Which is bigger, air purifier or vacuum cleaner?

Air purifier is somewhat greater than vacuum cleaner on weight — about 1.2×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

How do air purifiers and vacuum cleaners compare on typical cost?

Air purifier: 70–900 $. Vacuum cleaner: 50–900 $. Air purifier and vacuum cleaner are near enough identical on typical cost.

How do air purifiers and vacuum cleaners compare on loudness?

Air purifier: 24–60 dB. Vacuum cleaner: 62–85 dB. Vacuum cleaner is 1.6× air purifier on loudness.

Air purifier vs Vacuum cleaner

Air purifier vs vacuum cleaner

Air purifier is larger on weight

Air purifier is somewhat greater than vacuum cleaner on weight — about 1.2×.

An air purifier and a vacuum cleaner can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
	Air purifier	Vacuum cleaner
Weight	2–18 kg	2.5–11 kg
Typical cost	70–900 $	50–900 $
Loudness	24–60 dB	62–85 dB
Power draw	5–110 W	350–1,400 W

What the numbers say

Air purifier is somewhat greater than vacuum cleaner on weight — about 1.2×.
Air purifier and vacuum cleaner are near enough identical on typical cost.
Vacuum cleaner is 1.6× air purifier on loudness.
Vacuum cleaner is 18× air purifier on power draw.

Weight compared.

Air purifier 2–18 kg

Vacuum cleaner 2.5–11 kg

Air purifier

A fan that pushes room air through a HEPA or activated-carbon filter.

Vacuum cleaner

A motor-driven fan that draws dirt through a nozzle into a bag, bin or cyclone.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, air purifier or vacuum cleaner?: Air purifier is somewhat greater than vacuum cleaner on weight — about 1.2×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do air purifiers and vacuum cleaners compare on typical cost?: Air purifier: 70–900 $. Vacuum cleaner: 50–900 $. Air purifier and vacuum cleaner are near enough identical on typical cost.
How do air purifiers and vacuum cleaners compare on loudness?: Air purifier: 24–60 dB. Vacuum cleaner: 62–85 dB. Vacuum cleaner is 1.6× air purifier on loudness.

Sources

Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place
ENERGY STAR Product Specifications — US Environmental Protection Agency (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked