Consumer Reports names 5 best air purifiers to protect your home from wildfire smoke

Air purifiers can help with indoor air quality. (Courtesy of Amazon)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed NYC for days, casting a haze over Staten Island and severely impacting air quality across much of the Northeast. And officials have announced that the smoke emergency could last for days, possibly persisting throughout the summer.

So how can you protect your home from wildfire smoke that penetrates closed doors and windows? Consumer Reports, the non-profit consumer organization dedicated to independent product testing, has pulled together a list of five air purifiers that can reduce particle concentrations by as much as 85%.

"Not all air purifiers do a good job of removing smoke particulates," the site noted. "The most effective against smoke have a HEPA filter and a large fan that helps to force air through a fine mesh to trap particles. If you want to get rid of the smell of smoke in addition to particles, you’ll want an air purifier that also has a large carbon filter to absorb odors."

According to Consumer Report findings, HEPA air purifiers can range from $50 to more than $1,000. The site advised against buying one that's marketed for rooms smaller than 150 square feet -- those models performed poorly in expert tests.

These five air purifiers (listed in alphabetical order) received top ratings from the site:

Alen BreatheSmart 75i Pure

Price: $748.99

Alen's Pure HEPA filter eliminates airborne allergens, dust, pollen, dust, dust mites, dander, pet hair and more. The fine mesh of an air purifier filter catches potentially harmful airborne particles. It's perfect for bedrooms and living rooms and as an air dust remover for lofts, flats, workplaces, kitchens, basements and big open-concept spaces

Blueair Blue Pure 211+

Price: $290.95

Ideal for smoke and smog during wildfire season, this unit reportedly removes 99.97% of airborne particles like smoke, dust, viruses and pet dander, while the carbon filter traps light household odors from smoking, pets and cooking

Blueair Classic 605

Price: $599.00

Comes standard with a particle filter to remove 99.97% of airborne allergy and asthma triggers, including pollen, dust, pet dander, mold, smoke, bacteria, viruses and more.

Honeywell InSight HPA5300B

Price: $248.99

Recommended for extra-large rooms (500 square feet), HEPA Filtration helps capture up to 99.97% of microscopic airborne allergens and particles.

Winix 9800

Price: $279.99

The unit's built-in smart sensors detect and monitor the quality of air in the environment and send a visual representation of your current air quality to your phone.

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