Air Purifiers for Pets

Many of us can’t imagine living without our beloved pets. As fun and lovable our furry little friends can be, they’re a prime contributor to the degradation of air quality inside our homes. Animals are a source of pet dander, hairs, feathers, and odors that can make breathing a little more challenging, especially for allergy sufferers.

If you’re currently facing this dilemma, investing in a good air purifier can help solve your problem. Air purifiers help eliminate the aforementioned airborne pollutants in your home and can lead to a cleaner, healthier, and more pleasant environment. In this article we share the best air purifiers for pets, so read on to find out more.

Top 9 Air Purifiers for Pets Comparison

Product Features Price

Top Pick

1. Alen BreatheSmart FIT50 Fur Family

  • HEPA Odor-Cell for removing pet dander and odors
  • With washable pre-filter and ionizer
  • 900 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Customizable front panel
  • Filters that are interchangeable according to your specific concerns
  • Lifetime warranty
Check price on amazon

2. Aprilaire Allergy + Pet

  • Features a pet hair and dander trap
  • With a pre-filter, a True HEPA filter, and an alumina oxide and activated carbon bed
  • 495 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Smart mode + Sleep mode + Manual mode + Turbo mode
  • Five speed options
  • 1-year warranty
Check price on amazon

3. Airthereal Pure Morning APH260

  • Uses a pre-filter, True HEPA, activated carbon, a molecular sieve, and nano-mineral, cold catalyst, and photocatalyst filters
  • Features UV-C and ionizing technology
  • 355 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Smart auto and sleep modes
  • Three speed options
  • 2-year warranty
Check price on amazon

Budget Pick

4. LEVOIT LV-H132

  • Uses a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter
  • 129 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Three speed settings
  • Doubles as a nightlight
  • 2-year warranty
Check price on amazon

5. Winix Ultimate Pet WAC9500

  • Uses a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, CleanCel antibacterial treatment, carbon odor control, and a PlasmaWave ionizer
  • 284 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Auto mode
  • Particle and VOC smart sensors
  • With a remote control
  • 1-year warranty
Check price on amazon

6. GermGuardian AC5250PT

  • Features a Pet Pure antimicrobial agent, a HEPA filter, a charcoal filter, and UV-C
  • 180 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Five speed options
  • 8-hour timer
  • 5-year warranty
Check price on amazon

7. Winix 5500-2

  • Has three-stage system including an odor-control filter, a True HEPA filter, and PlasmaWave (ionizing) technology
  • 360 sq. ft coverage area
  • Air quality indicator
  • With remote control
  • Auto mode
  • 2-year warranty
Check price on amazon

8. Hamilton Beach True Air

  • Includes a pre-filter, two carbon zeolite filters for pet odors, and a permanent HEPA-grade filter
  • 140 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Three speed options
  • 1-year warranty
Check price on amazon

9. Rabbit Air MinusA2 SPA-700A

  • Comes with a customized pet allergy filter for trapping pet dander and pet allergens
  • 700 sq. ft. coverage area
  • Sleep mode and auto mode
  • Customizable panel and mood light
  • 5-year warranty
Check price on amazon

Pets Air Purifiers Reviews

1. Alen BreatheSmart FIT50 Fur Family

The Alen BreatheSmart FIT50 is an air purifier that can accommodate different specialized filters according to the user’s needs. For pet owners, Alen recommends the HEPA Odor-Cell filter, which specializes in removing pet dander and odors.

While purchasing the Smart Bundle that comes with extra filters ensures that you won’t have to buy costly individual filter replacements for eight months, this model can still be expensive to maintain in the long run. In short, this air purifier has a high overall cost to match its substantial physical footprint. Despite these issues, this model offers a wide array of features, such as a 12-hour timer, four speed options, and an auto mode. It also features a customizable front panel that lets you match the air purifier to your home’s interior. Lastly, its impressive coverage of 900 sq. ft. is a huge bonus, especially if your pets tend to roam around your living spaces.

