Levoit

If you’ve decided you need an air purifier and researched the units available, you’re most likely to have come across the Levoit brand. Levoit changed the game when they started engineering units in 2017 and have grown to be one of the most popular air purifier manufacturers on the planet.

The 300S is an upgrade on Levoit’s hugely successful 300 to fit in with their Core S (Smart) range. That means that the Core 300S comes with a built-in sensor that monitors the air quality in your home in real-time, making it possible for the air purifier to come on automatically when needed. You can see air quality levels in your room on the screen, or you can access the data on your phone through Levoit’s VeSync app.

But it begs the question, is it worth paying the extra $50 for the Core 300S over the 300?

To find out, we bought the Levoit Core 300S with our own money and put it through its paces to assess its air cleaning performance, sound levels at each fan speed, energy consumption, day-to-day usability and long-term maintenance costs.

With all this data, I will be able to compare the Levoit Core 300S to the more than 90 air purifiers we have tested to date. The result? A comprehensive review to help you decide if this is the right device for you.

The lowdown on the Levoit Core 300S

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💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

If you don’t have time to read the full review, check out what I liked and what I think Levoit could have done better for the 300S.

Basic design, intuitive functionality

Levoit has engineered the Core 300S to be extremely user-friendly without compromising on design.

Levoit isn’t known for edgy designs, but that doesn’t mean the 300S looks bad. Its white, cylindrical body is compact, light and easy to move between rooms. It doesn’t take up much floor space and could also fit on a tabletop, desk or kitchen side.

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

The 300S sits firmly in the “mid-size” category when you put it next to some of the other Levoit units we’ve tested. You can see in the image below how it compares to bigger Levoit devices such as the popular Vital 200S (left), the Core 600S (middle) and the EverestAir (right).

When comparing the 300S side-by-side with the 300, you will see that they look pretty much identical. The only visible differences can be found when looking at the control panel on top and when comparing the back of each devices.

On the back of the Core 300S, you will find Levoit’s AirSight™ Plus air quality sensor. This feature scans the surroundings, detecting how many pollutants are in the air, in real time. You need to keep the air quality sensor unobstructed and free of dust for it to do its job effectively.

The 300S uses this air quality data to determine the most suitable fan speed when running in auto-mode, and it also stores it in the VeSync smartphone app.

But you won’t need to be looking at your phone all the time to find out how good the air quality is in your room because the 300S displays this information on the control panel on top of the device in the form of an LED color-coded ring around the power button:

This brings me to the controls of the Core 300S and I’ve got to say, they are intuitive and easy-to-use at a glance, which is something I’ve come to expect from Levoit at this point.

There are minimal button descriptions, but the icons used are pretty self-explanatory. Here are which functions each button controls:

Power	Press once to turn the power on/off. Press and hold to configure the air purifier and connect to the VeSync app.
Auto Mode	When engaged, this allows the 300S to automatically adjust its fan speed to neutralize the amount of pollutants in the air (perfect for when my cat farts).
Display Lights	You can turn off the display lights if you don’t want them distracting you. Ideal for when I’m using auto mode at night.
Display Lock	Pressing the button once locks the display so no settings can be altered. Press and hold for 3 seconds to unlock. Perfect if you have curious kids and/or pets.
Timer	You can set a timer to turn off your 300S for anything from 1-24 hours.
Night Mode/Filter Reset	Pressing the night mode button reduces the fan to its lowest speed and turns off the display lights for undisturbed sleep. To reset the filter indicator light, press and hold for 3 seconds.
Fan Speed	Cycle through three of the unit’s fan speeds.

There are a few more lights you will come across, all packed onto the control panel. On top are the fan speed indicators and the Wi-Fi signal to show that the unit is connected to your app. Below is the filter indicator light, which prompts you to replace the filter with a new one and an LED display to show the timer.

The smartphone app

As I mentioned briefly in the introduction, Levoit models in the ‘S’ (Smart) range include the ability to connect to their VeSync smartphone app. This allows you to have complete control of your 300S and the capacity to monitor the quality of the air in your home from anywhere in the world.

Connecting your device is a straightforward task and doesn’t take long. All you need is to have the app downloaded, have a good wifi connection and be next to your air purifier. You can even connect multiple units to control and monitor the air quality in each room.

The app itself is very intuitive and easy to navigate. The air quality is displayed on the screen with buttons to control fan speeds, engage Auto or Sleep modes, and set a timer or schedule when you want the air purifier to power on and off.

If you have smart home devices at home already, you will be pleased to learn that you can connect the VeSync app to your Alexa or Google Home device in order to enable voice commands.

Here’s what happened when I subjected my 300S to a burst of airborne pollutants at close range.

3-stage air filtration with activated carbon

Years after its release, Levoit was forced to remove all mentions of HEPA filtration from their marketing.

Levoit prides itself on the quality of its filters, and so it should, as we’ve never had any issues with them and found them to be extremely effective at removing harmful particles from the air. But a certain disruption has meant Levoit has had to make a few changes to their marketing materials.

Before I get into all that, let’s talk about the filter itself.

Inside the Core 300S, you’ll find Levoit’s trademark 3-stage filtration system:

• Pre Filter – This is the first line of defense by trapping larger particles like dust and dander from the air by capturing them in its fabric material. By removing these contaminants here, it prolongs the life of the main filter. 

• ARC Formula™ Activated Carbon Filter – This is made up of lots of small pieces of activated carbon that remove VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and odors from the air using a process called adsorption. When these harmful pollutants hit the activated carbon they become stuck to it, unable to pass through.

• Main Filter – This is where the magic happens. The main filter comprises of a tightly woven maze of fibers that trap microscopic particles (I always think of a fly trapped in a spider’s web), removing them from the air.

As I mentioned, you can check the remaining lifespan of your filter in the VeSync app but don’t worry if you don’t have access to that, as a red warning light will appear on your control panel when the filter needs to be replaced.

When the time comes, it’s extremely simple to replace the filter:

1. Unplug your Core 300S

2. Turn the unit upside down and twist off the cap anti-clockwise

3. Pull out the filter and replace it with the new one

4. Twist the cap back on clockwise

Check out the process in my instructional video.

The Levoit Core 300S cleared our 728-cubic-feet test room in 45 minutes

This is two minutes slower than the Philips 800 Series but six minutes faster than the PuroAir 240.

We test all the air purifiers in the same rooms following the same process to assess the performance of each unit individually, as well as to make it possible to compare the data against other air purifiers we review. In this section of the article, I will take you through our tests.

Particle removal test

For our particle removal test, we lit an incense stick to fill our 728-cubic-feet test room with simulated contaminants. We then turned on the Core 300S at its highest fan speed and used our PurpleAir Zen particle counter to monitor how long it took for the 300S to clear all PM1 pollutants from the air.

Here are the results:

The 300S cleared our room of contaminants in 45 minutes, making it fifteen minutes faster than the original Core 300 (54 minutes).

The Core 300S is a small air purifier, so I wasn’t expecting results to match units like the Levoit EverestAir (16 minutes) or the Blast Mini from Smart Air (15 minutes).

Considering its size, the 300S offers good air cleaning performance but there are other small air purifiers available today that proved to be more effective and that offer better value for your money like the Winix A231 (40 minutes) or the Philips 800 Series (43 minutes).

Noise levels test

All air purifiers make noise; whether it be the fan spinning or the motor running it, the sound is unavoidable. The issue is that if your air purifier is too loud, the likelihood is that someone will switch it off eventually as nobody wants to have a noisy fan running while doing deep work or watching a movie.

That is why we used a sound level monitor to record how much noise the Core 300S generates at each fan speed:

• Speed 1: 38.9 dBA
• Speed 2: 45.7 dBA
• Speed 3: 54.5 dBA

When comparing the performance you get when running at top speed with the noise generated (54.5 dB), the Core 300S doesn’t particularly stand out as neither quiet nor noisy:

When you compare it to other small air purifiers, you’ll see that the 300S is on par. As you can see in the table above, the Winix A231 is louder than the 300S so if you were considering going with the A231 based on our particle removal test, then this is something to keep in mind.

Noise is subjective, so we video each unit we test to give you a good idea of how much sound it makes. Here’s the noise the 300S makes at each fan speed.

The cost to run a Core 300S: $79.43 per year

1. Electricity costs = $24.44 per year

Air purifiers need electricity to run, so the amount of energy it uses should be high on your list of considerations when looking to buy one. As the cost of energy continues to rise, finding an energy-efficient air purifier is more important than ever, especially as it’s recommended you run your unit 24 hours a day.

The Core 300S is more energy-efficient than its predecessor, pulling 21.8 watts at its highest fan speed. Assuming you would run your 300S all day, every day at its top speed, this will add $24.44 to your annual electricity bill. Unless you’re living in a consistently highly polluted area, you won’t need to have it at this level all the time, so the cost will most likely be lower.

When we compare the energy consumption of the Core 300S to other similarly sized (and priced) air purifiers, you will find that the 300S is a lot more energy-efficient than most:

2. Filter costs = $54.99 per year

As filters trap particles from the air, they become full over time because those particles have nowhere to go. Most air purifiers use filters that need replacing when full, so it’s important to factor the cost of replacing them into your budget.

Genuine Levoit filter replacements cost around $25.99 for the original and $35.99 for the higher-spec filters (which we highly recommend over the original filter). As each filter lasts from 6-8 months (depending on usage), you should budget for two a year ($54.99):

When combining energy consumption costs with filter replacement prices, we found that the Core 300S has some of the cheapest yearly running costs, second only to what we calculated when reviewing the Philips 800 Series:

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Bottom Line: Is the Levoit Core 300S worth it?

The Core 300S is a worthwhile upgrade on the Core 300 and a good choise for a small bedroom, dorm or home office.

