Snap Air

Last updated: August 2025 This is our third year running this comparison, and it’s become our most-read page. Over that time we’ve seen plenty of models appear and then quietly vanish - often from brands where air purifiers aren’t a core focus. Some disappear entirely, leaving customers with no way to buy replacement filters. That’s why we update this guide each year: to show how purifiers actually perform, which are supported in New Zealand, and how much value they provide. If you’d like to skip ahead, here’s a quick way to jump to the section that matters most to you: Under $300 - Smaller spaces Under $500 - Medium spaces Under $1000 - Larger spaces Over $1000 - Large & commercial spaces Key things to know before comparing purifiers Before we get into the numbers, here are the fundamentals that matter most when choosing a purifier: Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR):This measures how much clean air a purifier produces (in m³/h). The higher the CADR, the faster and larger a space it can clean. CADR is the single most important metric, far more reliable than “recommended room size” claims, which are often exaggerated. Noise levels (dB):Noise is one of the most practical factors when choosing a purifier. Many brands highlight their lowest “sleep mode” figures, but CADR drops heavily at those speeds. For this guide we’ve used maximum speed noise levels, so comparisons are fair. How to read the numbers: <50 dB - relatively quiet for daytime use, fine in living areas but still very noticeable at night 50–54 dB - modest background noise, upper limit for comfortable indoor environments 55–59 dB - similar to normal conversation, very noticeable if close by 60+ dB - loud and disruptive, best avoided for long periods Price vs performance:The price tag should reflect what the purifier actually delivers. Some big-brand models are expensive but produce less clean air than simpler, better-value units. A quick note on “extra features”When shopping around you’ll see lots of air purifiers with added bells and whistles. Some of these aren’t just unnecessary, they can be unhelpful or even harmful: Ionisers / Negative ion generators - can create ozone and just push particles onto surfaces instead of removing them. These are used to improve CADR figures, without filtering out particulates. UV lights - sound impressive, but don’t get enough contact time to work in fast-moving air. HEPA filters already capture these particles. Auto sensors - often cheap, inaccurate and misleading. We recommend a separate, accurate monitor if you want to track your indoor air properly. 👉 For a full breakdown, see our article: What features matter when choosing an air purifier. How we source and present the data We’ve made every effort to ensure the numbers here are accurate and up to date, but air purifier data can be patchy. Some brands don’t publish CADR or noise levels at all (we’re looking at you Dyson and Shark), or publish only partial figures. Here’s the approach we use, for all purifiers we find available in New Zealand: Manufacturer or retailer specs - when CADR and noise levels are published clearly. EnergyStar database - where CADR is independently verified. Independent tester reviews (e.g. Housefresh, Rtings) when official data isn’t available. If no reliable CADR data can be found, we exclude the model. That’s why this guide shows every purifier in NZ with verifiable performance data. While we’ve double-checked everything, there may still be small differences between sources. Why trust this guide? The internet is full of “Top 10 Air Purifiers” and “Best Purifiers for Dust” lists - even from well-known outlets. Unfortunately, many are built to generate commission, not to give you the best advice. We want to be upfront: yes, we are selling some of the purifiers in this guide. But unlike affiliate-driven lists, our business depends on you being satisfied years down the track. That means filters being available, performance matching the claims, and you getting genuine value. Why you can’t trust every “Best Of” list To show what we mean: in 2024, the NZ Herald published their “Best Air Purifiers in New Zealand” picks. The problems? Many. It was clear this was written by someone (or AI) with no knowledge of air purifiers. They included models with poor clean air performance, no filters available and unsupported models drop shipped from overseas. Their reason for publishing isn’t to inform you, it’s to earn commission on the products they list. We broke this down in detail here: It's a good reminder that while these lists look authoritative, they don't hold up when you check the numbers. Our aim is different: to compare all models where data exists, show how they