Pros

  • Customizable front panels
  • Auto mode and different speed levels included
  • Wide coverage
  • With a filter change indicator
  • Interchangeable filters
  • Control panel has a lock button
  • Timer included
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Expensive (upfront and long-term)
  • Not True HEPA
  • Big and bulky
  • Costly replacement filter

2. Aprilaire Allergy + Pet

To aid pet-owners in their unique struggles, this Aprilaire machine uses a trapping mechanism for floating pet hair and dander. For pet-related odors, such as the much-dreaded litter box smell, an activated carbon and aluminum oxide bed is present. It also has a pre-filter and a True HEPA filter to fight off other pollutants in the air.

Both the machine itself and the replacement filters are expensive, which can be a dealbreaker for those with tight budgets. If it’s any consolation, the hair and dander trap is cleanable and reusable, and it should help the HEPA filter last longer. Its smart mode automatically determines the best fan speed for the environment which, by the way, can be as big as 495 sq. ft. If you prefer manual fan adjustment, you can choose among five speed options, or go all-out with the Turbo mode for when your pets are highly-active. There’s also a sleep mode that dims the indicators and automatically sets the timer to eight hours.

Pros

  • Wide coverage
  • With smart, sleep, manual, and turbo modes
  • Filter replacement indicator present
  • With five speed options
  • Has a control panel lock button
  • 8-hour timer available

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Short warranty
  • Costly replacement filters

3. Airthereal Pure Morning APH260

The Airthereal Pure Morning APH260 air purifier uses seven filter layers: a pre-filter, True HEPA, activated carbon, nano-mineral, cold catalyst, photocatalyst, and a molecular sieve. These work in combination to rid the air of pet dander, hair, animal odors, and other pollutants like dust, smoke, and VOCs. It also has UV-C technology as well as an optional ionizer to kill bacteria and viruses. Aside from being affordable, it also hosts a smart auto mode and a dedicated sleep mode—although the latter seems to concern itself only with minimizing noise and not dimming the panel’s lights. Three fan speeds and a 12-hour timer are available to users as well.

If your pets love climbing atop furniture and appliances, then this model might not work the best for you because some reviewers have expressed dissatisfaction regarding the APH260’s ultra-sensitive control buttons that are on the top panel. This means your pets can inadvertently change the air purifier’s settings if they climb on top or walk over the control panel. If this wouldn’t be a problem, though, you can definitely consider this model as a reasonably-priced and well-rounded contender.

Pros

  • Wide coverage
  • Affordable
  • With smart auto and sleep modes
  • 12-hour timer and three fan speeds available
  • With a filter replacement indicator

Cons

  • Bright LED indicators
  • Very sensitive control buttons
  • Loud on highest speed setting

4. LEVOIT LV-H132

The Levoit LV-H132 claims to remove up to 99.97% of airborne particles (including pet dander) using a pre-filter and a True HEPA filter. It also has an activated carbon filter to help dissipate pet odors in the air.

The LV-H132 has a dedicated light button, which means it can also function as a standalone nightlight. For this, users are given the option to adjust between two brightness settings. While some consumers might be disappointed that it doesn’t come with a timer or an auto mode, note that its very affordable price tag is already a telltale sign of its simple profile. If a basic and affordable pet air purifier for small areas is all you’re looking for, however, then the Levoit LV-H132 is an obvious choice.

Pros

  • Doubles as a nightlight
  • Adjustable speed settings included
  • Easy to transport
  • Affordable
  • With filter reset indicator

Cons

  • Small coverage area
  • No timer

5. Winix Ultimate Pet WAC9500

To fight off any air quality problems related to pets, the Winix WAC9500 primarily uses a True HEPA filter for pet dander and carbon filtration for “advanced” odor control. To back these up, it also has a hair-collecting pre-filter, CleanCel anti-bacterial treatment, and Winix’s PlasmaWave feature (which is basically an ionizing agent). All these can combine to be an effective solution to air-related problems faced by pet owners.

