From face masks to hand sanitizers and disinfecting sprays, there’s no shortage of “essential items” that are being marketed as able to help protect us from COVID-19. According to experts, another item that people should add to their list of essentials is an air purifier.

The best air purifiers can help a lot in eliminating dust, pollen, smoke and other pollutants like pet dander in the air. More importantly, these can also help increase our protection against airborne germs and bacteria. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends improving ventilation indoors, one of the easiest ways to do this is to use an air purifier.

How Air Purifiers Work

It works by drawing air into its chamber and running it through a filter that’s specifically designed to capture dust, germs, pollen and other potentially harmful particles in the airstream. The air purifier will release this air into your home so you can enjoy better indoor air quality.

Breathe easy while improving your protection against COVID-19, here are the 10 best air purifiers you can order online today.

Best Air Purifiers for 2021

1. Blueair Blue Pure 211+

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Blueair Blue Pure 211+ bestbuy.com

If your home has large spaces, then the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ is perfect for you. With the ability to filter more air per hour than more expensive choices on the market, this air purifier will give you great value for money. It also has an activated carbon filter, an ozone reducing system and is energy star certified, making it one of the best air purifiers for its price point.

2. Blueair Blue Pure 411

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Blueair Blue Pure 411 bestbuy.com

If you want a simple and straightforward air purifier, then check out the Blueair Blue Pure 411. For its price point, you'll get a smart design, particle and carbon filtration and an intuitive single-button interface. The device is also light and doesn’t get too noisy, making it a top choice for smaller homes or single-room apartments.

3. PureZone 3-in-1 Air Purifier

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PureZone 3-in-1 Air Purifier bestbuy.com

Another popular budget-friendly pick is the PureZone 3-in-1 Air Purifier. It is small, sleek and unobtrusive but most importantly, it provides protection from airborne pollutants like bacteria. It comes with a 5-year warranty, longer than other machines at this price point.

4. Levoit TruClean Smart 360 True HEPA Air Purifier

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Levoit TruClean Smart 360 True HEPA Air Purifier bestbuy.com

Levoit’s TruClean Smart 360 offers great performance for its price point, capable of removing 99.1% of smoke and dust particles in just 30 minutes of operation. What’s more, this air purifier is compatible with a variety of smart home assistants, giving you more control over its 3-stage filtration system, True HEPA filter and customizable features.

5. WINIX Tower 360 Sq. Ft. Air Purifier

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WINIX Tower 360 Sq. Ft. Air Purifier bestbuy.com

With its extensive features and sleek design, it’s hard to believe how affordable the WINIX Tower 360 is. It’s powered by PlasmaWave technology and HEPA filters to quickly eliminate a variety of pollutants and allergens, while its purification capacity enables it to clean medium to large-sized rooms. It also comes with remote control, variable speed selector and a customizable panel.

6. Dyson HP09

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Dyson HP09 bestbuy.com

The Dyson HP09 air purifier combines heating and cooling functions with an activated carbon and glass HEPA filter for better performance. Using Dyson’s Cryptomic technology, this air purifier automatically detects airborne particles, while its oscillating feature provides full room coverage. It also has a night mode, which dims the display and makes use of quiet settings.

7. Honeywell InSight HEPA Air Purifier

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Honeywell InSight HEPA Air Purifier bestbuy.com

One of the best-selling air purifiers at this price point, the Honeywell InSight is capable of circulating and cleaning the air five times every hour in rooms up to 190 square feet. This helps remove 99.7% of microscopic allergens that can endanger you and your family’s wellbeing. Feature-wise, this air purifier comes with four cleaning levels, a pre-filter, a timer and is Energy Star certified.

8. GermGuardian True HEPA Air Purifier

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GermGuardian True HEPA Air Purifier bestbuy.com

For budget-conscious folks, go with the GermGuardian True HEPA Air Purifier. Ideal for medium-sized homes, this air purifier kills airborne mold and other pollutants to improve indoor air quality, while the charcoal filter helps reduce bad odors and lingering cooking smells. Additionally, it has UV-C light to kill germs and reduce organic compounds in the air you breathe.

9. Levoit Aerone True HEPA Air Purifier

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Levoit Aerone True HEPA Air Purifier bestbuy.com

Convenient and compact the Levoit Aerone can also be placed on your desk. Its quiet three-speed motor is strong enough to filter up to 129 sq. ft. of space, while its 3-stage filtration system helps eliminate harmful particles that can trigger common allergies.

10. Dyson Pure Cool

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Dyson Pure Cool bestbuy.com

One of Dyson’s newest offerings, the Dyson Pure Cool is designed to clean air at a more efficient pace compared to older models. Because of this, Pure Cool has a re-engineered filtration system that can capture up to 99.7% of particles, as small as 0.3 microns. The air purifier also has multiple modes and is WiFi compatible, making it one of the best air purifiers you can buy now.