Why Are Air Purifiers So Expensive? [Reasons]

Last Updated on May 22, 2023

There are loads of air purifiers on the market. They will have varying listing prices. Some will be on the high-end spectrum, costing about thousands of dollars, while others will be on the medium-end, costing hundreds of dollars. But why are air purifiers so expensive?

Well, the long story short is that they have high-end filtration technology, which costs a lot to manufacture and integrate. Additionally, the high-end models will have a high energy efficiency, which adds more cost to the manufacturing process.

But those are not the only reasons why these devices cost so much. Many other things bump up the price point of these devices. And if you go through this article, you can get to know about them all.

Things That Make Air Purifiers Expensive

As we mentioned earlier, there are some specific reasons why air purifier devices are so costly. Here is a brief description of each of those factors:

High-End Filtration Technology

Ever wondered why is Dyson air purifier so expensive? Well, Dyson models reside in the high-end spectrum. And these high-end devices will come with HEPA filters. 

Now, if you do not know this yet, the United States of Energy sets air purification levels and efficiency standards. And HEPA filtration units meet and sometimes exceed those standards.

But what do HEPA filters contain? At their core, they will have dense and fibrous material. This material is highly efficient when it comes to collecting airborne particles. And for a filter to obtain the HEPA title, it must have 99.97 percent efficiency. It should also be capable of capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns.

That said, some low-end air purifiers will utilize filters that look similar to HEPA. However, they will not have the same level of filtration power as HEPA. Most of these will not even be capable of capturing small particles, including viruses and bacteria. And these can not clear out the odor from the air that well.

Better Clear Air Delivery

CADR, which states Clean Air Delivery Rate, is a standard for measuring the efficacy of air purifiers. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers created this standard. This rating basically allows the users to compare the rate at which the devices can remove the particulates from the air.

To illustrate the rating, if an air purifier can clean 100 cubic feet of air per minute and filters 80 percent of airborne particles, it will have a CADR rating of 80. On that note, airborne particulates have different ratings. For example, the ratings for smoke, dust, pollen, and tobacco will vary.

That said, the higher the CADR rating a device has, the more efficient its fan and filtration method is. And that will bump up the price point of the air purifier as more advanced materials are required to get a higher rating.

Talking of which, you will not find a CADR rating for all of the devices you come across in the market. This is a voluntary program, and not all air purifier brands go through this program to get a certified rating.

Energy Star Efficiency Rating

Another reason the air purifiers have a high is the Energy Star’s efficiency rating. Usually, the higher-end devices will have this rating. And in order to get approval from Energy Star, the device should have two times the CADR rating compared to the fan speed.

To illustrate, if the air purifier utilizes 200 watts of power on the highest fan setting, the CADR rating should be 400 or higher. Without that, it will not get an Energy Star efficiency rating. And when a device gets this efficiency rating, its price increases accordingly.

Cleaning Technologies

Some air purification devices are expensive simply because of having better technologies inside them. You will find loads of models with WiFi features, self-timer settings, auto air sensing settings, and many more.

Likewise, there are devices with advanced features. One of the examples would be the Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation technology. It targets airborne microorganisms and destroys them with ultraviolet light. This technology can also kill mold, viruses, dust mites, and bacteria.

Some high-end devices will also come with Photocatalytic Oxidation and Electrostatic Precipitation technologies. These will enhance the purifiers’ cleaning efficiency further and offer better air purification results. For that reason, 

Other than the aforementioned technologies, many devices will integrate multiple advanced technologies into them. Those help the device to clean the air properly and effectively. And as you might have guessed, the integration of these advanced technologies will make the devices more expensive.

See More: Dyson air purifier f code

Long Term Warranties

Some of the expensive machines will come with extended warranties. These will offer the customer the peace of mind that they can get the right support from the manufacturer if anything goes wrong.

That said, lower-end models will also come with warranties, but in most cases, the manufacturers will not value their warranty policy. That is why high-end devices have a higher overall demand.

Design Options

Most of the high-tier air purifiers will offer different options for the overall outlooks and design. You will find them in different finishes and colors as well. Brands offering these options will have to manufacture the air purifiers in separate batches, which increases production costs.

video credit: TechBar

Expensive Air Purifiers Vs Budget Air Purifiers

So, should you actually go for the expensive air purifiers just because of their extra bells and whistles? Well, in comparison, the budget air purifiers have non-HEPA filters and low CADR ratings. Some will even produce high noise levels, which can ruin your overall user experience.

Let’s not forget some of the cheap devices will even provide poor airflow. They will also consume more power, which will make you spend more money on electricity bills than you have to.

In short, although you will save some money opting for a budget-friendly air purifier, you will not get proper air cleaning performance. And if you do not get that, there is no point in having an air purification device in your room.

Considering that, we would highly recommend going for high-end devices. Look for the advanced cleaning technologies in them. The more tech the device integrates, the better the cleaning efficiency.

Final Words

So, why are air purifiers so expensive? The high-end devices will integrate a lot of advanced technologies. They will even have higher cleaning efficiency and energy rating. For that reason, you will get better overall performance with them. So, it is safe to say that the price you will pay will be well worth it.

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Paul M Walker

I, Paul M Walker, am the founder and the author of this little site you are currently on. I work to provide readers with no-fuss and easy-to-follow solutions regarding common air purifier and humidifier problems.

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