Levoit LV600HH Review
Pros: Powerful, accurate humidistat prevents over-humidification, convenient remote control, easy to clean
Cons: Somewhat on the expensive side
Manufacturer: Levoit
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Levoit LV600HH is not only the most powerful humidifiers we tested, it is also one of the easiest to both use and clean. If you're looking for enough horsepower to humidify a large room and regular maintenance that doesn't feel like a terrible chore, this is the model for you.
Performance Comparison
The Levoit LV600HH was the best overall scorer in our testing, picking up the top score in almost all of our testing metrics. In the sections below we further detail its performance in each of those testing metrics.
Humidifying Performance
The Levoit LV600HH was one of the most powerful humidifiers we tested, earning the top score of 9 out of 10 in this metric. It brought our testing room to the ideal 45% humidity in just half an hour, a feat that was only slightly bested by the PureGuardian H1250. It also reached the highest humidity level we recorded, a whopping 68%. To boot, it is one of the few models we tested that offers both warm and cool mist options.
What really impressed us, however, was the accuracy of its humidistat. It always registered a humidity reading within 1-2 percentage points of our dedicated humidity sensor. This means you can set the Levoit to your desired humidity and let it run completely unattended with no risk that you'll return home to water dripping off of the ceiling. A few other models have this feature, namely the PureGuardian H1250 and the Dyson AM10. The PureGuardian's humidistat is not quite as accurate, ranging plus or minus 5% accuracy in our testing. The Dyson's humidistat is even more accurate than the Levoit's, constantly reading within 1% of our humidity meter. However, this extra accuracy comes at a very high cost, which seems like quite a lot to make sure the humidity stays at exactly 45% instead of possibly jumping between 43% and 47%.
Ease of Cleaning
The Levoit was towards the top of our ease of cleaning scoresheet, earning a score of 7 out of 10.
The Levoit's water tank has an opening of 3.25", which allows for fairly easy scrubbing. The sonic agitator also doesn't have too many nooks and crannies where mold can hide. The instruction manual gives thorough directions for completing a deep clean with a white vinegar soak. All in all the scrubbing and drying everything took us about 15 minutes, with a 30-minute white vinegar soak in between. This didn't feel like too arduous of a chore to add into the Sunday routine. The only model that was easier to clean was the Honeywell HUL520B, mostly due to its large 3.8" opening and fewer surfaces to clean due to its smaller size.
User Friendliness
The Levoit was one of the most user friendly models we tested. Accordingly it shared the top score of 8 out of 10 in this metric.
The clear control panel and LED screen let you easily adjust the mist settings (both level and hot/cool), set your desired humidity, and set an auto-off timer. Although the buttons on the actual machine are not labeled, they are fairly intuitive, and the LED screen lets you know what settings have been selected. The remote control is a nice touch, allowing you to turn the machine on or off from the comfort of your bed. The buttons on the remote are labeled, which makes them a bit easier to understand.
The only other model that we felt was as user friendly as the Levoit was the Honeywell HUL520B, but this was only because of its spartan interface and simple operation. In terms of models that offer additional features like humidistats, the PureGuardian and the Dyson had more cryptic controls that took a bit longer to get used to.
The Levoit also has a large 3.25" opening in its water tank, and the tank is small enough that it fits in most sinks, This makes it quite easy to refill.
Operating Cost
The Levoit fell right in the middle of our operating cost testing, which is quite good considering its top-shelf performance.
It is fairly economical regarding electricity costs, using just 0.015kWh per hour. It also costs a lot up front, which is quite reasonable for a high-end humidifier. This resulted in an estimated lifetime cost of $159, which was below the average lifetime cost of $204, and just about even with the median lifetime cost of $156.
Value
The Levoit LV600HH hits right around the median both in term of its list price and its estimated lifetime costs. Considering that you're getting a top performing humidifier for fairly averages costs, we feel that it is a great value.
Conclusion
The Levoit LV600HH provides high end performance at a reasonable price. If you're looking for something with advanced features like a self-regulating humidistat or want something with enough horsepower to humidify a large room, this is the model for you.
— Max Mutter and Steven Tata