Most people narrow down their choices to two or three home air cleaners before making a final decision. Use these ten factors to compare home air cleaners head-to-head. Keep in mind that it is not as important that you are exact in using the rating factors, but that you are consistent ranking each cleaner you are comparing. If you do not know the information needed to complete any of the ten factors below, do additional research on air cleanser company websites, internet reviews, or informational websites. Make your best guess when all else fails. I encourage you to spend some time in this process. Many devices “sound good”, but when put next head-to-head with others, they don’t succeed. Let’s get started!
Which Air Pollutants are Removed: An air cleanser is only as good as what it removes from the air. There are six toxin categories. Each category alone is important and when combined, they are the foundation for any good overall air cleaning. The six ecoquest purifier categories are: Removal of Allergens larger than 0. 3 microns (examples: dust, pet dander, pollen), Removal of Allergens less than 0. 3 microns (examples: small dust, tobacco smoke), Removal of Scents and Fumes (examples: food smells, chemicals, aerosols, pet smells), Removal of Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs (examples: paints, varnishes, cleaning supplies, glues, adhesives), Removal of Basic Organisms (examples: trojans, antigens, pathogens, bacteria), and Removal of Advanced Organisms (example: Avian Influenza A). When you compare home air cleaners, do your best to rate each cleaner for all the six categories: Good Removal, Fair Removal, or Poor Removal. Then, rank each cleaner overall: Best Remover, Second Best Remover, Third Best Remover, etc.
Yearly Operating Costs: The initial price of an air cleanser is only one aspect in the entire in business cost. In business costs include consumables like HEPA and h2o and filtration systems, VOC cartridges, and UV lamps. Electricity consumption is also an in business cost. Do comparison research on the in business costs for each cleaner. Consider averaging costs over a five-year time frame to get a more accurate long-term picture. After rating all the devices, rank them: Best Yearly Operating Costs, Second Best Yearly Operating Costs, Third Best Yearly Operating Costs, etc.
Value: To calculate the relative value of a given air cleanser, consider several factors: total cost, sq video footage cleaned, and cleaning ability. Total cost includes sticker price plus yearly ongoing in business costs (use from #2 above). Write down a total cost dollar value for each cleaner you are comparing. For sq video footage cleaned, your goal should be to buy a cleaner that is size suited for the area you want cleaned. Write down a sq video footage for each cleaner. Cleaning ability includes what is removed and how well (use the data you put together in #1). The best value would be the cleaner that costs the least, clears the most, and removes the most. Rank each cleaner: Economical, Second Economical, Third Economical, etc.
Quality: Quality becomes good products. Rate each air cleanser for quality in these three areas a) fit, finish, and know how b) the standard of cleaning technologies utilized and c) support: guide, customer service, and company websites. Rate each cleaner: Excellent Quality, Good quality, or Questionable Quality for each factor. Now, rank each cleaner overall: Best value, Second Best value, Third Best value, etc.
Warranty: A good warranty generally ensures that a company has faith in their products. When comparing, rate each cleaner: 5-year or greater Warranty — Excellent, 3-4 year Warranty — Good, or 2-year or under Warranty — Fair. Rank each cleaner Best Warranty, Second Best Warranty, Third Best Warranty, etc.
Maintenance and Cleaning: Virtually every air cleanser has some ongoing maintenance. Most devices are made for easy maintenance. When comparing, rate each cleaner: Easy Maintenance, Average Maintenance, or Intensive Maintenance. Virtually every air cleanser requires some ongoing cleaning. This might be as simple as wiping down the exterior cabinet or as complex as cleaning the medial side technology. When you compare home air cleaners, rate each cleaner: Easy Cleaning, Average Cleaning, or Intensive Cleaning. When done, rank each cleaner overall: Best Maintenance and Cleaning, Second Best Maintenance and Cleaning, Third Best Maintenance and Cleaning, etc.
Look and feel: How an air cleanser looks is important. When comparing, rate each cleaner: Looks Great, Looks Good, or has Questionable Looks. How an air cleanser “feels” is also important. Key factors include: cleaner controls, fit and finish, and simplicity. When comparing, rate each cleaner: Feels Great, Feels Good, or has Questionable Feel. Then, rank each cleaner overall: Best Look and feel, Second Best Look and feel, Third Best Look and feel, etc.
Years in operation: Generally, the longer a company has been around business the better. The number of years a company has been around business is part of its reputation. When comparing, rate each cleaner: 11 years or more — Very good, 6-10 years — Good, or 5 years or less — Newbie. Rank each cleaner Best Years in operation, Second Best Years in operation, Third Best Years in operation, etc.
Noise Level: How loud is the cleaner? Most home air cleaners make noise. On the quiet side, there are silent or near silent models. On the loud side, there are models that you would not want to sit near because they are so loud. Most models have multiple speeds/noise levels and can be adjusted or located in a suitable way. When you compare home air cleaners, rate each: Quiet Noise Level, Average Noise Level, or Loud Noise Level. Rank each cleaner Best Noise Level, Second Best Noise Level, Third Best Noise Level, etc.
Set-Up: How easy is the cleaner to set-up? Many devices are plug-and-play. Some larger units are heavy and thus hard to remove from shipping boxes. Some have extra set-up or installation. A few require a licensed professional to install. When you compare home air cleaners, rate each: Easy Set-Up, Average Set-Up, or Involved Set-Up. Then, rank each cleaner Best Set-Up, Second Best Set-Up, Third Best Set-Up, etc.