An air purifier is considered quiet if it produces less than 60 decibels (dB) of noise. Air purifiers with a low-speed option are often quieter than those without, similarly a small air purifier is typically quieter than a larger model.
More than 80 million Americans use an air purifier to improve the quality of the air they breathe, especially in the bedroom. Unfortunately, many regular air purifiers produce a constant humming noise when they are on. Thankfully, several air purifier manufacturers also make quiet models.
This post will explain what makes an air purifier quiet and then take you through the top 15 quietest air available, highlighting if they are suitable for bedrooms, their special features and coverage areas.
- The Quietest air purifiers available include the Afloia Mage (25 dB), Alen Breathesmart 75i (25 dB), Levoit Vital 100 (23 dB) and BlueAir Pure 411 (18-48 dB).
- An air purifier is considered ‘whisper quiet’ when the appliance generates 30 decibels or less.
What is the quietest air purifier?
Before we get into the list of the best air purifiers that are quiet, it’s important to understand why certain air purifiers are considered quiet and others are not, including:
- Low decibel range.
- Fan speed settings.
1. Low decibel range.
The noise output of an air purifier ranges from very quiet to very loud.
The noise level of an air purifier is measured in decibels (dB), and each device has its own dB value that will vary with fan speed.
An air purifier with a low decibel output is known as a quiet air purifier. A quiet air purifier will often have a low decibel range, ranging from 20 to 60 dB.
A decibel range more than that is considered noisy/loud.
2. Fan speed settings.
Fans are used in air purifiers to drive air through the filter, which eliminates contaminants from the air. You can either run an air purifier on low, medium, or high fan speed settings (if the model has a range of fan speeds).
All these are dependent on the type of air purifier you own, as some may even have four or more fan speed modes.
Running an air purifier at a higher speed will typically create more noise than at a lower fan speed.
However, some air purifiers will still produce noise higher than 60 decibels even on the lower fan speed which is considered loud.
Other factors that can influence the operational noise of a purifier include:
- Location of the air purifier.
- Clogged filter.
- Dust on ionizer pins.
The top 15 quietest air purifiers
It is important to note that an air purifier may be quieter than another because it covers a smaller area. The coverage area and decibel rating are provided for each purifier, so when selecting one please carefully choose one that suits the size of the room you are wanting to purify.
1. Pure Enrichment Halo True HEPA Air Purifier
The Pure Enrichment Halo True HEPA Air Purifier is a 2-stage filter that can safely clean a bedroom or office. It is quiet and suited for bedroom space – it only has a slight audible hum when it’s on low. Its highest setting is <45 dB.
If you do decide to buy one of these, you’ll need to take the plastic wrap off the filter by opening up the air purifier itself. Some people think it’s SUPER noisy but have later found the filter wrap was still on!
Its space coverage is up to 100 sq ft.
It has an activated carbon pre-filter that traps odors and impurities in the first stage of purification. The True HEPA filter on the other hand removes 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns caused by common airborne irritants like dust, wildfires, bacteria, pollen, pet dander, tobacco smoke, and other odors, thereby combating seasonal allergies.
It also offers a soft glow mood light, three preset timer settings, and three fan speeds. You guessed it, the highest fan speed makes it louder – surprise!
Pros:
- Electrical Testing Labs (ETL) certified.
- Quiet operation device.
- Energy-efficient.
- Easy to use.
- Ozone free.
Cons:
- It cannot adequately filter a larger bedroom space.
The complete range of Pure Enrichment air purifiers is available direct from Pureenrichment.com or via Amazon.com.
2. Tracs portable EZ air purifier
Tracs portable air purifier is a four-speed, multi-stage air cleaner. It is one of the quietest air purifiers available that is suitable for large rooms, with decibel levels ranging from 44 to 59; the whisper mode is 44 decibels, low speed is 49 decibels, and the medium is 55 decibels, and high speed mode is 59 decibels.
The air purifier can handle larger bedroom spaces because it covers 1,875 square feet per hour or 937 square feet per 30 minutes.
Using certified medical-grade HEPA filtration and activated carbon filters, it successfully removes 99.99 percent of indoor air contaminants that cause allergy, asthma, and respiratory problems.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Suitable for larger rooms.
