{"id":556692734025,"title":"Air Doctor Review: Worth The High Price?","created_at":"2022-06-25T20:50:22-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Air Doctor Review: Worth The High Price?\",\n \"keywords\": \"air doctor, air doctor reviews, air doctor review, air doctor air purifier, air doctor 3000, air doctor purifier\",\n \"description\": \"Our MD and research team review whether the Air Doctor is more effective than other HEPA air purifiers. We compare the brand to popular air purifiers like Blueair, and evaluate some of the health claims made on the Air Doctor site.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/air-doctor-review\",\n\"author\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n }\n],\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Air_Doctor_Thumbnail.png?v=1656205115\",\n\"width\": \"2079\",\n\"height\": \"2079\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/molekule-review\", \n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7277583\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/indoor-air-quality-iaq\/what-hepa-filter\",\n\"https:\/\/az686452.vo.msecnd.net\/cmr\/t11813\/src\/4417b6af50b54b7883950bfab22c736e_1.pdf\",\n\"https:\/\/www.consumerlab.com\/answers\/portable-air-cleaner\/air-purifier\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/AIRDOCTOR-Purifier-UltraHEPA-Carbon-Filters\/dp\/B001KYVWIE\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.fakespot.com\/product\/air-doctor\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"EPA\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"HEPA\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Blueair\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"FakeSpot\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-06-25\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Air_Doctor_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1656204895\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eT\u003c\/span\u003ehe Air Doctor is an air purifier brand manufactured by a company called Ideal Living which claims their device is effective at removing COVID-19 particles from the air. The most popular device, the Air Doctor 3000, is a more powerful version of a similar device made by the same brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll review some of the health claims made by Ideal Living based on research to determine if we believe they’re likely to be true. We’ll also overview whether we believe air purifiers are necessary at all.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAre Air Purifiers Really Necessary?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe topic of indoor air purifiers is a complex one, partly because there are simple, no-cost steps that consumers can take to vastly improve indoor air quality. As we described in our review of air purifier device \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/molekule-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMolekule\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, indoor air quality is significantly worse than outdoor air quality in most developed nations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eConsumers could simply air out their house more, especially during summer months, and experience an improvement in indoor air quality at no cost. This is probably the best option for people on a budget.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers with high disposable income, or for people living in nations like India with relatively high outdoor air pollution, air purifiers may be a logical choice. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAn extensive \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7277583\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that indoor air purifiers significantly reduced contaminant levels but did not improve any health parameters. We don’t find these results surprising, given that air purifiers are typically used as a preventative measure and don’t provide a mechanism to treat lung dysfunction. We actually find it strange that the researchers even considered this. In our opinion this study proves the efficacy of indoor air purifiers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOur takeaway is that indoor air purifiers make sense in countries with high outdoor air pollution, where opening windows will not improve indoor air condition. The devices also seem to make sense for patients with lung dysfunction to prevent a further degradation of condition. They don’t seem to make sense for healthy patients in countries without significant outdoor air pollution.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow Does Air Doctor Work?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAir Doctor air purifiers fall into the most popular category of air purifiers called High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/indoor-air-quality-iaq\/what-hepa-filter\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAccording to\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these devices are effective because they trap particulates in air, which removes them from circulation and therefore reduces the number inhaled into the lungs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHEPA filters typically publish Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values (MERVs) which detail what size particles the device can trap. Devices which can trap smaller particles are better for human health, and these devices have higher MERV ratings. The highest MERV rating is 16 according to the EPA resource.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAir Doctor does not appear to publish the MERV ratings for their devices.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAir Doctor Health Claims\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIdeal Living makes a number of health claims about their products, which are cited by at least some level of research. Their claim of efficacy in reducing COVID-19 comes from a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/az686452.vo.msecnd.net\/cmr\/t11813\/src\/4417b6af50b54b7883950bfab22c736e_1.pdf\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eresearch study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e conducted by a firm called MRIGlobal. This research firm is not-for-profit which is a good sign for consumers, as this reduces bias in the evaluation process.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe research study tested whether the Air Doctor 3000 could eliminate aerosolized COVID-19, and to what degree. The results were impressive: the device reduced the virus by 99.97%. The methodology appears to be sound, and we consider this legitimate scientific research.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe brand also claims that their UltraHEPA filter removes particles 100 times smaller than the HEPA standard, which would provide theoretical health benefits by reducing levels of fine particulate matter and viruses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever, we don’t find this health claim to be very strong, because it’s cited with an asterisk that’s referenced at the bottom of the page. The brand does not link out to the research backing this claim, and instead states that a company called LMS Technologies, which appears to be for-profit, proved this. This is a weak standard of evidence in our opinion and is not convincing. Companies should not make health claims without linking to the cited research.