Anyone here use Sharper Image air purifiers?

[oregonjen]

Do you like them? Have they improved your health?
My children have allergies and are sick a lot and we're thinking of getting these to help them. Any info would be appreciated!

:hi:

[AirmensMom]

1. I was going to buy one.

I ended up getting the personal one that you wear around your neck and it was a waste of money. It actually made my throat sore from the ozone smell that comes out of it. Fortunately, they took it back.

You might consider getting some stuff out of the house -- carpets, fragrances, candles, etc. That would help a lot ... I know from experience.

[tjdee]

2. I LOVED mine. I loved it. :( But my cat knocked it onto my heater. :(

Oh my god, I LOVED my purifier. Unlike some other brands, that one was actually quiet. I bought it after being very sick from allergies and it worked fantastically (whether it was because I thought it should work for all the bucks it cost or not, LOL). It really seemed to help.

I loved that it had no filters, too.

But alas, when I wasn't home, my cat knocked it into my baseboard heater, and I came home to find partially melted purifier. :cry: To this day I whimper over that, because it was so expensive and now it's just...not working.

But this is a long way of saying I recommend it. :thumbsup:

[allalone]

14. you might want to contact them

they were very good when mine just stopped working. They sent a PU order and shipped me a new one.
btw, I really like mine. I have asthma. It's very quiet and you won't believe the gunk that collects. Easy to clean also.

[tjdee]

19. Really?

You just made my morning, LOL. I may do that-- I didn't before because I figured that having a melted-in-one-spot purifier is too much "my fault and negligence" to get anything from them... but I guess you're right, it's worth a try.

[arwalden]

3. Consumer Reports Doesn't Think Too Highly Of Them

Air cleaners: The truth behind the accolades

http://tinyurl.com/mlgup

NOTE: the Consumer Reports website requires a membership to view the ratings charts... but many of the ariticles are free.


Ads for air cleaners from Sharper Image and Oreck include a Seal of Truth from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a Washington, D.C.-based group. Sharper Image ads also display a Seal of Approval from the British Allergy Foundation, now known as Allergy UK, and refer to university studies claimed to support Sharper Image's air-cleaner claims.

As we found, some university studies were funded by the manufacturer. We also found that another seal on some air cleaners addresses the volume of clean air those machines deliver, though it doesn't tell the whole story.


NO ENDORSEMENT The AAFA says its Seal of Truth isn't an endorse-ment, but its laudatory tone suggests otherwise.

What seals don't tell you. The AAFA's Seal of Truth program is open to manufacturers who submit a $5,000 application fee. According to the AAFA, companies are asked to submit “independent” research for review by a panel of experts, who determine whether a product's performance meets its claims. If the panel says it does, manufacturers can apply the seal to that product for two years. Fewer than 12 allergy-related products, including vacuums and cleaning products, have the seal; Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze and Oreck's XL are the only air cleaners with it.

The AAFA states on its Web site that its expert panel includes M.D.s, Ph.D.s, and Masters of Public Health. Michael Tringale, an AAFA spokesman, would not identify its experts, citing confidentiality concerns. Nor would Tringale or Sharper Image show us research submitted as part of the seal program. But the AAFA's literature discloses two points that the air-cleaner ads don't mention.

One is that its seal is not an endorsement or statement of clinical efficacy. Yet the words on the seal for Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze, above, imply otherwise.

[arwalden]

4. Air cleaners: The truth behind the accolades

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/ionizing-air-cleaners-505/overview.htm

http://tinyurl.com/9yemh

New concerns about ionizing air cleaners

Buying an air cleaner that doesn't clean the air is bad enough. Some of the least effective ionizer models also can expose you to potentially harmful ozone levels, especially if you're among the roughly 80 percent of buyers with asthma or allergy concerns.


Also known as electrostatic precipitators, the five ionizing air cleaners we focused on for this report are supposed to trap charged particles on oppositely charged plates. But as we reported in our October 2003 report on air cleaners, models like Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze, the market leader, did a poor job removing dust and smoke from the air. Our latest tests also show that some ionizing models can expose you to significant amounts of ozone.

