C545

I have a Winix C545 and I have two IKEA Starkvind tables. Both quite nice and the Winix filters are inexpensive.

I have the winix c545 and like it. No complaints

Winix C545 for the win! Best one with auto mode and app support. Also costco gave year worth of free filters.

I would match all three for ease of filter stocking and replacement. I don't know any of these filters personally except the C545. The C545 is ... wasn't on my recommend list. I own, probably at least 3 across various apts and homes? My issue with it, is it basically was advertised as a replacement for the (now refreshed) Winix 5500-2 - even sporting a similar price point with added smart-wifi features. Except its slightly cheaper feeling, higher pitched wind/fan noise thats harder to block out, and many arrived with misaligned fans that clanked around. All three of my first batch were refurbs for $59 or $69/each and did not suffer from those problems. (Edit: I suspect Winix has a ton of refurbs that were repaired returns). Its been over \~6 years and they're still running great. But I basically only want to get 5500-2's or the costco C535 instead. I can't recommend them purely because there were better options in Winix's own lineup at the time - but if its the one on sale, I can say that my 3 have held up to dog hair and cat hair just fine. (HIGHLY recommend placing one right next to the cat bed - i mean literally on top - it will suck everything instead of letting it linger on the floor and get kicked around). The C545 also has great 3rd party filter availability on amazon - with upgrades available to replace the useless carbon sheet with a slightly less useless carbon pellet pre filter. Again - if you can find the 5300/5500-2 or C535 - go for those instead. And just match the filters. Don't bother getting a different one per room.

Prefilter is huge here. My winix's get so much cat and dog hair its great - but they're literally 1" from their respective beds. It wouldn't be that effective otherwise. But it helps you keep the primary filters clean. I'd recommend any medium sized filter that's rated for \~320sqft aham and up. Run it as high as you can tolerate. Theres a sale going on for a Winix at Costco that's pretty good. There's also a refurb C545 on Winix direct that's also a really good price. I personally think the C545 is mid - its kind of a higher pitched annoying noise. But its cheap, effective, and more or less ambient noise level at low. I tend to run my filters on high or turbo so the tone of the sound matters a bit more to me. If those filters are on the smaller side, I'd pass. But if they're intended for \~320+sqft they should be OK on "high" (one step below highest mode). Just to be clear - performance for most purifiers below turbo is pure speculation. Most purifiers are rated at their max fan speeds.

C545, or any medium sized filter on the lowest speed, would be insufficient in most normal sized rooms. I have a few C545's (they're cheap refurbished), but I run them on max all the time except for the ones in the bedrooms. u/[sissasassafrastic](https://www.reddit.com/user/sissasassafrastic/) is right on the money for sizing filters regarding them being sized at their maximum rated speed. The issue is, you'll likely need a handful of medium sized filters to reach an air purification rate you'll want, or a large one or two. Another huge issue is - no filter has CADR or AHAM ratings at their lowest fan speeds. So there's no real way to math how many filters you need running at low.. for sufficient filtration. If your C545 is picking up dust and dirt; I'd consider just adding more until you reach the performance you want. Last I checked, they're $59.99 direct from Winix USA for refurbished (mine always came with new sealed filters). Alternatively, see if a single C545 works well for you on turbo - and try to extrapolate performance needed from there. Everyone's room and circulation is different. An open exterior door could be opened twice a day for some, dozens for others. Again, mine work great for my AWFUL tree and grass pollen allergies. But I run them at unbearably loud speeds. I wouldn't recommend those speed settings for most people.

Winix America has the C545 refurbished $59.99. I've purchased these, they always come with new sealed filters and are like new. Never had a single one I'd say looked used. I don't know if there's just an army of CR box people in this subreddit for the past month or so.... I like CR/Corsi Rosenthal Boxes; but are overhyped for cost efficiency. They're okay if you have box fans already (and some do!) and a source for cheap HVAC filters (they go on sale \~quarterly/biyearly at home depot and costco). The fact is, there's a selection of performant filters are lower budgets; and on sale, are comparable to a CR box on sale. Its a matter of choice really, but at the end of the day, CR box price advantage is over dramatized. They can be price efficient, but not as dramatic as some posters make them seem. Keep in mind most air purifiers have an automatic mode and a low mode quite a bit quieter than a box fan/CR box on low - probably a feature useful in a bedroom or during calls. The Winix C545 has a washable prefilter; increasing filter longevity and performance by capturing larger particles and keeping it off the main HEPA filter. I'd grab 3-4 of these and call it a day. One per bedroom, two in the common area. Roughly $240 before tax.

