatively quiet motor.
Sunbeam's air purifier also has touch controls and three-speed settings, so it's pretty easy to operate. With the auto-off timer set to 8 hours, you can rest assured that it will turn off automatically, conserving energy and ensuring safety even if you forget to switch it off manually. And while the air purifier is quieter than most models, you can expect some noise at higher speeds. Still, you can enjoy a movie or read a book while it operates.
For use at night while you sleep, take advantage of Sunbeam's integrated UV light to eliminate airborne bacteria and viruses, providing a cleaner and healthier sleeping environment. It has a filter replacement indicator that ensures you know when a replacement is required, a carry handle for easy portability, and a portable design for ease of use.
Pros
- Portable
- Relatively quiet motor
- Includes auto timer
- Integrated UV light
- 5 stages filtration
- Suited for large spaces
Cons
- Cool air omission may not be ideal for winter or colder climates
3. Breville Smart Air Plus Connect Purifier
Best Smart Air Purifier
Filtration: 4 Stages
Room coverage: 80m²
Warranty: 2 years
With a 4-stage air purification technology, four adjustable fan settings, a 360-degree air intake design, and smart app controls, Breville's Smart Air Plus Purifier guarantees your house's air quality and safety. This unit works well in large family homes and apartments and accommodates rooms up to 80m², the highest on our list. Breville combines its 4-stage air purification system with AntiViral HEPA-13 protection, eliminating 99.97% of virus particles and allergens.
The air purifier works well against dust and pet dander through its pre-filtering stage. Smoke and smells are reduced using activated carbon filters, while its Microbe ShieldTM light uses a short-wave light to attack bacteria and viruses. Besides this, this purifier has access to WiFi connectivity, allowing you to use it with the Breville House Connect app for easy management and air purification even when you’re on the go.
Breville's Connect app informs you of the state of your filter and when it's ready for a replacement, which is pretty nifty. The Smart Air Plus from Breville is a purifier with modern technology and connectivity that improves your convenience. On purchase, you get a 2-year warranty.
Pros
- 360° air intake
- Low energy consumption
- Smart connectivity
- Ideal for bigger homes
Cons
- High price
- Basic design
4. Dyson Big+Quiet Air Purifier
Best High-End Air Purifier
Filtration: 3 stages
Room coverage: 100 m²
Warranty: 2 years
The Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde is a high-end air purifier designed for large spaces, advanced filtration, and quiet operation. It can clean the air in rooms up to 100 m² and push clean air up to 9.75 metres away with a powerful air projection system. This makes it great for bigger rooms or open spaces. At its highest setting, the noise level reaches only 56 dBA and operates quietly in the background when watching TV or sleeping.
The Big+Quiet air purifier employs a three-phase filtration system that captures 99.95% of fine particles, including allergens and pollutants as small as 0.1 microns. It also has a special catalytic filter, different from its K-carbon filter, that permanently removes formaldehyde, a common indoor pollutant. Dyson's filter lasts up to five years before it needs to be replaced.
The air purifier maintained a comfortable environment during testing, even in high temperatures. Its auto mode automatically adjusts the purifier's operation based on detected air quality, ensuring optimal performance without constant user intervention. The purifier is also compatible with the myDyson app, Google Home, Alexa, and Siri for remote control.
Pros
- Effective air purification
- Suitable for spaces up to 100 square metres
- Operates at 55-56 decibels noise levels
- Long-lasting HEPA H13 filter
- Remote control
Cons
- Premium price point
- No heating or humidifying features
- Weighs 11.9 kg
5. Winix Compact 4 Stage Air Purifier
Best Compact Air Purifier
Filtration: 4 Stages
Room coverage: 29.5m²
Warranty: 2 years
Looking for something a bit more compact? Choose the Winix Compact 4 Air Purifier. It's a lightweight, portable solution with a 360° all-in-one filtration system that's easy to install and replace. With four distinct filtration stages and a capacity of 29.5m², the compact air purifier is ideal for small rooms. Winix's air purifier minimises the amount of smoke, pollen, dust, pet dander, mould, germs, and chemicals in your immediate environment.
Winix uses a fine mesh pre-filter to capture pet hair and dander. This starts the filtering process. Afterward, the activated carbon filter reduces volatile organic compounds and odours from cooking, pets, or smoke. PlasmaWave Technology then neutralises all airborne pollutants, chemical vapours, bacteria, and viruses. Winix's 360-degree hospital-grade true HEPA filter catches 99.97% of airborne contaminants.
