For those who spend a lot of time inside the vehicle, it would be wise to invest in a car air purifier. As the name suggests, a car air purifier not only purifies the interior but also removes various pollutants regardless of whether they are large or small particles.
Since it commonly uses a multi-layer filtration system, namely HEPA and activated carbon, it helps to filter the air quality of your car interior. A car air purifier also works to remove odors, say the smell of cigarette smoke, essentially acting as an air freshener and providing cleaner air as well.
What’s more, a car air purifier is portable and easy to mount onto the like of a cup holder. So, if you are looking for some recommendations, we have a list of the best car air purifiers to suit your respective needs.
Editor
Mae An NG chevron_right
Table of Contents
Top 10 Car Air Purifiers in Malaysia
Why It’s Our Top Pick?
The Medklinn Autoplus In-Car Air Purifier is our top choice for car air purifiers due to its exceptional sterilization capabilities, low maintenance requirements, and user-friendly features. It doesn't just clean the air you breathe; it also sanitizes your car's interior.
Who is this for?
This air purifier is an ideal choice for anyone who wants clean, healthy air during their daily commute. It's perfect for individuals with allergies, families with children, or anyone concerned about air quality and germs in their vehicles. It’s also compact and won’t take up too much space in smaller cars!
What to know
When once again when faced with bad air quality, it’s hard to imagine driving in a car with pristine air quality, free from allergens, odors, and harmful pollutants. That’s where the Medklinn Autoplus In-Car Air Purifier turns this vision into a reality. This powerful device sterilizes not only the air you breathe but also the surfaces within your car, ensuring a healthier and more enjoyable driving experience.
In addition, it has Active Oxygen technology that sterilizes air and surfaces, eliminating allergens, odors, bacteria, viruses, molds, and pollution. It’s also powered by their patented Cerafusion™ Technology Cartridge for easy and minimal maintenance, making this small and compact car air purifier one of the most hassle-free!
Key info
- Patented Cerafusion™ Cartridge requires minimal maintenance, needing replacement only once a year
- Adjustable power dial for customized air purification based on car size and needs
- Optional USB Docking for convenient connectivity and an extra USB port for charging devices
Who is this for?
The pandemic brought us alert on our health that’s why this top car air purifier is ideal to prevent getting caught of the virus. To maintain safety and clean air inside your car, this car ionizer can also bacteria and unpleasant odor. A best-selling car purifier and ionizer in Malaysia at an affordable price.
What to know
Just by connecting it using a USB outlet, this portable air purifier from EASYCARE disperses at least 12 million negative ions to eliminate bacteria and odors in your car. And though it is capable of purifying up to 50 square feet of area, its noise level is lower than 27dB!
You won’t have to worry about it occupying your car’s only power output either, as the air purifier is designed with two ports. It has one input port and another output port for you to charge your electronics, allowing you to have two devices working at the same time.
Key info
- Auto-start once connected to the power source
- Does not require a filter
- Suitable for areas as big as 50 sqft.
- Meets Europe and US standards CE/FCC/RoHS/CP65
- 3-month warranty
Who is this for?
If you suffer from respiratory issues, maintaining quality air might help with your symptoms as a preventive measure. As younger children are two to three times more susceptible to polluted air, we recommend parents with passengers younger than 7 years old get this car air purifier from Trapo.
What to know
With more than 2000 units sold, the Trapo Premium Motion-Sensor Car Air Purifier is a smart device for improving the air quality in your car. It detects the air quality index in real-time, takes in pollutants, and releases clean air to the whole car area.
Equipped with the HEPA13 Filtration System, more than 99% of harmful particles are filtered out including micro-particles and contaminants. Overall, it eliminates smells, bacteria, and second-hand smoke to ensure safer and better air quality.
Key info
- Eliminates second-hand smoke, odor, formaldehyde, and dust
- Smart motion-sensor control and display
- HEPA13 filtration system, filters pollen, animal dander, and dust
- Air quality monitor
- 1-year manufacturer warranty
Who is this for?
This product garnered many users’ praise not only for its overall design but also for its efficient performance in getting rid of impurities and odors.
What to know
Here’s a space-saving air purifier for your car worth looking at, as Blaupunkt AirPure AP 1.0 sports a cylindrical design that can fit nicely on your cup holder.
Aside from its compact size, this car air purifier contains not only one but three-layer filtration designed for capturing large particles like dust. Meanwhile, the HEPA filter is useful for those who suffer from nasal allergies. Finally, the activated carbon filter helps to remove unpleasant odors in your car.
Key info
- AirPure 3-Layer Filtration - Stage 1 (Pre-Filter), Stage 2 (HEPA Filter H11) and Stage 3 (Activated Carbon Filter)
- Built-in germicidal lamp for improving air quality and produces UV light waves that kill every bacteria
- Quick operation via a touchscreen panel
- Automatic on/off system with your car ignition
- Special aroma holder that lets you add a few drops of your preferred essential oils
- Plug & play via the USB cable - easy installation
Who is this for?
This car air purifier operates at a low noise level, making it suitable for users with infants and pets onboard as it cleans the air without startling them or disturbing their sleep.
What to know
The Xiaomi Eraclean Ionizer Air Purifier comes with two purification modes–single and deep–to suit your usage. Its deep purification mode cleans the air, odors, and formaldehyde when the car is parked while the other simply works when you are driving.
Equipped with three-stage filtering consisting of a Pre-Filter, HEPA Filter, and High-Quality Charcoal Filter, the air purifier captures and removes pollutants more efficiently to improve your air quality. Rest assured, ionizer purifiers are no exception when it comes to thoroughly purifying your car air.
Key info
- Long-lasting battery for up to 12 hours
- Disperses 5 million negative ions to purify the area
- 2 Modes: Single Purification, Deep Purification
- Noise less than 40dB
- 1-year warranty
Who is this for?
This air cleaner for car is perfect not only for car owners but also for pet owners, allergy sufferers, smokers, and budget-conscious consumers. It's ideal for those needing an affordable and effective solution to maintain clean air in cars during travel, preventing the occurrence of asthma. Its portable design and rechargeable battery make your convenient choice for improving air quality on the go.
What to know
The Xiaomi Youpin Car Air Purifier Ozone Generator is a versatile car purifier that can enhance air quality inside your vehicle to prevent asthma attacks. It has a high-efficiency filter that can remove dust, pollen, smoke, odors, mold spores, and pet dander. The built-in ozone generator effectively neutralizes odors and disinfects the air by eliminating bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms.
Key info
- With a negative ion button
- Capable of TYPE-C charging and plugging
- With hardware air inlet for more reliable purification
- Strong wind noise
- Multi-layer filtering element
More: 10 Best Air Purifiers That Eliminate Smoke From Your Home Right Away
Who is this for?
This car air purifier works well in your car to ensure every inch of your car is purified of any types of contaminants to keep you and your family safe during the drive. Not to mention, it is versatile as it can be used in any other location such as the bedroom or the office due to its portable size.
What to know
If you’re looking to improve the air quality of your car, the SwissThomas Portable Car Air Purifier has got your back. With its U13 HEPA filter, the purification accuracy has increased by 80% to ensure you breathe in nothing but clean air. It is capable of filtering dust particles as small as 0.3 microns, bacteria as well as harmful gas pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene.
The air purifier also comes with a handy feature such as when it detects contaminants in your car, it will auto-start the purification process to keep your air clean.
Key info
- Battery capacity: 1200 mAh
- Voltage: 5V
- 3 Speed Adjustments
- Size: 16.3 x 7 x 7 cm
Who is this for?
Weighing just 0.4kg, the portable device is amazingly easy to use. Just connect it to a USB power source and then turn it on by pressing the single button on top of the device. Its technology also helps with cleaning the environment as you go.
