Our pick for a medium room
Blueair Blue Pure 311i Max
Light, quiet purifier for rooms up to 439 ft², with $44.99 filters every 6 to 9 months
$229.99
Compare with this one →Portable air purifier
Winix5500-2
Discontinued, with the 5510 as the closest current model for rooms near 390 ft²
Source-based analysis, not hands-on testing. Our method
Cofounder of Superhuman Chambers · About the author.
The verdict
Winix has discontinued the 5500-2, and the 5510 is the closest model it sells today. It's a narrow 4-stage purifier for rooms up to 392 ft², with app control and a $49.99 filter set that lasts a year. The catch is that Winix publishes one 65 W power figure and no noise level above the slowest speed.
The trade-off
It isn't in ENERGY STAR's certified list, and Winix's AHAM and CARB claims couldn't be checked in either registry.
Model reviewed: US 5510, the closest current model to the discontinued 5500-2
The 5500-2 is discontinued. The price, specifications and buying link below refer to its 5510 successor, not a 5500-2 offer.
$199.99
Check price at Winix US price, checked
No affiliate commission on this link. Check the exact variant before buying.
About this price
Winix lists the 5500-2 as discontinued, and its US store no longer sells it. This is the price of the closest current model, the 5510. $199.99 is a sale price, shown as 23% off the $259.99 regular price, with no end date given. The 5520 costs the same, and Winix's manual says the two perform the same. Both showed as in stock on Oct 13, 2026. The price is before tax, and the store pages don't state shipping costs.
A GOOD FIT FOR
A bedroom or living room up to about 390 ft² where you want app control and one filter change a year.
- A bedroom, home office or living room up to about 390 ft²
- You want app or Alexa control and an auto mode run by an air quality sensor
- You want one filter purchase a year, about $50 at today's sale price
- You're replacing a worn-out 5500-2 and want a similar narrow, 4-stage layout
- You're fine with PlasmaWave, or happy to switch it off
THINK TWICE IF
- You own a working 5500-2: Filter H is still sold ($54.99 on sale), so there's no need to replace it
- An open-plan space or a whole floor: Winix's 1,882 ft² figure means one air change an hour
- You'd rather not have PlasmaWave at all: it switches off, but it's built in
- You want an ENERGY STAR listing or low-speed power figures before you buy
- You'd buy from a marketplace seller: Winix's warranty excludes independent sellers on Amazon, eBay and similar sites
What still needs checking
- Power draw at each fan speed and on standby, and which speed the 65 W rating refers to
- Noise on Low, Medium, High and Turbo
- Whether AHAM's directory lists the 5510 at Winix's CADR figures. The directory couldn't be read
- Whether CARB certified the 5510 or 5520. The readable part of CARB's list showed only the 5530
- Whether PlasmaWave is on when you first switch the 5510 on. The 5500-2 manual says it was
- Whether there's any timer without the app
- Shipping cost from Winix's store
- How long the $199.99 and $49.99 sale prices last
- How the 5510 does in independent testing
The practical details.
| Exact variant | US 5510, the closest current model to the discontinued 5500-2 |
|---|---|
| CADR (smoke, dust, pollen) | 253, 252 and 247 |
| Room size | 392 ft² at 4.8 air changes an hour (8 ft ceilings). Winix also says it cleans 941 ft² in 30 minutes and 1,882 ft² in an hour |
| Noise | 23.5 dB on the slowest speed. No figure for higher speeds |
| Power draw | 65 W rated. No figures for each speed or standby |
| Filters | Washable fine mesh pre-filter, AOC carbon filter and True HEPA filter, plus PlasmaWave you can switch off |
| Filter life and price | HEPA and carbon 12 months each. A Filter Q set is $49.99 on sale ($79.99 regular) |
| Controls | 5 fan speeds (Low to Turbo, plus a slower Sleep speed), auto mode, light-sensing sleep mode, filter light, WiFi and Alexa. The timer is only in the Winix Smart App |
| Size and weight | 13.59 × 8.27 × 22.17 in; 13.3 lb |
| Dimensions | 13.59 × 8.27 × 22.17 in (width × depth × height). It weighs 13.3 lb. The 5500-2 was wider, taller and heavier, at 15 × 8.2 × 23.6 in and 15 lb. |
| Materials | Four stages: a washable fine mesh pre-filter, an AOC carbon filter made of carbon pellets, a True HEPA filter and PlasmaWave. Winix says the HEPA filter was tested to IEST-RP-CC0007. The manual says the carbon filter can't be washed. Housing materials aren't stated. It's made in Korea. |
Before you buy
InstallationNo installation
No installation. It plugs into a standard 120 V, 60 Hz outlet. Winix's manual says to leave 12 to 18 in from walls, and never less than 12 in while it runs. Leave the same gap from TVs, radios and other electronics. Use it indoors on a hard, flat surface, out of direct sunlight.
