The 6 Best Air Purifiers For Pets That Tackle Fur, Dander And Odors

Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 14.2 inches | Weight: 7.5 pounds | Coverage area: 219 square feet | Filter: Pre-filter, HEPA, activated carbon | Noise level: 24 to 50 decibels

What you’ll love:

• Pet lock feature
• ARC Formula designed to extend life of carbon filter
• Can be controlled by an app or voice assistant

Keep in mind:

• Can get loud on high settings

True to its name, Levoit’s Core P350 Pet Care Air Purifier is specifically designed for pet owners. Made to clean areas of up to 219 square feet, it features a HEPA filter that reduces allergens, an activated carbon filter that reduces pet odors—including those from litter boxes, according to reviewers—and a non-woven pre-filter that traps larger debris, such as floating fur and dust (reducing the amount you have to vacuum from your floors).

A highlight of this model is Levoit’s Arc Formula, which is found in the activated carbon layer: It’s designed to increase the lifespan of the filter and reduce secondhand pollution by chemically decomposing odor molecules trapped within it. Other helpful features include a sleep mode that softens the motor’s sound and dims the lights, and a clever pet lock option to prevent your human or fur baby from making any accidental adjustments. Further, this model can be controlled via an app or you can sync it with your voice assistant for hands-free operation. 

Dimensions: 15.9 x 11 x 25.2 inches | Weight: 13.1 pounds | Coverage area: 392 square feet | Filter: Pre-filter, carbon, True HEPA | Noise level: 27 to 41 decibels

What you’ll love:

• Four-stage filtration system (three physical filters)
• Quiet operation
• Built-in air quality sensor
• Backed by a 2-year warranty

Keep in mind:

• Releases negative ions (but feature can be turned off)
• Filter Q is only compatible with the 5510/5520, not previous models

The Winix 5510 Air Purifier (and the 5520, which is the essentially the same model but has an aesthetically different exterior) is a powerful yet ultra-quiet machine that’s easy to use and operate. It features dedicated buttons for fan speed, an off timer (one, four or eight hours), and specific purifying modes. It’s also equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, which means you can control it remotely via either the Winix Smart App on your phone or your voice assistant. While the unit is large and weighs 13 pounds, a built-in handle makes it relatively easy to move from room to room. It also features an air quality meter that allows the purifier to operate in auto mode, adjusting itself based on real-time air quality readings.

Its thorough four-stage filtration system includes a mesh pre-filter and HEPA filter to capture pet hair and dander, plus a carbon filter to minimize odors and volatile organic compounds (a.k.a. VOCs, a category of harmful fumes). Note that both the HEPA and carbon filters (collectively known as Filter Q) need to be replaced every nine to 12 months; luckily, there’s a filter-replacement indicator to let you know when it’s time. The fourth stage of the filter system—the built-in PlasmaWave ionizer—releases negative ions that cause small particles to clump together and settle on surfaces for easy cleanup with a rag or vacuum. (Note that ionizers produce ozone, which, according to doctor of public health Jennifer Dunphy, can be harmful to young children and disturbing to certain populations.) While Winix claims that the amount this model produces falls within safe levels, we advise choosing a different option if you have children or breathing issues like asthma. Of course, you can also keep this feature off if you go for this particular model.

Dimensions: 10.1 x 19 x 17,9 inches | Weight: 20.5 pounds | Coverage area: 500 square feet | Filter: Carbon pre-filter, True HEPA | Noise level: About 45 to 55 decibels

What you’ll love:

• Third-party tested to clear up to 500 square feet
• Straightforward, easy operation
• Energy Star certified
• VOC sensor and air quality indicator offer real-time feedback

Keep in mind:

• Can get quite loud on high settings
• No remote included

If you need a heavy-duty air purifier with substantial coverage, the Honeywell Insight Series is a solid choice. It’s been independently tested to circulate and filter air 4.8 times per hour in extra-large spaces of up to 500 square feet. The purifier uses a combination of True HEPA filtration and an activated carbon pre-filter: The first captures 99.97% of airborne particles like mold spores, dander, dust mite debris and pollen (ideal for those with allergies), and the second helps reduce odors and VOCs. You can also add an optional enhanced odor filter for extra odor control. We recommend getting this extra carbon layer if you purchase this air purifier, since commercially sold air purifiers typically don’t have a heavy enough carbon layer to efficiently reduce odors and VOCs. 

While the machine lacks a remote or app, it’s easy to operate with a single power button and offers four cleaning modes, including a Turbo mode for maximum purification (just note that this machine gets quite loud at almost 60 decibels on Turbo mode). A built-in VOC sensor detects air quality and provides a visual display, and there’s also a convenient filter-check indicator. Lastly, despite its powerful performance, we like that this device is certified energy efficient by the U.S. EPA with an Energy Star label. One thing to remember is that the pre-filter should be replaced every three months, while the HEPA filter has a 12-month lifespan.

Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 14.6 inches | Weight: 6.8 pounds | Coverage area: 230 square feet | Filter: Fine mesh pre-filter, True HEPA, activated carbon | Noise level: 20 to 35.2 decibels

What you’ll love:

• Compact and lightweight design
• Built-in air quality sensor and filter change indicator
• Quiet operation, especially in sleep mode
• Relatively long filter life (between 10 and 12 months)

Keep in mind:

• Ionizer technology may produce ozone, but can be turned off

The Winix A231 is designed to deliver solid cleaning performance (five air changes per hour) for small to medium-sized rooms of up to 230 square feet. Weighing just under 7 pounds, it’s small but effective, featuring a washable fine mesh pre-filter, an activated carbon filter for reducing VOCs and pet and household odors, and a HEPA filter that captures 99.97% of airborne allergens like pollen and dander. The built-in sensors monitor air quality and automatically adjust the fan speed. While this is already one of the quieter machines on our list (making it ideal for bedrooms, workspaces and nurseries), you can activate the Ultra-Quiet mode for nearly silent performance at night. We appreciate that this mode can be light-activated, so that it activates when your space is darkened, then returns to Auto mode when the light is turned on.

Like our best overall pick, this Winix model also uses PlasmaWave technology, an ionizer that the brand says produces a level of ozone that’s considered safe by the California Air Resource Board’s AB 2276 standard and UL safety and mechanical construction standards. Still, we advise care if you live in a household with asthma sufferers or children; and like with our top pick, you can choose to turn this feature off.

Dimensions: 7 x 21.4 x 20 inches | Weight: 19.4 pounds | Coverage area: 815 square feet | Filter: Pre-filter,  medium filter, BioGS HEPA, custom filter, activated carbon | Noise level: 25.6 to 51.3 decibels

What you’ll love:

• Six-stage air purification targets particles of various sizes
• Special custom filters target specific concerns (e.g., pet allergies, odors)
• Can be wall-mounted and comes with a remote
• Backed by a five-year warranty

Keep in mind:

• Large footprint
• Uses ionizer technology (but can be turned off)

RabbitAir’s Minus A2 features a sleek panel design that can be mounted on the wall or discreetly placed in a corner of your living room (or prominently, if the design goes with your aesthetic). But it’s not just a pretty face—this purifier comes with five filters, each with a different target: a pre-filter, medium particle filter, a BioGS HEPA filter, a customizable filter (we recommend either the Pet Allergy or Odor Remover filter kits for pet parents), and an activated carbon charcoal filter. We want to highlight this five-layer filtration because of the wide range of particle sizes it captures: The pre-filter and medium filter trap larger particles like dust, pollen and dander; the HEPA layer, meanwhile, captures particles between 0.1 and 0.3 microns in size, which includes smoke, soot, and some viruses and bacteria. The charcoal-based activated carbon layer is made with natural materials and uses electrostatic and chemical absorption to bond with odor-causing particles. 

Dozens of reviewers are impressed with how effective the RabbitAir MinusA2 is on odor reduction, in particular, and this includes everything from cigar smoke to animal smells. One such user, gear and tech writer Steven John (an experienced air purifier tester who’s used a different RabbitAir air purifier with the same multi-layered filtration technology), says: “We set up our air purifier in a corner of the dining room and were almost never bothered by kitchen odors while eating. It also easily conquered pet odors—which I know because one of our cats, a heavy-shedding long-hair, spends most of her time asleep on one of the dining room chairs.” Note that this machine also includes a negative ion generator, but it can be turned off via the app or the control panel. While the filters are costly to replace at around $100, depending on type, its effectiveness and long lifespan (every 12 months, or depending on usage) makes up for the cost, according to several users.

Dimensions: 22.3 x 21.4 x 8.8 inches | Weight: 19.2 pounds | Coverage area: 649 square feet | Filter: Pre-filter, activated carbon, True HEPA | Noise level: 21.7 to 49.3 decibels

What you’ll love:

• Attractive, award-winning design features fabric cover and wood legs
• Clears large spaces of up to 649 square feet twice an hour
• Has built-in Qi wireless charging station
• Quiet operation (except on the highest setting)

Keep in mind:

• Touch controls can be tricky

If aesthetics matters to your family as much as an air purifier’s effectiveness at capturing pet allergens and odors, look to the trusted air purifier brand Coway. Its Icon air purifier (there’s also IconS, the smart version) is highly vouched for by parenting editor Esther Carlstone, who has a puppy and kids with allergies. “I use this one in my open living room since it cleans over 600 square feet, and I have noticed it really keeps my puppy’s dander at bay for my kids, who are more sensitive to allergens and often have itchy eyes at other homes with dogs.” The Icon does this with its three-stage filtration system, comprised of a fabric pre-filter to trap larger contaminants like fur and dust mites; a True HEPA layer with a microbacterial treatment that captures ultra-fine particles including pollen, fungi and viruses; and an activated charcoal layer that reduces VOCs and other harmful gasses, pet smells and cigarette smoke.

In addition to its efficacy and attractive, furniture-like design, the Coway Icon has several convenient, user-friendly features, including two that Carlstone highlights: its quiet operation (its lowest decibel rating is 21.7) and built-in Qi wireless charging for your devices. It also has a real-time air quality monitor that auto-adjusts the air purifier’s purification setting and a Sleep Mode that uses light-sensing to reduce power consumption and noise when the lights have been turned off.