Air Purifier GO!

See larger image Ionic Pro 90IP1RCMB1 Compact Air Purifier with Bonus Car Ionizer (Kitchen) List Price: $129.95 USD Used from: $69.00 In Stock Release date June 30, 2006.

• Easy push button operation

• Extra collector plates $30

In any war as the saying goes, “the truth is the first casualty”. So you may have found out by now that an unbiased review of the Ionic Pro air purifier is just hard to come by. The reason is simple and that is that tower ionic air purifiers in it's $115 to $150 price range make up a hotly contested market.

What's the Real Truth About the Ionic Pro Air Purifier?

So the shots go back and forth, with each reviewer comparing it to one or another machine in its size and price class, each one with his or her set of questionable figures and statistics. Depending on whether or not they're selling this particular machine their numbers can go either way.

A Small Electrical Appliance that's Made in China??!!

I even read one recent review that criticized the Ionic Pro air purifier because it's made in China. Now imagine that?! A small household electrical appliance that's made in China? Holy cow! I thought everything was made in China now! Give me a break!

A Three Star Amazon Review Average

So then whats the real low down on this particular machine? To start off with, it gets an average Amazon user review rating of three stars. Now three stars is definitely nothing to crow about but you do have to remember one important fact. That is that this is a relatively inexpensive machine.

Bear in Mind that It Has No Fan in it.

My personal opinion is that a lot of the user criticisms can be traced back to the fact that this machine has no fan in it. It relies solely on the momentum of the ionic reaction taking place in it to move the actual air though the system. So does it move the air? Sort of.

How Come So Little Air is Coming Out of it??

Manufacturers for years have been hyping up the fact that these machines and similar machines like it are totally silent and they are. Hey! No fan means no fan noise. Then people bring them home, turn them on, stick their hand in front of them and notice only minimal air flow. Well what the hell did they think when they bought an air purifier with no fan in it!

What About the Ozone Question?

Then there is the confusion about ozone production in ionic air purifiers. Now there is new ozone free technology that's being employed but it's not in this Ionic Pro air purifier. So then what about ozone? Is is as bad as some people make it out to be?

Not Nearly as Bad as Some People Make it Out to Be

The fact is that ozone is simply three oxygen molecules that have combined together to form one atom. No it doesn't cause cancer or major medical problems. It can however cause irritation of the respiratory passages particularly in small animals.

Ozone Does Kill Odors Dead

On the other side of the coin, ozone is a stellar odor eater. It basically destroys the atoms in the air that are causing odors and this is why so many of these types of machines are touted as being such efficient odor eradicators. So for a smaller laundry room where you keep a cat box, the Ionic Pro air purifier would be an excellent choice.

See larger image Honeywell HFD-120-Q Tower Quiet Air Purifier with Permanent IFD Filter, Black (Kitchen) List Price: $149.99 USD New From: $123.74 In Stock Used from: $104.99 In Stock Release date February 15, 2006.

• How do they work to clean air?

• What about Ozone gas?

• What are the pros and cons?

If what you have in mind is a filterless air purifier, then what you should be looking into is ionic technology. These types of air cleaners aren't new and in fact they first began being used in metal smelting plants almost 100 years ago.

The Filterless Air Purifier Uses an Ionic Chamber

The way that they function, is rather then the air passing through a filter as you would imagine in the classic sense, the air passes through what is commonly referred to as an ionic chamber. It's basically a contained area where negative electrons are generated.

Pollution Particles Pick Up a Negative Charge

From there the air moves on through a series of stacked metal plates. It's on these plates that the pollution particles end up being deposited. You see the particles pick up the negative ions and this causes these then negatively charged particles to be attracted to the plates, like magnets.

Even These Machines Have to be Cleaned

Now keep in mind that at some point these plates do have to wiped clean and with some machines this is an easier task then with others. It all depends on how easy it is to remove the plates then slide them back into the machine.

New Filters Can Go Months Without Cleaning

One thing worth noting, is that new hepa filter designs have made for standard filter machines that require far more infrequent cleanings. In fact most of these new low maintenance filter designs can go months without you ever having to touch them. It's something to think about.

There are Some Solid Pros and Cons

You need to also understand that there are a few solid pros and cons that should be taken into account before you buy into either type of air cleaning system. As an example, “for your money”, a standard hepa filter machine is going to process a far greater amount of air.

Look into a Non Ozone Technology Feature

Another thing to look out for if you're dead set on a filterless air purifier, is ozone generation. Ozone is a colorless gas that's made up of two connected oxygen atoms that's generated during the production of negative ions. New machines however do have non ozone technologies that do away with this problem.

Ionic Non Filter Air Cleaners are Quieter

One of the major benefits of a filterless air purifier though, is that they tend to be far more quiet than a filter unit. The reason is simple and that is that hepa filter air cleaners require larger fans to push the air through the filter. There is a huge selection of ionic cleaners to choose from so make sure to select one with features that suit you best.

See larger image Ionic Pro 90IP01RF01 Turbo Ionic Room Air Purifier (Kitchen) List Price: $199.99 USD New From: $172.38 In Stock Release date September 1, 2006.

• Turbo powered for maximum particulate containment

• Easy Removal front loaded collection plates

• Filter free for convenience & economical operational

• 13 pounds shipping weight & limited warranty

• Maximum air cleaning coverage – 500 sq feet

There's just no doubt about it but that the market for ionic air cleaners is a crowded one. Now I'll be the first to admit that the technology that goes into these machines was definitely amazing when they first hit the market a couple of decades back. However; that was then and this is now. The Ionic Pro Turbo Air Purifier better have something different to catch my interest.

The Ionic Pro Turbo Air Cleaner is Truly Silent

So how about the fact that this machine is the only air cleaner on the market with triple action air scrubbing technology, that's truly silent? Or what about its unique germicidal chamber that actually traps and kills bacteria, mold spores and germs? Or its amazing oxygen plus filter that turns ozone into pure fresh oxygen?

Still More Questions that I needed Answered

OK, so this machine is definitely different but what about its cost? After all, if it carries a sky high price tag I may be just as well off buying a larger model without all the whiz-bang technology or even buying more than one lower cost air cleaner. Then again is it just as simple to operate as my last one because one thing I don't need is more complex machinery in my life.

Costs Less that its Competitors and is So Simple to Operate

Would you believe that the Ionic Pro Turbo Air Purifier actually costs less than the vast majority of its competitors. Machines that are louder and clean less air! Also imagine my surprise when I first got mine out of the box and saw that it in fact one of the more simple to operate of all the air cleaners that I have seen in my life.