Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310 Review: Is 4 Better Than 5?

Set your mind on a spanking new AirGenius air purifier only to realize there is 3 version to choose from. The lowest Air Genius 3, mid-range 4, and high-end 5. In this review, we are focusing on the mid Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310. In theory, it should be the most-balance between airflow performance and price tag. How many differences are there between its siblings? Is it worth getting this over conventional HEPA air purifier? Let’s find out.

Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310 Specification

Product	Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310

Dimension	11.5 x 29 x 11.5 in (29.2 x 73.7 x 29.2 cm)
Weight	13.5 lb (6.1 kg)
Fanspeed	4
Coverage (up to)	250 sq. ft. (23 m²)
Airflow speed
Dust free (CADR)	160 cfm (272 m³/h)
Pollen free (CADR)	170 cfm (289 m³/h)
Smoke free (CADR)	161 cfm (274 m³/h)
Filtration	3-stage
Pre-Filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	Washable Pre-filter
HEPA filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	-
Carbon filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	-
Ionizer/ Technologies	Electronic Ionizer
UV-light/ PCO	-
Other filter	ifD Micro-Filter Permanent
All-in-one filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	-
Optional/ Addon	HRF-K2 Filter K Household Odor & Gas Reducing Pre-filter (2 pack) 3 months+- 15.95
Noise level
Timer/ Scheduler	2, 4, 8
Sensors
Auto mode
Air qualityAQ indicator
Filter change indicator
More color options
Wi-Fi/ BTBluetooth
ENERGY STAR
Remote control
Child lock
Warranty	5 years
Email/ Phone support

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Key features

3-stage filtration
2 pre-filter options - Permanent pre-filter or odor absorbing pre-filter
Permanent QuietClean ifD filter
Oscillation mode
4 air cleaning levels - Sleep, General, Allergen and Max
Auto shut-off timer - 2, 4 or 8 hours
Filter change reminder
5 years limited warranty

Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310 review

Slim and sleek black tower design.
Works with either permanent pre-filter or the premium odor-reducing pre-filter.
Zero annual maintenance cost as ifD filter is reusable.
Proven and effective QuietClean ifD filter technology.
4 cleaning mode with on/ off oscillation and accent light control.
2, 4, 8 pre-set timer setting.
5 years limited warranty.

Cheaper than AirGenius 5 but still relatively expensive compared with a conventional air purifier.
Filtration depth is not as effective as traditional HEPA media filtration.
Permanent filters require schedule vacuuming to clear out the trapped particles.

The starters

Dimension

11.5 x 29 x 11.5 in

(29.2 x 73.7 x 29.2 cm)

Weight

13.5 lb (6.1 kg)

A mirror to AirGenius 5, Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310 shares the same tower design at 11.5 x 29 x 11.5 in and 13.5 lb weight. Available in black or white, the flask shape body is slim and tall thus not suitable as a tabletop air purifier. Circling around the body is a back air inlet that pulls air in and air outlet that pushes air out. Fitting quality is tight as with most modern air purifier these days. We did not encounter any off-gassing during our test.

Continue with the controls and functionality. HFD310 might not come with advanced touch panel, it is still easy to use with many standalone buttons. Let’s jump ahead the main Power button explanation (duh). Above it is the “leaf” purification level button that essentially is the speed button. On tap, the air purifier will cycle between Sleep mode that is ultra quiet for night use. Tap again to the default General mode that is best used to remove dust, cooking odor, and tobacco smoke. Again to Allergen mode use to target seasonal allergens particularly during spring/ fall. Last is Max Cleaning mode that has the fastest settings for ultimate purification. Next is the timer button that cycles between off, 2, 4, 8 hours. Light Dimmer button with Low/ High setting. Oscillation Button that will activate side to side purifying to improve air circulation. Check Filters Reset Button to check filter status. Press and hold the button for 3 seconds to reset the filter countdown timer. On reset, you should see the filter status red color flash twice and shut off.

Recapping the features again. You have 3-stage permanent filtration with 4 cleaning setting. There is timer, Oscillation, light dimmer, and check filters/ reset Button. Finally, AHAM/ ARB certified, Energy Star rated and 5 years warranty.

Airflow, speed, and CADR

Purifying coverage

250 sq. ft. (23 m²)

Fanspeed

Honeywell HFD310 250 sq. ft. purifying radius is decent for medium room size coverage at best. Airflow distribution is ample and consistent via its 4 cleaning mode. You do have to manually crank it up to Max Cleaning mode to cover a larger area. No Auto or night mode is available as with all AirGenius models.

