Shark HP153 Air Purifier Review: compact cleaner that actually makes a difference at home

I’ve been using the Shark NeverChange HP153 air purifier for a few weeks now in a pretty normal setup: one bedroom, one home office, one hairy pet, and a partner with allergies. I didn’t get it for free, I bought it because I was tired of waking up with a stuffy nose and dust on every surface 24/7. I’ve had cheaper no-name purifiers before, and they mostly just made noise and a fake “clean air” smell. This one is the first unit where I can actually see and feel a difference in day-to-day use.

Right away, the thing that stood out to me was how simple it is to get going. Out of the box, I literally pulled off the plastic from the filters, plugged it in, hit Auto, and that was it. No app nonsense, no account creation, no 30-minute setup. For a home gadget, that’s already a good start. The real test for me was: would it handle pet dander, dust, and some cooking smells drifting down the hallway?

After a few days, I noticed two things: less visible dust on furniture and fewer random sneezing fits, especially in the morning. I’m not going to say it turned my place into a lab, but the air does feel cleaner and lighter, especially when I come back into the room after being out. The built-in air quality display also gives you a rough idea of what’s going on instead of just a vague “on/off” feeling. You can actually see it react when you cook, spray air freshener, or open a window.

It’s not perfect, though. It’s marketed for up to 650 sq ft, but in my opinion it’s more comfortable in small to medium rooms. If you’re trying to clean a big open living room plus kitchen with one unit, you’re probably pushing it. Also, the price isn’t cheap, even if they say you save on filters long term. But overall, as someone who’s used a few mediocre purifiers, this one feels like a pretty solid upgrade for everyday home use.

Let’s talk money. This Shark HP153 is not in the bargain-bin category. It sits in that mid-range where you start asking yourself if it’s really worth paying more than for a random brand off Amazon. After using it, I’d say it’s good value if you care about low noise, real performance, and not buying filters constantly, but it’s not the best pick if you just want the cheapest possible purifier for occasional use.

The big value point is the long-life "NeverChange" filter. If you’ve owned other purifiers, you know how annoying it is to spend $40–$80 every time you replace filters, sometimes twice a year. Here, Shark claims you can save up to $150 over five years compared to the top 10 cheaper units under $150. Obviously, that’s marketing math, but the logic tracks: one solid filter that lasts years + washable prefilter = fewer replacement purchases. If you actually plan to run this daily, that long-term cost matters.

On the other hand, if you’re just going to use it a few hours a week in a guest room, you probably don’t need to spend this much. A simpler, cheaper unit might be enough. Also, if your room is huge and you’re trying to cover a big open space, you might end up needing two units anyway, which starts to get expensive. In that case, you might be better served with one larger, more powerful purifier instead of multiple compacts.

For me, compared to cheaper purifiers I’ve owned, this Shark feels like a solid step up in real-world performance and noise level. The air reads cleaner, smells better, and the machine doesn’t drive me crazy at night. So yeah, it’s not a budget buy, but if you want something you can run 24/7 in a bedroom or office without babysitting it or constantly buying filters, the price starts to make sense.

Design-wise, the HP153 is very “neutral appliance” — white, compact, and kind of boxy with rounded corners. It doesn’t scream for attention, which is good since it usually lives in a bedroom or office. The footprint is small enough that I can tuck it between a dresser and the bed without it being in the way. If you’re in a small apartment or dorm, the size is honestly one of the main perks. You don’t feel like you’re giving up half the room to a giant tower.

The top control panel is clear and easy to hit in the dark. The touch buttons respond reliably; I haven’t had any issues with mis-taps. The air quality number on the front is big and readable from across the room, and the colored ring around it is simple: green for good, yellow for meh, red for bad. At night, you can dim or turn off the lights, which I absolutely use because I hate glowing gadgets when I’m trying to sleep. On the lowest brightness, it’s barely noticeable.

Air intake is around the sides and back, and it blows clean air out the top. That means you need to give it a bit of space from the wall so it can actually pull in air properly. When I had it too close to the wall, the sensor seemed slower to react, which lines up with what some people mention: the sensor is on the back, so if it’s jammed against a wall or furniture, it’s not working at its best. Once I pulled it out a bit, it behaved more logically.

My only small complaint on design is that it’s only available in white (at least the version I got). White is fine in a bedroom, but in a darker office or living room, a black or grey option would blend better. Also, the plastic feels decent but not premium — it’s a normal home appliance, not something fancy. For the price, I’m okay with that because it’s not something I’m handling all the time. It just sits there and runs.

I obviously haven’t had this for 5 years, so I can’t tell you from personal experience that the filter lasts that long. But I can talk about build quality and how the filter system looks and feels after a few weeks of daily use. The plastic casing feels decently sturdy; I’ve moved it between rooms a bunch of times, bumped it with a vacuum, and nothing rattles or feels loose. The back panel comes off easily for cleaning the prefilter, and it clips back on without feeling like it’s going to break.

The big selling point is the "NeverChange" HEPA filter, which Shark claims can last for years and save around $150 over five years compared to cheap units where you constantly buy filters. So far, the main filter still looks in good shape, and the prefilter is catching most of the hair and bigger dust. I clean the prefilter every week or two with a quick vacuum, and that seems to be enough for now. I like that I’m not constantly being nagged to buy new filters every few months like some brands do.

That said, I’d take the "never change" idea with a bit of common sense. If you live in a very dusty place, smoke indoors, or run this in a workshop, I doubt any filter will be truly “never change.” Realistically, I expect the main filter to last a few years with regular prefilter cleaning, which is still pretty good and cheaper long term than some purifiers with pricey replacement filters every 6–12 months.