Unlike ozone in the upper atmosphere, which helps shield us from harmful ultraviolet rays, ozone near ground level is an irritant that can aggravate asthma and decrease lung function. Air cleaners need not meet ozone limits--not for the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates only outdoor air, nor for the Food and Drug Administration, since it doesn't consider them medical devices, despite the health benefits that some ads imply. (See Air cleaners: The truth behind the accolades.) Manufacturers often submit air cleaners to a voluntary standard that includes a test to see whether they produce more than 50 parts per billion (ppb) of ozone, the same limit the FDA uses for medical devices.


=======================
in a related sidebar

Months of testing and investigation yielded these findings:
• Many ionizing air cleaners like the kind we tested do a poor job of removing particles from the air.
• Two separate tests--in a sealed room and in an open lab--show that some can create significant levels of ozone.
• Ozone is a growing concern. People with asthma and respiratory allergies are especially sensitive to it.
• Some ads include endorsements that mean little. (See Air cleaners: The truth behind the accolades.)
• Consider low- or no-cost air-cleaning alternatives. (See CR Quick Recommendations.)

[AirmensMom]

5. I remember reading those reports.

And the ozone from the personal one did bother me.

[tjdee]

8. I read that as well, and I have allergies and asthma...and it still helped

I ran it 24 hours a day. :shrug:

That in mind though, if I can ever scrounge up enough money for one again :cry: I'd get the one with Ozone Guard (though I think someone below said all the new ones come with it?).

[RebelOne]

22. This claim is not true.

"Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze, the market leader, did a poor job removing dust and smoke from the air."

Absolutely not true. I am a smoker and I have the Ionic Breeze. My house used to reek of cigarette smoke. But the air purifier has taken the smell away.

[kay1864]

25. More from Consumer Reports...

CR Quick Recommendations

Not all ionizing, electrostatic-precipitator models produce significant amounts of ozone. As shown in the Ratings, the Friedrich C-90A <$450> is effective and emits very little ozone, as does the HEPA-filter Whirlpool 45030 <$250>. But those we don't recommend produced ozone and did a poor job cleaning the air. New tests confirm that pollen performance, which we haven't measured before, tracks with dust and smoke performance. If you already own one of the five poor-performing ionizers below, try returning it for a refund.

We advise thinking twice about buying any air cleaner before following a few simple, low- or no-cost cleaning methods. Here are some tips from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the American Lung Association:

• Reduce indoor pollutants. Ban indoor smoking. Minimize candles, incense, and wood-burning fires, and use unscented cleaners. Wash linens in hot water. Keep dust-sensitive people out of the area when vacuuming. Also be sure to keep solvents and pesticides outdoors.

• Keep your home ventilated. Use outdoor-venting exhaust fans in kitchen, bath, and laundry areas to reduce moisture and airborne particles that can breed respiratory irritants. Maintain heating and cooling equipment, chimneys, and vents to minimize the presence of carbon monoxide in your living space.

If you buy an air cleaner, choose one that works (see the recommended models in the Ratings). The Friedrich electrostatic precipitator and the Whirlpool HEPA model were also recommended in previous reports. We plan a full air-cleaner report later in 2005.

Ratings: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/ionizing-air-cleaners-505/ratings.htm

[oregonjen]

6. If ozone is a concern, would a central air purifier/cleaner be better?

My Grandparents had one installed in their house along with air conditioning and it really cut down on the dust in their house.

[AirmensMom]

9. Even a special furnace or A/C filter would help.

You can get one for about $100 from an A/C dealer.

But it's still important to get as many irritants out of the house as possible. The carpet was the first thing my doctor told me to ditch. That helped a lot.

[tjdee]

11. I wish I could toss this carpet, because I just *know* it's making me sic

k. I dream of wood floors, sigh.

Do you use mattress covers, etc.? That's another thing that helped (until my cat scratched it up...why do I even have this cat LOL!).

Also, water. Not to be silly, but my mother as a joke I think got me a book called "You're not sick, you're thirsty" or something, and it was all about how allergic reactions, sinus problems, etc. are just a sign of chronic dehydration. It made more sense than it would seem at first. I've upped my water intake and can't say whether it's helped or not, because I've also done other things.

[AirmensMom]

15. Yes.

There's a place online, www.janices.com, where I got my mattress cover. She has barrier cloth ones that the cat couldn't scratch up. But they are expensive.

Not silly about the water. I do drink filtered water, but not from the store. We have a whole house water purifier. And it helps to eat organic food.

