Here are the best air purifiers for smoke particles and their odor: the ideal solution for improved indoor air and healthier living.
All forms of smoke, including secondhand and thirdhand smoke, are harmful to health and can shorten the lifespan. Therefore, they should be gotten rid of at all costs. Contrary to popular belief, cigar, cigarette smoke, or even wildfire smoke can be eradicated from the air through an air purifier.
Only that not all air purifiers are made for smoke removal. Those made for this purpose are not ordinary air purifiers with filters, but True HEPA filters with activated carbon filters. And they must also have a high CADR (clean air delivery rate) rating.
A Quick Overview of the Best Air Purifiers for Smoke
Photo by Nubelson Fernandes on Unsplash
The best air purifiers that can effectively remove smoke are listed below. These air purifiers for smoke were considered the best based on their rating, effectiveness, and quality.
Editor’s Choice: Air purifier for 2000 square feet
Choosing the best air purifier to help eliminate smoke particles and odor can be challenging. However, we’ve researched to make it easier for you to choose.
| Coway AP-1512 HH Mighty | HisoAir 1968 |
|
|
Best HEPA Air Purifier for Smoke
The table below details the best HEPA air purifiers for smoke. These purifiers are not only effective for smoke, but they are also easy to operate and control.
| Medify Air MA-40-W | HisoAir 1601 |
|
|
Best Affordable Air Purifier for Smoke
The air purifiers in the table below are preferred for their affordability. Though affordable, they do not underperform compared to similar but more expensive models.
| Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier | HisoAir 1000 |
|
|
Quietest Air Purifier for Smoke
If you particularly need an air purifier that creates no distraction while you work or sleep, these two air purifiers below are highly recommended.
| Blueair Blue Pure 411 Air Purifier | HisoAir 138 |
|
|
Top-Rated Air Purifier for Smoke
Dealing with smoke odor is challenging, and selecting the best air purifier against smoke is equally challenging. The table below is helpful if you are looking for the top-rated air purifier for smoke.
| Hathaspace Smart True HEPA Air Purifier | HisoAir 1968 |
|
|
Which Is Better for Smoke: Air Purifiers Vs. Dehumidifier Vs. Air Ionizer
Image: Pinterest
Air purifiers, air humidifiers, and air ionizers all play distinct roles in providing improved air and are used for different purposes. While air purifiers rid the air of pollutants, dehumidifier introduces moisture into the air, and air ionizer ionizes the particles, not eliminating them. The unique functions of these three are discussed extensively below.
Air Purifiers
An air purifier helps filter out fine particles of smoke, irritants, and other pollutants, including smoke odors. But unlike a dehumidifier, it does not add moisture to the air. Air purifiers prevent particles from circulating by trapping them through their filter.
Dehumidifier
Air humidifiers do not clean the air like air purifiers, but they moisturize the atmosphere against the effects of heating and artificial air in the home. Ultrasonic humidifiers, however, easily introduce mineral particles into the air, which affect lung tissues.
Ionizers
Ionizers clean air pollutants though in a different way. It traps particles by making them heavy, causing them to fall to the ground; this means they can easily return to the atmosphere as pollutants. But ionizers produce ozone which is also considered an irritant.
Air purifiers are the most suitable and effective for cleaning air particles, odors, pollutants, and irritants. They should be used when eliminating smoke and odor but must also contain a prefilter and a true HEPA filter for effective cleaning.
Why Do You Need an Air Purifier for Smoke?
Image: Amazon.com
Smoking is hazardous, including indirect smoking, such as secondhand and thirdhand smoking, and can lead to serious health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), secondhand smoking has over 7,000 toxins and can affect the blood vessels within a few seconds. Regular exposure can lead to adverse health problems. Therefore, you should protect yourself and your loved ones from such risks by using an air purifier.
Below are the following reasons why you need an air purifier for smoke.
To prevent cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
Smoking affects both direct and indirect smokers and increases their risk of developing heart disease by 25–30% and stroke by 20−30%. Air purifiers are highly recommended to keep the air void of smoke and its effects.
