Dreo Air Purifier 338: Specs, Price, Pros & Cons
This review measures the Dreo Air Purifier 338 against the full 22-spec sheet we track for Air Purifiers, comparing it like for like with the 31 other models in our database. It earns a VS Score of 47 out of 100 — the weighted result of every verified specification measured against the class average.
On the spec sheet it is strongest in design and weakest in performance. Its clearest single advantage over the class average: a lower min noise level — 18 dB vs 22.26 dB (avg). Street prices currently start at $ 59.93 for the Dreo Air Purifier 338. A transparency note: this spec sheet is 73% complete. Anything unverified shows as Unknown and is left out of the score — we never estimate a missing value.
Category strengths
Where the Dreo Air Purifier 338 beats the average
- Has true HEPA filter ?
- A lower min noise level ?18 dB vs 22.26 dB (avg)
- A much lighter build ?2.5 kg vs 5.29 kg (avg)
- Has air quality sensor ?
- Has auto mode ?
- Has activated carbon filter ?
- Has timer ?
- Has sleep mode ?
- A slightly higher air changes per hour ?4.8 vs 4.7 (avg)
Where the Dreo Air Purifier 338 trails the average
- A much lower coverage area ?178 sq ft vs 333.52 sq ft (avg)
- A much lower CADR (smoke) ?115 CFM vs 212.72 CFM (avg)
- No app control ?
- No washable pre-filter ?
- No voice assistant ?
- Fewer filtration stages ?3 vs 3.56 (avg)
Editor’s note
The 338 is Dreo's entry ticket, and it makes an unusually honest first impression: the coverage figure Dreo leads with is AHAM-verified, and the arithmetic checks out exactly – 115 CFM of smoke CADR delivering nearly five air changes an hour across a genuine 178 square feet. The 856-square-foot number on the listing is the usual one-air-change marketing stretch, but unlike many rivals, the honest number is printed right alongside it.
For a small bedroom, nursery or office, the essentials are all present. An 18-decibel sleep mode – the same class-leading quiet floor as Dreo's bigger machines – a PM2.5 sensor with an LED air-quality display, an auto mode that actually responds to it, four speeds, a timer, and the same 3-in-1 cartridge design (pre-filter, HEPA-grade media, activated carbon) the rest of the range uses. There is even a small aroma pad, a rare touch at this tier: a few drops of essential oil and the outflow carries it.
What is missing is exactly what the price says should be missing. No Wi-Fi, no app, no voice control – the 338S exists for that – and Dreo's usual documentation gaps apply: no published wattage, no maximum noise figure, no stated filter-life in months on the listing we verified.
The competitive picture is tight, because this sits squarely against Levoit's Core 300 – the category's long-running default – and Blueair's 511i Max. The Dreo counter-argument is the sensor: at this price, an air-quality display with auto mode is genuinely uncommon, and the Levoit does not have one.
For a first purifier in a small room, buy whichever of those three is cheapest on the day – and if they are level, the sensor makes the Dreo the smarter box.
Specifications
Quality bars are generated automatically against 31 other air purifiers.
Performance
Clean Air Delivery Rate — how quickly smoke particles are scrubbed from the air.
The room size the purifier is rated to clean effectively.
How many times the air in the rated room is cycled each hour.
The number of filtration layers air passes through.
Filtration
A certified HEPA filter captures 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles.
The HEPA grade of the main filter (e.g. H13).
A carbon layer absorbs odours, smoke and VOCs.
Pellet-based carbon beds absorb more odour than thin coated sheets.
A rinseable pre-filter catches hair and large dust to extend filter life.
How long the main filter lasts before replacement.
Noise & power
The lowest-speed noise output; quieter suits bedrooms.
Noise at full speed; lower is better.
Maximum power draw; lower costs less to run continuously.
A dimmed, near-silent mode for overnight use.
Design
A lighter unit is easier to move between rooms.
The height of the unit.
Smart features
Measures particle levels to show and react to air quality.
Adjusts fan speed automatically based on measured air quality.
Control and monitor it from a phone app.
Works with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Tells you when the filter needs replacing.
Schedule the purifier to switch off automatically.
How the VS Score works — and what it can’t tell you
Every measurable spec is scored against the average of all the Air Purifiers we track: matching the class average scores 50, clearly beating it climbs towards 100, and each spec counts according to an editorial weight that reflects real-world impact — a battery-capacity gap moves the score far more than a colour-options list. The quality bars on the spec cards above show where this model sits inside the full range for its class, and the overall VS Score rolls every weighted result into one number.
Unknown values are never estimated. A spec this product doesn’t report simply drops out of its scoring — it isn’t penalised with a guess — but a thinner spec sheet does mean a score built on fewer data points, which is why completeness is disclosed under About this data.
Most importantly: a spec-sheet lead is not the same as a better product. Megapixels, gigahertz and benchmark points describe capacity, not experience — image processing, software optimisation, thermals, haptics and ergonomics decide how a device actually feels, and no table captures reliability or long-term support quality. Treat the VS Score as a structured summary of what can be measured, not a substitute for your own priorities.
About this data
- Specifications are compiled from each manufacturer’s official spec sheet, cross-checked against trusted specification databases, and normalised into one schema so identical things are compared identically.
- Specifications last verified August 19, 2026.
- Data completeness: 16 of the 22 specs in this category are verified (73%). Anything we could not verify is shown as Unknown — never estimated — and is excluded from the score.
- Prices and availability come from live retailer feeds via our shopping partners and refresh throughout the day; a missing price means no partner currently lists the product, not that it is discontinued.
- Want the full picture? Our editorial guidelines explain how we research products, weight the scores and stay independent.
- Spotted an error in a spec? Tell us and we will correct the sheet.
Where to buy
Prices and availability may change. Check the retailer before buying. We may earn a commission on purchases.
Price history
Air Purifiers with similar specs to the Dreo Air Purifier 338
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The bottom line
The Dreo Air Purifier 338 earns a VS Score of 47, a solid mid-pack result among the 32 air purifiers we compare here.
- Who it’s for
- A first purifier for a small bedroom or office: honest AHAM-verified 178 sq ft, an 18 dB sleep floor, and a real PM2.5 sensor with auto mode at entry money.
- Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting app or voice control – that is the 338S – or a larger room, where the 539 family is the correct size up.
- The trade-off that matters
- Rare-at-this-price sensing and auto mode from a maker that documents little else: no wattage, no max noise, no stated filter life.
- The main alternative
- Levoit Core 300 is the category's proven default at the same money – without the air-quality sensor that is this Dreo's whole argument.
The VS Score is generated automatically from the weighted specifications above, measured against all other air purifiers in our database. Treat it as a shortlisting guide — not a substitute for your own priorities.
