The best way to reduce the VOCs level in the house is through ventilation and source control. When these options are limited, or you have multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), you can use an air purifier with active gas and odor control technology. We have researched and compiled a list of the 7 best air purifiers for VOCs in a closed space.
We have also included a VOCs air purifier checklist to simplify your selection process.
Let’s go.
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If you’re in a hurry, check out our best picks:
- Stylish and smart
- Customizable filter options
- Pricy replacement filters
- Doesn't re-release VOCs
- Neutralizes VOCs by chemical reaction
- Poor app support
- Huge adsorbent materials
- Long-lasting filters
- Expensive
- Stylish and smart
- Customizable filter options
- Pricy replacement filters
- Doesn't re-release VOCs
- Neutralizes VOCs by chemical reaction
- Poor app support
- Huge adsorbent materials
- Long-lasting filters
- Expensive
Last update on 2023-06-09 at 01:15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What are VOCs?
Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs are released into the air through gases and vapors from paints, perfumes, air fresheners, cleaning products, furniture, or activities such as smoking, cooking, or burning wood.
The most common VOCs are formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, and ethylene glycol. Long-term exposure to VOCs raises many health issues, including the risk of growing cancer.
You can learn more about VOCs and their sources in your house.
VOCs Filtering Technologies:
The technologies for controlling VOCs, odors, and gases from the air are:
- Chemical Adsorption (commonly use activated carbon as adsorption material),
- Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO),
- Plasma, and
- Ozone generator.
Chemical adsorption is the standard method used in portable air purifiers. You can learn more about the eight types of air cleaning technologies used in consumer air purifiers.
VOC Air Purifiers Checklist:
Here is a checklist you can follow:
✓ A thick layer of activated carbon or adsorbent media
The amount of adsorbent material in the gas and odor filter is directly proportional to VOC control effectiveness. Select only those which have more activated carbon or other adsorbent material. Common adsorbing materials are:
- Activated carbon
- Activated alumina
- Zeolite
- Potassium iodide
- Earth minerals
Only select the pelletized or granular adsorbent media filter. Avoid the impregnated-type thin activated carbon sheet filters, which are less effective.
✓ Avoid Ozone Generators
Ozone generators are very effective at neutralizing VOCs and chemicals in the air. But these are not suitable for residential spaces.
Also, avoid other electronic VOC filtrations such as PCO or Plasma. These work slower and produce ozone, which is unsuitable if you have asthma or respiratory issues.
If the purifier has some electronic add-ons, make sure the device is CARB-approved.
✓ Built-in VOC Sensor
You can select an air purifier with a built-in VOC sensor for your convenience. It will automatically adjust the fan speed based on the indoor VOCs level. However, the feature is rare in consumer air purifiers. You can always get a TVOC & Formaldehyde sensor to monitor the real-time VOC concentration in your house.
List of the 7 Best Air Purifiers for VOCs of 2023:
1. Mila Air Purifier with Home Wrecker Filter
If you are looking for an intelligent, customizable-filter-air-purifier, then the Mila Air Purifier with Home Wrecker Filter is the best fit to eliminate VOCs. The filter is equipped with 1.96 lbs of activated carbon to reduce fumes efficiently and smells from your home.
For particle removal, you have an H12-grade HEPA filter included in the composite filter. The manufacturer claims the filter can reduce 92.81% of VOCs and 95.6% of formaldehyde, which looks impressive.
The Mila Air Purifier is also a smart air purifier you can control using the mobile app. It has eight air quality sensors to determine your indoor air quality. The retro-modern look is suitable for placing it in any room in your house.
VOCs Adsorbents: 1.96 lbs of granular activated carbon.
Room Coverage: 265 sq ft five times per hour (CADR: 176 cfm).
Sensors: 8 air quality sensors
Gas & Odor Filter Cost: $79, up to 6 months usage – Home Wrecker Filter (check availability & filter price on Mila).
2. IQAir GC MultiGas Air Purifier
IQAir GC (Gas Control) air purifier is primarily designed to remove heavy VOCs, odors, chemicals, and gases from the air. It is equipped with four cylindrical-shaped gas cartridges as core filtrations. These filters have 12 lbs of granular activated carbon and impregnated alumina as oxidizers for VOCs and odors.
The gas filters can be used for up to 29 months based on 10 hours daily at level 3 fan speed. However, the lifespan also depends on the air’s VOCs and other gas levels.
The first stage has an H11 class HyperHEPA pre-filter that removes 99% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.
The gas filter cartridges are also covered with electrostatically charged fiber sleeves, preventing any secondary pollution from the filter media.
VOCs Adsorbents: 12 lbs of granular activated carbon and impregnated alumina.
Room Coverage: 450 sq ft five times per hour (CADR: 300 cfm).
Sensors: None.
Gas & Odor Filter Cost: ~ $295 for four MultiGas Cartridges, 29 months usage (check availability & filter price on Amazon, IQAir).
3. EnviroKlenz Mobile Air System Air Purifier
If you are looking for a zero-off-gassing VOC air purifier for medium to large rooms, the EnviroKlenz air purifier is for you. EnviroKlenz adopts its odor filter with its patented Earth Mineral Technology for neutralizing VOCs and chemicals from the air. This filter’s adsorbents media are earth minerals that include Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, and Titanium Dioxide.
The earth minerals act as oxidizing agents to neutralize formaldehyde, ammonia, and other VOCs from the air. Unlike activated carbon, earth minerals don’t re-release VOCs after adsorbing.
