Industry standards for air purifiers are being developed, but they are not currently regulated in the U.S., and some companies are taking advantage of the surge in interest in indoor air quality by exaggerating the effectiveness of their products.

Experts say a short checklist can help ensure you choose a quality home product.

Most importantly, the air purifier must be powerful enough to work in the room or area where it is located. Most portable air purifiers are rated based on their clean air delivery rate (CADR). The higher the CADR value, the better the product removes particles and the larger the area it can clean. According to the EPA, ratings generally reflect air purification effectiveness at the highest speed used.

The EPA notes that particles in tobacco smoke are smaller and require a higher CADR rating to be effective; dust is a medium-sized pollutant, and pollen particles are larger. Rooms with high ceilings may also require a higher CADR rating.