Air Purifiers / Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) vs Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)
Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) vs Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)
Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2)
The best verified CADR per dollar here, if you are comfortable turning PlasmaWave off.
Wins overall by 3.0 points
Quick Verdict
A 3.0-point gap makes the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) the straightforward choice here. The best verified CADR per dollar here, if you are comfortable turning PlasmaWave off.
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) and Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) are both closely matched air Purifier models, and the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) is $10 cheaper than the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) ($249.99 vs $259.99). On Sensor Quality, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads (7.0 vs 1.0/10) — whether there is a real laser particle sensor resolving PM1/PM2.5/PM10 with numeric output, a vaguer 'air quality' index, an inference from a cheap VOC element, or no sensor and therefore no auto mode at all. On Coverage-Claim Honesty, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads (8.5 vs 3.5/10) — the trap dimension for this category. Almost every brand derives its headline square footage from ONE air change per hour, which does close to nothing for smoke, pollen or wildfire particulate — the useful standard is 4.8 air changes an hour, and it is typically a fifth of the number on the box. A high score means the manufacturer publishes the 4.8-ACH figure prominently and it survives comparison with the AHAM Verifide room size; a low score means a big number with no stated air-change basis, or no CADR at all to derive one from.. On Quietness, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads (8.0 vs 4.0/10) — measured decibels at the lowest setting you would run overnight AND at the top speed you need in a smoke event — a purifier is only useful at a speed you can tolerate. Not publishing a figure at either end costs points. Overall, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores 7.8/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 4.8/10 for the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) | Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $259.99 | $249.99 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2019 |
| AHAM Verifide CADR (Smoke / Dust / Pollen) (CFM) | AHAM Verifide: smoke 253 / dust 252 / pollen 247 CFM (ahamdir.com, model 5510; the 5520 and 5530 share the identical certification). Genuinely Verifide — Winix is one of the six consumer brands with current directory entries. | Medify publishes smoke 239 / dust 231 / pollen 240 / PM2.5 235 CFM itself, footnoted "Smoke CADR when operating at highest fan speed". Medify's own listings display an "AHAM Verified" badge on every product — but a query of the AHAM Verifide directory in August 2026 returns the brand "Medify Air" in the brand index with ZERO currently certified models. Treat these as manufacturer figures until a directory entry appears. |
| AHAM Verifide Room Size (4.8 ACH) (ft²) | 392 ft² (AHAM Verifide suggested room size at 4.8 air changes per hour) | No current AHAM Verifide listing (August 2026), despite the "AHAM Verified" badge on medifyair.com. Medify's own 5-ACH figure is 358.5 ft² and its 4-ACH figure is 448 ft². |
| Coverage Claim & Its Air-Change Basis | Winix leads with "AHAM Verifide 392 ft²" and states the 4.8-ACH basis in a visible footnote, then adds "cleans up to 1,882 ft² in 1 hour" as the secondary figure. That ordering is the right way round and almost nobody else here does it. | Medify's own table: 1,793 ft² at 1 ACH, 896 ft² at 2 ACH, 448 ft² at 4 ACH, 358.5 ft² at 5 ACH. The headline everywhere — site, packaging, Amazon title — is the 2-ACH number, "896 sq ft in 30 minutes". Two air changes an hour is roughly half what smoke or allergen control needs. |
| Filter Grade (True HEPA / HEPA-Type / H13) | 4-stage: washable fine-mesh pre-filter, AOC pelletised activated-carbon filter, True HEPA rated 99.99% (Winix cites KCL report CT24-072905E under a modified SPS-KACA 002-132:2022 method — note that is a Korean test standard, not EN 1822), and PlasmaWave. | Medify markets "True HEPA H13" (and H14 on some SKUs). The footnote on every page reads "Tested by Intertek Lab for HEPA filter material" — the H13 grade is a claim about the media, not a whole-unit sealed-system rating. Three stages: pre-filter, H13 media, pelletised activated carbon. |