The environmental inspector suggested tile floors for me. So we ripped out all the carpet and put the tiles down ourselves. We couldn't afford to have them done. They turned out SO great.

We've also changed all our soaps and cleaning supplies to natural products that we get from the health food store. People don't realize how unhealthy fragrances are. But it makes a big difference when you get rid of them. I have more than simple allergies, so we had to clean up more than most people would have to.

[tjdee]

18. I was going to start a thread on ripping up carptet....

I can't afford to have them done either--and I'm thinking it might be cheaper for me to try that before getting another Sharper Image purifier. :( I'm just concerned that it'll be too hard or something--how long did it take for you guys to do a room?

Thanks for the site with the barrier cloth covers, I'll put that on my list of things I need/want to buy--I've been avoiding buying another mattress cover since I figured whichever I got the cat would scratch up.

[AirmensMom]

21. One day to lay the tile.

And few hours to do the grout. We had never done tile before. If you buy or rent a wet saw, it makes the cutting go a lot faster. And if you shop around, you can do a room for less than the air purifier.

There's not a chance your cat could hurt that barrier cloth cover. It's really strong.

Edit: I'm talking about per room. We only tackled one room at a time -- master bedroom was the most important.

[pointblank]

26. I have chronic allergies

and I just moved into a house last month that has ZERO carpeting..all hardwoods and tile in the kitchen and I LOVE IT. I really HAVE noticed a difference. The house I moved from was almost ALL carpet and since I moved I have not had near the congestion problems I used to have, especially at night. The only problem with hardwoods is that they are more difficult to clean, but you can actually SEE all of the dust and pet hair that you clean up unlike carpeting where you vaccum and hope you got it all.

I have been thinking about getting an Ionic Breeze though...

[RevCheesehead]

7. Yes, I have several.

Allergies are a major nuisance for me. And yes, they do work. I lent one to my parents after they moved into their apartment (they put it itn the bedroom). The difference in air quality was dramatic... so I got my mom one for the living area.

My dad also has bad allergies, and he's noticed he's feeling a lot better. I just have to remind him to clean the blades every couple of weeks. (when you do clean it, you'll see just how effective they are!)

Also: the newer models have an Ozone Guard. They also have attachments for the older models.

I would suggest keeping an eye on the website, and look for a factory reconditioned model. You can save 50-60% off the regular price.

[tjdee]

10. Those blades were gross, alright.

I admit to showing it to a few people and being like "This would be in my nose!"

[In_The_Wind]

12. I purchased two several years ago.

I gave one to another DUer who said it helped him with his breathing problems.

[NV Whino]

13. Ditto to what the Rev said

I have to get an ozone guard for mine since it's one of the older models without one. And do look for the reconditioned ones. The first time you clean the blades you will see how much it pulls out of the air. Amazing.

[oregonjen]

16. Thanks all! You guys are awesome!

[Fountain79]

17. I used to work at Sharper Image..

as a college summer job. It was a pretty popular item. I know that it has a 60 day return policy on it. I'd say buy it and see if it works, if it doesn't work take it back. Just hold on to your receipt and box.

[RebelOne]

20. Yes, I have one. I don't know if it has improved my health,

but at least my house does not smell like cigarette smoke or dogs.

[ScreamingMeemie]

23. I have four of them and would recommend them. My son suffers

from allergies so that he had to be medicated year round which bothered me. He only needs to be on them through seasonal changes.

The only real negative is trying to keep them totally clean. We cheat and go against recommendation and hose them down every three months or so...otherwise they are impossible to keep completely clean. :hi:

[oregonjen]

24. So I did my homework online last night and bought two HEPA air

purifiers. We'll try these two and if we notice a difference, we will buy two more for the rest of the house. Luckily, they are light and I can move them from room to room if needed. Yeah!!! Thanks for everyone's input, it helped a lot. :hi:

[dpbrown]

27. They're crap compared to a HEPA filter

Basically, they use static electricity to draw some pollution out of the air, creating a potentially dangerous ozone problem in the meantime. Now they tout their new "ozone guard" that hangs on the front like a gigantic tumor to solve the problem that their so-called air cleaner creates.

Run away. Run far, far away from this gimmick.

[tjdee]

28. But you can't get a HEPA filter and just run it in your house....

Is there a HEPA filtered purifier?

:shrug:

on edit: DUH, LOL, obviously yes, oregonjen just bought two!