Head to head

Blueair Protect 7470i vs Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier

Blueair Protect 7470i leads 4 to 1 on the 5 rankable specs, but Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier costs $490 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

CADR: Blueair Protect 7470i lists 270 CFM (Smoke), 275 CFM (Dust), 280 CFM (Pollen) (Blueair sheet, 2026-09-02); Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier lists 232 CFM (Smoke), 243 CFM (Dust), 246 CFM (Pollen) (Winix sheet, 2026-09-02).
Coverage area: Blueair Protect 7470i lists 1,035 sq ft (2 air changes/hr) / 418 sq ft (5 air changes/hr) (Blueair sheet, 2026-09-02); Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier lists 360 sq ft (5 air changes/hr) / 880 sq ft (2 air changes/hr) (Winix sheet, 2026-09-02).
Room size: Blueair Protect 7470i lists Master bedrooms, living areas up to 418 sq ft (5 ACH) (Blueair sheet, 2026-09-02); Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier lists Bedrooms, nurseries, home offices up to 360 sq ft (Winix sheet, 2026-09-02).
Filter types: Blueair Protect 7470i lists SmartFilter with Smart RFID chip (HEPASilent Ultra + Activated Carbon) (Blueair sheet, 2026-09-02); Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier lists Fine Mesh Pre-Filter + Washable AOC Carbon + True HEPA (99.97%) (Winix sheet, 2026-09-02).
Filter life: Blueair Protect 7470i lists 6–12 months with real-time algorithm filter tracking (Blueair sheet, 2026-09-02); Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier lists 12 months (HEPA) / Washable carbon filter (Winix sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Blueair Protect 7470i

$6494 spec wins

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Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier

$1591 spec win

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Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your air purifier.

Straight answer

Overall: 4 to 1

Buy the Blueair Protect 7470i.

Leads 4 of 5 rankable overall specs; Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier takes 1.
CADR: 270 CFM vs 232 CFM
Coverage area: 1,035 sq ft vs 360 sq ft
Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier is $490 cheaper. Pay the difference only if cadr matters to you.

Check first: the Blueair Protect 7470i weighs over 25 lb (11 kg). Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

4 Blueair Protect 7470i5 rankable of 11 specsWinix 5500-2 Air Purifier 1

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No Wi-Fi approw
No schedules or remote control from your phone.
Clear:Blueair Protect 7470i · Blueair App, Alexa, Google Home, GermSh…Trips:Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier · Auto Mode + Sleep Mode with Smart Light…
Under 1,000 sq ft coveragerow
Undersized for an open-plan living area.
Clear:Blueair Protect 7470i · 1,035 sq ftTrips:Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier · 360 sq ft
Over 25 lb (11 kg)row
Hard to move between rooms.
Trips:Blueair Protect 7470i · 27.6 lbClear:Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier · 14.7 lb

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

2 of 2 differ

CADR

Blueair

270 CFM (Smoke), 275 CFM (Dust), 280 CFM (Pollen)

Winix

232 CFM (Smoke), 243 CFM (Dust), 246 CFM (Pollen)

Coverage area

Blueair

1,035 sq ft (2 air changes/hr) / 418 sq ft (5 air changes/hr)

Winix

360 sq ft (5 air changes/hr) / 880 sq ft (2 air changes/hr)

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Blueair Protect 7470i

Upfront list price$649

3-Yr SmartFilter RFID dual-layer (Every 12 months (~$80/yr))+$240

3-Year Estimated Total$889

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier

Upfront list price$159

3-Yr Washable AOC + True HEPA (Every 12 months (~$45/yr))+$135

3-Year Estimated Total$294

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Blueair: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires periodic filter replacements to maintain airflow and odor capture.
Activated carbon and HEPA media gradually saturate, needing replacement once or twice yearly depending on air pollution and pet shedding.

Winix: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires periodic filter replacements to maintain airflow and odor capture.
Activated carbon and HEPA media gradually saturate, needing replacement once or twice yearly depending on air pollution and pet shedding.

