By clicking on the featured links, visitors will leave NationalGeographic.com and be directed to third-party e-commerce sites that operate under different terms and privacy policies. As a participant in multiple affiliate marketing programs, National Geographic will earn a commission for certain purchases. See full disclaimer below.*
Beloved pets are frequently the center of most people’s universes, but they can launch dander, fur, and odors into your home environment and exacerbate allergies for those who suffer.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), allergies to pets are common and affect 10% to 20% of people globally–and those allergies don’t just include dogs and cats–birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits and more can exacerbate allergies. “Air purifiers can help reduce your overall exposure to allergens, including pet dander,” according to Melanie Carver, Chief Mission Officer of the AAFA, and there are plenty of things to consider when shopping for the best air purifier for pets, including the size of your room, ratings, and type of filter used in an air purifier for pet owners.
The kind of filter matters deeply, says Allen Rathey, the director of the Indoor Health Council. He recommends that you opt for an air purifier with a HEPA filter that has a prefilter (what he calls “boulder catchers”) because, as he says, “Merely having a HEPA filter is not the same thing as achieving HEPA-level filtration,” he said. “HEPA filters are only as good as the amount of air passing through them at a volume and speed that enables removing particles.”
Our top pick for the best air filter for pets is the BlueAirBlue Pure 211 Max because it offers enough coverage for large spaces, has a washable pre-filter, and captures tiny dust particles.
(The best air purifiers for your home)
Our picks for the best air purifiers for pets
(The best natural cleaning products for your home)
The best air purifiers for pet odor, dander, and hair
Photograph courtesy Best Buy
Buy it now at Best Buy
Why we like it: The BlueAir Blue Pure 211 Max is a compact unit that gets top marks from a wide variety of reviewers and media outlets. This air purifier covers a large space (up to 1,524 sq. ft.), comes with a washable pre-filter, and captures down to 0.1 microns of dust, all while being very quiet. It’s also easy on the eyes and Energy Star-rated, so it shouldn’t push your electric bill through the roof. The BlueAir Blue Pure 211 Max is our top pick for air purifiers for pet owners. Filter replacements aren’t too pricey, should you need them.
Keep in mind: The price is close to $400 making this a pricey unit.
Product details: CADR: 250 | Recommended room size: 635 sq. ft. | Noise level: 23-53 db | Dimensions: 22.7 X 14.4 X 14.4 in
(Tired of cleaning the litter box? Get your cat a self-cleaning one)
Photograph courtesy Amazon
Buy it now on Amazon
Why we like it: The Winnix 5500-2 is another highly rated budget air purifier for pets by a number of well-respected media outlets and everyday people. Many like that its’ priced right at around $170, and it sucks in pet hair that tends to float around the house. As your indoor air pollution changes, the Winnix will automatically change the speed at which it filters the air. It has four-stage filtration and includes a washable fine-mesh filter, a carbon filter for smells, and a HEPA filter; plus, it is Energy Star certified.
Keep in mind: While it’s affordable, it’s not the best-looking air purifier as it only comes in black. It’s also worth noting that it has multiple filters that will need to be replaced or cleaned every six months, and that can get pricey.
Product details: CADR: 246 | Recommended room size: 360 sq ft | Noise level: 27 db (no range given) | Dimensions: 15 x 8.2 x 23.6
Photograph courtesy Chewy
Buy it now at Chewy
Why we like it: Ultra quiet, slim, and sleek for smaller spaces, the Rabbit Air Minus A2 Air Purifier is great for pet parents looking for a solid purifier with a HEPA filter. It can be mounted to the wall to get it up off the floor (unlike others on this list). It comes with six layers of filters, including one specially designed for pet dander, and offers a five-year warranty. The Rabbit Air Minus A2 also has low power settings to keep your energy use down. If you hate the way it looks, Rabbit sells images and artwork that you can add to the outside to make it look less like an air purifier.
Keep in mind: The rabbit is expensive at $600, and it has an ionization setting, which experts recommend you avoid because it creates ozone, which is a lung irritant.
