Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier Review

With the level of air pollution in our society, it is important that we are able to breathe clean air, especially when indoors.

This is why air purifiers are important.

Air purifiers are devices that use different mechanisms depending on the type of air purifier, to clean the air and rid us of dust particles, allergens and even microbes.

There are various types of air purifiers, for instance the HEPA (High-efficiency particulate Air) Air purifier, the Ionizer, and the activated carbon air purifier.

These types of Air purifiers utilize different mechanisms to clean the air and ride us of mold spores, dust particles, allergens and other forms of irritants.

Some of these types also help to remove odor and some are helpful for people with respiratory problems.

Then, you have the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier which combines the technology in all the Air purifier types stated above, to help increase efficiency and effectiveness. Now, we will take a look at some of the things that make the Winix 5500- Air purifier (which comes with True HEPA, PlasmaWave and odor Reducing washable AOC carbon filter) the perfect Air purifier for you.

The Winix 5500-2 utilizes three different technologies to make your indoor air cleaner. So, it utilizes them in stages. The three stages include:
The AOC (Advanced Odor Control) Carbon Filter: This is made up of adsorbent materials which will pass the air through its pores, filtering carbon particles.

It is the first stage in the three stage purification mechanism of the Winix 5500-2. It reduces VOCs (Volatile Organic compounds) and indoor odors from cooking, pets, smoke and other activities or substances. It is designed to catch airborne particles found indoors.

This helps prolong the life of the True HEPA filter since it won’t have to do so much as a result of the filtration activities of the AOC carbon filter.


air purifier being turned on


True HEPA air filter

A HEPA (High-efficiency particulate air purifier) air filter is the most effective filter type. It uses lots of filters to form the filtration device in an effort to filter tiny particles and microbes.

There are two types of HEPA filters. They are the HEPA-type filter which is very effective but not as effective as the second type- The True HEPA filter. True HEPA filter captures 99.97% of airborne pollutants including particles like dust mites, smoke, pet dander, some microbes, pollen and other allergens up to 0.3 microns in size.

True HEPA filters are rigorously tested to earn their certification and they are the most trusted single mechanism in air purifiers. This is the second stage of the three stage air purification and one of the technologies the Winix 5500-2 employs.

Plasmawave technology

There have been cases that clean the air and leave harmful by-products, particularly Ozone.

There are devices called Ozone generators which clean the air by releasing ozone to bond with particles in the air. However, the ozone becomes destabilized and is often released into the air in highly unsafe quantities, resulting in several health problems, and complications for people with respiratory problems.

Then, there are air purifiers known as Ionizers which make use of negatively charged ions to clean the air by bonding to dust particles and other irritants. The negatively charged particles bring about the release of Ozone in safe quantities. However, people are skeptical of anything that produces ozone as a by-product, so people avoid ionizers entirely.

Plasmawave technology works at a molecular level to clean the air while ensuring safety. The truth is that some people are skeptical of anything that produces negative ions due to the link with ozone production.

The producers of the Winix 5500-2 air purifier have assured us of the safety of the plasmawave technology, saying the ozone produced is harmless. If you are one of those who are still skeptical about this technology, there is a button for switching off the plasmawave technology if you wish. We have to stress however, that the producers have assured the public of the technology’s safety. Keep in mind that these negative ions are also very good at neutralizing microbes.

Remote control

The Winix 5500-2 comes with a remote control which helps you control your device from a distance. This means you do not have to walk to your device all the time to operate it.

This may be a common feature for many devices but you appreciate this technology a lot when you are on your bed, tired and you need to turn your device on or off. A simple press on a button of the remote control does your bidding while you are a distance away. It makes your life easier, doesn’t it?

Maintenance is easier

The Winix 5500-2 makes maintenance much easier. Whereas in regular air purifiers, you have to change filters regularly, increasing the cost of maintenance, the lifespan of the True HEPA filter is increased in the Winix 5500-2 air purifier by the activities of the AOC (Advanced Odor control) carbon filter which does the first job of filtration, leaving the True HEPA filter to do work on whatever particles managed to escape the AOC carbon filter.

This means significantly less work for the True HEPA filter than in regular air purifiers and a longer lifespan. Whatever manages to get past the True HEPA purifier is then dealt with by the plasmawave technology which is a permanent air cleaning measure.

So, you only have to clean the AOC carbon filter (which is washable) regularly to increase the lifespan of the True HEPA filter. If you clean the AOC Carbon filter regularly, it is better able to do its job and leaves less work for the True HEPA filter to do.

