Hathaspace HSP001 Vs Winix 5500-2 – Comparison (2023)

Life would be much easier if our choices could be made by simply picking the white or the black side, right? But, then again, you wouldn’t be here if things were that simple. 

Given that I’ve been frequently asked lately about these two black and white purifiers and which one do I prefer, I’ve decided to make this comparison and give answers to whether Hathaspace HSP001 can beat Winix 5500-2, or vice versa.

Let me start by saying that both Winix 5500-2 and Hathaspace HSP001 are extremely popular and highly ranked in many markets. Well deserved rankings, in my opinion, considering that with all the great performances and reliability, both of these products managed to keep the good price. 

At first sight, you might notice that Winix 5500-2 is a bit bigger than Hathaspace HSP001. Yet, when it comes to room coverage, there is an insignificant difference between Winix, covering up to 360 sq. ft., and Hathaspace that lowers the number to 250 sq. ft. (23 m²). 

There are so many surprisingly advanced options, considering their price range, which made my work a bit harder than I expected. Keep reading to find out which one serves better.

Specs: Hathaspace HSP001 and Winix 5500-2

Features Overview

Let me start by saying that comparing these two products wasn’t an easy task. So many features, basic and advanced. Even if you take a look at a comparison table, you might get confused by the constant battle between Hathaspace and Winix purifiers. 

For instance, looking at a Hathaspace HSP001 you could notice how smaller it is than Winix, but on the other hand, Winix 5500-2 does a bit better job in covering the space that needs to be purified.

As I have mentioned in the intro, both of these air purifiers have a lot of basic options and a bunch of advanced ones, which is kind of rare considering their price range. Options like remote controller, air quality sensors, and auto mode are just an example of what Hathaspace HSP001 and Winix 5500-2 have in common. I will be giving more attention to all of the options in the following lines.

Air Quality Sensor and Indicator

The first feature that both Hathaspace and Winix have in common is an air quality sensor. We’re talking about the smart sensor that measures real-time air quality and is manifested through the Air Quality Indicator. The only difference is the color of the air quality indicator, which is located at the top of the devices. 

What I find interesting is that Hathaspace HSP001 is able to detect dust particles, while Winix 5500-2 detects odors. 

An extra feature is reserved for Winix 5500-2 and it is the Light Sensor which switches the purifier from AutoMode to a Sleep Mode when lights are off in the room. 

Auto Mode

I already mentioned that both appliances have the Auto Mode option, and its job is to switch modes of the purifier depending on the air quality. It’s an amazing option that gets the job done allowing you to just turn the purifier ON and continue with your daily routines. 

If you put your Hathaspace or Winix into Auto Mode you can rest assured that your purifier will be high speeding only when necessary which will result in quite energy savings, leaving your air clean and pure at the same time. 

Timer

A timer is an option that most appliances nowadays have and consumers are quite used to it. Air purifiers are not an exception and it is pretty useful considering you don’t want your purifier to work constantly. 

The difference between these two purifiers is that you will have a pretty wide range between 1h and 12h to set the timer of Hathaspace HSP001, while Winix 5500-2 allows you to set the timer to 1h, 4h, or 8h.

Filter Reset Indicator

Another very useful option that Hathaspace and Winix share is a Filter Reset Indicator. Once the filter needs to be replaced, the indicator will light up. I consider this a great option since you don’t have to be constantly monitoring filters and their expiration date.  

Remote Controller

Control buttons on these purifiers will let you use the appliance, but hey… What’s the purpose of the remote controller then?

Hathaspace HSP001 will let your Remote Controller use all the available functions of the purifier, but Winix 5500-2 will be more restrictive by only allowing you the ON/OFF option, setting up a Fan Speed, and both Turbo and Auto Mode. 

Warranty

As far as the Warranty goes, you can and you should rely on both Hathaspace and Winix, as reliable companies. 

Hathaspace is offering you a 2-5 year warranty for the HSP001 purifier and, in order to obtain a full warranty period, you must subscribe to a regular filter check-up for this appliance. What it means is that you will be obligated to buy 3 replacement filters per year, to be fully 5 years covered with the warranty. 

On the other hand, Winix company covers you with a 2-year warranty for their 5500-2 purifier. 

