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Save space without compromising on efficacy with these top-rated two-in-one air purifier and humidifier combos. Commercial Dehumidifier For Basement
Dust, allergens, smoke and other environmental aggressors affect the quality of air inside our homes, which can lead to itchy noses, scratchy throats and bad odors. Tackling these air pollutants and the symptoms they can cause takes a multi-pronged approach. Air purifiers can remove irritants and foul-smelling particles from the air, whereas humidifiers can soothe dry airways.
The problem? Air purifiers and humidifiers are often bulky appliances that take up a lot of valuable space in your house, especially if you live in a small apartment or sleep in a cozy bedroom. Here's a space-saving solution: Combination humidifier and air purifiers pack the utility of both of these machines into one sleek interface for more control of the air in your home.
The Good Housekeeping Institute regularly evaluates HVAC appliances like air conditioners (both portable and window units) as well as dehumidifiers. Though we haven't run a full-gamut test on air purifier-humidifier combination units in our Labs yet, we've tested dozens of humidifiers and air purifiers over the years, and we've even assessed the best humidifiers for babies and the best air purifiers for smoke. Based on our in-house engineers' extensive knowledge of both purifiers and humidifiers, we've put together this list of the best two-in-one combination units that will keep your home's air clean and moist.
For more information on how we picked the best air purifier and humidifier combos and why you should trust our recommendations, keep reading after our reviews below.
Though we haven't tested many combination air purifier and humidifiers in our Lab, this unit is one of the few that we have, and we're big fans. The Dyson features True HEPA filtration (a must for air purifiers we recommend) that can remove particles down to 0.3 microns in size. The gallon-sized humidifier tank is able to provide moisture for up to 36 hours.
Our Lab tests uncovered that the purifier on this model to be exceptional, reducing PM2.5 and PM10 particles by more than 95% in just 30 minutes. PM stands for particulate matter, and the number that follows is a measure of the particle's diameter in microns. PM2.5 and PM10 particles have the potential to enter airways and even the bloodstream, causing adverse health effects.
We also found this purifier to be the best of the ones we've tested at reducing air formaldehyde concentrations — in half an hour it removed 75% of the formaldehyde in our test chamber. This combo unit is compatible with the Dyson app, providing real-time analysis of the different types of air pollutants present, and allowing for easy remote control of the fans, humidifier component and timer settings.
All of this functionality comes with a hefty price tag, not including the $80 filter replacements and $30 cleaning kits, which will be needed to keep the machine running smoothly, so this purifier may not be for everyone. That said, if you're looking for all of the bells and whistles, the Dyson has it.
Two-in-one units can get expensive, not to mention bulky. We love this model from Afloia because it's neither of those things. For only $140, it includes an H13 HEPA filter, which is designed to remove 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter or larger, in addition to an activated carbon filter, which can help adsorb (physically bind to its porous surface) bad-smelling particles in the air that the HEPA filter doesn't catch.
While we didn't test this unit in our Lab, we were impressed with its modular design. The humidifier sits atop the purifier component when in use and can be removed and stored when not needed. Standing under 2 feet tall, this unit is smaller than other picks on our list, and the manufacturer claims whisper-quiet operation at only 24dB. Some reviewers noted that the machine isn't as durable as they'd like, and remarked that the plastic felt cheap, but for the price we can't complain.
In a tight bedroom, the last thing you want is big equipment that takes up valuable real estate. The cylindrical ORB, at only 7.7 inches in diameter, packs a lot of multifunctional power into a tiny body. The unit features the True HEPA filtration we require in our air purifier picks as well as an activated carbon filter to adsorb foul-smelling particles. It's also got a similar modular design to our best value pick, so you can save space and store the humidifier component when you don't need it.
We haven't formally looked at this model in our Lab, but our engineers appreciate its compact design and the simple, intuitive controls it offers. We also like that it provides True HEPA filtration and doesn't feature an ionizer — the latter can release the irritant ozone into your home. The air quality indicator light and the fact that it comes with a remote control for convenient operation are nice features. Some customers noted that it was difficult to track down replacement filters for this model so you might need to do a deep dive to keep your unit working.
There aren't many air purifier-humidifier combos on the market, and even fewer that are rated for large spaces. This model from Sharp is the exception, being effective in rooms up to 2,603 square feet. The unit includes both a True HEPA and activated carbon filter as well as a 0.53 gallon reservoir for effective purification and humidification. There's also a bevy of smart features, including a weekly scheduler available in the companion app, additional app-only programming and Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa control.
