Best Car Air Purifier
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Car Air Purifier, Ionization | |
| Size | 3 x 1.8 x 4 | |
| Filter | Ionizer | |
| Weight | 0.3 lbs | |
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|---|---|---|
| Type | Car Air Purifier, Ionization | |
| Size | 2.5 x 2.5 x 6 | |
| Filter | Ionizer | |
| Weight | 3 lbs | |
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Portable Air Purifier, Filtration | |
| Size | 9.3 x 8.8 x 4.2 | |
| Filter | Electrostatic Filter + Antimicrobial Silver Layer | |
| Weight | 0.96 lbs | |
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Portable Air Purifier, Filtration | |
| Size | 2.9 x 2.9 x 2.6 | |
| Filter | HEPA | |
| Weight | 0.35 lbs | |
Overview
In 2017, it was found that the average commuter in the US spends about 42 hours a year stuck in traffic. That’s a lot of time to be spending inside a vehicle, and it is an important figure to note because of the potential build-up of toxic air inside of it. Not many people know that cars have been dubbed as “boxes collecting toxic gases” by David King, a British scientist and adviser to the British Lung Foundation. When the car’s fans are on, it collects toxic fumes from all the other vehicles around it. With the car’s windows closed, these toxic fumes build up inside your car without you noticing.
Children, in particular, are at a risk of dangerous levels of air pollution because exposure to toxic air is far higher inside vehicles rather than outside. Since their lungs are still developing, exposure to these toxic gases makes them more prone to developing asthma and other respiratory conditions.
With people becoming more and more health conscious, car air purifiers have been rapidly gaining popularity among car owners everywhere. Car air purifiers function much like regular air purifiers but at a much lower scale. At a relatively inexpensive price, car air purifiers are able to eliminate airborne allergens, odors, prevent fatigue, and promote concentration while driving. Having a high quality car air purifier will definitely have you and your passengers breathing easy in no time.
THE BEST CAR AIR PURIFIERS
Car air purifiers differ in the way they do their job. There are two common technologies that car air purifiers utilize: filtration and ionization. A car air purifier may use one or both of these methods at the same time to cleanse the air. Expensive air purifiers tend to use more technologies and have more features than cheaper ones.
Car air purifiers with a filtration system make use of one or more filters such as a pre-filter, HEPA filter, or carbon filter. They function much like your regular home air purifier but usually aren’t as effective. Basically, they pull in air from within your car, pass it through a filter or series of filters, and release clean air back out.
One the other hand, car air ionizers impart a negative electric charge to airborne particles like pollen, germs, and various other impurities. These negative ions are then attracted to surfaces, so that they are no longer airborne. Some air ionizers include a built-in surface to collect impurities, while others rely on the particles getting stuck to surfaces where they can be wiped up or vacuumed at a later time.
Sometimes, car air purifiers use both these technologies together to increase overall efficiency. However, like home air purifiers, these car air purifiers also need to be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis to remain effective. An air purifier with poorly maintained filters will lose its efficiency regardless of how powerful it may be. To keep your car air purifier in tip-top shape, it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how often to clean or replace its filters.
When a car air purifier is properly used and taken care of, it will greatly benefit you and everyone else in your car. Now, let’s review the best car air purifiers you can purchase today.
The NOVAPure 2.0 is a small, lightweight ionizer perfect for removing common allergens and odors from your car. It works quickly to remove airborne pollutants using its 5.6 million negative ions per cm3, making it a good choice for both small and large vehicles.
Pros
- Useful charging feature
- Small, lightweight
- Good for removing odors
- Good for both small and large vehicles
- Affordable
Cons
- Produces small amounts of ozone and ozone smell
- Makes an intermittent hissing sound
- Short warranty
Features
- Plug & play
- 2 Rapid Charging USB ports
- Ambient Blue Light
- Releases 5.6 million negative ions per cm3
- 1-year Warranty
The NOVAPure 2.0 is relatively new to the car air purifier market but is already popular among people looking for the perfect car air purifier. For less than $25, you’re getting a high quality car ionizer capable of releasing 5.6 million negative ions per cm3. That’s a very impressive negative ion concentration for such a small device!
