5 Best Pet Air Purifiers – Remove Hair, Dander, & Smells

Many pet owners struggle with issues such as red eyes, stuffy noses, and severe allergies caused by pets. Buying an air purifier is one of the most effective solutions for addressing these issues.

Various studies, user feedback, and personal experiences confirm that air purifiers can significantly reduce pet allergies. Additionally, they help minimize pet hair, fur, and odors in your home.

I deeply analyzed all the models we tested to determine the best air purifiers for pet owners. In addition to our standard testing procedures, we evaluated many air purifiers in environments with cats, lion-headed bunnies, and budgies.

In summary, an air purifier can help neutralize unpleasant odors and reduce the impact of pet allergies.

However, it’s important to remember that these devices have their limits and should not be seen as a miracle solution. To maintain a clean environment, regular hygiene practices—such as vacuuming—are essential, especially in areas where pets reside.

Top 5 Air Purifiers for Pets

We picked the top five air purifiers for pets currently available on the market.

These air purifiers have been chosen based on their specifications, performance test results, and features, making them the best options for pet owners.

Levoit Vital 200S – Best Option for Pets Overall

The Levoit Vital 200S is an excellent air purifier for pets, offering outstanding performance at a reasonable price. It uses three-stage filtration technology, produces no ozone, and comes with plenty of smart features that make it user-friendly.

What I truly love about the Vital 200S is its washable, detachable pre-filter. This filter effectively traps larger particles like pet hair, preventing them from clogging the other filters and extending their lifespan. I recommend cleaning it at least twice a week to keep it working optimally.

Additionally, it uses a high-quality particle filter to capture allergens and dander, while a pellet-based carbon filter efficiently neutralizes unpleasant odors. One minor improvement I’d love to see is separate carbon and particle filters, which would definitely simplify the replacement process.

The Vital 200S also stands out for its smart features, quiet operation—even at maximum speed—and low energy consumption.

Overall, the Levoit Vital 200S is the ideal choice for pet owners seeking an air purifier that can effectively handle pet dander, hair, fur, and odors while also reducing allergens and improving air quality.

Levoit EverestAir – Best for Large Spaces With Pets

What makes the Levoit EverestAir an ideal option for large spaces with pets is its washable pre-filter, high-quality particle and odor filtration, and plenty of smart features.

Before, my top recommendation for large spaces with pets was the Levoit Core 600S. While it is an excellent air purifier, after using both devices for some time in a home with cats, I noticed many advantages with the EverestAir. Its pre-filter is much easier to clean, it captures noticeably more pet hair, and it reduces pet odors more effectively.

On the other hand, the Core 600S offers a higher CADR and comes at a lower price point.

The Levoit EverestAir has a CADR of 360 CFM (612 m³/h), making it suitable for rooms up to 558 sq. ft. (52 m²).

It uses three-stage filtration with rectangular filters that last up to 15 months, and it doesn’t rely on an ionizer or any other technology that could produce ozone. This makes the Levoit EverestAir 100% safe for pets.

In our performance tests, it delivered outstanding results. In a 560 sq. ft. (52 m²) room, it improved air quality by 96%.

It also features a well-optimized 70W motor and performs very well in terms of noise levels.

Overall, the Levoit EverestAir is my top pick for large spaces with pets, and it is especially useful if you have cats, parrots, or bunnies.

Winix 5510 – Best for Pet Allergies and Light Odors

Our previous top choice for pet allergies and light pet odors was the Winix 5500-2, the older brother of the Winix 5510.

Since the 5500-2 has been discontinued in the US, the 5510 has stepped in as a worthy successor, making it the logical replacement as an excellent option for pet owners.

The Winix 5510 performs on par with the Levoit Vital 200S. Like the Levoit, it has a washable pre-filter that’s easy to clean—a big advantage since it efficiently captures larger particles such as pet hair and dander.

The most important feature of the Winix 5510 is its high-quality filtration technology. It uses a True HEPA filter that captures 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. In addition, a pellet-based carbon filter helps neutralize unpleasant pet odors.

As the final stage of filtration, it uses PlasmaWave technology. According to its Energy Star certification, this air purifier doesn’t produce ozone and is completely safe for use.

The unit has a CADR of 253 CFM (430 m³/h) and runs on a 65W motor that is well optimized for noise.

In all our performance tests, the Winix 5510 achieved excellent results.

This consistency proves its quality and secures its spot on our list of the best air purifiers for pets.

Austin Air HealthMate Jr. – Best for Serious Pet Odors

The Austin Air HealthMate Jr. is an outstanding air purifier, mainly recognized for its exceptional ability to neutralize strong odors.

While it may appear bulky or outdated, it stands out as the best choice for tackling serious and heavy pet odors. If odor control is your top priority, this is undoubtedly the air purifier to choose.

