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The Pros and Cons of Electronic Air Cleaners

Clean air! What can be wrong with that? So then how can there be both pros and cons to buying and using electronic air cleaners today? And if you are planning on buying one, you're definitely not alone because since 1990 the number of people bringing them into their homes and offices has been on a steady incline.

So the first positive aspect is that for folks who really need them for health reasons, they can be the key to relief. No doubt about that. Especially for people with allergies, asthma, and other breathing disorders. So then what about people who don't need one and buy one anyway? The answer to that, is that for a good percentage, it is an avoidable expense.

Still one more downside is that it's hard to get real usable information on electronic air cleaners. So many numbers, and so many jumbled facts, and so many different combinations of new high tech technologies. Why on earth can't they just make it all more simple to understand, and also how can things like the lifespan of a filter, for instance, apply to all people in all situations?

The answer to that is they can't. Of course the level of the dust and air pollutants coming into your home has a lot to do with the performance of electronic air cleaners and their air scrubbing feature components. So step one for anyone who wants to breath cleaner air in their home, is to seal it up at the doors and windows. Then if you want to allow dander shedding animals into your home, that's your decision to make.

Now for even more plus sides of the argument, and the first one is even if you don't have any health issues that require that the air in your home or place of work be scrubbed, there are still other benefits. Less dust to clean is one, and also you won't find your electrical household appliances and your computer getting gunked up with dust.

Then again a good quality electronic air cleaners of the correct size and power can help to make your home smell more fresh, and clean. Filled with air that's just more pleasant to breathe than it otherwise would be. Then yet one more thing in favor of using electronic air cleaners, is just like so many other consumer electronic products, as the technology has improved, so too have the prices dropped.

In fact it's now possible to bring the exact same level of technology into your home by way of today's electronic air cleaners that hospitals use to scrub their air of germs, and bacteria. A feature that has only recently been made available for homes. Highly advanced technology that uses ultraviolet light waves to kill bacteria, mold, fungus, and disease pathogens on contact.

SUMMARY

• Pro  Proven relief for breathing disorders

• Pro  Less dust to clean and fresher smelling air

• Pro  Less dust gumming up electrical components

• Pro  Hospital grade anti airborne germ and pathogen technology

• Pro  Lower prices on today's better air cleaners

• Con  An added expense you may not even need

• Con  difficult to get information in simple terms

• Con  Lacking effectiveness in an unsealed home

A Good Electronic Air Cleaner to Consider: The Honeywell F50

Type the words “electronic air cleaner” into your computer, and up will pop a veritable smorgasbord of portable units of all types and sizes. Perfect for moving from room to room, and some of the larger models will even service more than one room. But then what about a whole house electronic air cleaner like the Honeywell F50?

There are a few reasons as to why this and other whole house units tend to listed way in the back, after the portable models, and once you read them they may seem familiar to you. They're probably some of the very same reasons why you might tend to skip over them in favor of a portable unit.

Cheaper and Loaded With Catchy Features

Small portables are cheaper than whole house models. They're loaded with lots of features like gauges, and timers etc. Most also remove smaller pollutant particles down to .03 microns, and catch a higher percentage “by volume”. Keeping in mind that is "by volume". Let's face it. No doubt about it. Reading about some of the better, more feature laden portables can be quite impressive.

So then take a "quick look" at a good handful of the reasons why people who chose to go with the internally mounted whole house Honeywell F50 do it, and you may find yourself being equally if not more impressed. A "high volume" electronic air purifier that mounts into your AC duct-work. Completely out of sight.

What About Those Percentage Numbers?

Now don't let the percentage numbers fool you here because even though this unit might catch a lower percentage of suspended dust particles, your AC unit pushes “ far more air” than a smaller portable unit. Do the math and see for yourself that even with lower percentage numbers, the higher volume means that you are getting “more actual air” being cleaned.

What About that Whopping .02 Micron Difference?

It's the same thing with other numbers too. Like the size of dust particles that certain electronic air purifiers will, or will not remove, and the magic number that so many show seems to be .03 microns. Now the Honeywell F50, being a larger, high volume unit, is rated to only go as low as .05 microns. A difference of .02 microns.

The first thing that you have to do here, is not "get lost" in these “microscopic” numbers. Yes there is a difference in .02 microns here, but unless you have a condition that requires as close to sterile air as possible, this infinitesimal number difference should make absolutely no difference to you.