Blueair Protect 7470i$6494 wins

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier$1591 win

Performance Filters Usability & Smart Design & Ownership

11 of 11 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Performance

leads 2-0

Performance specifications. Middle column is Blueair Protect 7470i, right column is Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier.
CADR	270 CFM (Smoke), 275 CFM (Dust), 280 CFM (Pollen) (wins this row: higher)	232 CFM (Smoke), 243 CFM (Dust), 246 CFM (Pollen)
Room size	Master bedrooms, living areas up to 418 sq ft (5 ACH)	Bedrooms, nurseries, home offices up to 360 sq ft
Coverage area	1,035 sq ft (2 air changes/hr) / 418 sq ft (5 air changes/hr) (wins this row: higher)	360 sq ft (5 air changes/hr) / 880 sq ft (2 air changes/hr)

Filters

2 differences

Filters specifications. Middle column is Blueair Protect 7470i, right column is Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier.
Filter types	SmartFilter with Smart RFID chip (HEPASilent Ultra + Activated Carbon)	Fine Mesh Pre-Filter + Washable AOC Carbon + True HEPA (99.97%)
Filter life	6–12 months with real-time algorithm filter tracking	12 months (HEPA) / Washable carbon filter

Usability & Smart

leads 1-0

Usability & Smart specifications. Middle column is Blueair Protect 7470i, right column is Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier.
Noise levels	22 dB (Low) – 45 dB (High) (wins this row: lower)	27.8 dB (Silent) – 54.8 dB (Turbo)
Energy consumption	43 W max power (Energy Star certified)	70 W max (Energy Star)
Smart features	Blueair App, Alexa, Google Home, GermShield 24/7 background mode	Auto Mode + Sleep Mode with Smart Light Sensor (No Wi-Fi)
Air quality sensors	Laser particle sensor (PM1, PM2.5, PM10), TVOC, Temp, Humidity	Smart Optical Air Quality Sensor (3-color LED indicator)

Design & Ownership

2 differences

Design & Ownership specifications. Middle column is Blueair Protect 7470i, right column is Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier.
Weight	27.6 lb (12.5 kg)	14.7 lb (6.7 kg) (wins this row: lower)
Warranty	5 years (with product registration) (wins this row: higher)	2 years

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Blueair Protect 7470i source Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Blueair Protect 7470i

HEPASilent Ultra smart air purifier with 24/7 GermShield bacterial protection and SpiralAir 360 vents.

HEPASilent Ultra electrostatic + mechanical filtration kills 99% of germs
SpiralAir omnidirectional airflow distributes clean air evenly
Premium matte build with intuitive LCD air quality touchscreen

What you give up

SmartFilter replacements are relatively costly
Heavier metallic construction

Full Blueair Protect 7470i specs →

Pick this one if

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier

Budget favorite with PlasmaWave technology, Washable AOC Carbon Filter, and True HEPA filtration.

Washable Advanced Odor Control (AOC) carbon filter with real carbon pellets
PlasmaWave technology breaks down pollutants at molecular level
Unbeatable performance per dollar in medium rooms

What you give up

No mobile app connectivity or smart home controls
Aesthetics and plastic chassis are dated

Full Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier specs →

Best for each use

Bedrooms

Quiet nights: low-speed noise, sleep mode, schedules from your phone

Tied on bedrooms. Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier is cheaper.

The 2 rankable bedrooms specs split 1 to 1.
Saves $490 at list price.

Big rooms & allergies

Open-plan rooms or allergies: CADR, coverage, filter grade

For big rooms & allergies, buy the Blueair Protect 7470i.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable big rooms & allergies specs.
CADR: 270 CFM vs 232 CFM
Coverage area: 1,035 sq ft vs 360 sq ft
Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier is $490 cheaper. Pay the difference only if cadr matters to you.

Low running cost

Cheap to own: filter life, power draw, warranty

Too close to call on low running cost from the spec sheets. Only warranty is rankable here.

Filter life: 6–12 months with real-time algorithm filter… vs 12 months
Energy consumption: 43 W max power vs 70 W max

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Blueair Protect 7470i spec sheet Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Blueair Protect 7470i ↗ · Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Blueair Protect 7470i or the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier?

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier costs $490 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Blueair Protect 7470i or Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier?

Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier has this deal-breaker: no Wi-Fi app. No schedules or remote control from your phone.

Which is better for bedrooms, the Blueair Protect 7470i or the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier?

Tied on bedrooms. Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier is cheaper. The 2 rankable bedrooms specs split 1 to 1. Saves $490 at list price.

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 11 specs tracked here, 6 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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