Choosing the right air purifier can be difficult: you have to consider room size, coverage, capacity, cost, and the budget you want to spend. The air purifier market is rapidly expanding, with several different brands releasing model after model that differ very slightly, making your choice ever more challenging.

But sometimes too much choice can be harder than not enough! If you’re confused by the multitude of options, one brand we recommend is Winix.  Since they established in 1973, Winix has been at the forefront of the air purification market and has produced some outstanding water and air treatment solutions for your home. Winix continues to produce top-of-the-line home appliances, ranging from air cleaners, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.

But you may still wonder which model is the best. So, this article aims to answer those questions by examining a few of the most popular Winix air purifiers available.

Top 5 Winix Air Purifiers

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1Winix WAC9500 Ultimate Pet Air Purifier

  • Filter Indicator
  • Smart Sensors
  • Auto and Sleep Mode
  • Plasma Wave Technology
  • 1-Year Limited Warranty

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2Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier

  • Filter and Air Quality Indicator
  • Remote Control
  • 4 Fan Speeds
  • Plasma Wave Technology
  • 1-Year Limited Warranty

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3Winix NK105 Air Purifier

  • WiFi Enabled. Control with an App
  • Ideal for Rooms up to 320 sq.ft
  • 4-Stage Air Cleaning
  • Plasma Wave Technology
  • 2-Year Limited Warranty

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4Winix QS with BlueTooth Speakers

  • 4-Stage Filtration
  • Bluetooth Speakers
  • Plasma Wave Technology
  • Air Quality Sensors
  • 2-year Limited Warranty

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5Winix U450 Large Room Air Purifier

  • 4 Fan Speeds
  • Washable Air Filters
  • Auto and Sleep Mode
  • Auto Dim LED Lights
  • 5-Year Limited Warranty


1

Winix WAC9500 Ultimate Pet Air Purifier

The Winix WAC9500 is one of their established models. Despite being a bulkier, earlier design, it’s still going strong, which says a lot about how effective it is at purification.

It features a 5-stage filtration system that was specifically designed to target the problems of pet hairs.

The 5-stage filtration process starts with a washable pre-filter, True HEPA filter, antimicrobial mesh, carbon filter, and PlasmaWave Technology ionizer. It has been specifically designed to reduce pet hair, dander, and odors from the air in homes with family pets.

The WAC9500 also monitors general odors and dust levels in the environment, as opposed to your general air quality indicator, and has a filter indicator, different modes, a timer, remote control, and 4 fan speeds.

The WAC9500 doesn’t come cheap, especially when you factor in the cost of replacement filters.

Also, for such a large unit (it weighs more than 24 lbs!), it’s only able to cover small to medium areas up to 284 sq. ft.  If you couple that with the 1-year limited warranty, it’s not all good news.

The WAC9500 is a powerful device that you can count on to combat the air pollutants that your beloved pets can bring into your home, but this unit can make your home a better place for your family and your pets.

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Pros

  • 5-stage filtration
  • Large room coverage
  • True HEPA filtration
  • Filter indicator light
  • Auto and sleep mode

Cons

  • Short limited warranty
  • Expensive replacement filters
  • Bulky
  • Expensive to purchase


2

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier

This Winix 5500-2 is one of their most popular air purifiers. It has an impressive and simple, 3-stage filtration system consisting of a carbon pre-filter, a True HEPA filter, and a PlasmaWave Technology ionizer. And at an affordable price too!

The 5500-2 is a steal at this price. It will take care of light odors and VOCs with its washable carbon pre-filter and trap up to 99.97% of common airborne allergens with its True HEPA filter. The ionizer features Winix signature PlasmaWave Technology which produces no ozone whatsoever while also increasing the overall efficiency of the 5500-2. Aside from its filtration system, the 5500-2 also has an air quality indicator and filter indicator to take the guesswork out of maintaining your device. The 5500-2 also adjusts its fan speed accordingly depending on the air quality in the room so that you can just set it and forget it.

One of the 5500-2’s best features is that it has a remote control for your convenience. It’s also very quiet for a large room air purifier, and with an automatic LED dim feature that reads the changing levels of light in the room, night times will be peaceful too.

Unfortunately, despite the upfront price tag, the 5500-2 has replaceable filters that aren’t cheap. This needs to be factored in when making your purchase.

