Air purifier Connie Park/NYT WirecutterRunner-upPerfect for bedrooms, playrooms, and living rooms, this purifier is one of the highest-performing, most-durable, and most-economical models we’ve tested.A HEPA air purifier, like our long-standing pick the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty, can help relieve any concerns you may have about your air quality or the presence of airborne allergens. The Coway does one thing extraordinarily well: It removes fine particles from the air, including dust, pollen, mold, mildew, pet dander, and dust mites. HEPA purifiers are also excellent at eliminating smoke from wildfires, tobacco, and marijuana. The ultra-fine filter also captures at least 99.97% of airborne bacteria and viruses. The Coway requires very little setup and upkeep, and is notably quiet while in use.Furnace and air conditioner filters Connie Park/NYT WirecutterTop pickWith exceptionally low air resistance, these widely available filters clean the air of even ultrafine particles without straining your HVAC system.As you become comfortable in your living space, keep in mind what you’re breathing in at home. A medium-efficiency MERV filter like the Filtrete MPR 1900 Air Filter greatly reduces airborne dust, mold spores, pollen, and even smoke, and doing that can help ease respiratory ailments. Filtrete filters are competitively priced and easy to find online. At the recommended three-month replacement cycle, the Filtrete MPR 1900 Air Filter can save you about $30 to $40 a year. They are available in many sizes, making it easy to find one that fits your return vent opening.Home air-quality monitor Michael Murtaugh/NYT WirecutterBest for…The EPA’s free AirNow app is easily searchable, delivers air-quality readings in almost every corner of the US, and lets you know about upcoming air-quality problems.If you become concerned about the air quality inside your new home, the first thing we suggest you do is measure what’s in the air outside, because outdoor conditions often determine indoor conditions. The simplest way to do that is to use the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow mobile app. The AirNow app is available free on iOS and Android. AirNow’s air-quality readings come from direct measurements by hundreds of monitors around the US which are searchable by zip code or place name and presented on a map; it has an air-quality forecast as well as to real-time data. AirNow offers you the simplest way to get the info and interpret what it means without bombarding you with ads the whole time.If you’re interested in up-to-the-minute air quality monitoring of the air inside your home, invest in a home air quality monitor. We recently named the AirGradient One our top pick and appreciate the comprehensive data it provides. Still, it’s a pricey piece of equipment that may be overkill for anyone without a specific concern to monitor.Safety glasses Sarah Kobos/NYT WirecutterTop pickOur panel of testers found these safety glasses to be the lightest and most-comfortable to wear. And at about $2 to $5 each depending on the color, they’re easily replaceable if lost or damaged in the line of duty.Safety glasses might not be on the top of your list (or on your list at all) as you move into your new place, but maybe they should be. Though they’re common in construction sites and metal shops, they are also extremely helpful for countless activities around the home, from yard work to dusting ceiling fans. Glasses like our pick, the Radians MR0111ID Mirage protect your beautiful eyes when dusting off a high shelf or weeding outside, which often send debris and surprise objects flying directly into your face. Along with being the lightest and cheapest safety glasses we tested, the MR0111ID model offered some of the best protection and comfort. They also stood out as testers barely noticed they were wearing these glasses after the first few minutes. One tester spent close to five minutes looking for them before realizing they were still on his face, which makes these glasses the perfect candidate for your daily chores.Water-leak detector Michael Murtaugh/NYT WirecutterTop pickThis D-Link kit has a plug-in Wi-Fi hub with an optional sensor cable and can connect with up to 16 battery-powered remote sensors. It responds quickly to potential problems with a loud siren (94 decibels) and fast smartphone alerts.The last thing you want to experience is severe water damage in your new home. A smart water-leak sensor like the D-Link DCH-S1621KT Whole Home Smart Wi-Fi Water Leak Sensor Kit is for anyone who is worried about small leaks turning into big ones—as well as anyone who may not have leaks in the forefront of their thoughts, but doesn’t want to discover a flooded room in their home, either. The D-Link kit combines the best capabilities in leak sensors into one bundle. It includes a plug-in hub, a removable 19-inch water-sensing cable, and a 38-inch extension cord to lengthen that cable’s reach. The kit also comes with a matchbox-size remote battery-operated sensor that connects wirelessly to the hub from up to 300 feet away. The D-Link kit can connect with up to 16 add-on sensors that respond quickly when it senses water or if it loses power, and it features a loud siren—94 dB, by our measurements.This article was edited by Harry Sawyers and Christine Cyr Clisset.
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