Are you looking for the best small air purifier for a bedroom so you can breathe better at night?
Or perhaps you’re looking for the best small room air purifier that doesn’t cost much money or take up a lot of space?
If either of those questions rings true, then this free guide is right for you.
Below, you’ll find out what the top features are to look for in an air purifier as well as our recommendations for small air purifiers you can buy today with the most affordable price.
While these air purifiers can easily fit on a desk or tabletop, they’re really made for a bedroom or other small room of your home.
If you want something for an office space, we suggest looking at our other post on the best desktop air purifier.
Table of Contents
Best Small Air Purifier Comparison Chart
Here’s a chart showing the comparison between the top three small air purifiers.
We’ll go more in depth about each one later in this guide but this gives you a sense of what’s available and an easy way to quickly compare them.
| Image | Air Purifier Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
  | Levoit LV-H132
| Check Price |
  | Honeywell HPA020B
| Check Price |
  | GermGuardian GG1000
| Check Price |
Top Features to Look for in the Best Small Room Air Purifier
When it comes to air purifiers, you’ll find that there are numerous ways in which they can purify the air you breathe.
Some air purifiers use air filters to clean the air while others use ionization or emit ozone to clean out the contaminants.
Another thing you’ll discover when you’re comparing air purifiers is that they come in all shapes and sizes.
And of course, the more expensive units boast really powerful features that you may think you must have in order for it to be effective.
But the truth is that when you’re looking for an air purifier for a small room, you don’t need to spend a lot of money or buy the biggest air cleaner unit out there to enjoy clean, fresh air.
Many of those bigger units are actually too powerful for a small bedroom or other smaller room of your home and buying one is actually a waste of money.
When you’re shopping for small air purifiers, there are really two things you’ll want to look for:
- True HEPA filter
- Activated Carbon filter
If you purchase an air purifier that includes these two filters, you’ll be able to surround yourself with the cleanest, freshest air possible.
Here’s what those two filters do and how they work.
True HEPA Filter
The acronym “HEPA” stands for “High Efficiency Particulate Air” and when the term is applied to an air filter it means that it has been constructed with a very dense, fine mesh material.
When air is forced through a HEPA filter, the fine mesh traps harmful particles such as allergens, pet dander, dust, bacteria, and tobacco smoke, and only allows clean air to flow through the other side.
When you put the word “True” in front of HEPA, it means that the filter has gone through rigorous testing to ensure that it’s the best quality of its kind.
In fact, a True HEPA filter is rated to capture 99.97% of pollutants that pass through it down to 0.3 microns in size.
That covers practically every harmful contaminant (except for gaseous pollutants) that float around your home and disrupt your breathing.
Now, we point this feature out to you because there are thousands of small air purifiers for sale today that claim they use a HEPA filter, but it can be misleading because it’s not a True HEPA filter.
If the word “True” is not attached to the word “HEPA,” then you should avoid buying that type of air purifier. You may see terms like HEPA, HEPA-like or HEPA-typer when referring to the filter.
The reason you should stay away from those types of HEPA filters is that there’s no third-party testing being done to verify the claims of how well the filter works.
In fact, you could end up buying a low-quality HEPA air purifier that only traps particles as small as 5 microns which is 1,500% larger than particles caught by a True HEPA filter.
That misses a ton of bad contaminants.
So, stay safe and always look for a True HEPA filter on an air purifier.
To make things easy for you, our top two recommendations below include this must-have feature.
Activated Carbon Filter
The second type of filter you’ll want to look for in an air purifier is an Activated Carbon filter.
What makes this type of filter special is the fact that it has been treated to increase its adsorptive power and is a highly porous substance that attracts and holds organic chemicals inside it.
This is great news for anyone who wants to remove gases, chemical vapors, volatile organic compounds, and odors from the air they breathe.
If you’re looking for a small air purifier for bedroom so you can breathe better at night, this is an essential item to have.
As air passes through the Activated Carbon filter, those substances get adsorbed by the material and don’t re-enter back into the room.
Unfortunately, a True HEPA filter alone cannot get rid of gaseous and chemical particles because the mesh filter material is not made for adsorption.
You must get an air purifier with an Activated Carbon filter to clean your air from those compounds.
If your home tends to have odors from cooking, pets, tobacco smoke, or other common household issues, then the best air purifier for your needs will be one that includes this special filter.
It’s also a good filter to have for anyone who is prone to chemical sensitivities because the Activated Carbon can help to eliminate those substances from the air you breathe.
Small Air Purifier Reviews & Recommendations
Now that you know what to look for in the best small room air purifier, we can now move on to the reviews.
Below, you’ll find the best air purifiers for small rooms and personal spaces inside your home.
Best Small Room Air Purifier List
1. Overall Best Small Air Purifier – Levoit LV-H132
Hands down, this is the best air purifier you can get without spending a ton of money.