To eliminate smoke odors.
Smoke particles can be eliminated, leaving the odor behind. But the odor is irritating, and the effect is dangerous. The presence of smoke odor allows you to breathe in numerous chemicals and increase your chances of developing diseases like cancer, pneumonia, and triggering asthmatic conditions.
To prevent smoke from seeping into your pet’s fur.
Smoke does not just affect humans; it affects animals too, including your pets, especially cats. Smoke contains numerous toxins that could build up on your pet’s coat and lead to cancer. This is why you must get rid of it as much as possible.
To prevent numerous health risks associated with smoke.
Apart from CVDs, various health risks are associated with living with smoke. These risks include coughing, bad breath, shortness of breath, fatigue, reduced sense of smell and taste, cancer, fertility problem, respiratory problems, lower life expectancy, etc.
Spaces That Need Air Purifiers for Smoke
Air purifiers can help deal with different types of smoke, including cigarette and cigar smoke, vaping smoke, kitchen smoke, wildfire, or volcano smoke. And smoke can occur in almost every space as long as there is a smoke trigger. Such spaces include:
Homes
Smoke can occur in the living room, bedroom, kitchen, or even on the balcony. And the causes of this smoke include wood (i.e., wood-burning or fireplace), candle, and incense. Wood burning releases pollutants into the air and can be inhaled; it should therefore be avoided, especially for expectant mothers and children. Candle and incense could lead to lung irritation and can trigger allergies.
Hospitals
Smoking is the primary cause of smoke in the hospital, done majorly by patients who smoke. It could also be from combustible medical and surgical equipment, gas cylinders and oxygen canisters, hospital kitchens, overused or faulty sockets, and cables.
Therefore, the facilities should be well-equipped with fire safety equipment. It should also be equipped with medical-grade air purifiers, like HisoAir air purifiers, knowing that patients visit the hospital to be healed, not to become victims of health hazards.
Offices
The type of smoke that occurs here is from cigarettes or wildfire. These smokes pollute indoor air and can lead to health problems on continuous exposure. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms that smoking, as a result of its adverse effects on workers’ health, increases operational costs and decreases production costs.
When the workplace is smoke-free, it creates a safe and conducive working environment, improves workers’ health, and increases their productivity. However, smoking may not be wholly prevented in cases of wildfire. Due to this, air purifiers are must-have equipment in offices, and having them indicates how much an organization cares about its workers.
Other spaces
Other spaces that need air purifiers are commercial spaces like schools, hotels, restaurants, cinemas, etc. Air purifiers should be made available in public places since many people gather in these places, including those with existing health issues.
Since smoke is prone to occur in spaces like these, air purifiers for smoke are highly recommended. The air purifiers should contain a True HEPA filter, prefilter, and an activated carbon filter. This ensures that it can trap the smoke particles and odor and release only purified air.
What Is a Good Air Purifier for Smoke?
Image: John Lewis
An air purifier is not an all-size-fit equipment. For it to be effective, it must fulfill the requirements for the space where it is to be used, or it will underperform or not even perform at all.
We found this video that listed some specifications that make an air purifier fit for your space.
Filter types
The type of filter to be used will be determined by the kind and size of the particles you want to eliminate.
- HEPA filter. HEPA means High Efficiency Particulate Air. This filter is effective against particulate matter such as mold, pollen, or dust, and it filters 99.97% of particles up to 0.3 microns in diameter. There is also a True HEPA filter, which filters smoke.
- Pre-filter. Prefilters help capture and trap large particles and molecules in the air, leaving the smaller airborne particles trapped by other filters. It also prevents the other filters from being clogged.
- Carbon filter. In the filtration process, the carbon filter directly absorbs contaminants from the air, including smoke, odors, and gasses. It is specially designed to clean the air of odors; HEPA filters cannot do this.
- Ionizers. Ionizers can only be used together with other types of filters. They electrically charge the molecules in the air to form ions and join them to the electrode. The molecules are ionized, but this does not automatically eliminate them from the air.
