6 Best Ionic Air Purifier: No Ozonator Here! in 2023

A compact, affordable HEPA air purifier with an ionizer feature. hOmeLabs 4-in-1 Compact HME020020N does it all at a small 6.7 inches diameter, 7.5 inches height, and 2.9 lb weight. The small size is great for desktop use, TV cabinet, or countertop without taking up much space. You can also carry it to the bedroom effortlessly and enjoy good quality sleep when you are about to call it a day. The classic front inlet and the top air outlet are the perfect setups for close-range use. It will give you the best performance day in, day out.

hOmeLabs 4-in-1 ionic air purifier is very easy to use, with a single button to dictate all operations. You can cycle the 2 fan speeds surrounded by a nice glowing blue light. No other option is available, which can be a blessing for some. The build quality is solid and well supported by the hOmeLabs 2-year warranty that can be further extended by 6 months when you register online.

It's hard to imagine how hOmeLabs 4-in-1 compact air purifier manages to include an ionizer for less than 50 dollars. The ion booster releases 3 million negative ions per cubic centimeter in the air. The charged ions will bond with existing airborne contaminants allowing the air purifier to pull them down for the filter to capture. The pre-filter will target large particles like hair and dust, while the HEPA filter removes 99.97% of fine particles up to 0.3 microns. The dedicated carbon filter absorbs smoke and odors from pets, cigarettes, foods, bathrooms, and diapers. Unlike a traditional ionizer, hOmeLabs 4-in-1 compact ensure pollutants are less likely to be stuck on the ground, wall, and bed, thereby reducing the need for vacuuming.

Enjoy guaranteed fresh air with hOmeLabs 4-in-1 air purifier. Best used in small rooms like a dorm, bathroom, or bedroom, hOmeLabs 4-in-1 will quietly clean the indoors while you go on with your daily life. The whisper-quiet operation is ideal for nighttime use, where you can place it next to the bedside with zero noise distraction. Power consumption is also low, given its limited airflow circulation. You will have no issue leaving it running 24x7.

hOmeLabs 4-in-1 Compact is not without some flaws, though. The short 40-square feet range will limit its usability in small spaces. While the filter replacement cost is reasonable for everyday use, you will have to replace it on time, or the ion booster will not work effectively. Other complaints include the lack of practical features that we will not dive it too much given this is a budget air cleaner model.

In short: A compact, under 50 HEPA air purifier that still manages to squeeze in an ionizer. Filtration performance is limited but not out of the ordinary.

The only air purifier listed here with both ionizer and UV-light features. Pure Enrichment PureZone Elite is the perfect model purifier that cleans and disinfects indoor air. The sleek tower body exterior comes at a 25 inches height, with a thin 9 inches diameter and 9.3 pounds weight. Tall but still fits well in tight spaces, given its slim profile. The air inlet is located at the back, with the air outlet at the front. A smart air quality monitor will also display the room's air quality level. Overall the conventional design is highly functional and complimented by PureZone Elite's excellent build quality. The long 5 years warranty is a testament to its reliability and durability.

Available in White or graphite option, Pure Enrichment PureZone Elite is fairly easy to operate with its Smart technology. You have the standard 3 fan speeds plus auto mode that uses higher speed when a large concentration of pollutants is detected. Sleep mode with light detection sets the fan speed to low with indicator lights off when everything is pitch black. The filter reset indicator will alert you to replace the filter every 6 to 9 months. Lastly, the 2, 4, 8 hour timer will turn off the device once activated.

One of the best home ionizers thanks to its in-depth filtration. The reusable ionizer diffuses charged negative ions that attract positive ion particles in the air. Both ion particles will be combined and fall for Pure Enrichment PureZone Elite to capture. The True HEPA filter focus on trapping 99.97% of fine particles while microorganisms like mold, germs, bacteria, and viruses will be sanitized internally by ultraviolet light. For large particles and smoke, the 2-in-1 activated carbon pre-filter is there to give a helping hand. No household pollutants will be too difficult for Pure Enrichment PureZone Elite.

