On the choice of air purifier vs. air conditioner, most people are confused as to which to buy and whether just one of them is enough. Therefore, we wrote this article to help enlighten you.
We care about your air quality at home, but we also care about your budget, so we’re going to break down these two with their similarities and differences. This is to let you know which one is more suitable to purchase for your needs, or if you need to buy both or just one of them.
Most of us know that AC units are costly, not just because of the unit themselves but also their monthly electric bill consumption. That’s why we’ve detailed below how air purifiers can co-exist with air conditioners.
Which air purifier is good with air conditioners?
If you’re wondering “where to buy air purifiers near me?” then Amazon is a good place to start looking for air purifiers that will work well with an air conditioner. We just searched for different units that you might like as there are many choices on that site, as well as good delivery services and quality customer service.
1. Hathaspace HSP002 Smart True HEPA Air Purifier
| Coverage in square feet | 1,500 |
| Number of filters | 5 |
| Best for | Bedroom, whole-house, kitchens living room |
Made with an H13 HEPA filter that is medical-grade, which can eliminate up to 0.1 microns of particles, this one is great for large rooms. Due to its 5-in-1 filter system, it will be a great supplement for your air conditioner, especially if you have multiple ones or if you use a centralized type.
It even has a sensor that makes it easy for you to know if your air is currently dirty. What’s more, the intuitive touch screen allows easy navigation of the settings – perfect for grandma or grandpa. We like that it is CARB-compliant and ozone-free so it is eco-friendly.
2. Coway Airmega 400 Smart Air Purifier
| Coverage in square feet | 1,560 |
| Number of filters | 2 |
| Best for | Living rooms, whole-house, multiple-room apartment, bedrooms, kitchens |
We consider this unit as a choice for the best HEPA air purifier for the home due to its extensive and powerful filters – activated carbon and true HEPA filter. Because of its additional activated carbon filter aside from the true HEPA filter, it will also take care of smells from the kitchen.
What’s more, this one has an 8-hour timer as well as a filter life indicator so that maintenance will be a breeze for you. It will complement your air conditioner due to its powerful filter. Likewise, it has 3 speeds and low noise of only 43.2 dB at the maximum speed.
3. Alen FLEX Air Purifier
| Coverage in square feet | 700 |
| Number of filters | 2 |
| Best for | Bedrooms, living rooms, homes with allergy sufferers, homes with pets, apartments, medium-sized rooms |
Available in multiple panel options, this air purifier is a good complement for homes with AC units yet you want something that isn’t too bulky. It is made for medium-sized rooms and has a medical-grade H13 true HEPA filter for allergy sufferers. With 4 fan speeds, a lock feature, and a timer, it has intuitive and simple controls on the panel.
Moreover, its customized filters allow you to thoroughly clean up your indoor air pollution depending on the situation (e.g. mold, pet odor, smoke, and the like). It even has a dimmed mode to help you sleep at night without distraction. Likewise, it only consumes 50 watts at its highest speed. Since this unit is Sleep Score validated, it is ideal for bedrooms and those who can’t sleep easily.
4. AIRDOCTOR 4-in-1 Air Purifier for Home
| Coverage in square feet | 900 |
| Number of filters | 3 |
| Best for | Living rooms, bedrooms, nurseries, family rooms |
Made with an UltraHEPA, dual-action carbon/gas trap/VOC filter, cleanable pre-filter, this air purifier is easy to move around due to the handles on the side. This makes it a great companion for any AC room that you may have. Not only that – it has whisper-jet fans that aren’t going to distract you during sleep.
What’s more, it has a fully-sealed system to keep the air purifier efficient. It also has an auto mode so you don’t have to manually set the fan speed. Likewise, it has a change filter alert for easy maintenance. We like that its control panel has a dimmer for nighttime, as well as a timer to conserve energy. It also has an ionizer, which is optional so you don’t have to worry about ozone levels.
Do I need an air purifier if I have air conditioning?
Generally yes – even if your air conditioner has a built-in air filter, maintaining it might not be as easy as you would on an air purifier, which usually has a filter change indicator. Moreover, the filter of an air conditioner might not be as powerful as a real and standalone air purifier would have.
An air conditioner is more of a cooling unit rather than an air-cleaning one. We advise that you get a separate air purifier to do the job, especially if you live in a metropolitan area where the air quality is not that good.
Can I use an air purifier with an air conditioner?
Yes, an air conditioner can be used with an air purifier with the following conditions:
- The air quality in your area is really bad
- Your air conditioner has a built-in air filter that’s not powerful enough
- Your AC unit filter doesn’t have a replacement indicator
With that said, air purifiers are not a requirement with an AC unit, however, they are far more powerful than just using the filter of your air conditioner alone.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, air purifiers can greatly complement an air conditioner. While an AC unit focuses more on cooling, an air purifier will take care of the dust and allergens that will lurk around your home. Whether you want to use them together is up to you, but we advise that you do so that you’ll have cool and clean air at the same time.
