Best Air Scrubber For Grow Room [Top 5 Air Scrubbers Comparison]

A grow room is a room where plants are grown under environmentally-controlled conditions. It is called a growth chamber made of grow lights, ventilation and odor control, moisture and temperature control.

In a grow room, the production of plants is by hydroponic systems, which ensures that the temperature, lighting, and humidity levels are controlled and maintained easily.

A cellar or basement may be used as a grow room because of its thick and insulated walls with little ventilation or sunlight, and it separates from a living space.

Contaminants and air pollutants found in a grow room include:

• Mold produced from the humidity in the grow room
• Pollen from the plants
• Bacteria from the soil and plant debris
• Droppings from insects, pests, cockroaches, or rodents
• The protein in urine from mice and rats is an allergen, which becomes airborne when it dries
• Mildew and other biological contaminants come from contaminated ventilation systems.

Biological contaminants exist in damp areas, and you can inhale most of these pollutants due to their sizes.

An air scrubber can remove these biological contaminants or air pollutants in your grow room. These negative air machines circulate air through filters and capture the particles to release clean and fresh air.

The best air scrubber for a grow room must eliminate biological contaminants and air pollutants from the grow room. Some features of a suitable scrubber for this purpose are pre-filters, a true HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter.

Combining these features with other specifications would rid the air of mold, mildew, bacteria, odor, pollen, and other particles.

The benefits of using an air scrubber in your grow room are:

• It controls VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and odors
• Prevents insects
• Restricts bacteria
• Ward-off fungus and mold

Now, let us look at the critical factors you must consider before buying an air scrubber for your grow room.

Top 5 Ait Scrubbers For Grow Room

Buyer’s Guide To Select The Best Air Scrubber For Grow Room

When selecting a scrubber for your grow room, consider the factors below.

1. The Filtration system

The main feature of an air scrubber for a grow room is the filtration system. The filter must remove all particles and odor from the air in the grow room. Most contaminants are miniature with sizes 0.3 to 100 microns, trapped by a true HEPA filter.

The pre-filter traps larger particles from the air, leaving smaller particles for the HEPA filter. A HEPA filter removes mold and mildew and uses antimicrobial treatment to protect the air and prevents the contaminants from reforming.

The activated carbon filter purifies the air and eliminates odor and smells due to dampness through chemical adsorption. Going for an air scrubber that has the filters listed here will purify the air in your grow room and replace it with fresh and clean air.

For example, the XPOWER X-2580 HEPA Air Scrubber is the most preferred for complete filtration and purification of the air. With its 4-stages of filtration, air contaminants cannot escape the filtration process. 

2. Blower type

The steady operation of an air scrubber in a grow room will cause debris to accumulate on the filters, which may affect efficiency and lead to static resistance. Different blowers are available for air scrubbers, but the air-foil type blower overcomes the pressure drop due to dirty filters.

The air-foil type blower is preferable because debris cannot accumulate on the filters. An air scrubber with a powerful motor produces an airflow to sustain the dirty filter. The scrubbers listed in this review come with the airfoil type blower and a strong motor.

3. Power output

An air scrubber with a high power output is suitable for a grow room because it generates more airflow.

Growth chambers come in different sizes. One unit of 3Amps can take care of a small grow room, but for a larger one, you may need to daisy-chain up to three units.

Also, the GFCI power outlet must be available on the machine to connect more units easily. With this, it is easier to operate three units by Turning-ON the primary to Power the rest automatically for a combined power output of up to 1035W.

4. Airflow rating

Removing mold from a grow room requires an air scrubber with a higher airflow rating. So the type you are buying must have a rating that can eliminate this pollutant.

CFM or cubic feet per minute expresses the volume of air moved, and units with an airflow rating of 500CFM and above are suitable for grow rooms.

The air scrubbers in this review have higher airflow ratings up to 550CFM and 750CFM, capable of eliminating all contaminants from a growth chamber. 

Scrubbers with an airflow rating of 500CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) are suitable for a small grow room, while others with a higher airflow rating of up to 20,000CFM are for commercial and industrial use.

The most vital aspect is getting a unit with a rating equivalent to the area you want to purify and the purpose of its usage.

5. Speed

There are 2-speed options available on air scrubbers: single-speed and multiple-speed options. Units with the single-speed option may not offer a better air cleaning system because the airspeed is not adjustable.

In a multiple-speed system, you may adjust the speed for all projects, which is more flexible and provides a better air cleaning system. Also, air circulates better with this option.

6. Durability

The rotomolded polyethylene body of an air scrubber is durable. It can withstand different levels of handling and seasons for a long time. Make sure you get the details on failures and operational faults and confirm the warranty coverage and maintenance of the machines.

