Updated on May 06, 2024
You already clean your home, but you should also be cleaning your air quality. In our Levoit Core 400S review, see why you need this air purifier.
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I’ve never thought much about having an air purifier. Sure, I could see the advantages for any household, but couldn’t I accomplish the same thing by opening the windows and changing the furnace filters regularly in my HVAC system? How wrong I was.
Since acquiring a Levoit Core 400S air purifier, it’s become something I use almost daily, including functions I never considered using an air purifier for. I change out the filters in the heating and cooling system and the windows have been open almost constantly since spring, but the air purifier has made my home much more comfortable. Read on for my full Levoit Core 400s review.
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A sleek cylinder shape, the Levoit Core 400S sits unobtrusively in the corner of a room, quietly pulling in air through the holes in the bottom half and releasing fresh air from the top. It cleans the air via a three-layer filtration system. As a bonus, it’s backed by over 13,200 five-star ratings on Amazon alone. Now that’s a solid air purifier choice!
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The Levoit Core 400S is an efficient smart air purifier designed to thoroughly clean an entire room. Its AirSight Plus technology scans the air for airborne particles as small as 0.3µm, ensuring effective purification.
The pre-filter stage captures larger stuff like lint, visible dust, pet hair, etc. Next, an H13 True high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter captures microscopic particles, like pet dander, smoke, pollen, dust and other indoor allergens. According to the manufacturer, statically charged fibers trap 99.99% of bacteria and viruses, though I had no way of verifying that in home testing. Finally, a third filter of activated carbon fiber gets rid of smells and fumes.
There are five fan speeds, as well as an auto setting that adjusts the fan based on workload. You can control the unit via an app or a panel on the top. One nice feature about the app: It lets you operate the air purifier from anywhere, set a schedule or activate a 24-hour timer.
It weighs 11 pounds and it’s not small, running about 20 inches tall and 10 inches in diameter. It works well in large rooms, with an effective range of up to 403 square feet. Despite its size, the design blends into just about any room, so you won’t really even notice it’s there. Tons of folks praise this air purifier for its myriad features, including TikTok user @allisonwisdom, who breaks them down.
@_allisonwisdom This is my favorite air purifier but there are tons on sale in honor of prime day!! Go check out the “Air Purifier Tab” on my storefront to see all deals or the “My Home Favorites” to shop this particular one🫶 if you’re not a prime member, be sure to snag a 30 day free trial on my website. There are tons of good deals coming that you don’t want to miss 🛍️#amazonprimeday #amazonprimedeals #airpurifier #levoitairpurifier #primeday2023 #amazondeals #primedaydeals #amzondiscounts #amazondeals2023 #amazonprimefreetrial #homemusthaves #amazonhomefavorites
The Levoit Core 400S offers a sleek, streamlined design. Despite being about as visually appealing as other air purifiers, it offers an unobtrusive look that blends in well. However, the way the unit looks doesn’t matter so much as how it performs.
Right away, I put it to use. I’m not the most gifted chef, so sautéing various foods usually results in a house full of smoke and various smells that can be, well, off-putting. My kitchen space connects to my living room, so there’s no escape from culinary mishaps. I also tried it in my office/studio, where I regularly paint scale models. I mostly use water-based acrylics, but even some of those feature a solvent base that can be quite strong.
Where I really put the Levoit Core 400S to the test, however, was handling some rather intense wildfire smoke. With historically large blazes burning less than 40 miles away in the mountains east and west of my home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I spent much of April and May with brown haze and acrid smell around my place.
The Levoit Core 400S sits quietly in the corner, withstanding the occasional bump from a vacuum cleaner. Maintenance is minimal, with the primary task being regular filter replacements, which cost $50-$60. Despite its smart components, the unit functions well without Wi-Fi, making it reliable even in areas with weak network connections.
The Levoit Core 400S does not offer pet allergy filters, so if clearing pet dander is a priority, this model may not be the best fit.
The display shows air quality with a PM 2.5 reading, indicating particulate matter levels. A color-coded system—blue, green, yellow, and red—makes it easy to understand, with red signaling poor air quality when PM 2.5 levels exceed 115.
Without the proper equipment to independently verify air quality, I can’t confirm exactly how clean the Levoit Core 400S made the air in my home. However, it cleared smoke and vapors quickly, outperforming the typical method of opening windows and running a fan (which isn’t feasible during fire season). It also passed the all-important smell test, which is crucial for pet owners.
