The Best Air Purifiers in New Zealand: 2025 Comparison

Last updated: August 2025 This is our third year running this nationwide comparison, now updated for 2025. Over that time, we’ve seen plenty of air purifiers come and go - often from brands where air quality isn’t their main focus. Some even vanish entirely, leaving users without replacement filters. That’s why we refresh this guide each year: to show which models are properly supported in New Zealand, how they actually perform, and which ones deliver the best value for clean air. How We Compare Purifiers We focus on the two figures that matter most: Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) and noise (dB). 💨CADR measures how much clean air a purifier produces each hour. The higher the number, the faster it cleans and the larger the space it can handle. We use this figure because manufacturer recommended room sizes are often inaccurate. 🎶Noise tells you how comfortable it is to live with. We use maximum noise levels for fair comparison, rather than the quiet “sleep-mode” numbers that hide reduced airflow. As a guide: <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 Together, these two metrics give the clearest picture of real-world performance: how quickly a purifier cleans the air and how comfortably it does it. Comparison Analysis (2025): Our latest update shows a clear pattern: price doesn’t always equal performance.Some premium models look impressive but move surprisingly little air, while several affordable purifiers outperform nearly everything in their range. Let’s start with the best air purifiers under $300 - where quiet, efficient performance matters. Budget Air Purifiers Under $300 (for smaller spaces, up to ~40m²) This category is aimed at bedrooms, nurseries, and smaller living areas/apartments. This is for those wanting quiet, effective air cleaning without spending a fortune. We assessed 12 models from brands such as Breathing Better, Sunbeam, Breville, TruSens and more. 🏆 Best Overall: Smart Air Sqair Key Stats: CADR: 315 m³/h (>50% higher than competitors) Noise: 23–52dB (on low, whisper-quiet) Room coverage: Cleans a 43 m² room in just 20 minutes Price: $299.99 Why we like it: The Sqair delivers the most clean air for your dollar - more than any purifier under $300 in New Zealand. Its H12 HEPA filter has a large 1.5 m² surface area (around 22 A4 pages), giving excellent capture efficiency for smoke, dust, pollen, and pet dander. It’s also 7–12dB quieter than its nearest rivals, making it ideal for bedrooms or nurseries where silence matters. And because it relies purely on proven HEPA + Carbon filtration (no ionisers, no ozone), it’s a safe, science-based choice for households with respiratory concerns or young children. 🔍 How It Compares 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 Despite being similarly priced, most competitors clean 40–60 % less air and run significantly louder. The Sqair comfortably handles rooms up to 43 m², reaching that target in just 20 minutes - while others in this range top out around 26 m².  It’s a clear reminder that price doesn’t always equal performance. Graph 1: Air purifiers under $300 in NZ (price vs max noise vs CADR). Air Purifiers $300 to $500 in New Zealand (for medium spaces, up to ~60m²) This range suits medium-sized living rooms, apartments, and shared spaces where you want strong air cleaning without excess noise. We compared 14 models from brands like Daikin, Shark, Winix, Breville, Xiaomi, TruSens and more. 🏆 Best Overall: Smart Air SA600 Key Stats: CADR: 500 m³/h, equal to the highest in this bracket Room coverage: Cleans a 60 m² room in just 18 minutes Noise: 24 – 53dB (quietest in class) Price: $439.99 Why we like it: The Smart Air SA600 packs big-room performance into a compact, low-noise design. Its dual-inlet setup and twin H13 HEPA + carbon filters deliver clean air more efficiently than purifiers twice its price. It matches the top CADR of the Xiaomi Pro 4 but runs up to 11dB quieter, making it much more comfortable for everyday use. Unlike many competitors that rely on ionisers or plasma features, the SA600 uses straightforward science. That's a powerful fan and real filters for reliable, safe air cleaning. Add its “Do Not Disturb” mode to avoid lights and child lock, and you get a purifier built for homes, offices and schools alike. 🔍 How It Compares 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 SA600 offers a rare balance of high airflow and low noise, outperforming most competitors in both areas. It delivers top-tier cleaning power while remaining comfortable to live or work beside, even on full speed. By contrast, the Shark NeverChange 5 is heavily marketed, but falls short in performance. With a CADR of just ~165 m³/h, it moves a third of the clean air of the SA600, yet operates at 55dB or more. The SA600 achieves almost the same airflow at only 24dB on low speed, virtually silent! It’s a clear example of why transparent CADR data matters more than marketing labels, and why the SA600 stands out as the most capable and honest performer under $500. Graph 2: Air Purifiers $300- $500 in NZ (Price vs max noise vs CADR). Air Purifiers for larger spaces under $1000 in New Zealand (Up to ~85m²) When you’re dealing with large living areas, classrooms, clinics, or open-plan apartments, you need serious airflow without the jet-engine noise. We assessed 15 models in 2025 from brands like Sharp, Daikin, Oransi, Winix, Mitsubishi, Breville and Dyson. Performance varied dramatically - some delivered genuine whole-room cleaning, others struggled despite premium pricing. 