7. Price

Purchasing a robust high-end expensive air scrubber doesn’t mean it will handle your job perfectly. You can still get a less expensive unit with all your preferred features. If you are looking for the best, go for brands with better reviews and referrals.

The most important thing is to have a unit that can handle your project effectively at the best price.

Before making a purchase, it is wise to consider the features you need in your machine and how powerful it should be. It will determine the amount you spend on a unit to avoid paying too much for features you don’t need.

8. Coverage

Air scrubbers have their maximum coverage area derived from airflow rating, CADR rating, and ACH (Air Changes per Hour). A scrubber with a coverage area equal to or above 900 sq ft is the most preferred for a grow room.

Top 5 Best Air Scrubbers for Grow Room [Pros & Cons]

1. XPOWER X-2580 HEPA Air Scrubber

Best Filtration System

The XPOWER X-2580 is portable and lightweight. It has 4-stages of filtration system to remove airborne particles, biological contaminants, and odor for fresh and clean air.

The first and second filtration stages use Nylon mesh pre-filters to capture medium to large particles. The third stage is the carbon filter. This level is for smell removal or odor adsorption since a grow room is always damp.

The fourth stage is the HEPA filter. It removes up to 99.97% of tiny particles and mold. Air that passes through these four stages of filtration is free from all airborne particles. For this reason, the XPOWER X-2580 HEPA has the best filtration system compared to other air scrubbers on this list.

This air scrubber comes with 5-variable speed settings with the highest setting producing an airflow of about 550 CFM and maximizing the 1/2HP motor.

Specifications

• Airflow rating: 550 CFM
• Max CADR: 550
• Filtration system: 4-stage filtration system
• Power cord length: 13 ft
• Filter change indicator: Yes
• Coverage: 1500 sq ft
• Power rating: 2.8Amps, 115V, 60Hz
• Weight: 23.6lbs

Benefits

• Lightweight and portable
• It has 4-stages of thorough filtration system
• Has 5-adjustable speed settings

Drawbacks

• It is noisy when operated at maximum speed

2. ALORAIR Pureairo with UV-C Light

Best Airflow Rating

The Alorair PureAiro is a high-end air scrubber. It features ultraviolet light, which is more effective in removing odors, mold, musty smells, and fungi in a grow room.

It has mold remediation qualities with contractor-grade filters used for the complete purification of the air.

There are three filters on this unit, and it comes with a 750CFM airflow rating, which is the highest compared to other units on this list.

It is highly versatile and designed for renovation, construction, mold remediation/mildew removal in grow rooms, sewage clean-up, and flood restoration.

The first filter is the pre-filter. It traps all particles except the tiny particles meant for the HEPA filter.

The 2-in-1 HEPA filter acts as a True HEPA filter and activated carbon. It eliminates up to 99.97% of particles of 0.3 microns and removes bacteria, plant pollen, mold spores, biological contaminants, and airborne pollutants from the air.

The final stage of the filtration process is the UV-C light, which kills microbes present in the grow room. For a thorough air cleaning, you can daisy-chain three units of this machine.

Specifications

• Airflow Rating: 330CFM to 750CFM
• Max CADR: 750
• Filtration system: 3-stages of filtration
• Power cord length: 20 ft
• Filter change indicator: Yes
• Coverage: 1000 sq ft
• Power rating: 3Amps, 115V, 60Hz
• Weight: 39.6lbs

Benefits

• UV-C light technology captures and destroys pollutants
• It is lightweight, stackable, and compact
• It is durable with a rotomolded polyethylene body

Drawbacks

• It is a bit loud

3. Dri-Eaz F284 HEPA 500 Air Scrubber

Best Blower type

The Dri-Eaz F284 comes with 2-filters. It is portable and stackable with an airflow rating of 500 CFM effective in fire/water restoration, sewage remediation, and odor removal from a grow room. 

The first filter traps large particles. A HEPA filter is the second stage, which removes about 99.97% of particles with sizes of 0.3 microns and below. The HEPA filter eliminates fungus, mold, mildew, and VOCs. 

This machine operates at 345W to cover a space of 938 sq ft. If you are working on a large grow room, you can connect 3-units to this machine through its auxiliary power outlet.

With its airfoil-type blower and powerful motor, debris cannot accumulate on the filters. It combines a power rating of 345W and an airflow rating of 500CFM to cover an area of 938 sq ft.

The Dri-Eaz F284 has a solid construction made with rotomolded polyethylene that makes it damage-resistant.      

Specifications 

• Airflow Rating: 250-500 CFM
• Max CADR: 500
• Filtration System: 2-stages of filtration 
• Power Cord Length: 25 ft
• Filter Change Indicator: Yes
• Coverage: 938 sq ft
• Power Rating: 3 Amps, 115V, 60Hz
• Weight: 44lbs

Benefits 

• It is portable and stackable 
• Durable body 
• Adjustable airflow control 
• HEPA filter change indicator 
• People suffering from allergies are protected
• You may use it in attics, crawlspaces, and corners
• Removes odor from the air 
• Eliminate mold, mildew, and dust effectively
• 3-units can connect to it.

