Breathe Easier with Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier (We Approved)
Updated: Apr. 10, 2024
For better indoor air quality, look no further than our Honeywell air purifier review, which details the True HEPA filter.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Smog, smoke, allergens and even viruses have homeowners wondering about indoor air quality—and what they can do to improve it, especially as they spend more time at home. And with my own recent move to the Denver metro area, I understand the need for a solution to poor air quality days. That’s why I was excited to write a Honeywell air purifier review for the HPA300 model. But how does this moderately priced air purifier perform? We’re giving you the full scoop on this easy-to-operate machine.
On This Page
What is the Honeywell True HEPA air purifier?
With air quality concerns on the rise, searches for air purifiers are soaring. Honeywell is a leading air purifier brand, and the Honeywell True HEPA air purifier is highly rated by happy shoppers. It’s a corded, electric unit that weighs a modest 17 pounds, making it easy to move room-to-room. The HPA300 model circulates air and uses powerful filters to eliminate dust, pollen, pet dander, dust mite debris and smoke.
VIA MERCHANT
We Tried It
Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier
The Honeywell HPA300 HEPA air purifier helps provide fresher, cleaner air in minutes.
Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier Features
Size and Coverage Area
Honeywell manufactures high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifiers in several sizes. The model I tried, the HPA300, is intended for large rooms up to 465 square feet. There are four filters inside the filter housing: three certified HEPA filters and one odor-reducing pre-filter.
The HPA300 boasts 4.8 air changes per hour in a 465-square-foot room. It stands at just under 2 feet tall, and it’s designed to be placed on the floor. Though sizable, it’s pretty light at just 17 pounds. The instructions advise putting a mat or rug beneath it to prevent carpet stains. Also keep in mind that it’s not for use in bathrooms or other damp locations.
Filter Type and Maintenance
HEPA filters are proven to remove microscopic particles, such as dust, pollen, pet dander and smoke, from the air. They’re often used in air purifiers, but you can also find HEPA vacuums and furnace filters—although they may not be the best choice for your furnace blower.
The odor-reducing pre-filter should be changed every three months while the HEPA filters should be replaced every 12 months. If you’re not using it for a while, Honeywell recommends removing the filters and storing them in airtight plastic bags to prolong their lifespans. The filters actually come wrapped in airtight plastic bags to ensure freshness, so don’t just take it out of the box and turn it on—remove the plastic wrapper from each filter first. The number and placement of filters differs depending on which model you get, so be sure to read the instructions.
How We Tested It
I wanted to test the air purifier on kitchen odors, and I thought that’d be the best way to start this Honeywell air purifier review. So once I removed the plastic and installed the filters, I placed it in my dining room, which has an open floor plan with the kitchen. I also tried it around the corner in the living room, but didn’t notice any difference because of the open floor plan. Over the last couple of months, I’ve used the Honeywell True HEPA air purifier any time there was an odor in my apartment, and it has definitely helped.
Smoke Elimination
When the Honeywell air purifier arrived, I wanted to try it out right away, so I lit a candle. I could still smell the candle while lit (a bonus for scented candle lovers), but when I blew it out, the air purifier filtered out the trail of smoke and the unpleasant smell.
Odor Elimination
Since the candle test, I’ve used it for trash odors, pizza drippings in the oven, burned toast, that oily smell from frying chicken wings and even neighbors’ cigarette smoke from the sidewalk outside my window. I expect this will come in handy on poor air quality days particularly during the summer months.
When using the air purifier for a specific odor, I set it to the high or turbo setting. And to test the timer feature, I ran the air purifier for extended periods without a triggering odor. In that case, I used the low or medium setting. It has automatic shutoff settings for two, four or eight hours.
Value
This is one of the more expensive options in Honeywell’s air purifier lineup, and it comes with all the necessary filters included. It’s a pretty good deal for three certified HEPA filters, an odor-reducing pre-filter, an Energy Star certification, a five-year warranty and cleaner air. If you live somewhere with good air quality and don’t have any allergies, it might not be worth the price, but if you have allergies or deal with a lot of smog, wildfires or dust storms, this product is more worthwhile.
