Aprilaire

What it does

Aprilaire air cleaners sit in the ductwork rather than in the return grille, which gives them far more surface area to work with. More area means more capture without strangling airflow — the trap people fall into when they push a dense filter into a slot sized for a thin one.

Their media air cleaners produce no ozone and need no electricity to run. (Aprilaire’s electronic models do use power — worth knowing if that matters to you, and we will tell you which is which.)

The winter side

Heated air is dry air. Aprilaire humidifiers address the static shocks, dry skin, and shrinking gaps in hardwood and furniture that show up every winter in a well-heated house.

Thermostats

Aprilaire also make digital thermostats, including models that tie into whole-home air quality equipment so humidity and filtration are controlled alongside temperature rather than separately.