- Efficient and easy to use.
- Its replacement filters are affordable.
Cons:
- Costly.
- Not very aesthetically pleasing.
3. Afloia Mage air purifier
The Afloia mage air purifier is a three-speed, ultra-powerful multi-stage purifier. It’s one of the quietest air purifiers, with decibel levels as low as 25dB.
It removes 99.9% of impurities such as air pollutants, smoking, pet dander, pollen, dust, smells, and VOCs using a pre-filter, H13 true HEPA filter, and Activated carbon filters.
With a CADR of 400m3/h, the device is appropriate for larger bedrooms, as it refreshes the air 5 times each hour in rooms as large as 550 ft2.
The air purifier features a built-in sensor that measures air quality in real-time and displays it using four different color indicators (blue, green, yellow, red). In auto mode, the air purifier changes the fan speed based on the quality of the air.
It also has a 2 hour, 4 hour, or 8 hour timer, a soothing night light, and a filter change reminder that lights red when the filter needs to be replaced.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Suitable for large bedrooms.
- Ozone free.
- Filter replacement indicator.
- Portable design.
- Air quality sensor.
The complete range of Alfoia air purifiers is available direct from Afloia.com or via Amazon.com
4. Alen BreatheSmart 75i True HEPA Air Purifier
The Alen BreatheSmart 75i True HEPA Air Purifier is a quiet air purifier with decibel levels of 25 dB at the lowest and 49 dBa at the highest speed.
The air purifier employs an Activated carbon filter and a True HEPA filter to catch dust, allergies, and airborne pollutants. It contains a timer (2 hours, 4 hours, or 12 hours), 5 fan settings, and an automated mode that adjusts the speed for best performance.
The Alen 75i is perfect for large and open spaces up to 1,300 SqFt.
With bright LED color rings, Alen’s sophisticated particle sensor technology continually keeps you informed about the air quality around you.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Filter change indicator.
- Air quality sensor.
- Child safety lock.
- Auto-off safety feature when the front cover is removed.
- Ozone-safe ionizer.
Cons:
- Some reviewers say that warranty does not apply in their countries. e.g. Canada.
The complete range of Alen air purifiers is available direct from Alen.com or via Amazon.com
5. EnviroKlenz Home air purifier
The EnviroKlenz Home air purifier has four fan speeds and is quiet, with decibel levels of 54dB on Whisp-air, 56dB on low, 59dB on medium, and 62dB on high speed mode, making it ideal for bedrooms.
The air purifier can clean a larger bedroom because it covers an area of up to 1,000 square feet. It captures 99.9% of airborne contaminants, including viruses, pollen, bacteria, mold, smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), cooking odors, pet dander, formaldehyde, and more, using the EnviroKlenz Air Cartridge and true HEPA filters.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Suitable for larger bedrooms.
- Portable.
- Easy movement around the room as it has wheels.
- Effective for contaminants removal.
Cons:
- No smart features.
6. LEVOIT Vital 100 Air Purifier
The LEVOIT Air Purifier is a three-stage filtration system with a low noise level of 23dB on the lowest speed setting.
It has a washable pre-filter for big particles like lint and fur, a High-Efficiency Activated Carbon Filter for harmful gases and unpleasant odors, and an H13 True HEPA Filter that collects at least 99.97 percent of airborne particles smaller than 0.3 micrometers.
The air purifier is ideal for bedrooms, with a CADR of 130 CFM/ 221 m3/h and a coverage of 300 ft2/ 28 m2 in only 18 minutes.
Pros:
- Energy-efficient.
- Quiet.
- Washable prefilter.
- Ozone free.
- Filter change indicator.
- Has a timer.
Cons:
- Not suitable for very large rooms.
7. Blueair Pure 411 Air Purifier
The Blueair Pure 411 Air Purifier is an almost silent air purifier, with noise decibel levels ranging from 18dB on low to 48dB on high speed fan settings.
The air purifier is appropriate for small bedrooms, with an area coverage of up to 190 square feet every 12.5 minutes (4.8 times an hour) at the highest speed. The fabric pre-filter serves as the first line of defense, trapping bigger particles in the air.