So, while compact, the air purifier works efficiently, thanks to its advanced and sophisticated tech. Our only concern was the night mode light being slightly too bright. But this largely depends on individual preferences. If it's the same for you, one remedy is to keep it out of sight.
Pros
- Compact size
- 4-stage air filtration
- High energy efficiency
- Replaceable air filters
- 2-year warranty
Cons
- Costly
6. Blueair Blue Extension Air Purifier
Best for Medium-Sized Homes
Filtration: 4 Stages
Room coverage: 36m²
Warranty: 2 years
Ideal for small to medium-sized spaces, this Blueair Air Purifier features a 3-stage filtration process that thoroughly refreshes its surrounding air. Its unique HEPASilent technology catches virtually all contaminants, including mould, allergens, dust, pet dander, and bacteria.
On top of the device is a button to access all its features. It also has an auto mode to help maintain a cosy and secure living space. When activated, it modifies the fan speed in response to the latest data from the built-in particle sensor. The air purifier also has an LED display to monitor your air quality; it changes colour to show if it is reasonable, moderate, or contaminated.
For convenience, the unit employs a 360-degree air intake, meaning you can position it practically anywhere in the room without reducing its performance. However, note that the Blueair purifier is pretty big. It might not be your best choice if you have a small room or apartment.
Pros
- 360° air intake
- Low noise impact
- 4 stage filtration
- Ideal for homes with pets
Cons
- High price
- Large size
7. Philips Air Purifier Smart 2000i Series
Best Air Purifier for Large Spaces
Filtration: 3 stages
Room coverage: 98m²
Warranty: 2 years
If your principal need is a purifier that works effectively in a large space, consider the Philips Air Purifier Smart 2000i Series. It's made up of 3 different layers of filtration to eliminate virtually all particles in your room. The air purifier eliminates pollen, bacteria, dust, and other pollutants to give you cleaner air at home and can clean air space of up to 98 m².
Philips purifier is certified by the European Centre of Allergy Research Foundation. It boasts a modern design simple enough to set up and relocate. In night mode, the purifier's operation is silent, making it a wise choice for night use. You also get smart app connectivity on your mobile device, which gives you remote access and control over the purifier.
Unlike the Winix ZERO+ Pro 5 Stage Air Purifier, this unit does not have as intricate a cleaning system. However, it's perfect for a large indoor setting, purifying almost twice the space the Winix ZERO+ is capable of.
Pros
- Can cleanse the air in less than 10 minutes
- Virtually noiseless
Cons
- The mobile app can be difficult to operate
8. TruSens Z-3000 Large Room Air Purifier
Best Air Purifier for Large Rooms
Filtration: 3 stages
Room coverage: 69.7m²
Warranty: 2 years
The TruSens Z-3000 Large Room Air Purifier has also proven to be a perfect choice for large rooms. It detects pollutants in your space and purifies air space of up to 69.7m². TruSens has a Sensor Pod, which measures pollutants separate from the device to give you cleaner air. There is also a PureDirect feature that divides purified air into two streams for efficient distribution.
The TruSens Z-3000 Large Room Air Purifier features 360-degree DuPont filtration. So, it can collect pollutants like ultra-fine particles, allergens, and VOC gases. It has five different fan speeds, an auto mode and timer, a night mode, and filter replacement indicators.
Between the two large-capacity purifiers, TruSens' noise levels are slightly above that of the Electrolux UltimateHome 500 Air Purifier, ranging between 32 and 66 dB, depending on fan speed. Its most impressive feature is UV sterilisation, which helps eliminate viruses and germs.
Pros
- Sleek and small design
- UV sterilisation for more effective cleansing
Cons
- Slightly noisy
- Extra cost for filter replacements
9. Breathe Air Purifier
Best Cheap Air Purifier
Filtration: 3 stages
Room coverage: n/a
Warranty: 12 months
If you're shopping on a small budget, choose the Breathe Air Purifier. It's the least expensive purifier on our list that gets the job done. Like other air purifiers, Breathe Air has a HEPA filter with a 3-stage filtration process. It includes an air quality sensor, temperature and humidity indication, an easy touch panel for control, and an LED that indicates odour.
You can also choose between the air purifier's three fan speeds during operation: low, medium, and high. You also don't have to worry about noise levels; while you can hear it in operation, it's not very distracting. And its sleep mode feature is a welcome addition at the price point—the air purifier's highly competitive price rounds off a great package.
