Are you looking for an air purifier for your home?
Have you seen the Winix 5500-2 air purifier and are wondering if it could work for your needs?
Can this unit really clean the air as good as it says?
If you’re looking for an in-depth Winix 5500-2 review, then you’ve come to the right place.
We have taken a detailed look at the Winix 5500-2 True HEPA air cleaner with PlasmaWave technology to help you find out if it’s the right air purifier for your home, office, or apartment.
When it comes to stripping out airborne pollutants to promote good health, you need an air purifier that’s durable and resilient.
And this air purifier boasts a lot of great features and claims to be really good at purifying the air, but is that true?
The Winix 5500-2 air purifier is a popular choice and many people are happy with the way this machine improves their indoor air quality. It’s also consistently featured on our best air purifiers page.
So, let’s take a closer look at this PlasmaWave air cleaner to determine if it deserves the praise it has received.
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Winix 5500-2 Review
The Winix 5500-2 air purifier is an affordable device with powerful air cleaning functions.
As you’ll discover in this Winix 5500-2 review, the inclusion of Smart Sensors; 3-Stage Air Filtration; and Advanced Filters; it can handle up to 360 sq. ft. of space. Maintenance costs and energy use are also low.
The Winix company is no stranger to creating high-quality products to treat your indoor air.
In fact, they have around 10 current models.
But, the Winix 5500-2 True HEPA air purifier with PlasmaWave technology is one of the most successful selling air purifiers.
It has even won an Amazon’s Best Choice title.
But does this air purifier really deserve the title of being one of the top choices for your home?
Let’s take a look and find out.
Winix 5500-2 Filter Types
The Winix 5500-2 has an impressive 3-Stage Air Filtration System.
The filters included in this process are:
- AOC Carbon Filter – While many air purifiers have carbon filters, the one in the Winix 5500-2 is more advanced and washable. The AOC Carbon Filter in this device is a thick, honeycombed filter that’s placed between two mesh sheets. Within the honeycombs are thousands of activated carbon granules. As air passes through it, odor particles are caught and trapped; leaving your home smelling fresh. The fact that it’s washable means you can use it over and over again without paying for a replacement.
- True HEPA Filter – The Winix 5500-2 removes 99.97% of pollutants as small as 0.3 microns in size with the highest-quality True HEPA filter. This means that it can trap ultrafine dust, allergens, pet dander, and many bacteria particles. This air purifier keeps your air clean, prevents the spread of illness, and reduces allergy symptoms.
- PlasmaWave – If anything happens to get past the AOC Carbon Filter or True HEPA Filter, the PlasmaWave technology will stop it. This technology further reduces the number of harmful elements in your air, including microscopic bacteria, viruses, and volatile organic compounds (often referred to as VOCs).
Winix 5500-2 Room Size Coverage
One of the most important parts of this Winix 5500-2 review is room size coverage.
Whenever you’re buying an air purifier, you need to know what size room it can handle.
The Winix 55002-2 True HEPA air cleaner as been rated to cover up to 360 square feet (sq. ft.) of space.
That makes it great for places in the home such as:
- Family Rooms and Dens
- Bedrooms
- Kitchens
- Smaller Basements
- Home Offices
- Child’s Playroom (or Bedroom)
- Garages and Workshops
Here's how other Winix air purifiers we've reviewed compare:
- Winix 5300-2 = 360 sq. ft.
- Winix 5500-2 = 360 sq. ft.
- Winix AM90 = 360 sq. ft.
- Winix C535 = 360 sq. ft.
- Winix C545 = 360 sq. ft.
- Winix HR900 = 300 sq. ft.
- Winix QS = 320 sq. ft.
- Winix NK100 = 320 sq. ft.
- Winix NK105 = 320 sq. ft.
As you can see, Winix has found a sweet spot for room size coverage that meets the majority of people's needs and applied it to most of their air purifier models.
Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier Review of CADR and ACH Ratings
CADR Rating
To prove that their air purifiers are the best, many manufacturers have their machines tested by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) to get a Clean Air Delivery Rate Rating (CADR).
