Choosing an air purifier for your home or office space can be a challenge. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options and features there are to choose from. But today, we are going to do the sorting for you. We have selected 2 air purifier models from 2 of today’s leading air purifier manufacturers: Austin Air and Blueair. So if you are having some trouble deciding which air purifier is right for you and your needs, please read to see Austin Air vs Blueair.
Austin Air Vs. Blueair Comparison Ratings
| Specs | Rating |
|---|---|
| Value | ★★★★✩ |
| Power | ★★★★★ |
| Features | ★★★★✩ |
| Performance | ★★★★★ |
BEST VALUE
| Specs | Rating |
|---|---|
| Value | ★★★★★ |
| Power | ★★★★✩ |
| Features | ★★★★✩ |
| Performance | ★★★★✩ |
| Specs | Rating |
|---|---|
| Value | ★★★★✩ |
| Power | ★★★★✩ |
| Features | ★✩✩✩✩ |
| Performance | ★★★★✩ |
| Specs | Rating |
|---|---|
| Value | ★★★★✩ |
| Power | ★★★✩✩ |
| Features | ★✩✩✩✩ |
| Performance | ★★★✩✩ |
Austin Air vs. Blueair Air Purifier Reviews
The Blue Pure 211+ is our favorite air purifier on the list. It is very quiet and does not draw a lot of power, it has a very streamlined design, and comes in a variety of colors. This particular model is rated to purify air in rooms of up to 540 square feet and features a washable outer mesh pre-filter for trapping larger debris. It’s also very popular for those who live in areas with wildfire smoke.
With it’s one button control, you simply tap the white circle on the front and it turns on. Each subsequent tap raises the fan level from low to medium to high, making the controls intuitive and easy. When it is time to change the filter, the ring around the light changes color to let you know. The filters within are collapsable, which makes them easy to store.
At high the sound is loud, but not loud enough to be obnoxious, at a reasonable 51dB. Running at low it is hardly noticeable and is our quietest air filter on this list.
With its outer pre-filter that comes in a variety of colors, you can dress this filter up to fit your aesthetic. Easily removable, simply wash it, let it dry and put it back on. Within the Blue Air 211+ is a collapsable filter that uses electrostatic filtration to remove up to 99.97% of airborne particles, with a layer of activated carbon to filter out household odors.
Very popular in areas with wildfires, the Blue Air 211+ filters out the contaminants from smoke, pets, cooking, and harmful VOCs.
Pros:
- Up to 5 air exchanges per hour
- Runs at 31 decibels on its lowest setting
- Eliminates most pollutants that cause sinus irritation
- Different colored pre-filters
- One of Wirecutters top-air purifier picks
Cons:
- Filter replacements are expensive
- Not WIFI capable
Trial Results
If pet dander and pollen are aggravating your allergies, you may want to take a good look at the BlueAir Classic 480i.
Although the design on the BlueAir Classic 650 is not as sleek and modern as the other models on our list, looking more like an old computer tower than anything else, it does a great job at filtration.
It features an activated coconut carbon filter that naturally eliminates odors and other pollutants in the air. It works great for those with seasonal allergies, asthma, and hay fever. The HEPASilent technology within this device creates an electrostatic charge that attaches to contaminants and filters them out, leaving your home clean and fresh.
With a certified clean-air delivery rate of 500 cubit feet per minute, it goes through all the air in your room 5 times per hour. This provides maximum relief from airborne particles and will have you breathing easy in no time.
The BlueAir Classic 650 is WIFI capable, so you can control it via your smartphone and the mobile app. From the app you will see indoor air-quality reports in real time and be able to use your phone as the remote control, easily accessing the functions from anywhere in your home.
With auto-mode on, the device will adjust itself automatically depending on the level of pollutants it detects in the air, making it a very -hands-free device.
This air purifier works great in large rooms, upwards of 800 square feet, making it perfect for studio apartments and any room in the house.
Pros:
- Smart air quality sensor
- Good at eliminating odors
- Natural carbon filter
- Perfect for cleaning the air of wildfire pollution
- Very quiet
- Great customer service
Cons:
- Expensive
- Upward facing fan
- Light leaks so not great for overnight use in a bedroom
Trial Results
The Austin Air HealthMate Standard has been one of the most popular air purifiers on the market since 1990. It features a Medical-grade True HEPA filter and top-of-the-line activated carbon filtration, which filters air particles as small as .3 microns with a. 99.97% efficiency.
