Honeywell 50250 S Review (True HEPA Air Purifier)

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The Honeywell 50250-S is famous for 2 significant reasons: affordability and low maintenance cost. This model is not only cheaper compared to its equally-sized competitors, but it also has a very long-lasting True HEPA filter. 

Affordability is a good thing when buying an air purifier, even more so if you are on a budget. However, you’ll agree with us that this will mean nothing if the device doesn’t meet your needs. This is what forms the basis for this Honeywell 50250 S air purifier review.

In this review, we will cover everything that you need to know about this unit, and why it might be a great purchase. 

Honeywell 50250 S is Best For: 

• People with allergies– the True HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter on this unit has been certified to remove 99.97% of 0.3-micron air pollutants. 
• People living with asthma– this device’s True HEPA and Activated Charcoal filters reduce your exposure to dust, dust mites, and smoke.
• Homeowners who want a powerful air purifier on budget– despite its lower price tag, the 50250 S is potent to cover spaces of up to 390 sq. ft. This makes it perfect for most average living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. 
• Homeowners struggling with pet hair and fur– this air purifier’s filtration kit will offer substantial help in managing stubborn pet fur and hair. 

Assembly and Set up 

One of the best things about this air purifier is that it comes almost fully assembled during shipping. The only thing that’s left for you to do is wrapping the Activated Charcoal filter- that comes packaged separately- onto the HEPA filter. 

To do this, place the air purifier upside down on a soft surface. At the bottom, twist the plastic knob at the center to remove the bottom cover. 

Next, pull out the HEPA filter, and wrap the Activated Charcoal filter all around it. It should attach nicely with a Velcro. When you are done, reinstall the filtration kit and secure the bottom cover with the twist knob. 

Lastly, plug it into a wall socket, and select your preferred speed fan setting. 

Construction Design and Quality of Materials 

Honeywell has a reputation for manufacturing long-lasting and reliable aerospace, defense, healthcare, and household products. This high-quality construction is reflected in this model’s materials and how the parts fit together. 

The plastic shell feels to be of substantial quality. All the parts fit seamlessly, too, without those rattling noises that often signify poor quality in some purifiers. 

Importantly, this unit’s filters tend to add very little weight to its overall heft. This suggests that the motor contributes most of the weight. This speaks volumes about the quality that goes into it. 

Another unique design aspect of this air purifier is its 360-degree air intake and discharge. This is an impressive concept that allows the 50250 S to suck in air from all sides for purification, before dispersing it all around the room again. 

Size, Weight, and Placement 

This air purifier has a diameter of 18″, a height of 19″, and a weight of 21 lbs. These measurements create a sort of a sweet spot, allowing you to place this air purifier either on the floor or a tabletop. 

Honeywell recommends leaving a 3-foot clearance all around this device. This might not work in most cases, though. In such instances, we believe leaving a clearance of at least 15″ will still work, thanks to this model’s air intake and discharge design. 

How the Honeywell 50250 S works

This air purifier works in a very straightforward manner: it has a 2-stage filtration system that scrubs the air, and a motor that ejects it. It does not use UV light and ionizing technologies. Neither does it support smartphone app and Wi-Fi connectivity. 

It starts by rushing polluted air through its filtration kit that consists of; 

• Activated Charcoal filter– this filter adsorbs foreign particles, including smells, odors, and VOCs from the air. 
• True HEPA filter– the next and last stage is the True-HEPA filter that captures almost all the contaminants that survived the pre-filter.  

A True HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) is a filter made of ultra-fine glass-fiber. To earn the title, True HEPA, these filters must be tested and certified to remove 99.97% of air pollutants, measuring 0.3 microns (0.000012 inches). This filter will remove bacteria, viruses, pet dander, dust, dust mites, mold spores, and pollen, among others.

Most mid-to-high end purifiers use a True HEPA filter today. However, the cylindrical design of this model’s screen gives it a large surface area which translates to greater efficacy.

Also, it is much thicker than what we often see in most air purifiers that use rectangular-shaped filters. This thickness allows the screen to last up to 5 years- five times longer than most high-end True HEPA filters last!

Control Panel 

This model’s control panel consists of a large mechanical knob that lets you cycle manually between the 3 fan speeds settings: low, medium, and high. You’ll also find a handy Intelli-Check indicator that will alert you when it’s time for filter replacement. 

Performance 

Designed for large rooms 

The 50250-S boasts a wide room coverage of up to 390 sq. ft. It also has one of the highest AHAM-certified CADR of 250 cfm for smoke, pollen, and dust.

AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) is a body that tests and authenticates the performance of household appliances. 

CADR, on the other hand, stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate. It refers to how fast the air purifier can clean a given room. Worth mentioning, the 250 CFM rating of this model is the highest for this price range. Most of its competitors fall within the scope of 220-240 cfm. 

Noise Level 

The Honeywell 50250-S has a noise decibel rating of 35 dB at the lowest fan speed level and 57 dB when the fan is set at the highest speed. 

Notably, this is one area where previous users seem to have divided opinions. On the one hand, most users report that it produces a nice ambient noise, especially on the low fan setting. A good number of them say that they don’t have to use a white noise device with this unit in their bedroom. Others, however, note that it’s a little bit loud for them.

Power consumption

This model isn’t the most energy-efficient on the market today. It has a power rating of 92w on speed 1, 128w on speed 2, and 180w on speed 3. What impact will this have on your energy bills? 

Assuming that you pay $0.12 per kilowatt-hour, running this unit on speed 2 for 12 hours every day will cost you around $6 per month, or $66 annually. 

Maintenance (filter replacement)

What the 50250-S lacks in energy efficiency and quiet operations is made up for by its low cost of maintenance. Its HEPA filter replacement kit (Honeywell Replacement Filter Kit 50250-S – 24000) is very reasonably priced.

When you consider that this filter could last up to 5 years with proper vacuuming, you realize that you’ll be spending barely anything annually.

To get the maximum lifespan of the HEPA filter, vacuum it every 1-2 months. Remember to do it outside to avoid releasing air pollutants back into the house. 

The Activated Charcoal fiber needs to be replaced every 3 months. The replacements (oGeee Honeywell 50250-S Carbon Filter Replacement) are considerably affordable, too. 

Warranty – This air purifier comes with a 5-year limited warranty that covers defective material and workmanship. Again, this is a much longer warranty than that of most premium models.

Honeywell 50250 S Review Verdict

No purifier is 100% perfect, including the Honeywell 50250-S. However, this model’s flaws are very easy to ignore when you consider its price, performance, and low cost of operation.

Its thick, True HEPA filter that can last up to 5 years with regular vacuuming is one of its key successes. In addition, its wide room coverage is going to interest most homeowners with small, medium, and large spaces that need air purification.

Useful Tips

• Place it at least 15″ from any obstruction on all sides 
• Place it at a strategically functional position in the room, for instance, close to a doorway 
• Avoid opening the doors and windows too much when using the purifier. This allows more contaminants to enter the room. 
• Clean the True HEPA filter regularly (1-2 months) for maximum efficiency. 
• Remember to replace the Activated Charcoal filter on time for maximum efficiency.

Honeywell 50250 S Questions & Answers: