Humidifiers / Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) vs Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
$39.99
VSLevoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)
$79.99
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) vs Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)
Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)
The smart ultrasonic everyone buys — and the one that will powder your nightstand.
Wins overall by 1.4 points
Quick Verdict
A 1.4-point gap makes the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) the straightforward choice here. The smart ultrasonic everyone buys — and the one that will powder your nightstand.
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) and Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) are both closely matched humidifier models, and the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is $40 cheaper than the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) ($39.99 vs $79.99). On Humidity Control, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) leads (8.5 vs 2.0/10) — whether there is a genuine closed-loop humidistat holding a setpoint, or just fixed output steps and a timer with a humidity label on it. On Runtime & Refill Interval, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) leads (8.5 vs 3.5/10) — how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is. On Output, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) leads (7.0 vs 3.0/10) — actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box. Overall, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) scores 6.8/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.4/10 for the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) | Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.99 | $79.99 |
| Release Year | 2015 | 2021 |
| Humidification Technology | Ultrasonic cool mist — a piezo disc atomises water into a visible plume | Ultrasonic cool mist — a piezoelectric disc shatters water into a visible aerosol that is blown out of a nozzle |
| White Dust & Mineral Aerosol | Yes, and Pure Enrichment says so in its own catalogue: the MistAire Decalcification Cartridge Filter is described as reducing "white dust from minerals in tap water". It is a $12.99 accessory, not included, and Pure Enrichment recommends changing it every six months. the EPA's "Use and Care of Home Humidifiers" states that ultrasonic and impeller humidifiers "are very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air" and that they "can disperse materials, such as microorganisms and minerals, from their water tanks into indoor air" | Yes, and there is no fix sold for it. the EPA's "Use and Care of Home Humidifiers" states that ultrasonic and impeller humidifiers "are very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air" and that they "can disperse materials, such as microorganisms and minerals, from their water tanks into indoor air". Levoit sells no demineralisation cartridge for the Classic 300S — the part in the box is an aroma pad and a water-filter sponge, neither of which removes dissolved minerals. TechGearLab's tester warns that on tap water the minerals "eventually start to be noticeable on your furniture". Distilled water is the only real remedy, at roughly $1-1.50 per gallon |
| Tank Capacity | 1.7 L / 0.45 gal — the smallest tank here after the Canopy | 1.58 gal / 6 L, top-fill |
| Rated Output per Day | Published: 120 mL/hr on high and 60 mL/hr on low, i.e. 2.9 L/day and 1.4 L/day. That is a desk-scale output and Pure Enrichment is honest about it | Not published by the manufacturer — Levoit publishes runtime and a 26W rated power but no mL/hr or gallons-per-day output figure anywhere on the spec sheet |
| Quoted Runtime (and at which setting) | Up to 25 hours on LOW, up to 12 hours on HIGH — Pure Enrichment publishes both, which almost nobody else in this set does | "Up to 60 hours" — Levoit's own page attaches that figure to the LOW mist setting. 6 L over 60 h is only about 100 mL/hr; on high the same tank empties in a small fraction of that time |
| Rated Room Coverage | Up to 250 ft² (Pure Enrichment) — the smallest claim here, and the only one that is consistent with the published output | 215-505 ft² / 20-47 m² (Levoit) |
| Humidistat | None. Two mist settings on a dial and an auto shut-off for a dry tank. No humidity sensor, no auto mode, no readout | Real closed-loop humidistat. An onboard humidity sensor feeds Auto mode, which holds 40-50% RH or a custom setpoint; TechGearLab called the auto mode "decently accurate" |
| Noise | Not published as a decibel figure — Pure Enrichment says "whisper quiet". At 12W with no fan the noise is the ultrasonic hum and the water | Levoit claims 30dB or less. TechGearLab measured 38.5dB and describes an ultrasonic whine plus a steady dripping noise as the tank empties — a bedroom-relevant gap between claim and measurement |
| Filters & Cartridges (Annual Cost) | Optional decalcification cartridge at $12.99, changed every six months — about $26/yr if you use it. Nothing is required for the unit to run, but running it on tap water without the cartridge is what generates the dust | No wick and no demineralisation cartridge exist for this model, so the strictly required consumable cost is $0/yr. In practice the running cost is distilled water — roughly $1-1.50 a gallon, or about $45-90 over a 60-day heating season at one tank every two days |
| Cleaning Burden & Dishwasher-Safe Parts | Small, so it is quick, but the 1.7L tank neck is narrow and the supplied disk brush exists precisely because you cannot get a hand round the transducer. Nothing is dishwasher-safe. At 1.7L you are handling it daily anyway | Above average. The top-fill opening takes an adult hand and the vapour tower has clearance around it; TechGearLab scored cleaning 8.5/10 but flagged small crevices in the base. Nothing is dishwasher-safe. The EPA advice is to "clean portable humidifiers every third day" |
| UV / Antimicrobial Claim | None claimed. No UV, no antimicrobial coating, no bacteriostatic additive supported | None claimed. No UV lamp, no silver-ion or antimicrobial coating, no bacteriostatic additive supported |
| Mist Temperature & Burn Risk | Cool mist at room temperature — no burn risk, and no thermal kill step on the water | Cool mist at room temperature — no burn risk, but equally no thermal kill step, so whatever is living in the tank is aerosolised with the water |
| Warranty | 60 months | 24 months |
| Colors | White, Gray | White, Gray, Blue |
Category Scores
Freedom From White Dust
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads clearly here, 4.0 against 2.5 — a 1.5-point margin on the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.. If that is what you are buying for, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Output
The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 3.0 — a 4.0-point margin on actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Runtime & Refill Interval
The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 3.5 — a 5.0-point margin on how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Cleaning & Access
The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.0 — a 1.5-point margin on whether the tank opening takes an adult hand, whether any part is dishwasher-safe or boilable, and how realistic the manufacturer's stated cleaning interval is to actually keep to. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Running Cost
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 5.5 — a 2.5-point margin on wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase. If that is what you are buying for, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Quietness
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.0 — a 1.0-point margin on noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims. If that is what you are buying for, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Humidity Control
The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 2.0 — a 6.5-point margin on whether there is a genuine closed-loop humidistat holding a setpoint, or just fixed output steps and a timer with a humidity label on it. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Safety Around Children
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 8.0 — a 0.5-point margin on burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery. If that is what you are buying for, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) if…
- • Running Cost matters most to you — the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) scores 8.0/10 here (wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase).
