Levoit LV-H133 Review

I assembled together this Levoit LV-H133 review as an attempt to help you stop sitting on the fence about this purchase. Here, you’ll what where this Levoit air purifier shines and where it needs a bit of improvement. My goal is to have you say a month down the road: I bought the right thing. Or, I’m happy I never bought the Levoit Large room True HEPA H13 Allergen remover with Air Quality Indicator.

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Let’s now examine this  mid-range air cleaning miracle worker from Levoit, the LV-H133. And I’ll start from the very beginning — its design.

Design

The Levoit LV-H133 air purifier reminds me of an hour glass that’s not super defined. From a distance, it’ seems somewhat wider at the top where a plastic panel sits and bottom (air inlet) than it is at the middle. It’s available in two colors, white and black, and I like the black one better. I feel it’d fit perfectly in any room no matter its color scheme.

With most cylindrical Levoit purifiers, the filters are only accessible if you open the cover at the bottom. But when it comes to the LV-H133, the filters sit behind a cover located on the side. The product’s tough plastic housing has many openings, and they look like small triangles arranged diagonally. These triangular cut outs ensure that unfiltered air gets in without minimal resistance.

At 21 lbs, this portable air cleaner feels pretty sturdy. That’s evidence that tons of high-quality engineering poured into its production. As for product dimensions, the LV-H133 has a 15.5″ x 16″ base supporting a 26″ tower. Were it not for the LED display at the top with a ring of blue light, you’d think you were looking at a cute, slim office trashcan.

Will the LV-H133 Effectively Purify a 538 sq. ft. Room?

The Amazon description states that the LV-H133, a member of Levoit’s LV-H series, purifies up to 538 square feet. But how factual is that assertion?

Let’s turn to Levoit for clarification. The manufacturer reveals in their description for this product that its CFM stands at 235. That means the option moves 235 cubic feet every minute or 14,100 cubic feet every 60 minutes/hr.

Suppose we position the LV-H133 in a 538 sq. ft. enclosed room and power it up. Further, assume the space is a standard room whose ceiling is 8 feet high. The air volume in that hypothetical room would be 4,304 cubic feet. Dividing 14,100 by 4,304, we see that the LV-H133 would circulate the air in the room 3.27 times.

And that ACH is ok. But 3 air circulations aren’t good enough if you have awful sinusitis. I’m talking of those terrible sinuses that thrust you into bad days pretty much every morning during any of those nasty allergy seasons. If you have asthma, experts advise, it’s best that the air purifier you choose have an ACH of at least 4, not 3. So, a healthy person can sure use the product in a 538 square feet. room, but not an asthma/allergy sufferer.

Such a person would need to buy a significantly bigger purifier, or use the device for a much smaller space. To have clean air pouring into the room at least 5 times every passing hour, for example, you’d need to put the LV-H133 in a 352.50 square feet.

To squeeze out 5 Air Changes Per Hour from the LV-H133, don’t use the device in a 538 sq. ft. room. Instead, use the air cleaner to remove allergens in a 352.50 square feet space.

True HEPA Air Filtration

Like all Levoit air cleaners, the LV-H133 offers the supremely popular 3-stage True HEPA filtration. This air purification technology extracts as much as 99.97% of allergy triggers as small as 0.3 microns. Well, one air purifier reviewer I know tested whether the LV-H133 actually operates at the stated efficiency. And what were the results? The tests revealed that the machine demonstrates a performance of 99.95%. But would you say the difference between 99.97% and 99.95% is significant? Me neither.

One notable fact is that the LV-H133 doesn’t just use a HEPA filter; rather, it counts on a H13 filter to purify contaminated air, just Medify air purifiers do. This H13 filter is technically a medical-grade filtration media and supposedly does a better air filtration job than a regular True HEPA filter. More on this under the section: what makes a H13 True HEPA filter special? 

The Fine Prelim Filter

Also, there’s a fine preliminary filter (pre-filter) for stopping larger airborne filth dead in its tracks, before it passes on to the H13 filter. Large particles such as pet hair and tiny fibers/lint get filtered out at this point, and finer airborne particles force their way through the H13 filter, where they’re treated as described above.

