You can also download the Alen Air app, which provides an overview of your air quality and other related statistics. In addition to filtering out 99.97 percent of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns, this GermGuardian purifier contains a UV-C light that helps sanitize the air by reducing airborne bacteria, viruses, and mold. The UV-C light is part of a three-stage filtration system, including an activated charcoal pre-filter and a HEPA filter.
However, on its medium-high and high speeds, it produced a persistent rattle that we could not ignore, nor could we fix the problem by repositioning the machine and making sure that the filter was properly seated. That performance further bolstered our belief that the Air Pro’s HEPA filter, not its PECO technology, is doing most of the particulate removal. On its medium and comfortably quiet everyday setting, it delivers 3 ACH, keeping the air extremely clean under normal conditions. CR recommends more than three dozen models in our air purifier ratings, and most use a HEPA filter; a vast majority also have carbon filters to help assist in the removal of odors.
Set on high, the AP-1512HH reduced the particulate concentration by 99.9% in the first hour. Over the next two hours on medium, the particulate load remained stable, varying no more than 0.1%. The Airmega 400 also reduced the particulate concentration by 99.9% in the first hour on high, and thereafter the particulate load varied by no more than 0.2% on medium. These filters also match the Coway replacements in fit and filtration ability, and the package includes a two-year supply of HEPA and VOC filters. The AP-1512HH has a number of other qualities that make it easy to live with—and that’s important for a device that typically runs 24 hours a day and sits in a bedroom, playroom, or living room.
Our tester found this purifier to be very effective at removing pollutants from the air and also appreciated the humidifier feature. The unit is quiet on lower settings and gets louder as you turn up the fan speed—similar to
a small fan on high. Our tester noted some difficulty during set-up and filter replacement, but found the included set-up video helpful. The second crucial step in cleaning your Levoit air purifier is removing the filter.
Finally, and repeatedly, so does the Air Pro’s cost—something that alone would lead us to dismiss it, even if it performed beautifully in every way. It typically retails for $1,000, and
replacement filters (“average use 6 months” per the Molekule site) are $160. If you kept up with that cycle, you’d spend $1,440 on replacement filters over the course of five years.