Medify MA-25 vs Levoit Core 300S
Bottom line
In our scoring the Levoit Core 300S takes it at 7.1/10 (Mixed) against the Medify MA-25 at 4.9/10 (Limited), a 2.2-point gap driven mainly by total cost of ownership: the MA-25 scores just 1.0/10 there, dragged down by ~$150-a-year filters, while the Core 300S costs about a third of that to run. The Core 300S also carries a verified higher CADR (175 vs 123 cfm) and an Energy Star listing the MA-25 lacks, so in our view it is the better five-year value despite the matching sticker price. The MA-25's one genuine strength is safety, where it scores 8.0/10, and like the Core 300S it is AHAM-verified - but on the data we don't see a case for paying more to run it.
These two compact H13 HEPA towers cost almost the same up front - $148.99 for the Medify MA-25 and $149.99 for the Levoit Core 300S - but they split on running cost. The MA-25's replacement filters run about $150 a year, roughly $899 over five years with the device; the Core 300S runs about $45 a year, roughly $375 over five years. Both have AHAM-verified CADR, but the Core 300S verifies a higher 175 cfm pollen number versus the MA-25's 123 cfm. Neither uses any ozone-emitting technology.
| 123 cfm (AHAM-verified) | CADR (independently verified?) | 175 cfm (AHAM-verified) |
| 7.0 | Verified Performance30% | 7.0 |
| 1.0 | Total Cost of Ownership25% | 6.0 |
| 3.0 | Certification15% | 5.0 |
| 8.0 | Safety15% | 8.0 |
| 6.0 | Practical Fit15% | 10.0 |
FAQ
- Is the Medify MA-25 better than the Levoit Core 300S?
- In our scoring the Levoit Core 300S rates 7.1/10 and the Medify MA-25 4.9/10. In our scoring the Levoit Core 300S takes it at 7.1/10 (Mixed) against the Medify MA-25 at 4.9/10 (Limited), a 2.2-point gap driven mainly by total cost of ownership: the MA-25 scores just 1.0/10 there, dragged down by ~$150-a-year filters, while the Core 300S costs about a third of that to run. The Core 300S also carries a verified higher CADR (175 vs 123 cfm) and an Energy Star listing the MA-25 lacks, so in our view it is the better five-year value despite the matching sticker price. The MA-25's one genuine strength is safety, where it scores 8.0/10, and like the Core 300S it is AHAM-verified - but on the data we don't see a case for paying more to run it.
- Which is better for a bedroom?
- In our view the Levoit Core 300S is the better bedroom pick. It carries a published 24 dBA sleep noise rating and a verified CADR up to 175 cfm, and it scores 7.1/10 in our rubric against the MA-25's 4.9/10. We found no published sleep-noise figure for the Medify MA-25 in our data.
- Is the Medify MA-25 worth the extra running cost?
- On the data, we don't think so. The two devices cost about the same up front (around $149), but the MA-25's filters run roughly $150 a year versus about $45 for the Core 300S - a gap of more than $100 every year. That running cost is why the MA-25 scores just 1.0/10 on total cost of ownership in our scoring.
- Are both CADR numbers real?
- Yes. Both the Medify MA-25 and the Levoit Core 300S are AHAM-verified in our data, so their CADR figures (123 cfm for the MA-25, up to 175 cfm for the Core 300S) come from the AHAM directory rather than the box. We score the verified numbers, not the marketing claims.