Five of the best air purifiers

A good option if you live in a household full of people or with sniffle-prone children, the Blueair’s “GermShield” automatically activates when it detects that conditions are optimal for germ growth. 

While not as good-looking as other models featured, the Levoit H133 is very good value for money, with a helpful auto mode that detects air quality in real time, feeding back results using different colours. 

The AEG is an all-rounder that looks great, is a doddle to operate, continuously measures air-quality levels and automatically adjusts the purification rate as needed. 

Offering a speedy clean (purifying a 20 sq m room in less than eight minutes), Philips promises that its filters remove 99.97% of airborne allergens, pollen, fine dust and bacteria. 

Set apart by its ability to filter out even the tiniest pollutants, the Dyson purifier is quiet, easily controlled via voice or app, and both cools and heats the air.