Ion purifiers do not have filters and, therefore, do not effectively remove particles, especially the smallest and most dangerous particles. Its performance is much worse compared to a HEPA filter, and the performance degrades as the plates get dirty. Negative ionizers are small devices that create a negative charge. This charge allows the HEPA filter to capture more particles.
Ion generators come in different shapes and are small in size, similar to that of a dental floss container. The main difference between air purifiers and ionizers is the way each device removes contaminants from the air. In the case of air purifiers, HEPA filters trap particles inside a filter, so it needs to be replaced regularly. Ionizers don't have filters because they emit electrically charged particles to remove contaminants from the air.
It's important to understand that this doesn't completely remove those particles from the environment. The noise level is another feature to consider when comparing HEPA air purifiers and ionic air purifiers. HEPA air purifiers are designed to circulate air in the room and remove contaminants, dust and allergens by trapping them in filters. Unlike ionic purifiers, HEPA purifiers always use a fan; a product cannot operate without it.
Ionic air purifiers usually have no fan and are therefore quiet. An ionizer works by sending electrically charged ions into the air that bind to harmful impurities. But most of the time, ionizers and ionic air purifiers are safe for people, as we explained in our article, “Are ionizers safe?”. That's the basic idea behind what HEPA filters do in an air purifier and how an air ionizer works to clean the air.
Knowing the difference between an ionizer and an air purifier can help you find the right solution for your family. If you have asthma, allergies, or other respiratory conditions, a HEPA air purifier is more likely to relieve symptoms because it prevents particles from re-entering the air you breathe. If you're looking for an air purifier for your home, you might be confused by the different types: ionic and HEPA air purifiers are the most common. This often occurs in automotive air purifiers and is not what you would expect from a air.
Instead of filtering these particles out of the air, an ionizer makes them too heavy to remain suspended in the air. An air purifier uses physical filtration to capture particles from the air so that they are not inhaled. This is because an ionic air purifier requires a fan to draw air through the system and the electrostatic collection rods can only be of a limited size. An air purifier circulates air from a room to send it through the filter, which captures particles as small as 0.3 microns in size.
A HEPA air purifier works by drawing air into the device through a dense physical filter that traps air contaminants such as dust, allergens, mold spores, bacteria, and smoke. As you can see, the main advantage of a HEPA air purifier over an ionizer is that the HEPA unit actually traps airborne contaminants and prevents them from re-entering the air you breathe. While ionic air purifiers cost less to operate in the long term, their performance is terrible at comparison to a HEPA air purifier.
