Winix 5510 Air Purifier
By Winix · Air Purifiers · Home & Workspace
- CADR 252 dust / 247 pollen / 253 smoke
- 392 sq ft AHAM-verified at 4.8 ACH (up to 1,882 sq ft)
- 4-stage: washable pre-filter, True HEPA, AOC carbon filter, PlasmaWave
- 23.5 dB minimum
Lowest price seen
~$129.00 (approx.)
from $129.00 at Amazon
- Amazon ~$129.00 (approx.)View at Amazon
- WinixView at Winix
- eBay (used) eBay: used, open-box, refurbishedView at eBay (used)
- eBayView at eBay
- The Home DepotView at The Home Depot
- TargetView at Target
- WalmartView at Walmart
Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.
Summary
A compact 4-stage air purifier for medium to large rooms that adds Wi-Fi and Alexa control to the discontinued 5500-2 formula. Check two things before buying: the replaceable carbon filter raises running costs, and top speed is louder than similarly sized rivals.
Strengths
- AHAM-verified CADR of 252 / 247 / 253 CFM covers rooms up to 392 sq ft.
- Pelleted 226-gram carbon filter works well on pet and cooking odors.
- Owners repeatedly praise it for allergy relief and long-lasting operation.
- Wi-Fi and Alexa control are new over the 5500-2.
- Compact and light at 13.3 lb, with a carrying handle.
- PlasmaWave can be switched off if you are sensitive to ozone.
Weaknesses
- Top speed is loud: measured between 53.7 and 67.2 dBA depending on the lab.
- The replaceable carbon filter lifts annual filter cost to roughly $80.
- Some owners report headaches and ozone concerns from PlasmaWave.
- The fan at speed 3 has a higher-pitched whine some find worse than the 5500-2.
- Air cleaning falls off sharply below 45 dBA fan speeds.
- The app is bare-bones and its readings can disagree with the unit’s display.
Verified specifications
| Model | 5510 (part number 1022-0233-00). |
|---|---|
| Region and electrical | US 120 V / 60 Hz. |
| CADR (dust / pollen / smoke) | 252 / 247 / 253 CFM. |
| AHAM-verified room size | 392 sq ft at 4.8 air changes per hour. |
| Max room size (1-hour coverage) | 1,882 sq ft. |
| Filtration | 4-stage (washable pre-filter, AOC carbon filter, True HEPA filter, PlasmaWave). |
| HEPA filter | 99.99% at 0.1-0.3 microns, 12-month life. |
| Carbon filter | AOC pelleted carbon, 226 grams, 12-month life. |
| Fan speeds | 5 (Sleep, 1, 2, 3, 4). |
| Air quality indicator | 3-color LED (blue / amber / red) with dual particle and gas sensors. |
| Smart features | Wi-Fi, Alexa, Winix Smart App. |
| PlasmaWave | bipolar ionization, user-disableable; 0.22 ppbv ozone over an 8-hour average. |
| Power consumption | 65 W maximum. |
| Weight | 13.3 lb. |
| Dimensions | 13.59 × 8.27 × 22.17 in. |
| Warranty | 2 years. |
Full research notes and sources
Coverage and clean-air performance
HouseFresh tested the 5510 in a 728 cubic ft room and measured a top-speed PM1 CADR of 249 cfm, reaching PM1 zero in 24 minutes with PlasmaWave on; at speed 2 it took 47 minutes. AirPurifierFirst measured a 96% air-quality improvement in 60 minutes in a 320 sq ft room. TechGearLab rated air cleaning 8.7/10 and measured ideal coverage at 375 sq ft with maximum coverage at 1,802 sq ft. The figure to compare on is the AHAM rating of 392 sq ft at 4.8 ACH; the marketing 1,882 sq ft number is one air change per hour, not the AHAM standard. The 5510 uses a 65 W motor, less than the 5500-2’s 70 W, and reaches higher CADR through better optimization.
Noise
The labs disagree on absolute numbers because their methods differ, but all agree the 5510 is loud at its top setting. HouseFresh measured 35.2 to 67.2 dBA, TechGearLab measured 28.1 to 53.7 dBA with a 43.4 dBA average, and AirPurifierFirst measured 40.2 to 65.7 dBA. HouseFresh notes that cleaning performance drops significantly below 45 dBA. A long-term Winix owner reports the fan at speed 3 has a higher, more pronounced frequency than the 5500-2, which may bother noise-sensitive users.
Filters and running costs
The 5510 takes Filter Q (SKU 1712-0123-00), which is physically smaller than the 5500-2’s Filter H and is not interchangeable with older Winix rectangular models. Both the AOC carbon and True HEPA filters list a 12-month life, and the washable pre-filter needs cleaning every 1-2 months. Because the 5510’s carbon filter is replaceable rather than washable, it loses the running-cost edge the 5500-2 had, pushing annual filter cost to approximately $80. HouseFresh estimates total annual running cost at $141.20 including energy and filters, while TechGearLab estimates $108.79. Replacement Filter Q has a $79.99 MSRP and sells at Winix America for $49.99 (2026). Winix America lists the purifier at $199.99 against a $259.99 MSRP; TechGearLab lists $180 and AirPurifierFirst $179.99.
Owner reports and reliability
Reddit sentiment runs about 81-83% positive. Owners praise effective particle capture, allergy relief, pet-odor removal and durability; one user with MCAS and chronic migraines calls the 5510 their favorite air purifier, with no noticeable smell from the unit. Complaints center on PlasmaWave headaches and ozone concerns, carbon filtration that fades over time, a high-pitched fan whine, and auto mode that is slow to react in the dark. Home Depot reviewers praise the quiet operation, auto mode and app. A long-term Winix owner with four prior units across the 5300 and 5500 lines reports fan motor noise after 1-3 years, and had one unit replaced under warranty. Nobody has published a failure rate for the 5510 itself, so treat the motor noise as a known annoyance rather than a defect.
Is it worth it?
Below $130 the 5510 is a strong value, with verified CADR, True HEPA, pelleted carbon, PlasmaWave and Wi-Fi inside a compact footprint. Between $131 and $160 it is still good, especially if app control matters, though Coway, Levoit and Blueair offer washable carbon and longer warranties nearby. Between $161 and $190 the value is fair, and at the $199.99 Winix America price it is weak-to-fair unless you specifically want the compact size, pelleted carbon and PlasmaWave. The recurring costs are the filters, around $80 a year, plus electricity.
Which model this is
This page covers the Winix 5510, model 5510, part number 1022-0233-00, made in South Korea. It is the direct successor to the 5500-2, which Winix discontinued in the US and Canada in May 2025, and it uses Filter Q (1712-0123-00), not the older Filter H. The 5520 is the same purifier with a different front grille; performance is identical per Winix. The ASIN is B0DJG1731C. Don’t confuse it with the 5500-2, 5300-2, C545 or other Winix models, which use different filters and have different dimensions.
Sources
Manufacturer:
Independent reviews:
- Winix 5510 review (HouseFresh)
- Winix 5510 review (TechGearLab)
- Winix 5510 vs 5500-2 (Air Purifier First)
- Winix 5510 air purifier review (Consumer Reports)
Owner reports: