The 5 Best Air Purifiers For Dorm Rooms

If you’re heading off to school, you probably have tons of things on your college packing list — but the best air purifiers for dorm rooms are a worthy addition. A reliable unit will keep the air relatively free of dust, allergens, and even germs. Before making any purchases, however, you should consider the intended square footage, filtration stages, and size.

What To Look For In An Air Purifier For College

Square footage: Depending on how many roommates you have, dorm rooms are usually between 100 square feet and 300 square feet. If you can get the specific measurements of the room beforehand, it’ll help you to choose the right unit for your space, granted air purifiers are often marketed using the square footage they can tackle.

Filtering abilities: Dorm buildings are often decades old — which can mean serious dust — and even if they’re new, you’ll still be sharing that space with hundreds of people. Choose a purifier that has at least three filtration stages to cleanse the widest range of pollutants: A pre-filter for large particles like dust, a deodorization filter to keep the air smelling fresh, and a HEPA filter for mold, allergens, bacteria, smoke, and other fine particles.

Size: In a dorm, counter and floor space is typically limited. For that reason, you’ll want something that’s as compact as possible. Because you’ll be sleeping, studying, and hanging out there, the quieter and more unobtrusive the unit, the better.

Shop The Best Small Air Purifiers For Dorms

In a hurry? Here are the top picks for compact air purifiers.

1. The Overall Best Air Purifier For Dorms: BLUEAIR Bedroom Air Purifier
2. The Fan-Favorite Small Air Purifier: LEVOIT Air Purifier For Bedroom
3. The Best Desktop Air Purifier: OSIMO Portable Desktop USB Air Purifier
4. The Best Plug-In Sanitizer: Germ Guardian Pluggable Small Air Purifier
5. The Best For Large Rooms & Old Buildings: Coway Airmega AP-1512HH(W) True HEPA Purifier

1. The Overall Best Air Purifier For Dorms

Pros:

• Captures over 99% of pollen, odors, and even airborne viruses including COVID-19
• Auto-adjusts to your space for set-it-and-forget-it convenience
• Compact and 67% quieter than most other HEPA air purifiers

Cons:

• Price

Blueair purifiers are known for their top Consumer Reports ratings and rave reviews from customers, and the Blueair 411 Auto is no exception. Using four filtration layers (including HEPASilent dual filtration that creates 67% less noise than traditional HEPA units), it’s capable of cleaning a 190-square-foot space in under 13 minutes. It’s even been tested to capture 99.99% of pollen, odors, and viruses (including airborne COVID). What’s more, it uses less energy than an LED light bulb and auto-adjusts to the air quality in your space for set-it-and-forget-it convenience. Despite its smaller size, its 360-degree air intake is plenty efficient.

One reviewer wrote: “Absolutely love this! As advertised, it's nearly silent when on its most basic mode - it will kick up into action when it detects something. [...] I have allergies, and this seems to have made a difference. The huge plus is the lack of noise and the sensor - I don't need to choose a level and then have it blow loudly all day. Definitely recommend.”

Recommended square footage: 190 square feet | Filtration stages: Fabric pre-filter, HEPASilent technology, particle filter, carbon layer | Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.9 x 16.7 inches | Available colors: Gray

2. The Fan-Favorite Small Air Purifier

Pros:

• A best-seller with a 4.6-star rating
• Compact and quiet
• Has a built-in aromatherapy tray to freshen musty spaces

Cons:

• Not the most durable or high-tech

LEVOIT has claimed several of the best-selling spots for air purifiers on Amazon, making it a fan-favorite brand that reviewers trust. This LEVOIT bedroom purifier is more compact than most but still offers three-stage filtration to remove dust, odors, and allergens from your space. It’s also whisper-quiet at 25 decibels, despite its 360-degree VortexAir technology that starts improving air quality in a matter of minutes. The display lights automatically shut off after one minute, which is especially helpful in a bedroom. Finally, this one even has a built-in aromatherapy tray so you can overcome musty dorm-room smells with your favorite essential oils.

One reviewer wrote: “Sent to my college student because her allergies were out of control in her dorm room. She said it’s very quiet and she is no longer having any of the allergy symptoms she was having previously.”

Recommended square footage: 178 square feet | Filtration stages: Prefilter, HEPA filter, odor-absorbing filter | Dimensions: 6.5 by 6.5 by 10.4 inches | Available colors: White

3. The Best Desktop Air Purifier

Pros:

• Packs easily and fits on your desktop
• Captures over 99% of particles like pollen, smoke, and dust despite its small size & price
• Uses a type-C USB plug for power

Cons:

• You’ll need a brick adapter for outlet use

Limited on space and outlets? This desktop air purifier takes up an extremely small footprint and comes with a 4.9-foot type-C USB cable so you power it from your computer if needed. According to reviewers it still “packs a punch” with its three-stage filtration system (which captures more than 99% of pollutants) and three modes of air purification, the lowest of which operates at 22 decibels (below the volume of a whisper.) Finally, it’s super easy to pack and even easier to find a permanent home for in your dorm room.

One reviewer wrote: “This air purifier is so easy to transport and easy to use. I’m using it in my college dorm and it works amazing. The room was stuffy and musky when I moved in but since I started using this it is just the opposite. Amazing product!”

Recommended square footage: 215 square feet | Filtration stages: Prefilter, H13 HEPA filter, activated carbon filter | Dimensions: 6.8 x 6.8 x 8.3 inches | Available colors: Black, white |

4. The Best Plug-In Sanitizer

Pros:

• Plugs into an open outlet, so it won’t take up floor or counter space
• Uses a UV-C bulb to help remove some bacteria, viruses, mold, and odors
• Has an average 4.4-star rating from over 12,000 reviewers

Cons:

• Doesn’t offer three filtration stages

It doesn’t have the aforementioned three stages of filtration, but the Germ Guardian Pluggable air purifier is still great for zapping away some germs and unwanted odors in shared spaces. Reviewers love it for kitchens and bathrooms because it doesn’t take up any floor or counter space, but it still uses a UV-C bulb and titanium dioxide to deactivate airborne viruses and organic compounds. Simply plug it into any open outlet and let it do its thing for up to 12 months at a time (after which the bulb will need to be replaced).

One reviewer wrote: “I love this. It is not very loud, but I love feeling like I am breathing good air. It is also very nice looking, which is a great incentive to continue to use the product! I originally got this because my roommate was sick and I was afraid of catching it. However, I am continuing to use it, and I really like knowing I am breathing clean air all the time!”

Recommended square footage: 56 square feet | Filtration stages: UV-C bulb | Dimensions: 4 x 3 x 7.48 inches | Available colors: White

5. The Best For Large Rooms & Old Buildings

Pros:

• Four-layer filtration system
• Auto-mode adjusts speed based on current air pollution levels
• Surprisingly compact given its power

Cons:

• The highest mode is on the louder side at 53. 8 decibels (just below the level of a refrigerator)

For large shared spaces or particularly old buildings, the highly-rated Coway Airmega purifier is worth the splurge. Why? For one, it monitors the air quality in your space and automatically adjusts the fan speed using a four-stage filtration system: A pre-filter for dust, a deodorization filter for smells, a True HEPA filter to capture up to 99.97% of particles as small as .3 microns, and a bonus vital ionizer that reduces additional particles in the air. It even switches to eco-mode when no pollution is detected for 30 minutes. Despite its 361-square-foot capabilities, it’s a sleek, compact model that weighs less than 13 pounds. Finally, built-in timers, three fan speeds, eco-mode, and a filter replacement indicator make your life as easy as possible.

One reviewer wrote: “I bought this for my daughters musty old dorm room. Her allergies were [bad] and she was sick a lot. This unit helped she noticed a difference in the air quality and smelled better! It has different settings the low is quiet and high wishes pretty loud. She liked the white noise and used the high to help cover up the ambient sounds of college students! I now use it in the basement for my airbnb. It definitely freshens up the air!”

Recommended square footage: 361 square feet | Filtration stages: Pre-filter, deodorization filter, True HEPA filter, vital ionizer | Dimensions: 16.8 x 9.6 x 18.3 inches | Available colors: Black, white