Pros
- All indicators are turned off and not visible when in sleep mode.
- Very compact and light.
Cons
- This unit makes a lot of noise when operating at higher speeds.
- It works best for small spaces such as bedrooms.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Air purifiers combine an internal filter and fan to eliminate unwanted particles from the air. The process begins with indoor air being sucked into the air purifier, then passes through a filter inside the unit. The filters capture any pollutants, such as pollen or dust.
After this, clean air is then pushed back out into the space. Some brands of air purifiers are built to eliminate specific types of contaminants, while others eliminate gases. The filtration process repeats many times an hour, continually increasing indoor air quality.
Should I Use an Air Purifier?
Using an air purifier greatly benefits your environment and well-being. Although Australia generally enjoys good air quality, conditions vary significantly depending on the location.
Rural areas often have cleaner air than cities. Still, events like bushfires can quickly deteriorate air quality, highlighting the importance of having an effective solution to improve ventilation and maintain clean, breathable air.
Suppose you've been diagnosed with respiratory ailments, including COPD, asthma, or seasonal allergies. In that case, investing in an air purifier helps eliminate airborne triggers. Some have air quality displays, odour sensors, and virus and bacteria elimination filters.
Benefits of Using an Air Purifier
Air purifiers benefit everyone, especially those with sensitivities like asthma or allergies. Here's what to expect:
- Cleaner air: Air purifiers remove dust, pollen, pet dander, mould spores, and other pollutants, improving air quality.
- Allergy relief: By eliminating allergens like dust mites and pollen, air purifiers reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.
- Eliminate odours: They remove bad smells from cooking, smoking, or pets, especially models with activated carbon filters.
- Better sleep: Some air purifiers reduce noise and dust that disturb sleep through soothing white noise for improved rest.
- Germ protection: Some models use UV-C lights or similar tech to kill airborne viruses and bacteria.
Using an air purifier enhances air quality and supports health and comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions on using and maintaining air purifiers in Australia.
Are air purifiers expensive to run in Australia?
Air purifiers are generally affordable to run and maintain in Australia. Most modern models are energy-efficient, with operating costs comparable to running a standard fan or a few light bulbs.
Filter replacement is the primary maintenance expense, ranging from $30 to $150 every 6 to 12 months, depending on the model and filter type. Some purifiers use washable filters, which can lower ongoing costs.
Will an air purifier reduce bad odour?
Yes, an air purifier can help reduce foul odours in your home. Many air purifiers have activated carbon filters that absorb and neutralise odours from cooking, smoking, pets, or other unpleasant smells. Air purifiers make your space fresher and more pleasant by trapping these airborne particles and odour molecules.
How long should you be running your air purifier?
Running the air purifier for 24 hours may be necessary for those with severe dust allergies. However, for most people, a few hours a day is sufficient. Try the air purifier at your own pace to determine what works best for you.
What is the best spot to place your air purifier?
The best spot to place your air purifier is in the room where you spend the most time. Position it on a flat, stable surface with good airflow, avoiding corners, tight spaces, or areas blocked by furniture.
For optimal performance, keep it near the source of pollutants, such as pet areas, or in the center of the room for even air circulation. Ensure a few feet of clearance around the purifier, especially near the air intake and exhaust vents, to maximise efficiency.
How long does an air purifier last?
A high-quality air purifier with a HEPA filter can last up to five years if properly maintained. More extensive, more particulate-consuming machines may last for two to three years.
What's the fastest an air purifier can cleanse the air?
It generally takes anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours for your air purifier to restore healthy air quality, depending on the size and layout of the room. However, some modern devices can now cleanse a medium-sized space in 10 minutes or less. You'll know that your air purifier isn't working if it runs for a long time with little to no improvement in the air quality.
How to tell if the air purifier is working?
Check the airflow of the system first. A functioning air purifier has constant, clear airflow. Place your palm in front of the purifier to check if it is blowing air; if not, there is probably a problem. Another indication that the purifier isn't working is that you cannot hear anything. Some machines will also indicate clean air on displays, though this is an added feature and may not be a good measure for every air purifier.
Ready to Enjoy Fresher Air?
Selecting the best air purifier for your needs requires careful consideration of various factors. Our comprehensive review and analysis have highlighted the top options, each excelling in different aspects.
So, whether it's tackling allergies, eliminating odours, or improving air quality, our list has the option to suit your needs. Making an informed choice based on our recommendations can lead to a healthier and more comfortable living environment in Australia.