mans hand lighting another mans cigar while in his mouth

An air purifier is a good choice for removing smoke and especially useful for smokers. But to be considered a good air purifier for smoke removal, it has to have the right features and filters.

Benefits of Using an Air Purifier for Smoke

Air purifiers can also improve other aspects of your air quality aside from just eliminating smoke. Air purifiers eliminate pollutants, including dust, allergens, mold, pet dander, odors, etc. The list of benefits goes on.

Tips for Using an Air Purifier for Smoke

  • Always replace or clean the filters on a routine basis because cigarette and cigar smoke are very dense.
  • Keep at least 24 inches of space around all sides and top of the air purifier and do not hide behind furniture or in corner.
  • Run the air purifier on a 24/7 basis to ensure all smoke particles and odors are removed (and continue to be removed) from the room.
  • Do not use air fresheners in combination with an air purifier to cover up tobacco smoke odors. The air purifier will just absorb those fragrance particles and this can shorten the filter life.
  • Keep the windows and doors closed as much as possible where the room air purifier is located.

Many products include a True HEPA filter when shopping for a quality unit, which is an important factor. An Activated Carbon Filter is the real secret behind eliminating tobacco odor inside your home, office, or apartment. 

HEPA Air Filter for Smoke Particles

The acronym HEPA stands for “High Efficiency Particulate Air” and you’ll find it attached to the word “filter” when searching for an air purifier. But only certain air filters can actually be labeled as a “True HEPA filter.” The minimum requirement for this quality filter is that it has to capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns that pass through it. If the filter doesn’t meet this standard, then it wouldn’t be able to capture the finest pollutants that make up tobacco smoke.

At their core, true HEPA filters are ultra-fine, glass-fiber substrates that capture microscopic particles that otherwise easily pass through other types of filters. 

Activated Carbon Air Filter for Smoke Smell

Activated Carbon filters are a unique set of filters that are made up of a special type of carbon that has been processed to have ultra-fine pores. The increased surface area allow smoke to be collected through adsorption. Adsorption is the action of the adhesion of molecules from a gas state to a solid surface.

Smoke from cigarettes and cigars is made up of VOCs. In an air purifier designed for smoke removal, the odor molecules become trapped and any evidence of tobacco can’t be released back into the air.

The Best Air Purifier for Smoke: Top Picks

ImageAir Purifier DetailsPrice
VEVA Pro HEPA 9000 Air Purifier
  • Best overall air purifier
  • Filters: Filters: Washable Pre-filter, HEPA Filter, Activated Carbon
  • Coverage: 600 sq. ft.
  • Warranty: please contact seller for more information.
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Rabbit Air MinusA2 Air PurifierRabbit Air MinusA2 Air Purifier
  • Best overall air purifier for smoke
  • Filters: Pre-filter, Medium, BioGS, Activated Carbon, Customized, Ionizer
  • Coverage: 700 sq. ft.
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Levoit Core 300 Air PurifierLevoit Core 300 Air Purifier
  • Best air purifier for smokers (small air filter)
  • Filters: Pre-filter, True HEPA, Activated Carbon
  • Coverage: 215 sq. ft.
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Levoit LV-PUR131 Air PurifierLevoit LV-PUR131 Air Purifier
  • Best cheap air purifier for smoke
  • Filters: Pre-filter, True HEPA, Activated Carbon
  • Coverage: 360 sq. ft.
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Austin Air HealthMate HM400 Air PurifierAustin Air HM400 Air Purifier
  • Best air purifier for cigarette smoke removal
  • Filters: True HEPA, 15 lbs. of Activated Carbon
  • Coverage: 1,500 sq. ft.
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While many air purifiers are good at eliminating airborne allergens, dust, mold spores, viruses, and other indoor pollutants, they’re not all effective for heavy smoke smell. Our goal here is to help you find the best air purifier for cigarette smoke removal and cigar odor that you can trust to clean the air in your home so it doesn’t smell like an ashtray or contain second hand smoke.

Rabbit Air MinusA2

A total of six-stages of air purification and odor removal that makes it a leading smoke eliminator machine in the industry.

  • Pre-filter: Captures dust and other large particles in the air and prolongs the life of the other filters.
  • Medium Filter: Traps larger smoke particles.
  • BioGS HEPA Filter: This is an extra-long life version of a high efficiency True HEPA Filter that captures the finest pollutants (99.97% down to 0.3 microns). It also lasts up to 3 years.
  • Activated Carbon Filter: Eliminates cigarette and cigar odors.
  • Customized Filter: Choose between these air filters: Enhanced Germ Defense, Toxin Absorption, Pet Allergies or Extra Odor Elimination.
  • Ion Generator: Creates an ionic field to neutralize airborne contaminants and help the air smell fresh.

Perfect for any large room because it can purify a space between 700 to 815 square feet, which makes it an efficient air cleaner for smokers in any application. It can also be mounted on a wall or used as a stand alone unit.

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Austin Air HealthMate HM400

It has a 4-stage air filtration system with a pre-filter and powerful True HEPA air filter for capturing ultrafine contaminants down to 0.3 microns. But what you’ll love most about this device is that contains nearly 15 pounds of Activated Carbon (the best air filter for smoke), which is why it is so popular for second hand smoke.

This high quality air purifier for smoke smell comes with three fans speeds to draw air into the unit through all four sides, making it a 360-degree air filtering unit. This makes it possible to place the device anywhere in the room and enjoy maximum air filtration no matter where it’s located.

What’s even better is that this air purifier can purify large spaces up to 1,500 square feet. That’s more than enough power to create clean, fresh air quality in practically any size single-family home. This comes with a 5-year filter life, which means you won’t have to spend a ton of money each year to keep this smoke eliminator machine running efficiently.

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Levoit LV-PUR131

This is a great pick if you’re looking for a unit that can handle smoke in smaller spaces. The Levoit LV-PUR131 includes a pre-filter, powerful True HEPA air filter for removing second hand smoke particles as small as 0.3 microns, and a thick Activated Carbon filter for reducing tobacco odors.

The touch panel buttons are very sensitive and only require a light touch to switch between the various fan speeds and modes. Another nice feature is that air is drawn in from both sides of the unit for maximum efficiency. This model is perfect for bedrooms, living rooms, and smoking rooms up to 360 square feet.

Levoit Core 300

This is another good Levoit air purifier for cigarette smoke removal and cigar odors.

The total coverage is only 215 square feet, so it’s not a strong enough smoke eliminator machine for a large living room or apartment like our other top four recommendations. This is a great, affordable option if you want a good quality air purifier to keep your personal space free and clear of tobacco smoke.

It includes all of the necessary filters to extract smoke particles and odors out the air, including a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, and Activated Carbon filter. Plus the filters are combined into a single material unit, which makes filter replacements easy.

It also draws air in from all sides, giving you 360-degrees of air filtration, and is one of the best air purifiers for smokers or anyone else who wants to keep tobacco pollutants out of their immediate vicinity.

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Using an Air Purifier for Smoke: Bottom Line

The best air purifiers for smoke listed above are the top in their league when it comes to getting rid of smoke and odors. The biggest question you have to ask yourself is “How much room coverage do I really need?” That answer should narrow down which air purifier for cigarette smoke removal and cigar smell you should buy.


Frequently Asked Questions

Do air purifiers help with smoke and remove odor?

An air purifier can help with smoke and odor as long as it has two types of filters: a HEPA filter and an Activated Carbon filter. The HEPA filter removes visible particles while the Activated Carbon filter gets rid of the tobacco smell.

Is the Dyson air purifier good for smoke?

A Dyson air purifier can be good for smoke but it’s not the top option in our expert opinion. The main reasons are the high costs, limited square footage coverage, and air filter choices.

What is smoke made up of?

Many people don’t know this but there are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes. Smoke is made up of visible particles and invisible particles. The visible elements that you see are primarily made up of carbon, ash, oils, and tar. The invisible volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contain a variety of liquid, solid, and gas particles that travel through the air and then sink into the surrounding environment.

These pollutants contain nitrogen and oxygen along with several toxic gasses including carbon monoxide, acrolein, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide, and more.

Does a HEPA filter remove smoke?

HEPA filters do remove smoke particles from cigarettes and cigars that are visible. “True HEPA” filters are the best type for smoke removal because they’re specially designed to remove 99.97% particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter. For odor control, your air purifier will need an Activated Carbon filter as it is the only type of air filter that can adsorb tobacco particles that produce a smell.

Can air purifiers help with second hand smoke?

Air purifiers get rid of smoke but the secret is all in the duo of a True HEPA and Activated Carbon Filter.  Another good indicator of power is the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). The short version of what is a CADR Rating is that it measures the effectiveness of an air purifier for three pollutants: smoke, dust, and pollen.

