Winix - C909

My recommendation for price/performance USED to be the Taotronics TT-AP003, but unfortunately, it looks like it was discontinued :( All units with HEPA filters have basically the same filter, so don't overthink it. However, the ONE SPEC that matters is [CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_air_delivery_rate) - this measures how MUCH air it filters. Manufacturers don't like to advertise this unless it's good - likely because their smaller/worse air purifiers wouldn't sell as well! Also note that the advertised CADR is only at the highest (aka *loudest*) fan speed. *For less noise, it's better to get a larger filter and run it at a lower speed - you don't want a little hurricane in your bedroom all night!* Here's some commonly recommended filters (and some from this reddit thread): * The [Levoit Core 300](https://levoit.com/collections/air-purifiers/products/core300-air-purifier) has a CADR of 135 CFM for $99. * The more expensive [Levoit Core 400S](https://levoit.com/products/core-400s-smart-true-hepa-air-purifier) has a CADR of 260 CFM for $219. * The Wirecutter-recommended [Coway Airmega AP-1512HH](https://cowaymega.com/products/mighty-ap-1512hh?) has a CADR of 232+ CFM for $168 (price as of today) - not a bad deal! * The [Winix C909](https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-%2526-plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html) has a CADR of 323+ CFM for $199 (Costco online price). Also seems like a good value. * The [Winix C610](https://www.costco.com/winix-c610-4-stage-true-hepa-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-and-additional-filter.product.4000295784.html) has a CADR of 245 for only $129 (Costco online price)! **Probably my recommendation for best price/performance for small/medium rooms.** * The expensive [Dyson HP7](https://www.amazon.com/Dyson-HP07-Purifying-Heater-White/dp/B09LSMRKFD) bladeless heated fan and filter only has a CADR of 80 CFM for $599 (!) You'll notice that filters of similar size have similar CADR. That's because they're essentially a HEPA filter and a fan - it's hard to improve filtration without a larger fan or larger filter. The differences come down to noise level, build quality / customer support, features, and cost of replacement filters. Cheers!

Unless you're comparing build quality, the air purifier with higher Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) and higher Air Changes per Hour (ACH) make for the better air purifier in terms of cleaning performance. Air purifiers cannot overcome walls and doors, so you would need a unit for each room or space. As a rule of thumb, CADRs should be *at minimum* 2/3 of your room's area (assuming an 8 ft. high ceiling). Higher CADRs are needed if you have allergies or sensitivities, high concentrations of pollution are present, or if the purifier is used to combat wildfire smoke particulates. A larger air purifier is not overkill **unless**: * It financially burdens you (unit cost, energy cost, filter replacement costs) * It's too loud on one or more settings you wish to use * It takes up too much physical space In general, air purifiers are not very good at capturing visible dust. Visible dust is a large and heavy relative to other much smaller particulates such as PM2.5. A better solution (but still incomplete) is to build Corsi-Rosenthal boxes with MERV 13 filters. As MERV 13 is less restrictive than HEPA, you can achieve much higher CADRs. The drawbacks to C-R boxes are loudness, a larger footprint, and they also look homemade. Here's a how-to building guide: [https://engineering.ucdavis.edu/news/science-action-how-build-corsi-rosenthal-box](https://engineering.ucdavis.edu/news/science-action-how-build-corsi-rosenthal-box) And a subreddit dedicated to C-R boxes: r/crboxes The optimal solution for visible dust is vacuuming and dusting. Regarding furnace filters in your vents, I would **not** advise putting HEPA filters in them as another user suggested. When it comes to HVAC filtration, you must ensure the pressure drop created by a filter (even if it's 4"-5" thick) does not overwork HVAC equipment. A HEPA filter's restrictiveness could prevent your apartment from getting adequate heating, cooling, and overall ventilation. Ideally you would consult an HVAC technician to determine the highest MERV you can use. If you still want to buy an air purifier, here's my recommendation. u/exitdoorleft - are you a member of Costco? The **Winix C909 Air Purifier** is discounted even further to $159.99 (normally about $200, which is already a great value). The drawbacks are: Winix is mid-tier in quality, the C909 is loud on its highest setting ("Turbo"), and it's an energy hog. More specs below. * Coverage: 4.8 Air Changes per Hour at 500 sq. ft. * Tobacco Smoke CADR: 323 CFM * Dust CADR: 336 CFM * PM2.5 CADR: 330 CFM * Pollen CADR: 384 CFM * Power: 95 W * Price: $159.99 * Link: [https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-%2526-plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html](https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-%2526-plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html)