The Levoit Core 300S is small, smart and highly efficient at removing harmful pollutants from your home. Most importantly, it is affordable.

But is it dated?

What was once one of the most affordable air purifiers on the market has been overtaken by one of the best air purifiers we tested in 2024: the AirFanta 3Pro. This model is part of a new generation of air purifiers powered by PC fans and designed to be built at home. So if the idea of a super silent but powerful small air purifier tickles your fancy, then check out our review of this awesome new device taking the air purification world by storm right now.

If you like the look of the Core 300S but have some more budget to play with or a large room to clean, then I recommend sizing up and going with the 400S instead. If you want to check out other newer models from Levoit, I suggest you take a look at the Vital 100S, which is priced in the same bracket as the 300S but outperformed it. 

Now, if you want something about the same size as the Core 300S with a cylindrical size and HEPA filtration, then you should check out the Winix A230/Zero Compact and the Philips 800 Series.

I still recommend the Core 300S to people with a small budget who want a reliable unit with smart functionalities and app support, but the market has changed, and there are other pretty great air purifiers available today that offer better value.

Levoit has earned quite a reputation in the air purifier space. Launched in 2016 by Vesync Co. — a publicly traded Smart appliance company, Levoit has changed people’s perception of “cheap air purifiers,” offering features you’d expect in premium models at a fraction of the price. 

At only $96, the Vital 100 is an excellent choice for those looking to clean small-medium-sized rooms, with a unit that packs powerful filters. 

It is designed for rooms of up to 300 ft² and based on its reported CADR and our tests, it is more suited to smaller spaces. 

Its main competitors for your dollars are the Levoit Core 300 and PUR 131, which we reviewed last year.

TL;DR The lowdown on the Levoit Vital 100

Short on time? Here’s our summary of the Levoit Vital 100. 

The specifications

The Levoit Vital 100 is a high-performance air purifier ideal for rooms with a maximum size of 300 sq. ft. 

At only $96, the unit competes with budget-friendly air purifiers like Levoit Core 300, Taotronics AP003 and IKEA FÖRNUFTIG. All these units also feature HEPA and Activated Carbon filters and are ideal for small to medium-sized rooms. 

Here are the complete product specs:

A good looking unit with simple controls

The Vital 100 feels premium with a stylish look that complements home décor.

Its design is closer to that of the Levoit LV-PUR131 than the Levoit Core series, but I kind of like that – we’ve got enough cylindrical air purifiers at home.

The Levoit Vital 100 is a good-looking air purifier and is an easy unit to live with. It is compact, with a simple, glossy shell and rounded corners. Levoit offers this unit in two finishes — white and gray. 

The Vital 100 only weighs 9.8 pounds, so you can easily carry it from room to room as needed. Even though the Vital 100 has a small footprint, it is less compact than the Levoit Core 300:

The control panel is at the top of the unit, similar to every other Levoit air purifier, so that is where you will find the different touch-LED buttons and indicators. 

Levoit has included the following controls with this unit.

• Power ON / OFF
• Speed (for adjusting the fan speed)
• Display (for adjusting the display light)
• Timer (2, 4, or 8 hours)
• Filter (for filter change notifications)

Each control comes with an icon and text label, making it even easier for a first-timer to operate the device. Blue LED lights are above the “Timer” and “Speed” buttons, so you can easily see your current setting.

The Levoit Vital 100 can’t be controlled via a smartphone. If these features are important to you, check the newer model, the Levoit LV 100S, which offers advanced features like Wi-Fi connectivity and smartphone support.

Powerful Levoit filters

Before purchasing any air purifier, it’s essential to know what filters the unit uses and how effective they are in cleaning specific contaminants in your home. 

The Levoit Vital 100 has a three-stage filtration system that tackles particulate at all levels. 

Fine washable pre-filter — a washable filter that traps hair, pet fur and lint

Main filter — filters particles down to 0.3 microns, like dust, mold, pollen, dander and airborne germs but also does a great job of removing smaller particles than 0.3 microns, like viruses.

Activated Carbon filter that uses pellets — Absorbs VOCs and odors. I was pleased to see Levoit use pellet carbon versus the impregnated fabric you see with other brands use in activated carbon filters.

The three-stage filtration system ensures that the system traps virtually all particles. You can quickly clean the pre-filter using a brush to remove any particle build-up, which helps increase the filter’s performance and lifespan. 

Levoit recommends you replace the filters on the Vital 100 every 6 – 8 months. You don’t have to watch the calendar; the filter icon will illuminate when it’s time for a replacement.

Replacing the filter is simple. Just follow these easy steps:

1. Unplug the unit 
2. Remove the front panel by pulling it (it’s magnetized, so you don’t need to unclip anything) 
3. Pull out the old filter using the tabs and remove the pre-filter, which is attached by velcro (this is the perfect time to give that a clean)
4. Attach the pre-filter to the new filter and insert it the same way you removed it.
5. Re-attach the front panel.

The Vital 100 cleared our test room in 49 minutes

At HouseFresh, we research CADR ratings and other metrics the manufacturer provides but don’t leave it at that. We perform our own thorough tests to see whether the unit performs as advertised. 

To test air purifiers in the real world, we utilize our home office, which measures 728 cubic feet—roughly the size of a medium-sized bedroom. We burn incense sticks to fill the room with pollutants and use our indoor air sensor from Purpleair to see how quickly each unit can eliminate PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 particles from the indoor air. 

We keep these conditions constant for all tests, allowing us to compare different air purifiers and see which performs best in removing indoor pollutants. 

So, how did the Levoit Vital 100 perform?

We were impressed by the performance of this unit, considering its price tag. It took the Levoit Vital 100 just 49 minutes to clean the air in our test room.

Air cleaning performance compared to other air purifiers

To put the test into context, check out how the performance of the Levoit Vital 100 compares to other units we’ve tested:

Additionally, the Levoit Vital 100 is an incredibly quiet device. 

Noise levels test results

In our test, the unit produced 50 decibels of noise at maximum fan speed — considered ultra-quiet by industry standards. The IQAir Healthpro Plus hits 69dB at its highest speed.

The cost to run a Levoit Vital 100: $134.13 per year

1. Electricity costs = $70.15 per year

The long-term costs of using an air purifier are essential, especially with the rising cost of electricity worldwide. The Levoit Vital 100 is not the most power-efficient unit we’ve tested, but it’s pretty efficient by industry standards. 

At the maximum speed, the unit pulled 45.99 watts, equating to $70.15 per year at 24/7 daily usage.

In comparison, the newer Levoit Core 300S cleaned quicker at 21.8 watts, and even the older Core 300 was 35.5 watts at its highest speed.

2. Filter costs = $63.98 per year

Another important factor to consider when buying an air purifier is filter costs. HEPA filters are the most effective at trapping indoor pollutants. Generally, replaceable HEPA filters should be replaced every six to twelve months. 

Levoit Vital 100 filters cost $31.99 for genuine filters, which is $63.98 per year in filter costs and you can find generic filters for $35.80 per year with two changes, which is a much better choice for most people. In comparison, genuine filters for core 300 are $79.98 per year and $39.99 for generic filters. 

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Bottom line

The Levoit Vital 100 is an affordable, high-performing air purifier that cleaned our test room of all pollutants in just 49 minutes. Its filter costs are reasonable due to the availability of generic filters, and it’s certainly not worth upgrading if you have this air purifier, as it performed well in our particulate test. 

The Levoit Vital 100 is getting a bit old in air purifiers. While it delivered good results in our test, you will get better performance for your spend with something like the Levoit Core 300 for the same price or the upgraded Levoit Core 300S (for a little extra cost initially.)

If you’re in the market for a quality air purifier, you may have encountered the Levoit brand. The company is based in the U.S. though its products are manufactured in China. 

With over ten years of experience in air purification, Levoit has become one of the best-selling air purifier brands in the U.S. and Canada, with over 3 million happy customers worldwide. 

Currently, they offer Core, LV-H, Vital, LV-PUR and Vista models, with Core and LV-H being the most popular. The Levoit LV-H128 is a budget-friendly option designed for small rooms. Like the Levoit Core Mini, the LV-H128 also has an aromatherapy function, so you can use essential oils while cleaning the air in your room. It’s also in the same price range as the Core Mini, so it will be interesting to see how the LV-H128’s performance compares.

As with every product we review, we bought the Levoit LV-H128 with our own money so we could run our usual experiments on it with no strings attached.

The lowdown on the Levoit LV H128

Short on time? Here’s my summary of the Levoit LV-H128:

The Levoit LV-H128 is designed for small rooms of up to 47 sq. ft with 4.8 standard air changes per hour. Air cleaning power-wise, it’s very similar to the Core Mini, which has a recommended room size of 50 ft2.

HouseFresh rating:	★★☆☆☆
Time to clean our test room:	86 minutes
Air filtration technology:	3-stage filtration with activated charcoal
Recommended room size:	47 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	– Smoke: 30 CFM – Dust: 40 CFM – Pollen: 57 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):	6.69D x 6.69W x 10.43H inches (26.5H x 17L x 17W cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)
Filter life:	6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):	Speed 1: 36.9 dB Speed 2: 45.9 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):	Standby: 0 watts Speed 1: 2.4 watts Speed 2: 9.8 watts
Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):	$62.91 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):	$1.25
Manufacturer’s warranty:	2 years
Country of manufacture:	China

Small design and one-button control

The Levoit LV-H128 is one of the smallest air purifiers made by Levoit but is still much bigger than the smallest — the Core Mini.

As you can see below, compared to the Core 300 and 200S, the LV-H128 is much smaller in height and floor space required.

Additionally, the unit has a dedicated aromatherapy slot on the top corner, which has a sponge that soaks up essential oils.

