Levoit LV-PUR131 Air Purifier: Trusted Review & Specs

The Levoit LV-PUR131 is somehow like a sample Levoit used to determine one thing: which air purifier’s size it should build brand awareness upon. The clear winner is, of course, Levoit LV-H132. However, the Levoit LV-PUR131 is still a beautifully designed air purifier that reminds me of the best air purifier. Let’s have a Levoit LV-PUR131 Review to see why there are countless positive reviews for this Amazon’s Choice air purifier.

Levoit LV-PUR131S ranks B in our air purifier ranking list. We give the biggest and most thorough database of air purifier reviews in the world.

Update: The Levoit Vital 200S is out, and it offers a better console design with good smart features.

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• We provide honest reviews (both pros and cons) so that everyone can make the best decisions.
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Levoit became one of the best air purifier brands for many years. What really matters is how it builds a strong and stable health community. Levoit could be the best brand to give consumers exactly what they need to live a healthy life. Levoit’s LV-PUR131 is a powerful air purifier device in Levoit’s battle with allergies and asthma. Let’s take a closer look in this Levoit LV-PUR131 Review.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Price

Last year has been a great year for Levoit, as both the Levoit LV-PUR131 and Levoit LV-H132 are doing really well in the low-range market, scoring the highest title on Amazon for the best air purifiers. The Levoit LV-PUR131 has a fancy look and a commercial True HEPA filter that is being tested strictly to meet the highest standards. That’s a lot for a great start.

This Levoit LV-PUR131 costs the same as its closest rivals, the Winix 5500-2, Winix 5300-2, Winix C535 and/or Coway AP-1216L. It’s prettier, packed with the latest technology, and also offers decent support. The official price of the Levoit LV-PUR131 on the Levoit website is $179 ($20 off the launch price). 

$200 can be described as the most aggressively competitive segment of the air purifier market, with tons of budget devices with high-end features. For example, the Winix AM90 with high-tech Wi-Fi connectivity and the TCL Breeva A3 with excellent and unique feature sets that amaze users are frequently available at this price point. Of course, the Levoit LV-PUR131S is released to go head-to-head with these tough opponents.

You should check out the Levoit Vital 200S, because it’s the latest console air purifier in the same price range as the Levoit LV-PUR131. Perhaps it will be the replacement for our current unit.

However, I will give you a much lower budget deal below on Amazon, so you can easily make up your mind. The price can go as low as $135, depending on when you read this review article.

Related post: Best air purifier 2023.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Design and Size

The Levoit LV-PUR131 stands out from the crowd with its near-float top panel. I like this idea not so much for its performance as for the attractive appearance of an air purifier. With a front metal panel, the Levoit LV-PUR131 appears to be a Guardian Technologies air purifier rather than a Levoit’s. But again, I don’t like the idea of covering the intake air grill with a large panel like this, as it reduces the efficiency a lot.

However, the basic design of Levoit LV-PUR131 has many advantages. There are more spaces inside this air purifier than in the portable LV-H132, so you are able to put in the larger air filter. A larger air filter means better air filtration for your home. Also, with only 7 inches in depth and 18 inches in height, the Levoit LV-PUR131 is still slim and can fit easily anywhere in your house.

On the back of this Levoit LV-PUR131, you will find a back cover. Remove it, and you can change the air filter. Again, there is no visible air grill for intake of polluted air, and for whatever reason, this will significantly reduce the real fan power. In fact, the air intake grill is specially hidden under the front panel, mostly for better appearance.

There will only be one outlet air grill (air vent) on top of this air purifier. You will also find a set of function buttons and an LCD display to show you exactly the current air quality in your room.

Source: Amazon.com

Not like the Levoit LV-H132, the Levoit LV-PUR131 has only one white color option. Look at both the latest air purifiers of this brand, the Levoit LV-H133 and Levoit LV-H134; there is only one white color option, too. I believe that the shift in brand awareness of this company, which now focuses on “pure white air,” explains the increase in sales.

