One of the most crucial factors to consider when shopping for an air purifier is the power rating. If the unit consumes more power, especially when running at the maximum fan speed setting 24/7, it will run up your monthly utility bill. To avoid this, you need a unit that’s ENERGY STAR qualified.
Energy-efficient air purifiers save on electricity bills without sacrificing comfort and performance. In fact, ENERGY STAR certified air purifiers are 40% more energy-efficient than standard models. They save customers about $30 and 225 kWh/year on electricity bills.
If you’re shopping for the best ENERGY STAR rated air purifiers, keep reading.
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If you’re in a hurry, check out our best picks:
- Low power consumption
- Washable pre-filter
- Not True HEPA
- Air quality sensor
- 100% ozone-free
- Not AHAM verified
- Customizable filter options
- Optional ionizer
- Not WiFi-enabled
- Low power consumption
- Washable pre-filter
- Not True HEPA
- Air quality sensor
- 100% ozone-free
- Not AHAM verified
- Customizable filter options
- Optional ionizer
- Not WiFi-enabled
A Breakdown of ENERGY STAR Ratings
ENERGY STAR is a program that promotes energy efficiency. It’s run by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
For an air purifier to qualify for the ENERGY STAR label, it must meet the energy requirements set by EPA. The following are the fundamental guiding principles:
- Certified air purifiers must be energy efficient and deliver expected performance.
- The purifier’s energy consumption and performance should be verified and measured through testing.
- Labeling will be visible to customers.
One important metric to earn the ENERGY STAR label for air purifiers is the CADR/Watt Requirement. The higher the number means you will get more CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) for every watt of power consumption, which is better.
The minimum requirements to earn the ENERGY STAR label:
| Air Purifiers Smoke Smoke CADR Range | Minimum Smoke CADR/Watt |
|---|---|
| 30 ≤ CADR < 100 | 1.9 |
| 100 ≤ CADR < 150 | 2.4 |
| CADR ≥ 150 | 2.9 |
We compiled a list of the 7 best ENERGY STAR certified air purifiers and ranked them based on the Smoke CADR/Watt score for highest energy efficiency.
List of the 7 Best ENERGY STAR Rated Air Purifiers:
1. Blueair Blue Pure 411 Air Purifier
Blueair Blue Pure 411 is one of the most energy-efficient air purifiers, consumes only 10 watts of power when running at maximum speed. Suitable for baby nurseries, home offices, and small rooms, this air purifier has 3-stage air filters.
The first line of defense is the colored fabric pre-filter sleeve. It traps large particles such as pollen, pet fur, hair, and lint. Since it’s washable, the filter extends the life of the main filter.
The main filter is a 2-in-1 particle and carbon filter. The pleated particle filter will trap fine particles such as dust, smoke, and airborne microorganisms. The layers of activated carbon shells will adsorb light odors and VOCs.
The certified Tobacco Smoke CADR is 105 cfm, can filter the air 5 times an hour in a 160 square feet room.
Compact and portable, the purifier weighs 3.4 pounds and has the following dimensions – 16.7 by 8 by 8 inches. You can place it anywhere in your room – table, nightstand, and office desk. It’s also easy to move from room to room.
Blueair Blue Pure 411 has 3 fan speeds but has no auto mode based on air quality sensors. For smart auto mode, select the Blueair Blue Pure 411 Auto model, which has the same power rating and is available in the same form factor as the Blue Pure 411 model.
Power: 10 Watt (calculate monthly energy costs)
Tobacco Smoke CADR: 105 cfm
Smoke CADR per Watt: 10.6 (ENERGY STAR certificate)
Room Coverage: 160 square feet five times per hour (air changes per hour calculator)
Filter Replacement Costs: ~ $20, 6 months usage (check current filter price).
Pros & Cons:
Check out our top picks >>> The 5 Best Blueair Air Purifiers.
2. Alen BreatheSmart 75i Air Purifier
Alen BreatheSmart 75i is a high-end air purifier with a significant Tobacco Smoke CADR of 330 cfm while consuming only 45 watts at the top fan speed. This is the largest model in Alen’s BreatheSmart series air purifiers.
The air purifier is suitable for large living rooms, office spaces, classrooms, or even the basement. Ideally, it will clear the air in a 500 square feet room five times an hour.
