Which air purifiers are CARB certified and ozone free?

Purifiers that CARB lists as "Mechanical" are the ozone-free ones: they only filter the air and "do not generate ozone or ions." On Amazon today that includes the Levoit Core 400S, Levoit Vital 200S, Levoit Vital 100S and 11 more in the table below.

  1. Most rooms

    Levoit Vital 200S

    $189.99 on Amazon, November 4, 2026

    Check price on Amazon

    Certified for 388 sq ft, so it fits a bedroom or a living room.

    CARB Mechanical · G-22-455

  2. Big room or pets

    Wozoyo Pure Air PA6

    $249.99 on Amazon, November 4, 2026

    Check price on Amazon

    Certified for 563 sq ft with a smoke CADR of 363.

    CARB Mechanical · G-26-088

  3. Small room, lowest price

    Dreo 338

    $59.98 on Amazon, November 4, 2026

    Check price on Amazon

    Certified for 178 sq ft with a smoke CADR of 115.

    CARB Mechanical · G-26-106

Prices are Amazon's on November 4, 2026. Each model is on CARB's list as Mechanical.

By Erin Rose · Updated

What CARB certified means

CARB tests every portable air cleaner sold in California for electrical safety. A purifier with an electronic part, like an ionizer, must also pass an ozone test: no more than 0.050 parts per million.

CARB sorts each purifier into two types. Mechanical means filters only, with no ozone and no ions. Electronic means it may be able to make ozone, so CARB tested it. CARB says its certificate does not show how well a purifier cleans the air.

Ozone free: 14 purifiers CARB lists as Mechanical

Ozone free: 14 purifiers CARB lists as Mechanical: CARB type and certificate, smoke CADR, room size and Amazon price
ModelOn CARB's listSmoke CADRRoom (sq ft)PriceBuy
Levoit Core 400S Yes, MechanicalG-21-166 231 358 $189.97 Buy
Levoit Vital 200S Yes, MechanicalG-22-455 250 388 $189.99 Buy
Levoit Vital 100S Yes, MechanicalG-23-052 143 222 $113.99 Buy
Levoit Core 300 Yes, MechanicalG-19-112 143 222 $84.99 Buy
Levoit Core 200S Yes, MechanicalG-20-216 90 140 $69.97 Buy
Wozoyo Pure Air PA6 Yes, MechanicalG-26-088 363 563 $249.99 Buy
Dreo Macro Max AS Yes, MechanicalG-26-104 294 456 $159.99 Buy
KNKA APH4000 Yes, MechanicalG-25-276 226 350 $99.99 Buy
Honeywell HPA4300B Yes, MechanicalG-26-133 229 354 $159.99 Buy
Whirlpool Whispure WPPRO2000 Yes, MechanicalG-17-015 341 529 $349.99 Buy
Whirlpool Whispure WP500 Yes, MechanicalG-17-013 328 509 $274.49 Buy
GermGuardian AirSafe+ AP3250 Yes, MechanicalG-25-294 222 345 $229.99 Buy
Dreo DR-HAP009AS Yes, MechanicalG-26-091 145 225 $107.93 Buy
Dreo 338 Yes, MechanicalG-26-106 115 178 $59.98 Buy

CARB type and certificate number are from CARB's list, read October 29, 2026. Smoke CADR and room size are AHAM's certified figures (pulled October 23, 2026); room size is for a normal day, at about 4.8 air changes an hour. Prices are Amazon's on November 4, 2026. Each row uses the model number on its Amazon listing, or the maker's model name where CARB lists it that way.

Certified, but not ozone free: CARB lists these as Electronic

These are also CARB certified. They have an ionizer or UV light, so CARB tested them for ozone and they passed the 0.050 ppm limit. They can make a little ozone, so they are not ozone free.

Certified, but not ozone free: CARB lists these as Electronic: CARB type and certificate, smoke CADR, room size and Amazon price
ModelOn CARB's listSmoke CADRRoom (sq ft)PriceBuy
Winix 5510 Yes, ElectronicG-24-234 253 392 $179.99 Buy
Winix T810 Yes, ElectronicG-23-200 270 418 $175.99 Buy
Blueair Blue Pure 311i Max Yes, ElectronicG-23-050 283 439 $229 Buy
GermGuardian AC4825E Yes, ElectronicG-12-006 99 153 $119.99 Buy

Common questions

What does CARB certified mean?
CARB is the California Air Resources Board. Its rule: "To be certified, all air cleaners must be tested for electrical safety. Electronic air cleaners must also be tested for ozone emissions and meet an ozone emission concentration limit of 0.050 parts per million (50 ppb)." CARB also says certification does not show how well a purifier cleans.
Is every CARB certified purifier ozone free?
No. CARB puts each purifier in one of two types. Mechanical purifiers use filters only and "do not generate ozone or ions." Electronic ones, such as models with an ionizer or UV light, "may be capable of generating ozone" but were tested at no more than 0.050 ppm. If you want none, pick a Mechanical one.
Is a HEPA air purifier ozone free?
A purifier with only a HEPA filter and no ionizer or UV light is what CARB calls Mechanical. Check the model on CARB's list, because some HEPA purifiers add an ionizer, like the Winix 5510's PlasmaWave.
Where do I check a purifier that is not in the table?
Search its model number on CARB's own list: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/list-carb-certified-air-cleaning-devices . If the Type column says Mechanical, it makes no ozone by CARB's definition. Use the model number printed on the unit or the Amazon listing.
Do I need a CARB certified purifier?
CARB says "all portable indoor air cleaning devices sold to people or businesses in California are required to be certified." The rule covers sales in California, including online sales delivered there.
Can I turn the ionizer off on a Winix?
Yes. The Winix 5510 manual says you can switch PlasmaWave off with its button. CARB still lists the 5510 as Electronic, because it has the ionizer.

Sources

4 references · read November 4, 2026
  1. 1

    California Air Resources Board: list of CARB-certified air cleaning devices

    Read October 29, 2026. 13,090 rows. The Type, certificate and definitions on this page are CARB's words.

  2. 2

    AHAM Verifide directory: certified room air cleaners (U.S.)

    Pulled October 23, 2026. Smoke CADR and room size for every model in the tables.

  3. 3

    Winix 5510 and 5520 user manual

    Read October 29, 2026. PlasmaWave button.

  4. 4

    Amazon listings for each model

    Listing model number, price and buy box read November 4, 2026.