Removing smoke from your living spaces and office doesn’t have to be hard when you have the best air purifier for smoke. These units use mechanical filtration systems, activated carbon/charcoal filters, and heavy-duty design to eliminate cigarette smoke from your home. When we set out to find the best air purifier for eliminating cigarette smoke, airborne particles, and other pollutants from your air, we measured each product we researched mainly on these three components. Be sure to also take a look at some of our highly-rated air purifiers.

After we had identified the top 20 options on the market today, we purchased them and got them cycling through the air in our offices and homes. During testing, we measured things like ease of use, sturdiness, and air cleaning power, but we also paid close attention to how the air felt after purification to see if it had improved. After all our testing, we are pleased to say that the Germ Guardian AC4825 is the best air purifier for smoke that you can buy today. With its intense filtration system, UV-C light, and AHAM certification, you’ll get to smoke-free air in no time. Keep reading to learn more about the Germ Guardian and the other top picks on our list. If you not only smoke but also live within a larger home and are looking for the best whole house air purifier, check out our guide on those as well.

Top 5 Best Air Purifiers for Smoke Compared

 #1  Germ Guardian AC4825 Air Purifier

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Our #1 Pick is the Germ Guardian AC4825
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WHY WE LIKE IT: An affordable price, a True HEPA air filter, and tons of premium features are what we love most about the Germ Guardian AC4825. It is our top pick. You even get a UV-C sanitizer for eliminating the toughest odor-causing particles like smoke.

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  • Best UV light
  • Excellent 3-year warranty
  • Certified by AHAM

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  • Loud operation at highest setting
  • Doesn’t include auto modes
  • No smart functionality

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Getting rid of the smoke in your home and living space can be difficult, to say the least. That’s why you should take the most comprehensive approach you can. With the Germ Guardian AC4825 3-in-1, you get high-quality cleaning for smoking air and smoke odors through a variety of cleaning filters, including activated charcoal, True HEPA, and UV-C light. With this approach, you can easily clean air contaminated with tobacco smoke, making it one of the finest air purifiers for cigarette smoke out there.

Alternatively, if you need to mask the scent of weed, you’ll probably need to grab the top-rated air purifiers for smoking weed.

Perhaps one of the best filtration types to combat smoke in your home is the UV-C light that the Germ Guardian includes. When combined with the HEPA filter and activated charcoal filter, the smoke has no chance. While you don’t get any kind of smart functionality or automatic modes here, the Germ Guardian still offers plenty of functionality and is incredibly easy to use. You also get an impressive 3-year warranty, which is one of the longest options on our list. If you need your air purifier to eliminate pollutant-concentrated air from your home, the Germ Guardian AC4825 is an excellent choice. Compare it to the best cheap air purifier.

 #2  Levoit LV-H132


WHY WE LIKE IT: The Levoit LV-H132 is the smallest option on our list, which makes it perfect for portability and smaller living spaces, which is why it’s one of the top personal air purifiers. Don’t let this air purifier’s size fool you; it can still tackle smoky air with ease. This is why it is our honorable mention in the #2 spot.

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  • Best portable design
  • Quietest unit on our list
  • Excellent 3-stage filtration system

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  • Not good for large spaces
  • No filter replacement notification
  • Doesn’t shut off on auto timers

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An eye-catching design and solid overall build quality communicate a sense of attention to detail in the Levoit LV-H132, something which can sometimes be hard to come by with air purifiers. But in the end, we were super impressed with the Levoit and its premium performance and design that shined during our test. One of our favorite aspects of this air purifier for smoke is how compact it is. While it’s not able to clean large rooms because of its compact size, it can still eliminate smoke in rooms up to 86 square feet. If you need to clean those bigger rooms in your home, consider the best large room air purifier. That said, this can also work as a great air purifier for a basement, too.

You don’t just get a well-designed unit with the Levoit, though. As we tested, it became quickly apparent just how well it performs, even despite its smaller size. The three-stage filtration system involves a preliminary filter, a True HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter for the most comprehensive clean possible. With this triple-layer approach, you’ll be able to eliminate contaminants like allergens, smoke, and dust without a problem. In the end, if you need portability and power, you can’t go wrong with the Levoit LV-H132.  Pair this with one of the best outdoor patio heaters, and you’ll be ready to host the perfect summer barbeque.

 #3  Pure Enrichment PureZone Air Purifier


WHY WE LIKE IT: Powerful filtration and whisper-quiet operation are what make the Pure Enrichment PureZone 3-in-1 air purifier a top pick in our book. It is the top value model. The unique four-layer filtration system is great for eliminating smoke.

