A 4-stage tower air purifier - permanent pre-filter, washable AOC carbon filter, a filter stage Winix calls True HEPA, and a switchable PlasmaWave ionizing stage - AHAM Verifide for 370 sq ft at 4.8 air changes per hour.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The Winix 5500-2 is a 4-stage air cleaner AHAM Verifide at 239 cfm smoke, 244 dust and 247 pollen CADR, rated for 370 sq ft on AHAM's standard 4.8-air-changes-per-hour basis, with a permanent pre-filter and a single annual Filter H set - the stage Winix calls True HEPA plus the washable AOC carbon filter - as the only scheduled consumable. Its PlasmaWave ionizing stage has a dedicated off button. It holds the CARB certification (EO G-16-053) that every portable air cleaner sold into California must have: the legal baseline, not a distinction. Against that: Winix no longer lists the model in its own catalog, publishes no noise specification for it, and the ionizer re-enables itself at every power-up.
Price, seller and package contents change. Check the variant on Amazon before you buy.
Who it's for
Who should skip it
How this coverage figure is stated
4.8 ACH. AHAM's directory states suggested room size is "always based on the air cleaner's ability to clean and circulate the air in the room 4.8 times per hour", using Room Square Feet = Smoke CADR x 1.55. Check: 239 x 1.55 = 370. This formula is AHAM's universal calculation for every Verifide model, not a per-product choice by Winix.
Always compare two purifiers at the same air-change rate; manufacturers pick different ones and the headline square footage is not otherwise comparable.
| CADR - tobacco smoke | 239 cfm (AHAM Verifide) |
|---|---|
| Suggested room size | 370 sq ft (34 m2), at 4.8 air changes per hour |
| CARB certification | Listed as Winix 5300-2 family, model 5500-2, Electronic type, EO number G-16-053, notification date 2016-04-20. CARB certification is the legal requirement for selling or shipping a portable air cleaner into California, not a feature. |
| Noise level | Not documented by Winix or AHAM |
| Power rate (maximum) | 70 W |
| Filter replacement interval | Both replaceable stages - the one Winix calls True HEPA and the washable AOC carbon - are replaced together at approx. 12-month intervals as the Filter H set; the manual's Check Filter Indicator LED signals replacing both. Pre-Filter: permanent, clean every 14 days. Washable AOC carbon: clean every 3 months (every 1-2 months for optimal performance), up to four washes; Winix notes performance may decrease after each wash. |
| Replacement filter | Filter H / SKU 116130 - one-year set containing the two replaceable stages: the filter Winix calls True HEPA and the washable AOC carbon filter; compatible with 5500-2 and AM80 |
| Model name | 5500-2 |
|---|---|
| CADR - dust | 244 cfm (AHAM Verifide) |
| CADR - pollen | 247 cfm (AHAM Verifide) |
| CADR - PM2.5 (optional AHAM metric) | 241 |
| Room size basis | Room Square Feet = Smoke CADR x 1.55 AHAM states the seal figure is always based on cleaning and circulating the room air 4.8 times per hour. This is AHAM's standard formula, applied identically to every Verifide model. |
| AHAM model type | Fan Filter with Ion Generator; filter type HEPA + Carbon |
| Dimensions | 15 in (W) x 8.2 in (D) x 23.6 in (H) |
| Weight | 15 lbs |
| Power consumption at smoke CADR setting | 57.8 W |
| Annual energy consumption (AHAM) | 356 kWh/yr; Integrated Energy Factor 4.10 |
| Power voltage | AC 120 V / 60 Hz |
| Filtration stages | 4-stage: Pre-Filter Washable AOC Carbon Filter, True HEPA Filter (Winix's stage names), PlasmaWave Technology |
| True HEPA capture claim (manufacturer, unverified) | Winix claims the True HEPA filter "Captures 99.99%* of airborne allergens including pollen dust, smoke, pet dander, and other ultrafine particles as small as 0.003 microns." Winix's footnote reads: "*Based on IUTA independent report (UN2-201208-T5599900-334) using (DIN 71460-1/ISO/TS 11155-1) standards. Results may vary." This is a manufacturer claim, not an AHAM-certified figure, and is not independently verified here. |
