Honeywell HPA 300

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Specifications
Price $229.99
CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) rating 300
HEPA filter? Yes
Energy Star certified? Yes
Area coverage 465 square feet
Dimensions 24.02 x 22.05 x 12.99 inches

 

Summary
The Honeywell HPA 300 is one of the more powerful purifiers we’ve ever reviewed. This no-frills, heavy-duty device can churn through large spaces with ease, it works quickly, and it’s relatively energy efficient.

But this unit is bulky and probably impractical if you’re just looking to use in a small bedroom. For small rooms, there is better value out there.

Read the full review below.

PROS:
  • Very powerful
  • Extremely fast
  • Won’t kill your electric bill

CONS:
  • Large and bulky
  • If you’re only looking for a device to use in your bedroom, you can find better value elsewhere.
  • Filter durability is a concern

FULL REVIEW:

There’s a lot to talk about with the Honeywell HPA 300, so let’s get straight to it.

Performance

The unit’s biggest selling point is its performance; it doesn’t try to hide behind cute features or “neat” quirks. This is a no-frills, heavy-duty device that is concerned only with power and efficiency.

The device specializes in removing particulates from the air; it deals extremely well with mold spores, VOCs and all types of allergens – fur, dander, plus all the stuff you can’t see. It handles dust very well, too.

This device boasts a CADR rating of 300 and can circulate a room’s air up to 5 times per hour – even when placed in very large rooms. The manufacturer defined the unit’s maximum coverage as 465 square feet – in other words, a 21′ x 22′-sized room.

That’s a fair number, and the HPA 300 easily lives up to that billing. But I think that number may even be conservative; there are reports of the device working very effectively in spaces up to 750 square feet – which, for a medium-sized purifier, is pretty absurd. You just don’t see that kind of coverage very often.

Now, if you do place it in a 750 square foot room, you shouldn’t expect it to work as fast. That’s only fair; it’s going to slow down significantly (and become less energy efficient). But that’s the nature of the game.

Energy Efficiency

High-performance air purifiers are typically less energy efficient, but the HPA 300 bucks that trend a bit.

This device is Energy Star certified, and it’s very efficient relative to its performance. This device has four settings, which all draw different amounts of energy. On its lowest setting, it draws about 40 watts. It’s two middle settings will draw between 70 – 100 watts; meanwhile, the highest setting draws about 130 watts.

Obviously, this device becomes less energy efficient as you ramp up the work-rate. But even at it’s highest setting (130W), it’s fairly efficient relative to other units that perform similarly.

Remember, there are units that will draw up to 200 W to clean rooms smaller than what the HPA 300 is built to deal with.

Filter Concerns

The machine takes 3 HEPA filters, and the manufacturer says that the filters should last about a year before they need to be replaced.

But there have been complaints that the filters in this device don’t last nearly as long as the manufacturer promises; we’ve read about customers whose filters lasted as little as three months before needing replacement.

I have a hunch as to why the filters might not be as durable as promised. It has to do with the power of the HPA 300: when a purifier works as hard and fast as the HPA 300, the filters are going to burn out sooner.

So, if you’re running this device in a 500 square foot room at its highest setting, the filters aren’t going to be as durable as if you run the device in a 300 square foot room at a low setting.

The fact is most people buy the HPA 300 to use in large spaces – because it works incredibly well. But the drawback to that kind of performance is that you’ll have to replace the filters more often.

Before I end the review, I wanted to touch quickly on noise level. The HPA 300 is actually really quiet on low and medium settings. On all settings, it is quieter than the Honeywell 50250-S but not as quiet as, say, the GermGuardian AC4825.

But if you go by “noise to performance” ratio – this device passes the quiet test.

Verdict:

9 Total Score
Outstanding

The Honeywell HPA 300 is a no-frills, heavy-duty device that can churn through large spaces with ease, works quickly, and is relatively energy efficient. But this unit is bulky and probably impractical if you’re just looking to use in a small bedroom.

Performance
10
Value
8.5
Noise Level
8
Other Factors (Durability, Energy Efficiency, Design)
7.5
Honeywell HPA 300

$229

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