In short, the durability feels decent for a home appliance in this price range. It’s not built like industrial equipment, but the parts that need to be touched (back panel, filters, controls) are holding up fine so far. If you treat it like normal indoor gear and clean the prefilter regularly, I don’t see any obvious reason it wouldn’t last several years.

Performance-wise, the HP153 hits a good balance between power and noise. On Eco or low speed, it’s barely noticeable. I can sleep with it right next to the bed and it just becomes background noise, kind of like a soft fan. On medium, you hear it but it’s still fine for working or watching TV. On max, you definitely hear the airflow, but it’s not a harsh or whining sound – more like a strong fan. I’ve had cheaper purifiers that sounded like a jet engine on high; this one is much more tolerable.

In terms of how fast it reacts, it’s usually pretty quick when the pollutant source is near the back of the unit (where the sensor is). For example, I tested it by spraying some air freshener on the other side of the room; within a minute or two, the air quality number dropped, the ring turned yellow or red, and the fan kicked up. One Amazon reviewer mentioned a slight delay sometimes, and I’ve seen that too, especially if the unit is tucked into a corner. Once I pulled it a bit away from the wall, the response time improved and felt more consistent.

As for cleaning speed, in a 150–200 sq ft bedroom, it can clear out cooking odors or light smoke that drifted in within about 15–30 minutes on Auto (which usually ramps up to a higher speed and then drops back down). Dust and dander are more of a long-term thing, but after a week of continuous use, the room just feels fresher. I don’t constantly watch the display, but when I do glance at it, it’s usually sitting in the high 90s or 100 (on Shark’s air quality scale) unless I’ve just done something like vacuuming or cooking.

Power consumption is listed at 26 watts, which is pretty low. I’m comfortable leaving it on 24/7 in Eco/Auto without worrying about the electric bill going crazy. Overall, performance is solid: quiet enough for bedrooms, strong enough to actually clean a small to medium room, and the Auto mode works well enough that I basically never touch the manual fan settings anymore.

Out of the box, you get the purifier itself, the main "NeverChange" HEPA-style filter already installed, and the washable prefilter (they call it Debris Defense). No remote, no batteries, no assembly. You just open the back, pull the plastic off the filter, close it, and plug it in. The unit is compact: about 10.5 x 10.5 inches at the base and roughly 15 inches tall, so it fits on the floor next to a nightstand or even on a sturdy desk. It weighs around 8 pounds, so you can move it between rooms with one hand.

The control panel is on top with touch buttons: power, fan speed, Eco mode, Auto, display brightness, and a filter life display. The front shows a big air quality number and a colored ring (green/yellow/red). In daily use, I mostly keep it on Auto and forget about it. When I cook or spray something in the room, I can hear the fan ramp up and see the color go from green to yellow or red, then slowly return to green as it cleans the air. It’s a nice feedback loop; you can tell it’s actually doing something instead of just humming.

In terms of coverage, Shark claims up to 650 sq ft at one air change per hour. In practice, I feel like it’s ideal for 150–300 sq ft (bedroom, office, nursery) if you want the air to feel consistently clean. I tried it in a larger open area, and it still helped with smells, but it didn’t feel as “tight” as in a smaller room. If you have pets or someone with allergies, I’d keep this in the main sleeping or working area, not as the only purifier for a whole open-concept floor.

Overall, the presentation is pretty straightforward: it’s a compact purifier with a real-time air quality display, auto mode, and a long-life filter system. No smart app, no voice control, nothing fancy. For me, that’s actually a plus. It’s just plug in, set Auto, and leave it alone, which is exactly what I want from a purifier I run almost 24/7.

This is where the purifier actually proved itself for me. I’ve got a pet that sheds and a partner with mild allergies, plus an older building that gets dusty fast. After running the HP153 almost non-stop for a couple of weeks, I noticed less visible dust on my nightstand and shelves. I used to wipe them down and see a light layer again in a couple of days. Now it takes longer for dust to build up, and the bedroom just feels less stuffy.

On the allergy side, I’m not going to claim miracles, but mornings are better. Fewer random sneezes, less scratchy throat. It’s not a replacement for meds if your allergies are bad, but as an extra layer, it helps. The fact that the filter is HEPA-level (actually rated beyond standard HEPA with 0.2 micron capture) is reassuring, but what matters to me is the daily result: fewer symptoms and cleaner surfaces. Also, hair and larger bits get caught in the washable prefilter, which is easy to vacuum or rinse, so the main filter doesn’t get clogged as fast.

Smell control is pretty decent. Cooking smells drifting down the hallway, mild pet odors, and even Febreze or wax melt scents all trigger the sensor. If I fry something in the kitchen, the unit in the nearby room will go from green to yellow or red, the fan ramps up, and after 10–20 minutes the smell is much weaker. One funny downside: if you like scented sprays or wax warmers near the purifier, it will literally scrub the scent out of the air fairly quickly. So if you want your room to smell like your candle, either turn the purifier down or move your scents away from it.

Overall, in terms of effectiveness, I’d say it’s strong for small to medium rooms, good for dust and pet dander, and solid for everyday smells and light smoke. If you’re dealing with heavy smoke all the time (like constant indoor smoking or big industrial fumes), I’d probably look at a bigger unit or multiple purifiers. But for a normal home with pets, some cooking, and mild allergies, this thing gets the job done and actually justifies its price more than cheaper purifiers I’ve owned.