Portable Air Purifier Market

Market Overview

The global portable air purifier market size was valued at USD 13.25 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 26.71 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

The air purifier is a device that facilitates powerful airflow, which aids in improving indoor air quality and eliminating air pollutants. These air purifiers eliminate impurities such as soot, dust, fumes, smoke, and other contaminants. In addition, their implementation reduces the negative effects of toxic contaminants on human health and the environment. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration, activated carbon filtration, and various other technologies are utilized in portable air purifiers. Air cleaners differ in their set-up, operating technology, and the volume of air they clean, all of which influence air cleaner effectiveness. Thus, for analysis, the global portable air purifier market is segmented into type, technique, and distribution channel.

Market Dynamics

What are the Driving Factors for the Global Portable Air Purifier Market?

Air pollution continues to be a significant concern to public health worldwide and a serious concern faced by both developed and developing countries. Air pollution has been rather severe in developed countries such as the U.S. and European countries and remains a considerable environmental problem. Compared with most developed countries that have accomplished industrialization for years, developing countries are witnessing more severe concerns about air pollution due to intense energy consumption, large-scale demolishment and reconstruction activities, and increased transportation emissions during industrialization and urbanization.

Furthermore, air pollution impacts most of the organs and systems of the human body. For instance, air pollutants can induce and aggravate diseases such as cardio cerebral vascular disease and ischemic heart disease. Moreover, air pollution adversely affects the nervous, digestive, and urinary systems. In addition, long-term ambient air pollution exposure is reported to increase all-cause mortality. Air pollution is the cause and aggravating factor of many respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and lung cancer. Thus, the alarming increase in air pollution, along with a surge in the incidence of diseases, is anticipated to boost the growth of the portable air purifier market.

What are the Restraints for the Global Portable Air Purifier Market?

High replacement cost for parts of portable air purifiers, such as filters, than their original purchase price, is a major restraint of the global portable air purifier market. The service life of air filters is around three to six months. In many cases, replacing these filters requires a couple of hundred dollars. Ionizer air purifiers and ozone generators that use needles or glass plates require frequent cleaning and maintenance. Furthermore, glass plates break easily and often need to be replaced. Although ceramic plates are much less susceptible to damage, they are vulnerable.

Furthermore, some models of portable air purifiers have multiple filters that need regular maintenance and replacement. For instance, activated carbon filters claimed to remove odors must be replaced every three months, costing up to USD 50 a pop. On the contrary, the main filter replacement cost can range from USD 20 to over USD 200 each. Thus, the higher cost of filters restrains the growth of the portable air purifier market.

What are the Future Opportunities for the Global Portable Air Purifier Market?

A smart portable air purifier is an upgraded version of a traditional portable air purifier used for automatic air purification in households. It is connected to wireless networks such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and can be remotely operated by smartphone apps. The major benefit of a smart portable air purifier is that users can track and control indoor air quality and can change the basic settings through smartphones. Moreover, increasing awareness about the adverse effects of pollution on health encourages various electronics companies to develop advanced portable air purifiers, which are anticipated to offer remunerative opportunities for expanding the global market during the forecast period.

Online platforms are virtual stores where goods and services are sold through websites or applications and do not require physical space. Online stores are gaining popularity among customers due to convenience in shopping, continuous service, and the wide range of choices it offers customers across borders. In addition, it has become a macro trend due to the high internet penetration rate in regions such as North America and Europe. Moreover, millennials often use e-commerce for online shopping due to heavy discounts and home delivery options available in online shopping, thus making online distribution channels the fastest-growing segment.

Regional Analysis

The global market for Portable Air purifiers has been segmented based on geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and LAMEA.

The North American market is studied across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. An increase in the incidence of airborne diseases and a rise in wildfire pollution coupled with a surge in awareness about the ramifications of air pollution on cognitive abilities, apart from causing lung diseases, are the key factors expected to boost sales of air purifiers in the U.S. during the forecast period. Moreover, due to the increased incidence of bacterial and contagious infections, the demand for portable air purifiers is anticipated to influence the market growth during the forecast period positively. The North American air purifier market is expected to garner a significant market share in the forthcoming years. The U.S. is one of the most prominent countries in the region, which is active in monitoring and controlling air pollution emitted by various industries. The introduction of stringent regulations by the Clean Air Act and Environment Protection Agency is expected to surge the demand for portable air purifiers during the forecast period.