Based on your needs, you can choose the filter type when purchasing this unit. For example, if you don’t need to control odors, you can select the particle filter instead of a combined HEPA plus carbon filter. The complimentary particle filter is based on an H13-grade HEPA, the highest grade in its class.
This H13 HEPA filter will capture almost all airborne microscopic particles, including bacteria and viruses. This filter also lasts longer than others, up to 15 months.
Alen BreatheSmart 75i has an air quality monitoring system based on a laser particle sensor. The unit’s brightly colored LED ring lets you know how dirty or clean the air is in real-time. If it turns blue, the air quality is good, but purple is very unhealthy.
Thanks to the unit’s smart mode feature, the purifier will automatically adjust the fan speed if air quality is unhealthy. While doing so, the purifier will consume less electricity. As such, it will save you money on energy costs. The unit also runs whisper quiet.
At the highest fan speed setting, the maximum noise level is 49 dB (moderate rainfall), while at the lowest fan speed, the noise level is 25 dB (whisper). This is essentially silent and will not interrupt your sleep.
Power: 45 Watt
Tobacco Smoke CADR: 330 cfm
Smoke CADR per Watt: 7.9 (ENERGY STAR certificate)
Room Coverage: 495 square feet five times per hour
Filter Replacement Costs: ~ $99, 12-15 months usage (check current filter price).
Pros & Cons:
3. Oransi EJ120 Air Purifier
If you are looking for a deep-bed filter air purifier to control dust, odors, and gases without consuming more electricity, the Oransi EJ120 is here. The air purifier consumes only 52 watts of power when delivering 330 cubic feet of air per minute through the dense HEPA and carbon filters (3 inches + 1 inch).
This is because of using the German-engineered energy-efficient EC motor, which is even quieter. The Smoke-free CADR per watt is 6.2, where the minimum requirement to qualify ENERGY STAR is 2.9 for this CADR category.
Best for large rooms, it has a Tobacco Smoke CADR of 323 cfm. In an hour, it can clean up to 1,200 square feet. Ideal for asthma and allergy sufferers, the purifier is AHAM verified and can turn any room in your home into a cleanroom.
Effective for pollen to ultrafine dust, the Oransi EJ120 has a 3-inch deep higher-grade (MERV 17) True HEPA filter. It also has a 1-inch thick granular activated carbon filter for neutralizing odors, chemicals, and VOCs.
Both of the filters have a lifespan of up to 12 months based on usage and indoor air quality.
Power: 52 Watt
Tobacco Smoke CADR: 323 cfm
Smoke CADR per Watt: 6.2 (ENERGY STAR certificate)
Room Coverage: 485 square feet five times per hour
Filter Replacement Costs: ~ $95 for the HEPA and ~ $79 for the carbon filter, 12 months usage (check current filter price: HEPA, Carbon).
Pros & Cons:
4. Levoit LV-H133 Air Purifier
Next, we have the Levoit LV-H133 air purifier. Suitable for medium-sized rooms, this is one of the best energy-efficient air purifiers for under 200 bucks.
The Levoit LV-H133 is ENERGY STAR qualified with a rated power of 47 Watt. Per watt, the smoke-free CADR is 6.0, which is above the average. If you run the purifier for 12 hours each day at the top speed, it will consume around 17 kWh and cost you $2 per month.
Ideal for pet owners and allergies, the purifier can clean up to 1,070 square feet in 30 minutes and 535 square feet in 15 minutes. Best for your living room, kitchen, and bedroom, the purifier relieves allergies by removing dust in the air.
This is thanks to its powerful 3-in-1 filtration system composed of a fine pre-filter, a True HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. The True HEPA filter traps dust, smoke, and other airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns.
Stay up to date with real-time air quality updates with the Levoit LV-H133. The purifier has a particle sensor that detects airborne contaminants. The indicator rings on the top of the purifier change color according to air quality.
If the air quality is terrible, the ring turns red, but if it’s good, the ring turns blue. If the air quality is unhealthy, the purifier adjusts fan speed accordingly. This helps to get rid of the pollutants and circulate fresh, clean air in the room.
CARB Certified, and ETL Listed, the purifier traps airborne pollutants without releasing any ozone.
Power: 47 Watt
Tobacco Smoke CADR: 285 cfm
Smoke CADR per Watt: 6.0 (ENERGY STAR certificate)
Room Coverage: 425 square feet five times per hour
Filter Replacement Costs: ~ $49, 6 months usage (check current filter price).