As clean air flows out of the air purifier, it passes through the oil-soaked sponge and diffuses the scent into the room.

The LV-H128 has straightforward controls consisting of a single button. This button doubles as the power button and cycles through the air purifier’s various fan speeds. The three-speed modes are high, low and sleep.

Not enough carbon to kill odors 

Filtration technology is the most crucial factor for you to consider when buying an air purifier. Some filters can remove up to 99.99% of pollutants, while others emit chemical byproducts. 

Some can remove VOCs and odors, while others aren’t effective in this area.

So, how does the Levoit LV-H128 fair in this department?

The LV-H128 features Levoit’s popular three-stage filtration system. 

• Pre-filter — Traps large particles, like hair, fur and lint, from going further into the purifier
• Main filter —  Traps 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and pet dander.
• Activated Carbon filter — Absorbs odors. I was disappointed to see this was made from a cheaper impregnated fabric instead of the pellets you get in the Levoit Core series

It’s worth mentioning that the third layer doesn’t contain enough carbon to remove odors, so the LV-H128 isn’t a unit I would recommend for those with issues with odors or gasses. 

⚠️ Most new air purifiers come with the HEPA filter covered in plastic. Remove it before you start the unit; otherwise, it won’t work.

The Levoit LV-H128 cleared our test room in 86 minutes

At HouseFresh we aim to provide an unbiased opinion about the performance of the air purifiers we review. To achieve this, we check the CADR ratings and metrics the manufacturer lists, but we take each figure with a grain of salt. 

We know that some manufacturers are notorious for including misleading information to increase the popularity of their products. For this reason, we buy each unit so we can test their performance in our own home lab, which measures 728 cubic feet.

We burn incense sticks to fill the room with smoke pollutants and use our indoor air sensor from Purpleair to see how fast their purifier can eliminate PM10.0 ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM1.0ug/m3 particles from the indoor air. 

You can see the results of this test in the chart below:

Air cleaning performance test results

The LV-H128 through took 1 hour and 26 minutes to remove all pollutants of PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 from the indoor air. The $59 Levoit Core Mini took 1 hour and 53 minutes, with a 27-minute difference.

It’s worth mentioning that while the LV-H128 is not the fastest unit we’ve tested, it did manage to remove these pollutants from the air. 

Noise levels test results

In terms of sound levels, the Levoit LV-H128 is a quiet unit. At maximum fan speed, it produces 46 dB — higher than the Core Mini, which operates at 44 dB. However, this unit can go very quiet at the lowest fan speed, producing a mere 37 dB of noise.

The cost to run a Levoit LV-H128: $62.93 per year

Another vital factor to consider when buying an air purifier is the overall cost of running the unit in the long term as you will need to pay for electricity and filter replacements.

1. Electricity Costs = $14.95

This unit has a minimal power consumption of just 10w on average, which makes sense considering its size and coverage.

At the highest speed, we saw that it pulled 9.8 watts, which equates to $14.95 per year at 24/7 usage every day. The newer Levoit Core Mini was slower but only pulled 6.4 watts at the highest speed.

2. Filter Costs = $47.98

Filter costs are another essential factor when buying an air purifier. The LV-128’s HEPA filters should be replaced every six months. 

The genuine Levoit LV-H128 filters cost $23.99, which is $47.98 per year, but you can find generic filters for $11.34 per year with two changes. That’s a much better choice for most people. 

Bottom line

The Levoit LV-H128 is an underpowered air purifier. Out of all the units we have tested, this one took one of the longest times to remove all the pollutants in our test — needing a whopping 1 hour and 26 minutes. 

The aromatherapy function might be a nice touch for some users, but it doesn’t change the fact that this air purifier will be too underpowered for most scenarios. 

Genuine filter costs are high when considering the cleaning power, but you can get very cheap generic ones at just over $5. 

Most people will be much better off with the Levoit Core 300. It’s more expensive to buy, but will be far more effective at cleaning the air and has similar long-term costs to the LV-H128.

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SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Levoit LV–H128 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

Levoit is a company from the USA that manufactures all its units in China and they are part of Vesync Co Ltd, a publicly traded company with 1,200 employees. It’s been a significant player in the United States for budget air purifiers since it entered the market in 2017.

The Levoit LV-H132 was the first model that Levoit brought to market when it launched in 2017. It was designed as a smaller/budget-friendly air purifier for small spaces of up to 129 ft².  There are no timers, auto-mode and app support — all things you find with newer Core Model S units. 

The Levoit Core 300 is one of my favorite air purifiers at HouseFresh, so we were excited to review the LV-H132. 

As with all our reviews here at HouseFresh, we bought the Levoit LV-H132 with our money. That means we can tell you precisely what we think. We always do our desk research, but when it comes to reviewing air purifiers, you need a way to compare performance. We have a simple way to compare performance across all different types of air purifiers that you don’t need a Ph.D. to understand. 

Using the above process, we can compare units like for like instead of just scoring them based on manufacturer data.

Intro out of the way, let’s get on with this review, shall we?

The lowdown on the Levoit LV-H132

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“It has the same long-term cost as other Levoit units but with far less cleaning power. You can get much better performance with the Levoit Core 200S.”

— Danny Ashton, Founder & Senior Writer

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If you don’t want to read my full review, then here is my rundown on the LV-H132:

Often found retailing for $70-$80, this is one of the cheapest air purifiers sold by Levoit.

Small design and simple controls

The stand-out design feature is the light in the middle of the purifier, which could act as a night light.

The LV-H132 has a simple control system — a power on/off button, night light and fan speed button with three different speeds available. 

You will notice that the third button shows an icon for the HEPA filters. This will turn on when it’s time for you to replace the filters in the unit.

Once you have replaced your filters, the filter warning light can be reset if you hold it down for several seconds.

Limited filtration system that is not good enough

The LV-H132 includes the 3-stage filtration technology Levoit offers in all its units.

The filter in the LV-H132 includes a pre-filter cover that can be removed to expose the H13 True HEPA filter with an integrated activated carbon filter.

The main feature of the filter is the powerful medical-grade HEPA H13. However, due to its small size, the LV-H132 won’t be as powerful as other Levoit units when dealing with pollutants. That said, it gets the job done.

A carbon filter is integrated, which will come in handy for combating gasses and odors. Similarly to the HEPA filter, the carbon filter is much smaller than those in units like the Core 300. 

The good news is that the LV-H132’s carbon filter uses activated pellets — better than many other budget units that use impregnated fabric.

When it comes to replacing the filter, you will unlikely have any issues as the process is quite straightforward. 

You can watch this video to see how it’s done:

Due to the small size of the LV-H132, it is limited in the number of pollutants it can remove, especially when compared to larger units. While we appreciate the use of pelleted charcoal, it’s still minimal and is unlikely to significantly impact the amount of VOCs or odors in the air. 

The Levoit LV-H132 cleared our test room in 98 minutes

We had high hopes for the LV-H132, considering how often it is recommended by big media sites, but it just didn’t deliver

We tested the LV-H132 following the same process for all other air purifiers we reviewed. We placed it in our 705 cubic ft test room, used an incense stick to generate smoke pollutants and then turned on the LV-H132 at full speed.

We used our PurpleAir indoor sensor to track PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 to time how quickly the air purifier brought the level of pollutants back to 0.

Have a look for yourself:

It took 98 minutes to fully remove all the pollutants in our test room. 

Air cleaning speed, compared

This was much longer than the $99 Levoit Core 300, which took 40 minutes and was close to the much smaller and cheaper Levoit Core Mini, which took 113 minutes. Interestingly the Levoit Core 200S has the same price as the LV-H132 but took 61 minutes to clean our test room. 

At this level of cleaning performance and this price, it’s tough to recommend the LV-H132 even for a small room, as consumers would get more bang for their buck with the Core 200S or even more with the Core 300 for just a little extra spent initially.

Noise levels, compared

As with many small air purifiers, at its lowest speed, the LV-H132 doesn’t generate much noise at 25dB, but it reaches the same levels as the large Core 300 at the highest speed with 50dB of sound generated. 

We always like to record videos showing sound levels as noise can be subjective. Listen to the LV-H132 for yourself:

The cost to run a Levoit LV-H132: $70.36 per year

1. Electricity costs = $28.38 per year

The LV-H132 is now an older unit compared to the Core series of air purifiers and it shows with its energy usage. At its highest speed, we saw that it drew 26.7 watts, while the newer Levoit Core 300S managed to clean much quicker, which pulled only 14.6 watts. 

When calculating how much it would be added to your electricity bill if you ran the LV-H132 continuously 24/7, the final figure is quite reasonable at $28.38. I would still prefer to choose a more efficient unit like the Core 200S that uses the same amount of power but cleans our room 37 minutes quicker.

2. Filter costs = $45.98 per year

Filters directly from Levoit cost $20.99 per filter, which comes to $41.98 per year. For reference, the filters for the Levoit Core 200S cost $45.74, and the ones for the Core 300S costs $60.

One of the big benefits of a popular brand like Levoit is that you can often find many generic filters available at a lower cost. We found a generic filter set for the LV-H132 that brings total yearly costs down to $32 per year.

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Bottom line: Is the Levoit LV-H132 worth it?

This cheap unit will cost you in the long run, and it won’t do a good job at cleaning your air

When the LV-H132 was first released in 2018, it would’ve been a decent unit for those on a budget. As of right now, there are far too many high-performing budget air purifiers like the Levoit Core 300S or Taotronics AP003 that clean far more air and cost a similar amount both in initial machine cost and long-term costs in filters and electricity.

If you need an air purifier for a small room, we would suggest looking at other units like the Levoit Core 200S at the same cost and, if possible, you should consider spending a little more for a large unit like the Levoit Core 300 or Taotronics AP003 that would cost the same in energy and filters but would be able to keep your air clean much cleaner.