| Pre-Filter (Washable?) | Yes — washable fine-mesh pre-filter, no recurring cost | Integrated into the single replaceable cylinder — not separately washable |
| Filter Cost per Year | $55.99–$79.99/yr — Filter Q, part 1712-0123-00, list $79.99 and currently $55.99 direct from Winix, replaced every 12 months. The HEPA and AOC carbon are combined in one part, so that is the whole consumable bill. | $119.98–$179.97/yr, and Medify's own site cannot agree with itself: the MA-40 filter page sets the subscription cadence at 120 days, the purifier page sets it at 180 days, and the body copy says the filter lasts "up to 3,000 hours or 4-5 months". At $59.99 a filter that is two to three filters a year. The subscription discounts the first filter 40% ($35.99) and later ones 10% ($53.99). |
| Ioniser / UV / PCO & CARB Classification | Yes — PlasmaWave is a plasma/ion stage. Winix states it "breaks down pollutants at the molecular level without producing harmful ozone" and, to its credit, publishes the measurement: "The 8-hr TWA Ozone for this product is 0.22 ppbv when tested in a 30 m3 chamber." CARB certifies the 5510 as an ELECTRONIC device (EO G-24-234, 2024-10-03) — ozone-capable, tested at or below 0.050 ppm. PlasmaWave has a dedicated on/off control and the unit filters perfectly well with it off. | The standard MA-40 has an optional ioniser (Medify's own controls list reads "Ionizer (Optional)") and Medify describes the unit as ozone-free. CARB history is instructive: the original MA-40 (EO G-21-461, 2021) and the MA-40UV are certified as ELECTRONIC devices, while MA-40-V3.0 (G-23-267) and the current MA-40-V4.0 (G-25-237, 2025-09-10) are certified as MECHANICAL. Buy the current V4.0 HEPA SKU, not a UV or ioniser variant. |
| Noise, Lowest to Highest Setting (dB) | 23.5 dB on the slowest of five speeds (Winix published). Winix does not publish a top-speed figure. | Medify publishes only the sleep-mode figure, "as low as 40.5 dBA". No figure is published for the top speed. 40.5 dBA is by far the loudest quiet-setting in this file — the Levoit Core 300S-P is 22 dB and the Blueair 23 dB. |
| Air Quality Sensor | "Dual Smart Sensors" — a particle/air-quality sensor driving a 3-colour LED and auto mode, plus a light sensor that triggers sleep mode when the room darkens. Winix does not state whether the particle sensor is laser-based. | None. The MA-40's own controls list is "Preset Timers, 3 Fan Speeds, Sleep Mode, Filter Indicator, Touch Controls, Child Lock, Ionizer (Optional)" — there is no particle sensor and therefore no auto mode at any price. |
| Smart Features & Offline Operation | Wi-Fi, the Winix Smart app and Alexa need an account. All five fan speeds, auto mode, sleep mode and the timer work from the top panel with no internet at all — the app is additive, not load-bearing. | None. No Wi-Fi, no app, no account. Fully offline. |
| Power Draw & Annual Energy | AHAM-measured 65.0W at the smoke-CADR speed; 323 kWh annual energy consumption per the AHAM listing | 68W (Medify published); Integrated Energy Factor 3.6 |
| Warranty Terms & Conditions | 2-year warranty; certifications listed as AHAM / UL / CARB / Prop 65. Manufactured in Korea. | Limited Lifetime Warranty with no filter-subscription requirement — unusually generous, and the reason warrantyMonths is recorded as 0 rather than a month count. Plus a 30-day home trial. |
| Warranty | 24 months | 0 months |
| Colors | Charcoal Gray | White, Black |
Category Scores
Coverage-Claim Honesty
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 3.5 — a 5.0-point margin on the trap dimension for this category. Almost every brand derives its headline square footage from ONE air change per hour, which does close to nothing for smoke, pollen or wildfire particulate — the useful standard is 4.8 air changes an hour, and it is typically a fifth of the number on the box. A high score means the manufacturer publishes the 4.8-ACH figure prominently and it survives comparison with the AHAM Verifide room size; a low score means a big number with no stated air-change basis, or no CADR at all to derive one from.. If that is what you are buying for, the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Verified Clean-Air Delivery
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 6.0 — a 3.0-point margin on how much air the unit actually cleans per minute, weighted heavily toward AHAM Verifide smoke CADR over manufacturer-published figures. Self-reported CADR scores below Verifide CADR, and 'no CADR published at all' scores below both. If that is what you are buying for, the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Filtration Quality