- • Freedom From White Dust matters most to you — the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) scores 4.0/10 here (the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.).
- • You want to spend less — it's $40 cheaper.
Choose the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) if…
- • Humidity Control matters most to you — the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) scores 8.5/10 here (whether there is a genuine closed-loop humidistat holding a setpoint, or just fixed output steps and a timer with a humidity label on it).
- • Runtime & Refill Interval matters most to you — the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) scores 8.5/10 here (how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is).
- • Output matters most to you — the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) scores 7.0/10 here (actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box).
- • Your main use case is easy-clean.
Pros & Cons
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
Pros
- +A five-year warranty at $39.99, which no other humidifier in this comparison comes close to
- +Publishes both output (120/60 mL/hr) and runtimes for both settings — rare honesty at this price
- +Pure Enrichment openly sells a cartridge described as reducing "white dust from minerals in tap water", so the problem is at least acknowledged
- +12W and auto shut-off; small enough to sit on a desk without dominating it
Cons
- −1.7L and 120 mL/hr is a desk humidifier, not a bedroom one — a full tank on high lasts twelve hours and covers 250 ft² at best
- −Ultrasonic, so it makes white dust; the demineralisation cartridge that reduces it is a $12.99 accessory sold separately on a six-month cycle
- −No humidistat of any kind — two settings on a dial and nothing that senses the room
- −Narrow tank neck means you clean the transducer with the supplied brush rather than your hand
- −No antimicrobial or UV stage, and Pure Enrichment publishes no noise figure
Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)
Pros
- +One of the few sub-$100 humidifiers with a genuine closed-loop humidistat rather than a timer wearing a humidity label
- +6L top-fill tank goes two nights between refills at bedroom output levels
- +Auto mode plus app scheduling actually works unattended — TechGearLab rated the humidity tracking accurate
- +Cleaning access is unusually good for an ultrasonic: wide top opening, clearance round the tower
Cons
- −Ultrasonic, so it aerosolises every mineral in the water as white dust on furniture and into the air, and Levoit sells no demineralisation cartridge for it — distilled water is the only fix
- −Levoit publishes no output figure at all: no mL/hr, no gallons per day, so the "215-505 ft²" coverage claim cannot be checked against anything
- −The "up to 60 hours" runtime is the low setting only; run it on high in a genuinely dry room and you are refilling daily
- −Measured 38.5dB against a claimed 30dB, with an audible ultrasonic whine and dripping as the tank drains
- −No antimicrobial or UV stage of any kind, so the every-third-day cleaning the EPA recommends is the entire hygiene plan
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) or Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Humidity Control, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) or the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)?+
The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) scores higher on Humidity Control (8.5/10 vs 2.0/10) — whether there is a genuine closed-loop humidistat holding a setpoint, or just fixed output steps and a timer with a humidity label on it.
Which is better for Runtime & Refill Interval, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) or the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)?+
The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) scores higher on Runtime & Refill Interval (8.5/10 vs 3.5/10) — how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is.
Which is better for Output, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) or the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)?+
The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) scores higher on Output (7.0/10 vs 3.0/10) — actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box.
Which is better for Running Cost, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) or the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) scores higher on Running Cost (8.0/10 vs 5.5/10) — wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase.
Is the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) worth the price difference over the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is the cheaper option at $39.99 versus $79.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Humidity Control.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is the better fit if you mainly care about nursery. The Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) is the better fit for easy-clean.
What's the warranty on the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) vs the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S)?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) ships with a 60-month warranty; the Levoit Classic 300S (Classic300S) ships with a 24-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) — $19.79
Premium Option
Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) — $89.95
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.