# Do air purifiers really work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-air-purifiers-really-work/143331>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 17, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-air-purifiers-really-work/143331 "2002-12-17T14:25:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dilbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58f4c7/32.png) [@Dilbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilbert)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-air-purifiers-really-work/143331/1 "2002-12-17T14:25:02Z")

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Specifically, I am asking about such air purifiers such as [the iconic breeze](http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/productview.jhtml?pid=37143300). However, I wanted to get something that would help the air quality of my son’s room and possibly something for our living room, since he has bad allergies. I don’t know which ones work the best or work at all. I’m fairly skeptical of most of them, but I don’t know. Any studies of this sort of thing are appreciated.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-air-purifiers-really-work/143331/2 "2002-12-17T14:30:58Z")

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_Consumer Reports_ reviewed portable room air cleaners in their February 2002 issue. The _Sharper Image SI637 Ionic Breeze Quadra Silent Air Purifier_ came in dead last. Top rated models were _Friedrich C-90A_, _Whirlpool AP45030H0/Kenmore 83355_, and _Bionaire BAP-1300/Holmes HAP675RC_. The highest-rated model scored only into the Very Good range (below excellent).

Check your local public library for the complete review and ratings.

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-air-purifiers-really-work/143331/3 "2002-12-17T14:59:00Z")

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I have the Ionic Breeze (at $350 :eek: ) and I’m not sure if I can really notice a difference under typical circumstances. But it clearly does work. When I pull out the element to clean it, it’s usually coated with a thick layer of gunk and the back of the unit is covered with a thik layer of cat hair.

Anecdote: A few days ago I had a kitchen full of thick smoke from burning something on the stove. I couldn’t open the windows (because it was 20\_º outside) so I moved the IB into the kitchen and sat it on the counter top. It did a pretty good job of clearing the air, just like it does on those infomercials where they seal it in a smokey chamber.