Good MCS Air Filters

[Cort]

I'm looking for a good small (1-room) air filter for people with multiple chemical sensitivities. If anyone knows of a good brand please let me know.

 

[ElisaB]

Hi Cort,

The very best all around is the IQair - but also big expense intially and ongoing. But for MCS, I have found the bigger (lb wise) the carbon the better. So in this case I think an Austin Air would be valuable - and you only have to change the filter about once every 5 yrs. Depending on the size of the room, you might want a Austin junior.

I have spent years working on indoor air issues and have both IQ AIR and Austin Air.

Take Care,

Elisabeth

 

[Remy]

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-Compact-Purifier-Permanent-HHT-011/dp/B000N9CPQK/

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-Whispure-Purifier-Cleaner-AP51030K/dp/B00440EKRG

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-Whispure-Purifier-Cleaner-AP51030K/dp/B00440EKRG

I also have an IQAir but it was about 10x what the ones above cost. These were all recommended to me as options by someone who studies green building and design.

 

[Cort]

Thanks everyone. This is for a van. I can use any filter because I have solar power but I thought I would mention that.

Has anyone tried this?


WEIN MiniMate Ionic Personal Air Purifier (Wein)

$149.96

I found it on Dr. Rea's site. It's much cheaper but I don't know about ozone

WEIN MiniMate Ionic Personal Air Purifier (Wein)


The Wein 150MM Personal Air Purifier clears the air in your personal space of up to 90% of all airborne biological particles, like germs, pollutants, allergens and molds. This ultra-lightweight wearable air purifier is no bigger than a small pager, and operates using a lithium battery. The Wein Personal Air Purifier with breakaway strap for safety is a must have for air travel, movie theaters, waiting rooms, or any confined area because it propels clean, healthy air into your breathing zone. Includes breakaway strap and one (1) lithium battery.

Features:

• Lightweight, wearable ionizer purifies air in your personal space
• Kills most airborne microorganisms like viruses and bacteria
• Renders allergens from mold, pollen and dust mites harmless
• Oxidizes many dangerous chemical contaminants
• Eliminates odors in the air
• Ozonates with only a very faint, clean smelling, external ozone fragrance
• Silent, fanless operation with no filters to change
• Lithium CR123 one battery included, extra CR123 lithium batteries are sold separately.
• Approved for air travel

 

[Cort]

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-Compact-Purifier-Permanent-HHT-011/dp/B000N9CPQK/

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-Whispure-Purifier-Cleaner-AP51030K/dp/B00440EKRG

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-Whispure-Purifier-Cleaner-AP51030K/dp/B00440EKRG

I also have an IQAir but it was about 10x what the ones above cost. These were all recommended to me as options by someone who studies green building and design.

Thanks - many air filters are soooo expensive...

 

[Cort]

I found this Foust auto air filter. Still quite expensive!

160AN_nu_black_motor_web_size160AN Auto/RV Air Purifier

Have you ever experienced sneezing, itching eyes, headaches or similar symptoms while riding in a car? It could be from the chemicals or gasses from inside or outside of the car. The 160AN Air Purifier utilizes its 3 pounds of activated carbon mix to remove these fumes and controls particles with an optional HEPA rated at 0.1 micron efficiency. This metal unit has a no odor finish and can be used by the chemically sensitive and can be used in a car, bus, truck or an RV. This unit can be plugged into a cigarette lighter and there is an optional converter so it can be used in hotels while traveling. It is made in the USA and recommended by allergist and environmental doctors nationwide.

$343(with standard filter)

Clean Air Solutions, LLC also offers all of the replacement filters for this unit.

 

[Remy]

Thanks everyone. This is for a van. I can use any filter because I have solar power but I thought I would mention that.

Has anyone tried this?


WEIN MiniMate Ionic Personal Air Purifier (Wein)

$149.96

I found it on Dr. Rea's site. It's much cheaper but I don't know about ozone

WEIN MiniMate Ionic Personal Air Purifier (Wein)


The Wein 150MM Personal Air Purifier clears the air in your personal space of up to 90% of all airborne biological particles, like germs, pollutants, allergens and molds. This ultra-lightweight wearable air purifier is no bigger than a small pager, and operates using a lithium battery. The Wein Personal Air Purifier with breakaway strap for safety is a must have for air travel, movie theaters, waiting rooms, or any confined area because it propels clean, healthy air into your breathing zone. Includes breakaway strap and one (1) lithium battery.

