Having clean air to breathe at home is essential for our health. We often don’t realize just how polluted our indoor air is.
Many things, such as common household cleaners and air fresheners, can add chemicals like VOCs to the air. In addition, indoor allergens such as mold spores and dust mites can cause significant trouble to our health if not dealt with properly.
Air purifiers are highly effective devices that consist of several filters to remove pollutants and contaminants from our air. Newer inventions are combining air purifiers with humidifiers to help you get through dry days.
Why Choose an Air Purifier and Humidifier Combo?
Our indoor air is often more polluted than outdoors. Considering that greater amounts of VOCs are commonly found in cleaning supplies, this isn’t surprising (1).
Other common indoor pollutants include tobacco smoke and harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde (2). You might also be struggling to deal with your allergies or asthma indoors due to triggers such as dust mites and mold (3).
Many homeowners choose to invest in an air purifier to help improve the air quality in their homes.
Another popular air-improving device is a humidifier. During the winter or dry season, we often deal with the uncomfortable effects of dry air. Dry air can increase the transmission of upper respiratory viruses as well as cause unpleasant effects like dryness and congestion (4).
Now, depending on the brand and size of the device, the prices can vary. Therefore, you can save yourself a few bucks by opting for a two-in-one option, such as an air purifier and humidifier.
Air purifier-humidifier combos combine air purification with humidification to create an optimal environment for you.
Finding the Best Air Purifier and Humidifier Combo
When finding the best air purifier and humidifier combo for you, there are a few points worth considering. We’ve made a quick list of a few crucial points to ensure you get the best bang for your buck.
Area Coverage
One of the most critical factors is the area coverage. This will give you a clear indication of whether or not the unit suits you. The area coverage refers to how many square feet the unit is able to purify and humidify.
Choosing a size too small will result in close to no effects. It simply won’t be able to emit enough moisture or clean enough air to make a difference. Furthermore, if a unit has an auto setting, it could cause the device to run non-stop.
Filter
In the air purification part, filter type is important to consider. All air purifiers are designed to remove impurities from the air, however, some do a more thorough job than others.
We like to choose units that include more than one filter. A pre-filter will capture large particles while the HEPA filter handles tiny particles. Permanent or washable filters are also beneficial because they’re easier and cheaper to maintain.
Some air purifiers don’t use filters, instead, they use an ionizer. These produce and emit negative ions that bind to particles and weigh them down to remove them from the air.
Keep in Mind
Size
Depending on where the device will be placed, size does play a significant role. In large, open areas, a larger unit might not be a huge deal. In smaller rooms with compromised space, however, you need something compact.
If you plan to move it between rooms, consider where the unit will be used for the most part.
Take Note
The Best Air Purifier and Humidifier Combo of 2020
As of today, there isn’t a huge choice available on the market when it comes to the best air purifier and humidifier combos. However, it can still be tricky to choose which one suits you. As we searched through the top-rated units, we wanted to include different technologies to show you all of the options.
In our list, you can find ionizers, HEPA filters, ultrasonic humidifiers as well as air washers. We ensured that all units would perform effectively within the recommended square-foot area.
1. Sharp PlasmaCluster Air Purifier Humidifier
If you’re looking for a true air purifier and humidifier combo, the PlasmaCluster is for you. This unit utilizes thorough filters as well as an ionizer to truly purify the air. In addition, it’s fitted with multiple sensors to keep track of the air quality in your home.
The PlasmaCluster can cover up to 254 square feet, so it isn’t for very large areas. However, it’s excellent for bedrooms as well as small living areas. Additionally, you can set it to the lowest setting and either dim or deactivate the light for a peaceful night’s rest.
Why We Love It
True HEPA Filter
If you’re struggling with allergies or asthma brought on by indoor pollutants, a true HEPA filter is a must. These filters are able to remove up to 99.97 percent of airborne pollutants at the microscopic size of 0.3 microns. You can say goodbye to allergens such as dust, dust mites, pet dander and pollen.
