This seems to be a common question recently you could search or check out the air purifier sub.

Size of room and your budget would be helpful.

I have a Winix 5500 in both my bedroom and office and like them both

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Levoit 💯

Allerair has the superior filters. Allerair 6000 models. Unbeatable carbon quantity (20-39 lbs). Also a super HEPA filter which this link will explain https://www.allerair.com/pages/super-hepa-filtration-optimal-indoor-air-quality. All I will say is the HEPA filter is H14 rated which is top dog.

Hi, for good choice you should check :

1. Quality of room for exact ACH, CADR
2. Qty of pets any kind of them (long it short hair, smell etc. )
3. Then go to shop :) Anyway you need air purifier with pre-filter, HEPA filer 13, 14 or higher, carbon filter and optionally ionaier and humidifier. I recommend to take air purifier with humidifier any good brand (I have Panasonic) Also you need good vacuum cleaner. You can pay attention for one brand only to Bissell air purifier 400 professional and Bissell pets control vacuum cleaner CrossWave X7 Cordless Pet. On the market many good brands offering this products.

Any HEPA filter will help. You have to vacuum frequently...maybe get a robot to vacuum daily between deeper vacuuming. You'll likely need more than one to cover an entire house.

Did you make any effort to search at all?

Well, I’ve been struggling with seasonal allergies for as long as I can remember and the Alen FLEX (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6YMWNA/) helps me out a ton. I keep it in my office next to my desk and I bring it with me to the bedroom when I sleep, and I haven’t been on Allegra for almost a year now. I don’t even use nasal spray anymore, so I’ve been singing its praises ever since I got it. The genuine HEPA filter in there is a literal life-saver.

Now, since you’re dealing with pet allergies, without getting too technical, I’d say you have to focus on three things: size, CADR, and filters. You have to find something that’s suited for your space. Ideally, you’ll want to get a purifier that’s rated for about 20% more than the size of your room to get the most out of it. Also, look at the CADR. That’s basically the number that represents how efficient your machine is. For pet allergies, I’d say you want a CADR of at least 200 so that the purifier sucks in the airborne hairs as soon as possible. Finally, always go for a genuine HEPA filter. That’s the only thing that’ll help you out.

Ask r/airpurifiers

IMO the Coway is the only one worth considering on this list - blueair and Levoit are junk to be honest. Add Alen and Winix to your list.

Also, 2 things to keep in mind with air purifiers.

1. the advertised sqftage of the machine is usually grossly overestimated. Typically these estimates are based on cleaning all the air in a room once per hour. If you’re serious about purifier air. You need four air changes per hour.

2. Curb your expectations about it handling hair. Sure it may be able to catch come hair in the general vicinity of the machine. But hair is too heavy to suck in from across the room. To deal with hair and visible dust look at a corded and bagged vacuum. Which will also help tremendously with allergies.

Look for one with a washable pre-filter so you won't have to spend a fortune on filters clogged by fur.

I recently did an analysis on reddit data on air purifiers, basically ranked them by aggregated sentiment. Maybe you'll find the results helpful, especially if you're looking for something tried and tested: https://redditrecs.com/air-purifier/ You can filter for comments for pets and see a tldr the good / bad that was said for each model.

Wash the pets.

Blueair imo because they have washable prefilters, and pet hair and dander is large and honestly doesn't need HEPA filters to clear it out the way, say, smoke does. 

That being said, a robot vacuum that runs daily will be more useful overall than a filter, and a nice hand vacuum you don't mind using for upholstery

I had a similar issue with pet dander and found that the key wasn’t just in the purifier itself, but in understanding the type of filter it uses—specifically looking for a unit with a true HEPA filter rated for allergens, not just “HEPA-type.” I also learned to check the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) to make sure it’s appropriate for the room size, and placing it where my pets hang out most made a noticeable difference. For long-term efficiency, I track how often I actually need to change filters versus what’s advertised—some models stretch that timeline more than you'd expect if your space is well-ventilated.

One of my roommate's has an (admittedly mild) cat allergy, and so does my father who occasionally visits. I have a small HEPA filter air purifier in our living room and each bedroom. I honestly think it makes a difference, as they tend to have no issues (unless the fuzziest baby rubs RIGHT up on their face).

Frequent brushing also makes a difference. Brushed out fur = less shed = less particles hanging around the air.

It’s absolutely worth it. Also brush them daily, it will help a lot.

