What are the best air purifiers for newborns and nurseries?
Air quality has an immense effect on your health. It’s also important for the health of your baby. If your child is breathing dirty air, it could lead to all sorts of developmental issues. This is why it’s a good idea to invest in an air purifier for your baby’s room. In this article we’ll answer the question, “what is the best air purifier for baby rooms.”
What to look for before buying a baby air purifier
Which purifier is the best for a baby? When considering this, think about the following. First of all, how big is your baby’s room? You want to look at the filters specs and make sure it has a large enough capacity. Also note that a larger purifier takes up more room, is louder, and uses more electricity.
You also want something which has a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. This is basically a highly advanced air filter which can remove around 99.7% of all particles. These filters also remove pollen, mold, bacteria, and dust (all of the filters on our list are HEPA.)
Also, look at the filters MERV (maximum efficiency reporting values) rating. This rating refers to the particle sizes which the filter can capture, and measures between 1 and 16. The higher this rating the better.
In addition to this, also check for the following:
- Clean air delivery rate (CADR) – this indicates how much air the filter can clean, measured in cubic feet per minute. You’ll obviously want the highest rating possible.
- Activated charcoal filters – these filters do not actually clean the air. Instead, they remove odors, which isn’t really something you’ll need. What’s more, you’ll have to clean these filters, which can be a pain.
- Washable pre-filters – most HEPA filters have washable pre-filters. These help to remove dust and particles before they hit the filter, and increase air purity. Pre filters also mean the main filter has less to do and thus lasts longer.
- Child lock – this is extremely important. Growing children are inquisitive, and a child lock prevents them from getting into trouble.
- UV-C light – many manufacturers claim that these lights kill bacteria and viruses. This isn’t true at all, and in reality UV lights don’t actually do anything.
- Ionizers – air purifiers create ozone. This can irritate your baby’s nose and throat. Air filters which ionize the air should be avoided. That being said, if you really want an ionizer, then it should be paired with a humidifier. In this case Google, “best humidifier and air purifier combo for baby.”
Also, think about things like energy efficiency and noise output. You don’t want a filter which uses too much energy, or is so loud that it wakes your baby up. Ideally, the filter should operate at below 30 decibels. Finally, take your budget and the cost of the filter into consideration. Cost is often an indication of quality (although this isn’t always true.) Decent quality filters go for between $80 and $300, while high-quality filters cost upwards of $500.
5 Best air purifiers for baby rooms and nurseries
- LEVOIT Air Purifier
- Rabbit Air A3 SPA-1000N Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier
- BLUEAIR Blue 411 Auto HEPASilent Air Purifier
- Pure Enrichment® PureZone™ Kids Bear Air True HEPA Air Purifier
- LEVOIT H13 Air Purifier for Home
1) LEVOIT Air Purifier
Pros:
- Attractive design
- Extremely quiet, includes sleep mode
- Comes in either black or white
Cons:
- Uses more power than other filters
- Complicated control panel
- Can sometimes be noisy
This is a high quality air purifier which retails at an affordable price. It has all of the important features mentioned above. For example, it’s a HEPA filter which does not produce ozone or include UV lights. Most importantly, it’s quiet enough for your baby and runs at about 24db. It also has a sleep mode which makes things even quieter.
What we also really liked about this air purifier is its design. Many devices are large, bulky, and extremely ugly. On the other hand, the LEVOIT goes well with the décor in your baby’s nursery. It’s also small enough to fit anywhere. Not only that, you also have your choice of black or white when ordering this air purifier.
2) Rabbit Air A3 SPA-1000N Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier
Pros:
- Can be wall mounted
- Automatic sensors allow the filter to adjust
- Can be controlled remotely
Cons:
- Far too big for a baby’s room
- Far more expensive than other air purifiers we’ve reviewed
- Large, bulky size makes it difficult to fit into small spaces
To be honest this air purifier could be a bit too much for your baby. It cleans up to 1070 square feet of air and processes 300 cubic feet per minute. It also features automatic sensors which allow the air purifier to adjust, depending on what type of particles are in the air.
Along with that it’s Wi-Fi enabled, so you can control it from your phone. It’s also incredibly quiet and operates at 20bd. Additionally, it does not produce ozone, which is a must. This air purifier can also be wall mounted, which we thought was an excellent feature. Unfortunately, as we’ve said, this product isn’t ideal for a babies nursery. Instead, it’s better suited as a whole house air purifier.
3) BLUEAIR Blue 411 Auto HEPASilent Air Purifier
Pros:
- Quiet, runs at 18bd
- Extremely energy efficient
- Auto mode that detects pollutants
Cons:
- Fabric pre-filter picks up dust
- Auto mode is unreliable
- More expensive than other air purifiers
Out of all of the products on our list, this is probably the best air purifier for babyrooms. What makes this an excellent air purifier for your baby is it’s quietness. Running at around 18bd it’s probably the quietest air purifier on our list.
It’s also extremely efficient when it comes to energy usage, and actually uses less energy than a LED light bulb. There’s also an auto mode that detects the amount of pollutants in the air. This means you’ll never waste time adjusting the air purifier.
Along with this it’s small and fits easily into a baby’s room. All in all, this is an excellent air purifier for your child. The only thing we didn’t like is the fabric pre-filter which fits around the base of the machine. This will more than likely end up covered in dust.
4) Pure Enrichment® PureZone™ Kids Bear Air True HEPA Air Purifier
Pros:
- Children will enjoy the design
- Great choice if you have a problem with odors
- Older children may appreciate the nightlight
Cons:
- Includes useless UV-C light
- Includes unnecessary night light
- Includes activated charcoal filter
This air purifier has a cute design which is aimed at children. It also claims to have a special antibacterial filter, which uses UV-C light to destroys germs. Unfortunately, as we mentioned above, these lights are mostly useless. There’s also an activated charcoal filter, which is only needed if you want to filter odors.
5) LEVOIT H13 Air Purifier for Home
Pros:
- Replace filter feature
- Stylish design
- Doesn’t emit ozone
Cons:
- A bit loud
- Comes with a useless nightlight
- Includes a UV-C light
Running at 25db, this is the loudest air purifier on our list. This means it probably isn’t the best air purifier for nursery. Another problem is that it features a nightlight. You can obviously turn this off, but you may not want to pay for this additional feature.
Aside from that, this product provides excellent value for its price. It doesn’t ionize the air or emit ozone, and features a three stage HEPA filtration system. It’s also small enough to fit anywhere and has a stylish, elegant design. Something else you might be interested in is the replace filter feature. This is a light which comes on and indicates that it’s time to clean the filter.
With over 15 years experience in baby cribs, nursery furniture and baby essentials we strive to bring you impartial and unbiased reviews of the best baby products.
