Winix HR950 Review: Is WiFi really all that Important?

Winix HR950 review

The starters

Nothing but praises coming from our side, Winix HR950 is the latest air purifier that comes with a minimalist exterior that is pleasing to the eyes. At 16.3 x 23.6 x 9.6 in/ 18.7 lb weight, the purifying machine is not too bulky to move around the house thanks to the back carrying handle. Above the back handle, you will find a top air outlet while air inlet is located at the front. Continue with the front, there is an air quality indicator that will light in blue when air quality is good, yellow when is fair, and red when air quality is poor. Fitting is top-notch and well-assembled, expect zero off-gassing on the purification process even on constant use.

Control panel is at the typical top spot where buttons are nicely aligned for easy navigation. Starting from the left you have the Smart Sensor that detects air quality for autonomous purifying; right below is the light sensor that measure nearby ambient light and adjust the LED indicators brightness automatically. Next is the Child Lock button with indicator that will activate/ deactivate the child Lock function. Mode button aka fan speed, will cycle between the 4 speed (Low, Medium, High, Turbo and Auto, Sleep mode. Smack right at the center, you have the Power button that will activate/ deactivate the air purifier. PlasmaWave button does what the name suggested, activate/ deactivate the PlasmaWave feature. Finally to the most right, Timer button will cycle between 1, 4, 8 hours and no timer. Press and hold for at least 3 seconds will activate/ deactivate the front Air Quality light.

To run-through on Winix HR950 features again, you have a 5-stage PlasmaWave filtration including Anti-microbial coating, 4 fan speed plus Auto/ Sleep mode, Smart and Light sensor, air quality LED indicator light, Child lock, AHAM verified, Ozone-safe approved by CARB, UL listed, ENERGY STAR rated and 2 years warranty.

Winix HR950 airflow, speed, and CADR

Winix HR950 400 sq. ft. purifying coverage can cater to large-size room like living hall, kitchen, storeroom, and bedroom. The 56.5-286 cfm airflow delivery rate is consistent with a high degree of volume at 2 or 4 air charges per hour. Powered by the typical 4 fan speed, there is also Auto mode and Sleep mode that can be selected which relies on the sensitive Smart sensor (Particle + VOC) to perform autonomous purifying. Parallel with airflow delivery rate, Winix HR950 CADR is sufficient although not the strongest in its class. Dust CADR is at 264 cfm, Pollen CADR is at 301 cfm and Smoke CADR is at 258 cfm. It's safe to say that Winix HR950 key strength is on microscopic filtration particularly pollen, mold, and mildew. Against dust, hair and smoke based pollutants, the above 200 cfm output shows the air purifier is equally capable to the task.

What’s inside count

^ Winix HR950 filters/ technologies/ lifespan

The main highlights of the bunch, Winix HR950 5-stage ultimate filtration is a godsend for pet owner. First and foremost you have the pre-filter that great in filtering out large pollutants. Secondly, the Coated deodorization carbon filter would focus on trapping odor and gases that are not captured by the pre-filter. Thirdly, the True HEPA filter would now dedicatedly remove allergens and bacteria down to 0.3-micron size. Fourthly, there is an anti-microbial treatment on the True HEPA filter that protects and prevents the growth of microbes and bacteria. Lastly, Winix trademark PlasmaWave Technology would create Hydroxyl that neutralizes any trapped allergens and gases.

Keep it down

Winix HR950 26.4 - 60 dB noise level is marginally lower than market standard for its segment although you should treat it as how a normal air purifier would sound. At low speed barely any noise can be heard, while expect minimal to loud fan noise when you gradually move up the speed. PlasmaWave plays little part in the noise level so you can pretty much ignore it. As for power consumption, at low-speed energy usage is relatively low to a rather high 83 Watt at Turbo speed. The same rule of thumb applies here where higher the fan speed and longer operating hours, the higher power consumption it will be. Again Auto mode and Sleep mode is here to better manage the airflow distribution.

At what cost

Not the most expensive air purifier for its high purifying group, Winix HR950 is a very compelling option that ticks all the necessary requirement. The omitted Wi-Fi feature might save you on selling price, but not so for the bundled filter replacement set that requires annually change. A slightly brighter note is some store carry the filters separately so you could change either one of the exhausted filter (HEPA or carbon filter). Before you click on the BUY button, do compare with Winix HR1000 as occasionally the Wi-Fi version but only be slightly pricier or even at a much lower price point.

Winix HR950 VS the challengers

Verdicts and ratings

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