It has a good control panel with indicators for HEPA filter replacement, fan speed, mode and air quality, as well as a remote control so that you don’t need to get up out of your chair!
The unit draws in air at the front and discharges it from the top at a forward angle.
The Winix Plasmawave 5300 air cleaner has a three stage cleaning process. The first stage is a carbon pre-filter to prevent the coarser airborne particles reaching and clogging up the true HEPA filter. It also serves the function of absorbing odors and volatile organic compounds. However, the thinness of the filter means it cannot be regarded as a serious odor and VOC absorber. That would require a good weight of carbon.
The second stage is a true HEPA filter captures particles as small as 0.3 microns with an efficiency of 99.97%. An indicator light shows when it needs replacing which is usually around once per year.
The standard replacement filter pack for the model is the Winix 115115 which includes both the HEPA filter and four carbon filters. You should note that you can upgrade the filters and buy the Winix 9000 cartridge if you like (also listed as the Winix 119110 Ultimate Replacement filter). The Winix 9000 cartridge is a four stage filter system which includes:
- Anti-bacterial pre-filter
- True HEPA filter
- Nano-silver mesh shield (silver in this microscopic form is antimicrobial and kills 650 species of micro-organisms)
- Washable activated carbon filter.
If you upgrade to this cartridge it also requires annual replacement.
The third stage of the cleaning system is Winix’s own Plasmawave system which is very effective at removing smells, odors, mold, allergens and microorganisms. It can be switched on or off – so you can use it only when you need some extra cleaning power if you like.
Plasmawave Technology
As the air leaves the air cleaner, it passes through a corona discharge which creates negative and positive ions in the air. These ions combine with the water vapor in the air to from hydroxyl radicals which are basically a unit of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom. Hydroxyl radicals are like nature’s silver bullets. They are very unstable and seek stability by stealing atoms from other molecules. In this process they destroy other polluting molecules in the air.
The molecules destroyed include viruses, bacteria, chemical vapors (volatile organic compounds), household odors from pets, tobacco smoke and cooking. The molecules destroyed form into water vapor or other harmless air molecules.