Are you tired of having a smelly house?
Or maybe you have one particular room, like the basement or kitchen with cooking odors, that smells worse than the others?
Either way, you’ve come to the right place to get relief.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to find the best air purifier for odors so your home smells fresher all day long.
An air purifier is an excellent device for removing smells because it eliminates the particles that actually cause those unpleasant odors.
But, here’s the thing…
Not all air purifiers are built the same.
Your device must have certain features for it to do an effective job at odor removal.
And that’s exactly what you’ll find on this page—an in-depth guide on how to choose the best air purifier for smells that works.
Below, you’ll find out what the best air purifiers for odor elimination are for all types of smells in the home, including kitchens, cooking, pet smells, garbage, chemicals, and more.
So if you want a high-quality air purifier odor remover to make your house (or room) smell good again, this guide was written for you.
Table of Contents
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Best Air Purifiers for Odor Elimination Reviewed in This Guide
Here’s a quick comparison chart showing the top air purifiers for smells. We’ll cover each aspect of these units in the reviews section below, but this gives you an idea of what’s available and an easy way to compare them.
| Image | Air Purifier Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
  | VEVA Pro HEPA 9000 Air Purifier
| Check Price |
 | IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier
| Check Price |
 | Rabbit Air MinusA2 Air Purifier
| Check Price |
 | Levoit LV-PUR131 Air Purifier
| Check Price |
 | Austin Air HM400 Air Purifier
| Check Price |
 | Ivation Air Purifier
| Check Price |
Best Air Purifiers for Odors & Smells List
1. Rabbit Air MinusA2 Air Purifier for Smells
How would you like the have the best air purifier for all types of odors and smells inside your home?
In addition, how would you like to have a unit that can be fully customized to your individual needs?
If that sounds good, then you’ll love this air purifier by Rabbit Air purifier odor remover.
What makes the MinusA2 the most popular air purifier on the market is the 6-stage air purification and deodorization technology and customizable user features.
Inside this unit, you’ll get:
- Pre-filter
- Medium Filter
- BioGS HEPA Filter, which is a longer-lasting True HEPA filter (up to two years)
- Customized Filter
- Activated Carbon Filter
- Ionizer
If you have any trouble with tobacco smoke, kitchen smells, or any other type of smell, you’ll be very happy with this air purifier.
That’s because it gets rid of everything!
The customized filter option also allows you to further enhance the air cleaning power of this unit.
You can choose between:
- Germ Defense Filter: Reduces airborne bacteria, mold spores, and particles that carry viruses.
- Pet Allergy Filter: Reduces pet dander, pet allergens, and pet hair.
- Toxin Absorber Filter: Reduces volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals.
- Odor Remover Filter: Reduces cooking odors, pet smells, cigarettes and cigar smoke, and mildew smell.
Another top feature of this air purifier is that you can mount it on a wall with the included wall-mounting kit. No other brand offers that type of luxury for its users.
The front panel also comes in two color choices and multiple designs. It can literally look like a piece of artwork in your home.
Plus, a Wi-Fi enabled version is also available if you want full wireless control from your iOS or Android device.
And finally, this air purifier is good for removing smells in any large room of the house because it can purify a space between 700 to 815 square feet.
2. VEVA Pro HEPA 9000 Air Purifier
Recommended for spaces up to 600 square feet, the VEVA ProHEPA 9000 Air Purifier is an incredibly affordable option for larger rooms, especially considering the level of quality air purification you get for the price.
It’s equipped with three filters to capture unseen air invaders and larger ones alike. The washable pre-filter uses micro mesh technology to grab larger particles, like hair, pet dander, and lint. Next, the air meets a microparticle and activated carbon filter which helps to extend the HEPA filter’s life and remove odors, smoke, and other vaporized pollutants. Lastly, the medical-grade H13 premium HEPA filter effectively traps pollen, dust, mold, and other nasties to bring you the best air possible in your home.
Unlike other air purifiers on the market, this VEVA air purifier doesn’t use UV lights or ions, which are known to create trace amounts of ozone that can pollute the very air you’re trying to clean. For families with babies, cats, or dogs, you can breathe easy knowing this little machine is a lot safer than some of the other products out there.
Plus, the installation is so simple! You just slide the filters into their designated slots and it’s ready to go.
Customize how you purify your home with the three airspeeds ranging from extra quiet to ultra turbo. For instance, the extra quiet speed ensures your air is clean while you sleep without the noisy whir of the motor.
