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.).

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 just got my levoit vital 100 today, anything more (200 or whatever) and it would be beyond what im willing to pay for. im based in singapore, so while doing research, never came across the other 2 brands. but for me it was either levoit core 100/200/300s/non-s or whatever? or xiaomi. based on research, parts are more or less from china? im not sure, cause levoit is apparently a brand from the states. rectangle is apparently better than round? you cant overkill it, so get something a little better than something that just meets the bare requirement (your room size), so that it is strong enough to not produce so much sound while maintaining efficiency. the vital series works better than core. but I see that vital is highlighting its capabilities in filtering pet related stuff, i have no pet, so it wasn't a deciding factor. so far, fan speed one is VERY silent, but I don't feel the effectiveness, like there isn't much air coming out from it? great while sleeping tho. 2 is noticeable, but like normal fan sound, not too loud, but you feel it. 3 & 4 is pretty loud, don't think i'll be using that setting unless there is some serious cigarette smell or haze. my room is really tiny <1000ft3, so for the past few hours of letting it run at fan speed 2, air in my room does feel okay. like, its defo working.

Simply do not buy WiFi-enabled purifiers. They track environment data. Get a dumb HEPA unit with manual controls. Coway or Levoit Core are proven options.

I have 3 Levoit Air Purifiers.... Love them. I have 2 of the Levoit Vital 100s and 1 Levoit Vital 200s. I prefer these because you can place against a wall without sacrificing it's functionality. They have square filters and tend to have more media surface; as compared to the Levoit Core series which are 360° filters. They also have a Levoit Everest Air... Which is the BIG DAWG. It's a bit pricey though. One day I'll probably bite the bullet and buy one of them.

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).

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.

The results would **not** surprise this sub. The CBC News video you linked is common knowledge. The CBC team selected some pretty lousy purifiers to start. Dyson is terrible and pure marketing; most of their purifiers have low particulate CADRs relative to price. The Levoit is a very small unit. Neither the GermGuardian nor the Honeywell are very powerful. Only the Blueair has good CADRs, but it relies on an always-on ionizer to enhance the mechanical filter's efficiency. Regarding what to look for... The AutoModerator comment mentions the importance of Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs). Our [FAQs wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirPurifiers/wiki/index/faqs/) mentions CADRs 16 times. Our [Buying Guide for particulates focused purifiers lists CADRs](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16bOQoFE9rKYMlo1AR_cged3yRpxfmiey54U65UeBCR4/edit?gid=0#gid=0); ideally these include dust, pollen, smoke, and PM2.5. The [AHAM 2/3 rule](https://ahamverifide.org/ahams-air-filtration-standards/) is listed in multiple places. The link to Harvard's [Portable Air Cleaner Sizing Tool (PACS)](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirPurifiers/wiki/index/calculatorsortools/#wiki_portable_air_cleaner_sizing_tool_.28pacs.29) in our wiki helps you explore CADRs while factoring in room ventilation. And yes, the DIY air cleaner comprised of MERV furnace filter(s) plus box fan is very well known. Most MERV filters are less restrictive than HEPA filters, allowing for more passes through the filter media in the same amount of time. But IMO using just one MERV filter is sub-optimal. The more effective DIY cleaner is a [Corsi-Rosenthal box](https://engineering.ucdavis.edu/news/science-action-how-build-corsi-rosenthal-box). This typically employs four MERV filters. I've recommended them many times and C-R boxes are mentioned several times on the FAQs wiki page. However, many people will find a box fan very loud. A highly energy efficient and quiet variation would be a C-R box with PC fans. See the article ["PC Fan Corsi-Rosenthal Guide"](https://itsairborne.com/pc-fan-corsi-rosenthal-guide-a611dabf7e0c) from the *It's Airborne* blog. There are also various products or kits out there requiring some amount of assembly: [Clean Air Kits](https://www.cleanairkits.com/), [North Box Systems](https://aidankepo.wixsite.com/northboxsystems), [Nukit Tempest Pro - Complete](https://cybernightmarket.com/products/the-nukit-tempest-pro-complete-air-purifier-kit-usa). And lastly... linked in the right sidebar is r/crboxes.