If you’re searching around for the best air purifiers on the market, but don’t want to break the bank, keep on reading!
In this proHVACinfo guide, you’ll learn:
- “What are air purifiers under $200? (what’s different about them?)
- “What are the different types of air filters under $200?” (can you get good value at this price point?)
- “How do air purifiers under $200 work?”
- “What do you look for in the best air filters under $200? (don’t compromise on these features!)
And much more!
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
January 2, 2022
Bissell MYair 2 Pack
Check on AmazonThe sub-$200 category of air purifiers is one of the most hotly contested, and after much deliberation, we decided to call the Bissell MYair 2 pack the best air purifier under $200.--break--Why?--break--Bissell have made a compact, good looking air purifier that effectively captures dust, pollen, pet dander and other airborne contaminants, and also does a good job with neutralizing odors thanks to its activated charcoal filter.--break--What’s more, for under $200, you actually get two of them!--break--Because it’s from a household name brand, it’s easy to come by replacement filters, and you’ve also got the peace of mind that comes with knowing that serious research and development has been put into the design, and that it has undergone a proper testing procedure.
Short on time? Below is a roundup of the top air purifiers under $200. Keep scrolling to learn more!
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick | Our Top Pick | Bissell MYair 2 Pack
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| View on Amazon |
High End Pick  | High End Pick | Coway AP-1512HH
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| View on Amazon |
Best Budget Pick  | Best Budget Pick | Toshiba Smart WiFi Air Purifier
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| View on Amazon |
 | TaoTronics HEPA Air Purifier
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Pure Enrichment PureZone Air Purifier
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| View on Amazon |
What's in This Guide?
What Are Air Purifiers Under $200?
An air purifier is a device that has been made to clean, or even sanitize the air that passes through, or surrounds, it.
They use a variety of technologies such as filtration, ionization, ozone, and thermodynamic sterilization amongst others.
They provide relief from symptoms caused by pollutants and allergens, and can reduce and remove odors caused by VOCs, mold, and other airborne pollutants.
The good news is, at this price point, you can still get all of the important features of higher end air purifiers.
While your purifier might not always have all the bells and whistles (like smart phone integration or massive area coverage), you’ll find solid options that have what’s important, like a True HEPA filter (if you’re concerned about allergens), or a solid activated carbon filter (if it’s odors you’re targeting).
What Are The Different Types Air Purifiers Under $200?
With a budget of $200, there are a wide variety of air purifier types available, including:
HEPA Filtration
HEPA, or High Efficiency Particulate Air, filtration uses a very fine mesh that captures small and large contaminants and pollutants as they pass through.
The media is actually so fine, that even some viral and bacterial particles are captured by it.
Pro Tip! “HEPA-like” is not the same as “True HEPA”! Don’t be confused by this marketing distinction.
In order to be sure you’re getting best-in-class filtration, only get an air purifier with “True HEPA” filtration!
If filtration is a top concern for you, check out our guide on the Best Medical Grade Air Purifiers!
Activated Charcoal Filtration
Activated charcoal, sometimes called activated carbon, is a natural filtration material that is highly regarded for its odor neutralizing and gas absorbing properties.
Ionizing Purifiers
Rather than forcing air through filtration media with a fan, ionizing air purifiers release vast streams of negatively charged ions into the surrounding air.
These ions float around until they come into contact with contaminants or other airborne particles, at which point they bind to the pollutant, causing it to drop down to a surface, thus removing it from the atmosphere.
Surfaces will still need to be cleaned, but you won’t have to worry about breathing in harmful particles.
Electrostatic Precipitators
Electrostatic precipitators work in a similar fashion to ionizing air purifiers, in that they charge the air, and particles within it, that passes through them with high voltage electrodes.
These charged particles now pass by the oppositely charged collection plates. Because of the opposite charge, the particles have a strong attraction to the plates, and will stick to them, leaving only clean air to pass to the other side.
UV Lights
Many air purifiers are equipped with a germicidal UV light.
Bear in mind, that in order to kill pathogens on its own, it must be a UV-C light. As air passes through this light, germs, viral particles, and mold and fungal are killed before the air is recirculated.
See our comprehensive guide on UV light here!
How do Air Purifiers Under $200 Work?
Air purifiers take a sanitizing technology, be it HEPA or charcoal filtration, or one of the more high-tech ionizing or ozone methods, and either capture particles and pollutants, removing them from the atmosphere, or, destroy them altogether.
The net result is that you will be breathing cleaner air almost instantly, which can bring relief from allergy symptoms, provide better quality sleep, and improve the safety of the air you breathe.
Shopping around for lower price points? Check out our guide of Best Air Purifiers Under $100!
What Do You Look For In The Best Air Purifiers Under $200?
In order to get the very best air purifier for your needs, and still come in under a budget of $200, these are the things you should be looking for:
High Particle Removal Percentage
Especially if dust, dander, or other similar contaminants are you concern, try and find the air purifier with the highest rate of removal of particles under 0.3 microns.
