Two different registries, two different things
AHAM Verifide is a voluntary, paid, third-party testing program run by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. It measures CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) — how much clean air a unit actually delivers per minute — independently of whatever the manufacturer publishes. Participation is optional, so not every brand is listed.
CARB (California Air Resources Board) is a mandatory government certification, unrelated to CADR — it tests ozone emissions, and every portable air cleaner sold in the US has to clear it. We cover CARB status for all 9 models, including the Mechanical-vs-Electronic classification and what it does and doesn't mean, on a dedicated page. This page's table includes CARB status for completeness, but the CADR numbers below are the AHAM Verifide story specifically.
All 9 models, checked
| Model | Manufacturer-claimed CADR | AHAM Verifide CADR | Gap | CARB status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirDoctor AD3500 | 340 CFM | Not listed | Not AHAM-listed — unverified either way | Electronic |
| Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max | 405 CFM | 435 CFM · 674 sq ft | Understated (AHAM is higher) | Electronic |
| Levoit Core 300-P | 195 CFM | 143 CFM · 222 sq ft | Overstated ~36% | Mechanical |
| Levoit Core Mini-P | 65 CFM | 34 CFM · 53 sq ft | Overstated ~91% — largest gap found | Mechanical |
| Levoit Vital 100S-P | 195 CFM | 143 CFM · 222 sq ft | Overstated ~36% | Mechanical |
| Levoit Vital 200S-P | 242 CFM | 250 CFM · 388 sq ft | Understated (AHAM is higher) | Mechanical |
| PuroAir 240 | 205 CFM | Not listed | Not AHAM-listed — unverified either way | Mechanical |
| uahpet Air Purifier Slim | 120 CFM | Not listed | Not AHAM-listed — unverified either way | Mechanical |
| Winix 5520 | 243 CFM | 253 CFM · 392 sq ft | Understated (AHAM is higher) | Electronic |
"Manufacturer-claimed CADR" is what was being published for each model before this correction — for the 6 AHAM-listed models, compare it against the verified column. Full sourcing, AHAM record IDs, and CARB EO numbers are on each model's individual review page and on the CARB breakdown.
The three corrections
- Levoit Core Mini-P — the largest gap found, ~91% overstated. Claimed 65 CFM / 100 sq ft; AHAM Verifide lists 34 CFM / 53 sq ft. This is the single strongest finding on the site — see the litter box room guide where it's covered.
- Levoit Core 300-P and Vital 100S-P — both overstated ~36%. Both claimed 195 CFM; AHAM Verifide lists both at 143 CFM. The two models are functionally tied on real, verified airflow, despite the Vital 100S-P's higher price.
- Vital 200S-P, Winix 5520, and Blueair 211i Max — all understated. All three came in higher on AHAM Verifide than what was being claimed — a rarer, and generally better-received, kind of correction to make.
What "not AHAM-listed" means for the other 3
PuroAir 240, AirDoctor AD3500, and uahpet Air Purifier Slim don't appear in AHAM Verifide's directory as of this check. That's a fact about registry participation, not a quality signal — participation is voluntary and costs money, and smaller or newer brands sometimes skip it. Their CADR figures on this site are labeled manufacturer-stated, not verified, and we say so directly on each of those three reviews rather than presenting an unconfirmed number as if it had been checked.
Sourcing and methodology
AHAM Verifide figures were checked directly against AHAM's live searchable directory (ahamdir.com) and its static archival PDF, matched by model-specific record ID where available (e.g. "LAP-V201S-AUSR" for the Vital 200S-P), not just brand name. CARB figures were checked against ww2.arb.ca.gov's certified device list by exact model number. Verified 2026-08-13.
AHAM Verifide listings don't change often — a model stays certified once tested, and we'd only expect a re-check if a manufacturer revises a filter or a new model is added. That's a different maintenance rhythm from filter pricing, which drifts constantly — see our companion page, true filter cost, for the other half of what we verify directly rather than take from the box.