Consider the Higher Air Volume of the Honeywell F50

Also keep in mind that these numbers are rated for machines operating in optimal conditions. Essentially with a new filter. Now once again the high volume of the Honeywell F50 weighs in here because its larger filter will process a much larger amount of air. Smaller units on the other hand require more filter maintenance to operate at optimal conditions.

Finally a Much Cleaner AC System

Then the last thing to take into account, is that because the Honeywell F50 sits at the front end of the air intake of your AC duct system, it filters “all the air” before it goes through it. This in turn means that your heating and cooling coils stay so much cleaner, as well as the actual air ducts that under normal circumstances would function as giant dust, and pollen depository in your home.

The Bottom Line

So while you will pay more for the Honeywell F50, when you consider the performance factors and the actual volume of air being cleaned in "your entire home", it's by far the better deal. Also with this unit, not only do you get all the air in your entire home scrubbed, but your AC unit, and all the duct-work as well is kept clean and dust free.

Other Popular Options in Portable Air Cleaners

Then again there can be more than one good reason why a whole house system may not be for you. For instance maybe your home isn't even equipped with a central air conditioning system, or perhaps you're living in a rental. Then again maybe you're just like so many other folks and you simply want a “moderately priced” unit that will suffice in your main living area during the days, and in your bedroom at night.

The Hamilton Beach 04383

If this is your case then one bit of shopping advice, is rather then doing hours of tedious online research, simply follow the pack and go with a “proven popular” selling model like the Hamilton Beach 04383 HB TrueAir Allergen Reducer Air Purifier. At around $50 US you can't beat the price for a one room unit, and its permanent vacuum clean hepa filter means no ongoing expense for replacement filters.

Another nice thing about this popular selling air cleaner, is that it has “no high tech” extra features to run the price up and be the source of future malfunctions. Just one simple knob on top of its tower design that turns it on, and off with a three speed option. It's rated for 160 square feet which works out to be 13' by 12'. About the size of your average sized bedroom.

Holmes HAP 242-UC

Then there's the "very popular" Holmes HAP 242-UC desk top electronic air purifier that falls within about the same price range as the Hamilton beach 04383. It's also similar in that it's a simple featureless "problem free" design that only has a three level power knob, and an off-on switch. There are however, some very noteworthy differences with this particular make and model.

For instance the Holmes HAP 242-UC advanced “multi-stage” hepa filter system is designed remove odors and trap particles down to .02 microns in size. Highly unusual for an air purifier this size and in this low price range. Still one more difference, is that this model doesn't have a permanent "vacuum clean" filter system, so it does require periodic replacements. It's also rated for fewer square feet. 109, while the Hamilton beach 04383 is rated for 160.

Selecting what type of air filtration system that you want to use in your home really is a balancing act. You see, the technology that's available now allows you to go pretty much as far as you want, but in the end it all costs money. That is the higher volume of air that you want clean, and the cleaner you want it to be, the more it's going to cost you.

Try to understand that the tighter and more exacting the particle removal specifications are on the filter, the more resistance it or they are going to put on the airflow. So the more powerful your machine will have to be. Take your time and look all your options over before you make any final decision because over a years time the cost of filters can add up to a substantial amount of money.

Still one more thing to keep in mind as you compare how long any given disposable filter will last, is that really that type of information is highly speculative. How well is your home sealed up for instance, and do you live in the city or out in the country along a dusty road? Then again how clean do you need to have your air? So a three month air filter for one person can turn out to be a one month filter for another.

Ionic Breeze Filters

Ionic Breeze air purifiers use what is called “ionic technology” to filter out suspended particles from the air. It's a system of electrically charged metal plates that in fact function like “dust magnets” to electrically charge then attract and grab onto suspended particles that flow over them. So these are tall “standing tower” designs that never need replacement filters.

Instead the metal plates are periodically removed, wiped down or held under running water, and then replaced back in the machine. Do be aware though that while these systems can remove particles at or below .03 microns they tend to have some of the lower trap percentage rates. On the plus side though they are very quiet, and energy efficient.

Honeywell Air Purifier Filters

There are few things about Honeywell air purifier filters worth mentioning, and one of them is what they have done with the tower air purifier. Once pretty much exclusively available only as an ionic system, Honeywell now has several models that operate with conventional filter technology as well as a few models that combine ionic and conventional filters into one system.

