Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA Air Purifier (Allergen Plus, Black)

Noise

Every instrumented source puts noise at the top of the complaint list. Tom’s Guide measured 41 dB on the lowest setting and 59.6 dB on the highest. RTINGS measured 39.4 and 59.8 dBA. AirQualityNest measured 42 dB on Allergen, 51 dB on General Clean and 63 dB on Turbo, and named noise as the unit’s weak point, noting that a Coway Mighty starts at 24 dB. RTINGS also measured 305 cfm of PM1.0 CADR at maximum, falling to 167 cfm when capped at 45 dBA. Decide where the machine can sit before you buy, because a bedroom is the worst room for it.

Filters and running costs

Three HEPA Filter R cartridges go once a year and the carbon pre-filter every three months. Working from Honeywell’s own store prices, one HRF-R3 three-pack at $89.95 plus four HRF-A300 four-packs at $32.95 each comes to about $221.75 a year in filters, though the HRF-ARVP300 combo pack covers the same year for $89.95. Tom’s Guide quoted $34 for a replacement set of three HEPA filters, and AirQualityNest modelled roughly $45 for the HEPA filter plus $25 per quarterly pre-filter change, which is where its higher annual estimate comes from. Published annual figures range from $132 (Consumer Reports) to $154 (FilterScored) to about $193 (AirQualityNest). Energy sits on top: $95 a year (Consumer Reports), upwards of $40 (Tom’s Guide), or about $4 a month (AirQualityNest). Tom’s Guide’s measured 1.002 kWh over 24 hours works out to about 365.7 kWh a year at the middle setting, or roughly $65.83 a year at $0.18/kWh, making filters plus electricity about $155.78. Cheaper off-brand cartridges cut the bill, and Honeywell’s store warns that third-party filters are not guaranteed to match performance, efficiency or fit.

Indicator light and filter service

The filter check light is a timer, not a sensor. It counts months and tells you to change filters; it cannot tell you how dirty your air is. One owner reports the indicator stayed green while the unit was tested outdoors at AQI 150. Another vacuumed the dusty pre-filter, reinstalled it, and the check-pre-filter light stayed on, while Honeywell says pre-filters must not be washed or cleaned because cleaning reduces effectiveness. When the light comes on, budget for a change rather than a vacuum. The light clears by holding the lit button for about two seconds with the unit running.

Repairs and warranty

Honeywell’s spec sheet says a 5 year limited warranty and Consumer Reports says five years, but Tom’s Guide’s spec block says one year from the date of purchase, so keep the receipt. The manual covers repair or replacement for defects in material or workmanship for the original purchaser, and excludes normal wear and misuse. Repairability beyond filters is undocumented: no service manual, spare fan, motor or control-board listing was found. One owner with a grinding noise after roughly six months reported that warranty support offered a replacement without much troubleshooting. A separate owner described a grinding fan and oil inside the unit, and a 2026 report describes rattling after the filters load up. Nobody has published a failure rate, so treat the motor noise as a known annoyance rather than a proven defect.

Availability and price

Honeywell’s own store marks the HPA300 discontinued, and WebstaurantStore lists it as no longer available. Remaining retailer listings sat in the $240-250 band in 2026, with Consumer Reports at $250.00, AirQualityNest at $249.99 and FilterScored at $249, while Tom’s Guide noted it was often nearer the $200 mark back in 2022. A specialty-office listing asks $337.05 new, and a September 2026 Craigslist listing asked $90 for a used unit. Honeywell’s current large-room model, the HPA5300B, covers 500 sq. ft. at the same 4.8 air changes per hour.

Is it worth it?

Buy it cheap. Verified particle CADR in a 465 sq. ft. console is still worth having, the genuine cartridges stay in production and fit many other Honeywell models, and there is no subscription. Above roughly $200-250 the case weakens: Honeywell’s current large-room model, the HPA5300B, covers 500 sq. ft. at the same 4.8 air changes per hour, AirQualityNest notes the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ gives higher CADR and lower noise for about $50 more, and FilterScored puts five-year cost of ownership at $1,038 including filters. Compare the remaining listings on the store panel above before you commit.

Which model this is

This page covers the black HPA300 from Honeywell’s Allergen Plus series, rated for rooms up to 465 sq. ft. One distributor lists it under manufacturer part number HWLHPA300 with UPC 400013132512. The white version carries a separate listing, and the white HPA304 covers the same 465 sq. ft. class without being this unit. Do not merge it with the HPA100 (155 sq. ft.), the HPA3100-HPA3300 or HPA5100-HPA5300 series, or the HPA8350, even though several of them share filter cartridges.

The black US listing is ASIN B00BWYO53G.

Sources

Manufacturer:

• Honeywell HPA300 user manual
• Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA air purifier with Allergen Remover
• Honeywell air purifier sizing and CADR guide
• Honeywell True HEPA Replacement Filter R, 3 Pack
• Honeywell carbon Pre-Filter A for the HPA300 series, 4 Pack
• Honeywell annual HEPA and pre-filter combo pack (HRF-ARVP300)

Independent reviews:

• Tom’s Guide HPA300 review
• RTINGS HPA300 review
• Consumer Reports HPA300 review
• AirQualityNest HPA300 review
• FilterScored HPA300 CADR and running-cost breakdown
• PurifierBeast Honeywell air purifier CADR tests
• Business Insider HPA300 review for allergy households

Retail listings:

• Home Depot HPA300 listing
• WebstaurantStore HPA300 listing

Owner reports:

• Owner thread on the HPA300 (r/AirPurifiers)
• Pre-filter reuse after vacuuming (r/AirPurifiers)
• Grinding noise and warranty replacement (r/ElectronicsRepair)
• Grinding motor and bearing discussion (r/ElectronicsRepair)
• Rattling after filter loading (r/AirPurifiers)