anyone use air purifiers?

[kaitlin4599]

i have asthma and allergies. and i have been looking to purchase a reasonably price air purifier that wont cost me a fortune. i live in a 370 square foot studio apartment here in arizona. so far the cheapest air purifier i can find that is rated for my space is the one linked below. i have no experience with purifiers. the one in the link below is rated for rooms up to 300 square foot i know my apt is 370 square foot but to get a purifier that is rated for 370 square foot or higher rooms it would cost me more, and 130$ is my spending limit since im on a fixed income


guess im just wanting input from people before i go out and order one from online since this one doesnt seem to be sold in stores

Premium HEPA Tower Air Purifier (300ft.) | Crane USA

Crane Premium True-HEPA Tower Air Purifier uses a two-filter system (pre-filter for larger particles and a true HEPA filter) plus a UV lamp for superior air purification.

crane-usa.com

 

[UsandThem]

I was 100% sure this was spam until I saw your join date. Just putting this here for others to notice that as well, and not give you too hard of a time.

 

[MrSquished]

I trust my sister's research on this and bought a couple of these for my place as well. Costco has them: https://www.costco.com/winix-c555-air-cleaner-with-plasmawave-technology.product.100280312.html

 

[Scarpozzi]

I was able to get a few Coway Airmega 200M air filters from Walmart last year for $125 each.

They've been great for the past year. I ended up getting 3 Oreck air filters for $33 each open box that I put in other rooms of the house. They're smaller and cheap enough that I'll likely toss them because the filters cost more than the units did.

 

[skyking]

we have a couple of older Rabbit air GS, they have been quiet and are easy to clean.
I was skeptical about the automatic function, but it has sniffed out several farts and kicked into high gear.

 

[manly]

Previous thread:

Whats the best air purifier out there?

Looking for the best air purifier for my kid.

forums.anandtech.com

I trust my sister's research on this and bought a couple of these for my place as well. Costco has them: https://www.costco.com/winix-c555-air-cleaner-with-plasmawave-technology.product.100280312.html

This looks like a rebadged C535, which used to run $100 on sale at Costco with extra filters. They've replaced that deal with the C545, which most people are not thrilled about, but the specs are similar.

In practice, I'd suggest one of these well-rated Winix or Coway models for about $130. Aftermarket filters are all over Amazon and they do not consume a lot of electricity (see The Wirecutter for real-world total consumption costs). Consumer Reports found these do very little filtration at the quietest setting, but are quite effective on high. If you're sensitive to noise level, Winix is slightly better.

The Best Air Purifier

Our test results and recommendations for the best equipment to improve your air quality.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Steltek]

Generally, from what I've read, you want one with a genuine HEPA filter system that moves at least 240+ CFM of air. Anything with less output than that is a waste of money simply because it doesn't filter enough air to be effective.

Features like "germicidial" lights, UV lights, Plasmawave (Winix's ozone generation feature), etc are all a waste of money as none of these features really do anything worthwhile (and ozone isn't good for you anyway).

There is also an issue with the "air quality" sensors that most of these things use. The manufacturers don't admit it, but their air quality sensors are absolute junk. A decent air quality detection sensor alone costs $200-$400+, so the ones on these cheaper units are not trustworthy and you shouldn't base your purchase on the fact that they have such a sensor (i.e. for an "Auto mode").

The BlueAir Pure 211+ moves a lot of air, but uses a proprietary non-HEPA filter system.

I'm going to post this link, but please research before you buy. Winix has refurbished units with a 1 year warranty for $81.00 plus tax shipped after coupon SAVE10 on their website. The C545 is probably okay, just be aware that its advertised WIFI feature is worthless and rarely works for very long. The reason I say research is that Winix has bad QC and even worse customer support so you could end up with a dud and have difficulty exchanging it.