Their round barrel designs in a handful of Honeywell models have also become very popular since they were introduced. Amazing amounts of filter square footage is folded up in an “accordion fashion” in these wrap around filters that have no side edges to leak. Instead because they are round they compression seal tightly with rubber gaskets on the top and bottom.

Holmes Air Purifier Filters

Holmes air purifiers are different in the low actual cost of their average unit and the vast diversity that they offer in their filter selection. Even if you don't end up going with a Holmes unit, they're well worth reading about just to pour over all that they offer. So many filter types for such affordable machines. Even humidifying filters and a machine with an actual nanny camera, and DVD recorder built into it.

So let there be no doubt about it but that the target market for this company is “filter fanatics”. People for whom the standard three, one, or two stage system just won't do. Yet who at the same time don't want to spend more than $200 for the actual unit. They're a filter company that offers the actual air purifiers as a sideline, so they have little if anything in the way of reusable filters.

Hunter Air Purifier Filters

Hunter is another company that gained a reputation for selling affordable air purifiers that required expensive filters, and it has gotten even worse with some of the models they discontinued from their QuietFlo line. In fact believe it or not you can now buy some models online for less than it costs to pay for new filters for the machine, which is a bit odd to say the least.

If a hepa filter system is what you're after. Or perhaps a system that combines a hepa filter with a pre-filter, carbon odor filter, and ultraviolet air sterilization technology is what you have in mind? they have it. It's their newer tower models that offer so many new combinations, ranging from a lower priced simple one filter unit, to something like what's listed above. A more powerful system that combines multiple air scouring technologies.

Sharper Image Filters

Sharper Image really doesn’t have anything in the way of air purifiers or replacement filters that would fall into the “affordable”, or low end category. Now they do have a few micro models but anyone who knows anything about air cleaners knows that small battery powered or wall socket units are pretty much a waste of money.

The larger units that Sharper Images is most recognized for though, like their Blueair models tend to be efficient productive machines, even if you can pay up to $100 for a Blueair replacement filter. Now keep in mind that these high tech carbon fiber filters will capture particles down to .01 microns in size which is far smaller than the vast majority of machines on the market are capable of removing.

Whirlpool Air Purifier Filters

Whirlpool is home to what they call Wispure technology. A complete line of air cleaners ranging from smaller affordable models all the way up to larger full featured units with their most powerful selling in the area of some $300. All of them feature no nonsense rectangular lines, and all are floor models.

Still one more nice thing about them is that for the most part they all feature straight forward three stage pre-filter, carbon filter, and main filter systems, with some featuring hepa filter technology. It doesn't end there though because their filters on average tend to be some of the longest lasting and most reasonably priced you can find on the market.

Honeywell air purifiers are one of the most recommended air filtrating systems by both consumers and experts today.  A quick look at various top 10 lists of today’s best purifiers and Honeywell easily bags a spot in the top 5, often ranking 1^st.  The reason is simple, Honeywell air purifiers live up to the major standard being set for air purifiers and that is the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR).  CADR measures the amount of particulates in the air cleaned or cleared off every minute and this is measured by cubic feet.  Honeywell air purifiers have really good CADRs that adhere to this standard.

How well an air purifier cleans the air is largely dependent on its filters. A typical Honeywell air purifier is lodged with a pre-filter and the main filter (which is a HEPA filter or High Efficiency Particulate Air filter).  The pre-filter extends the life of the main filter by trapping larger particles like pet fur and hair dust.  In the case of Honeywell air purifiers, pre-filters and made of carbon which means that they also trap or adsorb odors that the main filter would not be able to remove.

Honeywell air purifiers’ HEPA filters pass the 99.7% industry requirement of capacity to remove airborne particles.  These filters are able to filter particles having the sizes of at least 0.3 microns and these include: pet allergens (.3 to 100 microns), dust and dust mite allergens (10-40 microns), pollens (10-100 microns), plant spores (10-70 microns), airborne fungi spores (0.5 to 5 microns), airborne mold spores (2-20 microns), and larger particles of tobacco smoke (0.003 to 0.04 microns).