Product details: CADR: 200 | Recommended room size: 815 sq ft | Noise level: 25.6 to 51.3 db | Dimensions: 7 x 21.4 x 20 inches
(The best automatic cat feeders)
Photograph courtesy Amazon
Buy it now on Amazon
Why we like it: The Levoit Core 300S Smart Air Purifier is a great option for pet parents who want to get rid of pet odors because it removes smells from the air with three different power levels. It has built-in sensors that monitor air quality and change the speed based on how polluted your indoor air is. On its highest setting, reviewers say it’s no louder than a quiet dishwasher, and you can choose the right filter for your needs (smoke, pets, or toxins). The purifier can connect to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant and comes with an app so you can see the air quality in your home. I have multiple cats and a dog, and I use this air purifier near the litter boxes to cut down on smells. It has worked like a charm for years.
Keep in mind: Some reviewers report that the interface can be wonky and hard to get used to.
Product details: CADR: 141 | Recommended room size: 219 sq ft | Noise level: 24-48 dB | Dimensions: 8.7″ x 8.7″ x 14.2″
Photograph courtesy Dyson
Buy it now at Dyson
Why we like it: Summer is upon us, and you may be considering an air purifier with a fan to keep you and your pets cool and allergy-free this summer. We like the Dyson Air Purifier Cool Gen-1 air purifier because it quickly clears smoke, dander, and dust from the air and offers great air circulation. While Dyson does not list the CADR for its air purifiers, the fan can handle spaces from 500 to 800 square feet in size. It also has an auto setting that allows the filter to change speed when it detects pollutants in the air.
Keep in mind: Dyson products are pricey, as are replacement filters. The company recommends that you replace the filter every 12 months.
Product details: CADR: Not listed | Recommended room size: 800 sq. ft. | Noise level: 64 db | Dimensions: 41.33 x 4.72 x 8.7 inches
(The best cat harnesses for nature-loving kitties)
Best whole house air purifier for pets: Coway AirMega 400
Photograph courtesy Coway
Buy it now at Coway
Why we like it: The Coway AirMega 360 is a great option for large spaces. It covers up to 3,120 square feet in 60 minutes, has a smart mode that turns on when pollutants, including smoke and dander get high, and it has a washable filter. Coway made the most popular air purifier when Northern California was on fire and the sky was orange. We also like it because it only needs a new filter every 12 months.
Keep in mind: The Coway AirMega 360 does have a high operating cost as it draws considerable power and you’ll need to clear space 360-degrees around it. It’s also app controlled, which can be less than ideal. Finally the cost is relatively high at $429.
Product details: CADR: up to 450 | Recommended room size: Up to 3,120 sq. ft. | Noise level: 22-52 db | Dimensions:14.8 x 22.8 x 14.8 in
Photograph courtesy Amazon
Buy it now on Amazon
Why we like it: Affordable, compact, and stinky-dog friendly, the Levoit Core P350 Pet Care is a great option for small spaces. It uses three-stage filtration to grab pet fur, dander, and airborne particles. It’s quiet, too, with as little as 24 db of noise. I’ve had one running in the room where we keep our cat’s litter box for more than a year, and never once has anyone commented on the cat box stinking. It is ozone-free, with a filter monitor to let you know when it is time to change the filter, and it has a pet mode so your cat doesn’t hop on it and accidentally turn it off.
Keep in mind: The cost of replacement filters is high, and depending on how much your pets shed, you may need to change them more frequently than others.
Product details: CADR: 145 | Recommended room size: 219 sq. ft. | Noise level: 24 -50 DB | Dimensions: 8.7x 8.7×14.2
(The best under-sink water filters)
Photograph courtesy Amazon
Buy it now on Amazon
Why we like it: This purifier by Roomba maker, iRobot, recycles the air twice in a 1000-square-foot room in just one hour. It uses a HEPA filter as well as a large VOC filter with a whopping 2.2-pounds of activated carbon and alumina, which helps it capture those gnarly compounds.
Keep in mind: The filters for the Aair 3-in-1 Pro only last only six months and cost $200 to replace, making them costly.
Product details: CADR: 290| Recommended room size: 2000 square feet | Noise level: 35 to 67 db | Dimensions: 23.6 x 14.5 x 15.2 inches
How we chose the best air purifiers for pets
There are tons of great air purifiers for pets on the market, and plenty of things to consider. Here’s what we looked at to determine the best air purifiers for people with pets.