We love the robust, large-space filtration, but we have to recommend it with a caveat. This purifier-humidifier combo is defaulted to have its ionization turned on, a feature we strongly recommend turning off before operating. While this unit has had third-party testing to ensure its ionizer doesn't release more ozone (an irritant that can exacerbate existing respiratory conditions) than permissible per the California Air Resource Board (0.05 ppm), the science on ionizer efficacy and safety is still inconclusive. We haven't tested this unit in our Lab, but upon reviewing the instruction manual, our engineers found the process to turn off ionization fairly straightforward, though we wish it wasn't the default setting.
The Revive packs evaporative humidification and air purification into one sleek design. Don't let the compact chassis fool you, this unit features five types of filters to combat different kinds of air pollution. There's also an on-unit indicator light that shows you how the air quality stacks up in real time and functions like auto-off setting that can save energy and money.
We haven't tested this model but our engineers were impressed with its specs: Of the unit's five filters, there are two True HEPA filters that can each capture particles down to 0.3 microns in size. For allergy sufferers, this could be a game changer as the additional filtration component can help further reduce air pollen and allergen content.
While we love the auto-humidification feature that adjusts the humidifier's output based on the room's humidity levels, we wish the humidifier component was a bit more robust. The unit disburses water into the air at a maximum rate of 350 mL per hour so those living in dryer climates or requiring more intensive humidification may want to check out other units on this list, or consider a stand-alone humidifier.
To determine the best air purifier and humidifier combo units for your money, the engineers at the Good Housekeeping Institute Outdoor and Home Improvement Lab started with a thorough process of reviewing technical data, owner's manuals and consumer reviews.
First, we only considered units that featured True HEPA filtration (typically H13), which means that they'll remove 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size. We also steered clear of models with ionization unless we were certain that it can be turned off, since these kinds of air purifiers can release ozone, and there's limited data showing the advantages of ionization versus classical filtration.
Because the point of having a two-in-one unit is to reduce the amount of space it takes up, we favored models that are more compact while still offering powerful humidification and purification. We read product reviews on major retailer websites to ensure there aren't any concerning defects and look for any potential pitfalls with the product.
For the units that we did get hands-on with, we ran an extensive air purification test in our Lab's airtight climate chamber. We introduced small amounts of pollutants and measured the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10 and formaldehyde prior to starting the test. We then turned on the air purifier to its maximum setting for 30 minutes and then re-measured these contaminant concentrations to get a sense of how well the purifier does at removing them.
We also examined the fan speed, sound level and control interface to find units that were powerful, quiet and easy to use. We also sent units to consumer testers who told us about their experiences with how the machines work in real-w0rld conditions and gave us insight into how intuitive they are to set up and operate.
✔️ Coverage area: Look for air purifier and humidifier combos that are rated for at least one air change per hour for your desired size. We always suggest going for combo units that are rated for slightly larger spaces than the one you have rather than smaller for more efficacious humidification and purification.
✔️ Filtration: We recommend air purifier and humidifier combos that feature True HEPA filters, as these will be the most effective at removing airborne particles, allergens and irritants. Many combo units feature HEPA-like filters or are air washers, which won't clean your air as effectively.
✔️ Water-tank capacity: A larger tank means less frequent refills, letting your humidifier do the work for you. If the unit you choose has a small capacity, look for an auto-off or scheduler feature that'll prevent it from needing constant refills when not used optimally.
✔️ Ease of cleaning: It's important to clean the humidifier component of your combo unit regularly to prevent the growth of mold and other harmful microbes. Look for models that are easy to disassemble and reassemble and doesn't have too many nooks and crannies where bacteria can accumulate.
Air purifiers and humidifiers do very different things to the air, so they can absolutely function in tandem. Air purifiers typically remove physical pollutants from the air like small particles, whereas humidifiers add evaporated water to the air. Some may be concerned that an air purifier might remove some of the humidity that a humidifier creates but this is a misunderstanding. The evaporated water is far too small to be caught in the air purifier's filters. Only a condensation process like that caused by a powerful dehumidifier could remove water from the air.
Nikolas Greenwald heads up the Good Housekeeping Institute's in-Lab testing of both air purifiers and humidifiers, regularly evaluating the top performers and newest entries in the sector to find the best ones on the market. He has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and applies his knowledge of fluid dynamics and filtration processes to finding strong contenders in the home HVAC space. For this article, he spent 10 hours researching and evaluating different combination air purifier and humidifier units.
As the lab assistant at the Good Housekeeping Institute, Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.
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