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Buying-link check, October 13, 2026: Buying links for AirDoctor AD5500 are paused because our offer check did not find qualifying new, in-stock Amazon.com-sold offers. Published specifications remain here for comparison.
Air purifiers for pets, smoke and cooking smells: match the filter and the room size
Choose by the job: pet hair, smoke or cooking smells, then check the room size
Size a purifier by its room figure at 4.8 air changes an hour, not by the headline. Winix lists the 5510 as AHAM Verified for 392 sq ft, based on 4.8 air changes an hour of tobacco smoke removal with 8-foot ceilings; its 1,882 sq ft figure is one air change an hour. Levoit gives the Vital 100S-P 222 sq ft at 4.8 changes and 1,066 at one. Where a maker publishes clean air delivery rate (CADR) by pollutant, compare the smoke figure for smoke.
The pet, smoke and odor claims below are the makers’ own, and none was tested for this page. The makers also say what their sensors miss. Levoit’s Vital manuals say the dust sensor detects particles, not smells, and Dreo’s manual says its sensor cannot detect odors and suggests the highest speed when a smell is strong. An auto mode can therefore sit on a low speed while a room still smells of cooking.
This page does not pick a purifier for mold. Levoit’s Vital 200S-P and Core 600S-P manuals say water or moisture lets mold grow, and that to solve a mold problem you remove the source of the moisture and clean up the mold. Both also warn that in excessively humid areas the filter surface may become moldy. For a damp room, start with our dehumidifier guides.
Pet hair in a bedroom or small room: Levoit Vital 100S-P
Levoit rates it for 222 sq ft at 4.8 air changes an hour. Its manual says the washable pre-filter catches large particles such as dust, lint, fibers, hair and pet fur, and should be cleaned every 2 to 4 weeks. Pet Mode runs 15 minutes on high, then 60 on medium, and repeats; with light detection on, a dark room keeps it on medium. Levoit lists a Pet Allergy version of the main filter.
The two-year warranty excludes filters and damage by animals, and does not extend to units bought from unauthorized sellers. The manual asks for 15 inches clear in front.
Read the Vital 100S-P guide · Check the Vital 100S-P on Amazon
Cigarette smoke in a mid-size room: Winix 5510
Winix bases its AHAM Verified 392 sq ft on tobacco smoke removal, and its table lists CADR 253 for smoke, 252 for dust and 247 for pollen. After the pre-filter come an AOC carbon filter, which Winix says reduces household odors from cooking, pets and smoke, and a True HEPA filter. The manual says to clean the pre-filter every 14 days, and that the carbon filter cannot be washed and lasts about 12 months. PlasmaWave can be switched off, and the manual says no spare parts are offered after the two-year warranty ends.
Read the Winix 5510 guide · Check the Winix 5510 on Amazon
Cooking smells: Levoit Vital 200S-P
Levoit gives 388 sq ft at 4.8 air changes an hour, and the manual lists CADR 250 for smoke, 254 for dust and 289 for pollen. The manual says its activated carbon layer adsorbs smoke, odors and fumes, and Levoit also sells Smoke Remover and Toxin Absorber versions of the filter. Because the dust sensor detects particles, not smells, the manual points to Efficient Auto Mode in the VeSync app for odors: it runs on turbo for the time one air change of your room takes, then follows the sensor. The manual says to keep it away from heat sources. The main filter is replaced about every 12 months and must not be washed.
Read the Vital 200S-P guide · Check the Vital 200S-P on Amazon
A large open room: AirDoctor AD5500
AirDoctor lists 1,043 sq ft at four air changes an hour, fewer than the 4.8 used above, and a smoke CADR of 556, without naming a test standard. Its carbon stage is activated carbon with potassium permanganate, per AirDoctor. Every change is a pair: the manual says to replace the filters on both sides at the same time, carbon up to every 6 months and UltraHEPA up to every 12. The 33-pound unit stays on the floor with both sides more than a foot from a wall.
The one-year warranty carries a shipping and processing fee. Amazon lists the seller as Ideal Living Direct; AirDoctor says it is part of the Ideal Living family of brands.
Before you buy
- Count the filters, not just the months. Coway’s AP-1512HH adds a separate odor filter every 6 months, which Coway sells in Fresh Starter, Allergen, Intense Smoke and Pet versions. KNKA’s APH4000 takes two filters every 3 to 6 months.
- Ionizers have a switch. Winix’s PlasmaWave, AirDoctor’s ionizer and Coway’s ionizer each have an on and off control in the maker’s manual. Winix’s and Coway’s manuals state compliance with an ozone limit of 0.050 ppmv over 24 hours.
- Keep it out of damp spots. Levoit’s manuals rule out excessively humid areas, Honeywell’s HPA304 manual asks for use away from bathrooms and laundry areas, and Dreo’s says humidity will cause mold to grow.
