Cheap Air Purifiers

Even an inexpensive air purifier can help improve your home's indoor air quality by capturing airborne allergens, dust, pollen, pet hair, pet dander and other pollutants. This allows you to breathe fresher, cleaner air and can provide relief from respiratory irritants, making them a popular choice with households with asthma sufferers.

Appliances Online stocks a wide range of budget-friendly air purifier models ranging in price from around $100 to $500 AUD. If you want more advanced features and capabilities, Appliances Online also offers a large number of premium models. Whether you choose a $200 model or a $2,000 model, Appliances Online includes free delivery across Australia.

The most important feature of an air purifier is a true HEPA filter, which removes at least 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns in size as air passes through. HEPA filtration is essential for effective purification.

You may notice the words ‘activated carbon filter’ popping up when you’re browsing air purifiers. An activated carbon or charcoal filter helps reduce household odours from pets, cooking, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) like air fresheners and other sources. Carbon filters are not standard in all air purifiers, but you can find them in even some lower-priced models.

Consider the listed square metre coverage, along with the CADR (clean air delivery rate) airflow rating for each model if possible. Compact units that cover around 30m2 suit small rooms like bedrooms or home offices, while medium capacity 30-50m2 models are more suitable for large rooms like living rooms or open-plan kitchen-dining spaces.

Air purifiers often do produce noticeable noise, around 50-65 decibels on the highest fan speeds which is comparable to a running air conditioner or the volume of normal conversation. Lower fan speeds reduce noise but also the air filtration rate. While not overpoweringly ‘noisy’ you might be able to hear them if there’s not a lot of other background noise in your home.

For cheaper purifiers that are used regularly, you should expect to replace primary HEPA filters every 6-12 months, so it’s worth buying a few replacement filters. Any pre-filters may require monthly cleaning with a vacuum cleaner or replacement as well, to maintain performance.

Basic manual or digital controls are standard on cheaper air purifiers, but low price models can include features ranging from multi-speed fan settings and sleep mode, to timers and even air quality sensors. Remote controls, app/voice controls and interconnectivity are more commonly found in higher-priced models.

Position the unit at least 30cm away from walls or furniture to allow proper air intake and disbursement of filtered air. Central room locations away from corners tend to be most effective for air circulation.

Routine care involves wiping down exterior surfaces, vacuuming pre-filter screens and replacing main HEPA filters per the manufacturer's recommendations. Following cleaning and replacement schedules maximises purifier effectiveness.

While more affordable than premium models, air purifiers under $500 still provide true HEPA filtration to capture allergens and pollutants from your indoor air. Expect basic yet functional designs with fan controls and filters requiring regular replacement.

By understanding features, the capacity you need for a particular space, and how to maintain it, an inexpensive air purification unit can let you breathe easy knowing that it’s making the air cleaner and healthier in your home.