The Shark Air Purifier MAX is an air purifier intended for medium-sized rooms. It has a two-stage filtration system, and like many of its contemporaries, it features an integrated particle sensor that allows it to automatically adjust its fan speed depending on current air quality; this information is shown on a centrally-mounted display.
Our Verdict
This air purifier is a good choice for pet owners. It's a little slower at cleaning larger spaces than some similarly-priced and sized alternatives, but it ultimately still does a good job of trapping finer particles like pet dander. It also runs pretty quietly, so it won't be overly disruptive for pets who are sensitive to loud noises.
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Quiet operation.
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Automatic fan speed adjustment feature.
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No smartphone app.
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Air cleaning rate is a little slower than alternatives.
The Shark Air Purifier MAX is good for bedroom use. It operates reasonably quietly when compared to its peers, even at higher fan speeds, and you can easily turn off its display lights to keep them from bothering you at night. That said, its purification performance does lag slightly behind that of alternatives. It's thankfully not too big; while it won't fit on a dresser or a shelf, it's small enough to be tucked into an inconspicuous corner in your room.
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Quiet operation.
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Automatic fan speed adjustment feature.
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Display light shutoff.
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No smartphone app.
-
Air cleaning rate is a little slower than alternatives.
-
Quiet operation.
-
Automatic fan speed adjustment feature.
-
No smartphone app.
-
Air cleaning rate is a little slower than alternatives.
-
Quiet operation.
-
Automatic fan speed adjustment feature.
-
No smartphone app.
-
Air cleaning rate is a little slower than alternatives.
- 7.2 Pets
- 7.7 Bedroom
Performance Usages
- 7.0 Particle Filtration Rate
- 8.1 Particle Concentration
- Updated Oct 31, 2024: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.1.
- Updated May 13, 2024: Review published.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There are three variants of this air purifier, though they differ only in terms of color: the Shark HP200 (Silver), Shark HP201 (White), and Shark HP202 (Black). We tested the HP202 (Black) model; you can see its label here.
Let us know in the comments if you come across another variant of this air purifier.
Compared To Other Air Purifiers
This is an air purifier intended for medium-sized rooms. While the Shark has no glaring faults, it does nothing to put it ahead of alternatives like the similarly-sized Levoit Core 400S, which boasts better overall filtration performance and more advanced convenience features, like smartphone app integration and support for voice commands.
Test Results
If you'd prefer operating the air purifier without having to use the display, Shark also sells a remote control separately, which you can buy here.
You can cycle through three levels of display brightness by tapping the 'Light' icon: fully off, mid brightness, and full brightness.
The indicator light surrounding the central display changes color depending on the Clean Sense IQ system's estimate of current air quality:
- Blue: Good
- Orange: Fair
- Red: Poor
You can also cycle through this display to show the concentration of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 particles in the air.
This air purifier has a two-stage filter system comprised of a HEPA filter and a Carbon filter layer for minimizing odors. There's no need to clean the filter regularly, but you will need to replace this filter every six to 12 months. You can find a replacement here.