Breath mints. Room deodorizers. Cologne and perfume. These are just a few things you usually find in a smoker's possession. Why? Because most smokers don't want their breath, clothes or houses to smell like smoke.
When you get tired of the sprays, air fresheners and candles that do limited good, it's time to move up to a more effective solution: a home smoke eater. With so many home smoke eaters on the market, how do you choose which one would work best for your house or apartment?
A good start is to answer these three questions:
#1 - What Shape is Your Room?
If you have a single designated smoking area (a room, a basement, etc.) that is square shaped you can accomplish your goal with one smoke eater. However, L-shaped, rectangular or adjoining rooms would do better with several smaller smoke eaters as opposed to one large model.
#2 - What Size Smoke Eater Will Do the Job?
The bigger your home and the more smokers you have in it, the more powerful your smoke eater will need to be. Here are some factors to consider:
- Size of area - What's your square footage? How tall are your ceilings? What type of ceiling do you have?
- Mounting preference – Do you care whether the smoke eater is surface‑mounted or flush‑mounted on the ceiling, or wall‑mounted? For installation ideas and quick upgrades, see our guide to surface‑mount smoke‑eater ventilation upgrades.
- How many smokers are in your home at any given time?
- Adequate CFM - "CFM" stands for cubic feet per minute and it relates to how many times the air is cleaned. The standard is 10-12 air changes per hour (ACH). You can figure up the CFM by multiplying your smoking area's length x width x height. Then you divide by the ACH. To make sure your unit delivers enough air changes per hour, plug your room’s dimensions into our CFM calculator to find the right airflow.
#3 - What Type of Home Smoke Eater Do You Prefer?
There are two types of Home Smoke Eaters to choose from.
- Media Type – These units rely on replaceable filters that require regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance. While media smoke eaters are straightforward to operate, ongoing filter replacements contribute to a higher lifetime cost. A leading example is the Airpura 600 series, a highly regarded air purifier engineered to effectively capture and remove airborne chemicals, tars, and gases, helping to improve indoor air quality throughout your home. Learn how HEPA and carbon filters work in our guide to media‑based smoke eaters (HEPA & carbon).
- Electronic – This type of smoke eater utilizes electronic cells instead of traditional filters to capture and remove airborne particulates, including much smaller micron-sized particles compared to media-type units. Electronic cells are designed for long-term use and do not require replacement; however, they must be cleaned periodically to maintain optimal performance. For residential environments, the DesignAir P600 portable electronic air cleaner efficiently targets fine particles such as dust, grime, pollen, and smoke, delivering enhanced indoor air quality for home or office settings.
Prefer expert help? Fill out our Smoke Eater Recommendation Form and we’ll send you a tailored recommendation—there’s never any obligation to purchase. Or, just give us a call toll-free at 800-237-9199.
