How to Find the Best Air Purifier for Your Home

What Is the Best Home Air Purifier?

The best home air purifier is one that fits your home, HVAC system and air-cleaning preferences. Some air purifiers are installed as part of a central heating and cooling system, while portable air purifiers are designed for individual rooms or areas.

When comparing air purifiers, consider:

• Whole-home vs. portable operation
• Room or home size
• Filter type
• MERV or CADR ratings, when applicable
• HVAC system compatibility
• Filter replacement and maintenance requirements
• Initial and ongoing costs

Carrier offers several types of air-cleaning products designed for different residential applications. Let's look at some of the available options.

Infinity® Air Purifier

The Carrier Infinity® Air Purifier (DGAPA) is a whole-home air purifier that works with compatible heating and cooling equipment. Air passes through the air purifier as it moves through the HVAC system.

Because this is a whole-home solution, compatibility with your HVAC equipment is an important consideration. A Carrier dealer can review your system and discuss whether the Infinity Air Purifier is an appropriate option for your home.

Comfort™ EZ Flex Cabinet Air Filter

The Carrier Comfort™ EZ Flex Cabinet Air Filter (EZXCAB) provides whole-home filtration as part of a compatible HVAC system. It uses filter media positioned within the system's airflow.

The Comfort EZ Flex is available with different filter options. When comparing filters, homeowners should consider the filter's specifications, compatibility and recommended replacement schedule.

Performance™ Carbon Air Purifier with UV

For homeowners focused on HVAC surface applications rather than airborne particle filtration, Carrier offers UV-C lights, including the UVCAP  Performance™ Carbon Air Purifier. The UVCAP installs within compatible HVAC equipment and provides UV-C exposure to illuminated surfaces, including areas where mold (Penicillium citrinum and Aspergillus niger¹) may be present.

It also aids in reducing unwanted odors, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and common household gases. This powerful air purifier works alongside your HVAC system to promote healthier air circulation, offering peace of mind with advanced air cleaning.

Because UVCAP targets surfaces within the HVAC system rather than particles circulating through a room, it is often considered alongside — not instead of — a whole-home or portable air purifier, depending on a household's air-cleaning priorities. A Carrier dealer can explain whether UVCAP is compatible with your existing system.

Portable Room Air Purifiers

Portable room air purifiers provide another option when you want air cleaning within an individual room or area rather than through a central HVAC system.

Portable room air purifiers are designed to operate independently from a central heating and cooling system. Depending on the model, features may include different operating modes, fan speeds and air-quality monitoring.

Consider the manufacturer's recommended room size and product specifications when selecting a portable air purifier for a bedroom, family room, home office or other space.

5 Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Air Purifier

Choosing an air purifier involves more than selecting a specific brand or model. Here are five factors to consider when comparing options.

1. Space Size

First, determine where you want the air purifier to operate.

Portable air purifiers are designed for individual rooms or spaces, while whole-home air purifiers work with compatible central HVAC systems.

For portable models, compare the size of the room with the manufacturer's recommended coverage specifications. For whole-home equipment, an HVAC professional can review your heating and cooling system to determine compatible options.

2. CADR

Clean Air Delivery Rate, or CADR, is one specification you may encounter when comparing portable air cleaners. CADR provides a standardized way to compare the amount of filtered air delivered by an air cleaner for specified particle types.

CADR is one factor to consider alongside room size, filtration technology, features, maintenance and product specifications.

3. Filter Type and Replacement Requirements

Different air purifiers use different filters and air-cleaning technologies.

Mechanical filters use filter media to collect airborne particles as air passes through them. Some products incorporate activated carbon, which uses adsorption as part of the air-cleaning process.

Also consider how frequently filters should be replaced or maintained and the cost and availability of replacement filters.

4. MERV Rating

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. MERV is a rating system used to describe the performance of HVAC air filters in capturing particles of different sizes.

Different HVAC systems may have different filtration requirements, so homeowners should consider equipment compatibility rather than choosing a filter based only on its MERV rating.

5. Your Air-Cleaning Priorities

Think about what you want from an air purifier before comparing products.

For example:

• Airborne particles: Consider air purifiers that use mechanical filtration.
• Odors and certain gaseous compounds: Consider products that incorporate activated carbon or other adsorbent media.
• Individual rooms: Compare portable air purifiers based on the room size and product specifications.
• Whole-home filtration: Consider equipment designed for use with a compatible central HVAC system.
• HVAC surface applications: UV-C lights may be installed within compatible HVAC equipment to provide UV-C exposure to illuminated surfaces, including areas where mold (Penicillium citrinum and Aspergillus niger¹) may be present.

Defining your priorities first can make it easier to compare different air-cleaning technologies and configurations.