In addition to removing allergens, this filter will also help to reduce bacteria, germs, viruses, mold and fungus. It utilizes Patented Plasmacluster Ion Technology to quickly eliminate all impurities found in the air.
Automatic Air Quality Control
It can be nearly impossible to know exactly how polluted your indoor air is. The Sharp Plasmacluster is equipped with sensors that monitor the air quality in its surroundings. Additionally, it adjusts the air purification as well as humidification to suit the room.
Safe
Many homeowners are concerned about the possible production of ozone — a harmful gas — when using an ionizer. However, Sharp has taken significant steps towards making this air purifier and humidifier combo safe for you and your family. In fact, this unit produces five times less ozone compared to the lowest in the industry.
Furthermore, it meets all standards set by the FDA, OSHA and NIOSH as well as being ARB Certified. Because it meets all industry standards, you can be sure it’s a safe choice.
Long Filter Life
Maintenance costs are a concern for many homeowners since it can become expensive having to change the filter every six months. However, Sharp has kept you and your wallet in mind, fitting this unit with a long-lasting true HEPA filter. Depending on air quality and usage, the filter should last you between two and five years.
Keep In Mind
Small Water Tank
Although the manufacturer doesn’t mention the exact size of the tank, we can’t imagine it lasting for long in dry conditions. In fact, several customers disliked the fact that they had to refill more than once per day.
Additional Specs
| Air Purification Method | True HEPA filter, Plasmacluster Ion Technology |
| Humidification Method | Cool mist |
| Room Coverage | 254 square feet |
| Dimensions | 14.9 by 10.5 by 23.1 inches |
| Weight | 20.5 pounds |
2. TBI Pro Cool Mist Humidifier With Filter
If you’re looking for a humidifier that can cover large areas in one go, this is for you.
This humidifier is fitted with an extra-large tank and comes with multiple smart features. You can see everything on the very clear LED display. It features a humidity, water, temperature and sleep mode indicator.
This isn’t exactly an air purifier. However, it features a medical stone filter that removes bacteria and contaminants from the water. It effectively emits clean, moist air for you and your family to enjoy.
Why We Love It
Large Capacity
With a large capacity of 1.6 gallons, this humidifier gives you two days of humidified air. Furthermore, because the tank is larger, you won’t have to worry about refilling as often. It’s ideal for larger rooms, such as living areas and bedrooms.
Easy to Fill
Humidifiers can be a pain to refill because you have to take them apart to access the tank. However, the TBI Pro is a breeze to refill, thanks to its top-fill design. There’s no need to disassemble it or flip the tank upside down — simply remove the lid and fill the tank.
Medical Stone Filter
Although this isn’t exactly an air purifier, it does work towards bringing you cleaner air. It’s fitted with a medical stone filter that effectively absorbs and removes contaminants and bacteria in the water. As a result, you’ll get clean, humid air to breathe.
Rotating Nozzle
To provide you with the best humidification feature, this humidifier is fitted with a 360-degree rotating nozzle. It creates a comfortable environment by emitting a fine mist to all corners of its location. In addition to the rotating nozzle, you also get three adjustable mist settings.
Quiet Sleep Mode
A quiet sleep environment is essential for a good night’s rest. Noisy devices can compromise the peace. Therefore, we highly appreciate the sleep mode function this humidifier offers. When activated, the humidifier will work on the lowest setting, producing under 30 decibels of noise.
Keep In Mind
Temperature Indicator in Celsius Only
Other smart features on the display include a humidity indicator and temperature indicator. However, the temperature indicator shows only Celsius and not Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, there’s no way to change it.
Additional Specs
| Air Purification Method | Medical stone filter |
| Humidification Method | Cool mist |
| Room Coverage | 750 square feet |
| Dimensions | Not specified |
| Weight | 3.69 pounds |
3. Medify Luxury 4-in-1 Air Purifier Humidifier
This Medify device is an excellent choice for anyone who struggles with allergies indoors. It’s equipped with one of the most thorough filters in the industry and can remove a great number of pollutants.
