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If you’re searching for an air purifier for a medium-to-large room, with a sleek appearance and special features, our review of the SilverOnyx 5-Speed 4-in-1 Air Purifier is a great place to begin.

There’s a lot to unpack with this model, so we’ve thoroughly reviewed it to find out the specs, filtration system, special features, maintenance requirements, pros, and cons of this mid-range air purifier.

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SilverOnyx 5-Speed 4-in-1 “Best For” awards: 

✔ Best for smoke

In 2020, the issue of smoke contamination is all too real, raising the need for effective and efficient air purifiers that can spare your lungs.

The SilverOnyx 5-Speed gets the AirHonest award for “best for smoke” because it effectively reduces smoke odor, and clears visible smoke from the air thanks to the charcoal filter and large-surface true-HEPA filter. Many customer reviews highlight the smoke-clearing abilities of this model, even when it comes to pungent cigarette smoke.

✔ Best for pet odors

Indoor pets can come with unpleasant odors, and the SilverOnyx does a great job at solving this issue, which is why it’s earned an AirHonest award for “best for pet odors” in this review. The activated carbon layer of the true-HEPA filter absorbs pet odors, a fact backed up by many thrilled customer reviews. 

✔ Best for pets and pet dander

Pet hair and dander are extremely common allergens and require a smart air purifier to be cleared, and the SilverOnyx delivers. The pre-filter removes pet hair while the true-HEPA filter traps pet dander, as the ionizer helps to remove them from the air (if you choose to use it). Therefore, we’re awarding this unit with the AirHonest “best for pets and pet dander” award for our review.

✔ Best for allergies

If there’s one thing an air purifier should be able to do, it’s to reduce allergy symptoms, and the SilverOnyx gets a tick in this box. It has a pre-filter and a true-HEPA filter to catch large and minuscule allergens such as dust, pet hair, dander, and pollen. Many happy customers have raved about their improved allergy symptoms since purchasing this unit, earning it a “best for allergies award” from AirHonest.

Purify Your Air Today with SilverOnyx Purifier (Open Amazon Link)

Setup, aesthetic, and overall design 

We like the overall design and appearance of this model, with a sleek, cylindrical shape and digital control panel at the top. We also like that it is small enough to sit on a side table or even a large bedroom top shelf, out of the way. You can make sure it fits with your decor as there are three color choices for the SilverOnyx 5-Speed: classic black, sleek silver, and fresh white.

Size, weight, coverage, and ratings

CADR: CADR means “clean air delivery rate” and it refers to the speed at which an air purifier can clear a room of allergens, according to the room size. The CADR rating for this model is 140m/h or 85 cubic feet per minute. This is an overall rating and there are no specific ratings for allergens (smoke, dust, and pollen) as other air purifiers often provide in their review of key specs. 

Size: 10.5 x 10.5 x 16.5 inches
Weight: 5 pounds
Coverage: 500 square feet
Energy star rated? No

Filtration System 

The filtration system features 5 different steps, some of which are optional (the ionizer and UV-C light). An interesting aspect to note is the shape and size of the filter, as it is cylindrical as opposed to flat like many other air purifiers. This means that there is more surface area, and the air purifier can catch allergens all the way around the unit. The pre-filter, true-HEPA, and carbon filter stages are all combined in one filter, making replacements easy.

Mesh pre-filter: catches the larger particles on their way in (pet hair, dust, pollen)

True-HEPA filter: catches the required 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns in size

Activated carbon layer: absorbs and reduces odors

UV-C light: emits UV light that zaps germs and allergens in the air such as mold, viruses, and bacteria

Ionizer: sends out negative ions that bond with airborne allergens, weighing them down so they fall to the floor or surfaces to be cleaned away

Does it produce ozone?

The short answer is “yes” because it does have an ionizer and UV-C light feature. However, both of these features can be easily switched off by a simple press of the button on top of the unit.

