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Looking for an honest AirDoctor air purifier review? Here’s everything you need to know about AirDoctor before making a purchase.
Overwhelmed with all of the air purifiers out there? I was too. Over the years, I’ve researched, purchased, and tested many different air purifiers, and recently invested in AirDoctor.
As you likely know, air purifiers are incredibly effective at reducing airborne pollutants in the home. They remove dust, mold, pollen, smoke, viruses, bacteria, pet dander, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), “off” odors, and other allergens that can trigger allergies and other respiratory symptoms.
Air pollutants can increase the risk of cancer as well as respiratory and heart disease. Studies suggest cancer risks for pollutants emitted indoors—specifically VOCs—were higher in houses with lower ventilation rates.
For us, it’s all about filtering allergens, VOCs, and the many different viruses that end up in our home because of our kids. One of the first things we did to help manage allergy symptoms naturally was put an air purifier in our bedroom. This year, I added one to each of my children’s bedrooms (specifically, the AirDoctor 1000). Since using HEPA filtration in our bedrooms and main living spaces, we’ve seen a measurable improvement in symptoms.
Wondering if AirDoctor is right for you? Here’s my honest AirDoctor review and everything you need to know before making a purchase.
Jump to:
What is AirDoctor?
AirDoctor provides professional quality air purification. The company believes everyone deserves access to clean air at an affordable price. They are transparent and regularly provide third party validation for the different types of airborne pollutants. Currently, they provide four professional grade HEPA filtration air purifiers to choose from: AirDoctor 1000, AirDoctor 2000, AirDoctor 3000, and AirDoctor 5000.
The company was founded in 2016 by Peter Spiegel and Kate Williams. The brand is part of Ideal Living, and operates from its headquarters in California.
How to Choose a Good Air Purifier
When it comes to air purifiers, you want to look at three things. First, look for True HEPA filtration. HEPA, which stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, is a designation used to describe filters that are able to trap 99.97 percent of particles that are 0.3 microns. You don’t want to use air purifiers that promise “HEPA-like” or “HEPA-style” filtration.
Second, check for an additional carbon filter that helps to removes odors, gases, and VOCs, since HEPA filters don’t do this.
Lastly, look at CADR ratings. CADR stands for clean air delivery rating, and describes the volume of clean air that an air purifier produces on its highest speed setting. The higher the CADR, the faster and more efficient the air purifier is.
How Does the AirDoctor Work?
AirDoctor uses a three-stage filtration process. There’s a Pre-Filter, Carbon/VOC filter, and UltraHEPA® filter, which captures airborne particles as small as 0.003 microns. That’s 100x smaller than typical HEPA filters found in other air purifiers.
Laboratory testing demonstrated that the AirDoctor 3000 removed 99.99% of bacteria and viruses from the air in a test chamber.
When it comes to actually filtering the air, experts recommend at least four air changes per hour for optimal removal of airborne particles. AirDoctor purifiers clean the air in a room 4 times per hour, or every 15 minutes using a WhisperJet fan.
In other words, AirDoctor excels at capturing contaminants and filtering the air in the room. It filters out both small and large particles, and has an additional filter to remove volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) like formaldehyde and gases. This makes it one of the top high quality and performance air purifier brands.
Now, let’s get to my personal Airdoctor review after months of using it.
What I Love About It:
- True HEPA filtration
- Additional Carbon/VOC filter
- High CADR ratings in comparison to other top brands
- Has Auto mode which automatically adjusts the fan speed according to the contaminants in the air
- ALL lights can be turned off at night—absolutely no blue light in bedrooms
- The buttons can be locked
- Filters are easy to purchase together
- No Wi-Fi connection or smart features included (very low EMF)
- Modern and attractive design
- Price – much cheaper than other high quality air purifiers (and bonus, you can get $300 off with this link!)
- Good customer service
- Quiet on lowest setting
Cons:
- No remote control
- No Wi-Fi or smart features (this is a pro for me and why I ultimately chose AirDoctor)
- Fan is loud on the highest setting. This is temporary and occurs when the air has a higher level of contaminants.
- 1-year warranty (this is standard, but I’d prefer lifetime)
Which Size Is Right For You
The purifier that is right for you depends on the size of the room you’ll be putting it in. In general, if there’s a doorway, you will need a new air purifier in that room. If you’re in between two sizes, go with the larger size so you have a higher rotation of the air in the room. Here’s my cheat sheet:
- AirDoctor 1000: good for bedrooms, offices, and smaller spaces
- AirDoctor 2000: good for small/medium bedrooms and high traffic rooms like offices and nurseries (I recommend this over the 1000 for small bedrooms because it’s a quieter, smaller, and more powerful)
- Air Doctor 3000: good for studios, offices, master bedrooms, kitchens, and living spaces
- Air Doctor 5000: good for 1-bedroom apartments, larger living spaces, open concept areas, and garages
Is the AirDoctor Loud?