WarrantyWinix gives the 5510 and 5520 a 2-year limited warranty, valid only in the US and Canada
Winix gives the 5510 and 5520 a 2-year limited warranty, valid only in the US and Canada. If a part is defective, Winix will repair or replace the part or the unit. You need proof of purchase from an authorized retailer. Independent sellers on Amazon, eBay and similar sites don't count. Non-Winix filters void it, and the filters themselves aren't covered. Claims start with a form in your winixamerica.com account, and you may pay for spare parts or shipping. The manual lists repair services as not available and says no spare parts will be made after the warranty ends. The discontinued 5500-2 is still on Winix's 2-year list.
ReturnsOrders from winixamerica.com can be returned within 30 days of purchase
Orders from winixamerica.com can be returned within 30 days of purchase. Returns must be in the original packaging with all filters, manuals and parts. You pay the return shipping, and Winix asks you to mark the return authorization number on the box. If you bought from another retailer, its policy applies. Restocking fees aren't mentioned.
More about this assessment
Winix has discontinued the 5500-2, and the 5510 is the closest model its US store sells. It keeps the same four stages: a washable pre-filter, a carbon pellet filter, a True HEPA filter and PlasmaWave, which you can switch off. Winix rates its smoke CADR at 253, enough for a 392 ft² room at 4.8 air changes an hour. It's $199.99 on sale, down from $259.99, and a $49.99 Filter Q set covers a year. The catch is thin data: one 65 W power rating, noise only at the slowest speed and no ENERGY STAR listing. If you own a 5500-2, its Filter H set is still sold.
Strengths on paper
- Smoke CADR of 253, enough for a 392 ft² room at 4.8 air changes an hour
- One Filter Q set a year covers both the HEPA and carbon filters: $49.99 on sale, $79.99 regular
- Winix rates it at 23.5 dB on the slowest speed
- PlasmaWave has its own off button, and Sleep mode turns it off automatically
- WiFi, Alexa and the Winix Smart App, plus an auto mode and a sleep mode that starts when the room goes dark
- Narrower and lighter than the 5500-2: 13.59 in wide and 13.3 lb
- The pre-filter is washable and has no replacement schedule
- 30-day returns on orders from Winix's own store
Limitations
- $199.99 is a sale price. The regular price is $259.99
- Winix gives one 65 W power rating and no low-speed or standby figures
- Noise is published only for the slowest speed
- The carbon filter can't be washed, unlike the 5500-2's
- It isn't in ENERGY STAR's certified list, though Winix called the 5500-2 ENERGY STAR certified
- A non-Winix filter voids the warranty, and the filters themselves aren't covered
- The manual lists repair services as not available and promises no spare parts after the warranty ends
- You pay return shipping, and returns need the original packaging with all filters, manuals and parts
- It needs 12 to 18 in from walls, so it takes more floor space than its 8.27 in depth suggests
- The timer is only in the app
What it costs to own.
Adjust the assumptions for your use. Missing costs stay unknown.
PLAN YOUR OWNERSHIP COSTS
What will it cost to own?
Change the assumptions to fit your use. Leave an unknown cost blank. Add water, subscriptions, cleaning, shipping and taxes if they apply. Use average operating power, not the maximum rating.
3-year known subtotal
$349.96Incomplete: energy use. This is not the full ownership cost.
Energy component: Unknown
Purchase + installation + years × (annual consumables + annual other) + watts/1000 × hours/day × 365 × years × $/kWh. Annualized allowances, not an exact replacement schedule. Excludes taxes, shipping, finance and resale unless entered.Replacement parts & cost assumptions
Recorded recurring parts and refills:
- Filter Q (1712-0123-00), True HEPA and AOC carbon set: $49.99 every 12 months. A one-year set with a True HEPA filter and an AOC carbon filter. Winix says to change both every 12 months. $49.99 is a sale price, shown as 38% off $79.99, so it's $79.99 a year at the regular price. It fits the 5510, 5520 and 5530. The filter light tells you when to change it, and the warranty requires genuine Winix filters changed on that light.
- Pre-filter: cost not recorded. Washable fine mesh, so it isn't a scheduled cost. The manual says to clean it every 14 days and lists it as permanent. No replacement price was found.
- Filter H (116130), for an existing 5500-2 only: $54.99 every 12 months. Not part of the 5510's costs. Winix lists it for the 5500-2 and AM80. It's a one-year set with a True HEPA filter and a washable AOC carbon filter, and Winix says to change both every 12 months. $54.99 is a sale price, shown as 35% off $84.99. It showed as in stock.