Levoit LV-PUR131 is quite normal in size. It weighs about 11 lbs. and is a bit smaller in size than other average air purifiers in the low and mid-range, like the Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0, Winix WAC9500, or Honeywell HPA300.

Related post: Best air purifiers for bedroom.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Filters

When we decide to buy an air purifier, we need to know about the filtration process and the types of air filters used. Just like any true HEPA air purifier, the internal components of the Levoit LV-PUR131 have these basic filters:

1. Pre-filter – This fine preliminary filter is effective at neutralizing airborne large objects like dust, pet dander, pet hair, mold, and fungi. Remember to only vacuum it; this filter is not washable.
2. True HEPA filter – A True HEPA filter can reduce 99.97% of all contaminants, including dust mites, viruses, pollen, and bacteria, to 0.3 microns. 
3. Activated Carbon Filter – This activated carbon filter is a must-have to remove odors and smoke. We noticed a good change in our home air quality while using Levoit LV-PUR131. There is little to no odor of smoke, food, or pets.

If you are in need of a good air purifier, you should check for the True HEPA filter certificate. This certificate is only for the best HEPA filter, which is tested thoroughly to guarantee a 99.97% efficiency in capturing down to 0.3 microns of particles. If you opt for anything but a true HEPA filter, it is inferior and will not help your health system very much.

Source: Amazon.com

However, just knowing one air filter is a true HEPA filter won’t help you much. In such a competitive industry as air purifiers, many brands can commit to manufacturing the True HEPA filter and boost their product’s price. To determine the performance rating of this Levoit LV-PUR131, I put both the Winix 5500-2 and the Honeywell HPA300 into this test. As I expected, the Honeywell HPA300 is still the best of all three, with an efficiency of 99.95% on particles as small as 0.3 microns. Both the Levoit LV-PUR131 and Winix 5500-2 are a little behind with only 99.9%.

Yes, it seems the Levoit LV-PUR131 is still not as good as the Honeywell HPA300 (or the Coway AP-1512HH, given the same test). However, the difference is too small to notice. I could easily forget the test result and go for the Levoit LV-PUR131 immediately, especially when I know its air filter cost. The Levoit LV-PUR131’s air filter, the LV-PUR131-RF, is only $39 for a set of pre-filters, a True HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. The official cost of Honeywell HPA300’s True HEPA filter is $68, and Winix 5500-2 is even higher, up to $79. Lower filter replacement costs are a key advantage pursued by Levoit from the start, beginning with the Levoit LV-PUR131.

Additionally, Levoit LV-PUR131 is also against ozone emissions, which is why there is no ionic or UV-light filter in this air purifier. And you still need to replace the air filter after 6 months of use.

Related post: Best air purifiers for allergies.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Room Coverage

While the general performance is generally good, Levoit LV-PUR131 also has good room coverage. It stays at 322 square feet, which is normal for an American household. It could be your living room, kitchen, or bedroom. You can also use it in some small offices.

The ACH of Levoit LV-PUR131 is 2X, just like the ACH rating of LV-H132. Though it is not bad, these ACH and CADR ratings limit the coverage of Levoit LV-PUR131 to a smaller room size. If you are considering an air purifier for a large room, you should give it some thought. If you want to know more about terminology like ACH and CADR, read this guide.

The CADR of Levoit LV-PUR131 stays at 102 Dust/ 98 Smoke/ 138 Pollen (cfm). With this power, it takes more than an hour for this air purifier to clean a 300-square-foot room. The CADR of the Levoit LV-PUR131 is inferior when compared to a reasonable budget model such as the Winix 5500-2. It appears to be a trade-off for the quietness, as Levoit’s air purifiers have smaller fans to reduce noise.

Related post: Best large room air purifiers.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Sound

As the starting product of one brand, the Levoit LV-PUR131 is exactly the face of this company, with one important key advantage: quietness. As I stated above, Levoit only used the small fan in Levoit LV-PUR131, which resulted in an improvement in the noise level.