It comes with many smart features. We love the soundscapes and optional scents that enable you to create a peaceful atmosphere. Furthermore, you get a tablet to easily control the entire unit and set your preferred settings.
Why We Love It
Medical-Grade Filter
Indoor allergens can make it almost impossible to get comfortable with the constant triggers, but this unit can help. It is fitted with a medical-grade H13 HEPA filter. It can effectively remove up to 99.9 percent of airborne particles at the size of 0.1 microns.
This Medify device removes common indoor allergens such as lint, pollen and dust. It can also remove bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, the unit contains a carbon filter, which absorbs odors as well as certain pollutants such as VOCs.
Self-Maintaining
Cleaning the tank of a humidifier — however dreaded — is important to avoid contamination. Fortunately, this humidifier is able to self-maintain a clean tank by sanitizing it using UV lights. The UV bulb kills any potential bacteria in your tap water.
Additionally, the unit is fitted with a built-in pump that eliminates standing water. There’s also a filter that removes minerals from the water.
Included Android Tablet
In addition to the air purifier and humidifier combo, you also get an android tablet. You can use the tablet to control the unit. Set your preferred settings, sounds, scents and control the device from the comfort of your couch.
Furthermore, all information will be displayed on the screen, for example when the humidifier is running low on water. You’ll also be notified when the filter needs to be replaced.
Soundscape
Create a peaceful setting by activating the soundscape from the tablet. You can choose between a range of peaceful sounds inspired by nature. Or, choose by color such as white, pink or brown noise.
Keep In Mind
Operates Only by the Tablet
There’s no way to operate this air purifier and humidifier combo if the tablet were to fail or break. However, the manufacturer provides replacements if needed.
Additional Specs
| Air Purification Method | Medical-grade H13 HEPA filter |
| Humidification Method | UV sanitized cool mist |
| Room Coverage | 600 square feet |
| Dimensions | Not specified |
| Weight | 25 pounds |
4. OPOLAR Digital Evaporative Humidifier
This small device isn’t your regular mist-producing humidifier, it’s actually evaporative. Instead of creating a strong mist that can cause excess moisture to build in its surroundings, it slowly evaporates moisture into the air.
Additionally, it’s equipped with a fine nylon and polyester filter that effectively removes impurities from the water. It also uses an ionizer to purify your air, so you can breathe freely.
Customers praise how quiet this unit is when it operates. This is due to the mist-free evaporation that eliminates vibrations and spray noises.
Why We Love It
Evaporated Moisture
Unlike regular humidifiers, this one doesn’t emit a strong mist. Instead, it quickly evaporates the water in the tank and emits it into the air for you to enjoy. It essentially avoids the issues of dampness and excessive moisture that’s often caused by a mist.
Quiet
Because of the evaporative technology, there are no loud sounds or vibrations coming from this humidifier. It operates very quietly, making it an excellent option for bedrooms and nighttime use.
Fine Filter
To ensure you only breathe pure air, this air purifier is fitted with a honeycomb filter. It effectively traps impurities such as dust and mold spores to ensure you only get clean air.
Furthermore, the filter helps to remove mineral deposits caused by hard water. If not removed, minerals can clog a humidifier and cause damage.
Permanent Filter
We often worry about maintenance costs in the long run since filters can be rather pricey. Luckily, with this air purifier and humidifier combo, you won’t have to worry about changing the filter — ever. The filter is permanent and washable using a mild detergent.
Easy to Refill
One common problem with humidifiers is how difficult it can be to fill the tank. You often have to disassemble the unit to remove the tank. However, this humidifier is a breeze to refill — simply remove the grill and fill. Additionally, this gives you easy access for cleaning.
Keep In Mind
Difficult Buttons
Although this air purifier and humidifier combo works great, it does require a few hard pushes to turn on. Multiple customers disliked the display buttons and said they were too difficult to use.
Additional Specs
| Air Purification Method | Ionizer |
| Humidification Method | Evaporation |
| Room Coverage | Not specified |
| Dimensions | 13 by 6.7 by 12.4 inches |
| Weight | 6.75 pounds |
5. BONECO 2-in-1 Air Washer
The Boneco 2-in-1 Air Washer is a very unique air purifier and humidifier combo. It washes the air instead of merely filtering it. It’s equipped with specialized evaporation mats that “scrub” the air to remove larger particles.