Because air purifiers should always be running, noise level matters. This is a pet peeve of mine because I really don’t enjoy feeling like I’m in an airplane when trying to watch a movie in my living room. All three AirDoctor units range between 30 – 59 decibels depending on the fan speed. All units sit at around 30-35 on the lowest fan setting. For reference, a noise rating around 50 decibels is roughly equal to that of a refrigerator.
Personally, I find the AirDoctor 3000 to be incredibly quiet. I don’t even hear it in the dining room. It’s my favorite purifier of the three. The AirDoctor 1000 has a low humming sound because of where the fan is located, similar to white noise. I prefer using these for the bedrooms because of size. We don’t hear this noise at night because we use white noise makers. But, if you need absolutely quiet in the room when you sleep, I recommend purchasing the 3000.
Pro Tip
If your air purifier is on Auto and the fan is running on high, it’s because it detects a high level of contaminants in the air. It will adjust back to the lowest fan setting once the air is cleaned.
If the fan speed is medium to high for multiple days in a row and the filters are more than 6 months old, it’s because the filter needs to be vacuumed or replaced. AirDoctor comes with a “Replace Filter” light so you won’t have to guess.
Do I Need One In Every Room?
Technically, yes. While this is the ideal scenario, start small. Prioritize the bedroom since this is where you spend the majority of your time, then get one for the room you hang out in most. Because we have an open concept house and cook a lot, we prioritized getting a larger purifier for the dining room and kitchen area. It’s amazing to what cooking actually does to our indoor air!
How Does AirDoctor Compare to Other Air Purifiers?
After researching a lot of different brands, AirDoctor is comparable with the top air purifier brands. The UltraHEPA filtration is one of the best in the industry, and it has an additional carbon filter to hande VOCs and gases. Many filters do not have an additional carbon filter, so to me it’s what sets the top brands apart from the rest. AirDoctor also has one of the highest CADR ratings.
While the fans are about 30% quieter than standard air purifiers, it is still relatively loud (between 50-60 decibels) on the highest setting. I find this to be standard with most air purifiers, but it’s something to keep in mind.
When gathering data for my AirDoctor review, I found that the one major thing it lacks in comparison to other top purifiers is smart features. Most high-end air purifiers connect to Wi-Fi, but honestly, the lack of this feature is a HUGE plus for me. I don’t need my air purifier to be smart, I need to work in the background on Auto without me managing it. I wanted a low EMF device, and this is one of the only air purifiers that doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi.
Where to Buy
I always recommend purchasing direct from the manufacturer for the best price and customer service. It’s easy to register your device and the company will have all of your purchase information. You can also immediately purchase filters with your order so you’re good for years to come.
Looking for a coupon code? I got you! You can get a deep discount on each size, including $300 off (almost 50% off) the AirDoctor 3000! That’s an insane discount and makes it much more affordable—a major plus for us!
Final Thoughts on My AirDoctor Review
I ultimately chose to make the switch to AirDoctor for three reason. First, the UltraHEPA filtration is some of the best industry-wide. Second, the price point. I wanted to get more for the bedrooms in our house, and purchasing multiple purifiers gets costly. Lastly, I wanted no WiFi integration and the ability to turn off all of the lights.
While I’ve used many different air purifier brands, my best experience thus far has been with AirDoctor. I’ve had horrible customers with previous air filter brands, and AirDoctor is responsive and has taken care of me when I need it. In my opinion, this makes the AirDoctor more than worth it!
Have more questions about my AirDoctor review? Let me know in the comments below!
Denise says
Thank you for this review. It really helped me make the decision to purchase and it was helpful to also receive the discount!
Noa says
Hi, is the discount code for the air doctor still valid? Thanks for the post
Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT says
Yes!
Josephine says
The link with $300 off gives only $280 discount… +S/H
Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT says
Hi Josephine! Right now it’s $300 off the 5000, and $280 off the 3000. Because the smaller ones retail for much less, the discount is less but usually the same percentage. Sometimes the discount goes deeper depending on the sale.
Victoria says
Can you have one filter and take it with you throughout the house? Or do you need to buy one for each room?
Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT says
Hi Victoria! I highly recommend purchasing one for each room. Start small—get one for the room you sleep in, then the living space you’re in most. The air will take an hour or two to become filtered again once you place the filter in the new room.
Tai says
Good day, is the coupon still Available for the air doctor purifier?
Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT says
Yes! I asked AirDoctor for a coupon I could give that was evergreen and they gave me this link!
Anjel says
Is air Dr purifier non Prop65?
Glenda Seeman says
What is the easiest or best way to clean the filter?
Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT says
We use a handheld vacuum with the brush attachment to clean off the pre-filter every 2-3 months.
Char koehn says
Hi, I’m wondering if the coupon code for the airdoctor is still available and where do I find it?
Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT says
Hi Char! The link above gives the discount, there is no code needed. AirDoctor does do seasonal promotions, so if you wait until those, you can typically get a deeper discount on bundles!