The author has spent nearly a decade living in Los Angeles and San Francisco, including during some of the most severe wildfires the region has seen in recent years. Beneath an eerily yellow sky with smoky, stagnant air, they donned an N95 mask as a bartender - long before the pandemic made masking the norm. So yeah, they know bad air when they breathe it.

Now residing in New York City, the immediate threat of wildfires is lower, but contaminants from cars, buses, cigarette smoke, and building and industrial emissions are ever-present. Not to mention volatile East Coast weather that hosts newsworthy pollen spikes, and more recently, wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada. Plus, they live in a tiny apartment with a gas stove and no hood vent (yikes!), two very furry cats, and a roommate allergic to them. So the battle is daily: pet dander and microscopic allergens.

After testing a bunch of air purifiers, top picks include the premium IQ Air Atem X ($1,400) and the lower-priced Coway Airmega Mighty2 ($270). If wildfire smoke is your particular flavor of airborne dread, the Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0 ($375) gets the nod. The author is continuously testing new models to stay current on the best air purifier for every budget, room size, and pollutant.

Check out their other guides to keeping your home's air quality in tip-top shape, including Best Fans, Best Space Heaters, Best Cordless Vacuums, Best Humidifiers, Best Dehumidifiers, and Best Window ACs.

Updated July 2026: Added the Shark BreatheClear Max and IQAir Healthpro Plus, added more info about testing practices, and ensured up-to-date links and prices throughout.