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SOURCES

We used the Department of Energy’s appliance energy calculator to calculate yearly costs associated with running the Levo LV–H132 for 24hs a day for 365 days. We ran this calculation utilizing the US average utility rate of $0.12/kWh as of 3rd March 2023.

Levoit is currently one of three brands for Vesync Co which has offices in Los Angeles, USA, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, China, and is traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Running since 2012, its revenue last year was $458 million, and it has 1.24k employees, according to financial data.

The Levoit Core series really changed up the game in the world of air purifiers back in the late 2010s. Previously, cheaper units performed poorly and it was often better to recommend consumers avoid them. With the Levoit Core 300, Levoit brought a really good CADR score for less than $100 and forced other manufacturers to improve their game. Unlike many cheaper units, the Levoit Core series contains no ionizer functions and just relies on efficient fans with good-quality air filters. 

The Levoit Core Mini is still a “Core” unit but is much smaller than any other air purifier in the series. I expected this unit would start a new trend for “mini air purifiers,” and I was right. Since the Core Mini was launched, various smaller units from other manufacturers have been released.

As with all the reviews we do here at HouseFresh, we bought the Levoit Core Mini with our own money to avoid any biases of accepting free goods in exchange for reviews. Our ultimate goal is to share the data and let you decide if this air purifier sounds like a good fit for you. If an air purifier sucks, we have no problem saying it. You can read about our methodology here.

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Filtration technology

The Levoit Core Mini has a small, bonded cylindrical filter with Levoit’s signature 3-stage filtration.

Design, controls and features

The Core Mini is a mini air purifier that you can hold with one hand.

Air cleaning performance

The Core Mini needed 136 minutes to clean the air in our small 728 cubic feet test room, making it too underpowered for most rooms but a good alternative for an RV or campervan.

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According to our PurpleAir Zen sensor, the Levoit Core Mini needed 136 minutes to achieve PM1 zero in our 728 cubic ft. test room. We estimate a PM1 CADR of 41 cfm, which would allow the Core Mini to provide five air changes per hour in spaces no larger than 61 sq. ft.

But this information in isolation won’t tell you much, so check out how this compares to other popular small air purifiers on the market today:

As you can see from the table, there is a reason why I always recommend our readers to buy the largest device they can live with. In simple terms, air purifiers are just a fan and a filter, so the bigger the fan and the bigger the filter, the better the performance.

In the case of the Core Mini, the $50 price tag might make it look very appealing but if you’re short on budget, I would recommend you to try and stretch to $75 to get a Winix A231 as it was able to complete our particle removal test in a third of the time it took the Core Mini.

Sound levels

In our testing, the sound levels of the Core Mini ranged from 37 dBA to 44.5 dBA.

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We used a sound level meter to measure how much noise our air purifiers generate at each fan speed.

At top speed, the Levoit Core Mini reaches 44.5 dBA. Check out the chart below to see how this compares to other similarly-priced air purifiers running at top speed:

But sound can be subjective so have a listen for yourself:

Long-term running costs

Running a Levoit Core Mini will cost you $81.96 per year, combining energy consumption costs and filter replacement prices.

As always, we used our energy meter to measure how much electricity the Core Mini uses when running at each fan speed and also while on standby. Energy consumption ranges from 1.2 watts on sleep mode to 6.4 watts when running at top speed.

This means that if you had to leave your 4 Pro running 24/7 at top speed, it would cost $7.11 in energy costs for a year, using average U.S. energy rates.

Considering you need to replace the filter every six months and that the replacement costs $24.99, you can expect to also spend $74.85 per year on filters.

When compared to other similar-performing air purifiers, the 4 Pro is generally cheaper to run, thanks to its low energy usage and low-cost OEM filters:

In comparison, you would be paying $60 for the Levoit Core 300S, cleaning much more air in the same period.

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Bottom line: Should you buy a Levoit Core Mini?

With a dust CADR of 39 CFM, you won’t be able to use the Core Mini in a large space.

I like the Levoit Core Mini, but I do worry that it’s likely not the best air purifier for everyone.

It’s too small for medium to large rooms, and the costs of filters will add up over time. But it costs less than $50, which equates to $0.7 per 1 CFM, which is okay for a unit of this size.

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It is a good option for very small spaces like an RV or a car as it’s portable and easy to find a space for.

But if you are looking for the best $ to performance, then the older Levoit Core 300 will give you much better performance and similar filter costs. And the Winix A231 will cost $25 more initially but will give you three times the air cleaning performance of the Core Mini.

If you’ve already started researching air purifiers, you’ve most likely come across the brand name Levoit before. They are one of the major players in household products and their range of air cleaners is more popular than most.

Currently, they have their Core, LV-H, LV-PUR, Vista, and Vital ranges with the Core having the biggest choice of units. We’ve already reviewed the 600S, 400S, 300, and 200S from the Core range so we wanted to try something different Levoit has to offer.

One plus to buying an air purifier from Levoit is the signature technology they come with. As with most of their new products, the LV-H133 comes with a 360-degree HEPASmart filter, VortexAir™ technology, and a centrifugal fan wheel.

On your journey to buying new products online, you’ll no doubt come across heaps of ‘Best-of’ articles from big media sites telling you what to buy when the writer hasn’t ever seen or touched it. At HouseFresh, we cut the bulls**t. 

We buy every air purifier we test with our own money, so we can test it ourselves and be free to share our data with no strings attached to any manufacturer.

The lowdown on the Levoit LV-H133

The LV-H133 is a great addition to the Levoit range. It’s pretty stylish (especially in black), has enough smart features to keep it current, and performs amazingly in medium to large size rooms. And all at under $250*, that’s a feat not many purifier brands can boast.

Levoit excels at producing high-performing air purifiers at budget prices without sacrificing quality. The LV-H133 retails at $249.99, which is not bad compared to other units with similar CADR, like the Alen BreatheSmart 45i (costing over $430) and the Coway Airmega 300 ($330).

The curvy cleaning tower and top-loaded touchscreen 

Sleeker design than other Levoit units, but it is a large device

For the LV-H133, Levoit has opted for a sleeker design over the cylindrical Core 400S or the more traditional boxy stylings of the 600S. It has curves in all the right places, making it quite pleasing to the eye.

If you’re like me, you don’t want your air purifier to be the main focus of a room. You don’t want to hide it away, but you don’t need it taking up space in the middle of the room. This is where the LV-H133 ticks all the boxes for me, as it sits comfortably in a corner without taking up too much space.

The control panel sits comfortably on top of the unit, sunken into the middle of the outlet, making it easy to access regardless where it sits in your room.

The round control panel contains 6 touch buttons, 3 icons to indicate fan speed, a filter check light, a color-changing air quality monitor ring, and a numerical display for the timer function. Each button is quite sensitive and doesn’t need to be pushed hard to engage. They’re all labeled and well-spaced, so you won’t accidentally hit the wrong one.

Here’s what each one does:

• On/Off – Turns the air purifier on/off
• Timer – Set the timer for anywhere between 1-12 hours to match your schedule
• Display lock – Press and hold for 3 seconds to lock/unlock the display
• Display lights on/off – Turns all display lights on/off for night time or movie time
• Auto function – Adjusts fan speed automatically based on air quality
• Fan speed – Select from 3 speeds; Low, Medium, and High
• Sleep mode – Switches fan speed to Low and turns off display lights

The color-changing ring gives you a clear indication of the quality of the air in your room in real-time. You can adjust the fan speed yourself or use the unit’s Auto Mode where the purifier changes fan speed automatically in accordance with the air quality.

Indicator Color	Air Quality	Auto Mode Fan Speed
Blue	Very Good	Sleep Mode
Green	Good	Low
Orange	Moderate	Medium
Red	Very Bad	High

You can see here how the Levoit LV-H133 compares to the Coway Airmega 300 in terms of size and design aesthetics – the height of this unit stands out clearly against the Airmega 300:

When the time comes to replace the filter, you’ll find out that it’s a fairly easy job. Simply remove the back panel and you will see the filter ready to be changed.

Without the filter inside, you will be able to spot the large fan that powers the LV-H133. I don’t like to judge a book by its cover, but you can tell by the look that this fan means business.

360-degree filter technology

The Levoit team are big fans of the 360-degree filter. It obviously works, considering that you’ll find them in each of their Core air purifiers, as well as the LV-H133.

The LV-H133 filter is made up of three layers:

1. Nylon Pre-Filter – The main job of the pre-filter is to act as the first line of defense. It works by capturing the larger airborne particles from your room and trapping them. This also means that the HEPA filter doesn’t need to work as hard, giving it more life before it needs replacing.

2. Main Filter – Highly effective at removing 99.97% of fine airborne particles like mold, pollen, pet dander, and dust mites. This is the part of the filter that’s doing the heavy lifting when it comes to cleaning the air.

3. Activated Carbon Filter – The last stage in the process is by no means the least. This layer is packed with activated carbon, which is used to adsorb orders and other VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) like cooking smells, pet odors, fumes, and smoke.

Not only is the LV-H113’s filter highly effective, but it’s also straightforward to replace when the time comes, as I said earlier in this review.

All you need to do is:

1. Remove the back panel
2. Pull out the old filter
3. Slide the new one in 

It’s that easy. Check out this instructional video if those steps weren’t clear enough.

The Levoit LV-H133 cleared our test room in 25 minutes  

Okay, down to the nitty-gritty, the performance. 

When we review an air purifier, we don’t just look at it, turn it on for a minute, and take some photos to copy/paste specs into an article—ahem, most review websites out there.

We test each air purifier in a real-life environment, putting it through its paces. This way, we can tell you exactly how they perform compared to one another.

