As the COVID lockdowns are relaxing, it’s time to get back to college and there’s nothing more important than getting your dorm ready for the academic session ahead.
The pandemic situation and the uncontrolled spread of wildfires have highlighted the importance of air quality and the negative effects that bad air quality can have on your health.
As you’re going to spend the greater part of the year in your dorm, it is imperative that your air quality is as clean as possible.
Can Air Purifiers Help With Bad Air Quality in the Dorm?
Yes, air purifiers can solve air quality issues and can ensure a clean supply of contaminant-free air, but choosing the right air purifier for a dorm room can be quite difficult with all the different options available on the market.
This guide will help you choose the best air purifier for dorm room and will highlight all the things you need to consider when getting one. Our top air purifier picks will help remove particles like dust, allergens, odors, and microbes from your dorm without disturbing your fellows or your sleep.
Air Purifiers for Dorm Rooms – What to Look Out For
When buying an air purifier for a dorm room, you need to make sure that it packs the essential filters that can handle air contaminants usually found around a dorm room.
Depending on the type of air contaminants, your dorm room might need different filters e.g. if the dorm is close to a field, the high pollen content would require a HEPA filter. Conversely, if a dump site is close by and there is a distinct odor around, then an activated carbon filter is the best solution.
Here is a detail of all the things you need to consider to choose the best air purifier for the dorm room.
Air Quality
It goes without saying that bad air quality will require strong purification while medium to low-quality air can also be tackled with an entry-level air purifier. Air purifiers feature different types of filters that deal with different types of air contaminants, we have a complete guide about the different contaminant types and what type of filters are efficient against them.
Space
Dorms are usually packed spaces and if you already have very little space then selecting an air purifier with a huge footprint would be a folly. Always select your air purifier depending on the space that you have.
Operation Noise
You definitely don’t want to disturb your dorm fellows. If your dorm is compact and your dorm fellows don’t want any noise around, you’ll need to consider the peak decibel levels of your air purifier.
Power Usage
Sharing the dorm power bill with the fellows? It’s best to go for an air purifier that doesn’t consume astronomical levels of electricity. However, power is proportional to purification strength and a balance must be struck for good purification.
Air Purifier Specifications to Consider
Depending on the different requirements, your air purifier must have all or some of the purification technologies on offer. We’ve explained what each filtration stage brings so that you can decide better.
Pre-Filter
A pre-filter traps large molecules and particles like human/pet hair, dust specks, pollen, insects, fibers, etc. While all air purifiers feature a pre-filter, if your dorm room has odor issues, it is suggested to use an air cleaner that has activated carbon infused with its pre-filter.
HEPA Filter
A HEPA filter is a must, as according to the EPA, it can filter out 99.97% of airborne contaminants down to a size of 0.3 microns. The efficacy of the HEPA filter is further improved by some manufacturers by the addition of certain additives or anti-bacterial treatment.
HEPA air purifiers are the best choice for your dorm room but the other filtration stages are a welcome addition and improve operational efficiency.
Activated Carbon Filter
An activated carbon filter or a filter with high carbon content is your best bet against odors and chemicals. Activated carbon filters can neutralize odors and can adsorb VOCs (volatile organic compounds), making your indoor air smell fresh and odorless.
Negative Ion Generator
Air purifiers equipped with negative ion generators are also called scrubbers. These work by releasing negative ions in the air that latch onto the indoor contaminants, making them too heavy to stay airborne.
This usually results in a little increase in the visible dust in your dorm room during the first few days of use as the particles settle down, but the pre-and HEPA filters in the air purifier should be able to handle it.
Ultraviolet Light
Some air purifiers make use of UV light to neutralize airborne particulates and microbes. But, the inclusion of a UV light can drive up the manufacturing cost and the design of most such air purifiers is quite boxy and big for dorm rooms.
5 Best Air Purifier for Dorm Room
- Levoit Core 200S
- Winix-A231-Purifier
- Medify Air MA-14 Air Purifier
- VEVA 8000 Elite Pro Series Air Purifier
- Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto
| Features | Levoit Core 200S | Winix-A231-Purifier | Medify Air MA-14 Air Purifier | VEVA 8000 Elite Pro Series Air Purifier | Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto |
| Filtration Stages | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Design | Cylindrical | Cylindrical | Boxy | Tower | Cylindrical |
| Minimum Sound Level | 24 | 25 | 26 | 40 | 23 |
| Filter life | 6-8 months | 12 months | 4 months | 6-8 months | 6 months |
| Dimensions | 12.6 x 8.1 x 8.1 inch | 9.5 x 9.5 x 14.6 inch | 8.3 x 8.3 x 12.2 inch | 9 x 8 x 23 inch | 10.2 x 10.2 x 20.5 inch |
| Can handle Mold Spores/ Pollen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
5 Best Air Purifier for Dorm Room – Reviews
1. Levoit Core 200S
Levoit Core 200S beautifully showcases the air purifier manufacturing prowess of Levoit. The purifier improves the already excellent Core 200 and adds smart features like home automation connectivity making it one of the best air purifier for dorm room out there.