No more suffering from allergies due to bad indoor air quality. PureZone Elite 4-in-1 ionic air purifier can cover around 190 square feet of room size with decent air changes per hour. Suitable for bedroom, nursery home, classroom, living room, dining area, office, and basement. The under 120 cfm CADR is slightly under par, but you'll have the UV light to balance things out.

On to the few shortcomings. PureZone Elite 4-in-1 filtration can be expensive to maintain, especially with the UV bulb. It will not work if you don't replace the filtration. We're not the biggest fan of carbon pre-filter that comes with an inferior sheet. The max noise level is just under 60.2 dBA which can be loud for those trying to get some shut eyes or work. The 46-wattage power output is also a tad high, but then again, this is not your typical ionic air purifier.

In short: A dependable 4-in-1 UV air purifier with a HEPA and ionization feature. It will protect you from viral viruses and airborne infections.

While ionizer technology might not be the main highlight here, the Florida-based Medify Air MA-40 air purifier brings much more to the table. The boxy body stands at a tall 22 inches height with a heavy 15.6 pounds weight. Not the lightest to move it around, but it gains the benefit of s a bigger air inlet where more pollutants can be drawn in at one go. Build quality is superb, with no signs of leakage or harmful byproducts off-gassing like ozone. The lifetime warranty is always appreciated in an air cleaner, given the long lifespan.

Moving to the control panel, Medify MA-40 works similarly to every other air purifier on the market. You can manage the 3 fan speeds and set the 4 preset timers on when to shut down the machine. There is also a filter replacement indicator that reminds you to change the filter and a child lock function that locks the control from unintended changes. Note that you cannot run solely on ionization, but you can run without it.

With the bigger fan, the noise level is on the higher side at 46 to 66 dBA. You will definitely hear some white noise, so keep it further away from the bedroom when you're trying to sleep. The same goes for power output despite being an Energy Star certified model. We're getting around 54 watts per hour which tally with the manufacturer's number.

Medify Air MA-40's strong airflow output help pushes its coverage to 840 square feet every 30 minutes or 2 air changes per hour. For hypersensitivity or asthmatic persons, you can increase the air changes to 4 or every 15 minutes with a reduced 420 square footage coverage. AHAM certified CADR is equally impressive at 330 cubic feet per minute for dust, pollen, and smoke. Suitable for large room sizes like a bedroom, living room, kitchen, basement, garage, dining area, playroom, and office.

Medify Air MA-40 air purifier houses a 4-stage filtration to deal with all kinds of pollution in a home. The ionizer diffuses million of charged negative ions to latches on airborne positive ions pollutants. The bonded particles will drop for the filter to capture rather than scatter all over the place. Against large particles, dual pre-filters trap dust mites, hair, fibers, and lint from passing through. The H13 HEPA filter focus on capturing 99.9% of irritants as small as 0.1 microns like mold, pollen, pet dander, germ, and bacteria. The carbon filter with carbon pellets absorbs smoke particles like cooking, pet odors, VOCs, asbestos, radon, and formaldehyde.

The drawback of a hybrid HEPA ionic air purifier is the cost. Not only are you paying a high price for the device, the H13 and carbon filter sets require replacing every 2,500 hours. It will not run without all the filters installed. You also have to deal with the high noise, the non-existence sensor, and auto mode. That's the price for Medify comprehensive filtration.

In short: A top-rated medical-grade air purifier equipped with an ionizer. Ideal for those that need more than just ionization.

The best ionic plug-in air purifier in the world that costs you less than 40 dollars. Clarifion GL-139 is at a portable size of 4 x 6 x 2.9 inches and 4.8 pounds in weight. It will not take up any space once plugged into a wall and is travel-friendly. Just snug it into the backpack or suitcase before you head off. Build quality is good, with tight-fitting that prevents leakage. Perfect for non-stop operation where you can leave it completely unattended.