The Activated Carbon Odor Filter

Finally, the semi-purified air meets the activated carbon filter that does everything it can to adsorb odors. Odors removal isn’t easy, and not many air purifiers do an excellent job. That’s  because odor particles are extremely small, which is why some of the smallest particles pass through this sieve as though there was nothing!

The activated carbon filter of this air purifier is designed to trap very small particles, including smoke particles, VOCs, and odor particles. Some Levoits do an ok job eradicating smoke and odors, but the LV-H133 delivers a much better performance in that regard. That’s because its H13 filter removes a significant number of some of the smallest pollutants, and most of those that remain get tackled by the odor filter.

What’s Special About H13?

H13 True HEPA air filtration removes a whole range of air pollution agents including lint, pollen, dust mites, mold spores, and pet dander. But it does more than that. It also helps get rid of dust, different kinds of smoke including tobacco smoke, pet dander, VOCs, odors, and even some viruses.

Viruses can be quite small, sometimes as tiny as 0.005 micrometers or microns according to Professor Gary Kaiser. Prof Kaiser says that viruses range between 0.005-0.3 microns. And a H13 filter removes up to 99.95% of 0.01 micron particles, and that includes some viruses. Verdict: H13 captures viruses, but it leaves some of these germs suspended in the air.

But it doesn’t mean True HEPA filtration doesn’t eradicate airborne particulates smaller than 0.3 microns. I’ve read a few sources that claim that a H13 filter extracts from the air particles as tiny as 0.01 microns. If that’s true, you should stop stressing over all the dust, mold spores, pet dander, smoke particles that keep contaminating your indoor air.

The 99.97% , 0.3 Microns Standard

Isn’t it interesting that air purifier manufacturers focus on their product’s ability to remove 0.3-micron air pollution while consumers worry about sub-0.3 microns more. Why is that so? It’s because the EPA set the ability to eliminate 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles as the least a True HEPA filter should do to be considered efficient enough. 0.3 micron particles tend to extremely challenging to capture, and that’s why the EPA pays laser-focused attention on them.

Quite naturally, AHAM and other independent testing agencies give the most attention to a purifier’s ability to handle 0.3-micron allergens such as dust, pollen, and smoke.

The Dust sensor of the Levoit LV-H133

The air quality sensor or particle sensor of this device is supposed to spit out real-time data. However, that’s not exactly what happens. When you first fire up the LV-H133, the default color on the particle sensor is Blue.

Now, that might make you think the device ins’t doing a thing for you, but that’s far from reality. In truth, the machine works. If your air quality needs improvement, the machine cranks up fan speed and scrubs the air until it gets clean.

The color Blue means the air quality is Very Good; Green means it’s Good, and Orange indicates the air quality is MODERATEly good. But if your place swarms with gazillions of germs and allergens, the dust sensor turns Red, meaning the air quality is BAD. That’s when the auto mode launches its most powerful speed (High) to bring the situation back to normalcy. At that point, the unit’s noise level increases, evidence that it’s working harder.

Control Panel

The control panel of the LV-H133 is similar to that of the Vista 200 or Vital 100. The features sit in ring-like formation, surrounding the center where the power button is located. But aside from the timer display and the 3 fan speed indicators, all features are on the upper half of the circular control panel. The panel is an intuitive, nicely designed LED display that features highly responsive buttons.

Accessing the product’s benefits is easy hassle-free thanks to the easy-tap buttons on its intuitive touchscreen. These buttons include the sleep mode, on/off display button, automatic mode, and fan speed button. There’s also a 12-hour timer, a change filter icon, 3 fan speed indicators, and an air quality/dust sensor. The area outside the LED display is the clean air outlet. Now, if you look down via the spiral openings, you should see the purifier’s internal hardware.

Power Button and Auto Mode

The power button cranks the unit up and shuts it down. And the auto mode (looks like an A in a small incomplete circle) ensures pain-free operation. It’s a set it and forget it affair here, and the memory function of the LV-H133 makes sure it ALWAYS remembers the previous air cleaning interval’s settings.

3 Fans Speed Indicators

Adjacent to the auto mode button is the fan speed button that enables you to toggle between 3 fan speed indicators, Low, Medium, and High. The fan speeds are adjustable manually, so you can select any one of the 3 fan speed settings anytime. But it’s usually best to hand over control to the auto mode.