I strongly advise you to register on the Winix website straight upon purchase so you could obtain your full warranty. 

Airflow

I am sure you’ve already noticed the rectangular shape that both Hathaspace HSP001 and Winix 5500-2 have. The position of filters in both appliances is at the same level, therefore carrying out the same airflow. 

Both Hathaspace and Winix purifiers suction the air frontally, conducting it via a filter to the upper side grids, releasing purified air into the room. 

Filtration Technology

As you might’ve already noticed from the comparison table, both appliances are equipped with several filtration systems. I will be giving details furthermore on each one of them.

It’s a dead race between Winix 5500-2 with its 4-stage filtration and a Hathaspace HSP001 with an extra 5th stage. Generally speaking, the Winix filter is indeed larger than the filter at Hathaspace purifier, but it is also long-lasting. 

While Hathaspace uses Cold Catalyst Filter as its first stage of filtration, Winix uses a pre-filter as the first stage. The metal bars of this filter make it look like a mosquito net, but the important thing is it’s washable, so you can wash it with water, vacuum, or remove the dust any way you want. 

At the second stage of filtration, Winix 5500-2 uses an AOC Carbon filter, also washable and consisting of a larger amount of pellets than Hathaspace’s Activated Carbon Filter, which makes it more efficient against bad odors. 

Before the True HEPA filter which both purifiers use, Hathaspace has an Antibacterial filter at a third filtration level. 

Both purifiers are equipped with Ionizer, or so-called PlasmaWave technology on the Winix, as the last stage of filtration. It is not necessary to use the Ionizer but it is good to know that when turned ON, it restricts the level of released ozone to permitted. This is exactly why both Hathaspace and Winix are proud owners of the CARB certificate. 

How To Replace Filter On Both These Devices?

If we put aside the fact that the Winix 5500-2 has a washable filter, it also has a longer filter life up to 12 months, as opposed to Hathaspace HSP001, with only 4-6 months of endurance without the possibility of washing.

I would recommend that you clean the filters at least once a month, besides the regular cleaning period, and also to wash Winix’s AOC filter once in a while.

Noise Test

While Hathaspace HSP001 works with three operating fan speeds, Winix 5500-2 has an extra two speeds, which makes it faster. I must also point out the absence of a Sleep Mode at a Hathaspace purifier, while Winix users can rely on that feature. 

Hathaspace, in general, has a quite silent motor with an almost impeccable sound. On the other hand, Winix is a bit contrasting. While working at lower speed levels, it produces a pleasant sound, but once you raise the speed level, it turns into an overly loud machine, which some users might find repelling. Yet, the higher the speed, the better efficiency and airflow. 

Finally, even though Hathaspace is a lot quieter, Winix has the advantage of 2 extra speeds and the fact that when in Sleep Mode, it can be more silent than the Hathaspace working at speed one. 

Performance Tests

Let’s start by saying that both purifiers are designed for almost the same room size, 250 sq. ft. (23 m²) in the case of Hathaspace HSP001 to 360 sq. ft. for Winix 5500-2.

With that being said, I decided to test both of them in approximately the same room size, more specifically 320 sq. ft. Since Winix’s CADR is twice larger than at Hathaspace, expectations were higher. 

320 sq. ft. Room Tests

Since both purifiers were left working at the highest speed level for an hour, I came up with these results. 

During the testing period, Hathaspace HSP001 managed to bring the AQI from 129 to 11, while for the same amount of time Winix 5500-2 did a better job by decreasing the level of AQI from 141 to 5. 

Overall, both purifiers showed great results but as opposed to Hathaspace’s 91%, Winix delivered the expectations by improving the air quality by 96%. 

Operating Costs

Speaking of costs, given the fact that Winix 5500-2 has almost twice as high wattage than Hathaspace HSP001, it is understandable that the costs will be at a higher level.

For example, 24/7 for a whole month of purifying at maximum speed, you will be paying your bill 5$ for the Winix and 3$ for Hathaspace usage.

But, even though the price of a Winix filter replacement is also nearly twice higher, that doesn’t make Hathaspace more affordable due to its filter replacement pace in one year. 

To summarize, Winix 5500-2 is cheaper to maintain on an annual basis, thanks to its long-term filters.