Levoit Vital 100 Air Purifier Review

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Here at AirHonest, we review the market’s best air purifier brands, including Levoit, a well-known Californian brand dedicated to clean air. In this review, we are exploring the Levoit Vital 100 air purifier, an allergy-busting model with a thorough filtration system.

We have studied the construction, modes, features, maintenance costs, and have compared the Vital 100 with the popular Levoit LV-PUR131.

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What is the Levoit Vital 100 Air Purifier Best For? 

Medium-large rooms and bedrooms: the Vital 100 is designed for rooms up to 300 square feet, (a large living room or an entire small apartment). Plus, if you require an air purifier to cleanse your bedroom as you sleep, this is a worthy choice as the LED lights can be switched off. Most importantly, the lowest fan speed is a very quiet 23 decibels.

Check out our review of the best air purifiers for large rooms here.

Homes with pets: many factors make the Vital 100 a great air purifier for pet-inhabited homes. For one, it does not produce any ozone whatsoever, as it does not feature an ionizer or UV-C light. Ozone can be very harmful to pets, so it’s best to avoid it altogether.

Secondly, the filtration system is designed for capturing pet-related allergens such as dander and fur, common causes of sneezing and runny eyes. Pet odors are effectively reduced too, thanks to the activated carbon filter that also absorbs harmful chemicals in the home (such as formaldehyde). We were happy to see that many reviews state that the Vital 100 successfully reduces pet odors and pet-related allergy symptoms as it promises.

Asthma and allergies: it’s a no-brainer that the Vital 100 is excellent for reducing allergy and asthma symptoms in medium-large rooms, due to the 3-stage filtration system.

The true-HEPA filter catches 99.97% of allergens as small as 0.3 microns in size, which includes common irritants such as mold, pollen, dust, and dander. Many thrilled users have reviewed the Vital 100 reporting that it effectively reduces allergy symptoms in the home, even those with pets.

Size, Weight, Coverage, and Ratings

CADR: the Levoit Vital 100 has an overall CADR rating of 130cfm, but does not have specified ratings for different allergens. For further context, this unit will clear the air in a 300 square foot room 3.3 times an hour.

CADR refers to “clean air delivery rate” and indicates how fast the air purifier takes to clear a certain room size.

Size: 12.8 x 6.4 x 16.1 inches
Weight: 9.3 pounds
Coverage: up to 300 square feet
Energy-Star certified? No (but it is very energy efficient at 55 watts)

Filtration System

The filtration system of the Vital 100 is in keeping with the Levoit filtration style, with a 3-stage system. The filters are flat (as opposed to the cylinder-styles of the LV-H132, Core 300, and Vista 200 models), and come in two separate pieces. The pre-filter can be easily removed from the main filter so it can be washed, dried, and replaced.

Pre-filter: a washable filter designed to be the first port of call for allergens, capturing the largest particles such as dust and pet hair 

True-HEPA filter: as expected according to HEPA rules, this catches 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns such as dander, pollen, mold, and bacteria 

Activated carbon filter: the primary job is to absorb and reduce household odors such as pet smells, smoke, and cooking smells. This filter also absorbs harmful chemicals in the air such as formaldehyde, ammonia, and VOCs

Does the Levoit Vital 100 have an Ionizer?

No, Levoit does not use any ionizing filters in their air purifiers, ensuring a 100% ozone-free product. It’s safe to say that going into 2020, clean air is more important than ever.

Check Levoit Vital 100 on Amazon

Style, Operation, Modes, and Features 

The Levoit Vital 100 is a rectangular-style model with a low profile, designed to sit discreetly on floors or other stable surfaces. Air inlets are located on both sides of the unit, with a clean air outlet at the top. Having the air outlet located at the top of the unit is helpful as it makes placement a little easier. You don’t need to worry about blocking the outlet with walls or furniture as with side outlets.