In many ways, it’s the best small air purifier for bedroom as well a good unit for other rooms of the house too.
If you’re looking for a bedroom air purifier, this is a great choice because it has a super quiet operation and a nightlight function with two brightness settings.
Regardless if you use it in a bedroom or not, you’ll enjoy a 3-stage air filtration system that includes a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, and Activated Carbon filter to eliminate the widest range of airborne contaminants including dust, allergens, pet dander, bacteria, smoke particles, gases, chemical vapors, and volatile organic compounds.
Plus, you won’t have to guess when to change the filters because it includes a filter change indicator light.
Since this is built as a small room air purifier, it can handle an area up to 86 square feet which is ideal for most average size bedrooms and other small rooms of the home.
And it has 3 air cleaning speeds for you to choose from.
All-in-all, this is a fantastic little air purifier that you’ll be happy with for years to come.
2. Best Small Room Air Purifier – Honeywell HPA020B
If you’re looking for a smaller air purifier that you can place within arms reach, then this is going to be your best choice.
The size measures 11 x 12 x 8.5 and is perfect for placing on a nightstand, dresser, table, bookshelf, or desk.
While it doesn’t have a 3-stage air filtration system like our #1 pick, you do still get a high-quality True HEPA filter and Activated Carbon filter.
The Activated Carbon filter just doubles as the pre-filter and is not as thick as the Levoit LV-H132
It does come with a filter change indicator light so you know when to replace your air filters and has 3 fan speeds for your convenience.
As for room size coverage, this air purifier is quite comparable to our #1 recommendation and can purify an area up to 80 square feet.
It’s also a bit cheaper too, which makes it the best air purifier for anyone on a tight budget.
3. Pluggable Small Air Purifier – GermGuardian GG1000
Our last recommendation is for people who want a tiny air purifier that’s unobtrusive and can fit in a small space like a bathroom or in a nursery.
With this unit, you can plug it into any wall socket and it can rotate to fit easily into the tightest spots.
The only thing to keep in mind is that this air purifier doesn’t use a True HEPA filter or Activated Carbon filter to clean the air.
Instead, it uses a UV-C light which purifies the air by zapping airborne bacteria, viruses, germs, and mold spores.
As air passes through the unit, the UV-C light destroys the DNA of those particles and renders them harmless.
You won’t get rid of dust, allergens, smoke, or odors with this pluggable air purifier; however, if you want the best small air purifier that can help sanitize a room up to 56 square feet, this is a great choice.
Common Questions People Have About Small Air Purifiers
Do HEPA air purifiers really work?
Yes. HEPA air purifiers are dense filters that filter out airborne contaminants.
As air passes through the filter, the pollutant particles get stuck in the interwoven fibers of the mesh material. Clean air passes through while the contaminants get trapped.
This process reduces the amount of pollution in the air and collects it inside the HEPA filter.
Are room air purifiers effective?
Yes. The more time an air purifier has to run, the cleaner the air inside a room becomes.
If you close the doors and windows of a room and allow an air purifier to operate in this closed space, it can dramatically clean the air inside the room.
For example, a small air purifier for bedroom can exchange the air inside a room between 4-6 times per hour if the device is properly sized for it and the windows and doors are kept closed.
Can air purifiers make you sick?
No, air purifiers cannot make you sick; however, some versions may irritate your respiratory system if they use ionization or produce ozone.
If you stick to buying small air purifiers that only use air filters to clean the air, you won’t have anything to worry about.
In fact, you may experience less sickness because these filters capture bacteria and virus particles from the air that spread illnesses.
Should I leave my small room air purifier on all the time?
Yes. A small room air purifier works best when it can exchange the air inside a room over and over again.
The more times it can exchange the air, the less polluted it becomes, and the fresher the air is for you to breathe.
Once you turn the air purifier off, contaminants will start building up again and reduce the quality of the air inside a room.
What is the best small air purifier for bedroom?
The best small air purifier for bedrooms would be the Levoit LV-H132. It includes the most advanced air cleaning filters for reducing bedroom dust, allergens, and germs.
Another good air purifier for a bedroom would be the Honeywell HPA020B. The compact size of this air purifier allows you to easily set it on a nightstand or dresser.
If you want an air purifier for larger rooms in yoru home, take a look at our top rated air purifier reviews page to find a good option.
Wrap Up on the Best Small Air Purifiers
We hope this free guide has helped you find the best air purifier for your needs.
Regardless if you’re looking for the best small air purifier for bedroom or one to use in other smaller rooms of your home, these recommendations are highly worth a try.
If you want to clean the air inside your home so you can stay reduce respiratory issues, sleep better at night, or just enjoy an overall healthier life, an air purifier can be a great investment.
If you’re interested in finding the best home air purifier for larger spaces indoors, we’ve got a wealth of information and reviews on those products too.