6 air purifier benefits that could change your life

These air purifier benefits show why getting your home air clean is so important right now

Air purifier benefits
(Image credit: Xiaomi)

Interested in air purifier benefits? Or just curious about why everyone is talking about these air cleaning gadgets? You're in the right place to learn all you need to know.

One major reason air purifiers are getting so much attention is because they're a powerful tool in the fight against airborne illness, like Covid. But while that shot them into the limelight, they have lots of other benefits too. In fact, when you know why they're so good, them you may be wondering why you didn't think to buy one before.

So before you read on, be warned, you may end up wanting one of these when you didn't even know you felt anything about them up to this point. The best air purifiers can seriously benefit your health by enhancing the air quality in your home. That applies to those in cities as well as those elsewhere.

6 surprisingly amazing air purifier benefits

Coway

(Image credit: Coway)

1. They stop you getting ill

Xiaomi

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

First and foremost an air purifier is working to protect your health. This is the main reason people invest in an air purifiers – and post-Covid that is especially so. The special filters inside air purifiers work to remove pollutants from the air as well as airborne disease.

When one person gets a cold in a home it's generally found that everyone else does too. This is because they are sharing the same air where the bugs live as they are breathed out by the sick person, and in by the otherwise healthy person. An air filter will work to clean up the bugs as they're breathed out so as to protect the healthy person from breathing them in.

The HEPA filter is the key component for cleaning up bacteria and viruses so if you're thinking of getting one then this feature is well worth looking out for. 

2. You can sleep better

Dyson

(Image credit: Dyson)

For anyone that suffers with allergies these can keep them up at night. A bad case of hay fever can mean coughing, sneezing, congestion and a sore throat – all of which can contribute to a disrupted sleep. A HEPA filter can help you when it comes to how to sleep better.

Air purifiers with HEPA filters are able to filter out allergens from a room so you can avoid being agitated by them. Keep one in the bedroom with a closed door and window, running through the day and night, and you will likely find that your symptoms ease off, allowing you to get a decent night's sleep. That in itself can help you feel better too, making an air purifier ideal for allergy sufferers.

3. Your home will be cleaner

Levoit

(Image credit: Levoit)

A good air purifier will also help to remove harmful chemicals from your home. You may not live in a built up area and you may keep your doors and windows shut. But you can still have it in your home. In fact cleaning products can also poison your air with ammonia, chlorine and phthalates. If you live in an area with lots of vehicles too, this is especially important to think about. 

Research from the National Library of Medicine has found that exposure to nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide can increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. 

Air purifiers that use activated carbon can remove these chemicals from your home's air. This porous carbon is used to filter the air by trapping the chemicals to allow only the fresh air to enter back into the room.

4. Keeps your home smelling good

Philips

(Image credit: Philips)

Air purifiers also work to capture unpleasant smells in your home - you know, those ones even the best home fragrances won't beat. Certain chemicals breakdown at room temperature not only making an unpleasant smell but in the case of gasoline, formaldehyde and benzene, called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), you can be negatively affected.

Research from the NIH has shown that by lowering levels of VOCs in the air it actually improves performance and productivity. Of course it also applies to more common smells from the likes of cooking or smoke, which will be cleared up by an air purifier, leaving a neutral smell.

5. Helps asthmatics

Dimplex

(Image credit: Dimplex)

People who have asthma can be affected by pollen, pet dander and dust mites – all of which irritate the inflamed bronchial tubes and lead to difficulty breathing. So from the pollen of the summer to the pet hair and dust mites of all year round, there are lots of irritants for asthmatics.

An air purifier is able to capture these from the air and get rid of them. Even if you vacuum regularly this will only capture some of them as the rest are thrown up into the air to be breathed in. 

The HEPA filter is what you'll want to look out for when it comes to catering for asthmatics. This uses multi-layered meshes which can capture even smaller pathogens, which should help to cut down on any breathing difficulties for asthmatics.

6. Can even help you live longer

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(Image credit: Coway)

You might not have thought you'd see this in a list of the best air purifier benefits. But it's true, you can actually increase life expectancy by using an air purifier. It makes sense when you think about it.

Air can affect all your body's systems including cardiac, respiratory and even neurological. Even common household products can give off chemicals and gases that are harmful to your health and wellbeing. The smaller airborne particles can actually penetrate the blood-brain barrier directly to affect your brain and cognitive functions. Creepy.

A good air purifier will make sure none of that gets to you as it collects everything harmful up, leaving you with clean and fresh air to breathe healthily.

Luke Edwards

Luke is a veteran journalist and editor of over two decades where he has written about everything but specialises is technology, science, health and fitness, smart homes and health. He contributes to Real Homes, T3, Tom's Guide and TechRadar, among many other titles. As a father of two, any spare time he gets is enjoyed surfing, reading, hiking, camping and generally getting out in nature.