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  • Best for office use
  • Whisper-quiet operation
  • Long 5 year warranty

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  • Only works in rooms up to 200 sq. ft.
  • Isn’t great with pet or food odors
  • Lights only turn off on low power mode

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The Pure Enrichment PureZone air purifier for smoke looks great and it performs super well, even in the smokiest of situations. The unit itself doesn’t offer the most cutting-edge technology, but it still powers through smoke and other air pollutants with its unique 4-in-1 filtration system. As air cycles through the PureZone, it will pass through a pre-filter before moving through an activated carbon filter and finally through both a HEPA filter and a UV-C light chamber. This could also be a nice car air purifier, in case you smoke frequently in your car.

This four-stage filtration process is great for clearing smoke from the air in your house, including smoke from cigarettes or even smoke from the house and forest fires. During our testing, it was easy to see how well the Pure Enrichment PureZone air purifier cleaned the smoky air right up. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to clear the air up quickly in large rooms since the unit is mostly made for smaller areas. It also struggles with long-lasting odors from cooking or pets. If you have several pets and you need a dedicated air purifier then you may want to check out the best air purifier for pets.

 #4  KOIOS Air Purifier


WHY WE LIKE IT: The KOIOS air purifier is the perfect size to fit on your desk and features incredibly easy one-button controls. It also does an excellent job of being a thorough cigarette smoke eliminator. Plus it is the best budget machine out there.

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  • Compact desktop design
  • Easy one-button control
  • 360-degree air intake

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  • Can’t switch off the LED
  • No filter replacement alarm
  • Doesn’t monitor air quality

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If you smoke at home or have a business where the smoke flows freely, this model is made just for you. It packs a 3-stage air filtration system that works like a champ. This system consists of a pre-filter that can be easily cleaned, an activated carbon filter to remove chemicals and large particles like tar, and a true HEPA filter for the finer pollutants (0.3 microns) that can’t be picked up by other kinds of filters.

One of the most unique features of the KOIOS is its 360-degree air intake design, which creates more efficiency and effectiveness whenever you use it. You can also control the unit with a single button, making it an incredibly easy product to use. This is a durable unit that can handle large rooms and spaces up to 250 square feet, making it one of the most powerful air purifiers on our list. Use the KOIOS if you like the desktop nature of its design and its ability to clean the air in larger spaces.

 #5  PARTU HEPA Air Purifier

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WHY WE LIKE IT: The PARTU air purifier markets itself as one of the quietest purifiers available today, while still offering plenty of filtration power. If you need something silent and sleek, the PARTU HEPA air purifier is an excellent choice. It is our pick for the best HEPA air purifier.

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  • Stylish, durable design
  • Runs quietly
  • Includes child lock features

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  • No warranty included
  • Not great for small rooms
  • High maintenance

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The PARTU air purifier for smoke is an ace at getting the smallest particles out of the air. Its unique 5-stage filtration system can handle 99.97% of smoke particles, allergens, pet dander, and more. You can even use the air purifier with essential oils to eliminate cigarette smoke and other odors more easily in your home. During our testing, we were really surprised at how well the PARTU’s HEPA filter was able to clean the air in our living and office spaces. But, test this filter-based device against water air purifiers to see which one is truly better.

We were also impressed with the overall design and durability of the PARTU HEPA air purifier. Its sleek black design doesn’t hide what the purifier is by any means; anyone who sees it will know it’s there to clean the air, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The air purifier is easy to use and even includes a helpful child lock mode to keep your young kids from hurting themselves accidentally.

How We Choose

In most methods of air purification, activated carbon filtration is wholly responsible for removing smoke particles from an environment, due to the porosity of the medium. Unlike HEPA filtering systems in other air purifiers that are designed to remove harmful particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and other pollutants as small as 0.3 microns, activated carbon is extremely porous, and the heavier the weight of an individual carbon filter, the more surface area will be available for adsorbing smoke passing through it. These types are great for smoke removal. For our top three picks, only air cleaners utilizing an industrial-strength, activated carbon adsorption stage were included. We identified the heaviest filters used by consumer air purifiers, ensuring a maximum surface area for adsorption in contrast to competitors’ machines. Another important factor in our analysis was the airflow design through the machine, industrial seals to prevent contaminated air leaks back into the atmosphere, and motor application based on the expected pressure drop across the filter assemblies.

One single gram of activated carbon has approximately 32,000 sq ft of surface area, and most filter manufacturers increase adsorption properties further by chemically treating them with solutions that attract specific airborne pollutants.

Our top picks are the very best portable carbon filtration systems on the market as of today, based on the preceding specifications.

