Whether is your favorite Golden Retriever or some cat (I’m not a cat person), owners don’t want to strip off their pet’s freedom in wandering around the house yet can’t stand their pet continuous shedding or smell. Not any more as we have the perfect list of best air purifier for pet hair, odors and allergies. As all air purifiers are not created equal in terms of specification, features and of course price tag, in this best air purifier for pet topic we will be focusing on filtration mainly pre-filter (cat/ dog hair), HEPA filter (pet dander/ allergen), Carbon filter (pet odor) and any pet specific filter. We will also lightly touch on the pros and cons of each pet air purifier listed here. At the end of this post, you will have a clearer answer on which is the best pet air purifier suited for you and your pets.
What causes pet allergies?
Harmless proteins in pet dander, pet’s urine, saliva from your dog/ cat could lead to pet allergies if you have over-sensitive immune system. While pet hair is not part of the allergens, the rest of the allergens travels around pet hair that would cling on your cloths, sofa, wall and home for months if no action is taken. There are also people that is particularly sensitive to pet odors that would lead to chronic sneezing or nausea. Other Symptoms for pet allergies include inflamed eyes, stuffy nose, itchy skin, wheezing, breathing issue and asthma. Another point worth mentioning is that pet allergies could come and go anytime while some owners would only start developing pet allergies after a certain stage of life.
How do we measure?
Pre-filter Pet sheds a lot. A good pre-filter would have no issue stopping and removing pet hair from air. Pre-filter could also extend the HEPA and carbon filter lifespan by reducing the filters workload. What we are looking at is an effective and durable air filter for pet hair that would be able to trap a large amount of dog/ car hair before require cleaning or replacing. Whether the pet hair air purifier utilizes a permanent pre-filter or a 2-in-1 combination carbon pre-filter, so long it can do the job, we are happy with it.
HEPA filter HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air and is commonly found on most pet air purifier. Even a small flake of skin could trigger pet allergies ranging from coughing, sneezing, wheezing to the notorious asthma. What we need is a so-called pet hair air purifier with reliable HEPA filter to get rid of pet dander (dead skin) and other irritants such as pet hair, dust mites before it reaches the pet's owner. The HEPA filter would also have to play well alongside pre-filter and carbon filter in order to optimize on its filtration efficiency against pet allergies.
Activated Carbon filter Activated Carbon filter is only great at removing gases form contaminants notably volatile organic compounds (VOCs), it is also the perfect tool to get rid of pet odors. Derived from pet's urine, stool, saliva that vaporized to create an unpleasant environment for you, the bacteria filled fecal is also often link with triggering allergic symptoms that no pet's owner would want. While not all Carbon filter have the same filtration strength and depth in capturing pet odors, what we want is a high-grade, deodorization pet odor neutralizer that is capable of eliminating the most stench odor from your dog/ cat and put an end to this nightmare.
Specialized pet's air purifier/ filter An added bonus point, we will also be looking at air purifiers or filters that are specifically designed to tackle pet odors and allergies regardless of the air purifiers category. The specialized pet air purifiers would also have to pass our performance and filters test in order to be famed permanently in this list.Who is this for?
First and foremost the air purifiers listed here is perfect for pet's owner and their furry animal. None-pet owner that are suffering from pet and asthma linked allergies such as pet dander, pet hair or odors would also benefit from the list here as well. Newborn, children or elderly that have weaker immune system and lastly people that wants to live in an allergen-free environment.Best Air Purifier for Pets 2018
Alen BreatheSmart is featured here in our best air purifier for pet odors list due to its overall purifying performance, to be more precise it's the pet odor neutralizer HEPA-OdorCell filter that won our heart. Unlike most air purifier for pets that comes with a standard set of filters, Alen BreatheSmart uses only 1 all-in-one filter although you do have the option to select one of 4 HEPA filter. Based on your environment and types of pet you own (dog/ cat), you can go with the default HEPA-Pure filter for dust, pet hair & allergens or HEPA-FreshPlus for smoke & VOCs. For pet dander, odors and allergies related issue, choose HEPA-OdorCell filter as it is filled with Alen's patented Molecular Conversion Powder that specialized in destroying pet odors at a molecular level. Again, as each pet air purifiers has different set of functionality and price range, we recommend you to pick the Alen air purifier according to your room size and opt for the HEPA-OdorCell filter upgrade as it is best use against pet hair, pet dander and odors.
