10 Best UV air purifiers on the market in 2022: Comparison Table

What is the best UV air purifier? First, make sure that the device is multifunctional and isn’t confined just to UV light sanitizing. One of the essential components to look for is the True HEPA filter that forces the air through a mesh to capture airborne matter. This allows air purifiers like the Germ Guardian to remove the smallest harmful particles, including pollen and allergens. Models like the HoMedics TotalClean Air Purifier with a built-in carbon filter can eliminate unpleasant odors from cooking and pets. This particular product also uses an essential oil diffuser to refresh the air.

Although most air purifiers are safe for use, they have the ability to emit ozone byproducts into the environment. It is supposed that prolonged exposure to large amounts of ozone can cause harm to people and animals. That is why we also offer a safer alternative to UV air purifiers — the Winix C545 using PlasmaWave technology that does not generate harmful ozone.

Best UV Air Purifier Reviews

Below, you will find a review of the best UV air purifiers at a price ranging from $130 to $200. All these models are multifunctional and can not only clean the air but also kill bacteria and remove odor. Each model has its advantages and offers peculiar features.

Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier with UV Light Sanitizer | Best for Germs & Mold

Whether you need to filter allergies, pollen, and dust or get rid of pet dander, mold, and foul odors, this product is what you are looking for. The Germ Guardian combines 4 functions in one device and is a good pennyworth. The True HEPA air filter kills nearly all harmful particles in the air, including pollen, mold spores, and pet dander. The second feature, UV-C light, eliminates germs and viruses like influenza. The device also has a pre-filter that works by trapping allergens like dust and other larger particles. One of the benefits of using a pre-filter is that it extends the HEPA filter’s life span. And finally, there is an activated charcoal filter that removes household odors, such as those from cooking, smoke, and pets. On top of that, this air purifier is comfortable to use at night thanks to the quiet sleep mode.

Germ Guardian: Check the current price

Winix C545 Air Purifier with True HEPA, PlasmaWave and Odor Reducing Carbon Filter | Best Ozone-Free

As a safer alternative to UV light devices, we suggest the Winix C545 Air Purifier that uses PlasmaWave technology to reduce bacteria and viruses in the air. To break apart allergens and pollutants, the PlasmaWave technology generates positive and negative ions. These ions mix with water vapors and produce naturally occurring molecules hydroxyls to clean the air. The main benefit here is that, unlike ozone, hydroxyls are safe to breathe. This technology was tested in laboratories on the most common viruses, such as influenza, E. coli, and salmonella, and has proved to be efficient. The Winix C545 has a CADR rating of 360 square feet and effectively purifies air in large living spaces.

Winix C545: Check the current price

HoMedics TotalClean Tower Air Purifier for Viruses, Bacteria, Allergens, Dust, Germs | Best Versatile

This 5-in-1 air purifier will keep your indoor air clean and healthy, no matter what the problem is. The device uses 360-degree True HEPA filtration, a built-in carbon filter with a prefilter, and UV-C light sanitization. It eliminates the smallest airborne allergens, dust, mold spores, and animal odor. In addition to purifying the air, this unit also refreshes it by diffusing oils. It is equipped with an essential oil slot and pads. When compared to the previous product, the HoMedics air purifier covers a smaller area — up to 195 square feet. So we recommend it for small or medium-sized rooms. The advantages of this model include the adjustable speed with three settings as well as an automatic shut-off feature and customized programming.

HoMedics TotalClean: Check the current price

Pure Enrichment® PureZone™ Elite 4-in-1 Air Purifier - True HEPA Filter & UV-C Sanitizer

The PureZone utilizes a true HEPA filter guaranteed to capture 99.97 percent of harmful microorganisms: dust, pollen, dander, smoke, odors, and even viruses larger than 0.1 microns.

With the power of UV-C, the PureZone destroys germs and viruses that make direct contact with the filter. Paired with the medical-grade three-in-one filter, the PureZone is ideal for destroying allergens in mid-size homes.

Better yet, the purifier is whisper-quiet at a noise level of just 30 dB. It's comfortable to keep the purifier running in bedrooms, nurseries, and office spaces.

Plugged in, the PureZone works within seconds to purify the room. Users can set up an automatic shut off timer for two, four, or eight hours of continuous use.

Customers appreciate that the purifier is compact enough to fit on a tall shelf or squeeze in the corner of a tight room. It's ideal for those living in studio apartments who have limited space.

The only consistent drawback some mention is the purifier's Night Time mode, which automatically sets the speed to the lowest setting. The PureZone may not be the best option for those that want a higher degree of specificity in their air purification.

Pure Enrichment: Сheck the current price

If you are looking for the best whole house air purifiers - read our Buyer’s Guide: 7 Best HEPA Air Purifiers and Air Cleaners for Allergies

10 Best-Selling UV air purifiers Comparative Table

In the sixties, two German brothers named Manfred and Klaus Hammes invented the world's first air purification system, which quickly became a major success in Germany.

Since then, the technology has only continued to evolve. For the past decade, HEPA air filters paired with strong UV-C light have become one of the most popular air purification methods in the West.

HEPA Filter & UV-C Sanitizer Clean Air: How Effective Are They?

HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, referring to how a HEPA-based filter forces air through a fine-grained mesh to capture airborne matter. The super fine mesh can trap particulates like pollen, smoke, dander, mites, and even viruses as small as 0.1 microns.

However, mesh filters can't capture everything, which is why UV-C purifiers were invented. UV purifiers use short-wave ultraviolet light to extinguish pathogens like bacteria, mold, and viruses.

As you can likely imagine, a two-in-one air filtration system that employs both HEPA and UV-C filtration is extremely effective at both capturing and destroying contaminants.

Consumers should be aware that UV-C light has been recognized as a carcinogen. Most modern air filtration systems combat this by enclosing the lighting element in opaque metal, which restricts radiation from getting out into the open.

Still, you should always make sure to conduct research before opting into any specific product. Products will differ depending on the environment that they're built for, so always make sure to consult device instruction manuals.