We do this by putting each unit in our 728 cubic ft test room, filling that room with pollutants using incense sticks, and then setting the purifier on full to see how long it takes to clear the room of pollutants. 

We can then monitor every minute of this test using our Purple Air Indoor sensor, which gives us data on PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3, and PM10.0 ug/m3. We then use that data to show you our findings in a simple graph.

Here’s what we found when testing our LV-H133:

The graph shows the pollution filling the room up to 10:19 a.m., which is the moment we switched the Levoits’ fan on to full speed. After that, contaminants swiftly declined as the LV-H133 filtered out those airborne pollutants and reached zero for PM1.0 particles at 10:44. That was exactly 25 minutes later.

Air cleaning speed, compared

The performance we’ve seen in the LV-H133 is impressive for a unit that could be seen as ‘old’ by today’s standards. Let’s compare that to other units we have tested in the same room.

You can see that modern units like the Levoit Vital 200S or the Winix 5500-2 outperformed the LV-H133 by a fair share. However, this air purifier is still more powerful than similarly priced units such as the Alen BreatheSmart Flex.

Noise levels, compared

The sound these units emit is a major factor in whether I will use them again. I like to make music at home, so if the air purifier I’m using is loud, it’s not gonna stay. 

The LV-H133 kicks out 28 dB on its lowest setting, which is hardly noticeable in an average household. On high, it goes up to 54dB, which is no jet engine, but you will hear it. As this unit clears your room of pollutants so fast, you’ll never need to have it on high for too long.

Check it out for yourself in this video.

The cost to run a Levoit LV-H133: $155.43 per year

1. Electricity costs = $42.86 per year

With the ever-rising costs of electricity and our environmental duty to be more energy-efficient, you need to factor in how much an air purifier costs to run. There’s no point in having clean air if you’ve got a monster energy bill to pay for it.

Luckily, Levoit has you covered. Each of their units is rigorously tested for its energy consumption as it strives to achieve an Energy Star Certificate to prove its efficiency…which it has. 

As with all our units, we don’t rely on what the manufacturers say, so we always test their energy consumption ourselves. We found that on its highest setting, the LV-H133 pulls 28.1 watts and less than 0.8 watts on its lowest. But what does that mean in terms of $$$?

Using the average energy prices of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we worked out that if you had the LV-H133 on full fan speed, for 24hrs a day, 365 days a year (which is ridiculously pointless and wasteful), it would cost you $42.86 a year to run.

2. Filter costs = $126 per year

Unfortunately, electricity is not the only cost to factor into your purchase.

The HEPA filters in air purifiers don’t last forever. Over time they lose their efficiency as they become clogged up with the fine particles they’ve trapped. If you want your LV-H133 to operate to its potential, you’ll need to replace the filter every 6 to 8 months. 

Don’t worry, you won’t have to check the filter daily. The filter change indicator light will go on when the unit recognizes needing a replacement.

You can pick up an official Levoit replacement filter online for $62.99* or an unofficial one for $52.99*.

It is worth mentioning that we haven’t tested the unofficial filter, so we can’t testify to its efficiency.

Spending potentially $126 every year on filters does seem quite expensive, especially when the Core 600S out-performs the LV-H133 and its filters are slightly cheaper at $59.99*

Bottom line

The Levoit LV-H133 has most of the smart features I expect from units these days, such as a timer, Sleep mode, Auto mode and an air quality indicator, but it lacks app connectivity.

We can’t deny that the LV-H133 outperforms many other units on the market at a fraction of the price. It’s also energy-efficient, saving you money on electricity bills, but the cost of replacement filters lets it down.

I like this unit—I really do—but I can’t help pointing out that the Core 600S is a superior model with its 410 CFM CADR, 635 sq. ft. room capacity, cheaper replacement filters, app connectivity, and it’s also 7 lbs lighter… all for an extra $50.

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SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Levoit LV-H133 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

Levoit is a brand launched in 2016 by Vesync Co., a company originally called Etekcity that began trading in the U.S. in 2011 as an Amazon seller of small home appliances.

If you look through our air purifier reviews, you’ll notice a few different models from Levoit pop up. This is no coincidence. Since 2016, Levoit has proven that high-performing air purifiers, with plenty of smart features, can be produced at a price we consumers love.

The Levoit Core 200S is aimed toward a new generation of mini air purifiers, a trend that the Molekule Mini propelled. Even though the Core 200S outperforms the Molekule without it even being switched on, it still doesn’t do quite enough for us.

These are our opinions. 

We don’t take bribes.

The lowdown on the Levoit Core 200S

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Don’t want to read the full review? Here are the main pointers from our performance test of the Levoit Core 200S.

The specifications

One reason why Levoit is one of the market leaders is because of its price point. They manage to cover all bases with units for different-sized rooms whilst keeping costs down. The 200S retails at $89.99*, which, compared to other units catering for the same room size like the Medify MA-15 at $129* or Blueair’s Blue Pure 411 at $119.99*, makes this unit very attractive.

HouseFresh Rating:	★★★☆☆
Time to clean our test room:	61 Minutes
Air purifier technology:	Levoit 3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses)
Recommended room size:	183 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):	118 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):	12.6H x 8.07W x 8.07D inches (32H x 20.5W x 20.5D cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	6.6 lbs (3 kg)
Filter life:	6 – 8 months
Noise level (low – high):	Speed 1: 39.6 dB Speed 2: 43.7 dB Speed 3: 49.1 dB
Estimated energy consumption:	$43.32

Sleek and modern design

If you’ve seen any other units in the Core range like the 300 or 400S, you’ll notice that they nearly all have a cylindrical design. The Core 200S is no different. 

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It’s sleek, it’s modern, and it’s unintrusive, but it still only comes in white and can’t be disguised as anything other than an air purifier.

I know it’s only a budget unit but, for me, Levoit could put a little more effort into making their units more attractive to the eye (hence why I’ve tried to be a little arty with the pictures).

It’s not a bad-looking air purifier by any means. This is only my humble opinion. But if you had a little more money to spend, and design is a key factor, I would go for BlueAir’s Blue Pure 411 or the Medify MA-25.

The 200S comes well packaged. Levoit has ensured that it won’t suffer any damage at the hands of cavalier delivery drivers when shipped. My only objection is that each component is wrapped in a lot of plastic which isn’t particularly needed. Come on Levoit, think of the turtles!

3-stage filtration technology

The filters and the fan are the key components in every air purifier; bad filters = bad air. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about filter technology when buying a Levoit Core 200S.

Each of Levoit’s units in the Core range comes equipped with a 3-stage filter to maximize the filtration of nasty airborne pollutants nobody wants in their home:

• Stage one: Nylon pre-filter
  The pre-filter is designed to be the first line of defense. It captures the larger particles that float around your home like dust, hair, pet dander, and lint. Not only is it trapping these particles, but it’s also prolonging the life of the main filter allowing it to concentrate on smaller particles instead of being bombarded by everything.
  
• Stage two: Main filter
  This is where the magic happens. Levoit’s Main Filter captures at least 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns in size (one micron is equivalent to one one-thousandth of a millimeter, so yeah, small). This takes care of fine dust, smoke particles, and pollen for all you fellow hay fever sufferers.
  
• Stage three: High-efficiency activated carbon filter
  This is the part of the filter that takes care of odors. To remove odors like smoke, cooking smells, and other ominous smells from your home, you’ll need an activated carbon filter that’s packed full of charcoal to adsorb those VOCs.

Levoit has shown us that they can do filters right… very right; just check out our review of the Core 600S.

The 200S contains the exact same filter as the 600S, but there is a big difference. This comes down to size rather than the filter itself.

In this smaller unit, the Core filters don’t have nearly the same cleaning ability.

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I’m sure you will have worked it out, but I still need to remind you. Remember to remove all the packaging from the filter before turning the air purifier on. If you don’t, you’ll notice two things;

1. The air in your home won’t get any cleaner
2. After a while there’ll be a strange burning smell coming from the unit, that’s plastic your smelling… not cool

Controls that are easy to navigate

After you’ve unwrapped everything, you’re pretty much ready to go. Simply plug the 200S into a wall socket and switch it on. The controls are really easy to navigate.

When I look at an air purifier, I’m always thinking about how easy it is to use. Not just changing the fan speed but also navigating its features. Levoit has always been great at setting out its controls to maximize space and usability. 

The 200S keeps this tradition alive.

The circular touch panel is very user friendly and is set out with clear icons for each function. There are no physical buttons that tend to stick over time, and each setting is spaced out enough that you’re not hitting the wrong one by accident.

Here’s what each one does:

Button	Function
	Turns the air purifier on/off. Press and hold to configure the air purifier.
	Turns on, off, or blinks to indicate configuration status.
	Cycles through fan speeds: I (low), II (medium), and III (high). Tapping the Fan Speed Button while the air purifier is in Sleep Mode will exit Sleep Mode
	Turns Sleep Mode on. Press and hold for 3 seconds to reset the Check Filter Indicator.
	Cycles through timer options.
	Turns the night light on/off.
	Turns the display off (not including the night light).
	Prevents current settings from being changed. Blinks when any other button is tapped to indicate that Display Lock is on.
	Lights up when the filter should be checked.  Reset the Check Filter Indicator light by pressing and holding the Sleep Mode button for 3 seconds.

You’re in luck if you’re anything like me and like to use an app wherever possible. 

You can connect the 200S to the Levoit smartphone app through Wi-Fi. It’s the same app Levoit uses for all their units, so if you’ve already used it on a previous device, you’ll know your way around. If you’re new, don’t worry. The app is easy to navigate and doesn’t take too long to set up.

Here, you can control fan speed, set the timer, monitor the filter life, and turn the unit on/off, as well as schedule it to come on when needed. Unfortunately, as the 200S doesn’t have the AirSight Plus™ air quality sensor like the 600S, you cannot monitor the air quality in your room from another location.