Its small, sleek, and modern design is also a huge perk — the VEVA air purifier seamlessly integrates into any home décor for a sensible solution to air quality that doesn’t disrupt your personal style.
3. Levoit LV-PUR131 Air Purifier for Odors
If you’re looking for the best air purifier for smells that’s not only affordable but also gets rid of the widest range of odor particles, this is it.
For less than $150, you can enjoy some of the cleanest, freshest air possible indoors with this odor remover air purifier.
The Levoit LV-PUR131 comes with a thick Activated Carbon filter for trapping millions of gaseous particles and a True HEPA filter to capture 99.97% of other airborne contaminants that contribute to indoor smells.
It’s 100% ozone-free and doesn’t produce any harmful by-products during the air filtration process.
The LV-PUR131 is great for small to medium size rooms up to 360 square feet, which makes it perfect for areas like the living room, kitchen, bedroom, or small basement.
A larger LV-H133 model is also available that covers up to 538 sq. ft. for even more coverage.
If you want the best air purifier for odor elimination without breaking the bank, this machine is a great choice.
5. IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier for Odors
How would you like an air purifier that has one of the most advanced air filters for odor removal?
And it can make a large room up to 1,125 square feet smell fresh and clean no matter what’s causing the smell?
If that sounds like a good option, then you’re going want this IQAir purifier for your home.
Although most people who buy this unit suffer from allergies or asthma, the fact is that it’s one of the best-kept secrets for removing indoor smells too.
What makes this unit so good for odor elimination are:
- The advanced HyperHEPA filter captures 99.95% of particles down to 0.003 microns—the smallest that exists. This removes the widest range of solid odor-causing particles. And it lasts up to four years before a replacement is needed.
- A special V5-Cell Gas and Odor filter is designed strictly for removing indoor odor particles and chemical pollutants. It removes everything that causes smells, whether it’s from tobacco, cooking odor, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and more. Plus, it lasts up to two years for odor protection.
We could go on and on about the numerous awards that this air purifier has received for improving health and eliminating smells, but we won’t in order to keep things brief.
If you check this air purifier out, then you’ll see just how good it can be for your home.
Also, it will last you a lifetime of use so you’ll never even have to think about buying another unit if you do invest in it.
6. Austin Air HM400 Air Purifier for Smells
Do you like to cook?
Or smoke?
But hate the odors that your stove, food, or tobacco leave behind?
If so, you’ll get a lot of value out of this air purifier.
The Austin Air HM400 is a one-of-a-kind machine that includes more than 780 cubic inches of Activated Carbon in its filter (about 15 lbs.).
That amount of carbon is unmatched in the marketplace and is what gives this machine one of the highest ratings for removing airborne smoke, chemicals, gases, and odors.
It also includes a large True HEPA filter to eliminate other common indoor contaminants.
Therefore, your home not only smells fresh but is as clean as it can be too.
What also makes it the best air purifier for kitchen smells and tobacco smoke (or any other smelly substance) is the 360-degree air filtration system.
Air is sucked in from all four sides of the unit as opposed to just one like other products.
This makes the Austin Air HM400 more efficient for larger spaces.
This unique design and large filters allow it to clean up to 1,500 square feet and is one of the most powerful air purifiers you can buy today.
If you want a dedicated cooking odor air purifier or smoking air purifier that will keep your home from smelling like a restaurant or ashtray, this product will far exceed your expectations.
7. Ivation Air Purifier for Odors
Our final recommendation for an air purifier for odor removal is this cherry wood cabinet device by Ivation.
It’s unique in the fact that it combines an ionizer and ozone generator in one device.
But, don’t’ let that scare you.
As we mentioned earlier in this guide, ozone is a powerful air neutralizer but it can be harmful to your health when you’re exposed to high concentrations of it.
However, if you set this device up to run on the ozone setting while you’re not at home, it can eliminate practically any household odor.
Then, when you return, you can turn off the ozone feature so it’s safe for you to be indoor—the ozone particles will dissipate.
As for the ionizer function, it can be used at any time without any health worries.
And, you can control the level of ionization with a small knob to meet your exact needs.
In total, this air purifier odor for removal can cover up to 3,500 square feet when you run it on full blast.
That’s a massive amount of space and is great for anyone who has a very large area to eliminate odors, like a basement, open floor plan, or full size apartment.
Best Air Purifier for Smells Buying Guide
What to Look for in an Air Purifier for Odors
Air purifiers are amazing machines.
However, not all air purifiers can remove odors.