There are many good things about Alen BreatheSmart that we yet to touch on including the famous personalizable front cover, let’s jump straight to the few downsides of the air purifier so you know what you are dealing with. Alen BreatheSmart higher than average price tag that does not include the optional HEPA-OdorCell addon, it also lacks a dedicated activated carbon filter to further trap pet odors and is rather noisy at max speed.- Plenty of swappable wood trim front cover design.
- Wide purifying coverage, superior airflow delivery rate and highly adjustable (up to 4 speed).
- Up to 3 optional filter upgrade to choose from depending on your needs.
- Ionizer could be turn on or off.
- Longer lasting filters (up to 18 months) depending on usage volume/ air quality.
- Accurate Smart Filter Light replacement indicator that calculates based on usage/ fanspeed/ environment.
- Abundance of features - SmartSensor (air quality sensor), auto mode, filter life timer, pre-set timer.
- Child friendly machine with locking control panel and safe vent guard.
- Alen unique Lifetime Limited Warranty.
- Lacks odor filtration on bundled HEPA-Pure filter (Optional filter upgrade required).
- No dedicated odor carbon filter which could come in handy as filter replacement can be done separately.
- Noisy at highest speed nevertheless Auto mode does come to rescue.
While not the biggest tower air purifier in its class, GermGuardian AC5250PT is perhaps the best air purifier for pet dander to date that you can squeeze in a tight corner. What makes it tick is a 4-stage filtration that includes permanent mesh filter plus charcoal pre-filter for pet hair and odors, True HEPA Fresh filter for allergens, UV-C Light plus GermGuardian special Pet Pure treatment that destroys airborne viruses, bacteria and germ. The combination between HEPA, UV-C and Pet Pure makes GermGuardian AC5250PT super effective against pet dander that float above within your cat or dog hair. With plenty of filtration strength in its pocket, there is also a convenience 5 fanspeed and programmable timer for you to fiddle around with.
Yes, GermGuardian AC5250PT is well-made and the only tower pet air purifier in the list that barely take up any space. It does have its downside and is unsurprisingly “down to" the average purifying coverage and slow airflow delivery rate. The slightly over-bright indicator light might also be annoying for some but overall, we can't fault too much as GermGuardian AC5250PT holds it value well for a mid-range pet dander removal machine.- Affordable price for a HEPA tower purifier which cost less than half of other competitors is offering.
- Complete 4-stage filtration with UV-light and 5 fanspeed.
- Effective True HEPA with Pet Pure that inhibit the growth of mold, mildew and odor-causing bacteria.
- Proven UV-C light that would assist in eliminating airborne germs and bacteria.
- Comes with practical features such as timer, filter replacement indicator and digital display.
- UV function can be deactivated via a button.
- 5 years manufacturer warranty.
- Limited purifying coverage together with average airflow delivery rate.
- Annual filter replacement cost (with Pet Pure filter C) around the size of a brand new unit.
- Lacks air quality sensors and Auto mode.
- Uses combine Charcoal pre-filter rather than dedicated carbon filter.
- Troublesome filter reset alert that requires small object like paperclip to click and reset the button.
Austin Air Pet Machine design might not age well in today standard, it is still one of the best air purifier for pet allergies and asthma with very low annual filter maintenance cost. The trio pre-filter (outer mesh, inner pre-filter and medium filter) would ensure no pet hair or other pet triggering allergies would be able to leave the air purifier. Thanks to it specially impregnated Pet carbon/zeolite mixture carbon filter that is enhanced to tackle pet odors, Austin Air Pet Machine is particularly great in controlling dog/ cat odors before it spread through the house. Supporting all the above filtration is the final stage 60 sq.ft. True Medical Grade HEPA filter that capture all micron-size particles mainly germ and bacteria. As a pet dander air purifier, Austin Air Pet Machine also has one of the widest purifying coverage (1500 sq. ft.) at 2 airflow release hourly.
Despite the outstanding super long-life all-in-one filter that could last up to 5 years, what you will not get from this pet dander air purifier is Auto mode, air quality monitor/ sensor, timer or any modern features you could think of. Fan noise is louder than we prefer and it's also very bulky which is not great if you have very limited space. If you manage to bypass all that plus the price tag, Austin Air Pet Machine would be an excellent low-maintenance pet air purifier.- Extensive purifying coverage for pet and non-pets owner.