Pros & Cons:
In-depth review >>> Levoit LV-H133 Air Purifier.
5. Airthereal AGH550 Air Purifier
Take a deep breath of fresh air each minute, thanks to the powerful purification technology of the Airthereal AGH550. The purifier has AHAM verified Tobacco Smoke CADR of 214 cfm. Best for medium rooms, it can filter the air up to 5X per hour in a 320 square feet room.
ENERGY STAR rated, the air purifier has a power rating of 40 watts. It consumes a maximum of 10 cents worth of electricity per day (at 12 cents per kWh energy rate). Since the unit consumes less power, you don’t have to worry about rising electricity bills.
The Airthereal AGH550 air purifier has a three-stage filtration system, can trap fine pollutants and light odors. The main particle filter is an H12 grade HEPA filter, and you can upgrade it to an H13 HEPA during replacements.
The purifier has a laser-based dust sensor. It shows the particle counts (PM2.5) on the LED display. If the purifier detects indoor air quality is unhealthy, it automatically adjusts the fan speed. This ensures the best performance and removal of allergens and airborne particles.
Power: 40 Watt
Tobacco Smoke CADR: 214 cfm
Smoke CADR per Watt: 5.2 (ENERGY STAR certificate)
Room Coverage: 320 square feet five times per hour
Filter Replacement Costs: ~ $59, 6-8 months usage (check current filter price).
Pros & Cons:
6. Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0 SPA-550A Air Purifier
Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0 SPA-550A is one of the most energy-efficient and quiet air purifiers designed for small and medium-sized rooms. The purifier can filter all air in a room up to 500 square feet twice an hour. For allergy sufferers, use it in a room up to 200 square feet, where you will get five air changes per hour.
ENERGY STAR certified, it consumes between 5 to 29 watts. Not only is it energy efficient, but the purifier also operates at ultra-quiet speeds, thanks to its cutting-edge brushless DC motor.
The unit has a 4 stage filtration system. It’s composed of a pre-filter, True HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, and a negative ion generator. The pre-filter effectively traps large-sized allergens such as dust and pollen. It’s washable and permanent.
The pelletized activated carbon filter neutralizes odors, VOCs, gases, and chemicals effectively. The BioGS HEPA filter traps 99.97% of airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns.
Power: 29 Watt
Tobacco Smoke CADR: 135 cfm
Smoke CADR per Watt: 4.9 (ENERGY STAR certificate)
Room Coverage: 495 square feet five times per hour
Filter Replacement Costs: ~ $89, up to 18 months usage (check current filter price).
Pros & Cons:
7. Medify MA-35 Air Purifier
Want to mount an air purifier to the wall and leave it on without having the tension of electricity bills? Here is the Medify MA-35 air purifier for you, ENERGY STAR certified and wall-mounted. It comes with mounting materials for easy installation. Also, since it’s wall-mounted, it saves your space.
The air purifier has a Smoke CADR of 163 cfm. Perfect for bedrooms, dorms, playrooms, baby nurseries, and offices, it can clean up to 610 square feet in just 30 minutes.
It’s equipped with three layers of filtration. They include a pre-filter, a HEPA H13 filter, and an activated carbon filter. The pre-filter traps large particles such as dust, pollen, hair, and lint. It also helps to extend the life of the HEPA and carbon filters.
The next line of defense is the H13 HEPA filter. Unlike the ordinary HEPA filter, the medical-grade HEPA filter traps 99.9% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns. This includes airborne bacteria and viruses.
The unit has a touch screen display panel. At the touch of your finger, you can change any setting such as fan speed, timer, child lock, and auto mode.
It comes with a remote control that allows you to activate any function from the comfort of your couch.
Power: 40 Watt
Tobacco Smoke CADR: 163 cfm
Smoke CADR per Watt: 4.6 (ENERGY STAR certificate)
Room Coverage: 245 square feet five times per hour
Filter Replacement Costs: ~ $69, 3-4 months usage (check current filter price).
Pros & Cons:
Final Thoughts
The increase in airborne pollutions and contaminations made air purifiers a necessity. When buying a purifier for your home, check if the unit is ENERGY STAR certified. If the unit has the ENERGY STAR label, it’s energy-efficient.
To save on electricity bills, we recommend one of the ENERGY STAR certified air purifiers reviewed above.
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