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.5 — a 1.0-point margin on what the media is really rated at — sealed H13, True HEPA, HEPA-Type, EPA 12 or charged fabric — whether the whole machine is sealed so air cannot bypass the filter, and how much genuine activated carbon there is for odours and VOCs. If that is what you are buying for, the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Running Cost
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 3.5 — a 3.5-point margin on filters, pre-filters, cartridges and subscriptions over three years, against the purchase price. Several units here cost more to feed than to buy; a high score means cheap, long-lived, non-proprietary consumables. If that is what you are buying for, the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Quietness
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 4.0 — a 4.0-point margin on measured decibels at the lowest setting you would run overnight AND at the top speed you need in a smoke event — a purifier is only useful at a speed you can tolerate. Not publishing a figure at either end costs points. If that is what you are buying for, the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Sensor Quality
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 1.0 — a 6.0-point margin on whether there is a real laser particle sensor resolving PM1/PM2.5/PM10 with numeric output, a vaguer 'air quality' index, an inference from a cheap VOC element, or no sensor and therefore no auto mode at all. If that is what you are buying for, the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Freedom From Ozone & Air Chemistry
The Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.0 — a 1.0-point margin on whether the unit adds an ioniser, plasma, UV or photocatalytic stage to the airstream, whether that stage can be switched off, and how CARB classifies the device — 'Mechanical' means filtration only, 'Electronic' means capable of generating ozone and certified only as being at or below 0.050 ppm. If that is what you are buying for, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Controls & Independence
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 6.0 — a 2.0-point margin on whether every mode works from the machine itself with no account or cloud, how good the auto mode is, filter-change access, and whether losing a remote or a login costs you function. If that is what you are buying for, the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) if…
- • Sensor Quality matters most to you — the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores 7.0/10 here (whether there is a real laser particle sensor resolving PM1/PM2.5/PM10 with numeric output, a vaguer 'air quality' index, an inference from a cheap VOC element, or no sensor and therefore no auto mode at all).
- • Coverage-Claim Honesty matters most to you — the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores 8.5/10 here (the trap dimension for this category. Almost every brand derives its headline square footage from ONE air change per hour, which does close to nothing for smoke, pollen or wildfire particulate — the useful standard is 4.8 air changes an hour, and it is typically a fifth of the number on the box. A high score means the manufacturer publishes the 4.8-ACH figure prominently and it survives comparison with the AHAM Verifide room size; a low score means a big number with no stated air-change basis, or no CADR at all to derive one from.).
- • Quietness matters most to you — the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores 8.0/10 here (measured decibels at the lowest setting you would run overnight AND at the top speed you need in a smoke event — a purifier is only useful at a speed you can tolerate. Not publishing a figure at either end costs points).
- • Running Cost matters most to you — the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores 7.0/10 here (filters, pre-filters, cartridges and subscriptions over three years, against the purchase price. Several units here cost more to feed than to buy; a high score means cheap, long-lived, non-proprietary consumables).
- • Verified Clean-Air Delivery matters most to you — the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores 9.0/10 here (how much air the unit actually cleans per minute, weighted heavily toward AHAM Verifide smoke CADR over manufacturer-published figures. Self-reported CADR scores below Verifide CADR, and 'no CADR published at all' scores below both).
