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Many of us prefer to commute by car for obvious reasons, it is damn comfortable! When you are traveling in a car, do you realize that you are exposing yourself to toxic air pollutants?
Plenty of researches have indicated that exposure to these air pollutants inside the car is very high in comparison to any open space. One obvious reason for the high amount of pollutants inside the car is emissions from nearby vehicles.
The bottom line is that these harmful pollutants are not good for your respiratory system and therefore, you need to make sure that you are inhaling only clean air. When you want to breathe clean air in your car, you will have to use an air purifier because there are no other options.
Due to an increase in air pollution in the past recent years, the number of air purifier brands in the market has increased and it might be difficult to choose the perfect air purifier for your car and therefore, we are here to help you.
Why Should You Buy a Car Air Purifier?
Today, we live in one of the most polluted cities. Out of the top 20 most polluted cities, 13 are from India alone. Our daily activity involves driving around. And even though you might claim that you clean your car daily, is it really clean?
Inside your car, toxic gases like carbon monoxide and other hazardous gases are trapped. This poisonous air eventually becomes a home for bacteria, pollen, flu virus, fungus, and mold.
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If you have a pet or prefer to eat food in your car, the number of pollutants inside the car further increase. Over time, this significantly affects your health and you might also develop allergic reactions which can result in serious complications. The top reasons why you should buy a car air purifier include:
- To keep yourself safe from allergies.
- To reduce asthma triggers.
- To remove dust inside your car.
- To eliminate mold, pet dander and hair.
- To remove smoke
- To get rid of unpleasant odors.
If you spend too much time in your car, you can only protect yourself with a car air purifier. That is why it is an absolute necessity, no matter whether the car you drive is small or large.
Car Air Purifier Buying Guide
Car purifiers have become popular recently and therefore not many people know how to make the right selection when it comes to buying a good air purifier.
Numerous factors should be taken into consideration when buying an air purifier for car, like the type of filters, filtration level and ease of maintenance.
If you are confused about the things that you should look into a good car air purifier, our buying guide will prove to be helpful. We will be considering six essential factors to choose the perfect car air purifier.
1. Types of Filters
A car air purifier essentially has only four basic types of air filtration technology. The most popular of all the filters available is the HEPA filtration! Let us now have a look at all the four types of filtration technology which are available.
A. HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) Filtration
HEPA is considered as the gold standard for air purification. This filter consists of a highly efficient paper filter that effectively traps different types of air contaminants.
A HEPA filter can remove 99.97% of microscopic particles from the air.
When you are looking for a HEPA filter, go for the air purifier that says that it has a “True HEPA filter”. One might also come across terms like “HEPA-like” and “HEPA-type” and you should not confuse it with a true HEPA filter which is 600% more efficient than the other products. A HEPA filter can easily remove mold spores, pollen, dust, fungi, and smoke.
B. Ionic Filtration
An ionic air purifier, also known as an ionizer, works by emitting a cloud of the charged ions into the air. These charged ions attach themselves to particles of dust, mold, pollen and other allergens in the air. As a result, the impurities present in the air become heavier and ultimately fall down to settle on the nearby surface.
When you are buying an air purifier with ionic filtration, make sure that it comes with an electrostatic collection plate where the fallen pollutants get attracted.
This filter is perfect for removing particles of size 0.01 microns and smaller. The disadvantage of the ionic filter is that it is not environment-friendly and needs frequent cleaning.
Ionizer air purifiers do not filter or remove the particles from your home or car, they just make the airborne particles settle faster on the surface or floor.
C. Carbon Filtration
Carbon filters use activated carbons. The activate carbons contain millions of absorbent pores. The activated carbon then traps odors and gases. The carbon filter doesn’t remove pollutants but removes odor and gives a fresh feel.
D. Ultra Violet Light
This technology emits invisible light that kills micro-organic pollutants. And the best thing about UV light is, it does not have any negative effect on humans. The UV light is primarily present for killing bacteria and viruses.
As you have noticed each filter targets one particle function. It is therefore recommended that you buy an air purifier that comes with multiple filters.
2. Compact Size
When you are buying a car air purifier, you need to make sure it is compact. First, you need to decide where you want to place the air purifier and then you have to buy one accordingly.
Most of the air purifiers which are available for the car are small in size. There are also few car air purifiers that can easily fit into a cup holder. If you are planning to use the air purifier in your personal space apart from using it in a car, you can go for a bit bigger size too.
3. Ease of Use
Mostly, car air purifiers are easy to operate. However, if you are looking for a car air purifier that can be used in an effortless manner, you can buy a car air purifier that comes with only one button to control the entire air purifying system.
