Blueair ECO10 Energy-Star HEPASilent Air Purifier Save 34% Off

This is the first air purifier I ever purchased. I think the full list price of $900 is outrageous and would not have bought it at full price for what is almost a big computer case with a high quality fan and very high quality HEPA filters. However, I jumped at the chance to buy it at the 50% off sale price or $450. So far it''s working really well. It''s a bit bulky, but then all good air purifiers are because the filters need enough surface area to work properly. It achieves low power consumption largely by having a large filter area so that the air velocity can be kept low while keeping the air volume high. Low air velocity translates to lower energy consumption and lower noise.

At 10 Watts on the high setting, even if I run it 24/7, the energy consumption will be only $1 a month and my electricity rate in California is a high 14 cents per kWh.

The power switch''s placement at foot level is very inconvenient. Unless you leave the unit on for 24 hours a day, everyday, you''ll find it a chore to have to constantly bend down to access the switch.

The outside of the product''s packaging, as well as all the websites I''ve visited(including Amazon), says the filters last up to 12 months. That''s actually incorrect advertising. The manual says for "optimal use" the filters should be changed every six months. I''ve noticed the air flow decreased noticeably after 2 months of use at 12 hours a day. Furthermore, in order for the 10-year warranty to be valid, Blueair requires the buyer to change the filters every six months and to send in the registration as explicitly stated in the manual. Of course, the question is whether Blueair will require proof that the user bought new filters every six months when it comes time for warranty work. Oh, another thing, the warranty is only 10 years, not "lifetime" as the websites state, another incorrect advertisement!

The filters cost $100 per set. So if I change the filters religiously every 6 months, the filters alone will cost $200 a year, plus $12 a year for electricity. With charcoal, the operating cost will exceed $300 a year. Ouch! Also, keep in mind that this is just the operating cost for one large room (up to 300 sq. ft.) and not for the whole house.

It''s quiet enough even on high that I can sleep with it on high, and on the low setting, it sounds about as loud as a somewhat loud computer case fan and is mostly unobtrusive. The fan noise is not unpleasant. In fact, I sometimes use it on the high setting as a passable white noise machine to drown out ambient noises when I go to sleep.

The only true negative with this unit is it''s exclusively a particulates filter. It has no charcoal to absorb odor. In order for the purifier to be effective, I need to keep my bedroom door closed. When the filters were new, the air got stuffy overnight when I kept the door closed. I think it was the smell of the new filters, but after a couple of weeks, the stuffy smell went away. For those who want to filter odor, Blueair makes Smokestop filters include charcoal. The Smokestop filters cost almost twice as much as the regular Eco10 filters and are also not as readily available.

It''s interesting to note that the Eco10 has virtually the same 250 CFM rating as the IQAir Heatlh Pro and practically the same percentage particulate reduction. Therefore the two units should have about the same area coverage rating. But the IQAir claims effective up to 900 sq. feet, whereas the Blueair Eco10 only claims 300 sq. ft. with 6 air changes per hour(which is the generally recommended rate by experts). This tells me the IQAir''s capacity is overrated vs. the conservative rating of the Eco10. I tried to find the CADR rating of the IQAir but couldn''t find it anywhere. Based on the fact that the Blueair Eco10 has a CADR of about 200, I surmise the IQAir has similar CADR. I just don''t see how a 200 CADR unit can cover 900 sq. ft. Maybe that''s why Consumer Report gave the IQAir a low rating.

Summary:

Pluses: very quiet compared to other brands, very effective filtration down to 0.1 micron at 99.97% efficiency, good air flow of around 250 CFM, good CADR rating of around 200, ultra low electricity consumption.

Minuses: short filter life, very high operating costs because of short filter life and expensive filters, no charcoal to absorb odors, unless you opt for the even more expensive Smokestop filters.

Bottomline: Quiet unit and very energy efficient, BUT the energy savings will not even come close to offsetting the high operating costs associated with the frequent changes of expensive filters.

This unit does a good job with and average sized room for mild allergies. I would not use it if you have severe allergies as it does not turn over the air fast enough, only 6 times an hour. It was a good buy since it was on sale for half price.

Rolls easy on castors, power goes into bottom of unit. Intakes are easy to vac once a week as they start to get plugged up with dust.

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Used during the fires in August 2009 and it really helped. Have hearing problem and on medium setting it is quite enough to talk. Bought in summer of 2007 and have not had a problem. Would recommend to a friend.

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As of this review, I have two units only for two months or less. The product is definitely quiet as promised and even on the higher speed is manageable for sleep. It''s designed to run 7x24. I can feel and smell the air moving. I can''t say whether it''s improved my children''s health (too early). A bit larger than I would prefer but acceptable. Definitely a costly gad but in this area of healtchare (where I have years of personal healthcare experience), I think the money is well spent. Check back with me in a year ;)

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I am unsure as the build quality of other Blueair products but I can speak to the construction and design of the ECO10. It looks and feels like and old computer case with holes cut in the top, front and back. There appears to be a very small computer style fan at the base of the box. The filters seem like normal house hold air filters you could buy at any hardware store. I am shocked at the shoddy build and cheap materials used in this air purifier. I paid over $1,000 for this item and put it in my baby''s room. I feel totally ripped off. Blueair also claimed to offer a free set of filters, normally $100, if you sent the original proof of purchase in by a certain date. I complied with all of the written instructions for the free filters and have still not received them. It has been six months. No one answers the phones or returns voice messages. Maybe I should have waited until some user reviews were available before I purchased this item. It was brand new to their lineup and I took a shot.

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