FAP02 Filtrete Ultra Clean Room Air Purifier

I purchased this unit at a significant discount from an aforementioned deal-a-day web site. I think it is worth the price I paid for it (sub-$50), but no more. I'm a cheap-skate, too, so take that into consideration.

I don't know if I would call it a "purifier" as much as I would a "very good filter." I keep my FAP02 in our computer room, which also serves as the litter-box room. The kitty litter we use is very dusty, and this filter really cuts down on dust in the room. (Note: "cuts down," not "elimninates.") It's also very good at picking up cat hair. Our unit sits right next to the litter box, though, and the room is only 120 sq ft.

At low speed, it's quieter than my PC. At medium, it has a hum to it, but it sounds more like air coming through an air duct in a house. High speed is fairly loud. Our unit runs at medium 80% of the time, low 15% of the time, and the other 5% is high when I'm changing/adding kitty litter. With few exceptions, it has been running non-stop for 10 months.

The other thing to consider is the cost of replacement filters. I cannot find them at any of our three area nationwide discount retail-"marts", so I have to order mine online. No big deal because Amazon usually has them in stock, but each filter is about $20 and last for approximately 2-3 months. As stated earlier, I've had my unit for 10 months, and I am about 1 month in on my 4th filter. Doing the math, it's a filter every 3 months and about $7 dollars per month for filters. The unit does display flashing lights that turn red when it's time to change the filter. You may be tempted to change it early because it will look pretty nasty, but keep going until it tells you to change it. To check, you turn the unit on high which causes it to perform a self-check.

The FAP02 is not small either, and the closer to the center of the room, the better it's supposed to work. Mine sits alongside a wall, and the wall will get dusty. Considering that this is supposed to be for small rooms, finding a place to put it may be hard, and if you want it to not be seen, I wish you good luck.

In conclusion, I'm glad I bought this device, but I'm also glad I didn't pay more than I did. It does a good job filtering dust particles and cat hair, but consider the ongoing cost of replacement filters. The size of the unit can make placement in small rooms difficult and it's not necessarily an attractive device, so if you're style-conscious or don't like "gadgets" cluttering your room, you might not like this.

I took off 1.5 stars for suggested price and cost of ownership and a half star for noise and size.