Air Purifier GO!

See larger image Honeywell 50250 99.97% Pure HEPA Round Air Purifier (Kitchen) List Price: $210.99 USD New From: $164.89 In Stock Used from: $89.99 In Stock Release date September 15, 2005.

• What is a hepa filter?

• What is the very best hepa air purifier available?

• What about filter costs?

Hepa air purifiers have been around since the mid 1940s. They were in fact developed by the U.S. Government for the atomic bomb program during WW2. They needed a very exacting filter to protect the workers for airborne atomic particles. So then what does the word hepa even mean anyway?

No Official Standards for Hepa Air Purifiers

Would you believe that hepa is an anitialism for the words (high efficiency particulate air)? Also would you believe that there are no real official standards that govern how exacting a hepa filter has to be? There are however, accepted norms in the industry that dictate a filter of this type must stop 99.97% of particles .03 microns and above in size.

What About 99.97% Down to .01 Microns?

This is why you may have already noticed that most common hepa air purifiers, for the most part stick to these specifications. So then can you buy an air purifier that uses this type of filtration system that can do better than that? You bet you can but bear in mind that filters in general are balancing act.

The Better the Filter the Higher the Cost

That is the tighter their specifications and the smaller the particles they remove, the more expensive they tend to be. So how expensive can they get? Very expensive as a matter of fact, with some of the better filters costing several hundred dollars.

Filters that Cost More than the Machine??

A $250 30 pound air filter for an Austin Air Healthmate.

In fact if you have to make sure to check the actual cost of the filters and how often they need replacing on any air cleaning system you are considering. This is because it's not at all uncommon today for the cost of filter changes in some machines to exceed the actual cost of the machine, over a couple of years time.

To Change or to Vacuum - That is the Question

Another thing to consider, if your have severe allergies is what the actual changing of filters on any hepa air purifiers entails. You see some models will advertize that that their filters only require a vacuuming, rather than a complete change-out. For someone with severe allergies though this dusty job may be out of the question.

99.995% is Pretty Much Everything in the Air!

So then just what is the efficiency rating of the all time best hepa air purifiers that are available? Those would be medical grade commercial air purifiers. The type you would find filtering the air in an operating room. They go all the way down to an amazing 99.995%.

See larger image IQ Air HealthPro Compact Air Purifier/ Cleaner (Kitchen) List Price: Price Not Listed New From: Check Amazon For Pricing In Stock Used from: $660.00 In Stock

How does the Iqair HealthPro stack up against it nearest competitor?

• .01 microns verses .03 microns

• 1,000 sq feet verses 1,500 sq feet

• What about filter costs?

It's an established fact that the Iqair HealthPro air purifier does come with some hefty accolades. Category winner at the Allergy Buyers Club. Best air purifier featured in Wired Magazine. Consumer Digest Best Buy Award and Product of the Year at Reviewboard Magazine.

The Iqair HealthPro - Multiple Awards

Two Very Similar Machines to Compare

Even so, it's not the only show in town and what impressed those judges may not in fact be what you're looking for. I offer up the Austin Air HealthMate as a case in point. A very similar machine, yet with some very notable differences that need to be taken into account.

Is the Iqair HealthPro the Best Machine for You?

So then is either one the better machine? The truth is that one may be better for one person, while for another person the other machine may be the best choice. Once again it all comes down to what each party is looking for and expects from an air purifier.

Rectangular Plain Looking High Performance Workhorses

To start out with, on the the surface they're both very similar looking machines. They're both squat and hefty no nonsense designs that put function far ahead of form. In short, both of these machines were meant to be admired for their performance much more then for their racy looks.

The Iqair filter system

Multi-Stage Exacting Hepa Filter Systems

They both also scoop and blow a lot of air and they are also both in the same price range. They also both boast multi-stage high performance filter systems with one that goes beyond the three stage range that most of the best systems on the market offer.

The Iqair HealthPro Traps Particles Down to .01 Microns

It's these filter systems that also make both the Iqair HealthPro and the Austin Air HealthMate so attractive to serious allergy sufferers. However; here we run into one crucial difference. That is that the Iqair traps particles down to .01 microns, while the Austin Air only goes down to .03 microns. Even so, don't decide yet!

One More Difference in their Filter Systems

This is because you may want to know that the Austin Air comes with a complete four stage filter system, while the Iqair comes with a two stage system that can be upgraded to three. It's missing its activated charcoal gas trapping stage. Sound odd?

The Austin Air HealthMate filter with 15 pounds of activated charcoal

Both Come With Pricey Filter Systems

Well it won't sound so odd once you find out how much the complete filter system costs. The pre-filter costs around $129. The hepa filter will run you around $189 at replacement time and if you want to add the V5-Cell gas trapping filter that it came without, it's going to cost you around $90.

