REASONS TO BUY
Excellent air cleaning performance
REASONS TO AVOID
Loud fan
High operating costs
Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover Review
Great air cleaning performance somewhat offset by loud fan and high costs
RELATED: Best Air Purifiers
Our Verdict
The Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover offers high performance when it comes to air purification. It's a great air purifier but has a somewhat noisy fan and operating costs that are slightly above average. If you're not too sensitive to noise, it is a great machine, but you can find better values elsewhere.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | |  | | |
| Price | $250 List $202.67 at Amazon | $250 List $209.99 at Amazon | $230 List $164.99 at Amazon | $220 List $189.00 at Amazon | $100 List $99.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Excellent air cleaning performance | Exceptional air cleaning performance, very quiet operation, simple user experience | Excellent air cleaning performance, quiet operation, average lifetime cost | VeSync smart app, air quality sensor, three-stage filter | Budget friendly, compact, great performance |
| Cons | Loud fan, high operating costs | Expensive operating cost | Expensive operating cost | Some features only accessible with app, expensive replacement filter | Loud, doesn't have an automatic air sensor |
| Bottom Line | Great air cleaning performance somewhat offset by loud fan and high costs | Excellent, high quality air cleaning performance from a quiet and convenient appliance | A top performing model that combines average lifetime costs to create a great value | An easy-to-use, mid-sized air purifier that performs well and offers a variety of programmable features in its companion app | A budget-friendly and space-efficient model that gets the job done but is a little underpowered for large spaces |
| Rating Categories | Honeywell True HEPA... | Winix 5500-2 | Coway Airmega 1512HH | Levoit Core 400S | Levoit Core 300 |
| Air Cleaning Performance (40%) | |||||
| Noise (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Operating Cost (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Honeywell True HEPA... | Winix 5500-2 | Coway Airmega 1512HH | Levoit Core 400S | Levoit Core 300 |
| Dimensions //L x W x H// | 20 x 11 x 22.5 | 8.2" × 15" × 23.6" | 16.5 x 9.5 x 18.5 | 10.8" x 10.8" x 20.5" | 8.7" x 8.7" x 14.2" |
| Weight | 17 lbs | 15.4 lbs | 12.7 lbs | 10.5 Ibs | 7.5 Ibs |
| CADR | 300 CFM | 246 CFM | 240 CFM | 260 CFM | 135 CFM |
| True HEPA (99.97%) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Estimated Lifetime Cost (5 years) | $771 | $660 | $556 | $735 | $455 |
| Annual Cost | $154 | $132 | $111 | $147 | $91 |
| Airborn Particulate Reduction After 1 Hour (%) | 99.78% | 99.99% | 99.84% | 99.98% | 96.33% |
| App Control | No | No | No | Yes | No |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
The Honeywell scores exceptionally well in the air cleaning performance metric.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Air Cleaning Performance
The Honeywell is one of the top performers in our air cleaning tests, sharing the top score with three other models. Its CADR (clean air delivery rate) of 300 is one of the largest of the models we tested, making it suitable for large rooms of up to 450 square feet.
That power allowed it to remove 99.78% of the airborne particles in our testing room within half an hour. This is the fastest any model reached such a reduction. However, it didn't continue to lower the particulate count over the next half hour of testing, whereas some other models reached just slightly higher percentages by the end of the test. It is one of the best models in odor reduction, but it still had trouble removing the harsh smokey smell from our testing room.
Noise
Noise is one of the Honeywell's downfalls. While we didn't find any of our purifiers to be unbearably noisy, the Honeywell is one of the lower scorers. On high it makes a high-pitched shriek that is very noticeable. If you're the kind of person who likes white noise, it may fade into the background, but it might become quite distracting if you are sensitive to noises. Turning the Honeywell down to medium and low knocks the volume down a peg, but the pitch remains the same and was still noticeable.
Ease of Use
Here, the Honeywell falls behind the top scorers. It has simple, clear buttons on the top of the unit that allow you to select one of four fan speeds easily, and set the off timer. The only downside is its size. At 17 pounds, it is the heaviest model we tested, and thus the hardest to move around. It does have two recessed handles that make the task of moving it around a little easier, but most comparable models are at least four pounds lighter.
The Honeywell is fairly heavy, but its handles make it a bit more portable.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Operating Cost
The Honeywell is again one of the low scorers in our operating cost metric. Its estimated lifetime cost came out to a whopping $771. That high cost starts with the list price. It is also the most power-hungry of the models we tested, gobbling up 0.065 kWh of electricity for each hour of operation. Assuming average electricity rates, this works out to $34.16 every year. The filters are actually relatively cheap, lasting one year and costing just $60.
The operating cost above has jumped even further as the price of this model has increased in November 2021.
The Honeywell's control panel.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
The True HEPAoffers great air cleaning performance and is priced accordingly. Its high list price and $771 estimated lifetime cost are both on the high end.
Conclusion
The Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover is a great performer, but a relatively loud fan and high price make the Coway a better choice for most people seeking top-notch performance.
—
Buck Yedor, Max Mutter, and Steven Tata
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