Shark NeverChange Air Purifier

By Shark · Air Purifiers · Home & Workspace

  • Covers up to 650 sq ft in one hour
  • NeverChange long-life filter: no replacement filters needed for up to 5 years
  • 26 W, 120 V

Lowest price seen
~$149.99 (approx.)
from $149.99 at Amazon

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

A compact True HEPA air purifier for small rooms, sold on a main filter that Shark says lasts up to five years without changing. Check the scented cartridge and the sensor behaviour before you buy: the fragrance is a running cost, and the air-quality display is the recurring owner complaint.

Strengths

  • Runs quietly: 32.2 dB on low and 39.2 dB on medium in independent testing.
  • A real-time display for PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 is a genuinely useful readout.
  • TechGearLab scored ease of use 7.9/10 and operating cost 8.7/10.
  • The washable pre-filter and long-lived main filter mean few filter changes.
  • Owners praise the simple setup and low day-to-day upkeep.

Weaknesses

  • Scented Odor Neutralizer masks odours instead of removing them and needs a new cartridge every 3-6 months.
  • Reviewers doubt the full 5-year filter claim; in practice replacement may be yearly or every other year.
  • Air-quality readings stick at 0% or 100% for some owners until the rear sensor is cleaned.
  • TechRadar called the readings overly optimistic, the auto mode unreliable and cooking smells undetected.
  • Not the fastest unit at clearing smoke or heavy pollutants.
  • Independent testing lists it as not Energy Star certified.

Verified specifications

ModelHP152, part of Shark’s HP150 Series.
Region and powerUS 120 V, 26 W, 0.26 A, 6 ft (72 in) cord.
Filtration3-stage True HEPA Multi-Filter (NanoSeal HEPA with activated carbon), a washable Debris Defense pre-filter and mesh dust screens, plus an Odor Neutralizer cartridge.
Particle captureShark claims 99.98% of large, small and micro-sized particles down to 0.1-0.2 microns (IEST-RP-CC007.3).
CoverageShark rates it for up to 650 sq ft at one air change per hour (AHAM AC-1).
Filter lifeShark claims up to 5 years (tested at 300 sq ft, 12 hrs/day at max speed, to a 50% CADR decline).
Air-quality sensingCleanSense IQ measures PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 and shows a live percentage.
SpeedsAuto plus 4 manual fan speeds.
Controlstouch panel, dimmable display, child lock, shut-off timer, sleep and Eco behaviour, muteable beeps.
Odor controlOdor Neutralizer cartridge (part 1541FC3000), which Shark says cuts odours 2x better than filtration alone.
NoiseTechGearLab measured 49 dB on high, 39.2 dB on medium and 32.2 dB on low.
DimensionsShark lists either 9.76 × 9.53 × 15.16 in or 10.47 × 9.33 × 14.9 in; third-party measurements land near 10.5 × 9.3 × 14.9 in.
WeightShark lists 9.74 lbs on one page and 7.3 lbs on the bundle page; reviewers measured about 7.1-7.25 lbs.
In the boxpurifier, Debris Defense washable filter, NeverChange HEPA filter and Odor Neutralizer cartridge; the HEPA filter ships wrapped and must be unwrapped before first use.
Warranty2 years.
Full research notes and sources

Filter life and running costs

Shark’s pitch is that the main NeverChange HEPA filter lasts up to five years, so you rarely buy one. The test behind that claim ran the purifier in a 300 sq ft room, 12 hours a day at max fan speed, to the point where CADR had fallen by 50% (GB/T18801-2015 P.CCM). Independent testers doubt it holds in normal homes; Air Purifier First expects replacement closer to every year or every other year, and one Home Depot owner said a filter “supposed to last 5 years” did not last five months. Shark lists its HEPA filter (HE3FKPET) at $89.95, and third-party replacements for the HP150-HP155 family are sold under HE15FKPET and HE1FKPET.

The unavoidable consumable is the scented Odor Neutralizer cartridge. Shark’s 2-pack (part 1541FC3000) sells for $19.99 and needs swapping every three to six months, so budget for that even if the HEPA filter does last. TechGearLab estimated an annual operating cost of $55.37 and a 10-year lifetime cost of $804.

The Odor Neutralizer cartridge

Shark sells the cartridge as odour control and claims it reduces odours twice as well as filtration alone in its own test. What it actually does is release a fragrance: TechGearLab calls it a scent diffuser, and owners on r/AirPurifiers make the same point, that it does not filter odours but masks them. The “sea foam” scent is polarizing, and some testers found it too strong, though you can dial it down or leave the cartridge out. Shark’s own FAQ warns the fragrance may fade over time or be unnoticeable.

The air-quality sensor

The CleanSense IQ display is a highlight, showing live PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 readings, but owners report a recurring problem where the number sticks at 0% or 100%. Shark publishes a support article with a cleaning fix: vacuum or blow into the rear sensor area, clean the foam pre-filter, or reset filter life. Threads in r/AirPurifiers describe the same theme, usually a dirty sensor. Nobody has published a failure rate, so treat this as a known annoyance rather than a defect.

Is it worth it?

For a quiet small-room purifier with a useful particle display and a long-lived main filter, the HP152 is reasonable, especially when Shark’s own store discounts it to $149.99-$169.99. Shark lists it at $249.99, and PCMag reported a deal under $170 in October 2025. The catches are the scented cartridge you keep buying, mid-pack cleaning speed, and doubt about the five-year filter claim. TechGearLab scored it 72/100, fifth of twelve, with its strongest sub-scores on ease of use (7.9/10) and operating cost (8.7/10). If you want maximum particle-clearing speed for the money, compare against units that score higher on measured cleaning; if added fragrance bothers you, the cartridge can simply be left out.

Which model this is

This page covers the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier HP152, the charcoal grey US 120 V model in Shark’s HP150 Series, which also includes HP150, HP151, HP152C and UA155. Don’t confuse it with the bigger NeverChange MAX HP302, the BreatheClear HP162, the Compact Pro HP072, or the non-NeverChange HEPA models HP102 and HP202. The two-unit bundle is sold as HP152B2.

The listing for the charcoal-grey unit is ASIN B0DSGDGH42.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Parts and stores:

Buying guides for this category

Related products