Why You Should Buy an Air Purifier for Smoke Adsorption

We all know how unhealthy smoking can be, but I’m not going to lecture you on the dangers of smoking – we’re all big boys and girls here. What I will say is this: if you need an efficient purification system that pulls most of, if not all of, the smoke from an indoor environment, then you should consider buying one of our top picks.  Cigarette smoke and cigar smoke get everywhere. And you already know that smoke and cigar odor go along with it. A good purifier eliminates the worry over lingering secondhand smoke too. It should also be noted that it can help with wildfire smoke that may have entered your home. These air purifiers for smokers are the absolute best. Make sure your indoor air is fresher and more pleasant. Your home’s air is related to your family’s health after all.

Read: What is HEPA Air Purifier?

The Airpura and Oransi Erik units work well as whole home, or business air purification systems, while the Austin Air unit is more ideal as a multi-room, in-home air cleaner. We wouldn’t recommend exposing these units to the elements, but the Airpura and Oransi Erik would work well in a covered, outdoor area like an outside patio or bar too.

Key Factors

Activated Carbon Filtration

  • With superior technology for removing smoke and odors from the air, we narrowed our focus to machines with the most filtration capacity we could find.

Industrial Construction

  • No flimsy plastic parts on these air cleaners. We wanted high-grade, industrial machines meant to last years and deliver near-perfect results to consumers searching for the best of the best.

Made for Smoke

  • Manufacturers need to explicitly state that these machines were ideal for smoke adsorption. Hybrid units used for multiple purposes weren’t considered. If it was advertised as an air purifier for mold and smoke, or an ozone generator that is also a smoke remover, it was left out. We want to get rid of the smoke.

Features

Square Footage

  • This can be a subjective measurement, especially considering how differently sized everyone’s living spaces can be. Measure the room where you need to use the air purifier, and make your purchase based on that square footage.

Mechanical Process

  • While Ionization, UV, and PCO can all effectively remove toxins from an environment (if they’re applied correctly), smoke filtration via activated carbon through a purely mechanical process is a preferred purification technology that’s used widely in operating rooms, electrical control rooms, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and even spacecraft assembly clean rooms.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Cheap Carbon Filters: Too many air purifier manufacturers market products with activated carbon filters, but fail to include filter specifications. Look for products that openly advertise filter technical data – if they’re proud of filter performance they’ll mention it. For regular air purifiers, you want a true HEPA filter, but for a smoke air purifier, activated carbon filters containing more than five pounds of media should work well. You can also take a look at some of the best air purifier washable filters if you don’t want to constantly change your filters.
  • Hybrid Units: For this application, we don’t see added value in integrating ultraviolet treatment, photocatalytic oxidation, or ionization. If you’re only focused on the removal of smoke, activated carbon filtration sized properly for the area it’s treating will work very well. It’s all about the right type of air purifier for the job. We aren’t interested in air purifiers for allergies.

What Else Should You Think About?

Having the best air purifier for smoke adsorption is only one part of the battle against indoor air pollutants. To get the most out of your air purifier, you’ll need to ensure that you’re following proper routine maintenance recommendations set forth by the manufacturer. Check out our article on How to Clean Air Purifiers for filter replacement best practices. If you’d like to know more about air pollutant detection and prevention, our What is VOC Meter article is a good place to start. Forget about extra features like a smart sensor for automatic shutoff etc. You want it to remove smoke, so that is where the focus should be, rather than a customizable air purifier. Not that all extra features are bad, sleep mode, and adjustable fan speeds can be useful, just don’t get distracted by fancy features and additional accessories that leave you buying an air purifier that doesn’t eliminate smoke as well as a simpler model. You just need to stay focused and prioritize what you need your air purifier to do. For instance, an easy-to-use control panel is a plus.

As it’s our top pick, the Germ Guardian should suit most environmental smoke filtration needs. And if you’re on the hunt for more than just air cleaners, our best portable air conditioner list can help you snag something for that space that’s always a little too warm and all the while condition the air, freeing it of pollen and other outside or even indoor pollutants.

If you need other air purifiers that are not necessarily just for smoke, some popular models include the Alen Breathesmart 45i, the Rabbit Air Minusa2, Levoit LVH132, Blue Pure machines, the Germguardian AC4825 3in1 air purifier, the Purezone 3in1 true HEPA air, Alen Breathesmart fit50, Blueair Classic

When it’s time to buy new smoking air purifiers, always check on Amazon and compare the price on Amazon after reading our buying guide.

Smoke Air Purifiers FAQ

What are HEPA filters?

A HEPA filter or HEPA filtration system is a specific type of high-quality air filter that meets the HEPA filter standard. HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air and any filter matching this standard will be designed to remove at least 99.97% of particles in the air that are as small as 0.3 microns in size.

What are VOCs (volatile organic compounds)?

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemicals that are emitted as gases from a wide array of products including paints, varnishes, solvents, and many household cleaning products. Studies have shown that concentrations of VOCs are consistently higher indoors than outdoors and can affect your health if exposed to for a long time period.

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