Best Air Purifiers for Pet Hair and Dander

What separates the best air purifier for pets on this page?

All four are HEPA machines built to pull pet dander out of a room, but they split on room size, noise and running cost. The Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty scores 8.6 at $229.99, rated for 361 sq ft with CADR 246. It cleared our room to 90% in 14 minutes on high, idles the fan in auto mode when the air is clean, and filters run about $45 a year at 25 W on medium. No app, and high hits 54 dB.

The Levoit Core 600S scores 8.4 at $299.99 and is the big-room pick: 635 sq ft rated, CADR 410, and the fastest clearance we timed at 9 minutes to 90%. It adds app scheduling and an air-quality graph, but high is 58 dB and filters cost $55 every 6–8 months.

The Winix 5500-2 scores 8.3 at $249.99, covers 360 sq ft and cleared to 90% in 15 minutes. Its granular carbon filter removed cooking smell where thin filters did not, and it is regularly on sale well below $200. Turn the PlasmaWave ioniser off, and note it is louder on low than the Coway.

The Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max scores 7.9 at $349.99, covers 635 sq ft and cleared our room in 11 minutes on high at only 50 dB, with 23 dB on low. Filters are $80 every 6–9 months, and there is little carbon, so it is not the one for smoke or smells.

What should you check before buying a pet air purifier?

Match rated coverage to the room the pet actually lives in, then weigh the scoring criteria: particle removal 35, noise 15, energy and filter cost 20, features 10, value 20.

• Noise: 54 dB on the Coway's high setting, 58 dB on the Levoit, 50 dB on the Blueair, 23 dB on the Blueair's low.
• Filter cost: about $45 a year for the Coway, $55 every 6–8 months for the Levoit, $80 every 6–9 months for the Blueair.
• Smells: the Winix's granular carbon is the one that handled cooking smell in our test.
• Controls: only the Levoit has an app; the Coway has none.

Which one for whom?

For a bedroom or living room where the pet sleeps, the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty fits: quiet on low, cheap filters, auto mode. For an open-plan space, the Levoit Core 600S is rated for it and clears fastest. If cooking and pet odour share the room, the Winix 5500-2's washable carbon filter is the reason to pick it. If you want the quietest high setting for its airflow and a fabric pre-filter, the Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max is the one, as long as the $80 filters fit your budget.

For most pet owners the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty is the pick: quiet on low, about $45 a year in filters and an auto mode that idles when the air is clean. Choose the Levoit Core 600S for an open-plan room, the Winix 5500-2 if cooking smells share the space, and the Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max if you want the quietest high setting for its airflow.