🏆 Best Overall: Smart Air Blast Mini Mk II Key Stats: CADR: 740 m³/h highest in its class Room coverage: Cleans 85 m² in just 17 minutes Noise: 49dB max, quietest among large-space units Price: $799.99 Why we like it: The Blast Mini Mk II is built for genuinely big rooms. Its massive airflow and large H13 HEPA + optional carbon filter give it the power to handle living rooms, classrooms, or open offices with ease, all while staying impressively quiet. At just 49dB on high, it’s quieter than many smaller purifiers running on medium. Smart Air’s “fan + filter, no gimmicks” approach means there are no ionisers, plasma emitters, or inflated “air quality modes” - just straightforward, high-volume HEPA filtration that works. 🔍 How It Compares 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 Mk II delivers both the highest CADR and lowest noise in its category, making it a standout for large spaces. The Oransi Mod HEPA is a solid performer but still trails well behind in airflow. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi’s ElitePure offers less than 70 % of the Blast Mini’s output, and Dyson’s HP03 barely registers for its price tag. Dyson’s independently tested CADR of just 113 m³/h, and at a noisy 62dB, shows how marketing can mask poor real-world performance. The Blast Mini, by contrast, backs its claims with transparent data and measurable results. Graph 3: Air purifiers $500 - $999 in New Zealand (price vs max noise vs CADR). Large & Commercial Air Purifiers over $1000 in New Zealand (Up to ~130m²) This category covers large homes, gyms, clinics, classrooms, and shared spaces - anywhere serious clean-air output is needed. We tested 15 models from brands such as IQAir, Trusens, Dyson, Breathing Better and Fellowes. Prices vary widely, and as with smaller categories, cost doesn’t always equal performance or quietness. 🏆 Best Overall: Smart Air Blast Mk II Key Stats: CADR: 950 m³/h, highest in New Zealand Room coverage: Cleans 130 m² in 21 minutes Noise: Just 43 dB, the quietest large unit around Price: $1,100 Why we like it: The Blast Mk II delivers industrial-level performance in a package that’s surprisingly quiet.At 950 m³/h CADR, it outperforms or matches high-end purifiers costing several times more - while running at only 43 dB, about the sound of a quiet conversation. It’s built around Smart Air’s no-nonsense principle: massive HEPA surface area, high airflow, and zero gimmicks With H13 HEPA and optional carbon filtration, it’s ideal for schools, fitness studios, or any environment where dependable, high-volume clean air is needed without the distraction of fan noise. 🔍 How It Compares 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 The Smart Air Blast Mk II pairs immense airflow with unmatched quietness, achieving what most large-space purifiers can’t: power and comfort in the same package. The Trusens Z7000 comes close in airflow but runs over 20 dB louder, while the IQAir focuses on the high end with specialised carbon filtration and an big price tags. At the opposite end, Dyson’s premium Hot + Cool series delivers less than a third of the airflow at very high noise levels - proof that sleek design doesn’t equal clean air. Graph 4: Air Purifiers $1000+ in New Zealand (price vs max noise vs CADR). Summary: What We Learned From the Comparisons After analysing nearly every purifier available in New Zealand, one trend is clear: the best-performing units aren’t always the most expensive. Across all categories, CADR and noise tell the real story. Some premium models look sleek but move little air, while smaller specialist brands often deliver far higher performance for their price. The purifiers that consistently stand out combine: High CADR – lots of clean air, fast Low noise – quiet enough for daily use Reliable filter support – parts readily available in NZ How We Source and Verify 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 You Can 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. That's why we aren't just telling you which are the best, we're showing you the data so you can make an informed decision. 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. Features That Don't Add Real Value 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. Final Thoughts This guide compares nearly every purifier currently sold in New Zealand, from compact bedroom models to large commercial systems. Whatever your space, the same principles apply: Focus on CADR and noise, not gimmicks Make sure filters are available locally Choose a model that matches your room size and how you’ll use it 👉 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!