| Fan speeds | Low, Medium, High, Turbo; Sleep Mode runs below Low |
| Modes | Auto and Sleep; defaults to Auto with PlasmaWave enabled at first power-on |
| Sensors | Smart Sensor (detects odorous gas drives Auto fan speed) and Light Sensor ("Detects the amount of ambient light in the environment"); sensor takes approx. 4 minutes to settle at power-on |
| Automated Sleep Mode (light sensor behaviour) | Per the Winix FAQ the Light Sensor "Senses the amount of light in the room to activate 'Automated Sleep Mode' (Sleep mode activation during Auto Mode)", and "When the room is darkened, the unit automatically activates Sleep Mode ... It changes back to Auto Mode in the presence of light." The user manual does not state this behaviour; it describes the light sensor only as detecting ambient light. |
| Air quality indicator | Colour-coded LED: Blue (good), Amber (fair), Red (poor) |
| Timer | 1 hr, 4 hr, 8 hr, or off |
| Ozone compliance statement | Complies with the maximum allowable concentration of ozone of 0.050 parts per million by volume (ppmv) in a 24-h period |
| Package contents (2025 revision) | Unit, (1) Pre-Filter, (1) Washable AOC Carbon Filter, (1) True HEPA Filter, User Manual - the manual's own item names. No remote control listed. |
| Clearance requirement | 12-18 in from walls, TVs, radios and other electronics hard flat surface, out of direct sunlight |
Our calculation, not the manufacturer’s
| Air changes | When you want this rate | Room it suits |
|---|---|---|
| 4.8×/hour | Wildfire smoke, allergy season, a room you are sensitive in | 373 ft² |
| 4×/hour | The rate most allergy guidance assumes | 448 ft² |
| 2×/hour | General freshening in a room without a specific problem | 896 ft² |
Worked from the CDC/NIOSH relation
air changes = (CADR × 60) ÷ (area × ceiling height),
assuming an 8 ft ceiling. Change the ceiling height and these
numbers change. AHAM’s own consumer rule — a smoke CADR of at
least two-thirds of the room’s area — puts the ceiling for this
unit at about 359 ft², which is the same arithmetic
at roughly five air changes an hour.
You can check this at home. In a closed room of the size in the first row, PM2.5 should halve about every nine minutes at top speed once its source stops. A monitor shows whether this unit manages that in your home. How to run the test
Ionizer and ozone
PlasmaWave is an ionizing stage and it is the unit's fourth filtration stage. It can be switched off: the control panel has a dedicated PlasmaWave button that "enables or disables PlasmaWave", pressed while the unit is running. It is on by default - the manual states the unit "will default to Auto with PlasmaWave enabled when first powered on" - so the off state is not retained through a power cycle. Sleep Mode disables PlasmaWave automatically, though the manual notes "it can be turned back on". On ozone, the manual states: "This product complies with the maximum allowable concentration of ozone of 0.050 parts per million by volume (ppmv) in a 24-h period." The unit is listed on CARB's certified air cleaning device list as an Electronic-type device under EO number G-16-053 (notification 2016-04-20), CARB's category for devices that generate ions and are therefore subject to the ozone emission limit. That certification is the legal precondition for selling or shipping a portable air cleaner into California, not a product feature - it means the unit meets the baseline, nothing more. Winix's FAQ adds a brand-wide, not model-specific, claim that "Winix products rest lower than 0.01 ppm" - no per-model ozone measurement is published for the 5500-2. There is no UV-C lamp on this model; none is mentioned anywhere in either manual revision. Audibly, Winix documents that PlasmaWave can produce "a chirping or buzzing sound" from particles passing through it, and that the feature can be turned off if the user dislikes it.