In summary, if you are on the lookout for an effective filtration system for your home, you can’t go wrong with a Honeywell air purifier.  Just be sure to check out all the features of each Honeywell air purifier model.  Each model is made to fit a particular area in your home.  The really silent ones are perfect for your bedroom, for example, and their CADR are perfect for smaller areas.  The rest of the models have higher CADR and are reasonable options to clean bigger areas of your home.

While there are plenty of choices in air purifier these days and most have rendered to be far more sophisticated than most, most people would often go for value for their money.  Even more would look for the most affordable ones and one of the brands that comes to mind is Holmes air purifier.  With prices ranging for as low as just over 10 dollars, it is no surprise that Holmes air purifiers are worth looking into.

With an affordable price range, you have to make it a point to check the specifications of air purifiers and see how and if these affordable products can indeed meet your needs.  Holmes air purifiers are cheaper than most because it covers a smaller space than its hundreds of competition.  Does this necessary relate to quality? The good thing is that HEPA filters have standards these days and it is safe to say that Holmes can pretty much perform, if the user uses it as the brand intends, as most air purifiers.

Holmes® Smoke Grabber® Ashtray with carbon filter absorbs smoke and odor

Holmes air purifiers have very modern designs with much flexibility as to its positioning options; most of the designs can be placed horizontally or vertically.  Holmes also has very interesting niche products like the Smoke Grabber Ashtray, Pet Odor Purifier and Desktop Air Purifier.  The rest of its product lines go by the standard HEPA-type filter that removes up to 99% of airborne particles as small as 2 microns from the air passing through it.  Other models feature remote control capabilities, ionizer, and Arm & Hammer^® Baking Soda added to the filter to help remove common household odors.

One of the few known problems associated with Holmes air purifiers is that they’re very difficult to clean and most would just buy new filters altogether which can be quite expensive in the long run.  Others say it is rather loud in the small spaces they are intended for.  In the end, it all boils down to what you, the customer, values most in an air purifier.

Air Oasis AO 1000 Apartment Air Purifier

Most highly-recommended air purifiers are the HEPA filter types with a multi-layered filtration system. But there’s actually one that I find rather interesting, have credible claims and, therefore, really worth looking into. The Air Oasis air purifiers are oftentimes, if not always, mistaken as one of those harmful, ozone-producing air filters or purifiers and when we speak of ozone, people usually bolt for the door in a heartbeat. This Air Oasis air purifier review will give you a rundown of what this purifier is and what it isn’t.

The Air Oasis air purifier is NOT another harmful ozone producing product. It is a PCO (photocatalytic oxidation) purifier with a patent-pending nano technology that is derived from NASA technology. What it does is it releases ions that react with various pollutants in the air. Now, ozone levels will always be present and while other purifiers exceed the FDA-approved levels, Air Oasis not only matches the FDA level but also that of the ozone levels of forest air.

Are PCO purifiers better than HEPA filters?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say, yes, it is. Well, potentially, it is if you make sure that you your PCO isn’t a cheap replica or make that uses the cheapest catalyst metal in the market. Air Oasis air purifier’s Nickel Hydrated Catalytic Technology or Nickel HCT uses five metals as catalyst that not only cleans the air but sanitizes surfaces as well. It does this without the need for a fan to force the air into the purifier. On top of that it can get rid of microns as small as 0.001, a size HEPA filters cannot do alone. It works with a broad spectrum of UV light that have the same oxidizing and ionizing function as the sun. This technology has also been employed by meat sectors and has proven to reduce bacteria in processing plants.

In a nutshell, it works like this: the purifier releases catalysts in the air that will bond harmful particles (microorganisms, bacteria and mold) and toxins (including toxic gases) in the air. The broad-spectrum UV light will react with these catalysts and burn the target particles.

Is this the same as purifiers that use UV lights?

Most of these UV light purifiers rely on the germicidal UV light alone which can only zap bacteria on contact and do not have the capacity to get rid of allergens or smoke. The Air Oasis air purifier has catalysts that will not require the target particles to come in contact with the UV lamp to be destroyed. These catalysts also make it possible for air particles (including cigarette smoke, odors and VOC’s ) to be adsorbed onto their surfaces.

With all that said, the Air Oasis air purifier is truly on a league of its own with studies and research to test its technology. Air Oasis air purifier reviews also abound online and those who have used the product can attest to its effectiveness. The purifier is reasonably priced, requires zero maintenance for three years, comes with a warranty, is energy-efficient and aesthetically appealing for the powerhouse that it is.