After testing it with the Android version, I found it handy, but there is no real smart tech. It’s just a remote control you can take anywhere. Also, they try and sell you stuff on the app, which lets it down for me.

The Levoit Core 200S cleared our test room in 61 minutes

We put every air purifier we buy through the same set of tests. We do this so we can get accurate results of how well it performs in a real-world scenario and also so we can measure it against other units we’ve tested.

When it comes to air cleaning performance, the test is simple: we placed the Core 200S in our 728 cubic ft test room and filled that room with incense stick smoke so we could measure how long it takes this specific unit to clear the room of those contaminants when running at its highest fan speed.

Here’s what we found out about the Core 200S:

As you can see from the graph, it took 61 minutes for the Core 200S to clean the air in our testing room.

Air cleaning performance compared

Because of the size of the 200S, we were never expecting it to outperform our top-tested units like Levoits powerhouse 600S or Blueair’s Blue Pure 211+ as they’re in completely different leagues. So we would need to compare it to similar-sized units.

Looking at the 200S side by side with similar air purifiers shows that this isn’t a bad-performing little unit, especially for the price.

Noise levels test results

As for noise, Levoit is pretty good at keeping their purifiers to a reasonable level. The Core 200S at its highest level hits 49.1 dB and 39.6 dB at its lowest. This means noise levels are pretty average, which is not a bad thing in itself.

The cost to run the Levoit Core 200S: $95.3 per year

1. Electricity costs = $43.32

When buying an air purifier, you have to consider the extra costs that come with it. One is how much it costs to plug it in and use it daily. With rising energy prices hitting households, it’s paramount that clean air in your home isn’t going to make a dent in your wallet.

Luckily, most air purifiers on the market are specially built to be energy efficient. Energy Star is a company that tests each unit for efficiency and offers a seal of approval to appliances that pass their tests which the 200S wears with pride.

We used the latest average energy prices reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Department to calculate the annual cost of using the Core 200S daily. On full power, this unit pulls 28.4 watts which will cost you around $43.32 annually.

This is okay for a unit of this size but not amazing. You are unlikely to have your air purifier on 24 hours a day, all year round, so it shouldn’t cost you that much. 

2. Filter costs = $51.98

Another running cost to consider is replacing the filters in the unit.

Air purifier filters work best when they are brand new. Over time they begin to get blocked with all the particles they’re trapping and become less efficient. To counter this, you need to replace the old filters with new ones to keep efficiency high.

Different units use filters with different life spans, so it’s good practice to check how often you’ll need to replace them when looking to purchase an air purifier.

The filter life for the 200S is 6-8 months, depending on how often you use it. Don’t worry about checking the filter every day, there’s a light indicator on the unit which will tell you when yours needs replacing.

A new filter will set you back around $25.99, which is average for purifiers of this size. You can purchase filters for this model made by different brands, but we can’t vouch for their performance. 

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Bottom line

At the end of the day, Levoit is a great brand to invest in when it comes to air purifiers. They have the technology, the performance power and, to top it off, a great price point.

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While the 200S showcases many things that make Levoit units great, it’s hard to see why you would choose this air purifier over other Levoit Core models. I get that they want a unit in their line-up to reflect the “mini purifier” trend, but looking at the performance levels, you could get so much more out of the Core 300S for a little extra cost.

This unit would fit your home if you have a small bedroom or office with little room to place a larger unit. It connects to the Levoit app so can be controlled from anywhere and doesn’t cause a nuisance with noise levels. 

Any air purifier with these features and the reliability of the Levoit brand name at under $100 should never be sniffed at.

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SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Levoit Core 200S for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

Levoit has been making waves in the air purifier market since they first arrived in 2017 thanks to the quality of their air purifying technology at an accessible price. Levoit’s air purifiers perform at the level of much more expensive units from older, more well-known brands.

Levoit changed my view on “cheap” air purifiers with their Core 300, so I was VERY excited to test a larger unit: the LV-PUR131. 

At $180, the Levoit LV-PUR131 seems like an excellent option for cleaning the air in a medium-sized room with a unit that includes features like automatic mode, which are normally only found on units that cost well over $200. After seeing glowing reviews for this unit on Amazon, I decided it was time to test it.

As with all our reviews here at HouseFresh, we bought the Levoit LV-PUR131 with our own money to make sure we would be free to give our unbiased opinion.

We also bought the unit so we could test its air cleaning performance in our home lab. That’s right, unlike the vast majority of air purifier reviews you will read from ‘reputable’ lifestyle magazines or even tech sites, I actually tested the LV-PUR131 as opposed to just describing it based on the marketing materials from Levoit.

This is to say that you can rest assured that this review is impartial and that you will read an accurate account of the unit’s pros and cons. 

The lowdown on the Levoit LV-PUR131

Don’t want to read the full review? If you can find the Levoit PUR131 in stock and have a room size of 500 sq. ft, this is the best performance air purifier you can get without spending more than $180.

A boxy and dated design from Levoit

When it comes to design, the LV-PUR131 is more of a plain Jane than a showstopper. 

The LV-PUR131 is a simple-looking, white and boxy air purifier that stands just under half a meter tall and has oversized branding across the top corner. It certainly looks like what most people probably think of when they think of an air purifier.

It isn’t the worst-looking unit I’ve seen but it definitely looks plain and boring compared to the Smart Air S, which combines different materials, design lines and textures.

The Levoit LV-PUR131 has an easy-to-navigate touchscreen control panel on top of the unit. Each button has a clearly labelled icon, so you will quickly figure out how to operate the air purifier straight out of the box with little instruction.  

You can turn the machine on/off through the control panel and cycle through its three fan speed settings:

For use during the night, you can hit the Display button to turn off the LED lights and press Sleep to switch the fan speed to its lowest fan speed, which only emits a whisper-like sound at 27dB. 

The unit also comes with a programmable 12-hour timer so you can leave the unit to run without worrying about switching it off again. 

While the Auto setting utilizes the inbuilt air quality sensor to monitor for pollutants and automatically adjust the fan speeds for minimal fuss and maximum peace of mind. 

Three stages of filtration

The LV-PUR131 is one of the few Levoit units with separate particle and gas filters. We wish they did this for more devices.

Before purchasing an air purifier, it is important to know what filters the unit uses and what effect they will have. The LV-PUR131 comes with a main HEPA-like particle filter and a large pelletized activated carbon filter.

The primary filter will capture ultra-fine particles commonly found indoors, such as dust, pollen and mold spores. It is worth mentioning here that Levoit has removed all mentions of HEPA from its advertising and marketing materials after Dyson complained to the BBB National Programs National Advertising Division.

As I briefly mentioned above, the LV-PUR131 also comes with an activated carbon filter. This layer of filtration will tackle volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as chemical fumes, smoke, and household odors. 

My favorite thing about the filters in the LV-PUR131 is that they are two separate filters, which means that you won’t need to throw away both filters if you only need to replace one. Most other Levoit units come with bonded filters, where you get one chunky filter with one side for particles and another for gasses. The biggest issue with this is that activated carbon filters generally have a shorter lifespan, so in many cases with units like the Levoit Core 400S or the Vital 200S, you will need to get rid of the entire thing, even when the particle filter might still be effectively removing particles.

All this to say, the filter setup in the LV-PUR131 is definitely a pro.

The Levoit LV-PUR131 cleared our test room in 60 minutes

This was impressive when we first tested it, but four years later, the air cleaning speed of the LV-PUR131 is not good enough.

To put an air purifier through its paces, we utilize our home office, which measures up to 728 cubic ft, so it is roughly the same as a small to medium-sized bedroom. 

We burn incense sticks to fill the room with airborne pollutants and measure how quickly the purifier can remove all PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3, and PM10.0 ug/m3 particles using our indoor sensor from Purpleair. 

We keep these conditions the same for each test, allowing us to compare and contrast different purifiers and see which unit performs the best in a home setting against common pollutants. 

Let’s see how the LV-PUR131 did:

Once the incense had finished burning at 12:15pm, we recorded the number of pollutants in the room, with levels reaching:

• PM10.0 – 1847.99 ug/m3 
• PM2.5 – 1577.53 ug/m3
• PM1.0 – 581.41 ug/m3

We then fired up the LV-PUR131 at its highest speed, allowing it to tackle the airborne pollutants head-on. 

Within 60 minutes, each particle reading had reached 0.0, showing that within one hour, the unit had performed three air cycles and removed all traces of pollutants.

Air cleaning performance, compared

When comparing these results to alternative purifiers within a similar price range, we found the Levoit eradicated all pollutants faster than the Blueair Blue Pure 411, which took 1 hour and 8 minutes and the GermGuardian AC4825, which took 1 hour and 44 minutes. 

However, the Levoit Core 300 (which is $100 cheaper than the LV-PUR131( completed the same test in just 40 minutes, proving that there are other better alternatives. The one I would suggest is the Levoit Vital 200S, which is being sold for the same price as the LV-PUR131, yet it can clean the air A LOT faster as our air cleaning speed shows (the Vital 200S completed the test in just 18 minutes).

Noise levels, compared

Alongside purifying performance, it’s essential to gauge how loud this unit is when operating on its various fan speeds. 

When cycling between the three standard fan speeds, this unit runs between 52.2 – 65.6 dB, which is louder than most of the other air purifiers we have tested. However, when set to the Sleep setting, this comes down to a much more tolerable 27 dB. 

Check out our sound guide below to hear the LV-PUR131 for yourself. 

The cost to run a Levoit LV-PUR131: $108.58 per year

1. Electricity costs = $32.59 per year

Many of us are feeling the pinch as soaring energy prices affect the cost of living. So it’s a good idea to figure out what you’re likely to pay across the lifetime of your air purifier. 

