Is the Winix 5500-2 still worth it?
Room air purifier · suggested up to 370 sq ft · True HEPA (H13) + activated carbon
Winix 5510 on Amazon · $179.99 →The 5500-2’s replacement: more smoke CADR, sold by Amazon.com.
It was a good purifier, and Winix has replaced it. Buy the replacement, the 5510 ($179.99), which cleans more smoke. Already own a 5500-2? It takes Filter H, $27.81 a year.
Winix 5500-2 review
The short answer
The Winix 5500-2 certifies 239 CFM of smoke clearing for a room up to 370 sq ft. Winix's replacement is the 5510: AHAM rates it higher (253 smoke CADR, 392 sq ft) and Amazon.com sold it for $179.99. If you can spend $13 more, the AT40 cleans more again (265) on 45 W and ships with two years of filters.
- Winix 5510 on Amazon · $179.99 The 5500-2’s replacement: more smoke CADR, sold by Amazon.com
- Genuine Filter H · $27.81 For a 5500-2 you already own; lasts one year
- Winix AT40 · $192.57 Cheapest Winix to own for two years: 45 W, 2 years of filters
Prices on Amazon on the review date; they change often.
All 25 certified Winix models compared, with prices →
At a glance
Who it's for
Owners looking for filters, and shoppers who saw it recommended. New units: buy the 5510 instead.
The standout number
239 smoke CADR for 370 sq ft, the same certified numbers as the 5300-2, C535.
The catch
Winix has replaced it with the 5510. Its filter (Filter H, $27.81) is still made.
What size room does the Winix 5500-2 cover?
AHAM certifies it for rooms up to 370 sq ft. In a room that size it cleans the air about 4.8 times an hour on its top speed (our math: 239 smoke CADR x 60 / the room volume, with 8-foot ceilings). In a room half that size (185 sq ft) it would clean the air about 9.7 times an hour.
How do you reset the filter light on the Winix 5500-2?
The maker's manual says: “15. Filter Reset Button After replacing the filter, turn on the unit and then use a thin object, such as a paper clip, to press the Filter Reset Button for 5 seconds. / Resetting Filter Life: After replacing your True HEPA Filter, place the Pre-Filter back in and close the Front Panel. While the unit is on, hold the Filter Reset Button for at least 5 seconds until you hear the beep. After the beep, the Filter Replacement Indicator will disappear. Your Winix True HEPA is now reset.” Maker source: 5500-2 User Manual (Model Name 5500-2).
The Verified Label — every AHAM-tested spec
not ENERGY STAR
US market
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) — source: AHAM
Coverage & power — source: AHAM (+ computed)
Filter & identity
How it ranks
Where this unit sits among the 236 room air purifiers we track, on the two numbers that decide one: how fast it clears fine smoke particles, and how big a room it covers. A higher percentile is better.
Smoke CADR
Better than 73%
of the 236 units with a published smoke CADR
Suggested room size
Better than 73%
of the 236 units with a published room size
The 5500-2 vs what replaced it
Smoke CADR and room size are AHAM-certified. Filter cost is the genuine filter on Amazon, replaced yearly. Power cost is running all day on the smoke-test speed at 18.83¢ per kWh. Amazon prices on November 11, 2026.
| Unit | Smoke CADR | Room (sq ft) | Filter / yr | Power / yr | 2-year cost | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winix 5500-2This page | 239 | 370 | $28 | $95 | — | Replaced by the 5510 |
| Winix 5510Its replacement | 253 | 392 | $47 | $107 | $442 | $179.99 on Amazon |
| Winix AT4045 W, ENERGY STAR, 2 filter sets in the box | 265 | 410 | $50 | $74 | $341 | $192.57 on Amazon |
The 5500-2 is cheaper to run (57.8 W vs 65 W) and its filter costs less. For a new purifier we link the 5510 and the AT40.
Sources: AHAM Verifide directory: Winix 5500-2, 5510, AT40 · Amazon listing: Genuine Winix 116130 Replacement Filter H for 5500-2 Air Purifier, White · Amazon listing: WINIX 5510 Air Purifier (New Generation of 5500-2 with App Support) for Home Large Room Up · Amazon listing: WINIX AT40 Air Purifier with 2 Years of Filters for Extra Large Room Up to 1968 Ft² in 1 H
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Winix 5500-2 discontinued?
Winix has replaced it with the 5510, which Amazon.com lists as the "new generation". AHAM still lists the 5500-2's certification.
What replaced the Winix 5500-2?
The 5510 (and its twins, the 5520 and 5530). AHAM rates them 253 smoke CADR for 392 sq ft vs 239 and 370 for the 5500-2.
What filter does the Winix 5500-2 use?
Winix Filter H, part 116130. The genuine filter was $27.81 at Amazon.com on November 11, 2026; Winix says it lasts one year. (Filter A, 115115, is for the 5300-2 and C535.)
Winix 5500-2 vs 5510: is the upgrade worth it?
If your 5500-2 works, no: keep it and buy Filter H. If you are buying new, the 5510 is the one to buy, and it cleans more (253 vs 239 smoke CADR) at 65 W vs 57.8 W.
Which Winix models are the same as the 5500-2?
AHAM lists identical certified numbers for the 5500-2 and the 5300-2 and C535.
How big a room does the Winix 5500-2 cover?
AHAM suggests it for a room up to 370 square feet. That rating assumes it runs on high and cleans the air about 4.8 times an hour. For faster cleaning — say for wildfire smoke or allergies — size it to a smaller room than the maximum.
What is the CADR of the Winix 5500-2?
Its AHAM Clean Air Delivery Rate is 244 for dust, 239 for smoke and 247 for pollen, with a PM2.5 CADR of 241. CADR is cubic feet of clean air delivered per minute — higher clears a room faster.
Does the Winix 5500-2 use a real HEPA filter?
Its filter is listed as True HEPA (H13) + activated carbon. True HEPA captures 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns. The activated-carbon layer also helps with odors and gases.
How much power does the Winix 5500-2 use?
About 57.8 watts on its smoke-clearing setting, which works out to 4.1 CADR per watt — a measure of how much clean air you get for the electricity it draws. It is not ENERGY STAR certified.
Sources. Clean Air Delivery Rate (dust / smoke / pollen), PM2.5 CADR, suggested room size, ENERGY STAR status and power draw come from the AHAM Verifide air-cleaner directory (the industry's independent CADR test). Average CADR, clean-air-per-watt and the percentile figures are computed by Verified HVAC Data from those published ratings. We publish no star ratings and take no payment for placement. "Not published" means AHAM's record doesn't disclose it — we never fill a spec with a guess.
Winix 5510 on Amazon · $179.99 → See how it ranks against every purifier