Austin Air HealthMate Plus Air Purifier, White, Model B450

This is my SECOND Austin Air HealthMate Plus Air Purifier. I purchased the first one in 2018 because of the Washington State wildfire smoke. This unit isn't small, but it is powerful. Wildfire season has become a permanent feature of summer/fall, so I wanted a second unit. Each unit covers 1500 SF on the high setting and my home is larger than this. Shipment was FAST and the unit was packed well to prevent damage. It arrived in perfect condition. As luck would have it, this unit arrived 7/30. On 8/2, several large wildfires broke out within 10-20 miles of my home. Thousands were evacuated. My home did not perish and I was able to maintain good indoor air quality despite the horrible outdoor air quality. Wildfire smoke contains toxic gases in addition to the harmful particulate matter. The good: This unit is made in the USA from steel and has a German fan. Air first passes through a pre-filter designed to capture large and medium sized particles. The air then passes through fifteen pounds of a treated carbon blend specifically designed to remove harmful chemicals and odors. The last layer is a true HEPA medical filter that traps 99.97% of particles, as small as 0.3 microns. It is my understanding that potassium iodide acts as a reactive agent that breaks down specific gas molecules through chemical bonding, rather than just trapping them physically. The unit has a straight forward design with a knob with three fan settings. No app to fuss with. It is a work horse that, with filter exchanges, is meant to last decades. My 2018 unit still has the original filter (and continues to filter effectively), but I only use it when it is smokey. I suspect that the 5-year filter projected lifespan is with continuous use. A noticeable return of household odors or reduced airflow indicates the carbon and HEPA media have reached capacity. The not so good: It is pricey and so are the filter replacements. Although I have not replaced the filter, other reviewers remark that the filter edges can be sharp (wear gloves) and the filter is heavy. Trapped dust and carbon powder can spill out when the old filter is removed. The unit is large (bedside table large). And the high setting is as noisy as a standard box fan set on high (60-65 dB). The medium setting is 50-55 dB and the low is 40-45 dB). On medium, the coverage is 750 SF. I sleep with a box fan on medium or low, and the medium and low air filter settings have similar noise levels that do not disturb my sleep.

Love this! I baught 2. One for my bedroom and one for my living room. They are really helping with the new furniture off gassing. I still had to get rid of my bed frame because it was MDF and pressboard and my face was right by the headboard all night. The filter could not filter the air between the head board and my face between each inhale. Although, a fan might have helped if I could have tolerated the wind on my face. Regardless, this filter is great for the MDF electric fireplace (since I don't put my face against that one), new sofa, new area rug , and new accent chairs (all in the living room), oh and new kitchen table and chairs and my new to me used MDF and pressboard desk located in my bedroom. Suggestion: Don't sell everything and start over. Just beg you mom for all of your grandmothers furnature (live and learn). But, these filters are a life saver! On high they are a bit loud. So after the initial air clearing phase, we now turn them down when we are in the room. We turn them on high when we are not using the room (eg living room when sleeping and bedroom when awake) and every time we leave the house. (FYI, before all of this new Furnature, I did not know about chemical sensativity. So, you might be more sensative than I. Still these are great for the appropriately sized room.)

This is the best thing I have ever owned. I could tell within an hour that my air was so much more cleaner. I went ahead and bought 2 replacement filters because I know what this thing is up against. The first 24 hours it was left in bedroom best sleep and no stuffy nose upon rising. Second 24 hours in the biggest open area of living room dining room and kitchen area. I could really tell the difference. I wish I had bought this sooner.

The build quality is poor. Carbon chips leaks probably due to packaging handling. There is a thin layer of black dust on the surface. When I turned on, one carbon chip was blew out. I can also hear rattling noise feeling that there are more carbon chips inside. A quick search online suggests that it is not normal to have it produce such rattle noise. With the price tag, I expect something better. Ended up ordering IQAir HealthPro Plus XE, which has a higher price tag, but at least saves me return hassle.

I have a nice apartment, and my neighbor has a heavy pot smoking habit. This machine (cranked on high) will remove 90% + of pot smell leeching into my space. In my case, the smoke smell was seeping through the wall that divides our units. My neighbor does not share any ventilation ducts with me and is completely walled off. I tried (2) other Levoit air purifiers (300 and 400) before landing on this one. They were a joke and did not remove the smell. This unit, the Austin Healthmate Plus with 15lbs of activated carbon, actually works. I stuck it in the corner where the smell seeps in, and leave it on low or medium all the time. The unit is a bit loud on high, and the fan seems to "flutter" a bit on low/medium. If you are buying this, you care more about clean air than you do a very slight flutter in the acoustics. You are paying for the commercial quality air filter. This unit is powerful enough to clean all the air in my 1200 square foot space on medium. There is a noticeably neutral smell throughout the apartment if I leave it on high. When my neighbor is actively smoking and the machine is on medium, I can smell something slight. I then turn the machine on high and the smell goes away. If I turn the machine off I can start to smell it again within 5 minutes, so I know it works. I think this is the best tool to regain control of your air if you are struggling with a neighbor's smoke. Before I got this I was coughing/sneezing, and it was psychologically distressing since my bedroom is where the problem originates. Completely worth it in my opinion. Also, apparently the relative humidity in your space should not exceed 60%. Excess moisture will react with the potassium iodide impregnated carbon filter, and that will apparently reduce its life. Only the Healthmate PLUS has potassium iodide in the filter. I don't know how well this machine would handle direct smoke in the same space. Anyway, now I don't have to move, and I can think about something else besides what my neighbor is smoking.

I am only giving it 4 stars because I need more time. Have had it about a week - not sure it deserves 5 stars yet. House while I live in it - is under construction. Have some Allen Breathsmarts 45i and they have done fairly well. But after adding the Healthmate while under construction with the current breathsmarts - I feel like I am breathing hospital air - Healthmate made a big difference. On the lowest setting, barely noticeable sound (you will hear it a little). Once you go to 2 or 3, it definitely creates a whooshing sound. I would think the lowest setting is fine for most situations UNLESS you have active wild fire around you or like me living in a house under construction. If you live in an apartment, the lowest setting is fine. Obviously you need to fit to size your needs and the quality of air it must clean. Breathsmarts self adjust if pollution is detected, Healthmate is old school analog setting (speed 1,2,3). I am not sure if I was living through construction the Healthmate is something I need. But I also spend time in a place with FREQUENT wildfires, this thing would be perfect. Healthmate certainly seems to live up to its reputation, you can hear it, but it sure does clean the air. 15lbs of active carbon and a few other tricks to clean up vocs, seems to be working quite well. If you need next level clean air, probably a good choice, worked well for me. Regardless of the marketing hype from other companies, if you want to suck air through 15lbs of active carbon and an air filter you are going to hear something. That is simple reality. If 15lbs of carbon is spread across a 6' unit, it would be whisper quite, but who wants a giant machine in the house.

Excellent device. Works extremely well, and removes wildfire smoke effectively.

Had it a year and it is awesome. We leave it on the highest setting in the moring come home no smells. Its cleaning 5 rooms. The highest fan speed its loud but use thay as a sound machine at night. Im not sure it will last 5 years. I think my sons fish cooking every week has killed the filter. How do you know when to change the filter

Extremely loud. There’s no way any can realistically use this in a modern apartment.

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