Air purifier reviews are a great resource when deciding what type of air purifier you want to purchase. The reviews will tell you about the appearance, features, prices and possible mechanical issues with air purifiers, but there are things that most reviews do not tell you. Below is a list of important considerations that air purifier reviews don’t mention and what you should know before purchasing an air purifier.
Not All Air Purifier Reviews Are Un-Biased
Like many types of product reviews, some air purifier reviews are paid for. There is a very real possibility that you have read at least one air purifier review that was paid for by the manufacturer of an air purifier. The review may be positive for the air purifier or negative, but it’s not illegal for a manufacturer to pay someone to write a review on a product. There are sites that do not purchase reviews of any kind, but they may be hard to spot. If a site consistently feature one type of air purifier, research the site. They may be a stakeholder in that air purifier company.
Air Purifier Reviews and Ozone
Some air purifiers emit ozone, a lung irritant that can become toxic that is generally produced by electrostatic air cleaners. While some air purifier reviews will mention ozone, many will not tell you how much ozone the air purifiers put out. The FDA regulates how much ozone a medical device can emit, but since home air purifiers are not listed as medical devices, the ozone they produce is not strictly monitored or recorded. Independent testing sites do test the ozone levels from air purifiers, though, and doing a specific Internet search for ozone in specific models should give you that information.
Most Air Purifier Reviews Assume You Need an Air Purifier
You may not really need an air purifier. Many experts, including people who do independent testing on air purifiers, do not think people need home air purifiers. Sure, most do work to an extent and make the air smell better, but there are other methods of removing allergens like cigarette smoke and pet dander. For instance, not smoking inside and regular cleaning does more to remove these allergens than an air purifier. Most air purifiers do not work to remove allergens on their own and must be coupled with regular cleaning and ventilating to be fully effective. Even the EPA and the American Lung Association recommend using other methods to control allergens before resorting to air purifiers.
There is little medical and scientific evidence confirming that air purifiers work the way they claim. Air purifiers are not made equally when it comes to performance. However, many air purifier reviews claim that “this” air purifier works just like “that “ air purifier and many do not give specifics. For this reason, it’s important to look at the independent test results of each unit. Also, although air purifiers remove many airborne particles, most do not remove viruses, like many of them claim.
When it comes to finding an air purifier, it’s important to carefully read the air purifier reviews for what they are — and are not– telling you.