Winix is being a little mean with the 1-year warranty on this model (most offer at least a 3-year warranty). However, overall, the 5500-2 is undeniably one of the best within its price range.

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Pros

  • Very quiet
  • Large room coverage
  • Washable carbon filter
  • Great CADR ratings
  • Remote control

Cons

  • Short limited warranty
  • Moderately expensive replacement filters

3

Winix NK105 Air Purifier

This Winix model is WiFi enabled which means you can control it with an app. So when you’re in bed, you can set the timer without moving an inch. Now that’s convenience! The CADR rating on this thing recommends for optimum filtration it should be placed in a room no larger than 320 sq.ft, so it’s great for larger spaces.

It has a True HEPA filter which captures 99.97 percent of pollutants up to the size of 3 microns, so that’s most of the harmful stuff dealt with, and the plasma wave technology deals with odors, chemical vapors, and other allergens without any harmful ozone.

This Winix is a tower-style purifier that sits in the room without feeling too bulky, which means it is portable, and when the filter needs replacing (the manufacturer recommends every 6 months) the unit will tell you via the indicator light.

The warranty on this model is a little better than the 5500-2, with 2-years.

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Pros

  • WiFi enabled
  • Large room coverage
  • True HEPA filtration
  • Filter indicator light
  • LED auto dim feature

Cons

  • Short limited warranty
  • Expensive replacement filters
  • The WiFi element can be temperamental

4

Winix QS with BlueTooth Speakers

Winix has decided that your air purifier should have the ability to play you soothing music as you cleanse the air you breathe. Very Zen!

It’s not clear why they decided to have built-in speakers, but it’s an interesting feature.

On a more serious note, this thing has 4-stage filtration with a True HEPA filter, and it utilizes plasma wave technology to filter out odors and other allergens. It has a “Set and forget” auto sensor to leave the machine to decide when your air is cleansed, and the light sensor automatically lowers the fan speed as the night draws in for a restful and uninterrupted sleep.

The CADR ratings are respectable too. When operating in a room no larger than 320 sq.ft, It scores 207 for smoke, 221 for dust, and 218 for pollen.

And because it’s a tower, it feels more portable than some of the bulkier purifiers on the list.

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Pros

  • 4-stage filtration
  • Large room coverage
  • True HEPA filtration
  • Filter indicator light
  • Light sensor automatically reduces the fan speeds at night

Cons

  • Short limited warranty
  • Expensive replacement filters
  • Expensive to purchase

5

Winix U450 Large Room Air Purifier

The Winix U450 is their “Signature” large room air purifier and might even be considered the flagship model. Not as popular as 5500-2 and WAC9500, it features the same comprehensive 5-stage filtration system as the WAC9500.

This system is exceptionally adept at removing common household air pollutants, and the U450’s impressive CADR ratings can attest to that, making the U450’s ratings unrivaled in the Winix range featured. It also boasts the highest capacity room coverage at 450 sq.ft. This model also comes with a 5-year limited warranty. Compare that to the others, and you’ll see how generous Winix have been.

Unfortunately, all these great features come with a hefty price tag. The U450 is the most expensive Winix air purifier on this list, and it doesn’t stop there. Because of the U450’s power, it also consumes more electricity compared to the other models so you can expect your bills to rise.

Overall, the U450 is one of the most popular air purifiers in the Winix range.

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Pros

  • 5-stage filtration
  • Large room coverage
  • True HEPA filtration
  • Filter indicator light
  • Remote control

Cons

  • Short limited warranty
  • Expensive to purchase

Comparison Chart

FEATURESWinix 5500-2 Air PurifierWinix NK105 Air PurifierWinix WAC9500 Ultimate Pet True HEPA Air CleanerWinix QS Tower Purifier with JBL BlueTooth SpeakersWinix U450 Signature Large Room Air Cleaner
TypeConsole, plug-inTower, plug-inConsole, plug-inTower, plug-inConsole, plug-in
Size15 x 8.2 x 23.612.2 x 12.2 x 29.516.5 x 9.9 x 21.912.2 x 12.2 x 29.518.9 x 11.8 x 25.6
Weight15.4 lbs23.1 lbs24.3 lbs23.1 lbs18.7 lbs
Filters/
Technology		Carbon Pre + HEPA + IonizerCarbon Pre + HEPA + Carbon + IonizerPre + HEPA + Antimicrobial Mesh + Carbon + IonizerPre + Carbon + HEPA + IonizerPre + Carbon + Antimicrobial HEPA + Ionizer
Room Coverage 360 sq. ft.320 sq. ft.284 sq. ft.320 sq. ft.450 sq. ft.
ACH44545
CADR Ratings Dust: 243

