REASONS TO BUY
Exceptional output
Low lifetime operating costs
REASONS TO AVOID
Confusing user interface
Prolonged cleaning process
Levoit Classic 200 Review
With excellent performance ratings and low operating costs, this is one of our favorite models
Credit: Levoit
RELATED: The Best Humidifiers of 2024
Our Verdict
The Levoit Classic 200 is a premium appliance that easily landed a spot as one of our top picks. It is a highly effective humidifier with a four-liter capacity, achieving the best score of any of the humidifiers in our review of top-ranked humidifiers. Its annual and overall lifetime costs are relatively low, and the large access port makes it easy to clean and fill. Its controls aren't the most intuitive but not so bad as to be a deal-breaker. We would recommend this model to anyone seeking a mid-volume humidifier.
Editor's Note: We updated this review for the Levoit Classic 200 on April 21, 2022, with more information about our in-depth testing process, an objective look at value, and suggestions for directly comparable products.
Our Analysis and Test Results
While the concept of vaporizing water to increase a room's humidity seems simple enough, not all home humidifiers are created equal. The shape and overall design play a big role in how easy they are to fill and keep clean, while their output will affect how quickly and effectively you can change the humidity in any given space.
The Levoit Classic 200 was one of the highest overall scoring in our review of the best humidifiers. With a convenient shape that makes it easy to fill and clean and excellent performance scores, there isn't much to dislike about this product. The user interface is somewhat confusing and takes a second to learn, but this is generally one of our favorite products. Through a series of controlled tests, we measured this machine's humidifying performance, ease of cleaning, user-friendliness, and operating costs. Read on below to see how the Levoit Classic 200 scored.
Performance Comparison
The Levoit 200 has excellent output and low operating costs.
Credit: Laura Casner
Humidifying Performance
When it comes to pure humidifying output, the Levoit Classic 200 was unbeatable in our tests. Over three hours, this unit was able to raise the humidity levels in our testing room by 145%, from 30.7% initially up to 75.3%. No other unit even came close to this sort of output. The next best performer raised the humidity in the test room by a 94% increase (from 30.5% initially to 59.2% after three hours). If you need to add some serious moisture to your air, this unit has what it takes.
The only thing this unit doesn't have that overall higher-ranking models do is a built-in humidistat. While this won't be an issue for most people, if you need to be fairly certain your ongoing humidity levels are consistent and accurate, you'll need to purchase a separate humidistat or choose a model with one built-in.
The Levoit Classic 200 unit is an excellent humidifier, available at an affordable price point.
Credit: Laura Casner
Ease of Cleaning
One of the biggest distinguishing features between different models of humidifiers is how easy it is to keep them clean. Warm, moist air is the perfect breeding ground for mold, and if you're not careful, humidifiers can become the ideal home for some serious spore growth. Vaporizing and sending that mold airborne is a recipe for a respiratory disaster. Fortunately, the design of the Levoit Classic 200 makes it easy to keep clean. The access hole to the interior chamber is quite large and makes it easy to fit your hand and a scrub brush inside. Additionally, the interior has mostly rounded edges, making it easy to scrub outgrowing mold. There are a few nooks and crannies that are hard to reach, but many of the interior parts are removable if you are having a difficult time reaching under them.
The included instructions call for a more involved cleaning process than many of the other models we tested. We don't find this an issue but appreciate the thoroughness the manufacturers call for. The instructions also call for a daily water change and full cleaning at least once a week. The cleaning instructions are quite detailed on how to prevent mold but don't dive into the process of cleaning out mold if it does happen to grow.
This unit is both easy to fill and easy to clean.
Credit: Laura Casner
User Friendliness
The one thing we didn't love about this model is its user interface. A touch button lets you select what mode you want to use, with each mode having a corresponding color; blue is low, orange is medium, and purple is high.
Our testers didn't find that color system to be very intuitive and somewhat frustrating to remember. The light turns red when the water is low, and a feature we did appreciate is that if you hold down the central button for three seconds, the light turns off. This is a great feature for sensitive sleepers.
The water filling process is made incredibly easy by the large access port and large tank. The 1.1-gallon tank has a comfortable handle that makes removing the water tank simple and streamlined. The flat-top lets you rest it on the counter or in the sink without supporting it while filling.
The Levoit Classic 200 is one of the more user-friendly devices we've used with its large access port.
Credit: Laura Casner
Operating Cost
With a low initial cost and not exorbitantly high annual costs, the Levoit Classic 200 scored relatively well in this metric. It isn't the most cost-effective device, but it feels worth it when you consider its high-performance scores.
Considering the output of this humidifier, the estimated electricity use is easy to justify. There are other humidifiers we tested with a similar energy usage that isn't nearly as effective.
Assuming you run the device for 12 hours a day, on the medium setting, you're looking at an annual operating cost of about 10 dollars a year.
The touch controls take a little bit of time to get used to.
Credit: Laura Casner
Should You Buy the Levoit Classic 200?
The Levoit Classic 200 is one of the best humidifiers on the market and comes at a great price. With great humidifying capabilities and an easy-to-clean tank, this model covers the basics of what it takes to be a premium product. While the user interface is a little weird and the cleaning process is slightly involved, the overall usability is quite high. The only thing this device is missing is a built-in humidistat. We'd gladly recommend this device to anyone looking for a new humidifier.
What Other Humidifiers Should You Consider?
With one of the lower MSRPs and excellent humidifying capabilities, the Levoit Classic 200 offers a terrific value to consumers, but other models surpass it in certain aspects. The award-winning Levoit LV600HH is a more efficient humidifier, especially for larger rooms. The compact Honeywell HUL520B is a better option for smaller rooms and is significantly cheaper to run over a lifetime.
—
Austin Palmer and Buck Yedor
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