There are few air purifiers that support hand gestures. These air purifiers make it extremely easy for the users to operate it with simple hand gestures. Even if hand gestures are not available, you can always go for the one that comes with defined buttons to perform different tasks.
4. Ease of Maintenance
The air purifiers rely on the filters to clean the air pollutants. It is therefore obvious that the filter will wear out in a few months and you will have to replace it with a new one. It will be a recurring cost.
Therefore, when you are buying a car air purifier, it is recommended that you check the price of the replacement filter beforehand. If the car air purifier has a HEPA filter, it will not need regular cleaning, but if an ionization filter is present, you will have to engage yourself into regular cleaning of the air filter.
Now that we know the basic things that we need to consider before buying an air purifier for a car let us check the top 10 car air purifiers.
Top 10 Car Air Purifiers – Reviews
1. Honeywell Move Pure Car Air Purifier
Honeywell Move Pure Car Air Purifier is one of the most popular car air purifiers available in the market. Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company and therefore you should expect nothing but the best product from it.
Honeywell Move Pure Car Air Purifier has a high-grade HEPA filter that easily and efficiently removes PM2.5 and dust. Along with removing the harmful particles, the Honeywell Move Pure Car Air Purifier also fights against the external particulate pollutant.
The Honeywell Move Pure Car Air Purifier also comes with an advance double-layer active carbon filter. This carbon filter comes very handy when one needs to remove VOCs, cigarette smoke, formaldehyde, virus, bacteria, odor, and toxic gases.
The air purifier is completely ozone free and does not release any kind of ions. With CADR of 12 m³/hr, this Honeywell car air purifier can be used in both small cars and large SUVs.
The air purifier is power efficient and uses a negligible amount of power and produces low noise. It is a single button operation appliance that can easily be switched on and off and it has two fan speed modes. It can be easily installed in your car without any expert hands. Simply, mount it on the dashboard or the parcel tray and you are good to go.
The Honeywell Move Pure Car Air Purifier comes with a long connecting wire which allows you to place it anywhere inside your car. The air purifier comes with a smart switch on which automatically turns on the air purifier with the previously saved settings.
It is made up of flame retardant material which makes it safe to be used in summer months too. It has a long filter life of 360 hours. The air purifier comes with a warranty of 12 months.
Pros | Cons |
It comes with multi-layer filtration. | The noise produced is noticeable. |
The installation process is extremely easy. | It does not have automatic fan speed control. |
For efficient use, it has two performance modes: silent mode and high-performance mode. | |
Good build quality. |
2. ANSIO Air Purifier
If you are looking for an air purifier within budget, then the ANSIO Air Purifier is your best bet.
The ANSIO Air Purifier helps in cleaning vehicle exhaust, dust, smoke, allergens, formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants.
This portable yet powerful car air purifier features an impressive CADR of 30.43 m³/hr. Wide coverage of up to 150 square feet makes it even suitable for small closed spaces like closed cabins. If you are looking for clean breathing space in your car, then ANSIO Air Purifier is definitely a good choice.
It is a compact air purifier that is portable and comes with a USB cable. The ANSIO Air Purifier follows five steps to ensure that you receive pure air. In the first step, the air is passed through a pre-filter after which it is directed towards a HEPA filter. The air then passes through an activated carbon filter after which the air passes through a filter that is equipped with photocatalytic titanium dioxide. In the second last step, the air passes through a UV lamp and finally, the air hits the ionizer that removes all the tiny pollutants. The entire sequence depicts how carefully the air is purified. The final air hits the aroma pad and releases fragmented air in the car.
There are three modes present in ANSIO Air Purifier which are high speed, low speed, and smart mode. The smart mode of ANSIO Air Purifier detects the quality of the air and then adjusts the operating speed accordingly. The appliance comes with a warranty of two years.
Pros | Cons |
The smart mode of the air purifier automatically detects the air quality and adjusts the operation speed. | The build quality is not that great. |
The aroma pad makes the air fragrant. | The brand is not so known. |
The air goes through five stages of the filtration process. | The power cable is short. |
Affordable price. |
3. Airspa Car Air Purifier
You might not have heard about Airspa since this brand has been launched recently. Even though it is a new brand, it has managed to provide the customers with a solid product.
The Airspa Car Air Purifier comes with HEPA and ionizer that keep your car free from both bad odors and pollutants.
The Airspa Car Air Purifier has a unique design. The futuristic design of this air purifier will easily fit in the cup holder of most of the cars. The HEPA filter of Airspa Car Air Purifier removes particulates of 0.3 micrometre by pushing the air through a mesh.