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe believe that Air Doctor’s health claim about COVID-19 is likely accurate and their claim about increased efficiency relative to standard HEPA filters is questionable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThird-Party Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eConsumerLab, which is an independent research organization that we trust, published an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerlab.com\/answers\/portable-air-cleaner\/air-purifier\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eair purifier review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e which included the Air Doctor 3000. ConsumerLab claims that the Air Doctor 3000 is effective but overpriced, and asserts that it’s no more effective than other HEPA filters which are sold at a lower price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAir Doctor is missing from ConsumerReports reviews of air purifiers, which make it a worse option in our opinion than devices actually tested for efficacy and compared against one another by this independent research organization.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Air Doctor More Effective Than Other Air Purifiers?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile the brand claims increased efficacy, we cannot verify this. Proof of technical superiority would require medical research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, or at least comparative research published by an independent organization like ConsumerLab. Because Air Doctor has neither, we would not consider their purifiers more effective than other air purifiers on the market.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe believe that the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eBlueair Blue Classic 605\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the most logical choice for an air purifier, as it’s top-rated by both ConsumerLab and ConsumerReports, is verified by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), and is around $200 cheaper than the Air Doctor 3000 at the time of writing this article (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$414.99\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e vs. $629).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAir Doctor Price\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers set on purchasing the Air Doctor, we would recommend buying on Amazon rather than the manufacturer’s website as the product is significantly cheaper at the time of writing this article. The prices of the most popular Air Doctor 3000 device are as follows:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/AIRDOCTOR-Purifier-UltraHEPA-Carbon-Filters\/dp\/B001KYVWIE\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$519\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eManufacturer: $629\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Air Doctor 5000, their most powerful model, is currently retailing for the exact same price of $999 on both Amazon and the manufacturer website. In that case, we would recommend purchasing directly from the manufacturer for quality assurance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAir Doctor User Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Air Doctor 3000 has impressive reviews on Amazon, which is a better place to search for unbiased reviews than a manufacturer website in our opinion. The product is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars with 902 overall ratings.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser was published by a user named “Toney Larrell Reid” who claims the product was beneficial for their mother’s breathing issues:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“My mother now has the AirDoctor and set it up herself! She called to tell me how the Air Sensors worked. She's had it for about a week now and already feels a difference in the way she breathes.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Brian K.” who claims the device seemed to be contaminating their room:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis thing was a disaster. Instead of cleaning the air, it felt like it was contaminating it..The Airdoctor Couldn't clean a 185 square foot room. DO NOT RECOMMEND!”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe want to note that we find it unlikely based on the materials used that a HEPA filter could contaminate a room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe device also has a B rating \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.fakespot.com\/product\/air-doctor\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003efrom FakeSpot\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e which is a good sign that the majority of reviews are legitimate. This is a software tool that scans Amazon reviews for potential manipulation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAir Doctor Influencer Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular reviews of the Air Doctor purifier on YouTube is published by a naturopathic doctor whose channel is called “Stephen Cabral.” He overviews the science behind the device, shares personal experience with it and highlights some of the technical specs:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R-bE3wK_5kk\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Air Doctor seems to us to be a standard HEPA air purifier which is priced above most of the market. For that reason, we don’t recommend this brand. We would recommend Blueair air purifiers over Air Doctor as they appear to be well-received by independent research organizations and are cheaper than Air Doctor purifiers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t believe that every consumer needs an air purifier, but people living in countries with high environmental pollution, as well as patients suffering from respiratory illnesses could likely benefit from purchasing an air purifier with a HEPA filter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor people who want to purchase an Air Doctor device, we would recommend the Air Doctor 3000. The impressive COVID-19 study was conducted on this device specifically, as was the apparent efficacy test that the manufacturer doesn’t publish. It makes sense to buy the product with the most testing behind it instead of a device like the Air Doctor 1000 which seems to have less testing backing its efficacy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUsers do appear to be pleased with the Air Doctor purifiers based on Amazon and influencer reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-06-25T21:02:34-04:00","updated_at":"2022-12-18T20:08:48-05:00","summary_html":"We review whether the air purifier brand Air Doctor is more effective than other HEPA air purifiers. We compare the brand to popular air purifiers like Blueair, and evaluate some of the health claims made on the Air Doctor site.","template_suffix":"","handle":"air-doctor-review","tags":"_related:air-purifier"}