We used the Department of Energy’s appliance energy calculator to estimate how this unit might impact your electricity bill to save you the headache of doing the math. 

This unit uses 30.5 watts of power on its highest speed setting, which is pretty efficient. If we imagine you run the air purifier on this setting 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the LV-PUR131 will set you back $32.59 a year. 

Bearing in mind as you’re more likely to run the unit on its lowest speed for around 8 hours a day, it won’t cost much at all to operate this air purifier. 

2. Filter costs = $75.99 per year

Over time, as your HEPA and Activated Carbon filters work their magic, they will become clogged with pollutant particles and eventually lose efficiency. 

To keep your purifier performing at its peak, you must replace the filters, adding another additional cost to consider before you purchase.  

The LV-PUR131 has two filters that need replacement every 6 months (both the Activated Charcoal and the HEPA filter). They are both available in replacement packs for $45.99 but the 2-pack will set you back $75.99 per year.

However, several filters available from third-party manufacturers on Amazon are cheaper than the official Levoit filters (which are often out of stock across the U.S.)  These alternative filters come with great reviews from fellow users who claim there is no difference in performance when used.

Comparing the Levoit LV-PUR131 to the LV-PUR131S

Shortly after releasing the LV-PUR131, Levoit launched the LV-PUR131S to offer users a purifier with enhanced smart features. 

In addition to the Auto mode found on the original model, the S includes the option to connect your purifier to your phone or smart device such as Alexa. 

This enables the user to operate the purifier remotely using voice activation or at your fingertips through your phone. 

The app also allows you to remotely set timers and create schedules, providing updates on the current air quality in your space.

Features	Levoit LV-PUR131	Levoit LV-PUR131S
Purifier technology:	H13 HEPA and Activated Carbon Filter	H13 HEPA and Activated Carbon Filter
Recommended room size:	360 sq. ft.	360 sq. ft.
Filter life:	6 months	6 months
Weight (in pounds / in kg):	11.22 lbs / 5.1 kg	11.22 lbs / 5.1 kg
Energy consumption:	$66.26 per year	$66.26 per year
Auto Mode	✅	✅
Smartphone Functionality	❌	✅
User reviews
List Price	$179.99	$189.99

So, should you pay more for the S? 

In reality, these two units are identical. The only difference is that the S is compatible with Levoit’s smartphone app and can be connected to smart devices such as Alexa for voice control. 

At only $10.00 more, it seems reasonable to pay the extra if you feel these additional features will be of use. However, if you can’t see yourself utilizing such features, then why not save yourself 10 bucks?

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Bottom line: Is the LV-PUR131 worth it?

A good choice for those who want a Levoit unit with separate particle and carbon filters — but look at newer models if you want better air cleaning performance.

Your particular use case will depend on your situation. The team at Levoit produced a unit with top performance at an affordable price compared to most other air purifiers on the market. 

That being said, the Levoit LV-PUR131 doesn’t have the power to deal with serious air pollutants, such as those from traffic pollution or cigarette smoke. The reality is that there are many other devices that are currently available for cheaper prices that will do a much better job of cleaning the air.

If you like the rectangular look, I suggest you check out the Levoit Vital series instead. The Levoit Vital 200S performed much better than the LV-PUR131 in our tests (cleaning the air in our test room in just 18 minutes), and it costs roughly the same. Alternatively, you can save yourself $60 and go with the smaller Levoit Vital 100S, which still managed the clean the air in our small test room in 28 minutes — that’s 32 minutes faster than the PUR131.

And if you’re not specifically looking for a Levoit unit, then you should definitely check out the Winix 5500-2, which can be found for $159.99 (around $30 less than the PUR131), has separate filters and was 40 minutes quicker at completing our air cleaning performance test.

The Levoit LV-PUR131 doesn’t have the power to deal with serious air pollutants, such as those from traffic pollution or cigarette smoke. And the reality is that there are many other devices that are currently available for cheaper prices that will do a much better job at cleaning the air.

---

SOURCES

We used the Department of Energy’s appliance energy calculator to calculate yearly costs associated with running the Levoit LV-PUR131 24 hours a day for 365 days. We ran this calculation utilizing the U.S. average utility rate of $0.12/kWh as of May 9th, 2023.

The Vesync Corporation launched the Levoit brand in 2016. Since then, Levoit has become a game-changer in the air purifier market. The Core series presented consumers with affordable prices, innovation, and everyday needs in mind. In 2023, they launched the EverestAir, which quickly reached the top of plenty of our Best Guides due to its performance and surprising air cleaning speed.

Now, back to the Core 300. Released in 2019, it quickly became a popular option in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reached the #1 position for Amazon sales in Air Purifiers that year. And even though eradicating viruses from our homes may not be the drive it was a couple of years ago, air pollution is still a rising concern for many of us.

Fast forward to 2025, the air purifying industry has evolved significantly. Many new brands and models have flooded the market, some delivering a high-performance and smart features combo (such as the Shark HP102), some even competing directly with the Core 300 and showing amazing results (hello Winix A230/A231), others turning out to be no more than a disappointing overpromise. Yet, the Levoit Core 300 remains a best-selling unit to this day. 

True, it has no smart features or auto mode, but this was the budget air purifier to beat for a long time. With improvements to other models in the core series I don’t think this is the case as the OG Core 300 uses more energy and has lower performance to the newer models.

The Core 300 is a great entry-level air purifier, and it has been solid and reliable to date, but unless you can get it for very cheap, the Core 300S is a better choice but if you can try to go for a larger model like the Core 400S or Vital 200S as you will get much higher performance at lower fan speeds for similar running costs.

We recently created a video review of the Levoit Core 300, so if you prefer to watch rather than read, be sure to check that out.

The lowdown on the Levoit Core 300

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So, let’s get straight to it. These are, in a nutshell, the strengths and weaknesses we see on the Levoit Core 300 after putting it to the test:

For less than $100, the Core 300 has a solid CADR of 145 CFM. This has been the best price-to-CADR ratio in the market for years, although lately, new units like the Winix A230 or the TaoTronics TT-AP003 have surpassed the Core 300 CARD for less than $80.

Compact, smooth and easy to use

The cylindrical body and rounded edges of the Core 300 allow for a small floor footprint and user-friendly controls. 

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With a cleaning power suited for 200 sq. ft. spaces, such as average-sized bedrooms, home offices or small kitchens, it only makes sense that this unit is petite enough to fit cozily on desks, kitchen counters or night tables. It doesn’t take up much space, so it can be placed near the source of pollutants without interrupting your activity or needing much setup rearrangement. Besides, weighing only 7.5 lbs, it’s easy to move around.

The tubular design is the same as most of the Core series. With the 360º air intake, all the way around the bottom of the unit, you get air flowing in from all sides and coming out clean at the top. Enhanced by the cylindrical shape, Levoit’s Vortex Air technology produces a swirling airflow to maximize the air circulation on all fanspeeds.

Among Levoit’s wide range of air purifiers, the Core 300 stands as the middle-sized unit, equal in dimensions to the Core 300S and only slightly bigger than the 200S and the Mini — both suited for smaller spaces. 

It’s also very similar in size to the Winix A230/A231, the new contender in town, with an almost identical floor footprint. The Core 300 is slightly taller and somewhat less organic than the conic Winix. On the other hand, it’s entirely white, which I like because it blends easily into the room, allowing for a more unobtrusive presence. 

The control panel is a strong point for Levoit. 

It’s a neat white-over-black touchscreen, very responsive yet not overly sensitive. The Core 300 doesn’t have onboard sensors, so the controls could feel a tad basic, but they’re far from it. It’s one of the simplest, most straightforward units that doesn’t lose perspective on what users need. 

Let me explain. On the Core 300 control panel, you’ll see the wheel of self-explanatory icons: the on/off button, a fan button to navigate through three different fan speeds, a lock button that will come in handy for those placing the unit in kids’ rooms, a filter replacement light that will turn red when it needs replacement, a timer to set the unit to run for 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours, a sleep mode that lowers the fan to the minimum, and a lights-off button that will be a blessing for those who use this unit in the bedroom. 

With no smart features onboard, such as app support or auto mode, the Core 300 is not a unit for technophiles. It’s ideal for those seeking a simple air purifier with an uncomplicated setup and straightforward controls. 

It does come with a built-in memory, so if you unplug the unit to move it to another room, it will remember your last setting as soon as you plug it back in. This may seem trivial, but it’s actually quite helpful, and many brands have been cutting down on costs to make more accessible yet powerful units; the memory is something we’ve often seen removed. 

Plus, there’s no worrying about opaque data sharing consents, which is not just an issue with Vesync’s app. Most apps have never-ending privacy policies many of us never read and usually request access to our phone camera or location. However, we’re often unaware of the many ways big companies use that information.

A comprehensive three-stage filtration system 

An ideal filter for everyday air pollutants.

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Since 2023, Levoit decided to remove all mentions of HEPA filters from the marketing materials for many of their air purifiers, including the Core series and the EverestAir. While other units, such as the Vital 100S and 200S, are advertised as featuring HEPA filters, we haven’t seen any third-party testing yet. 

Despite this issue, which can no doubt create distrust in the brand and the filter’s efficiency, at HouseFresh, we believe in hands-on testing. And our results show that the Core 300 filter performs really well. 

I’ll get to the cleaning efficiency in a bit, but for now, let me say the filter features all three stages that make a robust filtration system:

1. A pre-filter for larger particles. It’s the outer nylon layer that traps hair, fibers, dust and lint. The pre-filter is not removable like in other Levoit units, but it can be vacuumed to extend the primary filter’s life.
   