Features:

• Lightweight, wearable ionizer purifies air in your personal space
• Kills most airborne microorganisms like viruses and bacteria
• Renders allergens from mold, pollen and dust mites harmless
• Oxidizes many dangerous chemical contaminants
• Eliminates odors in the air
• Ozonates with only a very faint, clean smelling, external ozone fragrance
• Silent, fanless operation with no filters to change
• Lithium CR123 one battery included, extra CR123 lithium batteries are sold separately.
• Approved for air travel

I think someone over at PR reported on this a while ago...my recollection is that they didn't find it all that helpful in the end. See if you can find the thread!

 

[zzz]

I have used a Blueair air purifier for many years, and have been very happy with it. I've also recommended one to someone on PR who had severe mold problems, and she like it so much that she got two more. For a single room, the Blueair 203 would be quite sufficient; add-on carbon filters are listed below the main entry.

At $329 (plus $13 for the carbon filters), this unfortunately is expensive, but for really clean air, I don't think you can do much better. And it's a fraction of the cost of the IQ Air.

The MiniMate purifies only the air directly under your nose, and the comments for it on Amazon make me question how well it would work for someone who is really sensitive. Also, the batteries are reported to be very expensive. So @Remy's comment makes sense to me.

 

[Cort]

I have used a Blueair air purifier for many years, and have been very happy with it. I've also recommended one to someone on PR who had severe mold problems, and she like it so much that she got two more. For a single room, the Blueair 203 would be quite sufficient; add-on carbon filters are listed below the main entry.

At $329 (plus $13 for the carbon filters), this unfortunately is expensive, but for really clean air, I don't think you can do much better. And it's a fraction of the cost of the IQ Air.

The MiniMate purifies only the air directly under your nose, and the comments for it on Amazon make me question how well it would work for someone who is really sensitive. Also, the batteries are reported to be very expensive. So @Remy's comment makes sense to me.

Thanks ZZZ - It is expensive but a lot less than the IQ Air. I see it's made out of steel - that's good.

Here's a review comparing Blueair and IqAIR

(IQAir is too expensive and consumes too much energy for me in my van..._

QAir does not submit its air purifiers for voluntary testing by The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), however TheSweethome.com tests the New Edition HealthPro Plus and John Holocek has mixed impressions. In that review the HealthPro Plus edges out the Blueair 503 with the StopSmoke filters when it comes to removing odors, but it is in turn edged out when it comes to particle removal. What tilts the scale toward the Blueair 503 is operating costs.

The HealthPro Plus "had the highest power consumption over five years of $1,236, more than double that of any other unit," says Holecek. "Budget a whopping $2,276 over the first five years for operating costs alone," he adds. However, if your health care professional can provide evidence of medical necessity, you may be able to purchase this unit and its replacement filters through your FSA.


Part of that cost is the sophisticated series of filters used by the HealthPro Plus. The filter complement includes a PreMax Pre-Filter (Est. $80), IQAir's clean room-quality HyperHEPA filter (Est. $200) and a V5-Cell Filter (Est. $100) that includes two types of media for gas and odor elimination. The PreMax filters are designed to last up to 18 months, while the HyperHEPA filter lasts up to four years. The V5-Cell filter should be replaced approximately every two years.

Whether or not the HealthPro Plus can fully live up to its claim of being able to remove particles down to 0.003 microns in size -- about 10 times smaller than a virus and 100 times smaller than standard air-filtration technology -- it's undoubtedly effective. Its performance is in the top rank at TheSweethome.com, with Holecek calling it the "gold standard" among air purifiers.

If you want a premium grade air purifier, but only need it for a smaller room, the Blueair 403 (Est. $550) is one to consider. This is the little brother to our Best Reviewed Blueair 503, but it's AHAM rated to handle rooms up to 370 square feet. The 403 has four fan speed settings. Like the Blueair 503, the Blueair 403 meets UL standards for ozone emissions -- but it has lower clean air delivery rates (CADRs) than its more expensive sibling.

It also has manual controls instead of the electronic controls the higher-up model offers, although the control knob is simple to operate. Other features include a filter countdown that alerts owners when it's time to replace the Blueair 400 Series Filters (Est. $60 per set), which is about every six months -- and be sure not to skimp on that if you want to keep the five-year warranty in effect. If odors or gases are an issue, there's an optional SmokeStop Filter (Est. $120) similar to the one available for the 503 that can be used in place of the standard one.

 

[zzz]

I noticed today that there was a special on the Winix 5300-2 Air Purifier at Amazon. By the time I checked, the special was over (it was on sale for $114.50), but the regular price of $180 with free shipping is just a little over half the price of the Blueair 203. The Allergy Buyers Club is a good place to find comparative reviews of various air purifiers; if you compare the Winix 5300-2 against the Blueair 203, paying particular attention to the parameter chart at the bottom, the Winix appears to come out ahead in many categories. It also has excellent reviews on Amazon.