Under $100 buys a purifier for a small room. These two picks list under $100 on the maker's own store. They are sorted by the CADR, room size and noise each maker publishes.
Last updated: October 2026 · By the CleanAirHomeLab team
Quick Picks
Best under $100: Levoit Core 300, $99.99 list, CADR 143 CFM, 222 sq ft
Best for dorm rooms: Levoit Core 200S, $89.99 list, app control, 140 sq ft
How We Picked
Every figure on this page is the maker's own. We read each one on the maker's page on the date shown in the sources at the foot of the page. We do not test products. A pick is here only if the maker's list price is under $100. Store prices change, so check the listing for the price today. This page gives no medical advice.
What Under $100 Gets You (and What It Does Not)
Under $100 gets you a purifier sized for one small room. Levoit rates the Core 300 for 222 sq ft and the Core 200S for 140 sq ft, both at 4.8 air changes an hour. That is a bedroom, a home office or a dorm room.
The EPA says to pick a portable air cleaner with a CADR large enough for the room. Its chart below assumes an 8-foot ceiling. AHAM, which runs the CADR certification program, gives a 2/3 rule: the CADR should be at least two thirds of the room's area in square feet.
Minimum CADR from the EPA chart. "Yes" means the maker's CADR meets that minimum.
Room size
EPA minimum CADR
Core 200S (90 CFM)
Core 300 (143 CFM)
100 sq ft
65 cfm
Yes
Yes
200 sq ft
130 cfm
No
Yes
300 sq ft
195 cfm
No
No
The Two Picks, Side by Side
Model
Maker list price
CADR
Room size (4.8 ACH)
Noise range
Levoit Core 300
$99.99list price
143 CFM
222 sq ft
24 to 54.5 dB
Levoit Core 200S
$89.99list price
90 CFM
140 sq ft
27 to 48 dB
Our Budget Picks
#1 Best Under $100
Levoit Core 300
$99.99list price
CADR
143 CFM
Room size
222 sq ft at 4.8 air changes an hour
Noise range
24 to 54.5 dB
Filter
$29.99, change every 6 to 8 months
Levoit lists the Core 300 at $99.99, just under the line. It has the higher CADR of the two picks here, at 143 CFM. Levoit rates it for 222 sq ft at 4.8 air changes an hour. That suits a bedroom or a home office. Its lowest setting is 24 dB. Levoit labels it ozone free. The filter is $29.99, and Levoit says to change it every 6 to 8 months.
What We Like
CADR of 143 CFM, the higher of the two picks
Levoit labels it ozone free
Sleep mode and a 2 to 8 hour timer
2-year limited warranty, by Levoit
Watch Out For
No app or voice control. The Core 300S adds them, but Levoit lists it at $149.99
54.5 dB at full speed, the louder top speed of the two
Levoit lists the Core 200S at $89.99. It is Levoit's small smart model. You can run it from the free VeSync app, or by voice with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Levoit rates it for 140 sq ft at 4.8 air changes an hour, which suits a small dorm room. Its lowest setting is 27 dB. Its top speed is 48 dB.
What We Like
App control, with 2, 4 or 8 hour timers
Voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant
48 dB at full speed, the quieter top speed of the two
2-year limited warranty, by Levoit
Watch Out For
CADR of 90 CFM, the lower of the two
140 sq ft is a small room
The app needs setting up before the smart features work
No CADR on the box or the maker's page. The EPA says to pick a CADR large enough for your room.
A CADR too small for your room. Check the EPA chart above.
A unit that makes ozone. The EPA says that when inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs.
An ionizer in place of a filter. The EPA found ionizers less effective at removing particles than high efficiency particle filters.
Common Questions
Is a cheap air purifier worth it?+
It can be, if its CADR fits your room. The EPA says to pick a portable air cleaner with a CADR large enough for the room. Levoit lists the Core 300 at 143 CFM. The EPA chart asks for 130 cfm in a 200 sq ft room with an 8-foot ceiling. The EPA also says air cleaners cannot remove all pollutants from the air.
What is the best air purifier under $100?+
Of the two here, the Levoit Core 300. Levoit lists it at $99.99, with a CADR of 143 CFM and a room size of 222 sq ft at 4.8 air changes an hour. Store prices change, so check the listing for the price today.
Can an air purifier under $100 help with smoke?+
The EPA says portable air cleaners can remove smoke particles. It also says the CADR rating is for particles only, and that activated carbon works on gases when a large amount is used. The EPA says to make sure an air cleaner does not make ozone. For a bigger room, see the picks under $200.
What should I look for in a budget air purifier?+
Three things. First, a CADR that fits your room, from the EPA chart or AHAM's 2/3 rule. Second, a unit that does not make ozone. Third, the filter price and how often you change it. Levoit lists the Core 300 filter at $29.99 and says to change it every 6 to 8 months.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links and may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are based on the makers' published figures, not commission rates. Full disclosure.
Sources and last review
Specifications on this page are taken from the documents below, on the dates shown. We do not physically test products; read our methodology. Page last reviewed .
Correction, October 2026: this page listed the Coway AP-1512HH as a pick under $100. Coway lists it at $239.99, so it is no longer on this page. The Levoit Core 300's top-speed noise is 54.5 dB by Levoit's current page, not 50 dB.
