As of: February 23, 2024, 3:33 p.m
By: Patrick Hauser
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Air purifiers effectively filter pollutants, dust and pollen from the air.
© 220Selfmadestudio/PantherMedia
Air purifiers effectively remove pollutants indoors and help against viruses and pollen.
Stiftung Warentest examined devices from Kärcher, Dyson and Co. and chose a test winner.
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Did you know that Germans spend, on average, 80 to 90 percent of their lives indoors?
The Federal Environment Agency determined that, especially in winter, we hardly ever go out into the fresh air - in the truest sense of the word.
The air quality in rooms can contain harmful gases from furniture, for example, and is contaminated with fine dust and pollen, which can contribute to asthma or cardiovascular diseases.
Regular ventilation can help, but there is a catch: the number of viruses decreases if you frequently let fresh air into the room - the minimum is five minutes of shock ventilation in the morning and evening. However, the virus load then increases steadily again and you are hardly any protection if there is an infectious person in the room.
An air purifier can help, which, together with regular ventilation, ensures that the aerosol particles disappear and the viral load remains permanently low.
How useful is an air purifier?
Stiftung Warentest tested a total of 16 air purifiers in the test period from December 2021 to February 2024, including devices from all well-known manufacturers such as Bosch, Kärcher and Dyson.
The result: With fresh filters, all air purifiers perform well and reduce the amount of particles in a 16 square meter and 2.5 meter high room by 90 to 98 percent within 20 minutes.
Clean air protects against infections and offers great relief against dust and pollen, especially for allergy sufferers.
In order for air purifiers to be good for your health in the long term, they should also work with used filters.
To do this, Stiftung Warentest exposed the filters to the room of 100 cigarettes in order to simulate artificial aging of around four to five months.
Most air purifiers had problems here; one device, for example, only filtered the smallest particles by 64 percent.
We present you the air purifiers with the best test results.
All devices at a glance:
The test winner: Bosch Air 4000 – grade 2.3
The price-performance winner: Trotec Airgoclean 170 E – grade 2.3
The best handling: Kärcher AF 30 – grade 2.4
With fan function: Dyson Purifier Cool TP09 – grade 2.6
Air purifier and fan: Philips AMF 765 – grade 2.6
The special case: Ideal AP40 Pro – grade 3.5
Air purifier: This is how Stiftung Warentest tested it
These evaluation criteria were important for the test team:
Air purification: 60% (for pure air purifiers) or 30% (purifiers with fan function)
Ventilation: 30% (only for cleaners with a fan function)
Handling: 20%
Environmental properties: 15%
Security: 5%
The test winner: Bosch Air 4000 – test rating grade 2.3
Bosch Air 4000 air purifier © Bosch
The air purifier from Bosch secured the test victory.
The aspects of safety (grade 1.0) and environmental properties (1.7) were particularly pleasing, but air purification (2.5) and handling (2.3) were also “good”.
Only €249.99 on Amazon
✔️ 3in1 filter: pre-filter, activated carbon filter, HEPA filter |
❌ no control via app possible |
✔️ Sleep mode: Whisper-quiet noise, LED and display turn off |
❌ no remote control included |
✔️ Winner German Design Award 2023 |
|
✔️ Car mode and parental controls |
|
✔️ Lowest power consumption of all devices tested |
Buy replacement filters here
The price-performance winner: Trotec Airgoclean 170 E – grade 2.3
Trotec Airgoclean 170 E air purifier © Trotec
The Trotec cleaner left nothing to be desired, especially in terms of safety (grade 1.0).
It's a bit complicated to use (2.8), but the air purifier narrowly misses out on winning the test and impresses with its affordable price.
Only €99.95 on Amazon
✔️ optical air quality sensor with 3 LED colors |
❌ no control via app possible |
✔️ 360° air purification |
❌ no remote control included |
✔️ Night mode with whisper-quiet fan operation |
❌ Parental controls are missing |
✔️ 3-stage filter: DACRON pre-filter, carbon filter, HEPA filter |
|
✔️ very cheap and economical to operate |
Order replacement filters here
Attention, additional costs!
The air purifier alone is not enough: you have to factor in additional costs for clean air.
Stiftung Warentest simulated eight hours of daily operation at the highest level and determined electricity costs between 22 and 60 euros annually.