Size and capacity
The bigger the room size, the larger the air purifier needed. Air purifiers are made for specific room sizes, measured in sq. ft. This can be calculated by multiplying the length by the width.
Coverage areas
The coverage area determines the air purifier’s CADR to choose. The bigger the coverage area, the higher the CADR.
Noise level
An air purifier should produce very minimal noise. Noise levels could be as high as 60 decibels (dB) for large purifiers and as low as 20 decibels (dB) for smaller purifiers.
Warranty
This is an essential factor as well when choosing an air purifier. It is vital to know the manufacturers’ terms regarding the condition of their products and in case of damages.
What Type of Air Purifier Is Best for Smoke?
Smoke particles and their odor are different from other air pollutants. So, they require much attention when selecting which air purifier to use. The best type of air purifier for smoke should allow for smooth 360° air circulation and produce a low noise level compared to other air purifiers.
It must also fit perfectly into the space where it would be used, meaning that the room’s capacity must be equivalent to the CADR rating of the purifier. The layer filtration system must include an antibacterial filter in addition to a prefilter, a True HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. It should be easy to operate and control.
How to Set Up and Use Air Purifiers for Smoke
Getting the right air purifier is not enough for an air purifier to perform at its best. It is equally important to know how to set it up so you will not end up using a sealed air purifier for months. So, you need to know how to set it up, operate and maintain it rightly.
Below is a step-by-step process for setting up and using air purifiers for smoke.
- Remove the filter wrapper. Air purifiers are mostly sealed with plastic wrappers, but most users do not know this. When you purchase an air purifier, open it up to confirm if it is wrapped. If it is, unwrap it before use.
- Do not place it in a tight environment. Wherever you put your air purifier, let there be space between the purifier and the wall or the next item with a minimum of 18 inches. It needs to be surrounded by enough air to perform optimally.
- A single air purifier is enough for a room. An air purifier, as long as the CADR covers the room area, is enough to clean the air in the space. However, it should be oversized rather than undersized to eliminate all particles and odor.
- Run your air purifier continuously. For this purpose, you can put it at the lowest noise level so it does not interrupt sleep at night. Continuous use will prevent the build-up of particles, allowing air purifiers to work effectively.
- Keep doors and windows closed. When using an air purifier, doors and windows should be closed. Allowing openings for an extended period can let in more unfiltered air than designed for the purifier and interrupt the purification.
- Check and clean the prefilter monthly. To prevent the prefilter from being clogged, clean the prefilter once a month. This involves vacuuming, rinsing, and other forms of cleaning that rids the air purifier of particles.
- Replace filter annually. Filters are not just to be cleaned but also to be replaced. Generally, it should be replaced once every twelve months. But follow the manufacturer’s instructions if stated otherwise.
Which Company Has Best Air Purifier for Smoke (Full Comparison Guide About Best Air Purifier for Smoke Brands in 2022)
With the numerous air purifiers available in the market today, selecting the one that is best for you can be overwhelming. Therefore, the best air purifiers for eliminating smoke and its odor have been carefully curated below. Check the table below to have a quick look.
| Area Type | Air Purifier | CADR |
| Home |
|
|
| School |
|
|
| Office |
|
|
| Commercial spaces |
|
|
| Other spaces |
|
|
Image Source: hisoair.com
HisoAir 1968 is an innovative and medical-grade air purifier that can eliminate pollutants, including smoke particles and their odor, at a PM2.5 rate. It can also remove airborne viruses and bacteria up to 99.9%. In addition, it uses a multiple-layer filtration system, including the prefilter, H13/14 medical-grade True HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter that removes odor and particles down to 0.1um.
This model is perfect for large spaces with a coverage area of 170m2-180m2 and lightweight at 24.2kgs compared to similar models. Having a CADR of 1500m3/h (889 cfm), it is perfect for large and commercial spaces. It also operates at an exceptionally low noise level of 38-66dB. Despite work capacity, the energy consumption rate is 135W and fairly lightweight.
