Winix 5300-2 Review: The Best Air Purifier under 130?

Replacement to the popular and evergreen PlasmaWave 5300. Winix 5300-2 air purifier is well balanced on airflow and price tag. This machine also does not shy away from practicality like timer, AQ light, and Auto/ Sleep mode. With a spec that is twice of what you'll pay in other brands, how effective is the air cleaner against dust? Does it have the durability for long-term usage? More importantly, Could Winix 5300 2 be the Best True HEPA air purifier under 130 (after discount)?

Winix 5300-2 Specification

Product	Winix 5300-2

Dimension	15 x 23.6 x 8.2 in (38.1 x 59.9 x 20.8 cm)
Weight	15.4 lb (7 kg)
Fanspeed	4
Coverage (up to)	360 sq. ft. (33 m²)
Airflow speed	35.3 - 240.1 cfm (60 - 408 m³/h)
Dust free (CADR)	243 cfm (413 m³/h)
Pollen free (CADR)	246 cfm (418 m³/h)
Smoke free (CADR)	232 cfm (394 m³/h)
Filtration	4-stage
Pre-Filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	Pre-filter Permanent
HEPA filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	True HEPA filter 1 year
Carbon filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	Odor Absorbing Carbon Filter 3 months
Ionizer/ Technologies	PlasmaWave Technology
UV-light/ PCO	-
Other filter	-
All-in-one filter - Lifespan - Replacement cost ($)	Filter A 115115 1 year +- 79.99
Optional/ Addon	-
Noise level	27.8 - 60+ dB
Timer/ Scheduler	1, 4, 8 hours
Sensors	VOC sensors (Air quality)
Auto mode
Air qualityAQ indicator
Filter change indicator
More color options
Wi-Fi/ BTBluetooth
ENERGY STAR
Remote control
Child lock
Warranty	2 years
Email/ Phone support

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Key features

4-stage filtration with PlasmaWave Technology
Washable Pre-filter
True-HEPA filter
Odor control carbon sheet
4 fan speeds (Low, Medium, High, Turbo)
Auto mode/ Sleep mode
Air quality indicator - Blue (good), Yellow (fair), Red (poor)
Timer (1, 4, 8 hours)
Air quality odor sensor/ Light sensor
2 years warranty

Winix 5300-2 review

For less than 150 (or maybe lower), it has excellent spec that matches air purifier 2-3 times of its price.
Decent CADR and airflow output to support its 4-stage PlasmaWave filtration.
Washable pre-filter that will trap large particles and reduce obstruction on the True HEPA filter.
Outstanding True-HEPA filter that has no problem trapping microscopic allergens.
Auto mode works great alongside the four speed while Sleep mode is very useful in bedroom.
Built-in timer with 3 pre-set setting (1, 4, 8 hours).
Extended 2 years warranty (Winix 5300 only comes with 1).

The odor absorbing carbon filter is less effective than AOC carbon filter found in 5500-2. You'll also get remote control as standard with a little bit of top up.
Hassle and requires quarterly filter change on the deodorization carbon filters.
Auto mode does not react quickly to nearby irritants particularly smoke. Not a big deal as the air purifier sensor will catch on sooner or later.

The starters

Dimension

15 x 23.6 x 8.2 in

(38.1 x 59.9 x 20.8 cm)

Weight

15.4 lb (7 kg)

Visually improved at every aspect, Winix 5300-2 exterior is a big leap from its previous model. There is updated vertical strips elements, controls, and black housing. Retaining similar size and weight as 5300 (15 x 23.6 x 8.2 in/ 15.4 lb), build quality is again sturdy with no loosed parts. There are no premium materials used in this air purifier. Everything you see and touch is plasticky as expected from the price point. No surprise on the air ventilation location. You have the air inlet tucked behind the front cover and air outlet is push to the top. Like every other Winix air purifiers, there is standard handle slot to grip on.