stack up, and make it transparent why certain units come out ahead. Comparison Analysis (2025): Now that we’ve outlined the key considerations, let’s step into the results. This updated analysis, conducted in August 2025, covers Smart Air purifiers alongside other well-known brands like Breville, Dyson, Shark, Sunbeam, TruSens, Winix, Xiaomi and more. These are all available from New Zealand retailers including the likes of Briscoes, PB Tech, and Noel Leeming. We researched a total of 65 models, but we could only find reliable CADR and noise data on 59 of these. The others were excluded due to missing or unreliable specifications - as explained earlier, if we can’t source credible data, we don’t include the unit at all. Before diving into the detailed breakdowns, it’s worth noting a pattern you’ll soon see across the charts: price doesn’t always mean better performance. In fact, some of the highest-priced purifiers deliver relatively low CADR, while some of the most affordable units outperform their category. Budget Air Purifiers Under $300 (for smaller spaces, up to ~40m²) This category is aimed at bedrooms, nurseries, and smaller apartments. In 2025, we assessed 12 models in this bracket, from brands such as Fellowes, Breathing Better, Sheffield, Sunbeam, Breville, TruSens, and more. Among these, The Smart Air Sqair is the stand out winner. Its CADR of 315 m³/h is more than 50% higher than the next best competitor in this group. To put that in context, the Sqair is suited for spaces up to around 43m², while the next best options in this price range are only suitable for around 26m² (despite often advertising larger “room sizes”). Noise is another advantage. At 52 dB max, the Sqair runs 7–12 dB quieter than its closest rivals, making it more practical for everyday use. And with no ionisers or gimmicks, it remains a safe choice for households with respiratory concerns or young children. Graph 1: Air purifiers under $300 in NZ (price vs max noise vs CADR). Table 1: Budget Air Purifier Highlights   Brand Model Max CADR  Max Noise Price Smart Air The Sqair 315m³/hr 52dB $299.99 Sunbeam Fresh Protect 193m³/hr 59dB $248.00 Trusens Z2000 190m³/hr 64dB $229.00 Breville The Easy Connect 91m³/hr 60dB $270.00 A striking contrast. While the Sqair comfortably outperforms, the Breville Easy Connect struggles. Despite its $270 price tag, it’s loud (60dB) and only suited for spaces of ~12m². It’s a clear example of how price doesn’t always equal performance Air Purifiers $300 to $500 in New Zealand (for medium spaces, up to ~60m²) In this range we start to see purifiers suited to medium living rooms, apartments, and shared spaces. For 2025 we assessed 14 models in this bracket, from brands including Daikin, Shark, Winix, Breville, Breathing Better, Xiaomi, TruSens and more. This segment brings more competition - but one model stands out. The Smart Air SA600 delivers a CADR of 500 m³/h, making it suitable for spaces of ~60m². It shares the top cleaning power with Xiaomi’s Pro 4, but does so at just 53 dB on maximum. By comparison, the Xiaomi Pro 4 and Xiaomi 4 hit 64 dB and 63 dB respectively, which makes them noticeably louder if run at full capacity. Graph 2: Air Purifiers $300- $500 in NZ (Price vs max noise vs CADR). Table 2: Medium Air Purifier Under $500 Highlights   Brand Model Max CADR  Max Noise Price Smart Air SA600 500m³/hr 53dB $439.99 Xiaomi Pro 4 Smart Air 500m³/hr 64dB $400.00 Xiaomi 4 Smart Air 400m³/hr 63dB $325.00 Shark NeverChage 5 165m³/hr 55dB* $350.00 * Noise level reported between 55–65 dB depending on the source. The Shark NeverChange 5 is widely available in NZ retailers and heavily marketed - but its performance is underwhelming. With a CADR of only ~165 m³/h, it’s below the Sqair running on medium (180 m³/h) and only slightly above the SA600 on low speed (135 m³/h) - except the SA600 achieves that at just 24 dB, compared to the Shark’s 55+ dB. This highlights why sourcing transparent CADR figures matters, and why marketing alone can be misleading. Air Purifiers for larger spaces under $1000 in New Zealand (Up to ~85m²) Now we’re moving into units suited for larger living areas, classrooms, clinics, and open-plan apartments. Prices rise sharply in this category, but as we’ve already seen, cost doesn’t always equal performance. In 2025 we assessed 15 models from brands including Sharp, Daikin, Oransi, Winix, Mitsubishi, Breville, and Dyson. Performance varies widely - some units offer genuine large-space cleaning, while others fall far short despite premium pricing. The standout remains the Smart Air Blast Mini Mk II. With a CADR of 740 m³/h, it’s comfortably the most powerful purifier in this price band. Even more impressive: it achieves this at just 49 