- Third-party reviews: We looked at a number of well-respected outlet reviews and tests, as well as Amazon reviews, to determine the best air purifiers for people with pets.
- Filter types: Allen Rathey, the Director at the Indoor Health Council and an educator who specializes in healthy facilities, notes that the types of filters you use are really important. “HEPA filters are only as good as the amount of air passing through them,” he said. We took into consideration the types of filters that each of these use to be sure that they could handle animal and pet dander, as well as pollen and other compounds.
- Real-world experience: I own a pair of very sheddy, stinky animals and have been on a ten-year search for air purifiers that eliminate dander, smells and fur. I currently own three different models on this list, and they’re by far the best ones I’ve used.
- Product cost: There are a range of air purifiers on this list that can meet everyone’s needs.
- Filter cost: Filters can be expensive. We looked at how frequently they needed to be swapped and how much they cost for this list.
(Steam cleaners are an eco-friendly home appliance. Here are our picks)
Tips for buying air purifiers for pets
Here are a few things to consider if you are a pet owner looking to get an air purifier that will take care of dander, fur, and pet odors.
Room size
Purifiers are only as good as how much air can move through them in a given space. An undersized air purifier (too small for your space) won’t do much to control allergens and dander. An oversized one could draw too much power and cost a lot to run. It’s important to get an accurate idea of how much space you’re going to have to handle before purchasing an air purifier.
Ozone or no ozone?
As Carver notes, “ Ozone can trigger asthma symptoms. Ozone is a lung irritant and inhaling ozone can pose serious health risks, including triggering asthma symptoms. “ We do not recommend using ozone on purifiers, ever, as it can not only be bad for your health, but for your pet’s health too.
Filter type
One of the most important features to look for in a pet air purifier is the type of filter used. The term HEPA stands for HIgh-Efficiency Particulate Air, and the parameters are set by the U.S. Department of Energy for the filtration levels. The EPA certifies filters as HEPA when they can remove at least 99.97 percent of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and 0.3-micron airborne particles.
Cost of replacement filters
As we mentioned above, filter cost was one of the things we took into consideration when compiling this list. Replacement filters can be costly, and if you have a very furry four-legged friend who sheds a lot, you may need to replace the filters more frequently than the manufacturer recommends to keep dander at bay. Filter costs are recurring costs that you’ll have to tackle every six to twelve months and add to the overall cost of keeping your home pet and person-friendly.
Features
There are plenty of high-tech features that air purifiers offer–everything from app connectivity so you can control fan speeds and settings from your connected device to systems that tell you when its time to change the filter. These features can make owning and maintaining an air purifier a lot more convenient.
Frequently asked questions
Do air purifiers really work for pets?
Air purifiers can significantly reduce the overall exposure you have to pet dander and smells. But, as Carver points out, it’s important to consider a “multi-component strategy.” Carver recommends keeping your animals out of bedrooms or places where people sleep, keeping your animals off fabric furniture, and, if possible, bathing your pet once a week to cut down on dander. Keep in mind bathing can dry out pets’ skin, so be sure you’re choosing products that are suited to their needs.
Which air purifier is best for dogs?
The best air purifier for dogs is the one that best suits you and your pet’s needs and covers the appropriate amount of space.
What type of air filter is best for pets?
Pets and humans can both get allergies, and matching the size of your space to the parameters of the purifier can make a huge difference in everyone’s lives. Make sure that you’re not getting an air purifier that is too small for your space. While you can get one that covers more area than you need, it could draw more power than you want.
Do air purifiers get rid of pet odor?
According to the AAFA, air purifiers may not get rid of or reduce pet odors, as it depends on the type of filtration in the device. Air purifiers with carbon-based filters can help reduce odors.
Abigail Bassett is an award-winning freelance journalist based in Los Angeles, California. She has written for CNN, National Geographic, and Elle, among other outlets. Follow her on Instagram.
Although we are sharing our personal opinions of these experiences or products with you, National Geographic is not endorsing these experiences or products on behalf of anyone. It has not performed product safety testing on any of these products, did not manufacture them, and is not selling, or distributing them and is not making any representations about the safety or caliber of these products or experiences for individual consumers. Prices and availability are subject to change from the date of publication.