The control panel sits along the top of the machine, with simple touch buttons and easy-to-read symbols. While there are LED indicator lights to show the fan speed, timer, display, and filter status, you can switch them off to cut light pollution.

This isn’t a super fancy air purifier with lots of modern features and effects, it’s simple and modest. This is great for people who want an excellent filtration system and simple operation but aren’t interested in fussing with WiFi, Auto modes, special sensors, or apps.

Fan speeds: manually flick between low, medium, and high fan speeds according to the level of contamination in the air

Display on/off: an excellent feature that allows you to cut the LED lights

Timer: choose between 2, 4 and 8-hour increments after which the unit will automatically switch off to save power

Filter replacement light: this feature is more of a reminder than a hard and fast indicator. It turns on after 6-8 months since you last changed the filter, but doesn’t actually read the condition of the filter itself

Maintenance and Filter Requirements 

You’re not signing up for a strenuous maintenance schedule with this model, with barely any cleaning requirements involved. Simply take a damp cloth and wipe the exterior casing, and give the interior a gentle clean with the vacuum cleaner brush.

How often do the filters need to be changed?

The true-HEPA and carbon filters should be changed every 6-8 months depending on how quickly they become dirty. If you’ve got heavy-shedding pets or a very dusty home, you may be looking at a shorter turnaround time.

A couple of reviews complained that the users had to replace the filters within a couple of months according to the light. However, it’s best to simply go by the appearance of the filters to judge when they require replacing.

Can the filters be cleaned or washed?

The pre-filter is washable and reusable, requiring cleaning every 2-4 weeks to preserve the efficiency of the machine. You can vacuum both sides of the filter to remove large particles, then give it a thorough rinse in plain water to get rid of smaller pieces.

Where can I get replacement filters for the Vital 100 and how much are they?

You can find Levoit Vital 100 air purifier filter replacements for the lowest cost on Amazon here. The annual filter replacement cost is excellent if you replace the filters twice a year.

Levoit Vital 100 Air Purifier versus Levoit LV-PUR131 

Check out our review of the LV-PUR131 here.

The Levoit LV-PUR131 is a close sibling of the Vital 100 in the sense that they are both rectangular, compact units with top-facing air outlets and control panels. The LV-PUR131 has a slightly larger recommended room area of 360 square feet (60 feet more than the Vital 100).

The filtration systems between these two models are the same, with a pre-filter, true-HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter. However, the LV-PUR131 pre-filter is not washable like the Vital 100 and must be replaced every 6-8 months with the other filters.

The LV-PUR131 is more sophisticated in the sense that it has a color-coded air quality indicator, corresponding Auto Mode, and Sleep mode. This means that the unit will automatically switch fan speeds according to how contaminated the air is.

As to be expected, the LV-PUR131 is more expensive, but it’s not necessarily the better option. It comes down to room size, maintenance preferences, and whether or not you’d like an Auto mode and air quality indicators.

Noise and Light 

Noise is an interesting factor, as there are varying customer responses in terms of loudness. Some customers who reviewed the Vital 100 found that the highest fan speed is “shockingly loud”, (this is to be expected for most air purifiers’ highest speeds).

However, the lowest fan speed does seem to live up to the promise of being very quiet, with many reviews backing this up. In saying this, it’s best to get into specifics when it comes to noise, as you can ascertain what “loud” means to you. The lowest noise level is 23 decibels, (rustling leaves or a low whisper), and the highest is 50 decibels (a quiet office).

The LED lights can be switched off for an undeniably discreet presence in a dark room.

Levoit Vital 100 Pros & Cons

Review Verdict

As our review (and many helpful customer reviews) demonstrates, the Levoit Vital 100 is a solid air purifier with a hard-working filter system. It’s great for reducing pet allergens and odors while remaining reasonably discreet in any medium-sized room.

It’s a low-mid range air purifier ideal for people with a need for simple features and noticeable results. If after reading our Vital 100 review you’re feeling inspired to look further into it, find it for an affordable price on Amazon here.

Frequently Asked Questions