dB, making it one of the quietest in the group. This combination of high CADR and low noise sets it apart from the competition. The Oransi Mod HEPA is also worth noting. At 574 m³/h and 49 dB, it doesn’t quite reach the Blast Mini’s output but is still a strong performer for medium–large rooms. Like Smart Air, Oransi avoids ionisers and auto sensors, focusing on straightforward HEPA filtration. By contrast, Dyson’s premium models again show very low performance for the price. The TP07 manages just 153 m³/h, and the HP03 only 113 m³/h, both at a noisy 62 dB. With Dyson not publishing CADR, these figures are drawn from independent testing, where results have consistently been underwhelming. Graph 3: Air purifiers $500 - $999 in New Zealand (price vs max noise vs CADR). Table 3: Large Space Air Purifier Highlights Brand Model Max CADR  Max Noise Price Smart Air Blast Mini Mk II 740m³/hr 49dB $799.99 Oransi Mod Hepa 574m³/hr 49dB $850.00 Mitsubishi ElitePure 508m³/hr 55dB $520.00 Dyson Pure Hot+Cool HP03 113m³/hr 62dB $899.00 The Blast Mini dominates on CADR and noise, providing exceptional value. On the other end, Dyson’s numbers highlight how marketing can mask poor real-world performance. Large & Commercial Air Purifiers over $1000 in New Zealand (Up to ~130m²) This category targets large homes, gyms, clinical settings, and classrooms - places where serious air cleaning power matters. We evaluated 15 models in this price range from brands including IQAir, Trusens, Dyson, Breathing Better, and more. (Note: we excluded ultra-premium units above $10,000 from the graph to keep things readable.) As in previous brackets, cost doesn’t always align with performance - and noise. Many premium models may look impressive but don’t add up in real-world use. The Smart Air Blast Mk II remains the standout. At 950 m³/h CADR and a quiet 43 dB, it's the most powerful and one of the quietest options across all price categories. It outperforms or matches other high-end units while running significantly quieter. The Trusens Z7000 comes closest in raw CADR at 930 m³/h, but does so at a loud 66 dB, a big trade-off in daily use. The Trusens Z6000 is slightly less powerful (880 m³/h) but still noisy at 63 dB. At the ultra-premium end, IQAir models stand out for their build quality and serious filter packs, including substantial carbon beds in some variants. Units like the HealthPro 250 or GC MultiGas don’t compete on CADR per dollar, but they are trusted for specialist applications where filtration quality (including gases and chemicals) matters. By contrast: Breathing Better X-Large Room: 800 m³/h at 70 dB - very loud for the output. Fellowes AeraMax Pro AM4: 748 m³/h at 68 dB, but costing over $2,000. Dyson’s premium Hot + Cool range: CADR only 239–311 m³/h with noise around 62 dB - performance more akin to the Sqair, despite being sold as a premium purifier. Their appeal lies in sleek design and fan/heating features, but in pure cleaning efficiency they lag behind. Graph 4: Air Purifiers $1000+ in New Zealand (price vs max noise vs CADR). Table 4: Large & Commercial Space Air Purifier Over $1000 Highlights Brand Model Max CADR  Max Noise Price Smart Air Blast Mk II 950m³/hr 43dB $1100 Trusens Z7000 930m³/hr 66dB $1830 Trusens Z6000 880m³/hr 63dB $1700 IQAir CleanZone SL 820m³/hr 56dB $11,500 Breathing Better X-Large Room Purifier 800m³/hr 70dB $1499 I-Air Pro Air Healer 600m³/hr 61dB $12,883 Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool 311m³/hr 62dB $1099 Takeaway: In this price bracket, the trend is clear! Most high-CADR units are very loud. The Blast breaks that pattern, combining the best output with surprising quietness. Trusens offers similar airflow but at far higher noise, while IQAir justifies its pricing more through specialist filters and build quality than through raw CADR. Dyson, once again, illustrates how sleek design and multi-function marketing can mask very modest air cleaning performance. Wrapping Up: Our 2025 analysis makes one thing clear: price alone is not a reliable guide to purifier performance. Time and again we’ve seen models marketed as premium struggle to match the cleaning power of more straightforward units, and in many cases they’re also far noisier. Across every price bracket, the purifiers we stock have consistently come out among the top performers, not just on CADR but also on noise. When choosing a purifier, focus on the fundamentals: CADR, noise, HEPA filtration and of course price. If those aren’t right, no amount of flashy features or brand reputation will make up the difference. 👉 Still not sure which model fits your space? Take our 60-second quiz or browse our full range to find the best value purifiers available in New Zealand today.