A majority of its users have raved about the odor-removing power of the Nova 2.0. The negative ions it produces is able to remove even the most stubborn odors such as tobacco smoke, food odors, and pet odors. It is also capable of combating volatile organic compounds such as benzene and formaldehyde. Aside from removing odors, you can also count on the Nova 2.0 to create a more sanitary environment by removing allergens, mold, bacteria, and viruses.
One of the best things about the Nova 2.0 is that it has 2 rapid-charging USB ports, which is a very useful feature for anyone on-the-go. It also has an ambient blue light that users find very calming. However, as with most ionizers, the Nova 2.0 releases a small amount of ozone and ozone odor, which may be undesirable for certain people. It also makes an intermittent hissing sound which some people might find distracting, especially on the road. In addition, the Nova 2.0 also has a very short 1-year warranty.
Nevertheless, the cleaning power of the Nova 2.0 far outweighs the few drawbacks that it has. For such an affordable price, you get compact ionizer that’s easy to use, conveniently has 2 USB charging ports, and a high negative ion concentration that’s sure to leave your car cleaner than ever!
The Tdbest Car Ionizer produces a whopping 8 million negative ions per cm3 to completely neutralize dust, smoke, pollen, and other positively charged particles to purify the air. It quietly eliminates bacteria and viruses, and creates a healthier breathing environment for you and your passengers.
Pros
- Fits in cup holder
- Good for larger vehicles
- Good for removing odors
- Affordable
- Quiet
Cons
- Produces small amounts of ozone and ozone smell
- Slightly heavy
- Warranty not disclosed
Features
- 1 USB charging port
- On/Off Button
- Ambient Blue Light
- 8 million negative ions per cm3
The Tdbest Car Ionizer is another car air purifier that releases negative ions to purify the air in your car. It produces a very high concentration of negative ions — up to 8 million per cm3 — making it suitable for use even in larger vehicles such as RVs, SUVs, and vans.
It fits perfectly in a standard cup holder so you don’t have to worry about where you’ll put it. It’s slightly heavy though, weighing in at 3 pounds, but this shouldn’t be too much of a problem if you’re just going to keep it in your cup holder. Like the Nova 2.0, the Tdbest Car Ionizer is great for removing odors that are commonly found in your car like tobacco smoke, pet odors, and food odors. You can also count on it to effectively remove pollen, dander, bacteria, and viruses so that you no longer have to worry about them!
However, the Tdbest Car Ionizer also produces a small amount of ozone and a distinguishable ozone smell. But, like the Nova 2.0, the ozone emissions are within limits set by the government. Another downside to the Tdbest Car Ionizer is the lack of a disclosed warranty period for it, which might give some people doubts about purchasing it.
Overall, if you’re looking for an ionizer to purify the air in a larger vehicle, you can definitely give the Tdbest Car Ionizer a shot. Although, not as affordable as the Nova 2.0, you can still get a high quality car ionizer, conveniently designed to fit in your cup holder, and with the power of up to 8 million negative ions released for less than $40 apiece!
The Wynd Plus uses a medical-grade electrostatic filter with an antimicrobial silver layer to remove dust, smoke, mold, pollen, dander, smog, and bacteria. This lightweight air purifier comes with a detachable air quality tracker and a stand for maximum versatility.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Fits in cup holder
- Attractive design
- High airflow rate
- Good for larger vehicles
- Good for particulate removal
- Quiet
Cons
- Expensive (upfront)
- Not good for gases and odors
- Short warranty
Features
- Air Quality Tracker
- Filter Replacement Notification
- Wynd App
- Battery-operated
- Stand
- 1-year Warranty
The Wynd Plus is a popular air purifier designed to be light enough and small enough to bring anywhere. It is the most funded air purifier on Kickstarter when it came out in 2016 and with good reason!
The Wynd Plus makes use of a single electrostatic filter impregnated with antimicrobial silver. Its filter works to remove a wide array of airborne particles such as pollen, pet dander, bacteria, mold, smog, and other air pollutants. Thanks to its antimicrobial silver layer, it is able to eliminate mold, bacteria, and viruses easily! However, the Wynd Plus mainly focuses on particulate filtration and is therefore unable to remove gases and odors.