The 12-hour Programmable Timer

If you keep forgetting to turn of your appliances, the timer steps in so you won’t need to remember switching off your air purifier. Just select a desirable interval and head to work. The thing will keep nibbling away at indoor air pollution while you’re busy working to earn a promotion or a heftier bonus. The timer is a nimble time-saving feature every purifier should have.

To set up the timer, keep tapping until you have the hour you want. After you’ve selected your desired interval, the timer display blinks 5 times and then sets.

Air Filter Change Light

Admittedly, the filter replacement is nothing more but a mechanical timer set to come on  after a specified duration of time. Meaning when this feature illuminates, you shouldn’t assume the filters are clogged and that they should be replaced. Just take the filters out and examine them.

Do they look awfully dirty? Replacement with the recommended replacement filter for the LV-H133, the LV-H133-RF: (LEVOIT LV-H133 replacement filter with H13 True HEPA). But if the filters aren’t terribly filthy, consider vacuuming the dirt off. It’s another useful addition for folks who always forget to do small but critical things, things like checking air filters.

Display On/Off Button

This feature turns the LED display on or off as per your wish. It’s a really nice feature if you don’t like having any kind of light from electronics while sleeping. And, turning off the display doesn’t switch off the unit. And if you need to turn the LED display on for whatever reason, just tap any button aside from the button, and it’ll illuminate as before.

The Sleep/Night Mode Button

The night mode button calls the image of  a crescent moon with a star nearby. When tapped, the night mode has the LV-H133 doing its thing at the speed setting 1 (Low). On the lowest speed setting, this Levoit is inaudible, and you’ll sleep without disturbance until morning. But if you think the purifier isn’t working just because it’s super quiet on sleep mode, think again. It still cleans the air.

Noise Levels of the LV-H133

This product might be powerful, but it’s incredibly quiet on low (just 25 dB). But on high, don’t expect it to be super quiet. The noise can be as high as 54 dB. But while that might be excessively loud for some sleepers, others love having white noise around claiming it induces sleep. To me, the thing sounds like a regular fan on that setting, but not everyone can sleep soundly with all those decibels.

I wanted to know how noisy the LV-H133 gets decibel-wise, and I measured its noise levels for all 3 fan speeds at 15 feet, and here are the numbers I saw. On low, I read 41, 50 on medium, and 60 on High. Why did I get higher decibels than the advertised 25-54 decibels? It’s because I tested in a regular room (my home office), and it’s nothing like an anechoic chamber. Some of the sound must have bounced off the wall and got measured again. Overall, the LV-H133 is an air cleaner you can live with without regret.

Filter Replacement for the LV-H133

The manufacturer recommends that filters be replaced every 6-8 months. And you’d never forget to check how filthy the filters have become thanks to the filter-check indicator. As earlier mentioned, the replacement filters to buy is the LV-H133-RF.

Now, the replacement filter is a little pricey, costing about 25% of the current product price. That might seem expensive, but I’ve reviewed many purifiers whose annual replacement filter cost was higher than the device’s cost. Honestly, the filters are reasonably priced, just most Levoit replacement filters.

Power Consumption

The unit is rated for 33W. Now, that makes it the most energy-efficient Levoit purifier I’ve seen at that purification coverage. It consumes less energy than your laptop! It even consumes less power than the LV-H126, and the LV-H126 purifies a much smaller space. Expect to pay an electric bill that’s $29 more (annually) assuming you have the machine operating the entire 24 hours each day.

Certifications

The LV-H132 is not only safe for home use but also boasts a slew of credible certifications. It’s CARB-certified, ETL, and FCC certified. You know what those certifications mean? They mean peace of mind!

Warranty and Money-back Guarantee

Nothing special here. The LV-H133 gives you 30 days to like it or return it. The warranty stays valid for 1 year,  but it’s extendable to 24 months upon registration with the manufacturer.

When some brands like Honeywell offer a 5-year warranty on all purifiers, a 1-year warranty seems like something you want to gripe about. But tell you what? Levoit purifiers are a proven air cleaning solution and you really shouldn’t worry.