The results of these tests let customers know how well the appliance can filter out pollen, tobacco smoke, and dust.
If the air purifier has at least a 2/3 rating for each number when compared to how many square feet it covers, it’s considered to be highly efficient.
Winix 5500-2 CADR Rating:
- Dust: 243
- Smoke: 232
- Pollen: 246
As you can see, this Winix 5500-2 True HEPA air purifier with PlasmaWave meets or exceeds the standard set by the AHAM.
Additionally in this Winix 5500-2 review, we wanted to point out that this air purifier can rank in the same category as more expensive machines in terms of efficiency.
It’s also a very cost-effective device for improving the indoor air quality of your home without using a lot of energy or having high filter replacement costs.
Winix 5500-2 ACH Rating
The length of time it takes an air purifier to exchange the full volume of air inside a room is referred to as the Air Changers per Hour (ACH) rating.
This Winix 5500-2 air purifier has a 4X ACH rating.
This means that each hour that passes by, the air in a room up to 360 sq. ft. is exchanged four times.
A 4X ACH rating is the minimum rating you want to see for an air purifier if you have any sort of allergies or asthma.
Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier Review of the Top Features
Many people want an air purifier that allows them to set it and forget it.
They want a machine that does its job and makes the air cleaner and fresher without much user input.
Fortunately, the technology on the Winix 5500-2 True HEPA air cleaner allows that to happen and more.
The advanced features of the Winix 5500-2 air purifier include:
- Air Quality Indicator – This is an LED light on the front of the appliance lets you know the current air quality in the room. Blue = Good; Orange = Fair; Red = Poor.
- Smart Sensors – These sensors detect indoor air pollutants and odors and automatically adjust the air purifier to more effectively clean the air.
- Filter Change Indicator – This LED light on the top of the machine informs you when it’s time to replace the filters. This keeps your air purifier running as efficiently as possible.
- Timer – You have the option of setting the device to run for 1, 4, or 8 hours at a time before it shuts off.
- Automatic Mode – This mode works with the Smart Sensors to ensure you’re getting the cleanest, freshest air possible without having to mess with the settings.
- Sleep Mode – This mode keeps the machine running quietly at night.
- Remote Control – Not all air purifiers come with a remote, but the Winix 5500-2 gives you full control from across the room.
Winix 5500-2 Design and Size
For some people who are reading this Winix 5500-2 air purifier review, it’s important that they know how large this machine is and what it’s made from.
Oddly, many other reviews on this product don’t mention the exact size or outer casing material.
The Winix 5500-2 True HEPA air purifier with Plasmawave technology is constructed of black plastic, which makes it look sophisticated and expensive, yet lightweight and easy to handle.
All of the control panel functions are on the top front edge of the machine and the air intake grille lines the front. The air outlet vent is on the very top of the device and pushes clean air out vertically.
The dimensions and weight of this machine are as follows:
- Dimensions: 23.6″ (H) x 8.2″ (W) x 15.0″ (D)
- Weight: 15.4 pounds
Who is the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier for?
The Winix 5500-2 is a powerful dust, allergen, and odor remover, so it’s a great choice in homes that have excessive dust accumulation as well as odors due to pets, tobacco, or cooking.
It can also work great for the following types of people:
- Anyone who suffers from allergies.
- Anyone with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
- People with pets who want one of the best pet dander air purifier units available.
- Those looking to keep a cleaner home that’s less dusty.
- Those looking to remove bacteria, viruses and other pathogens and microbes from the air.
- Those who want to reduce the level of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indoors.
- Those who want a high-quality air purifier for average-sized rooms (or smaller).
Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier Warranty Information
The Winix 5500-2 warranty lasts for 2 years and claims that the air purifier parts will be free from defects. If any component is found to be defective, service will be provided to replace or repair the part.
More Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier Reviews
Still not sure if the Winix 5500-2 air purifier is right for you?
Check out more Winix 5500-2 reviews on Amazon to see what others have to say about them.
We hope those comments and this review are beneficial in helping you make a final decision.