Clarifion GL-139 plug-in air purifier is very easy to use with no learning curve. Just plug it into a wall socket, and it with work instantaneously. The blue LED light will let you know the machine is in a running state. Usability wise. The entire operation is silent, with no fan noise to endure. Energy usage is estimated at less than 1 watt, where you will not feel a pinch in the utility bill.

Clean air without expensive filters and ozone to worry about. Clarifion GL-139 ionization technology consistently diffuses 10 million pcs/ cm^3 of negative ions. The charged negative ions will bond with positive ion pollutants in the air, causing it to fall due to the increased weight. You will breathe easier as there are fewer airborne pollutants in the air.

Unlike some pretentious ionizers, Clarifion GL-139 is California Air Resources Board (CARB) certified (G-20-016) to be ozone-free and chemical safe. You can safely use it in the bedroom, dining room, stairway, living room, and children's playroom while complementing a HEPA air purifier.

There are some limits with a dedicated ionizer, so anticipate the same Clarifion GL-139 plug-in air purifier. First, it does not actually remove airborne contaminants in the room. The fallen contaminants will adhere to the floor, mat, wall, and bed, possibly going back out when disturbed. Regular vacuuming is a must to permanently remove the contaminants. Another common issue is the ineffectiveness against smoke, odor, chemical fumes, and large particles like dust and hair. As long as you're on the same page about what a plug-in air purifier can and cannot do, Clarifion GL-139 will continue to serve you well.

In short: A dedicated ionic air purifier that is sleek, functional, and most importantly, affordable. It does have its limitation that will not derail its usability.

Alen BreatheSmart 45i is the best ionizer for home with a medical-grade HEPA filter. It is equipped with customizable filters that suit people with compromised respiratory. The full-size machine comes in at 17.8 x 26.8 x 10 inches in dimension and a heavy weight of 21 pounds. Indeed not the model for those with limited room spaces or multi-location use.

Design-wise, Alen BreatheSmart 45i has plenty to offer with its customizable panel. You can choose any color, pattern, or limited edition to suit your modern interior. For assessment, you will also find an air quality indicator that illuminates blue (clean air), yellow, or red light (bad air). Build quality is exceptional, as evidenced by Alen's lifetime warranty (with subscription).

Usability is great with the 4 fan speeds and SmartSensor technology. Auto mode works well with the built-in sensor that accurately detects nearby pollutants for quick changes. The Advanced Smart Filter measures the filter life in real time rather than a fixed period. The highlight of it all is the Ion button that enables ionization. There is also a 4, 8, 12 hours timer and child lock function on top of the long list we mentioned.

Regardless of which filter pack you choose, Alen BreatheSmart 45i comes with an ionizer by default. It emits millions of negative ions in a room that bind with positive ion particles. The charged particles will gradually fall from the air for the all-in-one filter to capture. The washable pre-filter will be in charge of trapping dusty, large particles, while the HEPA filter removes 99.97% of airborne particulates as small as 0.1 microns. If you opt for HEPA-Silver, HEPA-FreshPlus, or HEPA-OdorCell filter upgrade, there is an additional deodorization filter to absorb chemical fumes, smoke, and musty odor.

Here's where Alen BreatheSmart 45i shine. The 190 cfm airflow delivery rate allows a wide room coverage of up to 800 square footage. Ideal for large room sizes like a living room, basement, garage, kitchen, or an entire apartment as long as you keep the door open. CADR is measured at 245 cfm for dust, pollen, and smoke. Note that the test does not account for ionizer output, so use it sparingly.

Moving from speed to noise, Alen BreatheSmart 45i is not the most subtle model at an average of 42-56 dB noise output. This is partly due to the strong air flow generated from the spinning fan. If you need a 100% silent unit, you're better off with a dedicated air ionizer. Energy usage is also on the higher side, given its high performance at 64-105 watts output per hour. We highly recommend you leave it in Auto mode and let Alen BreatheSmart manage the energy usage by itself.