If you don't have an air purifier, you ARE the air purifier. I'd also recommend looking into Liveclear cat food/egg enzyme to help control cat allergies if you haven't already

Maybe try posting on r/airpurifiers ?

Brands don't matter just look for something with a hepa filter

With pet hair, nothing beats regular vacuuming since air purifier is not made for to pick up pet hair. With odors, you would need one that uses carbon filters as air filter themselves dont do anything to odors.

if you are on a budget, IKEA air purifier does a good enough job and filters are cheap to replace with.

Ok, so first things first, stick to HEPA Air Purifiers. These are essentially mechanical air purifiers that suck air in using a fan and then pass the air through a series of filters to clean it. 

Basically, HEPA is one of the filters that these air purifiers use, hence the name. This filter removes both large and small particles (as small as 0.3-0.1 microns). Additionally, they have a prefilter for capturing larger particles like dander and fur and activated carbon that removes smoke and odors. Avoid opting for ionizers or ozone generators.

I personally use Morento HY4866-WF ( https://www.amazon.com/Purifiers-Display-Quality-MORENTO-Double-sided/dp/B0C1MPDTG7) in a similarly sized room. While it's actually designed to handle spaces as large as 100m2, using it in a smaller room allows for a much faster cleaning or more air changes per hour. I just find that arrangement to be working great for me.

Plus, I recommend that you learn more about CADR and air changes per hour. These both are key metrics for determining how well and how quickly the air purifier cleans the air. Morento HY4866-WF actually has dual intake or 2 x HEPA + activated carbon filters giving it a CADR of 300. For the price, it has one of the highest CADR ratings.

Pretty much anything with a HEPA filter will get rid of the particles causing you issues. There's no special requirement. See the stickied thread for some recommendations and just be sure to avoid ionizers.

In addition to what everyone else has said:

If the weather outside is nice, consider keeping the window open all the time.

Consider getting a spirometry test. Many people with allergies also have asthma. I'm not a doctor.

Consider installing a MERV 13 air filter, as thick as possible, with low air resistance, in the furnace filter holder, if you can. 3M Filtrete brand is probably a good choice. Replace it per the manufacturer's recommended replacement schedule. Set the furnace fan to run 24/7.

After days of research and reading hundreds of reviews, I finally settled on this Alen FLEX purifier in Oak.

https://www.amazon.com/Alen-Purifier-Cleaner-Allergens-Filter/dp/B01M6YMWNA/ 

It's a beautiful air purifier, and if you have a home with a more natural aesthetic like we do, the "wood" front helps the machine blend in more with its surroundings instead of sticking out like a sore thumb. We tend to like wood, natural fibers, ceramics, etc. for our decor, and I wanted a purifier that was barely noticeable at a glance because it somewhat camouflaged with its surroundings. 

Because it has such a minimalist design and few obvious vents, I feel it would blend well with most decors, and it's so great that this model also has numerous colors and wood types to choose from.

As for how well it works, I could not confirm its effect on my health immediately but 3 weeks later, I absolutely noticed a reduction in the frequency of my allergy symptoms. With cats in the house, things are never going to be 100 percent perfect but this air purifier has made significant improvements. I also wake up a lot less with puffy red eyes or a scratchy throat.

For the price point - neither cheap nor extremely expensive, I honestly do feel that Alen FLEX may be the best (if not, one of the best) options on the market, and is a wonderful combination of effectiveness and good design.

The negatives…It can be a bit loud when on the highest setting, which may be an issue for some, but didnt bother me. Not overly loud but it depends on your personal opinion/perception of what constitutes "loud" for such a machine. Personally, I don't really notice the noise anymore - it's almost like white noise in the background. And I think that if it's bothersome at night, you can put it on the low setting, which significantly reduces the noise when you sleep.

Air purifiers are definitely a great help when it comes to improving air quality. They can remove really tiny particles like allergens which are as small as 0.01 micrometers. The Coway Mighty, recommended by the WireCutter, is a fantastic air purifier that many people say has changed their lives. It costs around $200 to buy, and you'll need to spend about $60 each year on filters.

If you're looking for more affordable options, the Winix 5500-2 and Winix 5300-2 are also highly recommended. They are cheaper than the Coway Mighty but still do a great job.

However, I would suggest avoiding the LEVOIT and Medify brands. These air purifiers haven't been certified for their effectiveness, and their specifications can be misleading. They also seem to be rebranded Chinese products. Plus, they only sell online and have somehow managed to manipulate the rankings to show up in the top 10 everywhere. So it's best to steer clear of them.