Aside from coming with a timer, adjustable speed levels, and different modes, this unit also includes a remote control and separate indicators for current dust and odor levels. Another thing that makes this model worthwhile is its auto-dim feature, which makes it ideal if, say, you’re an allergy sufferer and you want it turned on for overnight use.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage to this air purifier is its expensive replacement filter, which costs half as much as a brand-new unit. At the very least, the carbon component of the filter is washable, which should help extend its lifetime. Some buyers have also complained about its Turbo mode, which can be too loud if you’re sensitive to noise.

Pros

  • Includes a remote control
  • With an auto mode
  • Auto, Sleep, and Auto Sleep modes included
  • With a timer
  • Four speed options
  • Washable carbon filter
  • With a filter replacement, dust level, and odor level indicators
  • Auto-dim feature for nighttime use

Cons

  • Short warranty
  • Costly replacement filter
  • Very loud on turbo mode

6. GermGuardian AC5250PT

Like many tower-type GermGuardian air purifiers, the AC5250PT uses a True HEPA filter to remove dust and pet dander from the air, charcoal to get rid of odors, and an optional UV-C light to kill germs. On top of these familiar offerings, it features Pet Pure, which is an antimicrobial agent that inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and odor-causing bacteria on the HEPA filter to help the entire machine trap and neutralize pet-related pollutants better.

Designed for smaller rooms, this model comes with usual features like a timer, different speed levels, and a filter check indicator. Its filters generally last long, and its replacements are pretty affordable. Reviewers report, though, that the UV bulb has a shorter lifespan of about three to four months. Its filter check indicator also comes with a loud alarm, which might make for a potential frustration if it happens to go off in the middle of the night. If these cons seem minor to you, however, then the GermGuardian AC5250PT surely has enough extra features and cleaning power to present itself as a promising-yet-affordable choice.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Long warranty
  • Timer present
  • Different speed levels available
  • Economical to maintain
  • With a filter check indicator

Cons

  • Small coverage area
  • Loud filter alarm
  • Short UV bulb lifespan

7. Winix 5500-2

Like the Winix Ultimate Pet WAC9500, the 5500-2 features a remote control, four speed options, an auto-off timer, and both auto and sleep modes. To remove pet dander, tiny hairs, dust, and other particles from the air, it features a True HEPA filter as well as ionizing PlasmaWave technology.

Made for medium-sized rooms of up to 360 sq. ft., this air purifier also boasts a washable carbon filter for odor control, which lets the entire filter set last for about a year. Replacement filters are costly, but with dedicated smart sensors for various pollutants and a healthy set of air purification methods, the Winix 5500-2 may be worth the price.

Pros

  • Four speed options
  • Includes a remote control
  • Features an auto mode
  • With a timer
  • With an air quality and filter replacement indicator
  • Washable carbon filter

Cons

  • Costly replacement filters
  • Expensive

8. Hamilton Beach True Air

The Hamilton Beach TrueAir Compact Pet air purifier combines a permanent HEPA-grade filter and two carbon zeolite filters to remove pollutants from the air. The former removes 99% of small particles like dust mite debris, pet dander, dust, pollen, and smoke, while the latter takes care of pet odors. These two are assisted by a pre-filter, as well.

While the unit itself is already affordable, the fact that both the pre-filter and the HEPA-grade filter are permanent makes this device even more economical. The replacement filters are also relatively reasonably priced. As with many other budget-class models, though, this machine comes with a short one-year warranty period. It’s also better-suited from smaller spaces up to 140 sq. ft. It’s hard to complain about these facts, though, given the TrueAir’s price tag. If purchasing an air purifier for pets at a pocket-friendly price is your topmost priority, you should definitely consider this model from Hamilton Beach.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Permanent HEPA filter
  • Adjustable speed settings included
  • Easy and affordable to maintain
  • Compact

Cons

  • Short warranty
  • Small coverage area
  • Not a True HEPA device

9. Rabbit Air MinusA2 SPA-700A

The Rabbit Air SPA-700A lets users customize the filter according to their needs. For pet-related concerns, there’s the Pet Allergy filter, which specializes in removing pet dander and other pet allergens from the air. It also has a customizable front panel and mood lighting, which are great for consumers who are big on aesthetics.

