Winix 4-Stage HEPA Air Cleaner with PlasmaWave (Refurbished)

The online deals community goes nuts whenever these Winix air purifiers sell for ~$100. We don’t get it. Do deal nerds really care that much about air quality?

Don’t get us wrong, these rock at what they do. They’re heaped with tons of great (and legit) reviews at twice this price. But what they do – remove odors and particles from the air – doesn’t seem like it would stir the cheapskate community into a frenzy.

But it does. Slickdeals user jdhalbert commented last month when this was offered for $98:

Cheapest price ever by about $30. I’ve had this for a year or two and it’s great.

We’d expect a utilitarian appliance like this to be described as “solid” or “dependable,” not “great.” What feat is this air purifier performing to evoke such strong sentiments? Is it ridding homes of pollen and dander, or helping its owners seek enlightenment?

Amazon reviewer Shannon Beelman muddies the issue further with her praise:

I find when running my cleaner that people don’t notice any smoke or the oder of moss from our family pets.

The odor of moss? From your family pets?? What kind of humid tortoise habitat are you maintaining in your home, Shannon, to be concerned about the smell of pet moss? You should be more worried about your guests calling the ASPCA on you for keeping your household pets stationary enough to cultivate pet peat.

Mononymous Amazon reviewer Kevin goes so far as to say:

The WAC5500 is truly the best thing to happen to my family

Not the birth of your children, Kevin? Not the memories you built together on your recent family vacation? But an … air purifier? Again, we wonder what this Winix is capable of that it should receive such adoration.

What source can we rely on to give us clarity into the cult of the Winix? If only we could find somebody brave enough to stand forth and tell us why this air purifier is so beloved. If only we could trust somebody.

Maybe we should put our trust in this Slickdeals user named gooberphx420…

+++ FOR ANY VAPELORDS OUT THERE +++ This thing is a beast. I use it in my office and it is fantastic. Also sucks up vapor extremely well.

Vapelords! That’s who’s behind this online deals conspiracy! We knew it had to be some group with the clout to pull on the marionette strings of global commerce.

You should buy this Winix to rid your home of pollen, cigarette smoke, pet hair, and forest fire smoke (if you live in the Northwest), not because some Vapelord has charmed you with their beguiling ways.

Features

Rid your air of pollen, smoke, dander, and other microscopic malignancy with this trusty air cleaner
As near as we can tell, the 4 stages are 1) odor control carbon pre-filter 2) Sanitized anti-microbial treatment (on that carbon pre-filter) 3) that True HEPA filter 4) PlasmaWave Technology
It automatically adjusts the fan speed based on air conditions, so you could also consider it an air quality monitor (we guess)
We hope you don’t have sentimental attachment to any molecules in your house, because “PlasmaWave Technology attacks pollutants at a molecular level to neutralize viruses, bacteria, chemical vapors, and odors - without producing harmful ozone.”
Includes washable, reusable filter, though you might have to replace it eventually
You can use the included remote control to adjust it as well, but it seems like most people prefer to set it and forget it
It’s portable enough at 15 pounds to move it from room to room when your chain-smoking aunt visits
“True HEPA” is what actual HEPA products have to say now because other products started calling themselves HEPA when they … weren’t
Model: WAC5500, WAC6300 (As far as we can tell this same product has two different model numbers. Some heroic Slickdeals user wrote an essay-length breakdown of the various Winix models, which includes the phrase, “Now it gets worse” about halfway through)