Going to provide some more experience with these filters comment, my C535/5500-2/5300-2 (I have all three, multiples of each) are run 24/7 on turbo for over 4-5 years just fine. I want to be explicit - my purifiers are not speed nor power cycled - which should help in wear and tear. I have three C535's specifically between 3 homes and they've held up well. I've only had a failure in the original 5500s (they make a whine on start up for about an hour) and the C545s have a manufacturing QC failure with some loose mounted fans which is why they're almost always available on Winix's USA open box/refurbished site. I've only got them as refurb - and they appear as new on every order. That being said, the C545 sound quality sucks (high pitched and noisy to the ear) compared to its physically larger 5500-2 series filters.

I run four Winix 5000 / 545 series filters with aftermarket honeycomb carbon filters in a \~1200 sq ft apartment with a rangehood that plumbs outside. Two of these filters are within 15 feet of the range. Even when I'm cooking with the air being blasted out, the Winix cannot keep up. If i'm burning oil or let the pan run too hot when searing steak - my smoke alarms still have the potential to go off. Do they help with particulate? Absolutely. But they were never ever intended for an active source of particulate. Smell? VOCs? Even less so. The VOC removal on these units are essentially there for marketing. They're basically ineffective, period. Especially after a week of use, or less. (Genuine carbon filter or not). As for lessening smells - this falls more in line with those who have pets waste and thinking it'll improve the smell. If the source is there - no - the filters won't really fix it. The smells - since they're not being ventilated - will quite literally settle into fabrics - the sofa, couch, bedding, clothes (close your closets!), shoes, bath mats, dish rags - and continue to off gas and lift off the fabrics as they move, as people walk past and its wafted. If its not being blown out of the home, its sitting inside your home. The source needs to be removed - full stop - and this is for any source of smell. Given that burnt pepper smell is still evident after about a day of cooking WITH filtration on for me - i'd say it would absolutely improve the situation, but there's no way people are walking into the home/apartment with no cooking ventilation and not immediately smelling the food. It's already settled into the home. tl;dr A good range hood is the absolute clear solution. Work a way to ventilate out - consider window mounted fan sucking air out close to the cooking source Consider fresh air in - another window providing positive pressure bringing in non-cooking-air Filter stale air (air purifiers) as a final step.

I say about 1/3rd of my Winix's have a bit of a smell that dissipates quite quickly.

If you're in north america, use the buying guide and grab whatever is cheapest. I recommend going oversizing twice the AHAM/size rating - as purifiers are rated at max speed and most people are unlikely to run it at that speed. I'm partial to Winix (as they tend to be the cheapest both new and open box from Winix/resellers), but anything on the guide will be fine. If you're going for the bedroom, go as big as you can afford - larger fans typically can be run slower and quieter while providing more airflow than a smaller fan. There's more to sound than volume and size, but its a good starting point since sound quality and levels are poorly documented and are difficult to compare across models. Purification is always the last step - vacuuming, good HVAC (good central air filter), and washing sheets/textiles properly is essential. Do not neglect the other steps first; as they're likely to make more profound impacts than the purifier. I have a dust mite allergy, and no amount of purification would ever compensate for regular sheets washing in hot water (and appropriate detergents, ty r/laundry) and clothes washing.

I 2nd the Winix recommendation. I replaced 5 pricey Milas that all broke after a year with 5 Winix C545 US units 2 years ago...best decision ever.

I went through 11 or 12 Milas (originally bought 5) that all had bearings issues or capacitor failures. I finally broke down and bought 5 Winix refurb C545 units for $69 each 2 years ago....best decision ever! They are super easy to clean, I can get off brand filter refills that are a bargain, I love the app scheduling options....they just WORK in silence and it's so great to actually forget about them because they aren't constantly breaking. It felt like I was actually cheating on Mila when I finally threw in the towel. However, I wish I had done it sooner instead of just prolonging the torture. Coways are great machines...I'm sure you'll love it.

I have had 6 Winix C545 units for 2.5 years that I have been super happy with. I purchased 5 of them as refurbs directly from Winix...[they currently have them for sale for $60](https://www.winixamerica.com/product/certified-refurbished-c545-air-purifier/) which is a fantastic deal. I have replaced the filters with generic replacements from Amazon for about $18/year for the HEPA filter and 4 carbon filters. I just replaced the carbon filters and the HEPA filters today. Note the super dirty carbon filter in the upper right...that is from my 99.9% dust free cat litter. 😩 Btw, I have these for my allergies, but my pets benefit as well. https://preview.redd.it/suy0v3fng9ag1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d8a7ac356203455a672b2691df2a7cbc400d36a5

You're welcome! FYI that the Plasmawave can be turned off this unit if needed.