The first significant test occurred after spraying acrylic varnish on a project in my office/workshop. The unit’s monitor shot up to 300 almost immediately, and after turning the fan to its highest setting, the air cleared in 10 minutes, along with the smell.
Wildfire season began in early April, when heavy smoke blanketed everything. After failing to close the windows in time, the house smelled like the fire was inside, though it was 25 miles away. I ran the air purifier in the living room, and it eliminated the odor in about 30 minutes. On days with lighter smoke, the Levoit Core 400S worked well enough that I didn’t have to shut the windows entirely.
In the kitchen, it handled smoke and odors efficiently. Smoke from sautéed chicken dissipated in under 15 minutes, and the unit even tackled high PM 2.5 readings from hairspray in the bedroom and strong odors from a three-bean salad.
I particularly appreciate the color-coded indicator and PM reading on the top, providing easy-to-read data without needing a separate air quality monitor.
In Levoit’s lineup, the Core 400S fits between the Core 600S and Core 300S. As the naming suggests, the number roughly correlates with the square footage each model can handle.
The 400S performed well in the space we tested, and it could likely work for slightly larger or smaller rooms. However, potential buyers should assess their needs carefully before purchasing. The 400S may be overkill for smaller spaces like one-bedroom or studio apartments, and it might struggle in large, open-floorplan homes.
While the Levoit Core 400S is relatively quiet on lower settings, it can get fairly loud on higher ones. However, the noise level resembles a standing fan or kitchen hood vent. This likely won’t be an issue in a living room or office, but if you’re using it in a bedroom while you sleep, the noise could be a disturbance.
As of publication, the Levoit Core 400S is priced at around $220, which is reasonable for a unit capable of handling large rooms. Filter replacements are recommended every six months at $50 each, bringing the annual cost to about $100—an affordable rate for ongoing maintenance.
Ryan Van Bibber, the executive editor for Family Handyman, is a career journalist with over two decades of industry experience. A lifelong DIY enthusiast, Ryan learned from his father, a carpenter and general contractor. His curiosity about how things work and how to improve them has shaped both his career and his personal DIY journey as a homeowner. He specializes in painting, sustainability, and basic home maintenance.
Sean Tirman, Content Updates Editor at Family Handyman, updated and contributed research to this piece. Sean has written shopping guides since 2016 and is a former associate editor at Gear Patrol.
With over 13,200 five-star ratings, this air purifier is getting major thumbs up from real-life shoppers. Here’s what they’re saying their Levoit Core 400S reviews:
“I have multiple dogs with me in my large master bedroom. This Levoit purifier kept the odor at a minimum. Barely noticed wet dog smell even on a rainy day!” shares Sherry Webb, a verified purchaser.
Jason, a five-star reviewer, says, “I was against getting this, but my wife wanted it and it was on sale, so I pulled the trigger. I have to say, I’m impressed. It has drastically reduced the amount of dust and dander in our living room (we have a larger dog). You can set it up for a runtime on an app, and it will automatically monitor the air quality and run the fan speed accordingly.”
“We keep it in our kitchen. Our smoke detector is hooked into our alarm system, which can be annoying. Since having this, our smoke detector has not went off once,” writes verified buyer, Rebecca I. “This clears the air quickly. If set on auto, you can watch the numbers drop when the air quality goes down. It’s sensitive enough that lighting a candle or using air freshener will tell it that the air quality is low.”
“Depending on your air quality and how often you use the air purifier, it is recommended to change the filter every 6–12 months,” says Levoit.
No, the Levoit Core 400S does not produce ozone. It uses three-stage filtration technology and lacks an ionizer, typically responsible for ozone production in some air purifiers.
Living with an ever-lengthening wildfire season, an air purifier has become a necessity I never thought I’d need. However, the Levoit Core 400S would be a useful addition for anyone—from handling the occasional cooking mishap to filtering out air pollution from the street below your apartment. Those with allergies, pets, or both would benefit greatly from having one.
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Improve your home's air quality with the Levoit Core 400S smart air purifier, designed to tackle all types of air quality issues effectively.
Snag your own Levoit Core 400S air purifier on the brand’s website, as well as Amazon, Walmart and Chewy for around $220. In no time, you’ll be breathing easier.