- Check who sells it. Levoit’s warranty does not extend to units from unauthorized sellers, and Coway’s covers new units from authorized dealers only.
Based on published specifications and manuals, not usage tests. Sources checked September 29, 2026: Levoit Vital 100S-P (levoit.com), its manual (m.media-amazon.com) and warranty (m.media-amazon.com); Levoit Vital 200S-P manual (m.media-amazon.com); Levoit Core 600S-P manual (levoit.com); Winix 5510 (no longer online) and its manual (winixamerica.com); AirDoctor 5500 (airdoctor.com) and its manual (support.airdoctor.com); Coway AP-1512HH manual (cdn.shopify.com) and filter set (cowaymega.com); Dreo 539 manual (m.media-amazon.com); and the product guide for each model named. Amazon links are affiliate links.
Compare every model in this category
Each row says who the model suits, its main strength and its main catch, taken from each guide's listed sources. Open a guide to confirm the exact model and what's included before you buy on Amazon.
| Product | Best for | Main strength | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| GermGuardian AC4825E 22-inch HEPA PURE Tower Air Purifier with UV-C | A room near 153 sq ft, with a foot of clear space all round | Manual gives an ozone figure, 0.001 ppmv over 8 hours in a 30 cubic metre chamber | Smoke CADR is 99; the 743 sq ft figure is the once-an-hour figure |
| Coway Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH Air Purifier, Black | Rooms up to the 361 sq ft on Coway's page, with 20 cm clear around it | Coway publishes CADR and defines its room figures by air changes per hour | The 1,748 sq ft headline is the one-air-change figure; Coway's page text says 361 sq ft |
| Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier, White | A room of about 222 sq ft, with fan speed set by hand | Maker publishes coverage at both one and 4.8 air changes per hour | No Auto Mode on this version, per the listing; fan speed is set by hand |
| Levoit Vital 200S-P Smart Air Purifier (LAP-V201S-WUS), White | A room of about 388 sq ft with 15 inches clear in front of it | Manual gives a three-figure CADR, and the maker defines room sizes by air changes | The 1875 sq ft title figure is far above the manual's 388 sq ft troubleshooting line |
| Honeywell HPA304 Allergen Plus HEPA Air Purifier, White | Rooms up to about 465 sq ft where simple manual controls suit | AHAM Verified room size published by the maker | Three HEPA filters to replace each year |
| Medify MA-40 Air Purifier with H13 HEPA, White | Rooms near Medify's verified 373 to 377 sq ft, with a timer and child lock | Verified room size and CADR by pollutant published by Medify | Listing attaches the MA-40UV manual, not the MA-40 |
| Membrane Solutions MSA3 Air Purifier | Buyers willing to use only Membrane Solutions filters | Single composite filter with life lights and a 1,700-hour reminder | Will not run with non-Membrane Solutions filters |
| Honeywell HPA5200B InSight HEPA Air Purifier, Black | Rooms around 360 sq ft where a VOC-driven auto mode is wanted | VOC sensor with automatic mode | 360 sq ft for frequent air changes, far below 1,700 headline |
| Levoit Vital 100S-P Smart Air Purifier, White (LAP-V102S-WUS) | Bedrooms and small rooms of about 219 to 222 sq ft, including homes with pets | Washable pre-filter on a 2 to 4 week schedule; four replacement filter options listed by Levoit | The maker's figures for frequent air changes stop at about 222 sq ft |
| PuroAir 400 HEPA Air Purifier | Buyers wanting auto mode and a child lock who accept unpublished CADR | Auto mode with a sensor that calibrates on power-up | No CADR or verified room size published |
| AirDoctor AD5500 3-Stage UltraHEPA Air Purifier | Rooms near AirDoctor's 1,043 sq ft four-changes-an-hour figure, with floor space for a 28.75 in. unit | AirDoctor gives 1,043 sq ft at four air changes an hour | Every filter change is a pair of filters |
| AirDoctor AD3500 3-Stage UltraHEPA Air Purifier | Rooms up to about 630 sq ft by AirDoctor's four-changes-per-hour figure | Listing describes a carbon stage with potassium permanganate | Carbon filter needs replacing every six months |
| Winix 5510 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier with Wi-Fi, Polished Charcoal Gray | Rooms near Winix's 392 sq ft verified size, with auto and sleep modes | Maker publishes AHAM Verified size and CADR | 392 sq ft verified size versus 1,882 sq ft headline |
| Winix 5520 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier with Wi-Fi and PlasmaWave | Rooms near 392 sq ft where Wi-Fi control and auto mode are wanted | AHAM Verified room size and CADR published by the maker | Verified room size is 392 sq ft, far below the 1,882 headline |
| KNKA APH4000 Air Purifier, White | Rooms around 350 sq ft where an auto and pet mode matter | Dual intakes and two filter cartridges | Two filters every 3 to 6 months |
| Dreo Air Purifier 539 (DR-HAP009), White, Non-Wi-Fi | Bedrooms around 245 sq ft that need a small, bottom-loading purifier | Small footprint with a single bottom-loading filter | Verified room size is about 245 sq ft |
| MOOKA B-D02L Air Purifier, White | Bedrooms around 215 sq ft that need a small purifier with a timer and night light | Listing states air changes for both 215 and 1,076 sq ft | No CADR or warranty term in any source read |
| LEVOIT Core 600S-P Smart Air Purifier, White | A room with 15 inches of clearance on every side, sized from Levoit's 606 sq ft at 4.8 air changes | Maker gives 606 sq ft at 4.8 air changes an hour alongside the larger headline figures | Listing's model field says LAP-C601S-WEU while the manual and maker page say WUS |
What to check before buying
The air purifier guides here set room-size headlines beside the maker's own coverage figures, and flag when the big number is the one-air-change-an-hour figure. They also note which CADR figures the maker publishes, how often each filter is replaced, and how much clear space the manuals ask for around the unit.