There really is a Lot to Consider

So with the complete filter system your up well over $300, while a comparable four stage system on the competing Austin air model costs about $100 dollars less. So it's a more expensive filter that traps smaller air particles. On the other hand the Austin Air filter contains 15 pounds of charcoal. It's a much better gas trapper.

Just One More Filter Aspect to Consider

Now it doesn't end there because the Austin Air Filter comes as one complete unit that requires changing only once every five years. On the other hand, the more exacting filter system on the Iqair HealthPro comes in three separate units that need changing every two to four years. Each component is different.

So Round and Round You Go

So round and round you go. It's all about what you want in a filter system and how much you're willing to pay for it. While the Iqair system has a better .01 micron hepa filter that costs more, the Austin air has a cheaper .03 micron hepa filter that also includes a far more advanced gas trapping element.

The Iqair HealthPro is Rated for 1,000 Square Feet

Now as the Iqair HealthPro does a better job of trapping finer ambient air particles it's also is rated for 1,000 square feet. That's 500 square feet less than the competing Austin air model that's rated for 1,500 square feet. So that's just one more difficult decision that you're going to have to make.

One black knob with three settings on the Austin Air

One Plain Black Knob With Three Fan Settings

Now when it comes to the topic of function and convenience features the Austin Air really has nothing to talk about. It has none. This is because its one sole operational feature is a basic black knob on its side, that has a total of 3 fan settings. That's it. You simply turn it on and adjust the speed.

Now that's a Nice Feature to Have

On the other hand, the Iqair HealthPro has one very sensible feature that you might like. This is the automatic fan adjusting air pollution sensor. What it does, is monitor the air pollution level and adjust the fan accordingly up or down as the levels change in any given environment.

Both Come With a Five Year Warranty

Both systems have a five year warranty and they both also are built from the highest quality parts and materials that are available and that includes their continuous use motors. So now you can see that which machine you choose really comes down to what your basic priorities are.

See larger image Austin Air HealthMate - Sandstone (Kitchen) List Price: $449.99 USD New From: $479.95 In Stock

• What are the best options for allergy sufferers?

• Is your home sealed up properly?

• Find out about whole house allergy air purifiers!

If you suffer from a dust or pollen allergy, air purifiers are definitely an option that you should be taking a close look at. Even so, before you get started comparison shopping, there are a few things that you need to know. Things that can make all the difference in how you feel.

Dirty air duct - Before/After

Here's Something to Consider!

For instance, have you ever considered having your central air conditioning duct-work cleaned? If your home and its system is more than a few years old, the air lines in the attic may be caked with dust and fibers. It's also a relatively inexpensive job to have done.

One More Place to Block Out the Air Pollution

Another thing that you will want to look into is having your exterior doors sealed up. All it involves, is screwing or nailing a door brush on the bottom of each door to close up the open air passageway that may exist there. These two items are very crucial!

Allergy Air Purifiers and Their Numbers

You see as you compare allergy air purifiers, your going to be faced with several numbers. All of these numbers square footage ratings, etc. have to do with how well any unit processes air. The manufacturers basically speak in terms of how large and how many rooms any given unit can handle.

Any Sized Unit May Not Be Enough

What virtually all of them fail to mention though, is that if your home is unsealed or has a dirty AC duct-work, any unit of any size may not be enough. After all, it takes couple of hours at least for the air in a room to be thoroughly processed even in the best of conditions.

What About a Whole House Unit?

So now on to actual allergy air purifiers and what may work best for your particular condition. To begin with, have you considered a whole house unit? One that connects up directly to your AC duct-work and handles the air in your entire home? Honeywell has several to select from and their cheapest model only costs a little over $100.

The Honeywell F500 whole house model

The Honeywell F500 Whole House Model

Their most expensive model the F500 costs upwards of $800 to $900, depending on options but if you do the math, it's still most likely a cheaper option than buying more than one unit for handling more than one room in your home. Also one large allergy air purifier means that you don't have several dirty filter to mess with.

A Big Heavy Duty Workhorse

So then, what if your allergies are extreme and you don't want to go through the hassle of having a whole house unit installed? In this case one model worth looking into is the Austin Air Healthmate. It's not a cheap unit but it is rated to process up to a full 1300 square feet of floor space.

One of the Biggest and Best Portable Allergy Air Purifiers

That's not all because this particular allergy air purifier is a veritable air pollution gathering beast. It features a four stage filter system that weighs some thirty pounds. This monster filter actually contains some 15 pounds of activated charcoal and get this. It only has to be changed once every five years.

Just whats so different about the Austin Air Healthmate?

• How about a unique four stage filter?

• How about a free 30 day trial period?

• How about a whopping 15 pound charcoal filter?

The Austin Air Healthmate series, if you can call two duplicate machines a series, really does appear to be a breath of fresh air. (pardon the pun) You see in all the years that I've been researching and reviewing consumer products, I have noticed an all too familiar pattern.