Alive Air Purifier

I’m not an asthma sufferer but 3 out 5 people close to me suffer from the condition.  It is hard to be around them because their asthma triggers are usually invisible to the naked eye and once they’re hit, they’re hit bad.  They either end up taking tabs, puffs or get nebulized in worst-case scenarios.  There have been known side effects of these medicines, thankfully I haven’t witnessed any of my friends of family getting to that end and I would prefer not to ever have to witness that.

I’ve read online that air purifiers can help asthma sufferers and so I looked it up.  There are actually different kinds of air purifiers for asthma and allergy and it is overwhelming to have to pick among the many choices you are afforded of.  You have to know what the triggers are because each allergen can’t be addressed by a single form of filtration.  Carbon filter, for example, are only good for adsorption of fumes or smoke but it can’t do anything to molds or bacteria and pet dander or pollen; you will need a UV light irradiation system or an ionizer and pre-filter or electrostatic dust plate for the last two, respectively.

There plenty of factors to consider too before you purchase and one of which that I am particularly concerned of is the noise level of the machines.  It seems that the more sophisticated the filtration system of an air purifier, the louder it gets and the pricier!  Having said, you have to be the wise shopper and do your research.

Intelli-Pro Air Purifier

So far I’ve seen very sophisticated air purifiers that incorporate six of the leading technologies used in today’s air purifiers including the pre filter, HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, germicidal UV lamp, ionizer and electronic dust collection plates or grids.  Air purifiers with these six stages are often times referred to as the 9-stage system because they also have air pollution sensors that automatically switches your air purifier’s performance , diagnostic sensor alerts that will warn you when it’s time to wash the filters and Anion Continuous Negative Ion Generation that creates healthy properties of negative ions.

The Alive Air Purifier, Advance Pure Air Newport 9000 Air Purifier and the Surround Air XJ-3800 Intelli-Pro Air Purifier have all these features and they come highly recommended.  They are my top picks for this category.  These latest models of 9-stage systems are quiet, compact and they are very easy on the eyes, if not eye candies, with their modern designs.  Lastly, these air purifiers are reasonably priced; great options for home use.

See larger image Holmes HEPA-Type Air Purifier - Small (HAP242-UC) (Electronics) List Price: $84.44 USD New From: $42.04 In Stock

Over the past decade or so, amazing progress has been made in miniaturizing air purifiers. At the same time, following the trend in ever more affordable household electrical appliances, prices on these new and often palm sized cheap air purifiers have only continued to slide. Even so, before you make your final decision on which one to take home, there are a few facts you may like to know.

For instance even in larger models, ionic air purifiers don't process a lot of air, if they don't have a fan in them. Yes the ionic action alone will move air through the system but at a very low rate. What this means, is that you really can't expect a whole lot of performance out of any of the smaller less expensive ionic air purifiers.

On a positive note, ionic air purifiers are effective odor killers and that even includes the smaller models. So for localized, confined areas where odors are a problem, such as around a kitty litter box, a small ionic unit may be the perfect solution. Ionic smokeless ash treys are another example of ionic air freshening in a confined space.

There is also a huge selection of surprisingly inexpensive smaller hepa air purifiers to choose from as well. Now a hepa filter system will always have a fan in it regardless of its size, so they do tend to process more air. Even so, keep in mind that a $15 unit is not going to take care of a whole room. It just can't move enough air.

Basic smaller hepa air purifiers aren't as efficient at odor killing as ionic cleaners but they do a better job of cleaning the air of dust and other suspended air particles, such as smoke and ambient oil mist. Areas where smaller cheap air purifiers might be put to effective use are perhaps at a workshop table or in your kitchen near the stove.

Before you buy any smaller hepa filter air purifier you need to read up on its filter. How often does it have to be changed and how much does each one cost? You may be surprised at how many smaller hepa air purifiers appear to be a great bargain, until you do the math on filter costs and find out you'll be spending the same amount over time that you would on a larger unit.

• Consistent 5 star Amazon ratings

• Dual sensors for both hepa and carbon pre-filters

• 30 day trial period

If you're wondering why every time you go to look online for a Whirlpool air purifier, you continually run into the Whispure line? It's because in essence they are a Whirlpool air purifier. Whispure is a company that markets them through a licensing agreement with Whirlpool. It's a common business practice today.