It has both an auto mode and a light-sensing sleep mode, which automatically dims the lights during nighttime. Although Rabbit Air claims that the filters on the MinusA2 should last for two years with a 12-hour daily operation (or one year for 24/7 operation, which is what we recommend), its replacement filters are quite costly. This can be potentially burdensome considering that its upfront cost is already high. In spite of these costs, this air purifier remains to be a highly-competitive model that comes with many features. If you’re looking for a machine with respectable coverage and you appreciate having customization options, then the Minus2 is something to consider.

Pros

  • Wide coverage
  • Customizable front panel and mood light included
  • Features an auto mode and a light-sensing sleep mode
  • With a timer
  • Can be wall-mounted
  • Comes with a filter replacement indicator
  • Long warranty

Cons

  • Costly replacement filters
  • Expensive

Buyer’s Guide:

Air Purifiers for Pets

How Pets Can Affect Air Quality

Having pets in your home exposes your environment to different pollutants. Animals are prone to shedding pet dander, hairs, fur, and feathers. At the same time, animals are one of the major sources of unpleasant odors in your home.

Air purifiers can help pet owners by helping eliminate these pollutants by:

  • Trapping shed animal hairs, furs, and feather
  • Removing pet dander and other allergens from the air
  • Neutralizing foul animal odors
  • Killing bacteria, dust mites, mold spores, and other germs that may be
  • harmful to both humans and animals

The Perils of Pet Dander and Odors

Odors stemming from your pets — may they be from their natural smell or from the stench coming from their droppings — make your home environment a little less pleasant. Pet dander is also an allergy trigger for many individuals, which is problematic given that more than 50 million people suffer from nasal allergies in the United States. Breathing in floating dander in the air can result in congestion, puffy eyes, a runny nose, and headaches, among other things. These dilemmas can be amplified if you frequently entertain guests, as a smelly home that’s full of pet dander can be quite embarrassing and even potentially harmful to your visitors.

Choosing an Efficient Pet Air Purifier

When shopping for an air purifier to help with pet-related concerns, consider the following factors:

  • Coverage area

    Do your pets tend to roam around your living spaces (like in the case of dogs and cats)? Or is their presence, like with caged birds and hamsters, limited to a small corner in your room? Aside from room size, this will play a major role in deciding the appropriate coverage area for you.

  • Filters and technology

    True HEPA filters are considered the gold standard when it comes to removing particle pollutants like pet dander. Other filters, however, can also do a decent job. If odors are one of your major concerns, for example, you’d definitely want a model with a carbon filter. You can also opt for a machine with a built-in ionizer and/or UV-C light if you want to.

  • Pet-friendly features

    You should always take into consideration other extra features that are designed for pet owners, such as a control panel lock, safety vent guards, special dander traps, and more.

  • Light and noise

    If you’re an allergy sufferer who just can’t imagine life without your pets, you might need to have an air purifier running all hours of the day. As such, you should consider the noise and light pollution emitted by an air purifier before purchasing it.

Our Pet Air Purifier Selection Process

If you are curious as to how we selected and ranked these purifier models, the following points detail which specifications we emphasized while doing our analysis. Read on to better understand our ranking of the best air purifiers for pets.

  • Contaminant Removal Capability

    When looking for a high-end pet air purifier, it only makes sense to take note of its capability to remove airborne particles that are harmful to your health. This is the element we ranked as most important, hence the fact that all the models that ended up featured on our list have a 99% or higher contaminant removal rate.

  • Filtration Stages and Technologies

    The filtration technologies used by pet air purifiers play the biggest role in their effectiveness. For them to be of superior quality, they must feature HEPA filtration (as this is the best-performing type of air filtration technology at the moment), and they should also supplement their profile with other combatants against all sorts of pollutants. For example, air purifiers like the Alen Breathesmart FIT50 feature an air ionizer option that aids HEPA filters in combating airborne particles.