The air purifier keeps releasing negative ions. These discharged ions bond with dust and other particles and remove them from the air. The product comes with a warranty of one year.
This car air purifier features a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 7 m³/hr and is suitable for most small cars.
Pros | Cons |
Affordable price. | The air purifier is a bit noisy. |
Compact and attractive design. | The capacity and area coverage is very limited. |
It can easily fit into any glass holder. | The brand is not so popular. |
4. Atlanta Healthcare MF-01 MotoFresh Elite Car Air Purifier
The Atlanta Healthcare MF-01 MotoFresh Elite Car Air Purifier is the perfect air purifier for any SUV and Sedan. Atlanta Healthcare is a leading name in the air purifier market in India. And the brand is known for its range of air purifiers for home. This Car Air Purifier comes with four stages filtration: HEPA, activated carbon, anti-bacterial guard and ionizer.
The air purifier provides protection from PM2.5/PM10, virus, smoke, odor, bacteria, TOC, gases, pet dander and formaldehyde. The Atlanta Healthcare MF-01 MotoFresh Elite Car Air Purifier is powerful enough to purify the air in your car within ten minutes.
It comes with one-touch operation and it is considered best in its class quality. It also has the highest CADR among other car air purifiers. This first of its kind car purifier is equipped with dual fan technology which results in a high CADR of 15 m³/hr. The MotoFresh Elite car air purifier is easy to install and maintain. For using it, you just need to unpack it, plug it to a socket, that’s it! The appliance comes with a warranty of one year.
Pros | Cons |
The air purifier comes with dual fan technology that cleans the air within a short span of time. | One needs to switch on the air purifier every time the car starts. |
It purifies the air through four stages: HEPA, activated carbon, anti-bacterial guard and ionizer. | The anti-slip mat is of not much use. |
Easy to install. | It has an ionizer which makes it non-environment friendly. |
The build quality is quite good. | |
High CADR of 15 m³/hr means better coverage. |
5. Purita Classic Car Air Purifier
The first thing that one will notice after having a look at the Purita Classic Car Air Purifier is its elegant design. If you are someone who suffers a lot because of nasal stuffiness, sneezing, cough, allergies, and other respiratory illness, then you should definitely get this.
This air purifier has a high CADR. The unique 360 degrees’ airflow of the air purifier quickly cleans the entire car. This air purifier has multi-filtration stages. The primary filter is the HEPA filter. Other filters which are present in Purita Classic Car Air Purifier are pre-filter, activated carbon filter, and anion filter.
All the filters work together to remove dust, pollen, allergen, odors, pet dander, mold spores, and other pollutants.
What makes the Purita Classic Car Air Purifier unique is that it has an intelligent mode function that smartly detects the air quality and functions accordingly. The product comes with a warranty of one year.
This car air purifier is quite compact which makes it a perfect fit for a car cup holder.
Pros | Cons |
The color light of the air purifier indicates air quality. | Only works on USB, can’t connect to the lighter port like other air purifiers. |
The intelligent mode function automatically detects the air quality and changes fan speed accordingly. | The brand is not known. |
4-stage filtration. | |
The premium alloy body makes it highly durable. | |
Beautiful design. |
6. Atlanta Healthcare MP-01 MotoPure Ultra Car Air Purifier
Atlanta Healthcare MP-01 MotoPure Ultra Car Air Purifier is an ultra-cool looking effective air purifier for car. Just like other air purifiers by Atlanta Healthcare, even this model features dual fan technology.
The air purifier has a high CADR of 15 m3/km. To give you clean and fresh air, the air purifier filters the air by taking it through four stages filtration: HEPA, activated carbon, anti-bacterial guard, and ionizer.
The Atlanta Healthcare MotoPure Ultra Car Air Purifier purifies the air by removing dust, PM2.5, pollen, smoke, germs, mites, and spores. Installing and maintaining this air purifier is extremely easy. Just plug the socket of the air purifier in the socket, and you are good to go. Within a span of ten minutes, Atlanta Healthcare MP-01 MotoPure Ultra Car Air Purifier will purify the air in your car. The air purifier comes with just one button, and you can use that one button to control all operations.
Pros | Cons |
The air purifier has a four-stage filtration process. | The blinks sometimes provide incorrect information. |
2 fan speed modes. | The brand is not known. |
It comes with one-touch operation. | |
High CADR of 15 m3/hr. | |
Long power cable, can be placed at the rear end of the car. | |
Filter replacement indicator. |
7. Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier IG-GC2E-B for Cars
Sharp Plasmacluster is an elegant looking air purifier for cars, vans, and SUVs. The air purifier supports fast deodorization, which removes different types of odors from the car, including mold, food, and smoke smell.
