Air Purifier GO!

See larger image Hamilton Beach 04492 True-Air Tower Ionic Air Purifier (Kitchen) List Price: $169.99 USD New From: $93.37 In Stock Release date July 1, 2006.

• What models is Hamilton Beach still making?

• What is is that they have that the others don't?

• What about pricing and features?

One thing's for certain and that is that there are a heck of a lot of Hamilton Beach air purifiers for sale on the Internet. The deal is though that in keeping with a growing trend over the past three years, you can be that a lot of them are discontinued models being sold by clearance dealers.

Are Filters Available for Your Hamilton Beach Air Purifier?

The problem you see, is that I've seen blog posts and consumer reviews warning that replacement filters for some of them are getting harder to find online. Of course one option is to stock up on a good supply of filters when you buy one. Or you can simply make sure to buy a unit that isn't discontinued.

Models they are Still Producing

Now for most manufacturers, determining precisely what models have been discontinued is a fairly simple task. They'll usually have some sort of list on their main site that shows them all. However; in this case there is no such list. Rather they only show what they are still producing.

A Total of Seven Separate Models in their Lineup

They show a total of seven separate models on their site and not one of them is what you would call high end. They do have their TrueAir Ultra UV air purifier priced at $299.99 (let's call it $300) but that's as high as it gets, as far as pricing goes. Rather what they seem to specialize in, is mid to low priced units.

A Lot of Convenience Features for the Money

Now for your $300, this one particular air purifier does come loaded down with a heck of a lot of convenience features. Features that you normally would have to look for in a model costing up to $100 more. At the same time though, I can't find any information about any type of warranty and over the long haul convenience features can lead to problems.

A Three Stage Filter System

The Hamilton Beach air purifier TrueAir UV model comes with a three stage air processing system that consists of a carbon pre-filter, a main hepa filter and a final UV germicidal stage to eliminate airborne contaminants. It effectively removes 99.97% of particles down to .03 microns.

AirSmart Pollution Monitoring for Peace of Mind

It's convenience features consist of an AirSmart pollution monitoring system that continuously measure the air quality and displays its findings as “good, fair or poor”. It also has an automatic filter change sensor as well as an automatic setting that allows the system adjust the fan speed dependent on air quality.

WisperClean for Minimum Noise

Now add to that, this unit also has what it calls their WisperClean setting for absolute minimum noise. Now wouldnt you know that its merely the lowest fan setting, so try not to get too excited about this feature because to me it seems a a bit gimmicky. Now give me WisperClean on its high setting and I'll be impressed.

The Other Six Units in their Lineup

The rest of the models in their lineup are what you might call “you get what you pay for” Hamilton Beach air purifiers. That is that they are nice units, ranging in price from $80 to $150 or so but there is nothing in them that really sets them apart from the crowd like the TrueAir UV just previewed.

The Hamilton Beach Air Décor Model

That is with the exception of one particular model that caught my eye for one reason. That is that you very rarely see an air purifier company that has devoted as much attention to over all design detail, as Hamilton Beach has to this one model called the Air décor air purifier. After all, you do have to look at your air purifier after you bring it home and plug it in.

It Even Comes With Interior LED Glow Lights

To me it sort of looks like a miniature skyscraper in its design. It's also set up for easy maintenance because there's no filter to change. You simply toss out and replace the bag that goes in it when its time for a change. The best part too, is that it even comes with an inside LED glow lights. It's rated for 240 sq feet and costs around $150.

See larger image NewAir AF321 Portable Evaporative Swamp Air Cooler With BuiltIn Air Purifier (Kitchen) New From: $116.35 In Stock

• What are the smallest portable air purifiers?

• What about moving one up a set of stairs?

• What about prices & performance levels?

Portable air purifiers are in fact relatively new, considering the very first use of this technology was in industrial metal smelting plants some 100 years ago. So yes they have gotten more portable but what you sacrifice in going truly portable is size and air cleaning capacity.

The very smallest of mobile air cleaners are micro-units that are about the size of the palm of your hand and a number of companies now manufacture them. Be aware though, that their actual cleaning power is very limited.

The micro wall plug units come in both hepa filter and ionic styles and are really meant to be used to treat air in smaller discreet areas. Around a kitty litter box or the confined space of a small hallway bathroom for example. Now some work better then others and they start in as low as $9 and go all the way up to around $60 for the higher performing models.