Pollen: 246

Smoke: 232

Dust: 221

Pollen: 218

Smoke: 207

Dust: 182

Pollen: 194

Smoke: 183

Dust: 221

Pollen: 218

Smoke: 207

Dust: 298

Pollen: 343

Smoke: 291

Buyer’s Guide:

Winix Air Purifier

Fresh air in our homes is essential. That’s why air purifiers are vital to the well-being of our families. The world is full of pollutants, be they man-made or natural, and more commonly, we are suffering allergies on an increasing basis. It could be that you have pets and the animals we love the most could be bringing harm into our homes.

As we live longer, we can increase the risk of respiratory diseases. We might develop fragile immune systems that require clean air as a necessity, so the purified air of a home environment will be welcome to aid speedy recoveries and reduce the risks of illness.

Put simply, anyone with the need for clean air, either through choice or medically.  And don’t be fooled into thinking that the air you breathe is clear from pollutants. Whether you live in an urban environment or a rural one, the dangers still lurk unseen in the atmosphere. In the city, pollution comes in the form of man-made hazards, but nature always has a sting in her tail when it comes to pollen and microscopic allergens.

Pros:

  • They’re portable – The fact that you can move them easily from room to room gives you targeted purification and a cheaper option than a central system.
  • True HEPA filters – There is no denying the effectiveness of True HEPA filters. Imagine what 99.97 percent clean air is actually like. That’s not far from pure, clean air.
  • Smart technology – With remote controls and devices being controlled from apps, clean air has never been so convenient.

Cons:

  • Expensive to purchase – Some of these air purifiers aren’t cheap to buy, and i you want household coverage of clean air, purchasing more than one of these units can be more expensive still. The Winix models cost hundreds, and those costs could rise considerably if you want multiple purifiers.
  • Replacement filter costs – Purchasing some of the replacement HEPA filters won’t give you much change from $100. Luckily you only have to change them once a year on average. But be careful, that does depend on how heavily these filters get used.
Air Purifiers

Pros

  • Portable
  • Smart technology
  • True HEPA filters
  • Replaceable or washable filters

Cons

  • Expensive to purchase
  • Expensive to replace the filters
  • Can be bulky to maneuver from room to room

  • What does Plasma wave do?

  • Plasma wave technology charges the particles in the atmosphere with ions, especially the smallest ones, and this makes them easier to filter because essentially, they become positively charged which makes them more “sticky.”

  • How quiet are air purifiers?

  • It depends on the make and model, but the Winix models are very quiet indeed. Most have adjustable fan speeds that reduce the noise levels down to a whisper level, especially at night. Some of the Winix models have automatic sensors that detect a change in the light and adjust the fan speed automatically.

  • How often should the filters get replaced?

  • Depending on the make and model, most manufacturers recommend either every 6 months or every year. This also depends on how heavily they get used.

  • How often should I clean my filters?

  • You should be aiming to clean your washable filters every other week. However, if you have pets, especially the long-haired variety, you will find that this might increase to every week.

  • What does “Energy Star Rated” mean?

  • It means that the product is more energy efficient than an industry accepted minimum standard. It shouldn’t be used a measurement that this purifier is the most energy efficient that you can buy, but more as a yardstick measurement.

Final Thoughts

There is absolutely no good reason why you shouldn’t buy an air purifier for your home. They are relied upon by millions of households as a safety net to clean, breathable air. They can’t keep you from harmful spores and particles 24/7, but they can and do protect your home from pollutants. In a world where air quality matters, they are a force for good.

 

Further Reading

Rainbow RainMate Air Purifier Review
Change My Air Purifier Filter
How Often Should I Change My Air Purifier Filter?
Personal Air Purifier
Best Wearable Personal Air Purifiers