If you decide to take a chance on a Winix, you are better off buying them from a retail store like Costco or Walmart because you can return them easily. Costco has the Winix C545 for $130.00 plus tax, and Walmart has the Winix 5300-2 for $124 plus tax. My neice has the 5300-2 and says that it helps her. It has four fan settings - the fan isn't loud as long as it is run on medium (the high turbo setting is decently loud), and you can turn the Plasmawave feature off. It also has a timer, as well as a washable pre-filter.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I should have mentioned...We also have houseplants and a lady comes here on Fridays to vacuum and mop. All of that helps with dust and air quality. Most-important, sleeping with a fan going helps me fall asleep faster...more points if it's cleaning the air too...even just a little bit.

 

[Steltek]

Third video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnIvLBe6xUE


I saw a different report a couple months ago (maybe CBC out of Canada??) where a news team bought a bunch of air purifiers at stores and had a pro lab test them. They also built a frankenfilter using a box fan and a single HVAC filter similar to the ones above and found that it actually produced more filtered air than an $800 Dyson purifier. Using one filter isn't good on the fan motor, though, so you need to use four to allow the fan to produce enough air.

 

[herm0016]

we have the honeywell with washable filters.

Honeywell QuietClean Tower Bedroom Air Purifier - HFD230BV1

Quiet and oscillating air pu with permanent and washable filters makes it a great air purifier for allergies. Ensure a good night's rest, with fresh clean air. Enhanced optional odor-reducing filter available.

www.honeywellstore.com

They actually make a huge difference in my allergies. I went from taking 2 Benadryl a day to 1 most days when we got them.

 

[Brainonska511]

Never bothered with one myself, but the statewide energy conservation program funded by a surcharge on electric bills here is heavily discounting energy star models if you buy through their site. Not sure if AZ has a similar program.

Another option for allergies: just use something like flonase for a few weeks of the year and maybe start on a maintenance inhaler if your asthma is bad enough. For the last two years, I've been using the lowest dose flovent (same ingredient as flonase) - barely touch my fast acting inhaler now, even when I exercise (which was my main asthma trigger).

 

[Scarpozzi]

Generally, from what I've read, you want one with a genuine HEPA filter system that moves at least 240+ CFM of air. Anything with less output than that is a waste of money simply because it doesn't filter enough air to be effective.

Features like "germicidial" lights, UV lights, Plasmawave (Winix's ozone generation feature), etc are all a waste of money as none of these features really do anything worthwhile (and ozone isn't good for you anyway).

There is also an issue with the "air quality" sensors that most of these things use. The manufacturers don't admit it, but their air quality sensors are absolute junk. A decent air quality detection sensor alone costs $200-$400+, so the ones on these cheaper units are not trustworthy and you shouldn't base your purchase on the fact that they have such a sensor (i.e. for an "Auto mode").

The BlueAir Pure 211+ moves a lot of air, but uses a proprietary non-HEPA filter system.

I'm going to post this link, but please research before you buy. Winix has refurbished units with a 1 year warranty for $81.00 plus tax shipped after coupon SAVE10 on their website. The C545 is probably okay, just be aware that its advertised WIFI feature is worthless and rarely works for very long. The reason I say research is that Winix has bad QC and even worse customer support so you could end up with a dud and have difficulty exchanging it.

If you decide to take a chance on a Winix, you are better off buying them from a retail store like Costco or Walmart because you can return them easily. Costco has the Winix C545 for $130.00 plus tax, and Walmart has the Winix 5300-2 for $124 plus tax. My neice has the 5300-2 and says that it helps her. It has four fan settings - the fan isn't loud as long as it is run on medium (the high turbo setting is decently loud), and you can turn the Plasmawave feature off. It also has a timer, as well as a washable pre-filter.

My Coway Airmegas have air quality sensors that do work somewhat. I agree it's a junk science, but argue that when my wife sprays specific cleaners, the light turns red. It actually seems to detect either particles in the air or specific scents... And when it does detect something, the fan speed will pick up to the highest setting. My wife likes keeping one near the kitchen.

 

[Steltek]

Never bothered with one myself, but the statewide energy conservation program funded by a surcharge on electric bills here is heavily discounting energy star models if you buy through their site. Not sure if AZ has a similar program.