Choose the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $10 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2)
Pros
- +AHAM Verifide 253 smoke CADR — verified performance, not a manufacturer number
- +Leads with the 392 ft² 4.8-ACH figure and relegates the 1,882 ft² claim to a footnote
- +Publishes an actual ozone measurement (0.22 ppbv 8-h TWA) rather than just asserting "ozone-free"
- +One $55.99–79.99 part a year covers HEPA and carbon together; the pre-filter is washable
- +Works completely offline — every mode is on the panel, the app only adds remote control
Cons
- −PlasmaWave means CARB certifies it as an Electronic (ozone-capable) device; switch it off unless you want it
- −Winix publishes only the 23.5 dB minimum and never the top-speed noise, which at 65W is not quiet
- −323 kWh/yr on the AHAM listing is the second-highest energy use in this file
- −The 99.99% HEPA claim rests on a Korean KCL test to a modified SPS-KACA method, not EN 1822 or IEST
- −$259.99 direct is well above the street price the outgoing 5500-2 trained buyers to expect
Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)
Pros
- +239 CFM smoke CADR is real firepower for $250 and beats every unit here below $340
- +Limited lifetime warranty with no registration-plus-subscription strings, unlike Alen's Forever Guarantee
- +Pelletised carbon rather than carbon-coated mesh gives it more genuine odour capacity than most
- +Publishes its coverage at four different ACH values, so the honest number is at least findable
- +The current V4.0 is CARB-certified Mechanical — no ozone pathway on the standard HEPA SKU
Cons
- −Every Medify listing carries an "AHAM Verified" badge, yet the AHAM Verifide directory shows zero certified Medify Air models in August 2026
- −The famous "896 sq ft" is a 2-ACH figure; at the 4–5 ACH that actually controls smoke it is 358–448 ft²
- −H13 is footnoted as "tested by Intertek for HEPA filter material" — media grade, not a sealed-unit rating
- −Sleep mode is 40.5 dBA. That is audible-conversation territory and the top speed is not published at all
- −$59.99 filters on a 120–180 day cadence — Medify's own pages disagree — means $120–180 a year, near the price of a whole Levoit
- −No sensor of any kind, so no auto mode: you are the air-quality sensor
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) or Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Sensor Quality, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) or the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)?+
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores higher on Sensor Quality (7.0/10 vs 1.0/10) — whether there is a real laser particle sensor resolving PM1/PM2.5/PM10 with numeric output, a vaguer 'air quality' index, an inference from a cheap VOC element, or no sensor and therefore no auto mode at all.
Which is better for Coverage-Claim Honesty, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) or the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)?+
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores higher on Coverage-Claim Honesty (8.5/10 vs 3.5/10) — the trap dimension for this category. Almost every brand derives its headline square footage from ONE air change per hour, which does close to nothing for smoke, pollen or wildfire particulate — the useful standard is 4.8 air changes an hour, and it is typically a fifth of the number on the box. A high score means the manufacturer publishes the 4.8-ACH figure prominently and it survives comparison with the AHAM Verifide room size; a low score means a big number with no stated air-change basis, or no CADR at all to derive one from..
Which is better for Quietness, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) or the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)?+
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores higher on Quietness (8.0/10 vs 4.0/10) — measured decibels at the lowest setting you would run overnight AND at the top speed you need in a smoke event — a purifier is only useful at a speed you can tolerate. Not publishing a figure at either end costs points.
Which is better for Running Cost, the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) or the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)?+
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) scores higher on Running Cost (7.0/10 vs 3.5/10) — filters, pre-filters, cartridges and subscriptions over three years, against the purchase price. Several units here cost more to feed than to buy; a high score means cheap, long-lived, non-proprietary consumables.
Is the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) worth the price difference over the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)?+
The Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) is the cheaper option at $249.99 versus $259.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Sensor Quality.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) is the better fit if you mainly care about aham-verifide. The Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) is the better fit for large-room or wildfire-smoke.
What's the warranty on the Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) vs the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0)?+
The Winix 5510 (successor to the 5500-2) ships with a 24-month warranty; the Medify Air MA-40 (V4.0) ships with a 0-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty — $239.99
Premium Option
Honeywell InSight HEPA Tower HPA180B — $263.48
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.