The Particle and Carbon Filter combines a layer of activated carbon to filter light odors from pets, cooking, and smoking, while the main particle filter removes airborne particles such as pollen, dust, and pet dander.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Awarded a Quiet Mark by the Noise Abatement Society (NAS).
- CARB certified.
- Energy star certified.
- AHAM verified.
- Easy to use with a one-button design.
- Filter change indicator.
Cons:
- Cannot adequately filter larger rooms.
8. Westinghouse 1804 Patented NCCO Technology portable air purifier.
The Westinghouse 1804 Patented NCCO Technology portable air purifier operates at a decibel level of 34dB, making it ideal for use in the bedroom and covers spaces of up to 100 square feet.
The Westinghouse Air Purifier employs active oxygen to kill and remove viruses, germs, allergens, and 99 percent of air pollutants like VOCs, smoke, and odors, converting them to harmless chemicals, carbon dioxide, and water molecules.
This brand is unique because it kills germs, bacteria, and viruses rather than simply trapping and storing them on the filters.
Westinghouse has two fan speeds, a silent mode, and a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that can last up to 8 hours on a single charge.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Has a battery.
- Low battery indicator.
- Small and portable.
Cons:
- Cannot adequately purify a larger room.
9. Dyson TP02 Pure Cool Link Tower air purifier
Dyson TP02 Pure Cool Link Tower air purifier is one of the quietest air purifiers on the market, with noise levels of 46 decibels, making them suitable for bedrooms. Using a true HEPA filter, the air purifier removes 99.97 percent of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.3 microns from your house, including pollen, dust, mold spores, germs, and pet dander.
Activated carbon is used in the second layer of the filter to absorb household odors and volatile organic compounds such as paint fumes. It is certified asthma and allergy safe. It receives the silent mark certification.
This cleaner features two fans that revolve and circulate air around the room, covering up to 400 square feet. Other features include ten airspeed settings and an energy-saving automatic night mode. You may control it remotely using a smartphone or Alexa using the Dyson app, which gives real-time air quality reports.
Pros:
- Ultra-quiet.
- Awarded the quiet mark accreditation.
- Suitable for small rooms of 400sq ft area coverage.
- Easy to clean.
- Easy to use as it has an app (Dyson link app) and voice control.
10. Keylitos HEPA Filter Air Purifier for Home Office Large Room
The Keylitos HEPA Filter Air Purifier is a quiet air purifier that operates at 28 decibels on low speed and 54 decibels on high speed mode, making it ideal for bedrooms. The keylitos air purifier has three fan settings and can cover up to 560ft2 (50m2) by refreshing the air 5 times per hour in rooms as little as 215 ft2 and 3 times per hour in spaces as large as 560ft2.
It captures allergies, pet hair, dander, smoke, mold, odor, and big dust particles and removes 99.9% of airborne contaminants, using an H13 true HEPA filter and a high-efficiency activated carbon filter.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Easy to operate.
- Energy-efficient.
- Can cover larger rooms.
11. Coway Airmega
The Coway Airmega AP-1512HHS is a quiet air purifier with three fan speeds and noise levels as low as 24.4 dB on low fan speed and 53.8 dB on high fan speed settings. Its area coverage is 325 sq. Ft.
The device is compatible with Alexa for indoor air quality or to change the fan speed. It also uses the Coway IoCare smartphone app, which provides indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring, filter notifications, scheduling, and speed and smart mode control.
The air purifier uses a washable pre filter, True HEPA and activated charcoal filters to capture and eliminate particles as small as 0. 3 microns in the air, such as pollen, pollutants, and other allergies, by up to 99. 97 percent. It also decreases NH3 and CH3CHO emissions and more than 90% of volatile organic chemicals.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Energy-efficient.
- App-enabled.
- Features a timer and a filter light indicator.
- Automatic mode.
- Air quality indicator.
Cons:
- Will not adequately purify a very large bedroom.
- Some reviewers say it takes much time to connect to the app.
12. ORANSI Air Purifier
The ORANSI Air Purifier is a whisper-quiet and simple to use air purifier that produces only 20 decibels of noise at its lowest fan speed.
