7 Types of Air Purifiers – (HEPA, Carbon, UV & Smart)

Indoor air can contain dust, smoke, bad odour, allergens, and germs, even when it looks clean. Breathing this air daily can affect your health, which is why air purifiers are widely used in homes and offices.

There are different types of air purifiers, and each one works differently. This blog explains the main types of air purifiers in simple words, helping you choose the right option for cleaner and healthier indoor air.

These are 7 common air purifier types using different technologies to remove dust, gases, odours, and germs in all spaces.

HEPA air purifiers focus on solid particles in the air. “High Efficiency Particulate Air” means the filter can capture a very high percentage of fine particles from the airflow.

True HEPA removes 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, which includes dust, pollen, mould spores, pet dander, and many smoke particles.

HEPA‑based filters, such as Rensair Compact units, are widely used in small offices, clinics, and hotel rooms where people need reliable particle removal and quieter operation.

Activated carbon air purifiers deal mainly with gases and odours. They use a special charcoal filter with millions of tiny pores that grab and hold gas molecules and smells from the air. 

This makes them ideal in spaces with cooking fumes, tobacco smoke, pet odours, or chemical vapours from cleaning products and paints. Many advanced systems, including Rensair’s Core smart models, combine HEPA and carbon so that particles and odours are handled at the same time.

UV‑C light air purifiers are designed to inactivate microorganisms. They use ultraviolet‑C light at a specific wavelength that damages the DNA or RNA of bacteria, viruses, and mould spores.

In safer designs, such as those used inside Rensair units, the UV‑C lamp is enclosed within the filter chamber so people are not exposed directly to the light. UV‑C is usually added to HEPA and sometimes carbon filtration to provide both physical capture and germ inactivation, especially useful in healthcare and other shared environments.

Electrostatic and ioniser air purifiers use electric charges to handle airborne particles. They release ions that attach to dust and other particles, making them stick to internal plates or nearby surfaces.

Some models have removable, washable collector plates, which can reduce filter costs. Because some designs may generate small amounts of ozone, they are chosen more carefully today, and many users prefer HEPA‑based or HEPA + UVC systems instead, such as those offered by Rensair.

Ozone generator air purifiers intentionally produce ozone gas. Ozone reacts with odours and some chemical pollutants and is sometimes used for “shock treatment” in empty spaces, such as after fire or heavy smoke damage. 

However, ozone is harmful to humans and animals when breathed in, especially in enclosed rooms. 

Photocatalytic Oxidation purifiers use UV light and a catalyst, such as titanium dioxide, to create reactive species that break down certain gases and microbes.

Performance can vary a lot between designs, and some systems may produce small by‑products. Because of this complexity, PCO is more common in specialised systems than in typical home or office air purifiers.

Smart air purifiers combine strong filtration with intelligent control. They use sensors to measure air quality and can automatically adjust fan speed to match pollution levels. 

Through an app or online dashboard, users can see real‑time data, change settings, and receive alerts about filter status. Rensair Core smart models are examples that combine HEPA, carbon, UVC, and advanced sensors to monitor particles, CO₂, VOCs, temperature, and humidity in offices, schools, clinics, and other shared spaces.

Clean indoor air is important for your health and comfort. Different types of air purifiers remove different kinds of pollutants, such as dust, pollen, smoke, odours, and germs. HEPA filters are great for allergies, activated carbon helps with smells, and UV‑C light adds extra germ protection when combined with filters. 

Rensair air purifiers bring these strengths together in one range, from in‑car AirBubbl units to Compact and Core smart models for rooms and large spaces. Choose the type that best matches your space and air quality needs.