The Levoit Core 200S features a cylindrical design that pulls in air through the bottom and sends out clean purified air out through the top. By making the air intake divided, Levoit has minimized the noise making it a perfect fit for your dorm room.
At just 12.6 inches high, it can easily be placed on any countertop without being too intrusive. The cylindrical design is highly portable and the whole package weighs under 3 kgs.
The Core 200S packs a 3 stage filtration system that passes the air through a pre-filter, a HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter for filtering out large particles, fine contaminants, and odors respectively. Volatile organic compounds can be removed easily with the carbon filter.
The combination of the three filters and the inclusion of rubber padding makes the whole operation efficient and quiet. Thanks to the inclusion of smart features, the Core 200S can be linked with smart assistants for seamless operation and control, making it one of the best air purifiers on the list that don’t cost a fortune.
The air purifier also features a filter replacement indicator that comes up whenever the air filter needs maintenance or replacement. While the air filter can be easily replaced in under 5 minutes, the filter can also be vacuumed if your dorm room is excessively dusty.
This can help extend the life of the air filter significantly. The operational state of the air purifier can be monitored using the Levoit VeSync app making
Even the flagship offerings from other manufacturers lack some of the excellent features offered by Levoit with the Core 200S.
Levoit Core 200S is the perfect package and is one of the best dorm room air purifiers as it brings the best of Levoit in an inexpensive package. Under $100 you’re getting Levoit’s air cleaning prowess, automation, and smart assistant connectivity, Smart VeSync, quiet fan, & 99.97% efficiency making it an excellent choice for dorm rooms.
2. Winix-A231-Purifier
Winix 231 is the white variant of the A230 and we’ll refer to A231 for the sake of simplicity. Both the models are exactly the same and bring a 4 stage filtration system.
The Winix A230/231 can easily handle a space of 230 sq. ft. and can purify the indoor air in such a space 5 times an hour, making it an ideal fit for dorm rooms.
The design is highly attractive whether you opt for the plain matte black A230 or the black and white A231. The purifier is cylindrical in shape with it being wider at the bottom where the air intake is and is sleeker at the top from where the air comes out.
The cylindrical design is less than 15 inches high meaning you can stow it on countertops and shelves with ease. The overall design is attractive and at 25 Dbs is one of the quietest models out there.
The air purification starts with a fine mesh pre-filter that filters out large particles before passing the air onto the true HEPA filter (High-efficiency Particulate Air) filter that filters out 99.97% of the airborne contaminants down to a size of 0.3 microns.
The air is then passed onto the activated carbon filter that helps tackle dorm room odors and any VOCs that might be around if you or your dorm fellows use any organic solvents. Winix also brings its proprietary PlasmaWave technology.
The PlasmaWave technology acts as the 4th stage of filtration and improves the overall efficiency of the purifier. It is basically Winix’s version of an ion generator, as it produces both positive and negative ions that neutralize microbes and other airborne contaminants.
Perhaps the best thing about the Winix A230/231 is the inclusion of an air quality sensor at an affordable price tag. The purifier also indicates the air quality through a circular indicator up top that lights up blue for good, amber for fair, and red for poor air quality respectively.
Any drop in the dorm air quality will automatically speed up the fan and the air purifier will quickly handle air quality issues until the indoor air is of safe, good quality.
The Winix A230/A231 made our list thanks to the inclusion of smart sensors and automatic mode at an affordable price tag. While the air purifier packs enough power to handle any dorm room, the replacement filter is a bit expensive for our liking and requires a replacement every 12 months.
3. Medify Air MA-14 Air Purifier
If you’re not looking for anything fancy and don’t want any extra features then the Medify Air MA-14 is a great air purifier for the dorm room.
The MA-14 brings a boxy design that is offered in both black and white trims. At under 13 inches tall, it has a portable build and at 5.3 lbs. It doesn’t weigh much, making it an excellent option as a dorm room air purifier.
The controls are on the front and the air purifier functions quite well. The defense against air contaminants starts with a pre-filter that traps large particles like dust, hair, and pet fur. The air is then passed onto the H13 HEPA filter that can filter out particles down to a size of 0.1 microns with a 90%+ accuracy. For particles measuring 0.3 microns and up, the efficiency goes up to 99.97%.
