Levoit - LAP‑C302S‑WUSB

Only buy levoit in black, the white turns yellow. Ask me how I know.

Portable hood by the window for capture. HEPA + big carbon purifier running high during + a few hours after. If money is tight: consider a DIY Corsi–Rosenthal box (for particles) + a smaller carbon purifier or the hood for odors. If money is not as tight and smoke is frequent: consider a smoke-focused purifier with heavy carbon (Winix 5510, Levoit large-room, Oransi TrueCarbon, Austin Air, etc.).

The "Core" series (round ones) are definitively NOT HEPA. They still clean air, but if the certification is important to you, they definitely failed to get certified and misled their customers. Their "Vital" series (rectangular) is still HEPA, but they've backed off from marketing it that way due to their legal woes.

1. You don’t really want an app. It is t useful in any way. Why? Because the sensor on the unit isn’t accurate, so the app won’t really tell you if your air is clean. Also because the only way to clean air is to run the unit on a constant speed 24/7. So unless your use case is very specific (vacation home, away for long periods, etc.) then an app isn’t helpful. 2. Shark is junk. Levoit cleans air just fine but is not HEPA, if that matters. Blue air is the best of the three, also isn’t HEPA but has a static generator which bothers some people. 3. Consider winix or Coway. They’re better in every way.

They’re fine. HEPA is better first pass filtration but the Levoit units clean air pretty well. They just wear out their filters sooner. I don’t love them but if I had 4 I wouldn’t throw them out! Yea I own an IQ Air but I don’t think you need one. Most people do fine with a $150 Coway.

Where do you live? No US doctor would have recommended ANY of those brands. Dyson is junk and those others are cheap. Coway, Winix, maybe Levoit. Go that way.

How is a levoit only better for hair and dander? Hepa is hepa and vital series should be just as effective as the others. Core series is inferior. 

Yeah, as others are pointing out the pandemic is far from over. Air purifiers are a great idea. We have them in every room of the house. Get them to cover double the sq ft than the room you’ll use it in so that you can get the same coverage on lower settings. The Levoit Core series is good, has a small footprint and is pretty affordable. I’ve sent these to family. Shout out for the [Air Fanta 3Pro](https://air-fanta.com/collections/all) because it folds down and is portable for travel. [Clean Air Kits](https://www.cleanairkits.com/collections/shop-all) are also awesome. I just got the [Exhalaron](https://www.cleanairkits.com/products/exhalaron) to use for doctors appointments etc.

I think this gets overstated. The Core series pre-filter just comes with the filter. It’s not much harder to vacuum those than the separate ones in the flat panel units. I say this an owner of Cores, Vitals and an EverestAir.

I chose the Levoit Core Series because its quiet operation worked well in my baby's room, and the cleaner air noticeably reduced my allergy symptoms.

Levoit are consistently ranked among the top by professional reviewers and customers alike. There are people out there who are all pissy about the fact that the filters aren't officially HEPA certified anymore and have made it their life mission to shit on Levoit at any opportunity, but the fact is that it's just not important as the filters are still among the best performing, with or without the certification and it's wholly irrelevant for most people's uses. My main advice would be to get the largest unit you can afford, as small ones are much less effective. Large ones can always be run on a slower speed if put into a small room, but generally it's best to use the highest speed you can handle without being annoyed by it. The Vital 100S and Vital 200S have washable mesh pre-filters which is one of their main advantages over the Core series, but the Core series are still very good. The washable pre-filters just help keep the primary filter lasting a little longer between replacements. However, reviewers have noted that the Vital 200S is the better choice over the 100S due to being quieter, more power efficient, and larger. The Core series have a non-washable pre-filter which you can vacuum every couple of weeks with a soft brush. They are still excellent purifiers, and there are plenty of options for third-party replacement filters which are just as good, but cheaper than the originals. There are also good third party filter options for the Vital series as well. Since an air purifier is designed to be turned on and left running constantly, the smart features aren't really necessary unless you would like to control the speed every night when you go to bed, or set schedules where it runs at maximum when you're out, and then returns to a lower speed when you're home, etc. Other than something like that, the non-smart enabled ones will do just fine. Also remember that the room sizes they claim can be purified are exaggerated greatly for all brands and models. The really small units which can fit on your night table by the bed and sell for cheaply won't be very effective.

This Levoit would be a better choice, yes. u/NICBROWWN's suggestion is also worth considering. The [refurbished Winix C545](https://www.winixamerica.com/product/certified-refurbished-c545-air-purifier/) has higher Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) than the Levoit model. Keep in mind refurbished Winix units are limited stock and offer a 1 year warranty. NB: if you have pet birds, keep Winix's PlasmaWave (a bipolar ionizer) off, as birds are far more sensitive to ozone than humans.

The stuffiness you describe may due to higher indoor relative humidity (RH) and/or carbon dioxide build-up. High RH can lead to mold and mildew growth, which in turn produces odorous mVOCs (microbial Volatile Organic Compounds). Purifiers only capture *airborne* mold and mildew; they can't mitigate moisture sources or pathways. A dehumidifier would be much better instead. I'm guessing you have one or more ductless mini splits for air conditioning? Unfortunately "whole home" dehumidifiers require ductwork. You would need to buy a freestanding dehumidifier instead. I'd prefer the Levoit or Philips over Xiaomi or Blueair. Just keep in mind that Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) are typically given for the highest airflow speed/setting *only*. Lower settings have lower CADRs, which reduces cleaning effectiveness.

Not a big fan of the Levoit Core series purifiers. I think the Levoit Vital series and the EverestAir model are superior because they use separate permanent pre-filters. That and I've read about more issues (malfunctions or unit failures) with the Core series. Ultimately the right purifier depends on pollution levels, health conditions like allergies, and room volume (length x width x height).

Hey! I have 5 Levoit smart purifiers around my home on Google Home ecosystem, and it works flawlessly.