Finally a Truly Different Air Purifier

That is that each new brand and their lineup of models all too often seems to be just a reshuffling of the deck. That all the competing brands really resembled one another in their functions and features far more than they differ. Different prices and different shapes but basically the same offerings in different packages.

The Total Simplicity of the Austin Air Healthmate

So it sure is nice to see an air purifier like the Austin air line that truly has something new and interesting worth reading about. At the same time, these head turning machines offer not one convenience feature option. In fact all you get is a big black knob to turn it on and adjust the flow rate with.

You Do Get to Choose Your Color Though

Sound enticing? Hardly not! Just keep on reading though because it gets real interesting from here. Also before I get into the technical end of things, I might as well give you the desert first. That is that this company is the only one that I know of that lets you choose what color you machine is.

Don't Call Your Interior Decorator Just Yet

You get to pick from a selection of sandstone, black, white, silver, and midnight blue. Now before you get all excited and call your interior decorator I might as well tell you now that these machine have all the designer cache as your average kitchen garbage container. They're basically rectangular boxes on a set of wheels. With a knob on it.

Now Who Else Offers Color Choices??

So the think tank that came up with the concept of the Austin Air Healthmate has left their competition in the dust as far as color choices are concerned but there has to be more to it than that. After all they have to offer something, just in case someone decides to turn theirs on. Something more than a knob on the side.

Count Em! - A Four Stage Filter System

They do and would you believe that these machines actually operate with a four stage filter system. That's right! While all their competitors were busy gloating over their three stage filter systems, the folks at Austin Air snuck another fourth stage onto theirs. Sheer genius! What brazen individual though of going beyond three stages??

An Arm Bending 15 Pounds of Activated Charcoal

It doesn't end there though because their third stage in this four stage system, is a carbon filter that contains a full 15 pounds of activated charcoal. You read that correctly! That's a whopping 15 pounds of gas trapping activated charcoal in one filter system! Here all the while the other companies had you so impressed with their whimpy disposable carbon infused blankets.

A Full 60 Feet of Medical Grade Hepa Filter - Pleated of Course

Now if that sounds impressive then read on because the fourth stage of this four part filter system, is a medical grade hepa filter (traps germs and viruses) that's a full 60 feet long. The way that they fit 60 feet of hepa filter into the machine is by pleating it. It's arranged in a folded framework.

So Just What Does a Large Particle Filter Catch??

Now of course there are to more stages to this filter system on steroids and the first one is what they call a “large particle filter”. It filters out large particles, (as its name suggests). The second filter in the four stage system is a medium particle filter. It filters out medium particles, (as its name suggests).

An Air Purifier With a 1500 Square Foot Rating?!?

It's all just too sensible! So now you're probably wondering how many square feet this unit is rated for and the fact it has a massive 1500 sq foot rating. The Austin Air Healthmate is also rated for 250 square feet of air per minute when its turned up to its highest setting.

How Much Pollution is in Your Square Feet Anyway?

If you stop to think about it square footage ratings really are a bunch of hot air. (pardon the pun). This is because they completely fail to take into account how much actual air pollution and dust is being generated in a home or business. That's what really matters!

So how many sq feet is your machine rated for??

Just Like Ordering Drinks at Burger King

Now that 250 square feet of air rating only counts for their large Austin Air Healthmate. You see I completely failed to mention that they're the only company that offers their air purifiers in “large and small models” No confusing model code numbers. Just large and small. It's just all too simple! I love it!!

A 30 Day Money Back Trial Period

So now you're wondering if this all sounds “too crazy”. After all, like the old adage goes, “if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is”. Well not to worry because the makers of the Austin Air Healthmate offer a complete 30 day money back satisfaction guarantee. If you don't like it just send it back!

Not Really the Cheapest Machines Out There

The one catch is that these machines really are not your most affordable option. The larger model sells for around $500 and the Austin Air Healthmate Junior retails in the area of $350. There is just one thing to consider though and that is that the filters on these machines are guaranteed to last 5 years, which saves you heck of a lot of money of filters.

Breaking the Air Filter Habit - Just Say No!

By the way, while were on the topic of filters, I might as well inform you that filter purchases are one of the biggest scams running today. Go ahead and do the math on what replacement filters will cost you on a cheaper competing model and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it adds up to some $300 over a five year period.

Fan and Motor:

Centrifugal fan 3 Speed control switch
Motor type: permanent split capacitor, rated for continuous high RPM , long life duty
Power rating: 1.3 amps, 120 volts
115 Watt power consumption at Max setting
CSA, UL and CE approved
Five year warranty (parts & labor)
Fan: 400cfm on max setting: rated for up to 1500 ft.
Fan Rating: 400cfm on high setting: cleans a room area of up to
1500 sq ft

Filter Assembly:
Weight: 23 lbs
14.5" height 13.5" diameter
60 sq. ft. true HEPA medical filter
15 lbs mix of solid activated charcoal & zeolite