Honeywell HPA830W Air Purifier – Hands-on Review!

Full Review

Honeywell is one of the largest electronic home device manufacturers in the US.

I have bought and tested a few of their air purifiers, and this time, I will try something from their Designer series, the Honeywell HPA830W.

It looks pretty good and is more modern, especially compared to the Honeywell HPA100 or Air Genius 5, the two Honeywell models I tested in recent years.

The Honeywell HPA830W is a lightweight device with a small CADR of only 120 CFM (204 m³/h) and some smart features.

Keep reading and find out how it performed in our tests and whether it’s worth buying.

How We Tested the Honeywell HPA830W?

1. For the filter efficiency testing, we used the Temtop LKC-1000S laser particle meter, which measures PM2.5 (µg/m3), PM10 (µg/m3), Particles (per/L), and HCHO (mg/m3) in the air, and also calculates the AQI.

2. We placed the Honeywell HPA830W in two separate performance tests, one in a 120 sq. ft. (11 m²) room and the other in a 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) room. Then, we recorded the initial air quality values using the Temtop laser particle meter and let the Honeywell HPA830W run at maximum speed.

3. After 60 minutes, we measured the new values using the Temtop laser particle meter and saved the data.

4. Next, we placed the Honeywell HPA830W in a glass box, which we then filled with smoke. Then, we measured how much time was needed for the air purifier to remove all the smoke from the box.

5. Using a special noise measurement tool, we tested the air purifier’s noise level at all speeds. We measured the noise level on the dBA scale.

6. Finally, we measured the power usage at all speeds using an energy meter, after which we calculated how much it would cost to use the device at a particular fan speed for one month. For reference, we used an energy price of $0.12 per kWh.

As with every air purifier we test, we placed the Honeywell HPA830W in our testing rooms and measured its airborne particle removal performance.

Considering its CADR of 120 CFM (204 m³/h) and a room coverage of 186 sq. ft. (17.3 m²), we tested it in two rooms: a 120 sq. ft. (11 m²) room and a 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) room.

What I noticed is that it achieved pretty good results in both tests and lived up to my expectations.

However, while using it in my place for some time, I noticed drastically lower performance in removing bad odors and smoke than some similar air purifiers, which is definitely due to the lack of a proper carbon filter.

Testing in a 120 sq. ft. (11 m²) Room

In the first test in a 120 sq. ft. (11 m²) room, which is smaller than the recommended size for this air purifier, it achieved pretty good results.

In just 60 minutes, while working at maximum speed the entire time, the Honeywell HPA830W managed to improve air quality by 90%.

It reduced PM2.5 particulate matter from 105.7 to 10.6 µg/m³.

Testing in a 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) Room

In the second test, this time in a room that’s slightly larger than recommended, it also achieved pretty good results.

We used the Temtop laser particle meter to measure its air quality improvement over 60 minutes while working at maximum speed the entire time.

It reduced PM2.5 particulate matter from 102.5 to 12.7 µg/m³, which is an air quality improvement of about 88%.

In comparison, the Levoit Core 300S, which is a slightly smaller air purifier, achieved a much better result; it improved air quality by 94% in similar conditions.

But the Levoit Core 300S isn’t the only air purifier that performed better in this test than the Honeywell; look at the chart above, and you’ll see several other air purifiers I highlighted that also achieved better results in this test.

The Honeywell HPA830W has three fan speeds and a sleep mode that’s not actually an additional fan speed but simply a mode that dims the lights and switches the device to the lowest fan speed.

We tested the noise level at each fan speed using a specialized noise measurement tool.

At the lowest speed, the Honeywell HPA830W produces 40.1 dBA, which is pretty good, even for such a small air purifier.

However, at maximum speed, it’s slightly louder than I expected, producing 60.4 dBA. Compared to some similar air purifiers, it ranks as one of the loudest at maximum speed.

For example, the Honeywell Air Genius 5 produces just 51.1 dBA at its maximum speed, while the Coway Airmega 50 produces just 57.1 dBA.

For these reasons, I would say the Honeywell HPA830W could be better optimized for noise levels overall.

Considering its CADR, I would say the 42W motor is too large for this air purifier.

If you were to use the Honeywell HPA830W at maximum speed 24 hours daily for one month, your electric bill would increase by about $2.35, which, compared to competitors, isn’t the highest, but I still believe it could be slightly lower.

In comparison, the Levoit Vital 100S would cost you around $2.66 under the same conditions.

However, besides the cost of power use, there is also the cost of the replacement filter, which needs to be replaced approximately every 12 months.

After summing up all the costs, I think the Honeywell HPA830W could be more affordable for annual maintenance.

Filtration Technology

The Honeywell HPA830W uses a cylindrical HEPA filter and a pre-filter that’s attached to the HEPA.

So, it has two-stage filtration technology. The filter is placed inside the bottom part of the device and takes up almost half of it.

What I would definitely like is if it had a pellet-based carbon filter, which is also something I would expect in this price range.

For example, the Levoit Core 300S costs much less than the Honeywell but comes with a pellet-based carbon filter.