So I don't know the volume of each room or area. But between your choices, the unit with the higher CADRs is always preferrable in terms of cleaning performance. I can't find the exact Levoit Core 200S-P metrics, just the Levoit Core200S. Again, these units (and most if not all residential air purifiers) are not good for coarse particulates such as visible dust. It may only work if a massive air purifier is in a tiny room. Even if the Levoits are next to the vent, they certainly won't catch everything. With cooking smoke, these purifiers will reduce the particulates a little to somewhat depending on concentrations. As for odors (which are gases and vapors), there is very little sorbent media such as activated carbon. So odor removal capacity may be short-lived. I know this may not be a possibility, but exhaust ventilation is far and away the best remedy for cooking-based pollution. Cooking often generates oily aerosols. These aerosols can form a residue on an air purifier's grill, pre-filter, and mechanical filtration media over time. PS: the Winix C909 is still on sale as of writing.

Yeah, don't buy Dyson air purifiers - almost all of them do a poor job. Freestanding air purifiers can't overcome architectural barriers such as wall and doors. You at least one per room or area. [Per AHAM's rule of thumb](https://ahamverifide.org/ahams-air-filtration-standards/), Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) should be *at minimum* 2/3 of a room's area (assuming an 8 ft. high ceiling). For wildfire smoke treatment, Smoke CADR should *equal* your room's area, again with an assumption of an 8 ft. ceiling. Therefore we would need the length x width x height of each room/area where you'd like a purifier. Purifiers can be very expensive, especially the powerful and quiet models. If you're a member of Costco, have a look at the **Winix C909**. CADRs are in the low to mid-300s CFM. Price is $199.99. This model has an on/off ionizer. Drawbacks: it's fairly loud on the highest setting "Turbo" (around 60 dBA according to the Decibel X phone app). Winix is more of a mid-grade brand; we've had some reports of whirring, whining, or clicking noises after the 2 year mark. This is usually an issue with bad motor bearings. [Link to the Costco Winix C909 is here](https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-%2526-plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html). Remember that CADRs apply to the highest setting only. Lower speed/fan settings have lower CADRs. In tandem with freestanding purifiers, you can consider installing an HVAC cabinet air purifier. One example is AprilAire. (Other traditional HVAC equipment makers offer these too, such as Trane, American Standard, Lennox, Carrier, Rheem, etc.) The filters are 4-inches to 5-inches deep, which have greater surface area and lower pressure drops than standard 1-inch deep integrated filters. However, if you want to add a cabinet air purifier, be sure to consult an HVAC technician to do load calculations. Choosing too high a MERV filter rating can overtax your equipment and lead to reduced ventilation. Keep in mind that HVAC cabinet air purifiers do not immediately address particulates *within* each room or area. They're best at preventing recirculation of said pollutants throughout the house (in addition to keeping the blower wheel and evaporator coil cleaner).

Unfortunately that's a low budget for the space's size. You are correct about CADRs; keep in mind those are minimum recommendations. If smoke particles/ash/soot levels are especially heavy, 800 CFM CADRs may not be enough. Usually the best value HEPA purifier is the **Winix C909** at [Costco Canada for $289.99](https://www.costco.ca/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wifi-and-plasmawave-technology.product.4000257649.html). Smoke CADR is 323 CFM. If you need to maintain a strict budget, you could consider the **AirFanta 3Pro**, inspired by a Corsi-Rosenthal box design. It uses proprietary Efficient Particle Air (EPA) E11 filters. [E11 is two filter classes below HEPA H13](https://www.airum.com/frontend/immagini/files/EN%201822-1.PDF). This means E11 is less efficient on a single pass, but allows for greater air flow and CADRs. The top speed's composite CADR is 413 CFM for the CARB Edition. [Price for one unit is $229 Canadian](https://air-fanta.com/products/airfanta-3pro).\* You would need two units running at top speed to meet the minimum CADR. \*I added the 3Pro to my cart and in checkout, selected Canada as the shipping destination to see the adjusted product price. AirFanta is not a big player like Winix, Coway, or Levoit. But their filters did sell out during the southern California wildfires back in January. I assume they're in good standing business-wise.

