Not all air purifiers stay on the manufacturing line forever. Some are eventually discontinued and replaced by upgraded models. This is the case for the Winix 6300. It got the nudge and was upstaged by it's successor, the 6300-2.
However, you can still find the original 6300 on some online retail sites, so it's worth giving it a good run-down to see how it fares.
What kind of filtration does it use? Is the PlasmaWave worth it? Is it quiet enough? Does it do much to reduce allergy symptoms? How does it compare to other models from Winix? Is the remote control a useful feature or not?
Let's see.
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Table of Contents
What's Interesting about the Winix 6300?
Winix have a comprehensive filtration system using true-HEPA filtration, carbon pre-filters and the polarising PlasmaWave technology.
The PlasmaWave has been slammed by some customers as a vague and unnecessary feature. It has also garnered frustration because of the misleading information regarding ozone. The packaging suggests that no ozone is produced, but in fact, a small amount of ozone can be emitted by the PlasmaWave, but it falls within the CARB guidelines for safe air.
Interestingly, the 6300 has an extra cleaning feature, the "Sanitised anti-microbial treatment". I wondered how the Sanitised anti-microbial treatment compared and contrasted to the PlasmaWave? Well, it's not like the PlasmaWave at all. It's actually a part of the carbon pre-filter. It is an extra layer on the carbon pre-filter which stops "bugs" (micro-organisms such as bacteria) from growing. Sounds good to me.
Like some other Winix models, the 6300 has a remote control. This may or may not appeal to you, depending on where and how you like to use your air purifier. If you like to have the air purifier in your bedroom at night, a remote control could come in handy when you need to adjust the mode without getting up.
And finally, this product has been discontinued. You can still find it at a few places. It has been replaced by the similar, but updated 6300-2. The 6300-2 does not have the sanitised anti-microbial treatment, which is interesting to me, as I wonder why this feature wasn't carried on to the next version? Other than that, and a few tiny differences in specs, the 6300-2 is basically the same.
Does it reduce dust and mold?
How does the 6300 perform with reducing dust and mold?
Dust: with 4 filtration stages, it should reduce dust effectively. The dust CADR is 216 for a large room area of 350 square feet, which is decent. But what have customers found? Many customers have confirmed a marked reduction in household dust, meaning less cleaning and reduced allergy symptoms. I feel confident in saying that yes, the 6300 is effective at reducing household dust.
Mold: mold is a difficult thing to get on top of in the home. If you've got an ongoing mold problem, you need to pair your air purifier with a dehumidifier, as well as killing that mold at the source.
However, airborne mold spores can be captured by air purifiers, preventing them from sparking allergy symptoms. Mold spores are sized anywhere between 1 to 100 microns. A true-HEPA filter captures microns as small as 0.3 microns, which completely covers mold spores. Great. What happens when the mold spores enter the purifier? They get stuck inside the filters and unless there's moisture lurking in there, (there shouldn't be), they will die.
What makes the 6300 a good mold-reducer is the Sanitised anti-microbial treatment on the carbon pre-filter. Why? Because it further prevents the mold spores from growing and multiplying.
If you do have a mold issue, make sure you keep on top of the filter replacements. This will keep the efficiency of the filter running at a high level, and will ensure you don't risk any mold spores surviving in the filters.
Does it remove tobacco, pet or diaper odor?
While the PlasmaWave technology has been looked at sideways by some people, one of its key purposes is to get rid of odors. Odors from gasses, cooking, pets and cigarettes are said to be reduced by the PlasmaWave.
Additionally, the air quality smart sensor also works to detect odors in the room. When odors are present, the fan-speed increases, moving more air through the filter, and therefore, moving more odors through the PlasmaWave and the carbon pre-filter.
Comparing this to the reviews, it seems to be a valid claim by Winix. An impressive number of customers have specifically mentioned the reduction in household odors.
What do other customers and reviews say?
I'm liking the look of how the reviews are weighted for this machine. 76% in the 5-star section, 13% in the 4-star section. This is great. The 1-star section has 5% and the 2-star section has 4%, nothing too alarming there at all.
Negative
PlasmaWave is noisy and ineffective: on my "review travels", I have come across a handful of people who have commented that the PlasmaWave technology is useless. They believe it does not make a difference, and it gives off an irritating sound. Winix does state that a "chirping" sound may emit when particles pass through the PlasmaWave.