Pre-filter

The first stage of filtration is the pre-filter, which, according to Honeywell’s marketing materials, uses some carbon material that helps neutralize VOCs.

However, I haven’t noticed any changes or improvements in air quality when testing it in smoke-polluted and odor-polluted environments.

So, I would say the main purpose of the pre-filter is to capture large particles such as large dust, pet hair, and human hair, and in that way improve overall filtration efficiency and prolong the life of the HEPA filter.

It’s a fibrous filter attached to the HEPA, and it needs to be cleaned from time to time. I recommend cleaning it with a vacuum cleaner.

HEPA Filter

The second and most important filtration stage in this air purifier is the HEPA filter.

The Honeywell HEPA filter captures 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns in size.

It will capture airborne particles such as dust, pollen, smoke, mold spores, and similar particles. The HEPA J filter is of high quality, and its efficiency is proven through the Energy Star certificate.

How to Replace the Honeywell HPA830W Filter?

The Honeywell HPA830W doesn’t use permanent filters, so you need to change the filters from time to time.

According to Honeywell, you need to change the HEPA filter every 12 months and the pre-filter every 3 months.

You shouldn’t wash either of these two filters, but I would say it’s okay to clean the pre-filter.

What’s also good here is that you don’t need to track when it’s time to replace the filter; the Honeywell HPA830W has a filter reset indicator that will let you know when it’s time to replace the filter.

The filter replacement procedure is straightforward and involves just a few simple steps.

Setup and Installation

As for the setup, you don’t need to do anything special.

Just remove the filter from the bottom of the device, unwrap it from the plastic wrap, and place it back inside the device.

Next, you should find a proper spot for your air purifier, which could be anywhere in the room, but please be careful not to block the airflow.

Design

I already said, earlier in the review, that the Honeywell HPA830W is much more modern than some other air purifiers from this brand, which is a big plus for me.

It’s an aesthetically well-designed device, built with high-quality plastic, with the controls and indicators on the top.

At the bottom, it has three legs. But it lacks a carrying slot or handle, which would be a huge plus, especially for those who plan to move the device from room to room.

Controls and Indicators

At the top of the device, there are buttons for control, which are well-arranged and well-positioned.

Above every button is an indicator that represents the state of the button. Besides, it has an LED indicator at the bottom of the device that represents the current air quality by lighting up in different colors.

Here, at the control panel, you will also find an indicator and a button for resetting the filter.

Airflow

This air purifier draws air in through the bottom of the device.

The air is then filtered and exits through the fan grilles on the top.

Please be aware that you must not block air inlets or outlets, as that could potentially damage the device.

Size and Dimensions

The Honeywell HPA830W is a large air purifier with dimensions of 12.7 x 12.5 x 24 inches (32.3 x 31.8 x 61 cm).

It weighs 12.67 lbs (5.75 kg).

Overall, I wouldn’t say the Honeywell HPA830W has a large footprint, and I think you would be able to place it wherever you want in your home.

What’s in the box?

When you buy the device, you will get 1x air purifier, 1x filter (pre-installed), and a user manual.

Features Overview

When speaking of features, although the Honeywell HPA830W doesn’t have smart features, it has some advanced features worth mentioning.

It doesn’t work with a smart app, but thanks to the built-in air quality sensor, you can easily automate it.

Air Quality Sensor & Indicator

The Honeywell HPA830W has a built-in air quality sensor that detects VOCs in real time.

The sensor is located below the filter cover and measures air quality data only when the device is turned on.

Frankly, I’m not sure why they installed a VOC sensor instead of a PM2.5 sensor, because the Honeywell HPA830W doesn’t have a proper carbon filter, which would justify the purpose of the VOC sensor.

The air quality sensor works in combination with some other features.

Color	Air Quality Level	Meaning
Green	Good	Very low level of VOCs detected.
Yellow	Moderate	Moderate level of VOCs detected.
Red	Poor	Elevated level of VOCs detected.

So, there is an air quality indicator at the bottom of the device that will light up in a different color based on the current air quality the device detects through the sensor.

Auto Mode

The air quality sensor also works with the auto mode, which switches the fan speed based on the current air quality.

So, if the air quality is poor, the auto mode will increase the fan speed, and if the air quality is good, the air purifier will decrease the fan speed.

Sleep Mode

Sleep mode is another mode on this air purifier.

When you switch the device to this mode, it will automatically change the fan speed to the lowest setting, dim all the lights, and reduce the LED indicator above the sleep mode button to 10%.

Essential Oils Tray

This is a feature I keep seeing on many new air purifiers on the market.

I saw it on the Levoit Core Mini, but also on the AROEVE MK01 and Morento MR2566 air purifiers.

Simply put, this allows you to pour essential oils into the essential oils tray and add some fresh and pleasant smells to your air.

Please keep in mind that you have to put a cotton ball or something similar inside the tray, and only then pour the essential oil onto the cotton ball.

In my experience, this feature doesn’t provide anything revolutionary, and I even compared the essential oil diffusion from these air purifiers to that from an aroma diffuser, which showed much better performance.

Warranty

The Honeywell HPA830W comes with a 5-year limited warranty.

FAQ on Honeywell HPA830W