I decided to get this air cleaner after trying the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze and a larger Honeywell HEPA filter. At the time of purchase, the Sharper Image was the only one with a permanent filter. This was a big plus for me seeing as the older HEPA cleaners have 2 filters to replace, the larger one being nearly the price of the machine. This Honeywell tower has a permanent filter.
There are many claims for and against the Ionic Breeze. I'm still undecided on how effective it is -but I feel almost the same way about my large HEPA filter. I found myself running both of them to control my allergies. Although I cleaned them regularly and found dust on both, I can't say the air was particularly different. However, shortly after turning this on in the bedroom for the first time, I could smell a difference. I haven't had it long enough to say it's made a real dent in my allergies -plus the fact that my allergies are intermittant -but I'm pleased that I even notice it.
One thing to note -the Amazon description says there is an independently controlled Ionizer. I assumed that meant I could control it independently of the HEPA Unit. If that's the case, I have yet to see how. It's not mentioned anywhere in the tiny booklet and there are no buttons for it. For that reason, I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5. I did want to control the ionizer separately because I wanted to be able shut that off entirely. There are camps on both sides arguing for an against ionizers, and some claim they make breathing worse -so being able to compare with and without it was something I wanted to try. If anyone else knows how to do it, then post it here. :)
Compared to the larger Honeywell that I own, this one is much more quiet on each of its three settings. When I first read the description I didn't pay attention to the oscillating function. Now, it's my favorite part of this cleaner. The oscillator is the thing that is independent of the cleaner -and when its on, the machine rotates in place, back and forth, blowing the air in an arc. I like this feature a lot and I think helps with cleaning a larger area. Maybe the ionizer is attached to this feature?
This unit is significantly heavier than the similar looking Ionic Breeze. Also, the manual states it should be placed 3 feet from any wall or furniture. The cord is not that long, and placing the cord behind some furniture to get to an outlet has made it nearly impossible for me to reach a spot a full 3 feet away.
Anyway, so far I am pleased and would recommend this unit to some one who is looking for a compromise between those two types of cleaners.
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