Dust CADR

160 cfm (272 m³/h)

Pollen CADR

170 cfm (289 m³/h)

Smoke CADR

161 cfm (274 m³/h)

Again same as HFD320, CADR is at adequate tier for household particles filtration. You have the dust at 160 cfm, pollen at 170 cfm and smoke at 161 cfm (with odor-reducing pre-filter) installed. It did not pass our airfuji 200 cfm benchmark but it's close and you will not be able to tell the differences anyway.

What’s inside count

Honeywell AirGenius 4 QuietClean ifD technology by no means is poor. It has a 99.9% capturing efficiency against all types of particle. Depending on which filter you use, the washable pre-filter would do a fine job at capturing large particles. The premium odor-reducing pre-filter will do likewise with enhanced filtration against gas particles. Ending the process is the Ionizer that releases ions to merge with on-float ions. This causes the merged ions to fall and the filtration will finish up any unclean particles. As the permanent filters do not need change, you have to regularly clean the filter instead.

Combining ifD with 160 cfm dust and 170 cfm pollen CADR, AirGenius 4 250 sq. ft. is nothing to be scoff at. It is effective against dust mites, pet hair, pet dander, pollen, mold, and mildew. With the odor-reducing filter upgrade, it can remove light cooking smoke, ciggy smell, and VOCs.

Keep it down

The two fans generate low to medium noise level across its 3 cleaning mode. Other than that, Sleep setting is absolute quiet thanks to the QuietClean technology. Manageable for night time use without any disruption. Low Power usage around or less than a light bulb from Honeywell official statement. Ideal for all-day use as it does not have too much impact on your electricity bill.

At what cost

MRSP/ RSP**

+- 239.99

Annual Filter Cost

+- 0

^ Replacement filters/ estimated cost

Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310 is not cheapest among its low mid-range price group. On the bright side, it is a one-time fee and you'll get good spec including the reusable filter set. It is also possible to have zero filter cost if you only utilize the default washable filter. For better gas filtration, choose the odor-reducing pre-filter upgrade that would not cost you much anyway.

As Honeywell AirGenius 4 price is relatively close to AirGenius 5, it is no longer in high demand. The air purifier availability is limited but you should be able to find it in Amazon with a great discount. The official website does carry the model but again, we don't know how many stocks are available. Better cross-check with them or go straight with AirGenius 5. At the same time, survey the pricing in Target, BestBuy, Walmart and see if they are doing any seasonal sales.

Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310 VS the challengers

Honeywell AirGenius 5 HFD320

The mirror model with added controls, advanced timer, and 1 extra Germ Reduction mode. AirGenius 5 also has better stock availability and fewer complaints despite both coming from the same factory. Price gets bumped up a little that you would not able to tell the differences anyway.

Honeywell AirGenius 3 HFD300

The lowest end version to the AirGenius series that also utilize the reusable ifD filter. You gain the perks of cheaper price but at a cost of its usability, weaker performance, and coverage.

Hamilton Beach TrueAir Compact Pet 04384

This might not be an apple to apple comparison. Hamilton Beach TrueAir has a super low price tag and a permanent HEPA-type filter. The HEPA filter does not require replacing and is very compact. Perfect to place it at tabletop or next to your pet.

Airfree Onix 3000

If you are sick of taking out the filters for cleaning, Thermodynamic TSS Tech might do the trick. No doubt it is expensive and has a very slow purification time. Leaving it running for long hours will cover a lot more ground than your AirGenius would.

Final thoughts on Honeywell AirGenius 4 HFD310

Honeywell AirGenius 4 is a well-made tower air purifier that has received mix reviews. Only 65% 4-5 stars reviewers agreed on our review. The filtration performance in removing airborne particles is what gets the most nod. Those particular users also like how silent the air purifier is. Lastly, praises on the no recurring filter cost. Due to the low reviews number, there is a high 28% of the negative feedbacks in Amazon. Almost all of them are disappointed with the durability. Their unit started making weird noises and then broke down just a couple of months down the road. There are also complains of the produced smell or worst, sparks can be seen coming from the air purifier! Overall, the complaints in Air Genius 5 seems a lot lesser than 4, maybe you will be better off you that.