Of course, no airborne pollutants are safe to breathe, but those ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 microns are amongst the most dangerous.
Look for a purifier rated for removing 99% or more of these particles.
Construction Quality
Your air purifier is performing one of the most important tasks of any appliance in your home.
Make sure you purchase one that is sturdy enough to see you through years of service.
This is especially important with compact and portable units that are likely to be picked up and handled more frequently.
Ongoing Maintenance
The operation and ongoing maintenance of your air purifier should be as simple as possible.
Replacement filters should be easy to install, and they should be easy to find online, or in stores.
Devices using obscure parts and components should be avoided. Also, research the cost of your replacement filters before committing to purchase – purifiers that have proprietary filters tend to require using OEM replacements, which as an ongoing cost can be very expensive.
Our Reviews Of The Best Air Purifiers Under $200
Bissell MYair 2 Pack (Our Top Pick)
Check on Amazon
This is a solid product from Bissell, with the added bonus of a second unit included in the box.--break--It take advantage of both physical mesh filtration media and activated charcoal to both reduce pollutants and odors simultaneously.--break--The convenient display provides control over the device, and also provides information about filter life.--break--Replacing filters is an easy task, and operation is child’s play.--break--The compact size makes them ideal for nightstands, kitchen counters, or anywhere else that space might be limited.
Pros
- All in one filter media--break--Easy setup and operation
Cons
- Sleep mode only reduces light, not fan noise--break--No real time air quality indicator
Coway AP-1512HH (High End Pick)
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Our top choice for high-end air purifiers under $200 is this Mighty Purifier from Coway.--break--We loved the cool iPod-like design, and slimline footprint.--break--It uses HEPA and activated charcoal filtration technologies, and also boasts a specific deodorizing filter.--break--This model has 4 fan speeds, and also benefits from a timer function, allowing you to set it to run for 1, 4, or 8 hours before it will automatically shut itself off.--break--In addition to the filtration media, this unit also has a built in ionizer.
Pros
- Intuitive air quality indicator--break--Simple air flow control
Cons
- Comparatively loud--break--Some users reported interference with other devices
Toshiba Smart WiFi Air Purifier (Best Budget Pick)
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Toshiba are another huge household name brand, and they’ve created a wonderful air purifier coming in well below the $200 budget.--break--What we loved most about this model was the Amazon Alexa compatibility.--break--This gives you complete voice activated control over the purifier, so you can just yell over from anywhere in the room if you want to turn it on or off.--break--If you don’t have an Amazon Echo device, you can order one bundled in with the purifier for just a few dollars more.--break--As for air purifying power, this unit has a 3 in 1 pre filter, HEPA filter and activated charcoal filter for removing particles from the air, and also boasts a germ killing UV light to take care of health hazards like staph, rhinovirus, and even influenza.
Pros
- Quiet operation--break--Filter change alert
Cons
- Filters are not cheap--break--Small cleaning footprint
TaoTronics HEPA Air Purifier
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This TaoTronics HEPA air purifier boasts an impressive 3 stage filter (pre filter, HEP filter, and activated charcoal filter).--break--This gets you true HEPA filtration performance of 99.97% removal of particles smaller than 0.3 microns, and thanks to the carbon media, it tackles odors and bad smells well, too.--break--The fan operates quietly; it’s well built, and it’s available in either black or white.
Pros
- Easily transportable--break--Great customer service--break--Super quiet
Cons
- Light can seem very bright in dark conditions--break--Controls are a little too sensitive
Pure Enrichment PureZone Air Purifier
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Another great value choice is the PureZone from Pure Enrichment.--break--It features a simple exterior design, and a purifying setup that simply works.--break--Its cleaning power comes from its 3 stage filtration, which includes a pre filter, a true HEPA filter, and an activated charcoal filter for capturing odors and VOCs.--break--As well as the physical filtration media, this purifier is also equipped with UV-C light.--break--UV-C is a known germ killer, which makes it an ideal choice for the health conscious.--break--Overall, this purifier is nice and compact, and as an added bonus, it’s pretty energy efficient too, thanks to the 3 variable fan speed settings.
Pros
- Easy operation--break--Excellent for allergy sufferers
Cons
- Noisy at high fan speed setting--break--Fairly heavy for a small unit
Final Thoughts On The Best Air Purifiers Under $200
While any air purifier is technically better than no air purifier, we hope that you’ll agree that by investing in one of these devices we’ve discussed in this proHVACinfo guide, you’re also investing in your health, which is of course priceless. By keeping your home’s air clean, you’ll encounter fewer illnesses, allergies, and you’ll likely need to do less cleaning!
While an air purifier isn’t a catch all, they do provide an extra line of defense against the spread of respiratory diseases, especially those fitted with germicidal UV lights, and HEPA filters.
With just $200 or less, you’ll be able to get a good, reliable air purifier that will almost immediately start making a difference in your life.
