Levoit
Levoit Core 300S
$149.99Cheaper
Released 2021
Best Air Purifiers · head-to-head
Levoit Core 300S vs Winix 5520
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Levoit Core 300S is cheaper at $149.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Winix
Winix 5520
$259.99
Released 2022
Which is better: the Levoit Core 300S or Winix 5520?
The Winix 5520 wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Levoit Core 300S is the cheaper at $149.99. Get the Winix 5520 for the stronger spec sheet, the Levoit Core 300S to spend less.
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Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Levoit Core 300S | Winix 5520 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $149.99 | $259.99 |
| Brand | Levoit | Winix |
| Released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Cadr smoke (CFM) | 141 | 253 |
| Coverage (sq ft) | 219 | 392 |
| Hepa | Yes | Yes |
| Filter type | Pre-filter + True HEPA + Activated Carbon (3-stage) | Fine Mesh Pre-filter + AOC Carbon + True HEPA + PlasmaWave (4-stage) |
| Noise db min | 22 | 23.5 |
| Smart | Yes | Yes |
| Energy star | No | No |
| Release | 2021 | 2022 |
Sources — Levoit Core 300S: levoit.com (verified 2026-06-15). Winix 5520: winixamerica.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Levoit Core 300S and Winix 5520?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Cadr smoke (CFM): Levoit Core 300S 141 vs Winix 5520 253
- Coverage (sq ft): Levoit Core 300S 219 vs Winix 5520 392
- Filter type: Levoit Core 300S Pre-filter + True HEPA + Activated Carbon (3-stage) vs Winix 5520 Fine Mesh Pre-filter + AOC Carbon + True HEPA + PlasmaWave (4-stage)
- Noise db min: Levoit Core 300S 22 vs Winix 5520 23.5
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Levoit Core 300S
Two whitelisted hands-on testers reviewed this exact model: TechRadar (2023) and Tom's Guide (2025). Both measured it as genuinely quiet (60dB max at high speed) and praised its compact, low-cost, easy-to-set-up design. Both flagged sluggish, sometimes absent sensor response to sudden air-quality changes, making it better for steady background use than reactive cleanup. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Quiet operation overall; both measured 60dB max at high speed; Compact, lightweight, unobtrusive design that sets up in about 5 minutes; Strong value and smart features for a budget/mid-range price.
Flagged: Slow or missing sensor response to sudden air-quality changes; No replacement filters included; filters must be bought separately; App is basic and adds little beyond the on-unit controls.
Winix 5520
Only one whitelisted tester (Wirecutter) hands-on tested the exact Winix 5520, and only in its dismissed-competition section: a capable purifier that tested worse and louder than Coway's Mighty 2, with a dark, monolithic form that stands out in most rooms, a display that shuts off only on the lowest and least effective fan speed, and an ionizer that reactivates on every power-on. No lab numbers were published for this model. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Capable air-cleaning performance.
Flagged: Tested worse than, and louder than, Coway's Mighty 2; Display only shuts off on the lowest, least effective fan speed; Reverts to its ionizing function on every power-on.