Furthermore, the unit is self-regulating, meaning it monitors the air and corrects the humidity accordingly.
Cleaning the unit is as simple as it can get. Several components can be washed in the dishwasher or washing machine. The evaporation mats can easily be removed and washed in the washer.
Despite being an effective humidifier, this unit won’t do much about allergens such as dust mites and dander. However, it will remove particles at 10 microns in size, which includes household dust, mold spores and pollen.
Why We Love It
Effective
This air washer contains specially-made textured evaporator mats that turn in the water, effectively cleaning the air. The mats remove particulate impurities such as pollen, dust and particle-bound odors.
In addition to cleaner air, it also won’t add excessive moisture to the room by evaporating the water instead. Evaporated moisture is naturally blended with the air in the room, raising the humidity comfortably.
Auto-Shutoff
When humidifiers run out of water, they also run the risk of becoming damaged due to dry-burn. However, this unit is fitted with an auto-shutoff feature that automatically turns the device off when water is low. You’ll be notified on the LED display when it’s time to refill the tank.
Easy to Clean
Cleaning this air purifier and humidifier combo is as simple as it can get thanks to dishwasher- and washing machine-safe components. See the manual for more detailed instructions on how to clean the unit.
Optional Scents
We always like to get the most out of a humidifier, and this model doesn’t disappoint.
If you wish, you can add a few drops of your favorite scented oils to the fragrance container. The scents will evaporate along with the water, creating an aromatic atmosphere.
Keep In Mind
Small Water Tank
Despite working effectively, it would be nice if the tank was a bit larger. Considering the slightly bulky design, you’d think the tank would hold more water.
Additional Specs
| Air Purification Method | Air washer |
| Humidification Method | Evaporation |
| Room Coverage | 540 square feet |
| Dimensions | 11 by 11 by 16 inches |
| Weight | 11.2 pounds |
6. Venta Airwasher 2-in-1 Air Purifier Humidifier
Manufactured by high-end German engineering, this air purifier and humidifier combo is a strong machine. It works effectively and efficiently at removing impurities from the air while raising the humidity naturally.
It’s a breeze to operate with two fan speeds and ultra-quiet operation. The tank can hold up to 1.4 gallons of water to provide you with humidified and purified air throughout the day. Furthermore, the unit is covered by a limited 10-year warranty, so if anything were to malfunction or break, you’re covered.
Why We Love It
Effective Purification
The Venta Airwasher is an excellent air purifier and humidifier combo. It’s highly effective at removing particles at the size of 0.3 microns.
It works by drawing air in via a small, but powerful, fan. The air is then “scrubbed” by the water and evaporated back into the air.
Safe
Unlike other air purifier and humidifier combos, this air washer doesn’t produce any ions, white dust or harmful ozone. It’s perfectly safe to use around children to help ease cold and flu symptoms.
Ideal for Small Rooms
To get the most out of the Venta Airwasher, place it in a room of up to 200 square feet. It’s excellent for bedrooms, nurseries and even an office. Plus, it’s surprisingly quiet, making it comfortable during the night.
Keep In Mind
Pricey
Considering the small room coverage, we feel like this air purifier and humidifier combo is a little too pricey.
After the initial price, maintenance can also become expensive since the manufacturer recommends a specialized cleaning chemical. Several customers loved the unit but didn’t like the price.
Additional Specs
| Air Purification Method | Air washer |
| Humidification Method | Evaporation |
| Room Coverage | 200 square feet |
| Dimensions | 11 by 12.2 by 10.2 inches |
| Weight | 7 pounds |
7. Oreck Air Refresh 2-in-1 Air Purifier & Ultrasonic Humidifier
One of the many reasons why we like the Oreck Air Refresh is its design. The tall, slim frame makes it easy to fit in any room without looking bulky.
