Bissell air320 Review: The Best Air Purifier for Pet Owners?

Bissell has built its reputation on pet-focused cleaning products, and the air320 brings that same philosophy to air purification. We tested it for four months in a home with two dogs and a cat. Every purchase also supports the BISSELL Pet Foundation, which funds pet adoption programs. Here is what we found.

Design & Build

The air320 uses a hexagonal tower design that stands about 25 inches tall. It is larger than the typical cylindrical purifier, but the geometric shape gives it a more intentional, furniture-like appearance. The dark gray housing hides pet hair accumulation well, which is a practical detail pet owners will appreciate.

The top of the unit features a clear control panel with touch buttons for fan speed, timer, and auto mode. A colored LED ring around the base provides a real-time air quality indicator: blue for clean, yellow for moderate, and red for poor. The CirQulate system draws air in from the bottom on all sides and pushes clean air out through the top, creating efficient whole-room circulation.

Build quality is solid plastic with no rattles or flex. The 12-pound weight makes it easy to move between rooms, which is useful when following your pets around the house.

Air Cleaning Performance

The three-stage filtration consists of a fabric pre-filter, a HEPA filter rated for 99.97% particle capture, and an activated carbon filter for odors. For pet owners, the pre-filter is the hero: it catches the bulk of fur and dander before it reaches the HEPA stage, extending the main filter's life.

We specifically tested with our dog after a rainy walk, when wet-dog smell fills a room fast. The air320 on high speed brought the room from unpleasant back to neutral in about 25 minutes in a 300 sq. ft. living room. The carbon filter handles everyday pet odor effectively, though it does not match heavier carbon beds for strong odors.

The rated coverage of 1,000 sq. ft. is optimistic. We found it most effective in rooms up to about 400 sq. ft. for meaningful air quality improvement within 30 minutes.

Noise Levels

On speed 1, the air320 is quiet enough for bedroom use. Speed 2 produces a consistent hum that works as white noise. Speed 3 is noticeably louder but not obnoxious for daytime use in a living room.

Running Costs

• Energy: ~$2-5/month depending on speed
• HEPA filter replacement: ~$40 every 6 months
• Pre-filter: Washable, no replacement needed
• Annual filter cost: ~$80/year

The washable pre-filter is a real advantage for pet owners. In our multi-pet household, we rinsed it every two weeks and it caught an impressive amount of fur that would otherwise clog the HEPA filter prematurely.

Pros and Cons

Bissell air320 vs. Levoit Core 400S

Two popular mid-range purifiers with different strengths:

Choose the Bissell if you have pets and want a purifier designed around fur, dander, and animal odors, plus the feel-good factor of supporting pet rescue. Choose the Levoit if smart features, app control, and laser-accurate PM2.5 tracking are more important to you.

The Verdict

The Bissell air320 is a genuinely good air purifier for pet owners at a reasonable price. The CirQulate system handles pet hair and dander effectively, the washable pre-filter keeps maintenance costs down, and the BISSELL Pet Foundation contribution adds meaningful social impact to your purchase. It will not wow you with smart features or whisper-quiet operation, but it cleans pet-compromised air reliably and consistently.

For multi-pet households that need solid filtration without breaking the budget, the air320 is a smart pick.

Rating: 4.3/5