What to know
With the Panasonic Nanoe-X purifier being easy to use, it’s easy to set up and should fit perfectly in your car. If you don’t want any bulky items to take up space, this is a great choice for you. The purifier works to inhibit 99.9% of airborne viruses, bacteria, and unwanted particles in just 2 hours.
It’s also able to deodorize any smoke particles be it from smoke or external factors, cleaning the car odor in just an hour. Not to mention the design of it, which makes it so that it will fit comfortably in your car’s cup holders!
Key info
- Works to inhibit viruses and bacteria
- Deodorize Environment
- The nanoe™X technology helps restore moisture
- Reduce strong cigarette smell in under an hour
More: Breathe Better Air with These 10 Air Purifiers Available in Malaysia
Who is this for?
If you are someone who wants a smoke-free car, better leave this product in the car. Whether you’re worried about smoke from the outside invading your car or if you have passengers who smoke, this car air purifier has you covered to ensure you breathe clean air.
What to know
Letting smoke linger in cars is not pleasant and it should be gotten rid of as soon as possible. This is because the car seat fabric traps them easily and directly affects occupants.
With the PURI AIR Portable Car Air Purifier, which has negative ion purification, smoke, and other harmful gases are effectively purified. Not to mention, this product has a 3-layer HEPA filter which helps to get rid of germs, dust particles, and more pollutants to improve the air quality in your car. All it takes is 10 minutes for the car air purifier to completely purify the air in your car.
Key info
- 2 different fan speeds
- Gesture induction control
- Input: 1000 mAh
- Size: 18 x 6.6 cm
Who is this for?
UVC is fortunately not harmful to humans, unlike other UV lights, which makes this device one that both purifies and sterilises effectively and without harm. Most users have praised its tumbler-like design that fits well in the cup holder. And because of its small body, it operates relatively quiet.
What to know
If you prefer a car air purifier that uses UV light to reduce airborne bacteria but also wants to ensure that it’s not harmful to your baby, one of the products worth looking at is the Philips GoPure Style. This particular car air purifier uses a strong UVC beam that is capable of eliminating 99.9% of bacteria and microbes in just 49 seconds.
For peace of mind, the inclusion of modern LED technology means you don’t have to worry about the UVC emitting harmful ozone. Its SaniFilter Plus, in the meantime, helps to trap tiny particles of up to 0.004um in size. Moreover, the Philips’ unique SaniFilter Plus filter technology is capable of removing up to 99% of airborne particles as tiny as 0.004 um!
Key info
- Dual-mode - air sterilization and purification for breathable and healthy air
- Safe, laboratory-tested UVC LED light - eliminates viruses and bacteria in just 49 seconds with no mercury and ozone emission
- Dual-power HESAMax cartridge that delivers up to 30x more power than a carbon filter bag and is capable of operating 365 days without using the power supply
- 2-speed settings - silent & turbo
- Air filter replacement indicator - Blue LED light will blink to indicate a brand-new replacement
FAQ
How does a car air purifier work?
In Malaysia, where traffic-related air pollution can be a concern in major cities, car air purifiers are increasingly popular among drivers looking to ensure cleaner and fresher air inside their vehicles. This has led to the emergence of various car air purifier models designed to combat air quality issues. But how does such a tiny device work?
Car air purifiers, also known as air cleaners for cars, function by using various technologies to remove contaminants and improve air quality within the confined space of a car. Here's how car air purifiers work:
Are car air purifiers worth it?
The short answer would be a plain “yes”. The elaborate answer? Well, according to IQAir, the 2020 data for the world’s most polluted countries sees Malaysia ranked at no. 58 with 15.60µg/m³. In other words, our country’s air quality falls under “Moderate” (12.1-35.4 µg/m³).
Moderate air quality may have been generally acceptable but keep in mind that it might pose some health risks for small numbers of unusually sensitive individuals. By sensitive, we mean individuals who may experience respiratory symptoms due to the likes of particle pollution.