Reliability and Durability
This product requires little maintenance. Honeywell recommends wiping the outside with a dry cloth every three months and replacing the filters according to the aforementioned schedule. There is a “check filter” light, but it’s a good idea to set a reminder elsewhere just in case. If you notice a drop in performance, change the filters sooner.
Ease of Use
The buttons on the top of the Honeywell air purifier are self-explanatory and easy to use. Still, the brand includes a quick reference guide that slides neatly into a slot on top of the device. It’s no harder to operate than a tower fan or humidifier.
Bonus Functionality
My favorite features are the timer and the dimmer. These thoughtful extras take it from good to great. The timer saves energy while the dimmer with three brightness levels saves sleep. (Since I kept the device in the dining room, the dimmer wasn’t a big selling point for me, but it would be if I put it in the bedroom. I taped over the blue light on a tower fan a few years back because it didn’t have this feature.)
I was also pleasantly surprised by how quiet this best air purifier is. Even on its highest setting, it’s no louder than my tower fan or furnace. The sound is also smooth and consistent, so it blends into the background.
Overall Performance
It’s hard to measure the true effectiveness of an air purifier at home, so I judged it by smell. I noticed a difference each time I turned on the air purifier. When standing next to it, you can feel air blowing out of the top, and it has a fresh, clean smell. This is the first air purifier I’ve used, and it definitely helped this winter when it was too cold to open the windows. It’s likely that my area will have some air quality advisories this summer, and I have no doubt Honeywell’s True HEPA air purifier will freshen the air inside my apartment.
Pros
- Captures microscopic airborne allergens and particles
- Cleans up to 2,250 square feet in one hour
- Comes in three sizes for medium, large and extra-large rooms
- Light dimmer with three brightness levels
- Built-in filter change reminder
- Relatively quiet 60 decibels (dB) noise level
- Energy Star certified
- Auto-off timer
- Five-year limited warranty
Cons
- Can’t be used in bathrooms or damp areas
What Other Reviewers Are Saying
With over, 24,300 five-star ratings on Amazon, the Honeywell air purifier is proving how effective it is. Here’s what real-life buyers are saying in their Honeywell air purifier reviews:
Five-star reviewer, JP, shares, “I live in a very small home that sometimes has a light odor of animals who previously lived here, a musty smell because it’s old, and can easily fill up with cooking odors that don’t go away for days. I purchased this in hopes it would help at least one of those issues, and I cannot believe how great it works! I run this on medium when cooking bacon and the entire upstairs of my tiny house (about 850 square feet) doesn’t smell like bacon for more than an hour after cooking, if that. This thing is a miracle worker on my air!”
“This is the ultimate air purifier,” writes verified purchaser, Andy G. “This summer we were in the direct path of smoke from the Cameron Peak fire in Colorado, so I used my Dylos DC-1700 air quality monitor to test the HPA300’s effectiveness. After running less than 10 minutes, the AQI in our bedroom dropped from 68.7 to 25. When I got up this morning AQI was a mere 10.4 (PM2.5 of 2.5). This was with the bedroom door open to the hallway, with the HPA300 on the other side of the room and the Dylos monitor by the open door. Incredible.”
Sandy, another five-star reviewer, says, “I’ve never had a filter machine like this before, so I don’t have anything to compare it with, but it’s doing a great job of removing dust from the air in our living room, where we spend most of our time. I also like that you can turn down the brightness of the instrument panel on top, or even turn almost all of them off, to cut down on extra light and power.”
Final Verdict
If you take anything away from this Honeywell air purifier review, let it be this: If you have a space under 500 square feet that could use an air quality boost, this is the product for you. It’s quiet, easy to use and noticeably effective. It worked well in my kitchen/dining area, but it would also refresh stale air in a home office, remove allergens from a bedroom and much more.
Air purifiers overall are expensive, and the HPA300 is moderately priced compared to many. Still, the price tag is nothing to sneeze at. If you plan to use it in a smaller space, the HPA200 or HPA100 might be a more affordable option.
Where to Buy the Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier
The Honeywell True HEPA air purifier is available from most major retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, for $270. However, the unit frequently goes on sale, so you can enjoy it for a more budget-friendly price.
VIA MERCHANT
We Tried It
Honeywell HPA300 Air Purifier
With thoughtful extra features, the Honeywell air purifier includes a True HEPA filter to help you breathe easy.