With over 780 cubic inches of activated carbon and zeolite filtration, this device is packed with a punch! The 6-speed fan settings give you full control over your air filtration needs and the 360-degree intake-outtake means you can place this anywhere and still see great results.
Unlike many air purifiers, which only push clean air out the top, the HealthMate Standard gives better air circulation and can more quickly filter air.
Pros
- Has a 4-stage filtration system, including a medical-grade HEPA filter
- Easy to wheel around the home
- Simple dial knob to change fan speeds
- No lights, so great for overnight use
Cons
- No remote control
- Weighs 45 pounds
- Lacks many features that most modern air purifiers have
Trial Results
It’s easy to see why the HealthMate Jr. Air Purifier has become one of the most popular purifiers on the market, especially for those who live in studio apartments. With this purifier, you get almost all of the benefits of the Austin Air HealthMate Standard for a lower price and in a smaller package. While the HealthMate Standard is rated for rooms up to 1500 sq ft, this model is most effective in rooms small than 700 sq ft.
Like the HealthMate Standard, this model has a 360 degree air intake system which pulls air through its 4-stage filter. Relying on a medical-grade HEPA filter, it pulls 99.97% of contaminants .3 microns and smaller, giving you much cleaner air in your home. Very popular in areas with wildfire seasons, this air purifier will reduce coughing, sneezing, dry mouth, runny nose, and even snoring!
Because there are no lights, this device is perfect for overnight use and will help promote better sleep quality. Whisper-quiet on its lowest setting, you can turn it on and soon forget that its even there, other than the abatement of allergy symptoms.
The HealthMate Jr. will cleanse the air of pollen, mold, pet hair and dander, allergens, smoke, and other gases and chemicals. Thanks to its small size and portability, moving this from one room to another is easy and it can be placed anywhere do it’s dirty work.
Pros:
- Easy portability
- Very quiet on low settings
- Great for overnight use
- More affordable
Cons:
- No remote control
- Not as effective in larger rooms as the other models on the list
- Lacks any modern features
Trial Results
You really shouldn’t judge things by their cover and the HealthMate Jr. is no exception. Although small, it does a good job at cleaning the air of a small-mid sized room. After using this for a day our allergies were brought under control, though it did take a bit longer than the other model from Austin Air thats on our list, and quite a bit longer than either of the IQAir models. We liked the portability of this device, and much like the Standard model, it is very quiet at low settings. Unfortunately, also like the Standard model, it lacks any modern features and the only way to turn it on and off is to get up and walk over to the machine. This is the kind of air purifier where you probably won’t do a lot of fine-tune adjusting, and delegate it to a more set-it-and-forget-it type of role.
Blueair vs. Austin Air Company Comparison
Blueair
Blueair was started over two decades ago in Sweden. The company boasts fine Scandinavian design for all of their products and superior air quality management. It is apparent that BlueAir has invested in making air quality management as easy as possible for consumers with all the automated features they offer.
Austin Air
The Austin Air Company is a bit older; having been founded in 1990 by a man named Richard Taylor. He is said to have used HEPA filters in order to combat nighttime asthma attacks and that was the genesis of the company. They have been recognized by many air quality associations and their products have been used in disaster relief efforts.
Final Words
It’s clear that BlueAir aims to make controlling the quality of indoor air as simple and convenient as possible. So if you have medium to large rooms that you want cleaner air in, and you value convenience, BlueAir would be a good choice for you.
If however, you have larger rooms and want to go with a company that is a bit more established, you should check out either of the Austin Air purifiers we highlighted in this article.
Also, check out our other comparison articles below:
Frank is the chief editor and director at Specialty Air, where he oversees testing, research, and editing for all air quality-related articles. Frank is an expert in the air quality space with extensive experience testing, researching, and reviewing air purifiers, air conditioners, air filters, air fresheners, fans, and more. He also has over 4 years of experience with issues surrounding mold remediation, radon mitigation, moisture management, air duct systems, HVAC, and insulation.