Someone recently had to sit me down, hold my hands, and tell me something no pet owner ever wants to hear: my apartment smelled like wet dog. Horrifying. 

With all the nonstop fur and dander that seem to appear everywhere no matter what, the intervention was probably necessary. So when Levoit launched its Vital Pet Pro Air Purifier, I was curious to see whether it could actually make a noticeable difference. 

Designed specifically for pet-friendly households, the $189.99 machine takes a more targeted approach than a conventional air purifier, combining a three-stage filtration system with features designed around one of the biggest problems pet owners face: fur everywhere. (And the occasional “wet dog” smell.) 

The three-stage filtration system consists of a washable pre-filter, a main filter, and an activated carbon filter. The pre-filter catches larger debris such as pet hair, while the main filter targets smaller particles and dander. The carbon filter is designed to tackle odors, with 140 grams of activated carbon packed into it.

Another one of the purifier’s key design features is its U-shaped air inlet, which Levoit says is designed to capture airborne pet hair and particles while improving airflow and helping prevent the filter from becoming clogged.

After testing the purifier for a little over a week, I found it impressively effective at collecting fur and trapping the kind of debris that would normally end up floating around the apartment or settling onto furniture.

When it comes to tackling pet odors, Levoit says that the Vital Pet Pro can remove up to 70% of odors within an hour. I can’t really do a specific test to verify that claim, but the difference was easy enough to notice. After the purifier had been running, the room smelled considerably fresher.

I also appreciated the automatic cleaning technology, which removes accumulated hair and debris from the pre-filter and collects it in a removable tray. It’s a very practical feature, especially if the alternative is constantly pulling apart the purifier to clean out a layer of fur.

Additionally, the companion app offers different modes designed to make the purifier more hands-off. Auto Plus Mode monitors changes in air quality and adjusts the purifier’s performance in real time.

Pet Mode is designed specifically around the way pet-related particles can build up throughout the day. It alternates between running the fan at its highest speed for 15 minutes to capture particulates in the pre-filter and then switching to a lower speed for 60 minutes to maintain air quality while reducing noise and energy use.

Also, rather than displaying a numerical air-quality reading, the Vital Pet Pro uses a simple color system. Red indicates bad air quality, orange means moderate, green means good, and cyan means very good. I actually preferred this since you can quickly glance at the purifier and immediately get a sense of whether the air is improving without having to interpret a number.

I’ll also point out that the Vital Pet Pro is a little larger than I expected, so make sure you have enough floor space before bringing one home.

Noise is another consideration. At its highest setting, the fan is definitely audible. Once the purifier settles into a lower setting, however, it’s quiet enough to leave running overnight without disrupting my sleep. For light sleepers, Sleep Mode makes the purifier run even more quietly.

The air purifier is available to purchase from Levoit’s website, Amazon, Chewy, and other retailers.