- Room size per air change. Several guides show the headline square footage is the one-change-an-hour figure, while the figure at 4.8 or more changes an hour is far smaller (one lists 1,862 against 388 sq ft). Compare rooms at the same air-change rate.
- Which CADR is published. The guides record which clean-air delivery figures each maker gives. Some list smoke, dust and pollen, some give one number with no standard named, and one publishes no CADR at all, so a like-for-like comparison is not always possible.
- Filters per change. Check both the interval and how many filters each change takes. The guides list pre-filters on three-month cycles, HEPA packs yearly, and units that need two or three filters at once, which shapes the ongoing filter count.
- Clear space around it. Manuals ask for different gaps: 20 cm from walls on one model, 12 to 18 inches on another, 20 inches behind the inlet on a third. Two guides report documents for the same purifier that give conflicting distances, so check your spot against the manual.
- Warranty conditions. Warranty length is only part of it. The guides report 30-day registration windows, cover limited to the original buyer from authorised sellers, and one manual that says no repairs or spare parts are offered after the two-year term.
This page collects 18 air purifier guides from Plain Buy Guides. Each guide covers one exact Amazon listing: the maker's published specifications, what the listing says is included, the fit and installation limits that decide whether it suits you, and the main caveat, with every source listed and dated. Nothing here is based on hands-on testing, and no guide promises a price or stock level.
In the table above, the Best for column says who each model suits, and the strength and caveat columns carry the first point each guide makes. Open a guide before buying to confirm the exact model, the included parts and any conflict between the listing and the maker's documents, which each guide reports rather than settles. Side-by-side pages put the published facts of two models from this category in one place.
Compare the published specs
The main figures stated in each air purifier guide on this page, side by side, with each guide's sources behind them. Units are as published; nothing here was measured by us.
A table scrolls sideways when it is wider than the screen. Select a column heading to sort.
— means the guide does not state that figure. “or” means the guide states more than one figure, for example where two sources disagree, for different modes or versions, or where a kit includes two tools; open the guide to see which applies. † means the guide reports that another source gives a different figure, or doubts the figure; open the guide. Only single figures in the column’s unit, with no mark, word or note in brackets, are sorted and counted below.
By the numbers
These cover only the 18 air purifiers on this site, not the whole market. Ranges use the figures the guides state; the lowest and highest link to their guides, and the median is the middle of those figures. A model whose figure is missing, not applicable, more than one, marked, in words, in another unit or qualified in brackets is left out of that line.
- Smoke CADR across the 11 of our 18 air purifiers that state one figure: 99 CFM to 556 CFM, median 239 CFM. Lowest: GermGuardian AC4825E 22-inch HEPA PURE Tower Air Purifier with UV-C. Highest: AirDoctor AD5500 3-Stage UltraHEPA Air Purifier.
- Room at 4.8 air changes an hour across the 10 of our 18 air purifiers that state one figure: 222 sq ft to 606 sq ft, median 360.5 sq ft. Lowest: Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier, White and 1 other. Highest: LEVOIT Core 600S-P Smart Air Purifier, White.
- Power draw across the 10 of our 18 air purifiers that state one figure: 21.6 W to 80 W, median 58 W. Lowest: Honeywell HPA5200B InSight HEPA Air Purifier, Black. Highest: Honeywell HPA304 Allergen Plus HEPA Air Purifier, White and 1 other.
- Weight across the 14 of our 18 air purifiers that state one figure: 3.52 lb to 17 lb, median 12.75 lb. Lowest: MOOKA B-D02L Air Purifier, White. Highest: Honeywell HPA304 Allergen Plus HEPA Air Purifier, White.
