This whisper-quiet air purifier by Coway uses a four-stage filtration system, including a true HEPA filter. This
2024 Wirecutter pick claims to capture 99. 97% of particles in the air including pollen, dander, smoke and other allergens and potential irritants. You can choose from three fan speeds and an auto mode which will automatically adjust the purifier's power based on the current air quality, and will let you know when it's time to change filters.
Promising Amazon review: "
Astoundingly effective, whisper quiet, highly recommend. I bought a $90 tower purifier which took a long time to clear the air and which was noisier than a jet engine. I lived with it, but when the Canadian wildfire smoke descended upon us in NYC, I loaned it to my downstairs neighbor, who had elderly and special needs family members, and I ordered this as a replacement.
It's more than double the cost of the other unit, but based on the reviews from the New York Times and other review sites, the quality and performance are well worth the investment. So I splurged and got this unit. While I was waiting for it to arrive, the air pollution got really bad and I had been coughing, eyes were watering and I was forced to wear an N-95 mask at home just to breathe. When the purifier finally arrived, I turned it on and the sensor light went red to indicate the high level of contamination in the air. I opened the doors of every room of my apartment to let it go to work and after a few minutes at full power, the light turned from red to purple, and about 5 minutes later, it went blue. I took my mask off and the air was pure and fresh. It is an absolute superhero at cleaning a large volume of air very quickly. I was thoroughly impressed."
— The Cre8ive One (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)