There are exactly 3 fan speeds to use in this Levoit LV-PUR131, with the same 36 decibels (dB) at the lowest setting as in the LV-H132. This noise level is even lower than the library noise level, so to say, you won’t hear anything when running this air purifier. For a $200 air purifier, this silence is exactly what Levoit needs the most, compared with other noisy air purifiers such as the Honeywell HPA300 or GermGuardian CDAP5500BCA.

After 3 months of testing, I believe the Levoit LV-PUR131 is one of the best air purifiers for quiet places, like your bedroom or office.

Related post: Best air purifiers for baby.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Power Consumption

One of our most FAQs is “Do air purifiers use a lot of energy?” In fact, air purifiers must be used for a long time to be efficient. And power consumption is one important criterion to review to determine if this air purifier is good or not.

Levoit LV-PUR131 is a big-size air purifier if compared with the companion LV-H132, and that’s exactly the first sign of a higher power consumption. In fact, the average result of this air purifier’s power consumption is only 35 watts, with a standby power of 0.8 watts. The Levoit LV-PUR131S, with higher fan power, consumes 38 watts. Both models of the LV-PUR131 are Energy Star-rated for low power consumption.

If you have a Levoit LV-PUR131 in your home, you only need to pay about $12 to $15 per year. This air purifier is rated by Energy Star to be one of the best energy-saving air purifiers.

Related post: Best air purifiers for pets.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Additional Features

Levoit LV-PUR131 has been good for a few years, but people may expect lots of additional features on it, especially when they feel LV-H132 lacks a lot.

You ask for this, you get this! Levoit LV-PUR131 enables an Auto Mode, which is the Smart Sensor version, to indicate the real-time air quality and then automatically adjust the fan speed to suit the surroundings. Remember that you need this high-end feature to save energy.

It even features parts that I like over and above your typical version of an air purifier. A timer of up to 12 hours is fantastic. When you don’t need your Levoit LV-PUR131, you can set a timer to turn it off. There is a filter replacement indicator, too. With Levoit LV-PUR131, thankfully, you will not need to remember the date to replace your filter anymore.

For the same price range, if you are looking for a smart air purifier, you could try the GermGuardian CDAP5500BCA or the TCL Breeva A3. But right now, you don’t need to check other brands, as Levoit finally updated its Levoit LV-PUR131 into a smart air purifier, named Levoit LV-PUR131S. You can download and use the free VeSync app to remotely adjust the fan speeds, turn on or off your air purifier, or even set a schedule for it and check the filter life. We can consider the Levoit LV-PUR131S as one of the best budget smart air purifiers.

Update: I believe the new Levoit Core 400S is a good alternative to this LV-PUR131S. It has higher fan power and performance, and it can cover larger rooms. Also, the refined Levoit VeSync app of the new Core Series is better, and you won’t run into as many bugs as with the old models.

Related posts:

1, Best air purifiers for smoke.

2, Best air purifiers for dust.

3, Best air purifiers for mold.

Levoit LV-PUR131 Customer Service

Levoit is a brand that strongly focuses on its customers and community. If you buy one of its products, you will receive everything you need to set it up and run it. Negative customer service reviews are almost nonexistent.

There is only one thing: it gives a basic 1-year warranty. To get an additional 1-year warranty, you need to have some free registration. It is easy, and everyone is willing to sign up for another year of warranty. Moreover, you will get community rewards, which are like loyalty points, for your next purchase.

You can contact Levoit freely from Monday to Friday via phone at 888-726-8520 or via email at support@levoit.com.

Our verdict

Levoit LV-PUR131 isn’t perfect, but it ticks most of the boxes for an impressive old flagship. It is a good overall air purifier, with a decent True HEPA air filtration system and a lot of additional features for a reasonable price. There are a couple of drawbacks, however. The high cost of filter replacement will be a big minus for this air purifier. Also, the motor becomes hot after months of use. If you are loyal to the Levoit brand, you should consider using the newer Levoit Core 400S.