- GermGuardian AC4825E 22-inch HEPA PURE Tower Air Purifier with UV-C
GermGuardian AC4825E guide: CADR 99/118/125, the 743 sq ft claim, the six-month Filter B, the mercury UV-C bulb, one-foot clearance and 3-year warranty terms.
- Coway Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH Air Purifier, Black
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty specs from Coway's page and manual: CADR for smoke, dust and pollen, why it lists 361, 874 or 1,748 sq ft, filters, manual PDF link.
- Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier, White
Levoit Core 300-P guide: the 1,073 sq ft claim against the maker's 222, CADR 143 CFM, the sleep-mode HEPA wording, and the Core 300-P-RF filter schedule.
- Levoit Vital 200S-P Smart Air Purifier (LAP-V201S-WUS), White
Levoit Vital 200S-P guide: what 1875 sq ft means next to the maker's 388, the CADR and sleep-mode HEPA wording, 15-inch clearance and the 2-year warranty.
- Honeywell HPA304 Allergen Plus HEPA Air Purifier, White
Honeywell HPA304 guide: AHAM Verified for 465 sq ft, three R HEPA filters yearly plus an A pre-filter every 3 months, no washable filters and a five-year warranty.
- Medify MA-40 Air Purifier with H13 HEPA, White
Medify MA-40 guide: three Medify documents disagree on CADR, wattage, filter life and clearance; plus verified room size, ionizer and 30-day warranty registration.
- Membrane Solutions MSA3 Air Purifier
Membrane Solutions MSA3 guide: a sensor that blocks non-brand filters, 112 CFM CADR, conflicting room-size claims, a 1,700-hour filter reminder and warranty.
- Honeywell HPA5200B InSight HEPA Air Purifier, Black
Honeywell HPA5200B guide: 4.8 air changes an hour in 360 sq ft vs the 1,700 sq ft claim, two R HEPA filters a year, an A pre-filter every 3 months and a VOC sensor.
- Levoit Vital 100S-P Smart Air Purifier, White (LAP-V102S-WUS)
Levoit Vital 100S-P guide: 222 sq ft at 4.8 air changes vs the 1,073 sq ft hourly claim, a 9 to 12 month filter, 15 inches of front clearance, two-year warranty.
- PuroAir 400 HEPA Air Purifier
PuroAir 400 guide: a 2,000 sq ft hourly claim with no published CADR, 8 inches vs 3 feet of clearance in one manual, a humidity-sensitive auto mode, warranty.
- AirDoctor AD5500 3-Stage UltraHEPA Air Purifier
AirDoctor AD5500 guide: 1,043 sq ft at four air changes an hour, 556 CFM smoke CADR, six fan speeds, two filter sets on 6 and 12 month cycles, one-year warranty.
- AirDoctor AD3500 3-Stage UltraHEPA Air Purifier
AirDoctor AD3500 guide: 630 sq ft at four air changes vs the 2,520 sq ft hourly claim, 340 CFM smoke CADR, carbon every 6 months, HEPA yearly, one-year warranty.
- Winix 5510 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier with Wi-Fi, Polished Charcoal Gray
Winix 5510 specs from Winix and its manual: CADR for dust, pollen and smoke, AHAM Verified 392 sq ft, Filter Q schedule, 12-18 in gap, 2-year warranty.
- Winix 5520 4-Stage True HEPA Air Purifier with Wi-Fi and PlasmaWave
Winix 5520 guide: AHAM Verified for 392 sq ft vs the 1,882 sq ft hourly claim, Filter Q about every 12 months, 12-18 inch clearance, PlasmaWave and warranty limits.
- KNKA APH4000 Air Purifier, White
KNKA APH4000 guide: 226 CFM smoke CADR, 350 sq ft at 4.8 air changes vs the 1,695 sq ft hourly figure, two filters every 3 to 6 months, a built-in aroma box.
- Dreo Air Purifier 539 (DR-HAP009), White, Non-Wi-Fi
Dreo 539 (DR-HAP009) guide: AHAM Verified 158 CFM for 245 sq ft vs the 1,176 sq ft hourly figure, a PM2.5-only sensor, 6 to 8 month filter, 12-month warranty.
- MOOKA B-D02L Air Purifier, White
MOOKA B-D02L guide: the 1,076 sq ft figure is one air change an hour, 6 changes at 215 sq ft, a 3 to 6 month filter, 30 cm inlet clearance and a 16 W vs 13 W gap.
- LEVOIT Core 600S-P Smart Air Purifier, White
Levoit Core 600S-P guide: three room-size claims, 66 W vs 49 W, the 15-inch clearance, pre-filter and sensor care, and who the two-year warranty covers.