The Whispure line consists of three models and all of them come with a unique option that you simply won't find anywhere else. That is a 30 day unconditional money back guarantee that you will be completely satisfied with their Quiet Partner system. It's marketed as the quietest high efficiency air purifier technology available today.

I checked on Amazon and found that all three units that they have in their lineup register consistent five star user review ratings, across the board. Now you do see consistent high ratings on air purifiers as you research them but very rarely a consistent five star rating. What this means, is that people who have already bought them like them a lot. All three models are Energy Star certified.

Model AP25030K

Lets start out with their most affordable unit, the AP25030K, which is priced on the companies main site at $250. Right away I see something that jumps out at me that I like. That is that it comes with two filter replacement warning lights. One for the carbon pre-filter and one for the main hepa filter. Now this makes just so much sense and I'll tell you why.

That is that it's the outer carbon pre-filters that gunk up the fastest. That's the one filter that you're going to need a warning system to stay on top of. I have always wondered about air cleaner manufacturers that tout how their hepa filters only need to be changed or cleaned very six months and that they have a warning light to tell you when the six months is up. That's what a calendar is for!

Now it's rated at 320 square feet, yet in the next sentence it says that it filters the air in that 320 square foot room 4.8 times per hour. Myself I like to see an air purifier process a room 6 times per hour in order to register its square footage, so I do believe that Whirlpool air purifier specs are a bit over rated in this area. Even so, they do put up some very respectable CADR numbers.

Those are 205 for dust, smoke and pollen. It also clears the air of 99.97% of all particulate matter down to .03 microns that passes through it, just as the other two models do. So even if this machine processes the air in a large room 4.8 times per hour, which is basically 1.2 times less than 6, it does an above average job of cleaning it. So then what about convenience features?

As a matter of fact it has none, beyond its three speed fan switch. Of course this is why even tough its the base model in the line, it also comes with a 5 year manufacturers warranty on all parts and labor. You see I've noticed one correlation over the past couple of years on affordable air purifiers. That is the more snazzy convenience features LED lighting, timers, etc, the shorter the warranty, if the unit even has one.

Model AP45030K

Now I really do find it odd how Whirlpool air purifiers moves from the AP25030K up to this next model, the AP45030K. In essence you get about twice the air purifier for just $50 more. You see it's priced at $300 on the companies site, yet its numbers come pretty close to doubling. That's 490 square feet, processing the room 4.8 times per hour this time and bigger CADR numbers too. 328-dust, 317-smoke, 350-pollen.

So then is there anything different about this model, other than its $50 price boost and larger numbers? At 26 pounds it is a bit heavier, so this model and the next one shown below it do come with rolling casters. Other then that however, it's pretty much the same as the model above in that area. It does have two filters sensors by the way and the same five year warranty and 30 day trial period.

Model AP51030K

Just as with the previous model, you're going to have to pay $50 more for this ($350) one according to the companies main site pricing structure. However; unlike the last step up, you get a heck of a lot more in the way of high tech gadgetry for your added $50. This model, just like the previous two Whirlpool air purifiers also comes with a free 30 day trial period and a complete 5 year warranty as well.

Now I was a little bit disappointed to see that the square foot rating on this AP51030K is just a measly ten feet more than the above listed previous model. You have to wonder if it really does process ten more square feet of air or if they simply fudged the numbers. Personally I just can't see one model have such a limited capacity over another one in the same lineup.

This model also comes with a fourth fan speed setting that's labeled “turbo”. I think a simple # 4 would have sufficed just fine but if they want to call it “turbo” it's their right to do so. Its CADR number is listed as 330, so I suppose that's an average of all three, dust, smoke and pollen. Also you just can't miss that this unit comes with a nice lighted digital readout screen. Of course it also has two filter replacement sensors.

See larger image Vornado Whole Room Air Purifier (Kitchen)

• A consistent 4-5 star Amazon rating

• Vortex air distribution technology

• Amazingly low price
  

Just like so many other companies during this last recession the Vornado Air Purifier company scaled its production line way back. So far back, that as far as I can tell, they currently only have one model that they manufacture and that's their model AQS 500.