We’ve expanded our air quality monitor range to include Temtop. Like our existing models from Qingping, Temtop has a reputation for well-priced products with high levels of accuracy. Accuracy is non-negotiable for us, so we started with models that already have independent test results and used those as anchors in a simple, real-world comparison. We then co-located all six monitors (Qingping and Temtop) and aligned the data over several days. The curves moved together, and the typical gaps were small. That gives us confidence that the new additions sit in line with our verified units. Independent Testing Anchors Southcoast AQMD, based in California has a program where they compare air quality monitors with high grade reference equipment. This provides independent test data for dozens of models, from low cost ones like the QP Lite to ones costing thousands of dollars. For PM2.5, all the results are published here. Several of our units already have results available from Southcoast AQMD. All showed strong correlations with the reference equipment for PM2.5 measurements, and low mean errors - often beating monitors costing thousands of dollars!  Model Field R2 (Correlation) Field MAE (Absolute Error) Qingping Lite 0.85 to 0.93 1.8 to 3.6 Qingping Pro 0.86 to 0.90 1.8 to 2.3 Temtop LKC-1000S+ 0.91 to 0.92 3.1 to 3.6 Note, original model of Pro and Temtop LKC were tested, updated models used for our comparison testing. Why PM2.5 Matters PM2.5 are tiny particles that can reach deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream. When air pollution is talked about, it typically refers to levels of PM2.5, due to the serious health impacts. In New Zealand, indoor levels can often be higher than outdoors. Seeing the levels and changes in your home or workplace can help you decide if interventions such as ventilation or air purification is required.  What we tested   Models: Qingping Lite, Qingping Pro 2, Temtop M10i, Temtop M10+, Temtop S1+ and Temtop LKC-1000S+ 2nd. Environment: Same bench in an apartment (Christchurch), co-located and away from air vents. Period: 14 - 18 August 2025, hourly measurement results Objective: Check how closely the models track together in real conditions, using indepdently tested units as the benchmark Method and limitations Recording frequency: We aligned measurements to the unit with the lowest recording frequency (M10+), so all results are reported hourly.  Time adjustments: Not all units were recording exactly on the hour, so the closest recording to the hour was used. In some cases this was 5mins before or after the hour. Units plugged in: All units were plugged in to ensure regular readings and updating PM2.5 Exposure: Two spikes occured due to cooking with the frypan. No air cleaning was used, in order to keep levels high for longer. Results By the numbers Most pairs have correlations between 0.95 and 0.99, indicating very high levels of correlation Typical difference: Around ~1 µg/m³ when averaged over the period Mean reading: Small spread across devices, mean PM2.5 reading for the each device across the entire period was between 3.2 and 5.0 µg/m³. Variances observed during initial PM2.5 spikes, due to timing of readings. What this means for buyers We can confidently say the PM2.5 readings on our units are all accurate and reliable! Models we have which haven't got independent Southcoast AQMD reports very closely track those that do. This is as good as it gets for air quality monitors! If you're looking for affordable and accurate air quality monitors, look no further than our range of PM2.5 capable monitors! A note about PM10 One of the reasons we focus on PM2.5 is that PM10 numbers from low-cost optical sensors are generally less reliable than PM2.5. This is shown in the Southcoast AQMD results, where PM10 accuracies were always quite a bit lower than for PM2.5. This essentially boils down it it being more complex to measure for PM10 sized particles. If you'd like to learn more, there's a great writeup about this here.