What’s in the control panel space is five round buttons (On/ Off, Mode, PlasmaWave, Fan Speed and Timer). Right at the center, there is an air quality indicator bar, light/ odor sensor, and a small filter reset button. Operating Winix 5300-2 air purifier could not be any easier, so let’s cover the main function first. On/ Off button is what it is, Mode button will switch between Auto mode and Sleep mode. The dedicated PlasmaWave button activates/ deactivates the Hydroxyls purifying function. Fan speed button cycle between the four speeds; timer button will cycle between 1, 4, 8 hours, and off setting. There is also a small reset button that you would only use it on a yearly basis. Air quality indicator light that will be in blue color when the surrounding air quality is good. When air quality is fair, the bar will change to yellow and dropping to red when air quality is poor. Light sensor adjusts the LED indicator light brightness based on the ambient light. Odor sensor enables Auto mode according to the level of airborne particles in a room. Like 5500-2, the controls are nicely labeled and angled for better standpoint visibility. We do miss the classic clicky button type more than touch button here.

To recap what’s in the box, 5300-2 is powered by the familiar 4-stage filtration with PlasmaWave. There is also 4 fan speeds with auto/ sleep mode, odor sensor, and light sensor. The greatly miss timer (1, 4, 8 hours), AQ indicator, replacement filter indicator. Finally, AHAM, CARB ozone-free certified, ENERGY STAR rated, and improved 2 years warranty. Remote control is sadly not included.

Airflow, speed, and CADR

Purifying coverage

360 sq. ft. (33 m²)

Airflow speed

35.3 - 240.1 cfm (60 - 408 m³/h)

Fanspeed

A tiny improvement over its predecessor, Winix 5300-2 comes with a small bump in coverage at 360 sq. ft. (lowest air charges). Impressive figures to say the least. Fan speed retains at four (low, medium, high to turbo) while 35.3 - 240.1 cfm airflow gets bump up at low speed. Auto mode (enabled by default) automatically adjusts the fan speed to deal with the surrounding particles. Sleep mode will set the fan speed to low and dim all indicator lights to prevent glaring disturbance. Like most console air purifier setup, Winix 5300-2 is ideal for medium-sized bedroom, kitchen or studio.

Dust CADR

243 cfm (413 m³/h)

Pollen CADR

246 cfm (418 m³/h)

Smoke CADR

232 cfm (394 m³/h)

The air purifier official CADR is equally impressive as airflow. Dust CADR pushed up slightly at 243 cfm (VS Winix 5300). Pollen and smoke CADR gets dropped by not significantly to 246 cfm and 232 cfm. Safe to say that anything that passes the 200 cfm benchmarks will do well against irritants. In other words, Winix 5300-2 will not disappoint you in airflow performance.

What’s inside count

Winix 5300-2 filter kept the same setup with the dependable 4-stage filtration. The first layer of defense is the odor absorbing carbon filter that focuses on large particles and household odors/ gases. Next is True HEPA filter that removes tiny allergens down to 0.3 micron size with a filtration rate of 99.97%. Lastly, PlasmaWave would create Hydroxyls to break apart lingering airborne pollutants. Overall, the filter size is spot on and we are happy with True HEPA filtration quality. The carbon filter though is a little bit of mixed bag. Somehow against stronger irritants, the deodorization part falls a little bit back.

Winix 5300-2 360 square feet coverage and 243 cfm dust CADR is excellent against the likes of dust, pet hair. The teamwork effort between PlasmaWave technology and True HEPA filter are also outstanding. It's great against microscopic allergens like pet dander, pollen, mold, virus, and bacteria. The Odor Absorbing pre-filter is somewhat OK against cooking smell and diaper odor. Against heavy tobacco smokes and hazard fumes, the thin carbon sheet is clearly inadequate.

Keep it down

Noise level

27.8 - 60+ dB

Power consumption

5 - 70+ W

Winix 5300-2 generate a modest 27.8 - 60+ dB noise level. Generally silent in low, medium speed, and bearable noise at Turbo speed. For an uninterrupted sleep at night, Sleep mode is just a click away. As for power consumption, the air purifier is ENERGY STAR rated as one would expect. However, there is a slight increase in energy usage at 5 - 70+ watts. Still reasonable for its airflow capacity and Auto mode play a key role in energy management.

At what cost

MRSP/ RSP**

+- 199

Annual Filter Cost

+- 80

^ Replacement filters/ estimated cost

Winix 5300-2 online price is surprisingly cheaper than 5300 given the all-around improvement. Within its mid-range category, it is an absolute bargain and a "genuine" best bang for the buck air purifier. Filter availability is plentiful, and the annual replacement cost is not overly high. Considering the bundled Filter A package comes with 4 carbon sheet with 1 HEPA filter. The same old, nitty-gritty complain we have is the carbon sheet short 3 months lifespan. It makes more sense to put it a better carbon filter that can last throughout the year, like the one in 5500-2.