Added to this are the expenses for replacement filters.
The air purifiers tested show on the display when it is time to change the filter.
Overall, Stiftung Warentest determined additional annual costs of between 69 and 238 euros for electricity and replacement filters.
The best handling: Kärcher AF 30 – grade 2.4
Kärcher AF 30 air purifier © Kärcher
Of all the devices tested, the Kärcher air purifier achieved the best handling result (grade 1.9).
Although the air purification only received a “satisfactory” rating, the device still impressed the testers and secured a “good” final grade.
Only €239 instead of €299.99
✔️ Temperature, humidity and air quality indicators |
❌ no control via app possible |
✔️ with automatic mode for automatic cleaning performance of the device |
❌ no remote control included |
✔️ Night mode |
❌ Filter system without pre-filter |
✔️ 2 HEPA filters with activated carbon layer included |
To the replacement filters
With fan function: Dyson Purifier Cool TP09 – grade 2.6
Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09 air purifier © Dyson
Beautifully designed and with additional functions: The elegant air purifier from Dyson is a combination device and also contains a ventilation function that was rated “good” (2.0).
The weak display of the air quality (handling rating 3.7) cost the device the test victory.
€649.99 on Amazon
✔️ Control and analysis possible via app |
❌ no parental controls |
✔️ Dual functionality: HEPA air purifier + bladeless fan |
❌ very expensive |
✔️ Automatic and sleep mode |
|
✔️ Remote control included |
Buy replacement filters here
Air purifier and fan: Philips Air performer 7000, AMF 765 – grade 2.6
Philips Air performer 7000, AMF 765 air purifier © Philips
The Philips device is the second and last of the 16 test products that has a fan function in addition to air purification.
This convinced the testers with a “good” grade (2.2), otherwise the Philips Air performer received “satisfactory” results (grade 3.1 for air purification and handling).
Only €349 instead of €399.99
✔️ Control and analysis possible via app |
❌ occasional connection problems with the app |
✔️ AI technology for air purification and cooling |
|
✔️ Automatic and sleep mode as well as parental controls |
|
✔️ Remote control included |
To the replacement filters
You have to keep this in mind when changing the filter
Depending on the pollution of the room air and the length of daily use, a filter should be changed every six to twelve months.
The air purifiers tested also show this on the display.
You can dispose of the used products with household waste.
Allergy sufferers who are sensitive to dust or pollen should wear disposable gloves and a protective mask when changing the filter to avoid being exposed to the dangerous particles.
At the latest when changing the filter, you should clean the pre-filter, which collects coarse protection, and wipe out the inside of the housing.
If the air quality sensor is dirty, it can be easily cleaned with a cotton swab.
The special case: Ideal AP40 Pro – grade 3.5
Ideal AP40 Pro air purifier © Ideal
At first glance, the ideal air purifier doesn't seem particularly interesting: the overall grade of 3.5 is lousy, no other device performed worse in the test.
But be careful: When it comes to air purification - and that's what air purifiers are all about - the Ideal AP40 Pro achieved the best grade of all products in the test (1.8).
Its “problem” is user-friendliness: the air quality is displayed incorrectly and bad air is not reliably reported.
The app is also confusing, which explains the “poor” handling rating (4.9).
But if clean air is the most important thing for you, you will certainly be satisfied with the ideal air purifier - especially since Amazon is currently offering a very attractive discount of 63%.
63% discount! Only €239 instead of €648.55
✔️ Control possible via app |
❌ incorrect and unreliable air quality display |
✔️ captures aerosol particles and gases very well |
❌ Operation not user-friendly |
✔️ Automatic and sleep mode included |
❌ consumes a lot of electricity |
✔️ Remote control included |
❌ no parental controls |
Order replacement filters here
Conclusion: What is the best air purifier?
When it comes to air filtration, the tested devices don't do much; pollutants are filtered out of the air extensively and reliably, especially with new filters.
Which product is best for you depends on factors for which you have to determine the importance yourself: Is user-friendliness important to you?
Control via app or remote control?
Low additional costs for replacement filters and electricity?
A cheap air purifier?
Or that the device can also be used as a fan?
Make a list based on your personal priorities, this will help with decision making.
An air purifier finally lets you breathe deeply at home and makes life easier, especially for allergy sufferers.
You can read the complete report from Stiftung Warentest here.