It employs a medical-grade True HEPA filter (MERV17), which has been tested to remove 99.4 percent of particles as small as 0.02 microns (20 nanometers) and 0.10 microns. It works well with fine particles, smoke, and fumes.
It’s ideal for larger bedrooms because it can cover up to 1250 square feet and provides two air changes every hour.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Energy-star certified.
- Ozone free.
- Easy to use.
- Lightweight.
Cons;
- Expensive to acquire than other brands.
13. Hejiko Air Purifier
The Hejiko air purifier is an H13 True HEPA filter cleaner with a washable prefilter and a 20-decibel noise level, and remote control.
With a CADR of 130 CFM/220m3/h, the 5 step filtration device can clean a room up to 300 sq ft in 18 minutes, 496 sq ft in 30 minutes, and 1000 sq ft in 1 hour at high speed, making it ideal for large bedrooms.
It has a washable pre-filter, a cold catalyst filter, an activated carbon filter, and a true H13 HEPA filter that catches 99.97% of air pollutants like dust, smoke, pet dander, and hair odors from home.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Smart air quality sensor.
- Filter change indicator.
- Child lock.
- Remote control.
14. MEGAWISE H13 True HEPA Air Purifier
The MEGAWISE H13 True HEPA Air Purifier is a true HEPA Air Purifier that is capable of capturing smoke, dust, pollen, pet dander, and other particles.
It is perfect for small and medium-sized rooms. It is among the silent devices with a noise level of less than 32dB.
Pros:
- Easy to use.
- Quiet.
- One button control.
- Features a decorative night light.
Cons:
- Some reviewers say that it smells like hot plastic when it runs.
15. RabbitAir MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier
The RabbitAir MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier is a whisper-quiet air purifier with five-speed setting modes with a noise level of 20.8 to 45.6 dB. Its coverage area is 350 square feet with 4 air changes per hour.
The device has a BioGS HEPA filter that reduces the buildup of common allergens such as dust mites, mold, pollen, and pet dander trapped on the filter and reduces the growth of bacteria. It also has True HEPA filters that trap allergen and particles 0.3 microns in size at 99.97 percent efficiency and over 99 percent efficiency for particles less than 0.1 microns.
It also features a toxin absorber filter that catches and decreases VOCs and other pollutants and a charcoal-based filter that traps and minimizes pet scents.
Pros:
- Quiet.
- Washable prefilter.
- Ozone free.
- Long-lasting filters.
- Energy Star certified motor.
- Easy control panel.
- Air quality indicator.
- Remote control.
- Filter replacement indicator.
How loud or quiet are these popular air purifiers?
Many people want to know how quiet (or loud) their model of air purifier is. Here are some of the most popular air purifiers bought today, and their decibel rating. Note, these brands are not in our list above.
| Brand / Model | Decibels (dB) |
|---|---|
| BlueAir Blue Pure 411 | 18 – 48 dB |
| Medify Air MA-14 Air Purifier | 21 – 48 dB |
| Alen 45i Air Purifier | 23 – 49 dB |
| Afloia Q10 True HEPA Air Purifier | 25 – 45 dB |
| Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier | 27 dB |
| Pure Enrichment PureZone 3-In-1 True HEPA air purifier | 30 – 50 dB |
| Levoit LVH13227 | 46 dB |
| GermGuardian AC4825 True HEPA filter air purifier | 46.7 – 54.2 dB |
| Shark HE601 Air Purifier | 50 – 60 dB |
| Honeywell QuietClean | 51.5 – 68.7 dB |
| Dyson TP02 Pure Cool Link Tower | 63 dB |
Is an air purifier supposed to make noise?
An air purifier will typically make noise during operation. The motor will generate a background humming noise, whilst the fan will increase the sound depending on the setting (low-high). An air purifier may generate noise as quiet as leaves rustling (20 decibels) on a low fan setting, or louder than a conversation (60 decibels on a high setting).
An air purifier is considered ‘whisper quiet’ when the appliance generates 30 decibels or less.
Dust on the ionizer pins, a clogged filter, a poorly mounted filter are all reasons why an air purifier will produce noise than it should.
For detailed information on all the reasons why your air purifier is making excessive noise read this detailed post with step-by-step instructions on how to fix each problem.