Its activated carbon filter, packed with 6.5 lbs of carbon pellets, is its secret weapon against stubborn pet odors.

However, Austin Air HealthMate Jr. has a few limitations. Its CADR is relatively small, and its performance in capturing airborne particles—such as pet allergens, fur, and hair—falls short compared to models like the Levoit Vital 200S, our top recommendation for pets.

However, if your main goal is to eliminate bad odors, this air purifier is undoubtedly the best. Whether it’s odors from litter boxes or other sources, the HealthMate Jr. handles them effortlessly.

Just keep in mind that it’s not the best option for managing pet hair, allergens, or other airborne particles. Its strength lies in odor control, and for that purpose, it’s hard to beat.

Levoit Vital 100S – Best Portable Option for Pets

The Levoit Vital 100S is another fantastic option from Levoit and the best choice if you’re looking for a small, portable air purifier.

It offers all the great features of the Vital 200S but in a more compact design.

Like its larger counterpart, it uses a three-stage filtration technology, includes a washable pre-filter, produces no ozone, and is packed with smart features.

In our tests, the Vital 100S demonstrated outstanding performance. In a 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) room, it improved air quality by 95% in just 60 minutes.

This air purifier is an excellent choice for small spaces, such as a cozy bedroom, an area near the litter box, or a tiny apartment.

Despite its size, it’s powerful enough to handle airborne pollutants, effectively capturing pet fur, dander, and hair while also neutralizing light pet odors.

How We Tested the Air Purifiers?

To understand how air purifiers work and whether they are worth purchasing, we evaluated many of them in various situations, including places with pets.

The cat in the image at the beginning of the article is named Bobi and is one of our testing companions. Bobi lives with my brother, who is highly allergic (particularly to pollen). Installing an air purifier in his room and observing the results was a great idea. The air purifier not only neutralized bad odors from the cat litter box but also captured a surprising amount of cat hair, leaving my brother amazed by the quantity captured.

In another test, we used air purifiers (separately) in a room with a rabbit and two parrots. While we didn’t photograph these pets, you can see an image of several different pre-filters above, which show feathers, dust, and other particles attached. This test demonstrated the incredible amount of feathers, dust, and pet hair collected on the air purifiers’ pre-filters.

If you have parrots, you may have noticed that breathing in the room where they reside is somewhat harder. It feels like you can’t use 100% of your lung capacity. This is due to the tiny feathers and other particles released into the air by parrots, which many people are allergic to.

Installing an air purifier in such a space not only eliminates unpleasant odors but also removes allergens, feathers, and similar particles, making it easier to breathe.

We often underestimate the pollution level in the air around us, mainly because we adapt to various conditions quickly. I’m happy about anyone who reads this article and considers investing in an air purifier.

Can An Air Purifier Help With Pet Hair and Dander?

First, I want to emphasize that most air purifiers effectively eliminate unpleasant odors and pet allergens and capture common airborne particles. I believe this is sufficient reason for anyone concerned about their health to invest in air purifiers.

However, pet owners often face different types of particles and typically expect more from devices like air purifiers. One of the most common questions is whether air purifiers work with pet hair and dander. Without delving into the basics and explaining what pet hair and dander are, I will just say that any air purifier from the list above can handle pet hair and dander.

If I were to highlight my favorite, it would be the Levoit Vital 200S, primarily because it features a mesh pre-filter that is easy to clean (wash) and efficiently captures pet hair, preventing it from reaching and damaging other filters. A good pre-filter is one of the most important features to look for in an air purifier for pet hair!

With pet dander, the situation is a bit different, and in this case you will need an air purifier with a HEPA filter because pet dander particles are 5-10 microns on average. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that air purifiers with HEPA filters can effectively remove up to 99.97% of dust, pollen, and airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, including pet dander.

These air purifiers can provide significant relief for those who suffer from allergies triggered by pets, making them a valuable addition to any home with furry friends.

Side-by-side Comparison of the Best Air Purifiers for Pets

FAQ on Best Air Purifiers for Pets

Final Conclusion

The purchase of an air purifier is something that drastically changes life for the better, and I think it is one of the best decisions that can be made, especially if you have pets in your house.

Air purifiers not only neutralize allergies, pet dander, pet odor, and other pollutants, but they can also remove pet hair from the air and thus make your environment with pets much cleaner.

In this list of the 5 best air purifiers for pets, you will find different devices with different features designed for rooms of different dimensions. However, if I had to choose the best device to buy, it would definitely be the Levoit Vital 200S, while the next best would be the Winix 5510.

If you have any questions or concerns about any of the devices on the list or about purchasing an air purifier for pets in general, please leave a comment in the comments box below.