Drawbacks 

• It has a loud operation 
• It is expensive 
• Optional carbon filter

4. BlueDri Airshield-550 HEPA Air Scrubber  

Value for Money

The BlueDri Airshield 550 uses 3-filters to purify the air. The first stage is the primary filter for lint, dust, and plant pollen.

The second stage is the optional carbon filter for odor resulting from dampness and mildew. The third filter is the HEPA filter, which removes harmful pathogens, mold spores, and other airborne pollutants.

Professionals and homeowners prefer it due to its effectiveness in eliminating all biological contaminants, VOCs, airborne pollutants, odors, insects, and bacteria from a growth chamber. 

It is a robust machine that operates for long periods without breakdown. It has a powerful motor used for commercial purposes. 

The BlueDri Airshield is portable and stackable. It can eliminate the tiniest particles with the HEPA filter. These HEPA filters remove about 99.97% of air contaminants of sizes 0.3 microns and below from the air and purify them of all allergies. 

It is suitable for grow rooms, remodeling projects, or restoration works. 

Specifications

• Airflow Rating: 250-500 CFM
• Max CADR: 500
• Filtration System: 3-stage filtration
• Power Cord Length: 25ft
• Filter Change Indicator: Yes
• Coverage: 1500 sq ft
• Power Rating: 2.5Amps, 115V, 60Hz
• Weight: 45lbs

Benefits 

• 3-stages of filtration with HEPA filters 
• Optional carbon filter for odors
• Durable and heavy-duty machine
• Captures small and large particles
• It retains a large amount of dust.

Drawbacks 

• Replacement filters are expensive
• It makes a loud sound 

5. B-Air RA-650 Air Scrubber

Best Price

If you are trying to manage miscellaneous debris or harmful airborne particles and biological contaminants in your grow room, then you need a B-Air RA-650 Air Scrubber.

It is portable and effective in removing airborne particles, such as mold spores, mildew, plant pollen, pet dander, and dust of 0.3 microns to create cleaner air.

This machine works well for commercial purposes and provides fresh and clean air in any environment.

The RA-650 has three filters: a pre-filter, HEPA filter, and carbon filter. The thorough filtration process of this machine circulates only clean, healthy, and fresh air.

The pre-filter captures large particles, while the HEPA filter removes the smallest particles. The optional carbon filter eliminates odor from the air.

It is lightweight and portable. It has a light indicator for a filter change, a speed control switch, and a built-in hour meter. It is highly effective in eliminating biological contaminants or airborne pollutants in a grow room.

Specifications

• Airflow Rating: 250 – 500 CFM
• Max CADR: 500
• Filtration system: 3-stage filtration
• Daisy chain: Chainable GFCI Port
• Power cord length: 25 ft
• Filter change indicator: Yes
• Coverage: 1,000 sq ft
• Power rating: 2.8A, 115V, 60Hz
• Weight: 36 lbs

Benefits

• Lightweight and portable
• Durable design
• Has variable speed
• 3-stages of filtration system
• Removes the smallest particles
• GFCI power port for daisy-chaining
• CARB approved

Drawbacks

• No carbon filters
• It gives a plastic smell

Comparison Above Listed Air Scrubbers For Grow Room

Air Scrubber	Airflow Rating	Filtration System	Coverage	Power Rating	Weight
XPOWER X-2580	550 CFM	4-Stages	1500 sq ft	322W (2.8Amps)	23.6lbs
AlorAir Pureairo HEPA	330 to 750 CFM	3-Stages	1000 sq ft	345W (3Amps)	39.6lbs
Dri-Eaz F284 HEPA 500 Air Scrubber	250 to 500 CFM	2-Stages	938 sq ft	345W (3Amps)	44lbs
BlueDri Airshield-550 HEPA	250 to 500 CFM	3-Stages	1500 sq ft	287.5W (2.5Amps)	45lbs
B-Air RA-650	250 to 500 CFM	3-Stages	1000 sq ft	322W (2.8Amps)	36lbs

Final Words:

Contaminated air causes headaches, sore throats, and other uncomfortable illnesses. However, using an air scrubber brings the cleaning power of mother nature to your surrounding air.

Using an air scrubber in your grow room maintains clean, fresh, and purified air for your plants and workers. It removes odor, mold spores, plant pollen, insects, and bacteria.

Also, it will help you with allergy symptoms, nausea, sinus problems, dizziness, coughs, headaches, and fatigue.

So, if you want to remove that odor and contaminants from your grow room, consider the air scrubbers listed in this review and the buyer’s guide to investing in your health and well-being.