Apart from using it as a car purifier, one can also use it as a personal air sterilizer. This car air purifier features a Clean Air Delivery Rate of 3.6 m³/hr. Coverage of up to 25 square feet makes it suitable for small rooms and computer desktops. 28 global laboratories have certified Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier for effectiveness and safety.
The manufacturer of the air purifier boasts about the fact that the air purifier functions effectively even when the windows of the car are open. You can expect a smooth performance from Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier for eight years. The brand claims that you won’t need to replace any filters for up to 19,000 hours or 8 years (usage of 8 hours a day).
The washable PM10 filter takes care of thick dust.
Pros | Cons |
It can be used both as an air purifier and a personal air sterilizer. | HEPA filter is absent in the air purifier. |
It makes negligible noise. | Cleaning the air purifier is a tough job. |
It has a very elegant design. | High price. |
The filter is washable and there is no need to replace filters for up to 8 years. | |
It comes with a 2-port USB car adaptor. |
8. Honeywell Move Pure2 Car Air Purifier
Honeywell Move Pure2 Car Air Purifier is perhaps the only air purifier that shows real-time air quality in the car. As the air purifier comes in action, you will be able to see a drop in the pollution level of the air.
Honeywell Move Pure2 Car Air Purifier comes with a high-grade HEPA filter that can efficiently remove PM 2.5 dust particles. It has an advance double-layer active carbon filter which removes toxic gases and odor in addition to other VOCs.
Honeywell Move Pure2 Car Air Purifier does not release any ion and therefore is very environment-friendly. The robust performance of the air purifier is evident from the fact that it has a CADR of 15 m³/hr. It has been certified by the Shanghai Institute of Measurement and Testing Technology that it can purify the air inside the car within ten minutes.
Powerful airflow is guaranteed by Honeywell Move Pure2 Car Air Purifier, thanks to the dual-fan design of the air purifier. The air purifier has a filter life of 360 hours. You will be alerted when the time to change the filter comes through the in-built filter replacement indicator.
It also has multi-layer integrated filtration: HEPA and activated carbon filter that removes harmful particulates from the car easily. A touch screen button is also present in it, which makes the operation easy. The air purifier is easy to install and maintain.
Pros | Cons |
It comes with a real-time air quality indicator. | Too much usage of this air filter can create a sensation of nausea. |
It has an advanced double-layer active carbon filter that efficiently removes gases and odors. | The air purifier can run only for 360 hours when used for 2-3 hours daily, which is low in comparison to other air purifiers. |
Two fan speed modes are available. | High price. |
Filter replacement indicator. | |
Powerful CADR of 15 m³/hr. | |
High-grade HEPA filter that removes PM 2.5. |
9. Velvet-Line Car Air Purifier
The Velvet-Line Car Air Purifier can give you complete protection from pollutants. It features four layers of filtration that includes PM2.5 and PM0.3 HEPA filters and activated carbon filter.
The manufacturer of Velvet-Line Car Air Purifier believes that one needs to both see and feel the difference and therefore, it comes with an air quality index that shows real-time air quality inside the car. This indicator also shows the user how efficiently the air purifier is working. A green light indicates good air quality; yellow color indicates moderate air quality, and the red color indicates poor air quality.
If the air quality is recognized as poor by the air filter, it will start working on the fast mode to ensure that you get rid of the hazardous air quickly.
The compact and stylish design of the air purifier makes it suitable for all cars. Apart from an air purifier, one will also get an anti-skid mat and fragrance bottle in the box. In short, you will get the complete package.
Pros | Cons |
4 layers of HEPA filtration technology is used. | Unknown brand. |
The air quality indicator shows real-time pollution levels. | Availability of replacement filter. |
The product design is classy. |
10. FSR Ions Car Air Purifier
This air purifier has an in-built air quality display that shows the exact level of PM 2.5 in the air. The red light in the air purifier indicates that air quality is bad, whereas the blue light indicates clean air.
The air purifier has a multi-stage air filtration system which includes HEPA filtration and ionization. The multiple filtration ensures you get clean air at a lightning-fast speed.
It also has a fragrance slot. You can put aroma oil or perfume in this slot to enjoy refreshing air.
This Car Air Purifier is the only air purifier that supports operation through gesture. The gesture control technology makes it easier for users to operate the purifier. You simply need to wave your hand to switch on the fan. Similarly, the fan speed can be increased or turned off using hand gestures.
