Your reason for purchasing an air purifier is probably your health. It may be to preserve good health, or it may be to help family members who have allergies, asthma or other breathing difficulties. If you or your family suffers from allergies you are well aware that different allergies present different threats. That means the allergies or other health issue you are trying to deal with may dictate a different type of air purifier. For that reason it is important you purchase an air purifier based on your needs, not simply by a rating or review of the product.

Some of the more popular air purifiers are UV, Ozone generators, Ion generators, electronic (or electrostatic) and HEPA types. Some of the more popular brands are Air-O-Swiss, Blueair, Allerair, IQAir, Ionic Breeze and Friedrich.

UV, which stands for Ultraviolet light is a form of air purifier that has limited value. It kills microorganisms like viruses and bacteria. Unless it is used with another type of air purifier, it does nothing for smoke and other harmful gasses or particulates. Some reputable brands include UV technology along with other forms of air purifier technology and that is a plus.

Ozone generators work by using three Oxygen atoms, which is an unstable molecule. If you remember from your high school chemistry classes, Oxygen wants to be two molecules together (O2), not three (O3). The oxygen molecules will chemically combine with many particulates in the air. Keep in mind that Federal regulations are strict in terms of how much Ozone people can be exposed to. It can be dangerous.

Smaller air purifiers are sometimes Ion generator air purifiers. They work by producing an electrical charge on particulates. The electrical charge causes the particulates to stick to whatever they come in contact with. They work well, but they do have a few draw backs. They do not have fans, so they don't move air. Another issue is the particulates tend to stick to the walls and other objects near the air purifier, causing them to become very dirty. It is also reported that they do produce a certain level of potentially dangerous Ozone.

One specific brand of air purifier operates on basically the same principle as the Ion generator. It employs electronically charged plates within the unit that attract particulates. The particulates only stick to the plates, not to the walls and other objects in the room. The only negative is they do not have a fan and do not move any substantial volume of air.

Other manufacturers have products that are similar to the charged plate air purifier. This type of technology is the electronic or electrostatic type. This technology is not new. It has been around for a long time and it is most likely the best answer for allergy sufferers. It is not your best choice for asthma and some other breathing issues. The major difference with this version of the charged plate technology is they do have fans and they do move larger volumes of air.

The final type of air purifier we will discuss is HEPA. HEPA is the best answer for asthma victims. It is also one of the most effective for odor removal. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particle Arresting. It is a filtration system. With each of the systems there are some drawbacks. With HEPA the filters can not be cleaned and have to be replaced regularly. They tend to be pricey and finally, they tend to be somewhat noisy.

Your selection of an air purifier should be based a few simple factors. What are your needs? How large the area is you want to clean the air in? What, if any, health issues are you trying to address? Is noise an issue to you? Consider ease of cleaning the unit. And last, but not least, consider your budget.