The Medify Air MA-14 lacks a dedicated activated carbon filter hence its efficiency against odors is lesser than some of its counterparts but the HEPA filter included in the package is Medical Grade.
The purifier is rated for 470 sq. ft. rooms making it a good choice for even bigger dorm rooms. If you’re not using any purifier in your dorm room then the MA-14 is a great air purifier to start with.
Medify Air MA-14 is not the king of any category and the build quality is a bit low for our liking as the air purifier can get a bit loud at the highest setting. In addition, the air purifier filter life of 4 months is very short.
For a current discounted price, Medify Air MA-14 is hard to overlook. It provides ample CADR and ACH to qualify as a good dorm room air purifier that can be moved around and will fit any countertop easily. The lack of a dedicated carbon filter, filter replacement indicator, and automatic features can be a deal-breaker for some people but for the price, the purification efficiency is hard to beat.
Also Read: 5 Best Air Purifier for Litter Box Smell in 2022
4. VEVA 8000 Elite Pro Series Air Purifier
For those of you looking for an inexpensive solution to dorm room air quality problems but don’t mind the noise, VEVA 8000 Elite Pro is just the thing for you. At above 30 decibels it isn’t quiet but offers excellent air purification thanks to a true HEPA filter.
The simple build is able to push out enough power to cover 325 sq. ft. easily but you need to consider the design as the tall tower design is 23 inches in height and can feel intrusive. The noise levels are also one of the highest in the segment.
VEVA promises inexpensive filters and you can get a pack of 1 HEPA and 4 carbon filters for under $20. This makes it one of the best air purifiers on our list thanks to the cheap maintenance.
The air enters the purifier through the front and is passed through the carbon and TrueHEPA filter before being pushed out through the back. The front-to-back airflow can be a bit confusing and absurd for some and we didn’t like it either. But if you want something that can be stowed aside for a non-intrusive purification in the dorm room then the 8000 Elite can be an excellent option for you.
The overall build is plastic and while VEVA has tried their best to paint it in a premium fashion, it looks cheap but for under $100 this is acceptable. But there are better purifiers on our list for the price tag as VEVA 8000 Elite Pro does not offer any smart features, nor does it have any filter replacement indicator or any Auto mode.
Despite the sound levels and absence of smart features, the VEVA 8000 Elite Pro made our list thanks to its cheap air filters and easy-to-use design as the only options available on the front are the fan speeds.
5. Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto
If you’re looking for a premium option that is eye catchy and you have no budget constraints then the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto can be a great choice for your dorm room. It is the best quiet air purifier for dorm rooms on our list.
At around $200 it is definitely not cheap but the moment you see it you’ll feel the aesthetic difference right away. The choice of materials is premium on the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto but it won’t fit all countertops as it is more than 20 inches tall.
Although the overall build is cylindrical the 311 Auto has one of the highest CADR due to some innovative tweaks to the filter. Blueair has swapped out the HEPA filter in favor of a HEPASilent filter that uses a proprietary fiber filter and electrostatic filtration to achieve the purification efficiency of a HEPA without the thick material.
This allows the air purifier to have a high clean air delivery rate and can cover large spaces with ease.
The contaminated air goes through a pre-filter, a particle filter (HEPASilent), and an activated carbon filter, meaning you’re protected against fine particles, odors, and your more expensive filter life is extended thanks to the pre-filter.
Despite the hefty price tag, there is no filter replacement indicator but Blueair suggests changing the filter every 6 months. At 23 decibels, it is one of the quietest air purifiers around that can be added to any dorm room.
The Auto mode allows the air purifier to kick in and increase fan speeds automatically whenever the air quality deteriorates and will reduce the fan speed when the air quality is restored.
If your dorm room measures 400 sq. ft. or up and you’re looking for an air purifier that has excellent design and premium feel then the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto is an excellent fit for you.
Also Read: Best Air Purifiers For Bathroom In 2022
FAQs
Are Air Purifiers Allowed in Dorms?
Yes, air purifiers are allowed in dorms in most colleges and schools. If your institute doesn’t allow an air purifier and you suffer from a condition you can request the administration to allow its use.
Can air purifier help with asthma?
Definitely, an air purifier can improve the air quality in your dorm room for yourself and everyone around you. If you suffer from asthma or any other condition that can be aggravated by air contaminants, these must always be used.
Final Thoughts
Dorm rooms can be one of the most contaminated spaces but a simple inclusion of an air purifier can fix most dorm room air quality issues with ease. All of our options can easily handle dust mites, pet dander, but if you smoke regularly in the dorm room then investing in an air purifier with an activated carbon filter is recommended. If any of your dorm fellows suffer from a medical condition, consulting them before buying one is recommended.