Hard to say. I don't know how closed off they are or what they look like. How large is the opening to each sectioned "room"? Another consideration may be sound levels. Most purifier brands lowball their top sound levels. I own a Winix C909. Combined Smoke CADRs are 646 CFM. On the highest setting called "Turbo", I used the Decibel X Android app and got a reading of 60 dBA. Using a basic [Decibel Calculator](https://noisetools.net/decibelcalculator), running both at this speed would be 63 dB(A). Three Coway Airmega 150 units give you a combined Smoke CADR of 459 CFM. Again using the Decibel Calculator, the three units would be 53.1 dB(A). CADRs are for the highest speed settings only. I don't think Winix measures CADRs for other speeds/fan settings.

Yes, it will still accumulate. Dust can be made of various substances: dead skin, hair, animal dander, insect parts, outdoor (e.g., vehicle) pollution, carpet/rug fibers, bacteria, other textile fibers, pollen, soil particles, mold/mold fragments, microplastics, and dust mites + their droppings to name a few. You might be able to noticeably reduce visible dust if you ran a wildly oversized air purifier in a small space. But for example, my Winix C909 with a Dust CADR of 336 CFM in a \~175 sq. ft. room with an 8 ft. ceiling does not eliminate dust on the windowsills. Then again, I don't run it at the very top CADR most of the time either.

he Coway models you listed would be underpowered for the \~500 sq. ft. space; you'd need \~334 CFM CADRs. CADRs should be *at minimum* 2/3 of a room's area (assuming an 8 ft. ceiling). I would avoid the Coway Airmega 100 in particular. Coway is better quality than almost all other consumer brands on the market, but they're more expensive. Some of their Smoke CADRs are low even on the more expensive models. So you'd need two air purifiers to meet CADRs in that room (e.g., one [Coway Airmega 240](https://cowaymega.ca/products/airmega-240?variant=40263676592170) and a [Coway Airmega 160](https://cowaymega.ca/products/airmega-160)). The only purifier that comes close to all except one particulate CADR and budget is the Winix C909. Drawbacks: it's loud on "Turbo"; using the Decibel X app, my C909 measured 60 dBA. Winix is more mid-grade with some people reporting whirring, whining, or clicking noises after the 2 year mark. This is usually a motor bearings issue. PlasmaWave (the ionizer) generally aids the Pollen CADR. It's possible you could see a drop in this value if it's turned off. Keep in mind CADRs are for the highest speed setting only. Lower speeds have lower CADRs. **Winix C909** * Dust CADR: 336 CFM * Pollen CADR: 384 CFM * Smoke CADR: 323 CFM * Price: [$289.99 CAD at Costco.com only](https://www.costco.ca/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wifi-and-plasmawave-technology.product.4000257649.html) EDITED: I glossed over your post and didn't see the "Canada" bit. I've corrected links to their Canadian countertparts.

I'll add to the consensus that Shark is poor quality. OP, do you know what substances trigger your child's asthma? The only issue is that if any triggers are gases or vapors, most common air purifiers do not have enough activated carbon for long-term removal. Furthermore, does air purification need to run throughout the night? Keep in mind most air purifiers' Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) are for the highest setting which is the loudest. (I have a Winix C909 that's really loud on Turbo.) If you want to increase CADR without a tremendous rise in sound levels, you can place two purifiers in your asthmatic child's room and run them at lower settings. You also generally need an air purifier for each room or area if the asthmatic child will be present there. Freestanding air purifiers can't overcome walls and doors. Another helpful measure could be looking into [whole house cabinet air cleaners or purifiers like AprilAire](https://www.aprilaire.com/whole-house-products/air-purifiers). Instead of a standard 1" thick filter on your air handler or furnace, these filters are 4" thick. The thicker filters have more surface area to capture pollutants from being recirculated and usually create a lower pressure drop which is easier on your HVAC equipment. Obviously the exact cabinet air cleaner size needs to be assessed by an HVAC technician unless you are handy and know how to calculate proper sizing and filter choice via equipment design specifications. Just to be clear: whole house cabinet air purifiers don't target pollutants generated *within* a room immediately (from cooking, pet dander, dust mites, shedding textile fibers, burning candles, dead skin cells, etc.), but can reduce particulates from being recirculated by your HVAC and clogging up the coils. As for freestanding particulates air purifiers, I agree with on Coway being a higher quality brand. I think the [Coway Airmega 240](https://cowaymega.com/products/airmega-240) is very good for smaller spaces (or if you want to buy multiples of this model for the asthmatic kid's room in particular). The [Coway Airmega 400](https://cowaymega.com/products/airmega-400?variant=33436457009287) is excellent for pollen and very good for dust (it has lower performance for smoke particles) and is heavily discounted. Coway is having a Halloween sale as I write this, but I don't know how much longer it will last.