- Dual first-stage filtration (Outer mesh filter and large particle pre-filter) in trapping pet hair.
- 15 lbs. carbon filter with zeolite and special additive ammonia designed to absorb ammonia and pet odors.
- Double filtration (medium filter + 60 sq. ft. HEPA filter) for medium to smaller size particles.
- Durable coated steel housing with zero off-gassing.
- Super long filter lifespan of up to 5 years.
- 5 years manufacturer warranty.
- Undesirable background noise level on all speed.
- Bulky and heavy although there is built-in casters.
- Hassle filter replacement that requires flipping over the machine to remove bottom cover.
- Relatively empty on features. No auto/ sleep mode, indicator, air quality sensor, timer.
Rabbit Air MinusA2 (not limited to SPA-700A) is another regular sitter in most of the list here including this best air purifier for pet hair list. The reason for that is the exceptional 360°, 6-stage filtration that will handle from top to bottom spectrum of airborne irritants. Starting with the pre-filter that will effectively remove first-stage particles like dust, dog hair or car hair. With most pet hair trapped, the trio effort between MinusA2 HEPA filter, Medium filter and the optional Pet Allergy Customized Filter will get rid of pet dander along with its travel buddies: germs and bacteria. As an air purifier for pet odor, the inclusive MinusA2 Charcoal-Based Activated Carbon Filter would have no problem eliminating all foul smells derive from your pets. The final Negative Ion Generator is there to round up Rabbit Air MinusA2 as the best air purifier for pet allergies and hair. There are also many practical and cosmetic perks available in Rabbit Air MinusA2 that we will skip through as you can see the full details below.
Nitpicking on Rabbit Air MinusA2 (SPA-700A) disadvantages, the expensive price tag is definitely on everyone mind, along with the bulkiness despite being wall-mountable. There are also few might argue that Rabbit Air MinusA2 is not an outstanding air purifier for pet odor, we would beg to differ.- 6-stage filtration with side and bottom air inlet.
- Cheap annual filter replacement cost.
- Beautiful, wall-mountable square design with mood light color bar.
- Many customized front panel design to choose from (optional purchase).
- Effective trio front line filtration (Pre-filter, Medium and HEPA filter).
- Customizable filter, AC carbon filter and Ionizer to top if off the air purifier filtration depth.
- 5 fanspeed with strong airflow performance and purifying coverage.
- Trio sensors (Particle/ Odor/ Light) thus the existence of Air quality indicator and Auto mode.
- Sensitive and unobtrusive Sleep mode that will still adjust the fan speed based on surrounding air quality.
- Five-year warranty with free return if not satisfied.
- All the bells and whistle translate to a very expensive price tag.
- Airflow purifying coverage and CADR is not on par with the price you paid.
- Heavy for a wall-mountable air purifier (more than 19 lb).
Small and cheap, Hamilton Beach TrueAir Compact Pet 04384 is a very specific targeted, compact tabletop pet air purifier ideal if you have cats that hang around your work desk. Despite being the cheapest model in our best air purifier for pets list, Hamilton Beach TrueAir Compact Pet 04384 manage to squeeze in a permanent HEPA-grade filter in its small body to ensure your work desk stays free from cat hair, pet dander and other pet allergies. On top of that there is also 2 carbon zeolite filters standing by to neutralize most pet odors within its limited coverage. Filter replacement cost is also very affordable that only require quarterly replacing although regular maintenance is very much needed to remove the fast-fill car hair.
The downside for such a compact air purifier for cats is obviously the rather weak overall filtration performance. Purifying coverage is weak and limited, airflow delivery rate is poor which as the title suggested, is only good as tabletop/ addon air purifier on top of your main pet air purifier.- Very affordable price .
- Permanent HEPA grade filter that can be easily maintain with routine vacuuming.
- Compact and portable body.
- Versatile design where you can place the unit horizontally or vertically without ever affecting the airflow efficiency.
- Generally low noise output.
- Small airflow coverage with poor airflow delivery rate.
- Weak filtration (at only 3 micron) with gradual declining on the effectiveness of the permanent HEPA-filter .
- Ineffective against strong odor and chemicals.
- Plain vanilla unit with no features like timer, air quality status, Auto mode.
- Comes only with 1 year warranty (some basic unit offer up to 2).