If you are amazed by 500-2 price, Winix 5300-2 air purifier special price will further blow your mind. The only catch is not every place carry the same selling price. Do your research and check out every major retailer like Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Best Buy or Costco. The more time-saving method is to buy directly from Amazon as it usually has the best discount. There is also free shipping (subject to T&C) and 30 days guarantee return policy. Buy from Winix official channel is also doable if you don't mind the new registration trouble.

Winix 5300-2 VS the challengers

Winix 5500-2

For this, you only need to top up around 50-70 dollars more. Enjoy an add-on remote and AOC Carbon Filter that only requires yearly change. Otherwise, it is essentially the same air purifier with identical design and specification.

Winix NK100

Another PlasmaWave lineup, NK100 has all the Winix air cleaner attributes. Plus an improved CD carbon filter and 360-degree airflow circulation. The thinner profile comes at a cost, and that includes the weaker CADR and airflow.

Holmes HAP8650B-U

Similar airflow efficiency with a slightly more affordable price tag. The big setback for Holmes HAP8650B-U air cleaner is the very basic spec that adds no value to the usability. Exterior design is unattractive either.

Coway AP-1512HH Mighty

Coway Mighty pops is an air purifier that pops into everyone mind that doesn't cost much to maintain. The model to go for if you need something that is powerful in airflow and supports large room. Mind you the price bracket is another level, but it's totally worth it.

Good to know

Winix 5300-2 VS 5500-2

Let's cut to the chase. If you want the lowest possible price (around 130), look no further. But if you don't mind topping up 30 - 50 dollars more, you can get the higher range Winix 5500-2. It comes with AOC carbon filter (VS Odor-Absorbing Carbon Filter) and remote control. Any of the air cleaners above will get you 4-stage PlasmaWave filtration, 360 sq. ft. coverage, 230+ cfm CADR, 3 speed with Auto/ Sleep mode, 3 pre-set timer, and 2 years warranty.

Winix 5300-2 VS 5300

The new replacement model to Winix 5300 so naturally there will be an improvement. The most obvious one is the modernized (prettier) design. Purifying coverage also receive a minor bump (360 sq. ft. VS 350 sq. ft.). Dust free CADR increase to 243 cfm VS 216 cfm) but pollen CADR drop from 246 cfm to 251 cfm. Smoke CADR increase from 232 cfm to 235 cfm. There is also the newly added timer but remote control still missing in both air cleaner.

Winix 5300 2 VS C535

The same 4-stage PlasmaWave model with matching dimension and specification. True-HEPA, Carbon filter, AQ indicator, Auto mode, 4 speed, Sleep mode, timer, 360 sq. ft., 230+ cfm all comes standard. As only the design separating them, Winix PlasmaWave 5300-2 is definitely our pick. Why? It's easier to find Winix 5300 2 with discount VS Cotsco bound C535. Pick C535 only if you manage to get a better deal or white is your prefer color option.

How does Winix 5300-2 PlasmaWave work?

PlasmaWave works by creating hydroxyls to neutralize germs, bacteria, and chemical gases. This include the likes of VOCs,Radon, cigarette smoke. The entire hydroxyls process is natural, ozone less, and does no harm to our human body. It is achievable through the merging between water vapor, positive plus negative ions.

Final thoughts on Winix 5300-2

Like 5500 2, Winix 5300-2 has received plenty of raving reviews on the overall value. Out of the 700+ reviews (YES 700+ in total), 86% of the reviewer has voted 4-5 stars. Most complimented on the air purifier effectiveness against dust and pet dander. Many users also feel happy that the air purifier manages to relief them from all kinds of allergies. There are also few users like how cheap Winix PlasmaWave 5300-2 air purifier is priced. Even to the extent that this is the best thing since sliced bread! On the flip side, 10% of the reviewers complained about the following issue: odor sensor durability, air purifier reliability, and longevity (break down easily). Those people that doubt 5300-2 actually does anything other than beaming light! Bring to a conclusion, 86% of the 700+ positive reviews can't be wrong. If you are happy with the previous 5300 model, this replacement model will also suit you well.