Banish air quality blues with these elegant air purifiers

Rising temperatures, the return of heavy traffic and inescapable seasonal allergies have seen urban air quality take a significant dive this summer. Add in dust mites, pet dander, pollen and other particles, it’s clear that clean air is at a premium. Here’s our suggestion of the best available low-key, high-style air purifiers designed to enhance your personal atmosphere. 

Air Origins Shield

2021’s pollen season ushers in an unexpected Anglo-French battle for air purity. In the left corner is Dyson’s latest model from its Purifier range, but in the right, a new challenger from French manufacturer JVD. Their Air Origins range is introduced by the Shield, built in France and designed by Ramy Fischler of Paris-based RF Studio. With a touch panel interface, and a faceted hexagonal design, the Shield is small enough to be tucked away sight but elegant enough to sit in plain sight. The soft, neo-industrial colours – including malachite green, bronze and sapphire blue – also give this device an edge over the competition.

DYSON Purifier Hot + Cool

Dyson introduced its ‘bladeless’ series of Air Multiplier fans back in 2009 and has honed the tech ever since. For 2021, the iconic loop form of the pillar-shaped purifiers has been further enhanced by the introduction of formaldehyde filters, The most powerful model in the company’s range promises to blast not only dust, allergens and bacteria, but provide a filtration system against the formaldehyde gas emitted by resins used on new furniture, materials and paints. As the name suggests, it also heats and cools, making it an all-in-one solution for the home.

Livsdal Highline

Awarded a Wallpaper* Design Award back in 2018 for its elegant Livsdal One model, the Swedish firm treats its purifiers as if they are pieces of furniture or cabinetry, rather than standalone sculptural objects. Their new Livsdal Highline model was designed in collaboration with Karl-Johan Hjerling of design studio MP12 and is available in lacquered finish or in rich walnut. Pitched at larger spaces, the new model is also ideal for use in offices and studios. 

Muji Air Purifier

Muji’s Air Purifier is a modern classic, a perforated white cylinder that perfectly expresses the company’s minimalist ethos. There’s no complex control panel or app connectivity; just plug in and turn on for straightforward siphoning of odours. 

AEG AX9

The company that practically invented industrial design has an impressive new device in the form of the AX9, a pentagonal tower with cloth trim and leather detailing. A five-stage purification process is operable via an app which allows you to track air quality over time. The device’s LED light ring also gives you instant visual feedback. Set it remotely to improve air quality when you’re out and about, or simply marvel at the low noise operation when you’re in the room. 

Venta AH902

German manufacturer Venta has launched its acclaimed product range in the UK, blending industrial-level quality with hard-wearing, functional design. The AH902 model shown here combines air purification with a humidifier setting, a UVC lamp that kills a claimed 99.9% of bacteria and a straightforward design that makes maintenance and upgrading easy. App control is also an option, in addition to the large folding screen. 

Philips Expert Series 3000i

Another app-connected device, Philips’ Expert Series features touchscreen operation, sophisticated filtration, a special low power, low noise mode, and the aforementioned smartphone connectivity. The Quietmark certified sleep mode is designed to run near-silently overnight, while the device can be paired with Alexa for voice-controlled operation. 

Blueair Blue 3410

Scandinavian design underpins Blueair's new Blue range of cylindrical air purifiers. The larger model, shown here, comes in five different colour ways and can automatically monitor local air quality and adjust its filtering system to suit conditions. Quiet and compact, the powerful 3410 model can cycle through a room's worth of air in just 12 minutes. The minimalism extends to the control surfaces, with a single button to operate the device.