Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier with True HEPA PlasmaWave and Odor Reducing Carbon Filter

We bought this purifier in 2019 to help improve the air quality in an apartment. The building was older and had a ventilation system that, during the winter, would pull cooking smells, smoke, and other odors into our living space. The overall timing turned out to be fortuitous since we ended up spending a lot more time indoors when the pandemic kicked off a year later. The immediate effect of the purifier was noticeable. Unwanted odors were improved, there was less dust in the air, and we experienced fewer allergy symptoms. Especially since we were in a smaller space (~600 sq ft), this thing really did a great job, even staying on its low setting. It was great piece of mind knowing the air quality was a bit better for our newborn, too. We’ve since moved into a larger house and this thing is still humming along in our living room. I’m sure it’s less effective in such a large open space, but it’s positioned near our A/C air return, so it’s cleaning up a lot of the air as the A/C circulates air through the whole house. It has remained quiet and effective. I just vacuum out the dust shield every couple weeks, replace or vacuum out the charcoal filter every few months, and change the HEPA filter out annually. Overall, I don’t think you can beat this for the price. I like that it doesn’t have a remote, an app, and other extraneous things when all I need is cleaner air. I’ll likely upgrade to something larger at some point, but I’ve been super happy with this little guy for over 5 years now. Read more

This thing works! Like many other users, I regret not having invested in a air purifier until now. Being that my little room is right next to a public parking lot and near the street roads, a lot of dust gets collected. A lot. I'm not sure even I have allergies or whatnot (as I don't have a need to take any medicine) but I do find myself sneezing a lot more often prior to getting this purifier. This would often lead to a decrease in my mood and often times even very frustrated. Definitely not good. The Winix 5300-2 is one of the best rated air purifiers on Amazon but I actually had intended to go with its bigger brother, the 5500-2, instead. However, due to shipping restrictions, Amazon was not able to deliver it to my state. The major difference between the two from my recollection is that the 5500-2 actually incorporates a different type of carbon filter that is stronger than the 5300-2 and is therefore able to absorb odor a lot better. After having used the 5300-2 for about two months with it working nonstop 24/7, I am happy to say that it definitely helps in minimizing the dust in my room as evident in my screenshot along with many other reviewers. The amount of dust captured in the pre-screen filter is insane. Prior to the purifier, there would be a thick coating of dust on my glass computer table and I'd have to wipe it every two weeks or so if I wasn't too lazy. With the purifier, I have wiped the table just once these past two months! The difference made is incredible. Be forewarned that the purifier will not be able to capture every single mote of dust. My glass table along with other furniture items still have dust sitting on them but it is nowhere near the level it was prior and that's okay with me. I now no longer sneeze as much which in turn allows for me to be in a much more positive mood as I'm less irritated. It's hilarious when someone mentioned the lights on the unit turning color when they farted in the room. Suffice it to say, yes, this unit pass the fart test for me as well. Farting in the room will have the unit usually picking up the bad air fairly quickly and the color will change to orange. If it's really bad, it will turn red. Quite hilarious but I'm relieved to know I have a quick trial on hand to test if the unit is still working properly! What this unit doesn't do too well is masking or filtering bad odor. I have a neighbor below me that likes to smoke in the balcony. While I personally don't mind the smell of cigarettes wafting into my room, the 5300-2 did little to mask the odor. So although it is able to detect bad odor due to the light changing colors, I'll have to trust whatever technology it is using to clean that air for me because it doesn't really get rid of the actual smell itself. If you're looking to eliminate foul odor, you'll definitely want to pickup the 5500-2 instead. The little extra money spent should be well worth it. The 5500-2 comes with a 1-yr supply of carbon filter replacements so that was very generous of them to provide. The pre-screen filter is washable. Also, my electricity bill only jumped a little with this guy running 24/7 for a full month and I'd say its worth every single penny! Read more

8/24: I'll be updating this over time but thus far, I'm very happy with this purifier. I had finally redecorated my room, but with new bedding, curtains and other various textiles, off gassing became a problem. I didn't have a problem until I opened windows on a damp cooler night...that's when it became apparent. I also have two cats and live in a 100 yr old home. Though I like to keep a clean environment throughout (weekly cleanings), and clean litter boxes several times a day (you see cats but don't smell them), one could easily see all the dust sparkles in the sunshine that float around. Despite changing the furnace filter monthly, dust still happens. I needed help with both dust and off gassing. Not all purifiers offer both. After doing A LOT of homework with research and reviews, I purchased this. It has helped immensely with getting rid of the smell and I'll launder items again to hopefully put a stop to t it as I can smell off gassing once home. However, it clears up with this on. I use this in my bedroom and after 24 hours of use, I woke to see barely any sparkles in the sunshine. I literally had to search for them! I couldn't believe it! I love the sleep option as well since I like the room dark. Also being a light sleeper, I appreciated this being whisper quiet. Set up was a breeze and it was up and running within minutes. I also ordered a pack of filters at time of purchase to have on hand. I plan on ordering a second purifier for the first floor in the near future. I've no opinion on durability as of yet, only had this a matter of days. A big thank you to those before me who wrote very thorough and extremely helpful reviews bringing up information I had no knowledge of with purifiers. They helped me to decide which color (model) to get. So far so good....will update as time goes on. Read more