2. A main filter. The dense fiber maze is designed to capture airborne fine particles such as pollen, dust, mold spores, dander and other microscopic pollutants or allergens.
   
3. An activated carbon filter with granular activated carbon —a nice detail compared to other impregnated fabric carbon filters. The charcoal traps VOCs and odors on its surface by adsorption (similar but not entirely the same as absorption), so the higher amount of carbon a filter has, the more gasses and odors it will be able to adsorb.

Replacing the filter on the Core 300 is easy to do

The access to the filter compartment is at the bottom of the unit. The lid can be opened by twisting counterclockwise and closed clockwise. In three easy steps, the Core 300 will be ready to start cleaning the air again:

1. Unscroll the bottom cover of the device.
2. Remove the old (and dusty) filter; have a bag ready to dispose of it with minimal particles reentering your home.
3. Place the new one in its place and then put the cap back on. 

Or else, see how easily it is done in this video:

Removing the filter from the unit is fairly easy, and it can be done in three simple steps:

 

The Core 300 cleared our test room in 54 minutes with an estimate PM1 CADR of 109 cfm

This is actually pretty good for a small-to-mid-ranged air purifier released in 2019 and selling for under $100 but is starting to show its age.

The Core 300 has a CADR (clean air delivery rate) of 140 CFM for smoke, 141 CFM for dust and 145 CFM for pollen, according to the Energy Star profile.

While it’s becoming common practice to have third-party testing —and it’s actually reassuring, especially after Levoit’s HEPA / not HEPA filters issue— we still carry out our own first-hand evaluation process.

We tested all the units in the same 728-cubic-foot office so we could evaluate each air purifier’s cleaning performance and speed and compare results across all units. 

With the help of our PurpleAir sensors, we measured how long it took the Core 300 to remove all the PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 produced by incense smoke. 

The results speak for themselves:

According to our Purpleair Zen sensor it took 54 minutes to remove all particulate matter from our test room, the Core 300 is 38 minutes quicker than the much more expensive Dyson HP04 Pure Hot + Cool ($529.99) and you do get around 17% higher CADR with the pricier 300S 45 minutes to clean our test room of all PM1.

It’s only fair to say that there are newer units for small or mid-sized rooms that can clean the air faster. While the Core 300 is cheap, usually less than $100, most consumers are better off with some of the newer models like the 300S and 200S for improved performance and access to features like auto-mode and onboard air quality sensors.

Noise levels test results

Whether you work from home or are shopping for an air purifier for your bedroom or study room, noise levels are essential data to consider. All air purifiers produce some noise; engineering hasn’t evolved to create completely silent fans and motors. We’ll probably get there sooner or later, but for now, knowing beforehand how loud a unit can be will help avoid unpleasant surprises. 

That’s why this is the final step of our testing process, we measure every unit’s decibel (dB) output at the lowest and highest fan speeds. 

It is worth clarifying that we do this in a home environment and not a lab, so our measurements might be louder than the manufacturer’s because our noise level meter will pick up the hum of a fridge or a boiler in the background. We do this because we want to test how noisy air purifiers will be when used in the average home, aggregated on top of common household noise levels.

The Core 300 noise levels fall below the average decibels, emitting 37.1 dB in its most silent mode (sleep mode) and topping at 50.2 dB. For reference, Levoit’s marketing materials state 24 dB at the Core 300 lowest fan speed and 50dB at its highest fan speed.

Fan speed	HouseFresh noise level measurements	Levoit marketing materials
Speed 1	37.1 dBA	24 dBA
Speed 2	40.5 dBA
Top Speed	50.2 dBA	50 dBA

This is how the noise levels emitted by the Core 300 compare to other units:

The Blueair 411+ tops the list as one of the quietest units we’ve tested, thanks to Blueair’s trademark HEPAsilent technology that combines mechanical (HEPA) filtration and ionization (electrically charging pollutants to make them weigh more and become easier to trap by the HEPA filter).

While the Core 300 is louder, its filtration system is purely mechanical, with zero chemical by-products entering your space. It’s barely noticeable in speed 1 (37.1B), and I got used to the noise level of speed one pretty quickly and forgot it was running. If you live in a location with very low background noise, it might be more noticeable.

It’s worth noting, though, that you’ll probably be running a small unit like this at the second or highest fan speed to ensure it cleans the air in your space, even if it’s a small room. 

At speed two, we ran another performance test and accounted for natural ventilation of our test room to calculate a Usable CADR where the sound levels are sub 45dBA at 3 feet away.

The Levoit Core 300 is now looking a little old compared to the newer, similar-priced models from Levoit, like the Core 200S and Vital 100S, which both have better performance at usable sound levels.

I do like that Levoit has managed to keep the highest sound level at 50.2dB level as above this level is when it can become a problem and irritate those around when in use.

But when it comes to sounds, words usually fall short. That’s why we recorded this video, allowing you to hear the Core 300 at all its speeds. 

The cost to run a Levoit Core 300: $109.14 per year

Even if it’s not the most energy-efficient air purifier, its annual costs are considerably low — a true reflection of the key selling point of the Core 300: a budget-friendly unit.

1. Electricity costs = $54.15 per year

Understanding the annual operating cost of an air purifier can be a deciding factor in narrowing down your preselection. We understand energy costs are not something to take lightly, especially when these are on the rise worldwide.

We tested the wattage energy usage for the Levoit Core 300 at all fan speeds and recorded the experiment so you can see the results for yourself:

Fan speed	HouseFresh energy usage measurements
Standby	0.1 watts
Speed 1	19.7 watts
Speed 2	24 watts
Speed 3 [Top speed]	35.5 watts

However, compared to other Levoit units, the Core 300 is not the most energy-efficient. With the Core 300S, the manufacturer managed to reduce energy consumption to only 22 watts, while the 400S pulls no more than 38 watts, both at their highest fan speed. While the initial price on these two units is higher, it’s worth noting they are less power-hungry.

2. Filter costs = $54.99 per year

The second fixed cost to consider is the filters, which, in the case of the Core 300, are replaced every six to eight months, but we will use 6 months as this is a fairly small unit.

Regarding filters, Levoit realized that if they wanted to keep leading the budget air purifiers game, they needed to lower the costs. The first genuine replacement filters we got for the Core 300 cost $60; now, you can find the original filter for $29.99 per filter with deals on buying 2 at once that bring it to $54.99

We were also pleased to see that you can find two generic filters for just $29.99. Considering that the Levoit Core 300 does not have approved HEPA, I see no reason why you shouldn’t save money and go with generics as it brings the running costs down significantly.

These yearly running costs compare well with other small air purifiers:

Model	Yearly Cost
Levoit Core 200S	$82.46
Levoit Core 300	$109.14
Winix A230	$95.1
Okaysou AirMax 10L	$166.13
Molekule Air Mini	$244.10

The main differences between the Core 300 and the Core 300S

Although quite similar in appearance, the Core 300S has the upper hand in terms of smart features. 

In 2021, Levoit released the Core 300S, an improved and Smart version of the Core 300. On the outside, both units look exactly alike, and they even use the same filters. However, there are some differences worth considering.

1. Performance

If you’ve read my review up at this point, you will know that the Levoit Core 300 took 9 minutes longer to complete our air cleaning performance test, but I’ll say it again in case you just skipped to this section.

2. Auto mode

The Core 300S incorporates air quality sensors that enable the auto mode, a feature loved by many. 

The AirSight™ Plus sensors monitor the air in the environment, scanning for particulate matter. When the auto mode is on, the unit will adjust the fan speed according to the pollutants in your space, ramping up when the air is worse and conserving energy when it’s cleaner.  

The sensor also powers the real-time air quality readings in the control panel. Levoit integrated these smoothly without complicating the user-friendly display with an LED color-scaled wheel, which changes color depending on the air quality of the room. The 300S also uses a laser air quality sensor that is is more accurate than most other small air purifiers that either use gas sensors or cheaper infared sensors that are a little slower to detect and also require regulary cleaning every few months.

The air quality readings are also uploaded and synced with Levoit’s VeSync app, which is the next item on this list.

2. Internet connectivity and app support

While the Core 300 doesn’t include smart features, the user-friendly and comprehensive Vesync app enhances the usability of the Core 300S.

Some useful functions include tracking your home air quality and filter lifespan from wherever you are, navigating through mode settings and fan speed and connecting the unit to Google Home, Alexa and Apple Home.

3. Energy costs

To me, this is one of the most significant strengths the Core 300S has when compared to the Core 300. The Levoit team managed a great efficiency improvement achieving a max draw of 21.8 watts at top speed for the Smart unit. It reduces the yearly cost of running the Core 300S to $33.25 — a whole 40% vs the Core 300.

4. Initial price

Smart features and optimized energy costs do come at a cost. There’s a $50 cost difference between the two models —and so it’s been since the launch of the Core 300S. This may be too pricey for some while, but for others, it will make perfect sense to pay the difference upfront.

Bottom line

Looking a little old compared to the latest and greatest from Levoit

There are many things to like about the Core 300; It was the first “small” air purifier with enough power to be useful. It’s now looking a little old compared to the newer models on the market.

💡exclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

The sleek control panel is straightforward and easy to navigate. Plus, maintenance is minimal, only requiring a filter replacement twice a year (although you can go the extra mile to keep the unit in top shape).  

Many years after its release, the Levoit Core 300 was still a great option. Still, as of 2025 I have to suggest you look at the newer models from Levoit and Winix that offer better performance for the money, including the Core 300S (its younger sibling), Core 200S and the Winix A230/Compact Zero.

If budget is not an issue, you might also want to consider upgrading to the Levoit Vital 200S or Core 400S; for less than $200, you will get a CADR of 245 CFM and a much higher amount of pelleted activated carbon. The 400S even comes with a laser air quality sensor.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Levoit Core 300 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.