If you’re trying to improve your air quality on a budget, chances are that you’ll be asking yourself, “will a small air purifier work in a large room?” sometime during your research.
The answer? It depends on the room size and purifier size!
Are you tired of endlessly searching the internet to outfit your home or office with an air purifier that supports the intended room size without overpaying for unneeded power? Look no further.
We’ll help you figure out whether a small air purifier can get the job done or if you’ll need to upgrade to a bigger machine (or multiple machines!) to ensure your air is sufficiently filtered.
Will a Small Air Purifier Work in a Large Room?
Unfortunately, a small air purifier will not work in a large room in most cases.
Most single small air purifiers will have a hard time working in a large room because they can’t process enough air through the filter at a time to effectively address the entire room.
Their effective range is a crucial factor in how small is too small when it comes to choosing your air purifier.
If you already have an air purifier you’re trying to make work, place it somewhere that receives sufficient airflow to process more dirty air in the room within its limited range.
Fortunately, it’s usually pretty easy to figure out if an air purifier will work for you; it’ll often include how many square feet it can support effectively on the box or product listing.
Potential effective coverage can span anywhere from 50 square feet to hundreds of square feet and depends on multiple factors, including the air purifier’s size and the fan’s strength.
Your goal should be to meet or even slightly exceed the coverage that the air purifier is graded for.
If it doesn’t, you may end up filtering the same air in a smaller area instead of a whole room which won’t do much to help you from sneezing or fighting pet hair.
Is a Large Air Purifier Always Better?
They say bigger is always better – but do you really need to go overboard with a giant machine for a smaller room or office?
Large air purifiers generally filter more air at a time, leading to greater effective ranges.
They have larger filters, providing a greater surface area that helps trap dust, allergens, and other pollutants more quickly.
However, there are more factors to consider than just how much air the purifier can cycle.
Suppose you’re recycling the same air constantly through a filter that doesn’t address your needs for allergen removal. In that case, you’re not going to see optimal results.
The same is true for poorly placed purifiers that receive little airflow to work with.
Instead of buying the biggest machine that fits your budget, make the most of your money by choosing an option that supports your room size and helps you achieve the desired results.
Features like a timer or humidifier may be worth more than faster air processing.
You may also spend more on a higher-grade filter that removes a wider range of allergens more reliably or consider using multiple smaller purifiers instead for better coverage.
Are Multiple Small Air Purifiers Better Than A Large Air Purifier?
Sometimes the answer isn’t bigger – it’s more!
Your air purifier is limited to only filtering air it can reach. If the fan is too weak to pull air from further away or your house doesn’t circulate air well, your machine will have to work much harder to achieve results.
One small air purifier may not work well in a large room or a room with multiple obstructions blocking airflow.
For rooms that don’t get much foot traffic or have a lot of walls because of intricate shapes, it may make more sense to use multiple small air purifiers instead of one larger air purifier.
By placing two or more air purifiers in the same large room but in different areas, you can facilitate airflow between them to help push filtered air out and bring dirty air in.
You may also be able to both save money and achieve better results – a win-win!
Will a Small Air Purifier Work in a Large Room – FAQs
How Do I Know If An Air Purifier Will Fit A Room?
In most cases, the device’s effective coverage will be included in the product listing or its packaging.
To see if it fits, simply measure the area of your room and compare it to the provided coverage range of the purifier.
Remember that your air purifier needs to cover the square footage of your room at the minimum to be effective.
Is It Better to Buy a Bigger Air Purifier?
Bigger options may lead to faster filtering but do not necessarily filter better than a smaller option with the correct effective range for the room.
For better results, consider investing in additional features, improved filtration, or multiple air purifiers.
Should I Use One Big Air Purifier or Two Smaller Air Purifiers?
It depends on the room you’re using the air purifier for.
Rooms that are L-shaped or have a lot of corners may benefit more from having two sources of airflow so that they can reach more of the room’s air.
Square rooms with a lot of open space may benefit more from a single larger option as long as it has ample access to circulating air.
Final Thoughts: Will A Small Air Purifier Work In A Large Room?
The air purifier that you choose will greatly influence the impact that it has on your air quality.
While a small air purifier may work in a large room, it’s better to ensure that you have sufficient coverage with one or more purifiers.
You don’t want to go too small – aim to meet or exceed the area of the room you’re using the air purifier. If you don’t, you won’t notice any benefits.
You also don’t want to go too big – make sure you’re not overspending for power that you don’t need and don’t sacrifice the quality of filtration for the quantity of air purified.
Also, if you can’t see a part of the room from where your air purifier will be placed, you may want to put a separate small air purifier in each section to maximize airflow. This way, the whole room can benefit from improved air quality.