Levoit Eleva 500X vs Shark BreatheClear (HP162)
Two of the hepa + carbon purifiers for smoke & odor in our best air purifiers for smoke & odor: hepa + carbon from iqair, coway, levoit, blueair comparison, lined up spec by spec. Every figure comes from the manufacturer pages linked below, and the scores use the same published formula as the full ranking.
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Best for: Separate HEPA and carbon filters, 301 CFM smoke
Check price at AmazonBest for: Activated carbon and a 6-year filter for up to 750 sq ft
Check price at AmazonSpec-by-spec comparison
Green marks the better published figure. "Not listed" means the manufacturer doesn't publish it.
| Spec | Levoit Eleva 500X | Shark BreatheClear (HP162) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke CADRAHAM's smoke CADR measures how fast smoke particles are removed. IQAir, Shark, Honeywell and Winix's 9800 don't publish one; those score at the lowest published value in the category. | 301 CFM | Not listed | 40% |
| Carbon/odor filter lifeHow long the maker rates the carbon or gas stage, which saturates faster than HEPA. Rabbit Air (12 h/day) and IQAir (10 h/day) state their usage basis. | Not listed | Not listed | 20% |
| Smoke or VOC filter offeredYes when the maker sells a smoke-, toxin- or VOC-specific filter for this model (e.g. Coway Intense Smoke+, Levoit Smoke Remover, Blueair SmokeBlock, Winix SmokeGuard, Rabbit Air Toxin Absorber), or when gas filtration is the main filter (IQAir). | Yes | No | 15% |
| CADR per wattComputed by us: smoke CADR divided by rated power. During smoke events these run on high for days. | 9.1 CFM/W | Not listed | 15% |
| Loudest settingYou'll run it on high during smoke events, so top-speed noise matters. | 52 dB | Not listed | 10% |
| CADR (smoke / dust / PM2.5 / pollen) | 301 / 298 / 299 / 319 CFM (AHAM Verifide) | Not listed | info |
| Ideal room size | 467 ft² (4.8 ACH) / 2,241 ft² (1 ACH) | Not listed | info |
| Filters | Pre-filter/HEPA (MaxSeal) + separate activated carbon; Smoke & Cooking and Pet carbon options | Not listed | info |
| Sensor | 5-channel, including VOCs and NO₂ | Not listed | info |
| Noise | 22–52 dB | Not listed | info |
| Rated power | 33 W | Not listed | info |
| Weight | 12.9 lb | 8.32 lb | info |
| AHAM CADR | Not listed | Not published by the maker | info |
| Coverage | Not listed | Up to 750 ft² (1 ACH, max fan) | info |
| Filter | Not listed | NeverChange HEPA-exceeding filtration + activated carbon | info |
| Filter life | Not listed | Up to 6 years (NeverChange filtration) | info |
| Power | Not listed | 25 W | info |
| Sensors | Not listed | Motion, light, VOC | info |
| AirPick score | 6.7/10 | 1.4/10 | 100% |
Where each one comes out ahead
Levoit Eleva 500X
Better published figure on: Smoke or VOC filter offered.
What we like
- 9.1 CFM per watt
- Replace carbon without replacing HEPA
- Gas sensor
Watch out for
- Carbon life not published
Shark BreatheClear (HP162)
No scored spec where it is strictly ahead; its case rests on the strengths below.
What we like
- Activated carbon for cooking fumes and VOCs
- VOC sensor
Watch out for
- No CADR or noise figures
- Carbon life not stated separately
Verdict
Both have activated carbon and VOC sensing. Levoit publishes a 301 CFM smoke CADR and 22–52 dB; Shark publishes neither but rates its filtration up to 6 years.
- Levoit Eleva 500X: Levoit: Eleva 500X
- Shark BreatheClear (HP162): Shark: BreatheClear HP162