Other outstanding features include 270-280nm UVC Light for effectively eliminating particles and their odor, multiple sensors, anion, and photocatalyst. It is also preferred for its unique air duct design, which allows for 360° air circulation.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
-
Medify Air MA-40-W Air Purifier
Image Source: medifyair.com
Medify Air MA-40-W air purifier has a 3-layer filtration system for large spaces. Its prefilter helps to trap larger particles, the True HEPA filter cleans smoke particles, while the activated carbon filter eliminates odors. It can cover an area of 420-1600 sq. ft and can clean the air every 15 minutes.
The operating speed allows for a noise level between 46-66dB, making it suitable for the bedroom and living room. The certifications include CARB, Energy Star, and ETL. Other features are a tempered glass touch screen, child lock, and automatic night mode. However, the downside is it’s quite expensive to purchase.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
-
Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier
Image Source: levoit.com
Levoit Core300 True HEPA Air Purifier features a 3-stage filter that includes a prefilter, a true HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter that traps molecules down to 0.3 microns. It allows quick air circulation and can cover an area of 219 sq. ft. It is lightweight at 7.5 pounds, making it movable, and makes less noise, performing at its best in smaller spaces. However, the unit is not equipped to effectively rid the air of smoke particles, gases, and odor.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
-
Blueair Blue Pure 411 Air Purifier
Image Source: blueair.com
Using a HEPA Silent filtration system, Blueair air purifier operates at 17dB – 46dB. It uses minimal energy to clean particles down to 0.3um and eliminates odor with the activated carbon filter. It is also known for its portability, weighing 7.98 pounds. This, however, does not reduce the work quality in any way. It has a coverage area of 185 sq. ft. and cleans up to 5 times in an hour. Its portability does not allow it to be used in large spaces, and the air quality is poor when used.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
-
Hathaspace Smart True HEPA Air Purifier
Image Source: amazon.com
Hathaspace Smart True HEPA Air Purifier stands out with its 5-stages purification model. They include a washable prefilter, polypropylene prefilter, H13 medical-grade HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, and a cold catalyst filter that cleans particulate matter, including smoke, down to 0.1um. It covers an area as large as 1500 sq. ft and purifies once every hour.
This air purifier also has an air quality sensor and a sleek touch panel that allows auto mode or quiet sleep mode and an operating speed of choice. Some reviews revealed shortages in replacement filters and the inability to eliminate cigar smoke effectively.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Our Verdict in Picking the Best Air Purifier for Smoke
For an air purifier to be considered the best for smoke removal, it has to meet some standards, including certifications. It also has to be fit for use in terms of its CADR, size, and capacity and should be able to trap particles down to 0.3 um or even 0.1 um. Having other features is an advantage too, including a humidifier, lesser weight, and producing minimal or no noise.
With HisoAir fulfilling all these requirements, it is the best and highly recommended for use. See why we recommended HisoAir.
- It is a medical-grade air purifier.
- It has a large CADR and works perfectly for large spaces.
- It is quieter by 5-10dB compared to competitors’ products.
- Despite the value, it comes with a fair price and is affordable.
- It can trap the smoke’s tiniest particles at 0.1um, leaving your room healthy.
Self-Care Tips for Smoke
In addition to air purifiers, here are a few tips to prevent exposure to smoke:
- Wear a respirator unless you have a heart or lung disease. Note that it is not meant for children.
- Avoid smoking indoors and smoking triggers.
- Keep a smoke-free room and set up an air purifier.
- Pay attention to your health.
- Ensure your filter is clean.
- Ventilate your room with natural air, especially when your air purifier is not used.
- Grow indoor plants. They are natural air filters.
Takeaway
There are simple and easy ways to get rid of smoke and odor; however, to have a long-lasting healthy room, you can rely on HisoAir products. Our air purifiers for smoke would do the job perfectly. Air purifiers specially made for smoke removal are the only trusted products to keep your room void of smoke and its odor.
Contact HisoAir if you need help selecting the best air purifier for your intended use.
You can find useful information in other related articles such as:
