Are there allergens, pollutants or nasty smells hanging around in your home? You may want an air purifier. With so many models on the market, though, it can be tough to know whether the air purifier you're considering will really work. To start your research, you'll want to be sure the device meets some basic standards. "If you're going to look for a good, basic air purifier, something that has a HEPA filter is a must," said allergist Jenna Tuck, chairwoman of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Indoor Environment Committee. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate absorption, and to meet the government standard for this label, the filter must remove 99.97 percent of particles in the air that are 0.3 micrometers or larger. (For comparison, the width of a fine human hair is about 70 micrometers.) Although some allergens and particles that cause respiratory problems are smaller than 0.3 micrometers, Tuck said, HEPA filters can remove particulate matter enough to ease symptoms for many people.

[The 5 Most Common Allergies] "The patient who probably needs [air purification] the most is the pet-allergic patient whose family refuses to get rid of the pet," Tuck told Live Science. People whose noses are particularly sensitive to smells can benefit, too, but HEPA filters can't entirely eliminate odors. Turk recommended that people with breathing troubles, allergies or asthma talk to their allergists for advice on whether an air purifier could help them. If so, the next step is to pick one. Live Science's sister site Top Ten Reviews has checked out some of the top air purifiers on the market. Here are their top three picks: The Alen BreatheSmart is an Energy Star-certified unit with a HEPA filter that stands a little more than 2 feet (about 60 centimeters) high. It has a sleek, white design, and a lighted button on top that turns blue when the air is clean and orange or red as the BreatheSmart air sensor detects particulate matter. The sensor automatically triggers faster filtration when it detects particles in the air.

This automatic adjustment lengthens the life of the filter. Alternatively, the BreatheSmart can run in timer mode for shorter periods. The BreatheSmart can provide filtration for up to 1,100 square feet (102 square meters) of space. It includes an indicator light to alert you when the filter needs a change. Noise: The BreatheSmart has four fan speeds. At the lowest speed, the sound of the fan is about that of a whisper, whereas the highest speed is the loudest and, at 56 decibels, is comparable to a box fan running on medium. The device has a night mode that allows users to turn down the unit's lights and lower the fan speed for more peaceful sleep. BUY the Alen BreatheSmart >>> Coway's air purifier uses a four-filter system, starting with a prefilter for large dust particles and hair; a carbon filter for odors; and an optional Vital Ion filter that charges air particles on the way out of the unit — a feature that helps clump together particles in midair for easier filtration.

However, users should be aware that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends against using ionizers, as they can make some people's lung problems worse. The reviewers at Top Ten Reviews liked the Coway for its efficient use of energy. The unit is Energy Star-certified and requires less than 78 watts even when running at full intensity. Like the BreatheSmart, the Coway can automatically adjust its fan speed in response to the particulate matter it senses in the air.Brown Maltipoo Puppies For Sale In Michigan Coway's AP-1005AH model covers rooms as big as 236 square feet (22 square m) and is only about half as large as the Alen BreatheSmart, making it a good option for people with limited space or small rooms.3m Command Towel Holder Noise: The Coway's highest setting creates noise at 53.8 decibels, similar to the noise of a box fan.Moen Single Handle Shower Valve Cartridge Replacement

Buy Coway AP-1512HH on Purch Marketplace The Rabbit Air MinusA2 is one of the prettier air purifiers on the market. This unit is wall-mountable and Energy Star-certified. It is only 7 inches (18 cm) deep, making it one of the sleeker options for air purification. The design won a "good design" award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. The Rabbit Air MinusA2 can filter the air in a 350-square-foot (32.5 square m) room four times in an hour, and is best used in small to medium-size rooms. Like the Coway, the Rabbit Air MinusA2 has multiple filters, starting with a prefilter and medium filter to get rid of large particles. This purifier uses a BioGS HEPA filter, which is designed to reduce the levels of certain allergens even below those of a typical HEPA filter. A customizable filter option lets you pick an additional filter to reduce bacteria, mold, pet dander, volatile organic compounds and odors. Finally, air travels through a charcoal filter to reduce smells.

This machine also has an optional air ionizer. Noise: The Rabbit Air MinusA2 is noted for its quiet operation, reaching only 45 decibels at its loudest. BUY the Rabbit Air MinusA2 >>> Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Control the purifier via your smart device Adjust fan to any one of three speed settings (low, medium, high) Use optional ionizer to assist in particle removal Receive alerts when filters need changing or purifier needs maintenance Want it, Like it, Love it? We can secure great deals for the most popular products! The Super Smart Air Purifier I’d like to think the quality of the air in our home is fairly decent, but then I remember I have four children ages 7 to 17 (teenage girls can be as smelly as a 9-year-old boy) and a dog. Plus I live in the Salt Lake City area, which experiences a nasty inversion at least twice a year. The air quality is absolutely horrible when that inversion rolls into the valley.

​ I’ve thought about purchasing an air purifier but it seemed like a bit of a pain to work it—not that the controls were difficult but more the whole turning it on, turning it off, managing it when gone for the day or changing it up depending on the ever-changing air quality outside. And then I heard about the Holmes® Smart Air Purifier with an emphasis on the “Smart.” Because this air purifier provides you with the ability to control the settings using your smart device (in my case, my Samsung Galaxy S4). With the Holmes Smart Air Purifier, you can control, monitor and adjust your air purifier from anywhere using a smartphone or tablet and the awesome WeMo app. The WeMo app comes in handy more often than you think. Let’s say you’re out and about and find out company is dropping by last-minute and your house smells like the Thai dish you cooked the night before. Or those pretty-yet-pesky popcorn trees burst out in full bloom and your child with seasonal allergies is getting hit hard while you’re at Costco delayed by all those free samples.

You can quickly whip out your smart device and get that air purifier going full force. Sometimes connecting products to apps can be tricky, but I found it super easy to set up the purifier and manage it with the WeMo app. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have even needed the user manual except for one little snag with the Bluetooth. All in all, it took me about 15 minutes from start to finish, and 10 of those minutes was updating the app’s firmware. I removed the purifier from the box and placed it in the ideal location (in the same room as the dog’s kennel). Then I popped off the air intake grill so I could attach the new filters.Then I downloaded the WeMo app from the Google Play store, opened it and started the process of syncing it with the purifier. After that, it was super easy. Just tap the power button. Select your fan speed and whether or not you want it to ionize the air. Oh, and you can even check the health status of your filter. You can create a custom schedule.

Perhaps you want it to do most of its work during the day while kids are at school and you’re running errands. Or maybe you need to crank it up Saturday mornings when every lawn in the neighborhood is getting mowed but then you need it to shift into low during your little one’s nap time. (And yes, this air purifier is super quiet in its low setting.) Whatever your preference, the WeMo app can do it! It can even notify you when air quality is poor and when it’s time to change your filter. Just in case you were wondering how the Holmes® Smart Air Purifier frees the air from odors and allergens, the True HEPA filtration removes up to 99.97% of airborne allergens including pollen, dust, dust mite debris, mold spores, pet dander and smoke/odor. The purifier includes two replaceable True HEPA Allergen-Remover filters, so it’s hard to believe even 0.03% gets through. And all that filtering goodness is hidden in a super sleek design that fits right in with our audio/video equipment in the family room.

If the amazing filtration and awesome ability to control it with your smart device doesn’t convince you to buy the Holmes Smart Air Purifier, maybe this will: There’s nothing like sitting in your home office or bedroom and remotely turning on the fan to its highest setting, startling anyone who’s sitting in close proximity. What can I say? The idea for my blog came about one evening in 2009 after a very long, very tiring day. I believe it was the same day my daughter had dumped a huge garbage bag of shredded paper onto the kitchen floor, my son was running around naked except for his hooded towel, and my oldest two girls were fighting about something super important like whose turn it was to find the remote. I stood in the kitchen amidst the chaos and said to my husband (sitting at the counter awaiting his seven-course gourmet meal), “Is this REALLY my life?” And I said it in a voice rich with exasperation, sarcasm and a touch of exhaustion thrown in for good measure…which is how I usually say it.

But I have also found this phrase rings true for those moments in life when it hits me—HARD—how full and fabulous my life really is. Usually those moments happen in the evenings when my children are fast asleep and their angelic faces make me wonder how I could’ve ever entertained the thought of duct taping them to the ceiling, but they do happen. That’s when I look at the wonderful chaos that is our family and our home and say, “Is this REALLY my life?” But this time it is said in a voice rich with reverence, joy and a touch of wonder thrown in for good measure. Though finding the joy in the day-to-day is important, I find it much easier to laugh—and eat—my way through this crazy thing called motherhood. Let’s be honest, if I weren’t laughing (or drinking gallons of Diet Coke), I’d be crying uncontrollably in the deepest, darkest corner of my closet. At least I’d have some amazing heels to keep me company. Ninja Kitchen Ultimate Blender+ The Showdown: Ninja vs. Vitamix