Some of you might be wondering, “Why do I need to buy a car air purifier since I’m inside the vehicle?” The thing is, air pollution isn’t only occurring outdoors but indoors as well and that includes the quality of the air inside the cars. Among the common pollutants include are allergens, odors, dust, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), all of which can harm your health in the short or long run.
However, there are exceptions; some higher-end car models such as the Proton X70 have a built-in air purifier included in the air-conditioning system.
How do I know if I need a car air purifier?
A car air purifier is beneficial for those who regularly drive to work or travel a lot. This is especially true for those who live in major cities, where pollution like smog and exhaust fumes are practically everywhere.
The same also goes with drivers who are sensitive to allergies such as runny nose, sneezing, and coughing caused by the likes of dust and pollen. This is why a car air purifier can help reduce your symptoms and allow you to breathe fresh and clean air while driving on the road.
How to choose a car air purifier?
Before you head out to buy a car air purifier or add to your cart while shopping online, here are a few things you need to consider.
Always go for the HEPA filter
High Efficiency Particulate Arrestor better known as HEPA is a type of filter capable of trapping and getting rid of smaller particles up to 99.97% that are lingering in the air. How small, you say? It can be as tiny as 0.03 micrometres that it’s impossible to visibly see them with our two eyes. Besides, these airborne pollutants can be harmful to our health, say if you have a respiratory problem.
Find the one with an activated charcoal filter too
Common pollutants like odors, smoke, gases, and VOCs can make their way into your car if you do not do something about them. For instance, VOCs like benzene as well as acetone and toluene can cause dizziness, headaches, and irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. This is why you need a car air purifier that has an activated charcoal filter. The filter in question usually comes in the form of granular or powdered varieties found in activated charcoal or carbon. Not only does it help to neutralize the aforementioned pollutants but also keeps your car’s interior fresh and above all, breathable.
For better results, it’s best to have a car air purifier with an activated charcoal filter and HEPA filter. Each of these filters has its unique functions as explained in our first two points. In other words, the combination can help to filter more unwanted particles and pollutants, covering from dust to odors and gases.
Ease of use
When shopping for a car air purifier, it’s best to look for one that is portable as well as easy to install and operate. If possible, get a car air purifier that uses a battery or USB-powered device.
Look for an appropriate CADR for a car air purifier
Most car interiors and cabins are measured around 3 cubic meters in volume. That means when you purchase a car air purifier, it is also best to get one with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 36m3/hour. If not, at least get one that can cover 25m3/hour or more since it helps purify the air within your car’s interior instantly while offering better protection.
LED indicator
Just like a home air purifier, even the one used for the car needs to have the filter replaced when the time comes. Depending on the brands and models, you may find a color-coded LED indicator to show when you need to replace the filter (e.g. red light blinking).
Do car air purifiers prevent viruses like Covid-19?
Given the fact we are still living with COVID-19 variants including the highly contagious Omicron, investing in an air purifier is more important than ever before. We are not just talking about home but also the interior of your car, where you spend the time driving on the road.
If you are mainly concerned about COVID-19 while driving, a car air purifier with a HEPA filter gives you extra protection in reducing the risk of the airborne COVID-19 virus and even the respiratory droplets. Besides, according to a CDC (Centers For Disease Control And Prevention) study, air purifiers that contain HEPA filters can minimize the transmission of COVID-19. For extra safety, you should keep your face mask on rather than just relying on your car air purifier while driving.
Should I always leave the air purifier on?
If possible, try to leave your air purifier on at all times. This is to ensure a consistent flow of clean and purified air inside your car interior even if you are not driving. After all, particles like dust, pollen, viruses, and even pet dander will resume within 2-4 hours if you choose to turn off the air purifier. The only exception that you shouldn’t run your air purifier 24/7 is when there’s a safety hazard involved. This could be anything from dirty filters to damaged or malfunctioning USB cords.