Because of the higher ceilings, your room's volume is 1,400 cubic feet. Divide 1,400 by 8 ft. to get **175 sq. ft.**, which is the figure you should be using. Air purifier coverage ratings are given in square feet, but they assume an 8 ft. high ceiling. I'm less keen on the HoMedics model because of the cylindrical design. Some cylindrical purifiers have underpowered motors which must spin at higher speeds to deliver adequate air flow. This causes them to burn out sooner potentially. Additionally, most cylindrical purifier filters have an integrated pre-filter. A separate permanent pre-filter is preferred for ease of cleaning off coarse dust without damage to the HEPA or other mechanical filtration underneath. Lastly, HoMedic's build quality and reliability may not be the greatest according to Consumer Reports feedback. Considering the AQI is very bad, I would consider the **Winix C909** which is sold at [Costco.com only](https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi--plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html). It has higher CADRs including Smoke CADR which means it can clean a room faster and more effectively. Winix is more mid-tier in quality and their purifiers are known for being loud on the highest setting ("Turbo"). * AHAM Verifide: 4.8 Air Changes per Hour at 500 sq. ft. * CADR Dust: 336 CFM * CADR Pollen: 384 CFM * CADR Smoke: 323 CFM * Power Consumption: 95W * Price: $199.99 There's a potential problem with electrostatically-charged MERV filters and smoke: in short, smoke particles may significantly impact CADRs. This is from an article by the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard called ["Protecting your Health from Wildfire Smoke – Spotlight on Filters"](https://healthybuildings.hsph.harvard.edu/protecting-your-health-from-wildfire-smoke-spotlight-on-filters/). Skip down to the **Impact of Wildfires on Filter Performance** heading. I've quoted it below: >Wildfires bring an additional layer of complexity to this performance decline issue. It is postulated that deposited smoke particles, which carry a charge \[23\], on these electrostatically-charged filters can either mask or counter the intended filter charge, thus reducing the intended electrostatic removal mechanism \[9\], \[21\]. A recent controlled chamber study demonstrated that the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) air cleaner using 1 inch electrostatic MERV-13 filters is reduced significantly when the filter is loaded with smoke \[9\]. The researchers observed that the CADR of the DIY air cleaners equipped with electrostatic air filters was reduced by 95%, while airflow through the filter was maintained (only 7% increase in pressure drop), pointing to a loss in the electrostatic attraction mechanism as the likely cause of filter performance decline since airflow appeared to be maintained. This occurrence has been observed in other studies with cigarette smoke and intentionally discharging the filter with isopropyl alcohol \[9\]. Other studies that investigated longer term and more realistic test conditions note similar findings, with one study observing a substantial reduction in particle removal efficiency over a 19-week period of operation in an air handling unit that supplies outside air \[19\]. The exact mechanisms and magnitude of the decrease is difficult to predict in practice, due to numerous factors, such as the amount and composition of particle loading on the filter \[21\]. Nevertheless, reductions in filtration effectiveness can be up to a factor of two or more \[21\].

The **Winix 5500-2** has the highest Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs) including Dust. This will give the best cleaning performance of all the choices listed. I don't know if you're strictly limited to the units above, but if you or someone you know is a Costco member the **Winix C909** has even higher CADRs and a larger coverage area (4.8 Air Changes per Hour at 500 sq. ft.). It's ~~on sale for $159.99~~ at Costco.com. Drawbacks: the **Winix C909** has a max Power Consumption of 95 W so it uses more energy than the 5500-2. It also has a carbon-sprayed plastic sheet instead of activated carbon pellets. It will be quite loud on the "Turbo" setting (although 5500-2 is likely similar). Link: [https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-%2526-plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html](https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-%2526-plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html) **Edit**: the price of the C909 is now back up to $199.99.