Also, check with your local electrical utility for rebate programs. Turns out mine has a $35 rebate program currently ongoing for energy star certified air purifiers that will apply to the one I just purchased for my neice.

 

[manly]

My Coway Airmegas have air quality sensors that do work somewhat. I agree it's a junk science, but argue that when my wife sprays specific cleaners, the light turns red. It actually seems to detect either particles in the air or specific scents... And when it does detect something, the fan speed will pick up to the highest setting. My wife likes keeping one near the kitchen.

In my experience, the Coway AQ sensor is very sensitive and detects pollutants better than my (admittedly poor) sense of smell. Some people complain about this, because it will randomly blast off in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. I realize people do like white noise, but for me, these purifiers are pretty loud on their highest setting. Unlike Winix, the Coway sensor does want (require?) regular cleaning.

I'm not aware that Winix has particularly poor QC. They sell well on Amazon and at Costco, the latter of which normally doesn't like peddling unreliable products. The C545 does have notoriously finicky WiFi, but that is an entirely optional feature. Accordingly to The Wirecutter, Winix did have some customer service problems last year in the midst of the pandemic and western wildfires.

Bang for the buck, I'd suggest a C545 when it's on sale at Costco for $100. An easy return if for some reason you don't like it. For a larger room, Consumer Reports rated the BlueAir Pure 211+ best after their lab tests. I'd recommend and purchase Coway again, but the Airmega 200m is infrequently selling for $120.

 

[Steltek]

In my experience, the Coway AQ sensor is very sensitive and detects pollutants better than my (admittedly poor) sense of smell. Some people complain about this, because it will randomly blast off in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. I realize people do like white noise, but for me, these purifiers are pretty loud on their highest setting. Unlike Winix, the Coway sensor does want (require?) regular cleaning.

I'm not aware that Winix has particularly poor QC. They sell well on Amazon and at Costco, the latter of which normally doesn't like peddling unreliable products. The C545 does have notoriously finicky WiFi, but that is an entirely optional feature. Accordingly to The Wirecutter, Winix did have some customer service problems last year in the midst of the pandemic and western wildfires.

Bang for the buck, I'd suggest a C545 when it's on sale at Costco for $100. An easy return if for some reason you don't like it. For a larger room, Consumer Reports rated the BlueAir Pure 211+ best after their lab tests.

The BlueAir Pure 211+ moves a lot of air (twice the CFM of most other models in its price range). However, it moves so much air because it doesn't actually use a HEPA filter. In lieu of a HEPA filter, it instead uses a "proprietary" combination all-in-one filter. If I was going to get one for a larger room, though, that is probably the one I would get even without the HEPA filter due to the high CFM output. You have to go to a high end $500+ unit to find one that matches its output.

Winix is still having customer service issues. I have a friend that has been trying to send one in for warranty service that he purchased directly from them for over 45 days now and he can't even get them to answer their phones for the RMA authorization. And, when they do answer, they tell him they will have to call him back but then never do. Right straight out of the box, the fan had a rattle like it was going to explode (something that is apparently a known common problem on quite a few forums). He is in the process of disputing the purchase with his credit card as it is apparently the only way to get their attention. The only way I'll buy a Winix is through a retail store like Walmart or Costco that offers easy returns.

 

[rommelrommel]

I have two Sharp FP-F60UW, which don’t seem to get reviewed much anymore. But, they are very quiet and seem to help, we just leave them on auto 24/7. If you stir up dust in the room they speed up, so the sensor does something.

 

[LikeLinus]

I have never used one (and still wouldn't) if it wasn't for my wife. She purchased a nice one back in 2020. That said, I personally don't "use it", but she got it and I'm fine with it. It in the hallway (on the landing between all the bedrooms) of our upstairs where sleep. The odd thing, our cat freaking LOVES it, for unknown reasons! She runs up to it, lays down and does spinning circles around it, on her back, and seems to love it. I have no clue why and I'll never try to speculate what the hell is in a Siamese mind, but she's probably one of the best cat's I've ever had and she loves the damn thing. For that reason alone, I don't question it. Hell, maybe she knows something we don't! lol