| Capability | What it needs | Status |
|---|---|---|
| HEPA filtration (Winix "True HEPA Filter") | True HEPA Filter - listed in package contents, ships inside the unit in a protective bag. "True HEPA" is Winix's stage name; the efficiency figure behind it is a manufacturer claim, not an independent certification. | Included |
| Carbon / odour control | Washable AOC Carbon Filter - listed in package contents; washable - rinsed every 3 months (every 1-2 months for optimal performance, up to four washes) and replaced at approx. 12 months as one half of the Filter H / 116130 set | Included |
| Pre-filtration | Pre-Filter - listed in package contents; permanent, no replacement sold | Included |
| Air-quality sensor | Smart Sensor (detects odorous gas) plus a Light Sensor for ambient light; drives the 3-colour Air Quality Indicator (Blue good / Amber fair / Red poor) | Included |
| Auto mode | Mode button cycling Auto and Sleep; fan speed adjusts low/medium/high with sensed air quality | Included |
| Timer | Timer button - 1 hr, 4 hr, 8 hr, or no timer | Included |
| Switchable ionizer (PlasmaWave) | Dedicated PlasmaWave on/off button on the control panel | Included |
| App / Wi-Fi / smart control | A Wi-Fi radio and the Winix Smart app - neither is documented for the 5500-2 in either manual revision; the 5510 and 5520 are the app-enabled models in this line | Not verified |
| Child lock | A lock control - no child lock appears in the manual's numbered control-panel legend (items 01-15) in either revision | Not verified |
| Remote control | Remote Control - listed in the 2022 manual's package contents with a lithium coin-cell battery, but absent from the 2025 manual revision entirely (zero mentions) | Not verified |
| Replacement filter (beyond the installed set) | Filter H / SKU 116130, a one-year set containing the filter Winix calls True HEPA and the washable AOC carbon filter; the initial set ships installed, a spare is a separate purchase | Sold separately |
Package contents vary by variant and seller. Check what is in the box on the Amazon listing before you buy. “Not verified” means the manufacturer does not document it either way — not that it is missing. “Not offered” is the other thing: the manufacturer does document it, and the answer is that this model does not have it.
Winix 5500-2 replacement filter set
Part 116130 / Filter H · 12 months for both layers. Winix's Filter H product page: "Genuine Winix one year replacement filter set. For optimal performance, it is recommended to change both the True HEPA Filter and Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter once every 12 months." Winix publishes NO hours-per-day assumption behind that figure. What it does document instead is an environment caveat and a separate service (not replacement) schedule from the 5500-2 manual's maintenance table: Pre-Filter — "Clean once every 14 days," "Permanent," no indicator light; Washable AOC Carbon Filter — "Clean once every 3 months"; True HEPA Filter — "Last Approx. 12 months," "Can NOT be WASHED." The current manual revision (Rev.05, 2025) also caps the washing: "The cleaning cycle of the Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter may vary depending on the usage environment, but it can be cleaned up to four times." The manual adds: "Intervals between filter replacement may vary depending on environment," and the Winix filters category page adds: "The life span of your Air Purifier filter depends largely on the air quality in the room it's operating in. The average amount of time that a filter is working at its best ability is 12 months... If your unit is located in a room with heavy smoke, the life span of your WINIX filter will be reduced." The manual also states: "When the Check Filter Indicator LED is on, it is time to replace the True HEPA Filter and Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter."
Checked against the AHAM Verifide directory, CARB's certified air-cleaner list and the manufacturer's own pages. We did not test this unit. Nothing here is a measurement of ours: every figure is either documented by the manufacturer or published by an independent standards or testing body, and where the two disagree this page says so.
Blueair
AHAM Verifide at 353 cfm smoke CADR for a 550 sq ft room, and Blueair publishes exactly those numbers rather than a flattering pair — which almost nothing else in this catalogue does. It draws 4 W on its lowest speed.
Blueair
AHAM Verifide at 283 cfm smoke for a 439 sq ft room, and the rare case where the electrostatic question has an actual number attached: ENERGY STAR measured its ozone emission at 2 ppb.
Blueair
A compact tower with an AHAM Verifide smoke CADR of 123 cfm and a 190 sq ft AHAM room size. CARB classifies it Electronic, which is a consequence of how Blueair's HEPASilent works rather than a fault.