Smart sensors

The Winix 5500-2 is equipped with smart sensors which help to guage the air or wind intensity indoor, helping to determine the speed at which the device’s fan would rotate.

It is on auto mode and adjusts the fan to filter the air as needed. This added bit of technology makes your life easier and ensures that your device serves you a lot better. Imagine having a device that does not regulate the air fast enough for proper ventilation or does not clean the air fast enough.

That could stress you out at least a little bit. So, the winix 5500-2 definitely takes your comfort and satisfaction into consideration.

Sleep mode

The Winix 5500-2 is also equipped with a sleep mode for silent night time operation whenever you choose to have it operate in that mode. This way, you sleep peacefully without hearing its sound if you please. The sleep mode does this by sensing the amount of ambient light in the room so it can adjust the fan speed. It then dims the indicator lights to provide quiet cleaning that helps you get a peaceful night rest. This is an additional feature that makes this model awesome.

High CADR

CADR (Clean Air delivery rate) is high and rated for 360 square feet room size. This is suitable for medium and large sized rooms including kids’ bedrooms, family rooms and kitchens. So, the device is very efficient and quite effective.It comes with a manual and is easy to assemble: The Winix 5500-2 comes with a manual and is very easy to assemble. So, you most likely don’t need the help of a technician as the instructions are easy to follow.

Durability

The Winix 5500-2 is very durable, lasting longer than most other air purifying devices. It is equipped with a long lasting lithium polymer battery. With the True HEPA filter lasting longer than you would expect for an average device, and with the AOC carbon filter being washable, you can be sure that your device would be functional for a long time even if you decide not to use the Plasmawave technology. To ensure that your device lasts as long as is possible; to ensure that you enjoy its effectiveness to the maximum level and for maximum duration, you should do regular maintenance.

Fans speeds

The air purifier has the Manual mode and the Auto mode. When set to the manual mode, the air purifier will continuously operate at whatever speed, be it Low, Medium, High, or Turbo. If you require near silent cleaning, you should set the fan speed at low or medium, and High or Turbo if you require air flow and cleaning power at the strongest or maximum level. It also has the auto mode which utilizes Smart Sensors to consistently monitor indoor air. The Winix 5500-2 is equipped with a LED indicator which displays the indoor air quality on a scale of good to poor (Blue – Amber – Red). When the device notices a change in air quality, it immediately regulates the fan speed to clean indoor air at the required or acceptable level.

Filter Replacement Indicator

The Winix 5500-2 is equipped with an Indicator LED which illuminates when the filter is ready for replacement. This is an effective maintenance monitoring system that helps you maintain your device at an efficient level. When this indicator illuminates, you should replace the filter. After replacing the filter, you should then use a pin to press the filter rest button to take it back to normal. This last thing is important so you are not confused as to why the indicator is still on despite your changing the filter.

Price

With features like these, the Winix 5500-2 basically satisfies your need for clean air with an effectiveness and an efficiency that is rarely seen. It also offers you multiple choices in various instances.

For instance, you get to decide if you want to use the three stage air purification or if you want to turn off the plasmawave technology, reducing it to two stage air purification.

The truth is that even one stage purification using a True HEPA filter would normally be good enough by regular standard. Having a two stage or three stage air purification is added assurance that the Winix 5500-2 provides. You also have a choice between the manual mode and the auto mode.

The manual mode allows you to overrule what the sensors say your environment need, to adapt to your own idea of what you need. If you want the fan speed to go faster, you can set it that way.

If you want it slower, you can set it that way. That is the beauty of the manual mode. For the auto mode, you allow the device to determine what is best for you by using the sensors it is equipped with to determine what the room needs.

This way, the fan speed would fluctuate at the appropriate levels, depending on the environmental requirements per time. Then, there is the remote control device, the auto mode, the sleep mode, and the filter replacement indicator which make it easier for you to use the device to your comfort.

These equipment are adapted to the device for your comfort and satisfaction. This ensures that there is less stress from using this device. You don’t have to bother yourself with pretty much anything, allowing the device to operate itself when you use the auto mode and the sensors.

You get to operate the device from a distance, not having to walk all the way. Plus you don’t have to be bothered about checking the filter regularly because there is a LED light that is designed to do just that for you.

Conclusion

The Winix 5500-2 is a complete device that is as close to perfect as far as air purifying devices get.

Utilizing the top three technologies in air cleaning devices shows the commitment to cleaning your indoor air. It is also durable and easily maintained.

The Winix 5500-2 is excellent for your air cleaning requirements, especially for medium and large sized rooms. It is highly recommended for respiratory sufferers, pet owners and people with allergies. It is one the best air purifying devices available for indoor air.