In fact, if an air purifier doesn’t contain at least one particular type of filter, then it won’t reduce any odors at all.
Also, some air purifiers claim to be odor removers, but the technology they use only masks the smell as opposed to getting rid of the gaseous molecules. The fact is that how air purifiers work is different based on the brand and model.
To make sure you get the best air purifier for odor elimination without wasting your money, you’ll want to look for these features in the product that you buy:
Activated Carbon Filter for Odor Elimination
An Activated Carbon filter is the only type of filtering material that can actually eliminate odor molecules.
It’s a highly porous substance that traps the organic chemicals that create smells; even the odors you’re habituated to (i.e. have a lower sensitivity to notice because the brain ignores them over time with exposure).
As air passes through the Activated Carbon filter, odor particles are adsorbed to the material, while fresh air passes through the other side.
On a scientific level, Activated Carbon is a specially processed form of carbon that contains millions of microscopic pores.
This results in a greater surface area that’s designed to trap gaseous molecules of all types.
If removing odors is your top concern, then make sure that the air purifier you choose has a thick layer of this material in its filter.
The advantage of Activated Carbon filters is that they can remove smells from all sorts of sources, which is why you’ll find them in the best air purifier for all types of odors: pets, mold, cooking, garbage, paint, chemical vapors, etc.
HEPA Filter for Solid Odor Particles
While many of the top air purifiers today come with a HEPA filter, it’s important for you to know that this particular filter cannot remove odors molecules.
Instead, HEPA filters are designed to capture solid particles, like dust, pollen, pet dander, visible smoke, and bacteria.
Gaseous vapors pass right through the HEPA material.
However, some solid particles do emit odors, like mold spores and tobacco smoke, which is why having a high-quality HEPA filter is still essential for the effectiveness of an air purifier.
The HEPA filter will trap solid particles inside a dense mesh material and help reduce the spread of smells around your house. That’s why you’ll always find this type of filter in a good air purifier for smoke.
An Ionizer (Optional for Smells)
An ionizer is another form of technology you’ll see advertised when looking for an air purifier for odors.
In fact, some products are labeled specifically as an “air purifier odor remover” that only contains this functionality.
You’ll also find other air purifiers that include both the Activated Carbon filter and HEPA filter in addition to an ionizer.
In those cases, the ionizer is a supplemental feature that works to boost the efficiency of the machine.
But what is an air ionizer and how does it help reduce odors?
Ionizers emit negatively charged ions into the air that latch onto particles to weigh them down. This causes pollutants to fall onto the floor or stick to surrounding surfaces.
Vapor molecules that have been ionized cannot scatter throughout the air, and therefore, won’t radiate their smell.
However, those particles still technically remain in the room, so if you turn the ionizer off, the smells may come back.
Something else you should know about ionizers is that some versions do create ozone as a by-product, which also has powerful air neutralizing capabilities.
But ozone can be harmful to your health if you’re exposed to high concentrations of it.
Fortunately, most ionizers today emit an ozone level of less than 0-0.05 ppm which is considered safe for humans by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
As you can see, an ionizer can boost the air cleaning power of your air purifier, but it’s not an essential feature; it’s completely optional.
The only true filters you need to eliminate odors with an air purifier is an Activated Carbon filter and HEPA filter that we covered above.
Now you know what features to look for in the best air purifier for odors. That’s why each unit in our list of reviews above includes these essential filters.
Common Questions About Air Purifiers
Where Should I Place My Air Purifier?
The best place for your air purifier is a spot where the air can circulate freely in and out of the unit.
Placing the air purifier close to the center of the room is the best placement, and away from walls, furniture, or other objects that may alter the airflow.
You also want to place it near the source of the odor, if you can. For example, if you’re having trouble with cooking odors, then placing the air purifier in or near the kitchen is the smartest choice.
Will an Air Purifier Help with Musty Smell?
Yes, an air purifier will help with a musty smell as long as it has an Activated Carbon filter.
This filter can trap the odor particles that are emitted by mold, which is the top cause for a musty smell.
Just be sure to check the Activated Carbon filter each month to see if it needs a replacement.
If there are a lot of odor particles in the air, this can clog up the filter fast.
Can I Put Essential Oils in an Air Purifier?
No, you can’t put essential oils in an air purifier. Air purifiers don’t hold water.
These devices only contain physical filters that must remain dry to work effectively. If you want to use essential oils, buy a diffuser instead.
Good air purifier companies specialize in producing only air cleaners for odor removal purposes; not as air fresheners.