The higher the CADR rating is for smoke particles, the better the unit is at filtering it out. A good rule of thumb is to get a smoke filter machine that has at least 2/3 the CADR rating as the total square footage coverage for the device.

How do you eliminate cigarette smoke smell?

One of the easiest ways to eliminate cigarette smoke smell is to use an air purifier. When it’s used well, an air purifier is an effortless way to control smoke indoors.

Other things you can do for how to get rid of tobacco smell in a room include:

  • Wash the walls with soap and water.
  • Repaint the walls with an odor-sealing primer.
  • Steam clean the curtains, carpets, and furniture.
  • Sprinkle baking soda on carpeting, let it sit for several hours, and vacuum it up.

Can smoke smell go through walls?

Cigarette smoke smell can go through walls and can also go through doors, windows, electrical outlets, and ventilation systems. Smoke can easily seep into other rooms of the house.

If you’d rather have Wi-Fi control in your cigarette smoke removal machine, then you can upgrade to the LV-PUR131S model. It gives you complete control from your smartphone as well as scheduling options, filter alerts, and compatibility with Alexa.

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Levoit Core 300

This is another good Levoit air purifier for cigarette smoke removal and cigar odors.

The total coverage is only 215 square feet, so it’s not a strong enough smoke eliminator machine for a large living room or apartment like our other top four recommendations. This is a great, affordable option if you want a good quality air purifier to keep your personal space free and clear of tobacco smoke.

It includes all of the necessary filters to extract smoke particles and odors out the air, including a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, and Activated Carbon filter. Plus the filters are combined into a single material unit, which makes filter replacements easy.

It also draws air in from all sides, giving you 360-degrees of air filtration, and is one of the best air purifiers for smokers or anyone else who wants to keep tobacco pollutants out of their immediate vicinity.

View on Amazon


Using an Air Purifier for Smoke: Bottom Line

The best air purifiers for smoke listed above are the top in their league when it comes to getting rid of smoke and odors. The biggest question you have to ask yourself is “How much room coverage do I really need?” That answer should narrow down which air purifier for cigarette smoke removal and cigar smell you should buy.


Frequently Asked Questions

Do air purifiers help with smoke and remove odor?

An air purifier can help with smoke and odor as long as it has two types of filters: a HEPA filter and an Activated Carbon filter. The HEPA filter removes visible particles while the Activated Carbon filter gets rid of the tobacco smell.

Is the Dyson air purifier good for smoke?

A Dyson air purifier can be good for smoke but it’s not the top option in our expert opinion. The main reasons are the high costs, limited square footage coverage, and air filter choices.

What is smoke made up of?

Many people don’t know this but there are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes. Smoke is made up of visible particles and invisible particles. The visible elements that you see are primarily made up of carbon, ash, oils, and tar. The invisible volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contain a variety of liquid, solid, and gas particles that travel through the air and then sink into the surrounding environment.

These pollutants contain nitrogen and oxygen along with several toxic gasses including carbon monoxide, acrolein, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide, and more.

Does a HEPA filter remove smoke?

HEPA filters do remove smoke particles from cigarettes and cigars that are visible. “True HEPA” filters are the best type for smoke removal because they’re specially designed to remove 99.97% particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter. For odor control, your air purifier will need an Activated Carbon filter as it is the only type of air filter that can adsorb tobacco particles that produce a smell.

Can air purifiers help with second hand smoke?

Air purifiers get rid of smoke but the secret is all in the duo of a True HEPA and Activated Carbon Filter.  Another good indicator of power is the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). The short version of what is a CADR Rating is that it measures the effectiveness of an air purifier for three pollutants: smoke, dust, and pollen.

The higher the CADR rating is for smoke particles, the better the unit is at filtering it out. A good rule of thumb is to get a smoke filter machine that has at least 2/3 the CADR rating as the total square footage coverage for the device.

How do you eliminate cigarette smoke smell?

One of the easiest ways to eliminate cigarette smoke smell is to use an air purifier. When it’s used well, an air purifier is an effortless way to control smoke indoors.

Other things you can do for how to get rid of tobacco smell in a room include:

  • Wash the walls with soap and water.
  • Repaint the walls with an odor-sealing primer.
  • Steam clean the curtains, carpets, and furniture.
  • Sprinkle baking soda on carpeting, let it sit for several hours, and vacuum it up.

Can smoke smell go through walls?

Cigarette smoke smell can go through walls and can also go through doors, windows, electrical outlets, and ventilation systems. Smoke can easily seep into other rooms of the house.