Modes, operation, and extras

The control panel at the top of the unit displays a series of symbols and text for various modes and optional features. They’re easy to decipher, (and the manual is very helpful) but here’s a rundown of each one and what it does:

Timer: set the air purifier to a specific time frame from 30 minutes to 24 hours and it will automatically turn off after your set time

Change filter indicator: the little filter symbol will light up when it’s time to change the filters. However, this is just an indication and not a hard-and-fast rule, as it relies on time elapsed (since last change) as opposed to the actual state of the filter

Light: this button switches off the air quality and fan speed lights

Auto mode: adjusts the fan speed according to how contaminated the air is (as tested by the PM2.5 sensor). The indicator light will glow to let you know the state of the air at all times (blue/good, yellow-green/moderate, purple/polluted, red/poor)

Sleep mode: adjusts to the lowest (and quietest) fan speed, and dims the control panel lights

Ionizer and UV-Light buttons: used to turn the ionizer and UV-C lights off and on

Airflow (fan speed): this button is used when you want to manually change the fan speed (also referred to as “airflow”) from levels 1-5

PM2.5 indicator: this is the number in the bottom display screen, and it shows the quality of the air when this feature is switched on. It is essentially an air quality indicator that uses an air sensor to measure the contamination level

Note: “PM2.5” refers to particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 microns and is therefore harmful when breathed into the respiratory system. AirOnyx measures and displays the PM2.5 levels (and therefore the quality of the air) as follows:

• 0-50: good
• 51-100: moderate
• 101-200: unhealthy
• 201-300: very unhealthy
• 301-500: hazardous 

Light and sound 

An air purifier should clear the room of odors and allergens, but it should also be inconspicuous in terms of noise and light. We’re impressed that the SilverOnyx has a Sleep mode and a Light button that somewhat dim the control panel lights.

However, the noise levels are harder to determine, as “loud” can mean different things from person to person. To be exact, the maximum noise level (on the highest fan speed) is 56 decibels, which is just higher than a normal conversation. The lowest fan speed is less than 25 decibels or the equivalent to a whisper.

Some customers who reviewed the model said that the noise level overall is too high, while others found it just right. If you are planning on having the unit on in your bedroom at night, and you’re noise-sensitive, it might just be too loud. 

Read all SilverOnyx Air Purifier Reviews on Amazon (Open Amazon Link)

Maintenance and extra accessories 

The maintenance requirements aren’t too strenuous, as it’s just a matter of making sure the filter is changed and the exterior unit is clean. However, you do have to keep the PM2.5 sensor clean also, which involves cleaning the sensor inlet with a cotton bud.

There’s also a foam insert inside the PM2.5 sensor area that needs to be cleaned whenever you switch out the filters. This is a simple task that just requires a rinse in the sink and time to thoroughly dry.

SilverOnyx 5-Speed 4-in-1 Air Purifier vs Levoit Core 300 

The Levoit Core 300 is in the same category as the SilverOnyx in shape, aesthetic, operation, and features so we’ve put them head to head. They are both cylindrical, with a digital control panel and air outlets at the top.

First of all, the Levoit is cheaper and covers a much smaller area (215 square feet as opposed to 500). The filtration systems are similar in the sense that they both have a pre-filter, true-HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter.

However, a key difference is that the Levoit does not include an ionizer or UV-C light, both of which SilverOnyx has. What’s more, the Levoit has a choice of four different filters according to your needs: original, pet, toxin, and mold/bacteria.

In terms of customer reviews and overall effectiveness, they have similar ratings (heavily weighted at 4.5 stars!). They’re both highly praised for removing pet odors and reducing allergy symptoms.

SilverOnyx Pros & Cons

Review Verdict

The SilverOnyx would be a great choice for you if you need something to effectively reduce smoke, food, and pet odors, as well as reducing allergy symptoms in 2020. Plus, if you need a unit on the mid-to-low price range, with very affordable filter replacements, you’ll be impressed with this option.

While it does have the controversial UV-C light and ionizer, they can both be switched off for peace of mind. This could be great for a small apartment (pop it on a bench or top shelf to keep it out of the way) or a large room where pets play and allergens are rife.

The auto and sleep modes are a great win, as they provide that extra touch of user-friendliness and versatility to fit in with your routine. If you’ve settled on this option after reading our review, you can find the best affordable price on Amazon.