This chemical adsorption filter lasts up to 6 months.
Additionally, it has a solid deep bed True HEPA filter for particulates removal with 99.97% efficiency for 0.3 microns. This HEPA filter lasts up to 24 months.
VOCs Adsorbents: 1.5 lbs of Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, and Titanium Dioxide.
Room Coverage: 375 sq ft five times per hour (CADR: 250 cfm).
Sensors: None.
Gas & Odor Filter Cost: $99 for the Chemical filter, six months usage (check availability & filter price).
4. AIRDOCTOR AD3000 Purifier
Looking for a sleek and smart air purifier that can remove VOCs and odors efficiently? Here is the AirDoctor AD3000 air purifier with the dual action VOC filter.
The activated carbon pellets will reduce odors, gases, and VOCs, including formaldehyde. To remove particulate allergens, it has an UltraHEPA filter. This particle filter can remove as tiny as 0.003 micron-sized pollutants from the air.
The VOC filter lasts up to six months, and the UltraHEPA filter lasts up to twelve months. The AirDoctor AD3000 also has a high CADR rating of 340 cfm, which can filter a 510 sq ft room five times per hour.
You can quickly recognize your room’s air quality from the air quality indicator light. The auto mode will help the air purifier run smoothly without manually changing the fan speeds.
VOCs Adsorbents: Activated carbon pellets.
Room Coverage: 510 sq ft five times per hour (CADR: 340 cfm).
Sensors: Particle sensor
Gas & Odor Filter Cost: $133 for a 1-year filter pack (check availability & filter price on Amazon).
5. Oransi EJ120 Air Purifier
Oransi EJ120 air purifier comes with a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter. It has 3.5 pounds of carbon material which is strong enough to neutralize medium to strong VOCs and odors from the air.
Also, Oransi offers a pleated-type odor filter that is treated with 1 pound of activated carbon. This filter has more surface area for adsorbing. An independent test demonstrates the filter can reduce up to 99% of Formaldehyde, Sulfur Dioxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide within 48 hours from a closed space.
The pleated carbon filter also outperforms the GAC filter in controlling VOCs, according to Oransi. Both carbon filters are 1 inch thick and last up to 12 months.
For particle filtration, Oransi EJ120 comes with a 3-inch deep MERV 17 grade HEPA filter, which is more efficient than True HEPA, as they claimed.
We also liked that you could replace the HEPA filter with two additional carbon filters for heavy VOCs and odor control. By this combination, the purifier will become the ultimate VOC remover.
VOCs Adsorbents: 3.5 lbs of granular activated carbon (GAC) filter or optional 1 lb of pleated carbon filter.
Room Coverage: 495 sq ft five times per hour (CADR: 330 cfm).
Sensors: None.
Gas & Odor Filter Cost: ~ $79 for GAC Carbon Filter and $79 for Pleated Carbon Filter (12 months usage).
6. Molekule Air Pro Air Purifier
One downside of activated carbon neutralizing VOCs is that they often re-release VOCs after adsorbing. You can use air purifiers with zero-off-gassing adsorbent materials to solve this problem. Or a completely different tech. Here comes the Molekule.
Molekule Air Pro uses a PECO filter to eliminate odors and VOCs by destroying them. The physical filter is a pleated fiber filter coated with a proprietary catalyst. The filter activates with low-energy UV-A lights and starts neutralizing odor by a harmless chemical reaction.
Although PCO (Photocatalytic Oxidation) is a years-old tech and releases byproducts, the PECO process by Molekule is entirely safe, doesn’t produce ozone, and effectively reduces VOCs, including toluene and formaldehyde – tested by Berkeley Lab.
Molekule Air Pro incorporates a pleated PECO filter that lasts up to 6 months, and the recommended room coverage is 1,000 square feet with 8 feet ceilings. The cleaner is also app-enabled, where you can check the filter status and different types of particulates level and change the modes.
However, Molekule Air Pro lacks a TVOC sensor that could help control the device efficiently.
VOC Control Tech: PECO without releasing ozone or other toxic byproducts.
Recommended Room Coverage: 1,000 sq ft.
Sensors: Particle sensor.
Gas & Odor Filter Cost: ~ $149 for the PECO filter, 6 months usage (check availability & filter price on Amazon).
7. Austin Air HealthMate Plus Air Purifier
If you are looking for a thick activated carbon media filter air purifier with simple controls, the Austin Air Healthmate Plus is a good fit for heavy VOC control. The composite cartridge filter has 15 lbs of activated carbon impregnated with zeolite and potassium iodide, which is the highest on our list.
Zeolite is good adsorbent material for odors, and combining adsorbents will effectively reduce solid odors and VOCs. The filter can be used for up to 5 years.
Austin Air Healthmate Plus also has a True HEPA particle filter with a 60 square feet surface area, capable of removing 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles, including ultrafine dust, smoke particles, bacteria, and viruses.
VOCs Adsorbents: 15 lbs of activated carbon and zeolite impregnated with potassium iodide.
Room Coverage: 375 sq ft five times per hour (CADR: 250 cfm).
Sensors: None.
Gas & Odor Filter Cost: ~ $360 for the composite filter cartridge, 60 months usage (check the current filter price on Amazon, Sylvane).
Final Thoughts
The best way to remove VOCs, odors, and gases from the air is by opening windows where HVAC is unavailable. The fresh air from the outside effectively lowers the VOC concentration from the indoor air. However, when ventilation is impossible due to poor outdoor air, a portable air purifier with effective chemical filters will freshen the air.
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