Compare Air Purifiers
Austin Air HealthMate (HM400) scores higher on safety - here's why.
R3 scored the IQAir HealthPro Plus 7.3/10 and the Austin Air HealthMate (HM400) 7.7/10 on the same air purifiers scoring system, weighing safety, efficacy, and usability. The Austin Air HealthMate (HM400) comes out ahead, led by its safety score (9.1/10 vs 7.6/10).
The most important dimensions, side by side.
See which one actually scores higher — and why
Free account unlocks full safety scores, spec-by-spec breakdown, and the R3 verdict on IQAir HealthPro Plus vs Austin Air HealthMate (HM400).
Unlock the full IQAir HealthPro Plus vs Austin Air HealthMate (HM400) breakdown
Free account unlocks all safety scores, complete spec comparison, scoring rationale, and the R3 verdict on which one to buy.
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You or someone in your household has severe allergies, asthma, or needs protection from ultrafine particles including viruses
You want CARB-certified, ozone-free air cleaning with no ionizer compromise
You're placing this in a bedroom or smaller living area and won't rely on the 1125 sq ft marketing claim
The $650 purchase price and ~$650/year filter commitment fit your budget
Quiet overnight operation (25 dBA) is a priority
You have chemical sensitivities, MCS, or are recovering from a renovation, new construction, or VOC exposure event
Wildfire smoke or heavy outdoor pollution is a persistent concern and you want the deepest chemical absorption available
You want a set-and-forget machine — the 5-year filter life means minimal maintenance
You're furnishing a baby's room or play area and want the safest possible filtration technology
Long-term filter economics matter — $350/year is among the lowest annual costs in the premium category
The main thing to know
This is a best-in-class filter in an unverified-plastic housing — an uncomfortable combination for buyers who want complete transparency about what's running in their child's room.
The 1,500 sq ft coverage claim is based on 2 air changes per hour — real-world particle-clearing coverage at AHAM's 5 ACH standard is closer to 300–400 sq ft. Buy it for a room, not a home.
Skip this if you...
You need independently certified CADR — IQAir doesn't participate in AHAM Verifide testing
Housing material transparency is a non-negotiable (Austin Air's all-steel housing is the alternative)
Filter maintenance costs above $150/year are a dealbreaker
You need to cover a room larger than ~450 sq ft at AHAM-standard air change rates
You need to cover a medium or large room (above 400 sq ft) with meaningful air changes — 156 CFM won't do it
You're expecting whole-home or open-plan coverage — this is a single-room machine
You're on a tight upfront budget — at $845, the purchase price is high even if the running costs are low
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Air Purifiers options at every price pointEvery Air Purifiers in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated IQAir and Austin Air across 3 independent criteria: Safety (75%), Efficacy (23%), Usability (2%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with Austin Air Austin Air HealthMate (HM400) - it scored 7.7/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy, and usability. Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Air Purifiers across Safety, Efficacy, Usability using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects how we weight those three pillars, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
Not the right match? Explore these alternatives in the same category.