Levoit LV-H133 FAQs

1.Does the Levoit LV-H133 produce ozone? No, Levoit air cleaners are ozone free. It doesn’t feature a UV-C light or ionizer.

2. Will the LV-H133 actually clean 538 square feet? No, you won’t get 5 air exchanges in a space that large. Put it in 352.50 square feet for an ACH that high.

3.Where Do I buy this air purifier?

You can order it from Amazon or buy it expressly from the manufacturer’s website. Target also carries it, and there must be many other places online that offer it.

4. Do the filters need to be installed?

Well, the filters come pre-installed, but you MUST get them out of the packaging and re-insert them into position before use.

5.Does the air purifier come with a power cord and how long is it?

Yes, there’s a power cord, and it’s 6.50 feet in length.

6. Do I need clearance around the LV-H133? If yes, how much clearance should that be?

7. What will I find in the Box?

1 LV-H133 true HEPA air purifier

3-in-1 H13 filter (pre-installed)*

Extended warranty card

Owner instructions

8. Who makes the Levoit LV-H133?

A California-based company called Levoit makes and markets this air cleaner. But since the box claims it’s manufactured in China, one can reasonably assume Levoit outsources its production to China.

9. When should I replace the filters?

Replace filters:

If the LV-H133 gets too noisy

If you notice decreased airflow

If upon examination the filters seem extremely dirty

If it seems like the machine has completely stopped eliminating odors

10. What’s the CADR of the LV-H133?

No, Levoit hasn’t provided CADR numbers for this purifier. However, the company has provided the CFM (235), a metric that’s pretty similar to CADR.

11. Is the LV-H133 wheeled?

No. It’s pretty portable at just 21 lbs, no need for casters.

Routine Maintenance for the LV-H133

Here are simple and easy tasks you should do regularly.

1. Replace Filters When it’s Time to Do So

Filters should be replaced whenever necessary. To replace the filter for the LV-H133, first shut off power and unplug the unit. Then, detach the filter cover on the side and take the cylindrical filter out. Be sure to dispose of the old filter afterward. Next, you may use a vacuum cleaner to blow out any loose dust and dirt that may have settled inside of the air purifier. But this step is optional.

Leave the Black Tabs Facing Outward

The next step is to put the new replacement filter into its compartment in the housing. Ensure the black tabs on the filter are sticking out for easy removal down the road. After that, replace the cover, plug it back in, and turn it on. And don’t forget to reset the filter-change reminder. To reset it, press-hold the indicator for 3-5 seconds until the light turns off. And if you’d replaced the filter before the light came on, press-hold the button for about 3-5 seconds until the purifier chimes.

Dust Off the Dust Sensor and Prelim Filter

The prefilter and dust sensor should be cleaned whenever necessary. Use a vacuum or some brush to reduce dust and dirt accumulation on it. Don’t wash it with water and soap as that could ruin it. As for the dust sensor, dip a cotton swap in clean water and clean it.

Then, use a dry swab to dry it off. Finally, close the cover that conceals the dust sensor. *Make sure to turn off the purifier before embarking on this process.

Wipe off Dust from the Air Purifier

Can you clean the air purifier itself? Yes, but don’t clean it with water and soap. Instead, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe off any dust buildup on the unit.

Regarding trouble shooting for the Levoit LV-H133, refer to the manufacturer’s manual here.

And now, what are the pros and cons of owning the LV-H133?

Paying the price for this device might feel a little painful for some allergy sufferers. And there are cheaper comparable options. But considering the much larger coverage (352.50 square feet at ACH of 5), the price-point seems reasonable enough. But for the life of me, I can’t understand why Levoit chooses not to include a child-lock in this mid-range air purifier.

Also, the replacement filters for this product exactly cheap. And if you don’t like the idea of buying expensive filters every 6-8 months, go for something else. But people buy filter-based air purifiers for a reason, right? Keep that in mind as you make your decision.

Levoit LV-H133 Review

This is a pretty decent air cleaner designed for large rooms up to 350 square feet. In an enclosed space that large, the LV-H133 changes the air at least 5 times. I really like that. And that’s a large part of why I recommend this purifier. It’s most ideal for allergy sufferers and pet owners who hate having tons of pet dander floating all over the place.