Thank you so much for the reply and tips!!!

So, I actually bought the same air purifier a few months ago, the LV-H128. I think it's pretty good.

I can't say for sure, but my allergies seem to have improved a bit since I got it. However, I've noticed that there are still allergens on our bedsheets, and apparently, carpets, especially older ones, can be full of allergens too. So, on days when we change our sheets, give the carpet a good vacuum, and have the air purifier on, things definitely feel better. But unfortunately, the purifier alone isn't a magic solution. But then again, my allergies are really bad.

Oh, and we like to keep the window cracked open for fresh air. I guess it might lessen the impact of the purifier, but it really depends on what you're allergic to. If it's just pollen that's coming in from outside, then it's best to keep your windows and door closed all day with the filter running, so you can sleep in a room with nice, clean air at night. As for me, I'm allergic to pets and hay, which we keep in a separate room, so having the window open doesn't matter in the winter... until summer arrives and the hayfever starts up again, of course.

Do you have any health issues before you purchase the air purifiers? Like allergies or a little cough? We used to live in an apartment with bad window seals, so dust, pollen, and smoke from our neighbors would always come in. Our toddler had a persistent cough that wouldn't go away.

As we were trying to move out and end our lease, we asked our child's doctor if using air purifiers would help. Guess what? Not only did she say it would help, but she even wrote us a prescription for it! She told us to buy whichever ones we liked, and her office would provide us with a letter confirming the prescription. We then sent that letter to our insurance company, and they reimbursed us for the cost.

We chose two air purifiers that cost around $110 each, and we got our money back. And thanks to our doctor's recommendations, we were able to break our lease and find a much better place to live. Our doctor called it "environmental allergies" that were causing our toddler's prolonged cough. It might not work for everyone, but it's definitely worth looking into. Good luck!

I have the worst allergies ever, but luckily I found an air purifier that has been a total game-changer. My allergist recommended the Rabbit Air brand and let me tell you, it's absolutely amazing. Yeah, it's a bit pricey upfront, but when you consider the overall cost per use, it's actually cheaper. The one I got covers 600 feet, but they also have a bigger one that can cover 1000 or 1200 feet, I think. Mine cost around $400-450, which is definitely an investment.

Before getting the Rabbit Air purifier, I had a cheaper one that cost $120, but it didn't help me as much. And you know what? It ended up costing me way more money in the long run. With the Rabbit Air, I only have to replace the filters every 1.5 years, and it costs $90 for all the filters. On the other hand, with the cheaper Honeywell one, I had to replace the filters every 3 months, and they cost around $10 or $27 each, so I was spending around $150 a year just on filters. With the Rabbit Air, I only have to vacuum the filters every 3 months and replace them every 18 months for a total cost of $90. I've had mine for 4 years now and haven't had any technical issues, so it's definitely been worth the money.

By the way, most cat allergies are actually caused by saliva, so an air purifier won't solve everything. But let me tell you, it has made a huge difference for me in terms of reducing hair, dander, litter dust, and pollen. There are also special foods available that can help reduce the allergen FEL D 1, which is what causes allergies in the first place.

To manage my allergies, I vacuum every single day and wash my sheets at least once a week. I even replace the pillowcase I use on my face every day. I have a ton of allergies, not just related to cats, so I have to do a lot of cleaning to keep everything under control.

I ended up taking care of this on Black Friday and got some pretty substantial discounts...

Large Room: Alen Breathesmart 75i.

Me & Wife's Bedroom: Coway AP-1512HH Mighty

13 year old's bedroom: Levoit Core 300S

I was looking hardcore at the Medify MA-112, Coway 400S, and two Winix HR900s. I'll update you all once we get them settled in place.

Cheers.

IQAir HealthPro series purifiers?

Check out

"Find a Certified Room Air Cleaner - AHAM Verifide" https://ahamverifide.org/directory-of-air-cleaners/

And or Wirecutter - air purifiers for a list of the highest performing independently tested Hepa, purifiers.

i would definitely snag the airmega 400s or 400 from amazon today as they both look to be on sale at the moment

So having severe allergies what would you guys recommend for just one 400sqft room? Was looking at the IQair but not sure if that would sufficiently move air all over the room… specifically need dander/ hair to be removed (fel protein)