I would definitely address the airtightness issues with the windows if feasible—your energy costs and air quality control will improve greatly. Avoid both Bissell and Shark. What does your HVAC look like? If possible, you could upgrade to a "whole house" cabinet air cleaner. These are sold by HVAC equipment brands (Carrier, Lennox, Trane, American Standard, etc.) and by another company called AprilAire. Generally cabinet air cleaners have 4" to 5" thick filters, which offer more surface area, better filtration, and lower pressure drops than many 1" thick filters. While a higher MERV can capture more particulates, many residential HVAC systems cannot overcome the pressure drops of a MERV 16 filter. If necessary, you can consult a licensed HVAC contractor to do the load calculations and make a recommendation. If the budget's an issue, consider using 3M's 1" Filtrete Filters, specifically the Filtrete 1900 (MERV 13). In general, you will need at least one air purifier per room or area. With the high 12' ceilings, you need to calculate for room volume (W x L x H) instead of room area. Where air purifier coverage is given, it's in square feet. This measurement assumes an 8 ft. high ceiling. So if you want a purifier's volume coverage, just multiply the square footage rating by 8 feet. You can add multiple air purifiers to a space in order to increase Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADRs). Unfortunately most air purifiers aren't great for pet hair. Hair—relative to other much smaller particulates such as PM2.5—are large and heavy. Unless the hair is cast off very close to the purifier, it won't be caught in the pre-filter. Corsi-Rosenthal boxes using MERV 13 filters can have much higher air flow and capture more pet hair than most HEPA air purifiers. Vacuuming will be the best means of combatting pet hair. Generally Coway air purifiers are often recommended as they're higher quality and perform well. The exact model will depend on each room's volume. Winix is more mid-quality, but can be more affordable if you're on a budget. I own a Winix C909 which is sold at Costco and is a fantastic value given the CADRs. However, it is quite loud on the highest setting (Turbo). It's for removing particulates only and not gases. **Winix C909** * Room Size: 500 ft.^(2) in area or 4,000 cubic feet in volume * Tobacco Smoke CADR: 323 CFM * Dust CADR: 336 CFM * PM2.5 CADR: 330 CFM * Pollen CADR: 384 CFM * Power: 95 W * Price: $199.99 at [Costco.com only](https://www.costco.com/winix-c909-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wi-fi-%2526-plasmawave-technology.product.100842491.html) Other recommendations could be Smart Air, specifically the **Smart Air Blast MKII Air Purifier**. It's very quiet (43 dBA), has a metal body with locking wheels, and has a top Composite CADR of 559 CFM, but it's very expensive at $929.00. Power consumption is 118 watts. **Medify Air** makes some very high performance CADR purifiers, but quite a few—such as the [MA-112](https://medifyair.com/collections/all-products/products/ma-112)—are very loud (at 70 dBA). Except for their MA-112, most other Medify Air models have integrated pre-filters which are overlaid on the HEPA media. This is a problem as the pre-filter needs regular cleaning and it's very easy to damage the HEPA media underneath (especially if you're using a vacuum).

I have both and like this one better. The C909 is louder on low-high but about the same on turbo. You also can't turn the indicator lights off on the C909.

It does. If you don't mind it being slightly louder and somewhat bulky it's definitely a good air purifier. I like the filters in it better it has a washable pre filter. It also goes on sale occasionally

This one was $100 on sale and is supposedly rated for more Sq ft than the 535. I also have a C909 which is bigger and uses the same filters as yours but I personally prefer the 610.

I have Blueair purifiers throughout my house and have started switching away for 2 reasons: 1) The filters are very expensive (Costco used to carry them, but no longer) 2) The last few filters I purchased (genuine Blueair filters sold first party from Amazon) smelled like wet dog for the first few months of use and I've found similar complaints from others I am running a Winix unit in one of my rooms right now to see how it compares

They were shipped and sold by Amazon, completely sealed and brand new in plastic wrap.This was also over different shipments of filters many months apart. The Winix unit is C909 purchased from Costco

If you have an enclosed printer I really like the bentobox. You can build it yourself or buy online. I use mine on top of a winix c909 im the same room. https://www.printables.com/model/272525-bentobox-v20-carbon-filter-for-bambu-lab-x1c-enclo

I have a Winix C909 in the living room that I bought at Costco. I use the homebridge plugin to monitor when the TV is on, and then I have it automatically change from Auto mode to Sleep mode (quiet, but still on). When the TV is off, it goes back to Auto. Of course, if I had one that had a physical switch that could be left on auto/on, I could just have used a smart outlet instead.

