10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Easy Maintenance, Excellent Results
Date of Review: Jan 12, 2007
The Bottom Line: I recommend you buy this product. It works, and the permanent filters can make it a lifetime investment for not a terrible cost.
After one particularly sneezy day, I took the train to Best Buy and brought this puppy home with me. I had a better night, and have been grateful for it since.
Design
The air purifier has a very basic upright design. On top, you may select between three different speeds by turning a knob, and a button lets you turn the ionizer feature on. (No one seems to really know how these ionizers are supposed to work, if they even do, so I don't use it. It does cause little crackling noises when you turn it on, though.) There is a light on the top to tell you when to clean the permanent filters, and afterwards you can reset it with a paperclip. The unit still 'remembers' how long it has been in use even if it is unplugged.
The air is first drawn through a prefilter that actually seems to do most of the work. After that, it goes through a pair of permanent filters.
Maintenance
According to the manual, you will need to clean the main filters roughly every month. This is accomplished just by removing them and vacuuming them. The prefilter can be run under warm water for cleaning. I also blow compressed air through it. I found cleaning to be very easy. The manual also recommends wiping down the outside about once a month.
Operation
I just leave the purifier near a corner of a room and let it run 24/7. It has done that without complaint. I find it to be extremely quiet, at least on its lowest setting, where I keep it. Over time, it can become quite dusty on the outside, particularly near the intake. I take this a sign that it's doing its job.