The Europe portable air purifier market is studied across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Russia, and the rest of Europe. The UK leads the market, owing to increased air pollution attributable to a rise in construction activities and an alarming increase in vehicular emissions, resulting in a surge in cases of various respiratory diseases. Furthermore, a rise in awareness about the harmful effects of polluted air on human health is consequently driving the adoption of advanced air purifiers not only in commercial spaces such as offices, airports, metro stations, hospitals, shopping malls, hotels, and industries but also in the residential sector of European countries. Mandatory regulations issued by various governmental organizations regarding the emission of pollutants into the environment are expected to provide growth prospects for the Europe market. Furthermore, the surge in demand for energy-efficient and better-performing portable air purifiers is anticipated to augment the Europe portable air purifier market growth. This demand is primarily driven by an increase in the preference of end users toward eco-friendly air filters to minimize health hazards.

The Asia-Pacific portable air purifier market is studied across China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, and the rest of Asia-Pacific. Due to increased pollution due to industrialization, China contributes the highest portable air purifier market share. In addition, an increase in infrastructure projects coupled with a surge in the use of fossil fuels has considerably hampered the air quality in the region, which has boosted the demand for air purifiers. Furthermore, industrial development and increased purchasing power drive the region's market growth. An increase in industrialization and a surge in coal consumption for power generation lead to a rise in soot and degradation of indoor air quality, which propels the growth of the portable air purifiers market in China. In addition, government and private research institutes are putting in substantial efforts to identify how air purifiers can be manufactured with advanced filter technologies and with higher efficiency to curb the emission of air pollutants. Moreover, increasing awareness of the ill effects of air pollution on humans is expected to propel market growth during the forecast period.

Segmental Analysis

The global portable air purifier market is segmented based on Type, Technique, and Distribution Channel.

The market is segmented based on type: dust collectors, fume and smoke collectors, and others. 

The dust collector segment has contributed the maximum share to the market, owing to high efficiency and low price compared to other portable air purifiers. In addition, the rise in air pollution due to industrialization in developing economies has boosted the sale of fume and smoke collectors type portable air purifiers. 

The fume and smoke collector is a standalone filtration system integrated into a portable air purifier to collect dust and fumes with maximum versatility from the environment. Portable fume extractor and smoke filtration systems are equipped with a flange for users to connect ducting attached to pre-existing tables, hoods, or other air capture mechanisms. 

Depending on the technique, the market is fragmented into high-efficiency particulate air filters, activated carbon filtration, and others. 

The high-efficiency particulate air filter segment is the highest contributor to the market, owing to a rise in health awareness, especially in the urban youth, which is expected to further contribute significantly to the market growth. The activated carbon filtration segment is anticipated to register a higher growth rate, owing to the ability of activated carbon filtration to eliminate germs and bacteria from the surrounding air.

The vacuum cleaners' HEPA filter uses two mechanisms to clean the airstream. First, one or more outer filters are equipped in the system that functions similarly to sieves to stop larger particles of dirt, dust, and hair. In those filters, a concertina folded paper is designed to trap the smaller particles. In addition, a rise in health awareness, especially among the urban youth, is expected to further contribute to market growth.

Activated carbon exhibits special properties that allow it to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs), odors, and other gaseous pollutants from the air. These carbon-based filters trap gas molecules on the charcoal bed. Activated carbon bed is designed to combat volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from common household products. 

The market is classified into supermarkets/hypermarkets, online stores, convenience stores, and others, depending on the distribution channel. 

A significant increase in cross-border online sales of portable air purifiers has been witnessed. Low risk and easy and quick shipping boost the sale of portable air purifiers through online stores.

The supermarket is a large shopping center where customers purchase products arranged systematically on the shelves. Similar products are arranged nearby, which helps buyers easily compare similar products and helps consumers decide which product to buy. In addition, a hypermarket is a large shopping store divided into a departmental store, usually bigger than a supermarket. 

Online stores are virtual stores where goods and services are sold through websites or applications and do not require physical space. Online stores are gaining popularity among customers due to convenience in shopping, continuous service, and the wide range of choices they offer. 

Convenience stores are small retail outlets selling everyday products, including household electrical products such as ovens and portable air purifiers. These stores are usually located in popular residential or business areas, which makes them convenient for consumers. Serving more locations, longer opening hours, and shorter cashier lines have increased the popularity of convenience stores among consumers.

Recent Developments

• October 2020- Royal Philips N.V. introduced the New Urban Living Series of air purifiers for urban homes. 
• August 2020- LG Electronics released the PuriCareTM Wearable Air Purifier. This product features two H13 HEPA filters and has a maximum operating time of eight hours in low mode and two hours in high mode. It adds to the ever-expanding selection of products with significant health and hygiene advantages.
• January 2019- American Air and Water, Inc. appeared on an episode of Worldwide Business with Kathy Ireland, which features global executives discussing business insights and opportunities shaping their respective industries. This company's promotional strategy was effective because it reaches a broad audience via multiple digital platforms and aids in educating consumers and expanding the customer base.
• January 2019- Panasonic Corporation launched nanoeTMX Air Purification Technology at the AHR Expo. The company hopes to establish a new standard for comfort and IAQ in the U.S. ductless heat pump market.