Not to worry though because this company has been around for decades and is heavily diversified into several other types of environmental and airflow control systems. Also this one model that they have scaled down to is very highly rated with more than its share of positive attributes.

Vornado Air Purifier Vortex Technology Explained

Vornado AQS 500

The main selling point of all Vornado airflow products is that they incorporate vortex technology. This is true but I do believe that in this case, the technology is a bit over rated. Does it help? Yes it does but not to the extent that the people at Vornado would like to have you believe. So then just what is vortex technology.

In a nut shell, it's the means by which an air current is induced to spin as it flows. Picture a tornado in your head and that is a picture of a classic vortex. Vortex technology in the Model AQS 500 forces the air to spin as it leaves the machine, for a far wider distribution pattern.

Even so, in my mind it takes a lot more than spinning air to make a great air purifier and this machine does in fact have them. To start out with, at $100 which is the listed for it on the companies main site, the model AQS 500 is a great deal, considering all that it has and does. It also garners consistent 4 and 5 star ratings on Amazon.com

This Vornado air purifier is rated for 255 square feet, which is almost unheard of in a unit in its price range. Under normal circumstances you can expect to easily pay twice that much for a machine that can process 255 square feet. So then what kind of actual CADR numbers does it deliver? Would you believe 149 for dust, 102 for smoke and 185 for pollen?

It delivers these types of numbers by way of two “not one” electrostatically charged hepa filters. Electrostatically charged means that the filter fibers themselves have a slight static charge that enables them to better capture and hold onto ambient particles. It is proven technology that's in wide use by a number of manufacturers.

For features the Vornado air purifier model AQS 500 also delivers a lot for its price range. They include personal setting that are displayed with LED lighting, three fan speeds and an automatic filter change indicator. Now its one drawback is that it's not as quiet as other competing units. This is due to its vortex fan being mounted on the top surface. It also comes with a 5 year warranty.

See larger image Bionaire BAP1412-U PERMAtech Mini Tower Air Cleaner (Kitchen) List Price: $69.99 USD New From: $47.99 In Stock Used from: $35.00 In Stock

• Find out about combined ionic and hepa technologies

• Check out pricing on their three models

The Bionaire air purifier line occupies its place in a very competitive market. The air purifier business has always been competitive but this years long recession has only served to make it more. Hence; just like so many other manufactures, Bionaire has scaled its product line back rather extensively.

Beware of Fake Online Negetive Reviews

Tower no remote $159

Now one problem you may have is fake product reviews that have been posted online. They're pretty common in all online product and business genres but they seem to have picked up in recent times. They can at times leave you scratching your head with the astounding negative claims that contain.

Bionaire Air Purifier Consumer Approval Ratings

In the end, the quickest way to find out what previous buyers thought of an air purifier, is to click to Amazon.com. Just type in what ever it is that you're interested in checking out and up will pop a whole selection of them, along with their “Amazon consumer approval star rating”.

What About Replacement Filters?

Now as stated above, this company has trimmed its line back extensively. Even so, you can still find their discontinued air purifiers being marketed on sites that specialize in clearance products of this type. Now for the time being, Bionaire Air Purifiers still stocks and sells replacement filters for all of them but this can't go on for ever.

Their Filters are Reasonably Priced

It's only a matter of time until they stop stocking them in the hopes of forcing consumers to buy a new Bionaire air purifier, or they'll simply jack the prices up on their replacement filters. That's the more likely scenario and it would be a shame too because their filters tend to be quite reasonably priced, comparatively speaking.

It's Basically Just the Permatech Line Now

Permatech Tower with remote $139

Now when I checked to companies main website, it shows them carrying basically three air purifiers and all of them are in their Permatech line. This means that they no longer make any of the nifty smaller units that they used to. It's a trend that seems to be pervasive throughout the industry as a whole.

The Permatech Tower Models

One noteworthy feature of these Permatech air purifiers though, is that they combine both ionic and hepa filter technology. Even so, the largest of them all is their Permatech Tower model that covers 170 square feet. They also have another model listed as simply The Permatech Tower that has a remote control. It's also listed for 170 square feet.

The Permatech Mini Tower

The baby in their lineup is simply called The Permatech Mini Tower and it in fact has no listing showing how may square feet it will cover. This of course can be taken to mean that it must not be much. Even so, as small as this unit is, it too comes with combined hepa and ionic air filtration technology built into it.