Oldie but goodie, Winix 9500 Ultimate Pet PlasmaWave air purifier might be in the market for quite sometimes, it still possesses the charm that most pet owner would be looking for. Powered by a 5-stage filtration that no doubt would trap any types of pet odors and allergies in its surrounding, the efficient pre-filter and True HEPA filter would get rid of pet dander, dog hair and other associated pet allergies from flowing out. The Coated Deodorization (CD) Carbon Filter would also eliminate foul smell from your cat/ dog and other vapor based pollutants. Together with Winix PlasmaWave Technology, you will find particle sensors, built-in timer, auto/ sleep mode and remote control ready to enhance on Winix 9500 pet air purifier usability.
On to the shortcomings, Winix 9500 is proven and known as a great air purifier for dog hair, ultimately its design is clearly dated few years back with many new-coming pet purifiers that can do equivalent or even better job. Airflow purifying range is not great either and the rather low CADR compare with similar price range pet air purifier. If you want the latest, best in every aspect, we suggest you to consider the following item in our best pet air purifier list.- Advanced 5-Stage PlasmaWave filtration with separate pre-filter and carbon filter.
- A more efficient True-HEPA filter on small particles thanks to the pre-capture by the pre-filter.
- Upgraded advanced Granular Carbon Filter that is more effective than regular Activated Carbon Filter found in lower series.
- Both Anti-Bacterial Pre-Filter and Carbon Filter are washable.
- 4 selectable fanspeed plus Auto mode that works well with the sensors.
- Comes with the handy remote control.
- Built-in timer with pre-set 1, 4, 8 hours off option.
- Smart particle sensor that consist of dust, odor and even light detection.
- Detail front digital display with separate indicator on dust air quality and odor level.
- Only "1 year" warranty compared with other Winix Signature series air purifiers that offered up to 5 years.
- Limited replacement filters as it is discontinued despite sharing the same filters as Winix 9500.
- Improved but still far from the category best in CADR and purifying coverage given its price tag.
- CleanCel Anti-Bacterial Treatment is not as useful as other filtration.
A better pet air purifier alternative to Winix 9500 in our book, Winix NK105 is more competitively priced, has better CADR, wider purifying coverage and airflow with the same filtration efficiency against pet allergies. The washable pre-filter is great at cleanning up congested airborne dust, dog and car hair sheds. Moving inside is the trio CD Carbon Filter, True-HEPA filter and PlasmaWave technology that works great in tackling pet dander or odor that often bring unwanted germs and bacteria to the table. In addition to that, Winix NK105 also support WiFi control where you could pair up with your smartphone and remotely control literally everything on the air purifier.
It’s not all perfect though, Winix NK105 pet air purifier annual filter replacement is slightly on the high side and there is the minor indicator light glaring issue that might or might not be a big deal to you. If the WiFi enabled feature is not your thing, you could also opt for the non-WiFi version Winix HR950 that has the exact efficiency against pet allergens.- Round tower housing that allows 360 degree air flow distribution with wide purifying coverage.
- Strong, consistent airflow to support 4 fanspeed and Auto mode/ Sleep mode.
- 4-stage filtration with True HEPA, Carbon filter and PlasmaWave™ Technology.
- Highly comprehensive scheduling via Winix SMART app where you could set multiple fanspeed at specific time and day.
- Again via the SMART app, you could turn on or off the unit at anywhere anytime.
- Child lock feature that prevent your loved one from meddling the control.
- Quick and simple filter replacement with only one filter cartridge yearly.
- 2 years warranty.
- Expensive to replace the all-in-one filter.
- Non-washable filter cartridge that if the filter is stuck with unwanted particles, the only solution is to replace the whole filter.
- Bright indicator light that does not dim down enough in sleep mode.
- Not easy connecting to WiFi devices including popular models such as iPad, iPhone and android devices.
Honorable mention
- The must featured air purifier in every list: The Ultimate 4-stage HyperHEPA purifier IQAir HealthPro Plus.
- Blueair air purifiers is also perfect choice for pet odor eliminator thanks to its HEPASilent Technology.
- Discontinued but might still be available online, Honeywell Pet CleanAir air purifier HHT-013 is a compact, cheap and low maintenance cost pet air purifier.
Previous best air purifier for pet hair winner
- Winix HR1000
Best Air Purifier for Pets Table