It’s equipped with a two-stage filtration system that includes a HEPA media and charcoal filter. These effectively remove pollutants, allergens and bad odors from the air.
In addition to the filtration, this unit is also an ultrasonic humidifier with a built-in humidistat. It works effectively at raising indoor humidity to a comfortable level. Furthermore, it’s a very quiet unit when on the lower settings. During the night, you can activate sleep mode for an even quieter operation.
Why We Love It
Two-Stage Filtration
The two-stage filtration system includes a HEPA media that captures up to 99 percent of airborne pollutants. It can further capture particles as tiny as 0.3 microns — this includes pollen, dust mites, smoke and pet dander.
In addition to the HEPA media, this unit also contains a charcoal filter. Charcoal filters effectively remove bad odors from the air, creating a pleasant atmosphere.
Built-In Humidistat
It can be nearly impossible to know your exact humidity without the help of a hygrometer. However, the Oreck has a built-in humidistat that monitors the relative humidity of the room and adjusts the settings accordingly.
Consequently, you won’t have to worry about monitoring the humidity to set the correct settings. The machine will do all the work.
Ultrasonic Humidifier
Ultrasonic humidifiers are among the most popular humidifiers in the industry — and this doesn’t disappoint. The Oreck releases a very fine cool mist along with the purified air. It’s quickly absorbed by the skin and inhaled to help relieve cold and flu symptoms.
Smart Features
This air purifier and humidifier combo comes with a range of special features to make it easier to operate as well as more effective. When the water tank is low, the indicator on the display will let you know promptly. Plus, the auto-shutoff feature will prevent device damage by turning it off when the water is finished.
The filter indicator on the display will let you know when the filter needs a change. It gives you a quick look at each filter’s life. In addition to the different indicators, the Oreck also features a sleep mode that operates the unit at the lowest setting.
Keep In Mind
Only for Small Rooms
Unfortunately, this air purifier and humidifier combo won’t cover medium to large rooms. It can only cover up to 115 square feet and is almost ineffective in large or open areas.
Additional Specs
| Air Purification Method | Two-stage filtration |
| Humidification Method | Ultrasonic cool mist |
| Room Coverage | 115 square feet |
| Dimensions | 10 by 10.5 by 29 inches |
| Weight | 15 pounds |
| Product | Best | Air Purification Method | Humidification Method | Area Coverage | Dimensions | Weight |
| Sharp PlasmaCluster Humidifier | Overall Choice | Plasmacluster Ion Technology | Cool mist | 254 sq ft | 14.9 x 10.5 x 23.1″ | 20.5 lbs |
| TBI Pro Cool Mist Humidifier | Filter | Medical stone filter | Cool mist | 750 sq ft | N/A | 3.69 lbs |
| Medify Luxury 4-in-1 | Allergies & Asthma | Medical-grade H13 HEPA filter | UV sanitized cool mist | 600 sq ft | N/A | 25 lbs |
| OPOLAR Evaporative Humidifier | Quiet | Ionizer | Evaporation | N/A | 13 x 6.7 x 12.4″ | 6.75 lbs |
| BONECO 2-in-1 Air Washer | Easy Maintenance | Air washer | Evaporation | 540 sq ft | 11 x 11 x 16″ | 11.2 lbs |
| Venta Airwasher 2-in-1 | Air Washer | Air washer | Evaporation | 200 sq ft | 11 x 12.2 x 10.2″ | 7 lbs |
| Oreck Air Refresh 2-in-1 | Design | Two-stage filtration | Ultrasonic cool mist | 115 sq ft | 10 x 10.5 x 29″ | 15 lbs |
The Best of Both Worlds
With an air purifier and humidifier combo, you can benefit from moist and clean air — and won’t have to spend on two separate devices!
The best air purifier and humidifier combos are available in different types using different technologies. Some devices are fitted with filters, including a HEPA media — while others use ionizing technology.
When choosing the best air purifier and humidifier combo for you, consider its area coverage. If the unit is unable to cover the room it’s in, you’ll be wasting energy on a device that can’t make a difference.
