Winix 5500-2 review

The Winix 5500-2 is the upgraded version of their super popular Winix 5300-2 that we reviewed in 2021. It’s a device that has a lot of fans online, starting with the team from NYtimes Wirecutter all the way to the Redditors over at r/AirPurifiers.

Winix is one of the OG air purifier manufacturers, producing air quality devices since 1973. They are a South Korean company known for creating budget-friendly products that still perform effectively. It’s worth also mentioning that all Winix devices are made in Korea rather than China (the usual manufacturing country of most air purifier brands).

Another highlight of Winix is that they send all their devices for independent testing with AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) Verifide, which means that a third party has confirmed the unit’s CADR results. 

All Winix devices use a bi-polar ionization technology called PlasmaWave, but you can switch it off and still use the air purifier without this ionizer function. Hooray. 

We bought the 5500-2 with our own money, and, as always, we have no relationship with Winix. We only want to share how well it performed in our set of tests, including its air cleaning performance, long-term costs, energy usage and sound generation.

This is how I tested the air cleaning performance of this unit:

I am keen to see what improvements Winix has brought from the older 5300-2 and to test its performance with the PlasmaWave enabled and without, as it’s a question we see a lot. 

As always, we will share all our results and data with you in this review.

The lowdown on the Winix 5500-2

Timeless style that fits anywhere

While the older 5300-2 is gray, the 5500-2 is black. I prefer this color as it doesn’t stand out as much, but then again I have a black phone, black car and black laptop — so I must really  like black.

But apart from the color, the 5500-2 looks very similar to its predecessor and has the same product dimensions and floor space requirements.

Like the 5300-2, the 5500-2 keeps the useful removable pre-filter, which makes it super easy to remove and clean underwater. Winix recommends you do this every 3 months to remove particle build-up and keep the unit running smoothly.

This pre-filter is much better than the fitted pre-filters seen on the Levoit Core devices, which are part of the main filter, making cleaning it a lot trickier.

The control panel is similar to the 5300-2 with a button for auto mode and sleep mode, a button to switch on PlasmaWave, a button to cycle through the 4 fan speeds and a timer button to set 1 hour, 4 hours or 8 hours running time.

One annoying thing about the older unit was that when you lost power, it would default back to using the PlasmaWave even if you had switched it off before. Sadly, the 5500-2 still has this issue, so you must adjust the settings again whenever you lose power. We have seen that Alen has managed to build in a setting memory, so it would be great to see this in place for future Winix devices.

One benefit over the Winix 5300-2 is that the Winix 5500-2 comes with remote control, so you have that as an option:

3-stage air cleaning filter system

Following the big issue of Levoit removing HEPA from their marketing after Dyson complained to the BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD), we are a little wary of manufacturers’ claims of HEPA.

One thing that helps us trust in the performance of the Winix 5500-2 is that it’s been independently tested by AHAM as part of their Verifide process.

Winix states that their True HEPA filter can remove 99.99% of particles of 0.3 microns. Big claims that we were also pleased to see it has been tested by a third-party lab, so we are not worried that they are not using the filters they say.

One of my biggest issues with the older Winix was the material they used for the activated carbon filter. Winix chose to use impregnated carbon fabric, which is much cheaper and fine for light-duty issues with odors and gasses. However, ASHRAE recommends that granular media filters are better for medium-duty issues, which most homeowners will face.

I am glad to report that the 5500-2 has removed the impregnated media-infused carbon filter in favor of the granular type with activated carbon pellets.

I asked Teddy to take a close-up shot of the filter so you can clearly see the activated carbon pellets:

You can see the difference between the carbon filters in the Winix 5300-2 compared to that of the Winix 5500-2 in the image below:

Removing filters for the Winix 5500-2 is super easy once you have removed the pre-filter from the tabs. Be sure to always put the activated carbon filter in first and then the True HEPA filter.

The Winix 5500-2 cleaned our test room in 20 minutes

We were pleased to see that the Winix 5500-2 was one minute quicker than the latest Levoit Vital 200S and also a minute quicker than the Blueair Blue Pure 311+, which utilizes an ionizer that can’t be switched off.

For our test, I used a PurpleAir Indoor Sensor with an additional BM680 gas filter, which allows us to track PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and VOC levels continually. 

I first filled our 728-square-foot test room with smoke from burning an incense stick and then switched on the Winix 5500-2 in its highest mode with PlasmaWave enabled.