It's hard to beat the aroma of garlic or steak sizzling away on the frypan as it fills your kitchen with flavour. But under those delicious scents lies fine particles called PM2.5, that can travel deep into your lungs and affect your indoor air quality. In a test in a Christchurch apartment in May 2025, cooking on a front burner pushed PM2.5 levels throughout the apartment into the hazardous range, even with the rangehood set to full power. In this article we'll show you exactly how we measured those spikes, how bad it got and how much of a difference using Air Purifiers made. Armed with this information, you can ensure you keep your air clean, whatever you're cooking! Figure 1: Rough Layout of Apartment + Positions of Monitors and Purifiers First Test: Baseline (No Air Cleaning) This experiment actually started accidentally, after noticing the air quality as measured on my QP Pro units was at very concerning levels. It turned out that even at full power, my rangehood barely captured smoke from the front two hobs. This is definitely a bit of a surprise given this is a relatively new apartment.After frying for about 15 minutes, it seemed a little hazy and smokey inside. I checked my air quality monitors in both the lounge and separate bedroom, and both showed very high readings! With PM2.5 counts of over 300 µg/m³, you really want to limit your exposure to this. For perspective, this is about three times higher than the average pollution level in Delhi, and is well into 'hazardous' air quality levels.  If you stop cooking, you immediately remove the PM2.5 source. But on a chilly day with windows closed, those particles can linger for hours. While the rangehood extractor fan was used, it hadn't effectively drawn out the cooking smoke. Being a chilly day, no windows or doors were opened. Here is how the air quality looked over the evening: Figure 2: PM2.5 Readings in Bedroom and Lounge from Cooking Note: PM2.5 to air quality ratings sourced from EPA AQI breakpoints. As you can see, the PM2.5 levels shot up very quickly when the cooking started. For several hours the air quality was at or above unhealthy levels, even lingering at hazardous amounts for awhile! What does this mean? Basically the equivalent of smoking about 1.3 cigarettes! Definitely not something you want to be regularly exposed to. Especially if you have asthma or other breathing sensitivities. Second Test: With Air Purifiers This time, our accidental experiment was repeated with one key tweak, switching on air purifiers when the concentrations peaked. The apartment is well covered on that front, with a Smart Air Sqair in the bedroom and a Smart Air SA600 in the main living/kitchen area.You'll notice from the layout graphic earlier, we've also placed the purifiers away from the air quality monitors. This helps ensure the readings are representative of the actual air quality in the apartment, and not just the air quality around the purifier.Now the big reveal, how much of a difference can the air purifiers make? We allowed the PM2.5 concentrations to reach similar levels to our baseline test, and then turned both purifiers on at their max power settings. Figure 3: PM2.5 Readings in Bedroom and Lounge from Cooking, using Air Purifiers The outcome? In just 30mins, PM2.5 concentrations had dropped by over 90% - this is compared to between 25% and 29% when we didn't use them. Air quality reached the optimal 'Good' level within 45mins in the bedroom and within 1 hour in the main living area!Why are these air purifiers so effective at removing cooking pollutants and smoke? It's all thanks to the combination of HEPA filters and high Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR).  The HEPA filters on both units are very effective at absorbing harmful particulate matter in the air, such as from frying and smoke. However, a good HEPA filter won't do much if the purifier isn't able to send much air through it. With CADRs of 315m³/hr and 500m³/hr respectively, the Sqair and SA600 are able to push significant amounts of polluted air through their filters. This makes them best in class when it comes to how effectively they purify air. As you can see, we can back this claim up with real data! Smart Air Sqair Smart Air SA600 Stylish, powerful and quiet at a great price. Perfect for the bedroom, or any space up to 43m². Dual inlets with filters on each side. Serious cleaning power for larger spaces up to 60m², while remaining quiet. Other air quality measures you can take: Ensuring your rangehood is working effectively will certainly help reduce the amount of PM2.5 in the air. Mechanical ventilation i.e. HRV/DVS etc if you have it. This will bring in air from outside or the roof space which should be much less polluted. Finally opening windows and doors to let a breeze through, even if for just a short while will also quickly help lower the amount of pollutants. A note around Gas stoves: This experiment was done with an electric hob. Gas stoves are known to release more PM2.5 as well as Nitrogen Dioxide as they combust - the same concerning compound released by car exhaust fumes (diesel particularly). It's even more important to ensure effective ventilation if you're cooking with gas! Wrapping Up These tests show cooking can spike PM2.5 into hazardous levels, and that a quality HEPA purifier (like our Sqair or SA600) cuts those peaks by over 90% in under 30 minutes. Combine purifiers with a properly positioned rangehood and some fresh-air ventilation, and you’ll keep your home’s air in the “Good” zone, even at dinner time. Want to test this yourself? Grab yourself one of our selection of affordable air quality monitors which can measure PM2.5, such as the QP Pro 2, and gain insights like this into your air quality!