Model comparison
Honeywell HPA060 vs HPA160: same tower family, different room scale
Honeywell's HPA060 and HPA160 are easy to group because they share an owner manual and filter family, but they are not the same-size tower with different names. HPA060 is the earlier compact unit for a 75-square-foot room at 4.8 ACH. HPA160 is the taller sibling at 170 square feet at 4.8 ACH, with a timer and Turbo. Both are marked discontinued on their exact licensed Honeywell Store pages, so treat them as identification and seller-check references rather than current-model shopping picks.
Size the room before comparing controls
The HPA060 is the choice only for a small, enclosed room that fits the 75-square-foot repeated-cleaning figure. It uses one H HEPA filter and a rotary Low/Medium/High dial. Its 48-CFM smoke, 62-CFM dust and 75-CFM pollen CADRs are pollutant-specific; its smoke score is not 75. The HPA160 reaches 170 square feet at the same 4.8-ACH basis and lists 110-CFM smoke, 120-CFM dust and 130-CFM pollen CADR. Its manual identifies two H HEPA cartridges. Neither is a practical answer to a 219-square-foot minimum at that rate, and neither source documents a separate one-change room-size number to substitute.
For an existing room larger than the HPA060's rating but under the HPA160's, the HPA160 is a more plausible of these two only if the exact unit and media can be verified. If the room is near 170 square feet, or shares air with a hall, consider a current purifier with a higher rate-specific room figure instead of relying on a single-unit headline. The current-reference HPA5100 is listed at 190 square feet at 4.8 ACH and has a different filter arrangement; the HPA5200 lists 360 square feet at that basis and adds VOC-sensing Auto. These are comparisons, not promises of what a seller currently has in stock.
What the HPA160 timer changes
The HPA060's knob is a direct-speed-only arrangement. Its shared manual explicitly says that the Turbo and automatic shutoff timer features shown for HPA160 are not available on HPA060. The HPA160 has a separate Turbo control and a 2-, 4- or 8-hour shutoff. That timer schedules when the purifier stops; it does not monitor particles or gases and then adjust fan speed. The manuals do not identify app control, a colored air-quality indicator, a PM2.5 display, a sensor-driven Auto mode or a dedicated Night mode on either tower.
These differences matter more than an extra button if you rely on the room's air changing automatically. A buyer who wants manual control can use either unit's local controls, but only the larger tower offers the timed off feature and Turbo. For sensor-triggered airflow, compare a documented current model such as HPA5200 instead; do not label an Auto-Off timer as automatic air-quality control.
Replacement media is part of the decision
Both models use Type H HEPA media and a household odor-reducing pre-filter. Honeywell gives conditional replacement guidance of about twelve months for HEPA filters and three months for the odor pre-filter; dusty, smoky or pet-heavy operation can shorten useful life. The filters are not washable. The pre-filter can reduce some household odors but is not a detector, a universal gas-removal stage or a substitute for ventilation.
The two models require different H-filter counts: one for HPA060 and two for HPA160. The HPA160 pre-filter quantity and suffix need special care: the exact store page says two Type B filters, while the shared manual and manufacturer support/filter page describe one B+ pre-filter. Check the model label and a matching genuine filter listing before ordering. The HPA060 product record has a smaller naming discrepancy: its store page says Type B, while the manual/support uses B+. Never assume that a package's HPA060 or HPA160 title alone resolves which B-generation media is inside.
Bottom line
Choose HPA060 when identifying an existing compact tower for a very small room, wanting a simple dial, and accepting the cost and availability uncertainty of older replacement media. Choose HPA160 when the room can use its larger 170-square-foot rating and the separate timer/Turbo are meaningful, after confirming the exact pre-filter arrangement. If either is being sold as new, verify condition, seller, return terms, model code, warranty applicability and filter stock independently: the exact licensed Honeywell pages call both discontinued. For a new current-reference purchase, begin with the separately assessed HPA5100/HPA5200 family, then size by the same 4.8-ACH measure and check those models' distinct R/A filters and sensor behavior.
Sources: Honeywell's HPA060 product page, HPA160 product page, shared owner manual and tower filter finder.