Inconsistent: a few people have noticed that the air quality sensor is inconsistent, and only seems to detect strong odors such as perfumes and fly spray. Whereas, it does not detect weaker smells, dust or dander and therefore does not change the fan speed accordingly. This is solved by manually selecting the fan speed, but it's a disappointment if you're set on using the auto mode.
Faulty: I have to mention that a few 1-star reviewers have found that the machine simply stopped working after a few months/up to a year. This is a very small percentage of people, but for transparency, it must be shared.
Positive
Quiet: common to many Winix air purifiers of a similar ilk, the quietness of the 6300 has been highly praised. To be specific, the lowest 3 settings are very quiet, but the highest setting, ("turbo") is too loud for quiet living rooms or bedrooms. Someone even mentioned they cannot hear the machine on level 1 unless they press their ear to the unit. This is awesome for sleeping...if you don't mind using a lower fan speed during the night.
Creates fresh air: an encouraging number of customers have written that the air in their home has increased in freshness and cleanliness since using this machine. They can no longer see, smell or feel particles or odors in the air.
Reduces odors: many customers have noticed that the air quality sensor really is effective at detecting odors (contrary to what some others say). They find that cooking smells and other sudden odors are sensed quickly, and the fan speed increases accordingly. A few people have said it completely gets rid of odors, while others say it does a great job at greatly reducing them. Sounds good to me.
Reduces allergy symptoms: this is the review I always search for when it comes to air purifiers. Odor-reduction and quietness are very important, sure, but allergy symptoms are debilitating, so I expect an air purifier to help reduce them. I'm happy to say that there are plenty of customer reviews raving about the reduction in allergy symptoms they, or family members, have experienced with this air purifier.
One common comment is that they feel much clearer and healthier in the mornings, when they would usually wake up with a stuffy nose and itchy eyes. Two ticks for this verdict.
What are the technical specifications?
General
| Recommended room area | 350 square feet |
| Clean air delivery rate | dust - 216, pollen - 251, smoke - 235 |
| Special features/settings: | On/off: switches the unit on and off. When you first turn the machine on, it will automatically switch to "auto" mode.
Speed/mode: the button labelled "speed/mode" is what you press to adjust the mode between "auto" and "sleep", and the fan speed from a choice of 1, 2, 3 and "turbo". Little LED lights will tell you which mode and speed you have selected. "Sleep" mode will switch the speed level to 1 for a quiet operation. "Auto" mode allows the machine to select the fan speed based on the quality of the air and the amount of odors present. AQ sensor: on the bottom corner of the control panel sits 5 little grilles labelled "AQ sensor". These little grilles assess the quality of the air, which in turn, changes the colour of the air quality indicator. The AQ sensor is also what tells the "auto" mode which fan speed to adjust to. Air quality indicator: the air quality indicator has an LED window labelled "high" and "low" on either end. This LED will be green, orange or red depending on the quality of the air. Green = good, orange = medium, red = poor. Replace filter indicator: the light labelled "replace filter" will light up when it's time to replace the true-HEPA filter. PlasmaWave: beneath the control panel is a light labelled "PlasmaWave". This light tells you if the PlasmaWave is turned on or off. You can switch it off by using the remote control. Remote control: the remote control allows you to change the settings when the air purifier is on the manual mode (i.e. not using the "auto" mode). It has a power button, a PlasmaWave on/off button, a "turbo" speed button, and a "fan control" button to switch the fan speed between levels 1, 2 and 3. |
| Filter type | 4-stage filtration using a carbon odor-reducing pre-filter, true-HEPA filter, PlasmaWave and the sanitised anti-microbial treatment. The Sanitised anti-microbial treatment is an extra layer on the carbon pre-filter which prevents microbes and bacteria from growing. |
| Energy usage | 6 - 90 watts |
| Color | white and silver |
| Noise level | approximately 26.6 to 60 decibels, depending on the fan speed |
Dimensions and weight
| Size | 16.2 x 21.8 x 8.5 inches |
| Weight | 15 pounds |
How do you use it?
It's really easy once you decide your preferred way to use it. In other words, do you want to use the "auto" mode and leave it to its own devices? Or, do you want to ignore that and just change it manually, or keep it on one steady fan speed.
Find a flat area close to a power outlet. Make sure that there is clear space on all sides of the air purifier, with no furniture or electrical equipment close by. Plug it in, power it up, and have a play.
How do you clean it? Is it easy to clean?
The filters are not washable and they must be replaced. The carbon pre-filter needs to be replaced every 3 months. True-HEPA filter needs to be changed every year, or when the filter change light comes on.
Use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to clean the exterior, and a dry or damp cloth for an extra-polished finish.
How Does It Compare to other models?
Winix 6300 vs 5500
These two are very similar. They have the same control panel, same CADR and same dimensions. The 5500 doesn't have the anti-microbial sanitiser. The true-HEPA (Filter G) with the 5500 is washable, but the true-HEPA filter with the 6300 isn't.
Winix 6300 vs WAC9500
The WAC9500 is more expensive. The 9500 has a smaller room area (284 square feet). The 9500 has a washable pre-filter and CleanCel Treatment which the 6300 doesn't have. The 9500 has a timer, but the 6300 doesn't. You can purchase a 1-year filter set for the 9500 from the Winix website. This is quite expensive, but you do get all of the filters you need for a year.
Winix 6300 vs 5300
Very, very similar. They look the same, but the 5300 doesn't have a remote control or anti-microbial sanitising treatment. Basically, the 5300 is a simpler, slightly cheaper version of the 6300.
Winix 6300 vs u300
The u300 is more expensive. The u300 has 5-stage cleaning: washable pre-filter, PlasmaWave, carbon filter, true-HEPA and CleanCel Technology. The 6300 doesn't have the washable pre-filter or the CleanCel Technology. Very different aesthetic: the u300 is white and curved, and the control panel is along the top as opposed to front-facing.
What is the cost of replacement filters and where to get them?
A year's supply of filters costs $79.99 from the Winix website. Look for the set called "Filter A - 115115", this is the correct set for this model.
How often do filters need to be changed and can’t they just be cleaned?
No, you cannot wash the 6300 filters, they must be replaced. Get yourself a pack of "A 115115" filters from the Winix website and it will see you right for a year.
Carbon odor-reducing pre-filter: replace every 3 months, it is NOT washable.
True-HEPA filter: replace every year, it is NOT washable. Apologies for the "yelling" capitol letters, but if you wash the filters, they will be ruined and you'll have to shell out more cash for a new set.
What is the cost of running the Winix 6300 annually?
A year's supply of filters costs $79.99 from the Winix website. This gives you 4 carbon pre-filters and 1 true-HEPA filter.
How loud is it?
Technically? It runs between 26.6 to 60 decibels, depending on which fan speed you are using at the time. The lowest two speeds are very quiet, the third speed is slightly more audible. The "turbo" speed is, as you'd imagine, too loud for sleeping, but fine for unpopulated rooms and short cleaning bouts.
What’s the warranty?
Winix provides a 1-year warranty for this model.
Can I find it at other retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond or Target?
Bed Bath & Beyond doesn't sell the original 6300 model, but they do sell its successor, the 6300-2.
Target does not sell any Winix air purifiers online as of now, but they do stock air purifiers from GermGuardian, Holmes and Dyson.
What's The Best Price For The Winix 6300 and where can I buy it?
Amazon is the best bet, as it's hard to find this model anywhere else, as it has been discontinued to make way for the 6300-2.
Verdict: Is This air purifier For You?
If you can tick these boxes, the 6300 (or the 6300-2 if you can't get the original) is for you:
- You require true-HEPA filtration
- You'd like the option of "auto" mode to switch fan speeds for you
- You'd also like the option of manually adjusting the machine yourself
- You need something very quiet
- You need help with your allergy symptoms and need true clean air
- You need help with reducing odors in your home
- You don't have a huge budget
However, if you don't want or need PlasmaWave, auto functions, air quality indicators, a remote control or any other fancy feature, you can absolutely get the same clean air and reduced allergy symptoms with a simpler option.
The Honeywell AirGenius range has some simple-but-effective models with a sleeker, tower-style design. Have a look at the AirGenius 3, AirGenius 4 and AirGenius 5. They have a similar choice of cleaning modes/speeds but without the bells and whistles.
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