Air Doctor Review: Worth The High Price?

Air Doctor Review: Worth The High Price?


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Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about what makes our site the premier resource for online health information.

The Air Doctor is an air purifier brand manufactured by a company called Ideal Living which claims their device is effective at removing COVID-19 particles from the air. The most popular device, the Air Doctor 3000, is a more powerful version of a similar device made by the same brand.

In this article we’ll review some of the health claims made by Ideal Living based on research to determine if we believe they’re likely to be true. We’ll also overview whether we believe air purifiers are necessary at all.

Are Air Purifiers Really Necessary?

The topic of indoor air purifiers is a complex one, partly because there are simple, no-cost steps that consumers can take to vastly improve indoor air quality. As we described in our review of air purifier device Molekule, indoor air quality is significantly worse than outdoor air quality in most developed nations.

Consumers could simply air out their house more, especially during summer months, and experience an improvement in indoor air quality at no cost. This is probably the best option for people on a budget.

For consumers with high disposable income, or for people living in nations like India with relatively high outdoor air pollution, air purifiers may be a logical choice. 

An extensive medical review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that indoor air purifiers significantly reduced contaminant levels but did not improve any health parameters. We don’t find these results surprising, given that air purifiers are typically used as a preventative measure and don’t provide a mechanism to treat lung dysfunction. We actually find it strange that the researchers even considered this. In our opinion this study proves the efficacy of indoor air purifiers.

Our takeaway is that indoor air purifiers make sense in countries with high outdoor air pollution, where opening windows will not improve indoor air condition. The devices also seem to make sense for patients with lung dysfunction to prevent a further degradation of condition. They don’t seem to make sense for healthy patients in countries without significant outdoor air pollution.

How Does Air Doctor Work?

Air Doctor air purifiers fall into the most popular category of air purifiers called High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these devices are effective because they trap particulates in air, which removes them from circulation and therefore reduces the number inhaled into the lungs.

HEPA filters typically publish Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values (MERVs) which detail what size particles the device can trap. Devices which can trap smaller particles are better for human health, and these devices have higher MERV ratings. The highest MERV rating is 16 according to the EPA resource.

Air Doctor does not appear to publish the MERV ratings for their devices.

Air Doctor Health Claims

Ideal Living makes a number of health claims about their products, which are cited by at least some level of research. Their claim of efficacy in reducing COVID-19 comes from a research study conducted by a firm called MRIGlobal. This research firm is not-for-profit which is a good sign for consumers, as this reduces bias in the evaluation process.

The research study tested whether the Air Doctor 3000 could eliminate aerosolized COVID-19, and to what degree. The results were impressive: the device reduced the virus by 99.97%. The methodology appears to be sound, and we consider this legitimate scientific research.

The brand also claims that their UltraHEPA filter removes particles 100 times smaller than the HEPA standard, which would provide theoretical health benefits by reducing levels of fine particulate matter and viruses.