For setbacks, Alen BreatheSmart 45i can be summarized with one word: Expensive. From the selling price to the customizable panel and filter, any add-ons will cost you money. On top of that, the HEPA-Pure filter does not come with a carbon filter for smoke filtration. A top-up of 10-40 dollars is needed for the upgraded filter (recommend). You will also need to account for the recurring filter cost, as the ionizer will not work without it.

In short: If money is no biggie, this is undoubtedly the best HEPA ionic air purifier for home. Period.

An ionic HEPA air purifier that improves indoor air quality instantaneously. Fellowes AeraMax 100 or DX5 in some regions stands "tall" than other air ionizers listed here. Its modern approach is a breath of fresh air from the usual style at a slim 7.3 inches in depth, 27.3 inches in height, and 8.5 inches in width. You can place it anywhere in the home as the tower form factor with side air inlets takes up very little interior space. The reasonably light 9.9 pounds weight enables easy grabbing on the back handle for room-to-room purifying. Build quality is outstanding despite the plasticky body. No uneven gaps or protruding cases that are visible to the eyes. The 3-year warranty is the biggest assurance of its reliability.

Control-wise, Fellowes AeraMax DX5/ 100 is made easy, thanks to the digital display. You can manage your desired fan speed or enables Auto mode via AeraSmart Sensor. The air cleaner will automatically set to a higher fan speed when elevated pollutants are detected and revert to low when the air is clean. Aera+ mode is identical to Turbo, which allows swift allergens removal. There is also an AQI to display the surrounding air quality and a filter change indicator reminding you to replace the filter when the time is up.

Being a tower air cleaner, Fellowes Aeramax 100 air purifier has a modest air cleaning output of 100 square feet of space with or without the PlasmaTRUE ionizer. Not the greatest, but for small confined spaces like a bedroom, kitchen, dorm, studio, or nursery home, it is more than sufficient. Clean air delivery rate tally with the airflow delivery rate at 65 cfm for dust, 75 cfm for pollen, and 68 cfm for smoke. Again, not the greatest, but for home use, it's okay.

Fellowes AeraMax 100 air purifier uses PlasmaTRUE technology, a fancier name than an ionizer. It begins with the charcoal pre-filter traps large contaminants like dust, hair, and lint while also neutralizing smoke, toxic fumes, and smelly odor. Next, the True HEPA filter captures 99.97% of ultrafine particles in the air as small as 0.3 microns i.e. pollen, pet dander, bacteria, and viruses. The HEPA filter is coated with AeraSafe antimicrobial treatment that prevents microorganisms like mold growth. The highlight of the filtration, the PlasmaTrue ionizer generates an ionized field that merges positive ions in the air. The heavier pollutants will be pulled down for the filter to capture, and the endless cycle continues cleaning for any incoming contaminants. PlasmaTRUE technology is reusable, but the compulsory filter replacement cost is around $60 annually; high maintainable in the long run.

Noise level is not an issue with the Fellowes AeraMax 100 air purifier. Expect zero noise at low speed to mild noise with the PlasmaTRUE turned on. As no sleep mode is available, Auto mode is the go-to option for a relaxing night's use. As for power usage, Fellowes AeraMax 100 consumes 37 watts to 51 watts of electricity with an ionizer. With 12 hours of operation, the average electric cost will be $0.07 per day, $2 monthly, or $24 a year. It is worth noting that the Fellowes AeraMax 100 is not Energy Star Rated, unlike other higher-end variants e.g. AeraMax 300.

There is some trade-off with Fellowes AeraMax 100 air purifier mainly revolves around performance. It has an under-par purifying coverage and CADR compared with other HEPA air purifiers with an ionizer. The use of a charcoal pre-filter over a separate pre-filter and carbon filter is disappointing. The non-dimmable blue indicator light, perhaps, is the final straw for some. Still, we wholeheartedly recommend getting Fellowes AeraMax 100 as there is no better option for an allergy and asthma-friendly certified, AHAM-approved, ionic HEPA air purifier.

In short: For under 120 after a discount, Fellowes AeraMax100 tower air purifier is quite a bargain if you want mechanical + ionization filtration in a smaller form factor.