Do Air Purifiers Work for Odors?
Yes, air purifiers remove odors as long as they have the right types of filters.
The best air purifier for this purpose is one that includes an Activated Carbon filter and HEPA filter. An ionizer function can also help but it’s optional. See air purifier vs ionizer for more details on the difference.
Activated Carbon is the only material that can truly trap and remove smells from the air around you.
This substance collects gaseous odors and chemical vapors so they don’t return back into the room.
So, regardless if you’re looking for the best air purifier for pet odor, a paint smell remover, a cooking odor air purifier, or a machine to get rid of musty smells in a basement, an Activated Carbon filter is the top filter to handle those gaseous pollutants.
Can HEPA Filters Remove Odors?
Yes and no. A HEPA filter cannot remove gaseous odor molecules but it can remove solid particles that cause odors. This includes substances like mold, bacteria, smoke, and pet hair.
By doubling up on an Activated Carbon filter and HEPA filter in your new air purifier you’ll have amazing protection against odors in any are of your home.
That’s why most of the top units in our air purifier reviews contain both of those filters.
Can an Ionizer Remove Odors?
Yes, an ionizer can remove odors, but it’s not the most effective machine to do it. A filter-based air purifier is better for odor removal.
However, if you want to save a bit of money on your air purifier purchase, the second best air purifier for odor elimination is one that uses an ionizer.
Ionizers are a special type of technology that neutralizes odors without using a physical filter material.
They’re just not as efficient as an air purifier with an Activated Carbon filter and HEPA filter because ionizers don’t actually remove the odor particles from the room.
Ionizers are still a good cheap option for removing smells if you can’t afford a higher-priced filter-based air purifier.
A Brief Background on Odors
Knowing what causes odors and how smells travel through the air will help you better understand—and appreciate—how the top air purifiers for odor removal work to eliminate odors in your home.
What Causes Odors?
Odors don’t just come out of thin air.
In fact, even though smells are invisible molecules, they always stem from a particular source, such as mold, pets, cooking, garbage, chemicals, etc.
An odor is caused when the chemical compounds within a substance become volatilized (released as a vapor).
And that smell (or scent) can be perceived as pleasant (fragrant) or unpleasant (repulsive).
Some substances are very volatile and produce a large number of odor molecules.
That’s what makes things like rotten food or chemical cleaning agents smell so strongly.
Other substances are not very volatile and barely have a scent at all, like metal and steel.
The truth is that some odors occur naturally during evaporation while others only happen during decomposition or chemical changes.
A fun fact is that the human nose can detect about one trillion odors which makes your sense of smell more powerful than you may think!
Most Common Types of Indoor Odors
As for the most common types of indoor odors, they stem from:
- Kitchen (cooking odors, spices, and associated smoke)
- Garbage (rotting food)
- Chemical Cleaners
- Pets (Dog skin and Cat litter boxes)
- Paints and Varnishes
- Construction Materials (carpeting, wood, and drywall)
- Mold and Mildew
- Damp Rooms (basements and bathrooms)
These smells are not only a nuisance but also pose adverse health effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). “Symptoms vary based on your sensitivity to the odor. In most cases, symptoms will depend on the type of substance, its concentration in air, how often exposure occurs (frequency), how long exposure lasts (duration), your age, and your state of health.”
Fortunately, the best air purifier for smells can eliminate most of the odors that come from those places so that the air around you smells fresh and clean and is healthier to breathe.
How Do Smells Travel Through the Air?
The understanding of smell is a complex topic. Unlike solid substances, like dust and pollen, that clump together and attach to surfaces, smells are free-floating gaseous molecules.
Therefore, odors don’t collect in one spot and remain there, but rather spread out far and wide through a process called “diffusion”.
Diffusion is a process where a high concentration of particles moves to an area of lower concentration.
This happens naturally with odors because gaseous particles move randomly from place to place without any controlled path.
Diffusion is the reason why even small sources of odors, like a dog bed or a burnt piece of toast, can spread throughout an entire room or house.
Those odor molecules can’t stop invading the fresher air because of diffusion.
Enjoy Your New Air Purifier for Smells
We hope you found this guide on how to choose the best air purifier for odors useful.
No matter which best air purifier for smells you choose on this page, you can rest assured that the odors inside your home will be greatly reduced or go away entirely.
By using a high-quality air purifier with the right types of filters, you can have a space that smells as fresh as possible. Any one of the devices on this page can make a good cooking odor air purifier for kitchen smells as well as a general air purifier odor removal in the home.