It also has a relatively strong suction power and an impressive airflow rate that is able to release more than 9 liters of clean air per second. For such a small device, it can clean the air in large cars or small rooms up to 100 sq. ft. in size. In addition, its sleek design allows it to fit perfectly in a standard cup holder. However, Wynd gives you the choice of using its stand in case you want to place on a table, shelf, or counter.
The Wynd Plus comes with a detachable air quality tracker as well, which alerts you when the air quality worsens. With the help of the Wynd app, you can determine when the filter needs to be replaced, so that there’s no guesswork involved when it comes to maintenance. Its battery is rechargeable and can last between 6-8 hours on a full charge.
Unfortunately, the Wynd Plus is only backed by a 1-year warranty and does not come cheap. Retailing at almost $200, it is definitely a high-end portable air purifier. However, considering how smart, portable, and powerful it is, you can be sure it’s worth every penny!
FitAir makes use of a medical-grade HEPA filter to remove up to 97.8% of airborne pollutants such as pollen, odors, mold, bacteria, and viruses. It’s small and compact so that it’s easy to position in your car. It also comes with optional armband so that you can wear it wherever you go.
Pros
- Versatile design
- Very lightweight
- High airflow rate
- Good for both particle filtration and odor filtration
- Good for large vehicles
Cons
- Loud
- Slightly expensive
- Short filter life
Features
- 3 Fan Speeds
- Filter Replacement Notification
- FitAir App
- Optional armband
- 1-year Warranty
Another strong contender is the FitAir. It comes equipped with a medical-grade HEPA filter capable of removing a wide array of pollutants such as pollen, dust mites, mold, odors, bacteria, and viruses. It is small and light enough to be worn on your arm with its optional armband add-on so that you can take it anywhere.
This mid-priced air purifier has 3 fan speeds to choose from, with an impressive airflow rate of 10-20 liters of air released per minute. Although not as impressive as the Wynd Plus, it’s still able to clean the air of spaces of up to 25 sq. feet. The FitAir app allows you to connect to your portable air purifier remotely and gives you important information such as air quality, filter life calculations, and battery life.
At half the price of the Wynd Plus, you get the same features and portability with the FitAir Portable AP. However, the main downside to the FitAir Portable AP is that its filters need to be replaced as often as once a month depending on the car air quality. This can add up to quite a hefty sum over time. In addition, the FitAir Portable AP is reportedly quite loud despite its size which might me distracting for drivers.
Overall, the mid-priced FitAir Portable AP is a very attractive alternative to the higher priced Wynd Plus. Although not as powerful, it has the same desirable features and versatile design. It’s able to take care of common car air pollutants for a more affordable price and is great for any family that’s always on the go!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Car air purifiers are always a good idea especially if you’re looking to get more protection from air pollutants even when you’re on the go. Regardless of the type of cleaning technology it uses, you can be sure that an air purifier for your car will be able to remove airborne pollutants to help you and your passengers breath better.
For those on a tight budget but are looking for more coverage for their vehicles, the Tdbest Car Ionizer is your best bet. At less than $40, you get a high negative ion concentration which will take care of a majority of air pollutants in a larger space. Just pop it in your cup holder and watch it do its thing!
If you don’t mind paying more for a more feature-packed air purifier, then the Wynd Plus is the air purifier for you. It combines its sleek design with a powerful filtration system capable of removing all types of airborne particles. Keep in mind though that if you’re looking to target odors, the Wynd Plus is probably not a good choice.
Instead, you can opt for the FitAir Portable AP which is capable of removing both airborne particles and odors using its medical-grade HEPA filter. It has pretty much the same features as the Wynd Plus for half the price! In addition, its versatile design allows you to use it in different ways and surfaces and is not limited to car use only.
However in general, the Nova 2.0 Ionic Car Air Purifier takes the cake. Priced at less than $25, you get a high negative ion concentration capable of cleaning large vehicles effectively. It’s incredibly easy to use, too: just plug it in and it will run by itself with no maintenance needed! In addition, it has 2 USB charging ports which are super convenient. This is perfect for those who don’t need any apps or special features and are just simply looking for cleaner air in their car.