Pros | Cons |
The air purifier indicates the air pollution level. | Unknown brand. |
The air purifier supports the fragrance slot. | Gesture control doesn’t always work. |
It can be controlled and operated using simple hand gestures. | |
The replacement filter is very affordable. | |
Compact and ultra-modern design, easily fits in the cupholder. |
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Sources of Air Pollution in a Car
There are numerous factors that can negatively affect the air quality inside your car. The main sources of air pollutions in a car are:
1. Particulate Matter Components
The particulate matter components come from the surrounding environment and these are associated with cardiovascular problems. The particulate matter components also decrease lymphocytes and increase red blood cells, neutrophils, and reactive protein. It causes pathophysiologic changes that involve cardiac rhythm, coagulation, and inflammation.
2. Endotoxin and Beta (1,3)-Glucan
The indoor environment of the car exposes the passengers to endotoxin and Beta (1,3)- Glucan that induces respiratory symptoms. Even though the exposure is small, it can hugely impact asthma patients.
3. Brominated Flame Retardants
The brominated flame retardants are present in the chemicals present in the dust of the vehicle. The car is a source of brominated flame retardants. Many pieces of research have also shown that its concentration is higher in the front seats in comparison to the back seats.
4. Aromatic Hydrocarbon
The source of the aromatic hydrocarbon includes the interior material present in a car cabin. Styrene is present in aromatic hydrocarbon and the World Health Organisation has predicted that an intake of 7.7 micrograms per day is tolerable. However, inside the car, the concentration of the styrene is found to be of 654 micrograms which is way beyond the tolerable limit.
5. Volatile Organic Compounds
Vehicular exhaust is the source of volatile organic compounds which include organic substances like acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, n-tetradecane, and n-undercane. The highest concentration of volatile organic compounds is found in new cars. Also during the summer season, when the cars are enclosed and there is no outlet for the fresh air to get in, the concentration of volatile organic compounds was found to be higher.
6. Residual Tobacco Smoke
It has been noticed that the cars where smoking takes place, the air conditioners function less and the windows are kept open for the smoke to move out. This results in air pollution inside the car. The level of nicotine in the dust of a smoker’s car was found to be significantly higher.
The air quality inside the car can only be improved by placing an air purifier inside it.
Car Air Purifier – FAQs
The working principle of a car air purifier is similar to a home air purifier. The working technologies of a car air purifier involve a negative ion generator that catches dust and pollen and settles them to surface. It also uses a HEPA filter to clear off the air pollutant, which is of extremely small size. The activated carbon filter removes the gases associated with the smokes and car exhaust. All the filters work together in a good air purifier, and it cleanses the air inside the car.
Yes, car air purifiers really work. A car air purifier removes more than 92% of the harmful air particulates present inside the car. Having said that, the efficiency of a car air purifier depends on the air filtration technology which is used in it. The more the filters, the better it will work for you! You can also see whether it is actually cleaning the air or not by keeping in check the real-time air pollutant present in the car. There are many air purifiers present in the market that show real-time air quality levels.
Ionizer generator emits ions that stick to the pollutants and bring them down to the surface. Basically, the pollutants will not be floating freely in the air but will settle on the surface, and you need to clean it if the filter doesn’t come with a plate to collect these charged pollutants. Similarly, ozone generators also do not filter the air but absorb the odor. With the ozone generator in the air purifier, your car will always smell fresh. However, it should be noted there are risks associated with the ozone filter as it is not good for the health.
If your car air purifier comes with a carbon filter or an ozone filter, it will definitely remove the bad smell from the car. Few air purifiers also come with an aroma pad that not only removes the bad smell but releases fragrance too.
A car air purifier purifies the air inside the car. An ionizer generator will release ions and will settle the dust but will not remove them. An ozone generator neither removes air pollutants nor settles the dust, but removes odor from the car.
Many of the air purifiers provide information about CADR. Clean Air Delivery Rate or CADR is a rating developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. This rating provides information about the capacity of the device to clean the air. The higher the CADR, the more effective your air purifier is. This is an important criterion that you need to consider when you are buying an air purifier.
Final Verdict
Our personal favorite, among this list of best car air purifiers, is the Honeywell Move Pure car air purifier. This air purifier has a high CADR and produces low noise. Apart from that it has multi-layer filtration and comes with both a HEPA filter and carbon filter which gives all-round protection from the air pollutants. Also, it is easy to install and maintain. The one-button operation makes it extremely easy to operate. It is an environment-friendly air purifier too.
However, if you are looking for an air purifier with a medium budget, you can go for ANSIO car air purifier. Even this air purifier has a reasonable CADR. The best part of this air purifier is that it comes with Pre-filter, a HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, UV lamp, and an ionizer. This air purifier will ensure that all the air pollutants are effectively removed from your car.
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