One of the main questions we see online is how well the Winix 5500-2 can clean the air without using the PlasmaWave ionizer function.

We decided to test this ourselves and were pleased with the results as it was still able to clean our test room of PM1 particles in 23 minutes without the PlasmaWave, which is one full minute longer than the Levoit Vital 200S but is the same time as Wirecutter’s top recommended air purifier: the Coway AP-15122hh Mighty (with its ionizer enabled).

It’s worth stating that the Winix 5500-2 is CARB certified, and its EnergyStar rating shows 0.0ppb of ozone created. Hence, the risk of ozone with this type of ionizer is very small, and it could help with odors beyond using the activated carbon filters alone, especially if used in a space with smoke.

But we are glad that Winix keeps this feature as an option so those concerned about ozone can leave the ionizer function off. 

Air cleaning performance test results 

The Winix 5500-2 was five minutes quicker at removing PM1 particles than the $900 IQAir HealthPro Plus and one minute slower than the larger ionizer-powered Blueair Blue Pure 211+.

Considering the low price of this air purifier, its air cleaning performance is super impressive, especially considering it uses a higher grade of activated carbon.  

Noise level test results 

The last test is to see how much sound is generated when using the purifier, especially at its highest and lowest fan speeds. 

The quieter an air purifier, the more likely you will use it, which will mean cleaner air in your home. 

At its highest speed, we found that the Winix 5500-2 hit 58.9 dB, which is a little higher than the 57.7 dB we saw with the Vital 200S but still not so high as to be uncomfortable. 

At the second highest speed, we were pleased to see it only hit 42.5 dB, which is likely to be a comfortable sound to sleep or work under. 

At its lowest speed, the 5500-2 hit only 38.8 dB.

We know the sound is highly subjective, so be sure to listen to the sound test we produced after testing the Winix 5500-2:

The cost to run a Winix 5500-2: $135.70 per year

1. Electricity costs = $55.71 per year

At the lowest fan speed, the Winix 5500-2 only pulled 6.5 watts per our energy meter and reached a maximum of 53.46 watts on its turbo speed with Plasmawave enabled.

Assuming energy prices of $0.12/kWh, if you ran the 5500-2 continuously 24 hours per day for every day of the year, it would add $55.71 to your annual electricity bill. Most people will find that they will use the unit for less time than in our scenario, but others with issues with allergies might need to keep it running continuously.

The overall energy use was higher than what we saw with the Levoit Vital 200S, which added $37.84 to the final bill but was much less than we see with power-hungry devices like the IQAir HealthPro Plus, which adds $165.04 to your bill each year. 

2. Filter costs = $79.99 per year

The genuine True HEPA and activated charcoal filters will need replacing every 12 months and have an RRP of $79.99 but are regularly available for close to $50 with sales and discounts. When I wrote this review, you could buy filters from Winix for $49.99 and Amazon for $43.99.

There are plenty of generic filters that bring the price down even more, with a year’s worth of filters costing close to $15 per year if you buy in a pack of four or $19 for a pack of two.

Bottom line

The Winix 5500-2 has impressed me with its improved performance and use of pelleted activated carbon instead of fabric. 

The 5500-2 comes with an ionizer via its PlasmaWave technology that helps deal with odors and gases. However, it still offers great air cleaning performance even without using this function, as it removed all PM1 in our test in under 23 minutes without PlasmaWave enabled.

Filter prices are fair, considering the use of activated carbon pellets. Due to the device’s popularity, there is a ton of choice for generic filters if you want to save more money long-term. 

I much prefer the 5500-2’s removable pre-filter, which makes it a lot easier to clean and vacuum compared to Levoit Core devices like the 400S and the 600S, which have the pre-filter integrated into the main filter. 

When running on turbo speed, the 5500-2 is noisier than I would like, but the sound levels generated are no louder than those of other modern air purifiers with similar air cleaning performance. 

With this unit, you don’t get any app support, but you do get auto-mode. Just remember to keep the sensor clean of dust to ensure it works effectively. 

For the price, the Winix 5500-2 is one of the top air purifiers available right now. It offers excellent air cleaning performance, relatively low long-term costs and minimal noise generated. I just hope that a future model includes settings memory so those of us who don’t want to use the ionizer won’t have to worry it will switch back on when there is a power cut.

Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API