We had a Winix C909 for a year and happy with it. Quiet, effective and filter life seems to be long.

Winix is a good brand. I have the C909. You have to spend 5x more if you want true odor control. The little carbon filter isn't doing a whole lot. /r/AirPurifiers is a good source. Mine came with enough carbon filters to change them monthly. Set a remind to do it. If you clean week and there is a pre-filter vacuum that out every week.

I have a Winix C909 from Costco. It sucks up a lot of dust. I have two smaller units in each of the kid's bedrooms that also suck up a lot of dust and run very quiet. With that I doubt I'm even at like half of what I'd need for my modest 1900sqft house. Like the comment says they make their money on replacement filters. You can buy generic if true HEPA isn't import. My pre-filters before you even get the HEPA will fill with dust. Ikea makes more visually appealing filters that IIRC score well on filtering.

Air purifiers in the 250-400 CADR range are mass produced volume products sold at reasonably low margins. The filters are similarly more affordable and can be found everywhere. Larger air purifiers don't really have any advantages. They're generally more expensive to purchase, power and maintain for the amount of air volume they handle. For 950 sq ft I'd buy 3 Blueair 211i or 3 Winix C909 (Costco model) purifiers. Remember that the AHAM rated square footage on these units is based on (1) running them constantly on the loudest turbo mode and (2) having a lowish 8 foot ceiling height. The Winix C909's are notably less efficient, but they have separately replaceable carbon filters and easier to clean prefilters (washable screens vs fabric). Also, if you're concerned about noise you could buy 4-5 of either of these filters and run them on high (instead of turbo) to get similar coverage. The typical recommendation is to hit 5x air changes per hour - essentially to clean the indoor air at a rate faster than it's typically being exchanged with outdoor air. In my experience hitting 6-10x air changes per hour is actually a significant improvement over 5x though.

Get the C909 if you’re at Costco. Online only. Way better

I am a big fan of the Winux products! If you’re a member at Costco, they frequently have them in store or online, and sometimes they go on sale for substantially cheaper than the usually marked price. Each one has a hepa filter and 3 to 4 settings, as well as night mode. We have two of the smaller white ones and one of the bigger black ones in our home and they have worked great for years. I am so happy with them and impressed by the amount of dust they pick up but also how it seems to really help in other ways, such as illness prevention, as well.

I just checked on their website and the bigger black one is the Winix C909 for $200. We’ve had it for a year with no issues, but are so happy with what it provides to the home. When it is on the highest setting, it is probably twice as loud as the third setting, but the third setting still seems quite powerful and is much quieter.

it’s been about a year and a half since installing a Winix in every bedroom and living room of my home. I should mention that we have hardwood floors throughout the rooms and every room is vacuumed daily if not every other day. Bought 2 to test out when they were on sale and noticed my husband coughing less and his allergies inside were improving. Put one in the main bedroom and the other in the living room and after about 2 or more weeks on Auto Mode (it’s on 24/7 and adjusts is filtration strength as needed) I peeked in and noticed that it was actually physically working. The actual filters are said to last a whole year and the dust cover/collector that goes over the 2 filters was sucking up and collecting the dust and dog hairs. The easy access to the filters makes it easy to vacuum and maintain. So we decided to put one in every room with absolutely no regret. Not sure how the others perform. I purchased during allergy season and Winix was highly recommended talked about a lot on this sub at the time. We really love the WiFi connectivity and the easy to use phone app that allows us to remotely control the devices when away as well as synch it to work with our Google home devices.

I prefer winix products, they do there job , nothing fancy

Yes, they really work. You only have to run it for a week and check the washable filter to know it works. We have winix and levoit, both are relatively inexpensive and pull a ton of crap out of the air.

I like the winix and Levoit ones. Winix I appreciate the color indicator for air quality to know when to turn it up higher. I think it does have the ionizer someone else mentioned but I turn it off now, and I think they have models without it that are probably cheaper.

