Officially, fall began about a day and a half ago, but for the last week or so I've been enjoying cool nights and open windows! This time of year is probably my favorite. Aside from it being a little on the dry side, the leaves are changing, there's a chill in the evening air, but warmth during the day. As the temperatures slowly begin to sink towards winter, many of us find ourselves turning our attention indoors, preparing for the colder months ahead. From replacing your HVAC filter to swapping your summer blankets for winter comforters, we all have fall routines. Now is also the time of year when many people turn their attention back to indoor air quality and consider purchasing an air purifier. Before you head to the Shop-O-Mart Superstore and toss one in your cart, consider what you're actually purchasing and if it is really going to help.

_Selecting an air purifier can be a real hassle. There is a glut of products on the market that range all across the board in terms of price, filtration and features. For now, I want to focus mainly on the models you'll find in your local big box store. You know what I'm talking about. The $50-150 plastic, Made-In-China special that features ‘Super-Awesome-Never-Needs-To-Be-Replaced-Amazingly-Ultra-Real-True-HEPA-Filtration!!!’ Ok, so perhaps I exaggerate just a bit, but you know I'm talking about. There are several points that I want to make about this style of air purifier, so let's just start with the most basic.

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• You Get What You Pay For – The reality is, most of us gave up on the notion of repairing appliances a long time ago. Thirty years ago you likely would have found at least a handful of people in your local community who repaired home appliances. Replace a part here or there, a new belt, and you were as good as new. While prices certainly haven't gone down, quality and longevity of home appliances have.

  As quick anecdote, growing up, my family had an old Westinghouse refrigerator. Unlike now, back then Westinghouse was made here in the U.S. It was as ugly as sin, weighed as much as a Yugo, and nearly as big. It was a hand-me-down, but by the time it finally died, it was roughly sixty years old! Even then, I think we got $15 out of it just for the steel. Can you imagine a home appliance lasting sixty years? No? Well neither can most manufacturers. There's more money in cheap and disposable than durable and long lasting. It's good to keep this in mind when looking at any home appliance, and the same holds true for air purifiers.

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• Too Good to Be True? – If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don't get caught up in superlatives, glittering generalities, and marketing language. There's a lot of it out there, and ultimately, an air purifier is just another tool that you can use to better control your indoor environment. It's not a cure-all. You won't be running four minute miles or leaping tall buildings in a single bound, but with the right one, you will likely sleep better, wake up feeling better and breathe a little easier.

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• Different Name, Same Place – This is pretty common in the air purifier industry anymore. Notice how several different brands all look the same? It's often because they come from the same factory in China. Often the only difference, particularly amongst cheaper air purifiers, is the name or color.

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• Features – What do you need? Carbon for odors? Don't expect a cheap air purifier to pack much carbon. Sealed systems? Virtually non-existent with these types of models. Want something made of steel that won't off gas? Not going to happen. Ionizers? This… this you can get. Ionization is an inexpensive technology that can produce ozone, but remains a feature built into many less expensive air purifiers, mainly because it can increase filtration rates while using a lower quality filter. It has a high CADR. That means it's the one for me, right? Maybe. Inexpensive air purifiers are often run through the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) test and display good results, but the CADR has its share of drawbacks, so don't let it be the only reason you select a particular model.

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• Filterless Units – Simply don't work. Stop considering or buying them. Let someone else be a sucker. ‘But Kevin, I can see the dust that the plates are collecting. That means they're working right?’ Wrong. My coffee table collects dust, but I don't sell it as an air purifier. These ‘air purifiers’ almost ALWAYS produce ozone, which even in small amounts isn't something you want to introduce into your home.

• Labels – Labels can be really helpful. They can give you a quick indicator of some key features. Plus, they lend credibility to products and performance, and that is also where the problem lies. Some labels don't necessarily convey what you think they do. The CADR can lend itself to a false sense of confidence in a product when taken by itself. Air purifiers can even be endorsed by recognized entities yet still not deliver what they promise, and even the Made in the USA logo has been found to have been abused by manufacturers, all to capitalize on sentiment and sell their product. Labels are, well labels. Investigate them. What do they mean and stand for? Talk to people who have used the product, consider the company's reputation, and avoid buying something just because of a label.

Listen, I'm not trying to be too negative. For some people an inexpensive air purifier will do the trick. We offer a few models around $150 on our site. Not everyone can afford a $800 air purifier, and for some people inexpensive models can, and do, help. However, for many people a $50 unit they picked up at the same place they purchased their eggs and bath towels often ends up in a landfill after a few short years. Why? Because of all the reasons I've listed above! And because, unlike your bath towel, the air purifier didn't do what you needed.

If you want more comprehensive information of what types of filtration are out there and what are the qualities you should look for in a quality HEPA air purifier, visit our Air Purifier Buying Guide. In it we give you a thorough overview of the different types of filtration available as well as the information you need to make a solid choice while avoiding the pitfalls of marketer-speak or being overwhelmed by a tidal wave of imitators and snake oil. This is why on this site you'll find more information than any other. From determining which products best meet your needs to finding simple, everyday solutions to help alleviate symptoms, you can find a variety of answers to your questions.

Author: K. Gilmore