Levoit Core 300 Review

The Levoit Core 300 stands out for having excellent air-purifying capabilities, particularly for its size. It's also easy to set up and user-friendly. It offers some of the most customizable programing options of any of the models we tested and even includes a sleep mode. Weighing 7.5 pounds, it's easy to move this machine from room to room.

Performance Comparison

Air Cleaning Performance

Air cleaning performance is the hallmark ability of an air purifier. If it doesn't do this well, none of the other metrics really matter. For that reason, this metric accounts for 40% of each device score. A simple but important factor to consider is if the machine you're looking at has an adequate CADR (clean air delivery rate) score for the space you need. The larger the number, the bigger the space the machine can handle. It's equally important that this number has been authenticated by AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers); not all options go through this verification process. The Core 300 has the AHAM stamp of approval and boasts a CADR of 141 cubic feet per minute. This puts its above average in our testing group though it's not the highest performer for truly large spaces.

To test the actual air purifying performance of each machine, we sealed off our 150-square-foot testing room and burned paper and other materials until the air quality reached our desired level of measurable particulates in the air. We then ran each machine for an hour to see how it performed. After the first 30 minutes of operation, the Core 300 reduced the particulates in the room to 16.7% of the original particulate matter. After 45 minutes, only 7.9% of the particulates were left. After a full hour, there were only .003% of measurable particulates left.

While no machine we tested entirely eliminated the odor left behind from the smoke, the Core 300 seriously reduced the smell and greatly improved visibility.

Noise

The noise metric accounts for 25% of each model score. While different people will find different levels of noise more or less tolerable, we measured how loud each machine is using a decibel reader. When set to high, the Core 300 produced 60 decibels, making it one of the louder machines we tested.

Our testers described the noise as not having a terrible pitch to it but it did emit an obvious whirring sound. When set to the medium setting, we measured 58 decibels, which were still quite noticeable. On the low setting, it produced 52 decibels; while much quieter, it was still noticeable. This machine does have a sleep setting which produced a noise that was all but unnoticeable and dimmed the display lights.

Ease of Use

Ease of use refers to just how user-friendly and intuitive each machine is to operate. The first thing we did was get out a stopwatch and time how long it took to go from the unopened box to have the machine up and running. Needing minimal effort to assemble, it only took our testers two minutes to get the Core 300 set up.

While it isn't equipped with a remote control, the LED interface on the Core 300 is easy to understand and use. It has an impressive number of settings and programming options. It includes three control speeds, a control lock, a timer that can be set for two, four, six, and eight hours, and a sleep mode that dims the display lights and is quieter than the low setting.

The only thing this device is really missing is an automatic air sensor. Some of the more premium options will kick on by themselves if the air quality in the room dips below a certain level. With dimensions around nine inches wide by nine inches long and fourteen inches tall, this machine is compact. Those measurements, combined with its low weight of seven and a half pounds, make this unit highly portable.

Operating Cost

To measure the operating cost of each machine, we hook them up to a watt reader and measure how many kilowatts per hour they consume. When set to medium and used for two hours, the Core 300 used .05 kilowatts. We then assumed an average use time of 12 hours per day, which would be about 109.5 kilowatts used per year. This averages out to cost about $15.00 per year.

The filter for the Levoit needs to be changed every six to eight months. With filter costs of $28 per filter, you could end up spending an additional $56 dollars per year on filters. When you factor in the initial purchase price and the annual use costs, the lifetime costs over a five-year period are pretty average for an air purifier.

Value

The Core 300 offers consumers an excellent value. It has a very reasonable MSRP for how much performance you get out of this little machine. If you are looking for an air purifier for a small room or simply don't want to shell out more money for a more powerful device, the Levoit is a great choice.

Conclusion