- Purchase is the 5510's $199.99 sale price on Winix's US store. The regular price is $259.99.
- Filters are one Filter Q set a year at its $49.99 sale price. At the $79.99 regular price, three years of filters cost $90 more.
- Three years of purchase and filters comes to $349.96 at today's prices, or $499.96 at regular prices, before electricity.
- Watts is Winix's single 65 W power rating. Winix doesn't give the draw at each speed or say how many hours a day to run it, so energy cost isn't estimated. For scale, 65 W around the clock is about 1.56 kWh a day, or 569 kWh a year.
- There's no subscription or membership.
Evidence & sources.
Do air purifiers work? Our evidence review grades the research as Strong. That grade is about the claim, not about this product.
- Manufacturer claimWinix lists the 5500-2 as a discontinued model. Its US store sells the 5510 and 5520 instead.5689 Winix's 5500-2 spotlight page links to the 5510 and 5520 in its shop sidebar, but Winix doesn't call either one a replacement. This review uses the 5510 because it keeps the same four stages, PlasmaWave and 2-year warranty. Filter H for the 5500-2 is still sold.
- Manufacturer claimWinix rates the 5510 at 253 for smoke, 252 for dust and 247 for pollen. It says the 5510 is AHAM Verifide for a 392 ft² room at 4.8 air changes an hour.13 Winix bases the 4.8 figure on tobacco smoke removal in rooms with 8 ft ceilings. Its 941 ft² and 1,882 ft² figures are the same airflow at 2 and 1 air changes an hour. AHAM's online directory loads by JavaScript and couldn't be read, so the listing wasn't checked independently.
- Manufacturer claimWinix says the True HEPA filter captures 99.99% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 to 0.3 microns, tested to IEST-RP-CC0007 at an airflow of 1.5 m³/min.1 The same page's search description says 0.003 microns instead. No test report is linked. Filter efficiency isn't the same as CADR, which measures how fast the unit cleans a room.
- Manufacturer claimWinix says the 5510's 8-hour average ozone level is 0.22 ppbv in a 30 m³ test chamber. Its manual says the unit meets the 0.050 parts per million limit over 24 hours.13 No lab or test report is named. PlasmaWave has its own on/off button, and Sleep mode switches it off. Winix says PlasmaWave breaks down pollutants at the molecular level, but the sources checked include no evidence for that.
- Regulator recordCARB's list of certified air cleaning devices shows the Winix 5530, which takes the same Filter Q, as an electronic air cleaner. The readable part didn't include the 5510 or 5520.12410 The 5530 entry is EO G-26-109, notified Apr 21, 2026. Winix lists CARB among the 5510's and 5520's certifications. The page text cut off mid-table, and the part read held entries notified from October 2025 to June 2026. So the 5510's CARB status is unconfirmed, not missing.
- CertificationA search of ENERGY STAR's certified room air cleaner data for Winix returned five models: AT40, C610, C710, T810 and Tower XQ. The 5510, 5520 and 5500-2 weren't among them.711 The 5500-2 manual calls it ENERGY STAR certified. The 5510 page doesn't claim ENERGY STAR. Without a listing, there's no certified CADR-per-watt or yearly energy figure for the 5510.
Sources (12)
- Winix 5510 - Air Purifier with WiFi & PlasmaWave® Technology Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Winix 5520 - Air Purifier with WiFi & PlasmaWave® Technology Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- 5510 and 5520 user manual Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Winix Filter Q Replacement Filter | 5510, 5520 & 5530 Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Terms and Conditions (product warranty and return policy) Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Air Purifiers - Winix America Inc Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- 5500-2 User Manual Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Winix 116130 - Winix Replacement Filter H - For Winix 5500-2 & AM80 Air Purifier Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Product Spotlight: The 5500-2 Air Purifier by Winix Winix · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- List of CARB-Certified Air Cleaning Devices California Air Resources Board · regulator · checked Oct 13, 2026
- ENERGY STAR certified room air cleaners data (search: Winix) U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR · certifier · data file · checked Oct 13, 2026
- AHAM Verifide directory of room air cleaners Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers · certifier · checked Oct 13, 2026
Other options.
Back to our air quality picks →
Our pick for a small bedroom or office
Blueair Blue Pure 511
Low-cost purifier for one room up to about 190 ft², with filters at $48 a year
$99.99
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Our pick if it has to go on the wall
Rabbit Air MinusA2
Slim wall-mount purifier for rooms near 280 ft², with $95 yearly filters
$599.95
Compare with this one →About this review. The facts on this page come from manufacturer pages, certification listings and regulator records, checked Oct 13, 2026. The sources are listed above.
Our editorial policy →