As far as larger standard air purifiers are concerned, any model with wheels on it can be deemed portable. One thing to keep in mind though, is that larger units can be a hassle to move around your home, even with wheels, particularly if you plan on moving yours up a set of stairs.

Another common problem that you can find posted online, is registered by people who have tried moving their air cleaner in and out of their bedroom at night. While on the surface it may sound plausible, what they tend to find is there can be a noise problem.

You see your larger wheeled portable air cleaners may work just fine out in the living room during the day but move one into your sleeping quarters and the low level of noise that was no problem during that day, can be all it takes to make falling asleep a problem.

The typical solution involves buying two types of air cleaners. A high volume portable air purifier to move around the home during the day and a lower volume yet far more silent ionic unit to keep the air quietly scrubbed in your bedroom at night.

The Hamilton Beach True Air line consists of several different models in a wide range of prices that starts out at around $9. This would be for their palm sized wall plug models while their larger floor models end up at around $300 (US) for their top of the line Ultra UV Air purifier.

Hamilton Beach True Air Line Finer Points

So counting all of their accessories too, there really is a lot to cover in this one brief report. Instead I'll go over some of their more note worthy points and touch on features and technological advantages that set them apart, beginning with their compact wall models the plug onto your walls electrical sockets.

Super Portable and Affordable Wall Plug Models

Now before you get too excited about the rock bottom low prices of these all too portable and super affordable air filters that top out at around $30, you have to bear one thing in mind. That is that their small size and low price does bring with it some compromises that have to be made.

Great for Bathrooms and Smaller Problem Areas

They're light, convenient and use the latest filter technology but really are meant for the very smallest of tasks. For the most part, with the ability to filter out particles no smaller than 3 microns, these units are really promoted as odor eaters. Something to use in a bathroom or next to a kitty litter box for instance.

Smaller Size Means Smaller Air Volume and Distribution

For one thing, due to their small size they simply lack the capacity to fully distribute air. This means that unless the air in a room is being circulated by some other means, such as a fan, only the air in the immediate vicinity of one of these devices will be treated.

Amazing High Tech Ionic Air Scrubbing Technology

The Hamilton Beach True Air line also includes a lineup of ionic tower air cleaners that incorporate both hepa and ionic air scrubbing technologies. Now bear in mind that for ionic technology to work, the air must move slowly through the system.

Ionic Air Filters Remove Particles With Electricity

You see while a hepa filter is basically comprised of layered mats of fibers that function like a sieve, ionic technology uses electricity to actually pull particles out of the air. Each particle is given a small electrostatic charge and this in turn causes the particles to be attracted to metal plates with an opposite charge.

Best for Smaller to Medium Sized Rooms

So while ionic tower air cleaners tend to be low maintenance and extremely quiet, they do have their limitations with regards to air volume. Another convenience worth noting is that the hepa filters in the Hamilton Beach True Air line never need to be replaced. You simply vacuum them clean around four times a year.

Three Stage Systems that Sterilize Air With Ultraviolet Light Waves

They also feature a good selection of larger high volume air cleaners that combine carbon fiber and hepa filter technology, with an additional ultraviolet light feature for killing viruses, bacteria, as well as airborne mold spores. This is proven technology that's in standard use in hospitals and medical clinics all over the planet.

Their Popular True Air 04136 Standing Floor Model

One of the more popular of these floor models is the Hamilton Beach True Air 04136 air purifier. This model is rated for 350 sq feet and traps particles as small as 3 microns. It also incorporates a dual filter system that passes air first through a carbon filter, then a hepa filter, then on to the ultraviolet light purifier.

It Automatically Measures Air Pollutants and Adjusts Air Speed

One of the reasons for the overall popularity of this machine is the actual number of features that it comes loaded with. As an example this machine has an automatic setting and an air quality sensor that are programmed to work in tandem. With this tandem system, the machine is able to automatically adjust air speed to compensate for increased or decreased air pollutants.

Mid Sized Models for Desks and Bedside Tables

They also have a good lineup of mid-sized air cleaners that range in size from a 10” X 10” desktop model that's perfect for a persons bedside table or work desk, to a few medium sized floor models that range in price from around $80, up to just over $100 (US). Now bear in mind that these lower priced mid sized to smaller air cleaners will also tend to be limited in features.

See larger image Hamilton Beach 04492 True-Air Tower Ionic Air Purifier (Kitchen) List Price: $169.99 USD New From: $93.37 In Stock Release date July 1, 2006.