  • Area Coverage

    Another element that greatly affected the way we rated and ranked the purifiers featured on this page is area coverage. The Alen air purifier received the highest rating in this regard as it can handle areas of up to 900 square feet.

  • Product Warranty

    The warranty that accompanies a product shows the degree of confidence bestowed by the manufacturer on its construction quality. Again, the Alen Breathesmart received the highest rating here as it is covered by an impressive lifetime warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pet dander and how does it affect air quality?

Pet dander is composed of tiny flecks of skin shed by pets with furs and feathers and is a known allergy trigger. Because its particles are so small, it remains airborne for a long time, and it easily sticks to furniture, fabrics, bedding, and other surfaces in your home.

Do I need an air purifier if I wash my pet/s often?

Yes. No matter how frequent you wash your pets, they still shed pet dander that can cause allergic reactions or breathing problems. Moreover, most pets come into contact with the outdoor environment frequently. Their paws and fur are prime carriers of outside pollutants into your home.

How do air purifiers remove pet dander?

Usually, air purifiers employ physical filters to trap pet dander from the air that passes through the machine. These filters are commonly True HEPA or HEPA-type. Some come with ionizers that attract pet dander from the air and onto a charged plate inside the air purifier.

Are there any side effects to the air purifiers listed here?

Air purifiers are generally safe for pets. Of course, you’d still want to avoid ozone-generating air purifiers, so we made sure to include only the best models that don’t generate ozone on this list.

Will air purifiers that are made for pets also work for households without pets?

Yes. The same filters and technology that are used to get rid of pet-related pollutants will also work effectively against other airborne household contaminants like dust, smoke, pollen, and VOCs.

What is the role of the UV light feature?

UV lamps often accompany physical filters for added air purification. UV light helps eliminate bacteria, molds, and viruses that might linger in the air indoors. It minimizes the possibility of catching colds, the flu, and other illnesses caused by airborne germs.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to choosing the best air purifier for your pet-filled home, you need to weigh a number of factors. For some, budget is the most important consideration; for others, it is the array of features that the purifiers provide. Once you prioritize your needs and expectations for your air purifier, take a closer look at these strong options and you are sure to find a great fit.

Our favorite among these options, though, is the Alen BreatheSmart FIT50 Fur Family air purifier. This model stands out because of its coverage area, customizability, and specialized HEPA Odor-Cell filter for pet owners. If having a True HEPA filter is a non-negotiable for you, the Aprilaire Allergy + Pet air purifier comes in at a close second — as long as you don’t mind the short warranty and smaller coverage area.

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8 Comments

  • Mildred

    My husband has developed an allergy to pet dander, this being a serious problem because I really don’t want to be forced to take my two cats to my mother’s place. I was wondering whether the Hamilton Beach TrueAir model will actually make a difference and help me keep by beloved pets.

    • The two carbon zeolite filters of the Hamilton Beach TrueAir will effectively remove pet odor, while the HEPA-grade filter will capture the pet dander and other particles that linger in the indoor air. By using it, you will definitely be able to keep your beloved cats. All that you have to do is to let the unit run continuously or for as long as the cats stay in that specific room.

    • Rick

      I actually have this unit in my house, and I can honestly say that it was a great investment to go with. My mother used to sneeze whenever she entered my room due to the fact that the cat sleeps here, but this isn’t an issue anymore.

  • Michelle

    I have two dogs, and I can say that buying the Winix WAC9500 was the best idea ever! There are no more unpleasant odors in the living room since I have it, so I’m now able to work in this room without feeling sick after 20 minutes of sitting in it.

  • Jeannine

    How much does the Surround Air XJ-3800 cost?

  • Helen

    The Alen BreatheSmart is truly a great investment, I don’t regret making it at all. Since I have it, my husband can stay in the same room with our cat without sneezing!

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