I have a Winix that we use in the common areas. I like that it has HEPA filtration because my husband has emphysema. I can't say that it helps a great deal with dust though. I think my unit was $300-$400.

I have two Winx filters and they work really well but after 3 years or so the motors start making a ticking sound. I contacted the manufacturer who is not willing to sell me a motor and suggested I just buy a whole new units...

Winix Plasma Wave is an affordable effective unit. I used three when I lived in a polluted area. I now use it sporadically to clean up the plastic dust and other crap that accumulates in a home

I’ve been really impressed by my Winix. I have a huge one that really seems to do the job. I change the filter once the year but vacuum it all out more often than that to keep it running really well.

I’ve been using my Winix with Plasmawave since 2019 without issue, and that includes moving about once per year. These units have held up to that. I can tell you they really work. I have a mold allergy, and mold is literally everywhere in outdoor or indoor air with spores just waiting to land in a suitable environment for growth, but I have no symptoms at home with my two small Winix. I also have pets. These reduce any odors from that, and they are at what one might consider end of life for a typical air filter system. 5 years is typical. 10 is incredible. I am not washing the pre-filter nearly as often as I should and am slow to replace the carbon and HEPA filters sometimes, so 5+ is just astounding in my case.

The PlasmaWave I looked at used an ionizer which is a huge no for me.

PlasmaWave is just a glorified ionizer. I personally cannot stand the scent of ionizers, it gives me headaches.

You want a HEPA filter and actual activated carbon granules-sometimes the activated carbon is just a paper thin layer-not doing much. For cost, consider replacement filter costs not just up front ones. I also like ones that have a sensor so you can leave it on “auto” and it will kick on when you cook or air gets worse without you having to keep track of it. Also don’t splurge on plasma ion or ozone or whatever else-mixed studies show it can react with chemicals to form more dangerous ones at worst and generally not much better at best. Right now you may want to sacrifice optimality for actually having something going to clean your air since it’s a time of high uncertainty. What’s in stock at home depot may be superior to the “best” air purifier that arrives in 2 weeks. Those caveats-no one can give better advice based on “feel” than what’s tests show-and wirecutter actually tested performance https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier/ . If you prefer anecdotes, here are some of my experiences: Winnix has been in stock at home depot. I evacuated with my air purifier and I needed something to leave during cleaning to try and detox my pasadena apartment. It was in stock and had hepa+carbon-it seems to be working. Oransi is the one I evacuated with, love the looks, it really seems to work well, lots of aftermarket filters available-downside is that sleep mode sets fan speed to auto, I want it to just turn lights off and leave the fan mode. But It has lasted at least 6+ years. Levoit is what was at the apartment I evacuated to. It seems a little less powerful per dollar spent than my oransi, but it’s night mode turns off the lights while still letting you set the fan speed. My roommate left a Coway going in his room and that thing worked very well to prevent any smoke smell from settling, and it’s highly recommended by wirecutter. If I had to buy right now and I could get one in a reasonable timeline, it’s how I would go.

Any filter with a charcoal filter layer will help some (Winix is one brand commonly available at Costco…I also have a more elaborate Rowenta)…my Winix came with multiple charcoal layer replacements. Dealing with total incontinence here, and not to criticize your MILs efforts, but you might want to look into the actual sources of the odors. Chairs, clothes that sit around waiting for wash, previously soaked furniture or carpet? If bedding or fabric furniture smells and you can replace it, do so. I use a combo of Depends on my father, and all his sleeping or seating surfaces have a first layer of puppy pee pads (Costco has large ones that work well and are cheap), and then a fabric layer on top (whether sheets or a chair cover or towel, tucked into the sides of the chair). Once he’s wet, after I changes his pants all clothes and chair covers and bedding goes in the wash (3-5 loads a day).  For the mattress you can find on Amazon washable mattress covers (the whole bed ones don’t work that well but that’s my base layer and then a thicker more absorbent one that I fit across the middle section of his bed, and on top of that layered dog pee pads).  So again, not sure if any of this advice helps but this method works for me.

I have 2 Winix HEPAs that have been running 24/7 for 6+ years. I clean the screen every week or so, replace the carbon every month, and the HEPA every ~8 months.