However, we don’t find this health claim to be very strong, because it’s cited with an asterisk that’s referenced at the bottom of the page. The brand does not link out to the research backing this claim, and instead states that a company called LMS Technologies, which appears to be for-profit, proved this. This is a weak standard of evidence in our opinion and is not convincing. Companies should not make health claims without linking to the cited research.

We believe that Air Doctor’s health claim about COVID-19 is likely accurate and their claim about increased efficiency relative to standard HEPA filters is questionable.

Third-Party Reviews

ConsumerLab, which is an independent research organization that we trust, published an air purifier review which included the Air Doctor 3000. ConsumerLab claims that the Air Doctor 3000 is effective but overpriced, and asserts that it’s no more effective than other HEPA filters which are sold at a lower price.

Air Doctor is missing from ConsumerReports reviews of air purifiers, which make it a worse option in our opinion than devices actually tested for efficacy and compared against one another by this independent research organization.

Is Air Doctor More Effective Than Other Air Purifiers?

While the brand claims increased efficacy, we cannot verify this. Proof of technical superiority would require medical research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, or at least comparative research published by an independent organization like ConsumerLab. Because Air Doctor has neither, we would not consider their purifiers more effective than other air purifiers on the market.

We believe that the Blueair Blue Classic 605 is the most logical choice for an air purifier, as it’s top-rated by both ConsumerLab and ConsumerReports, is verified by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), and is around $200 cheaper than the Air Doctor 3000 at the time of writing this article ($414.99 vs. $629).

Air Doctor Price

For consumers set on purchasing the Air Doctor, we would recommend buying on Amazon rather than the manufacturer’s website as the product is significantly cheaper at the time of writing this article. The prices of the most popular Air Doctor 3000 device are as follows:

Amazon: $519

Manufacturer: $629

The Air Doctor 5000, their most powerful model, is currently retailing for the exact same price of $999 on both Amazon and the manufacturer website. In that case, we would recommend purchasing directly from the manufacturer for quality assurance.

Air Doctor User Reviews

The Air Doctor 3000 has impressive reviews on Amazon, which is a better place to search for unbiased reviews than a manufacturer website in our opinion. The product is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars with 902 overall ratings.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser was published by a user named “Toney Larrell Reid” who claims the product was beneficial for their mother’s breathing issues:

“My mother now has the AirDoctor and set it up herself! She called to tell me how the Air Sensors worked. She's had it for about a week now and already feels a difference in the way she breathes.”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Brian K.” who claims the device seemed to be contaminating their room:

This thing was a disaster. Instead of cleaning the air, it felt like it was contaminating it..The Airdoctor Couldn't clean a 185 square foot room. DO NOT RECOMMEND!”

We want to note that we find it unlikely based on the materials used that a HEPA filter could contaminate a room.

The device also has a B rating from FakeSpot which is a good sign that the majority of reviews are legitimate. This is a software tool that scans Amazon reviews for potential manipulation.

Air Doctor Influencer Review

One of the most popular reviews of the Air Doctor purifier on YouTube is published by a naturopathic doctor whose channel is called “Stephen Cabral.” He overviews the science behind the device, shares personal experience with it and highlights some of the technical specs:

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Conclusion

The Air Doctor seems to us to be a standard HEPA air purifier which is priced above most of the market. For that reason, we don’t recommend this brand. We would recommend Blueair air purifiers over Air Doctor as they appear to be well-received by independent research organizations and are cheaper than Air Doctor purifiers.

We don’t believe that every consumer needs an air purifier, but people living in countries with high environmental pollution, as well as patients suffering from respiratory illnesses could likely benefit from purchasing an air purifier with a HEPA filter.

For people who want to purchase an Air Doctor device, we would recommend the Air Doctor 3000. The impressive COVID-19 study was conducted on this device specifically, as was the apparent efficacy test that the manufacturer doesn’t publish. It makes sense to buy the product with the most testing behind it instead of a device like the Air Doctor 1000 which seems to have less testing backing its efficacy.

Users do appear to be pleased with the Air Doctor purifiers based on Amazon and influencer reviews.




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