Combination Air Purifiers

Alternative air purifier technologies

As mentioned earlier, the Friedrich C-90B (*Est. $450) receives good performance scores across the board from experts. However, because it uses an electronic precipitator in conjunction with a HEPA filter and produces a small amount of ozone, it is no longer recommended by reviewers. The Friedrich air purifier uses a combination of technologies, including several pre-filters and a fan to pull air through the machine in order to trap allergens. It also uses an electrostatic ionizer to charge remaining particles, which attach to collection plates within the unit -- and possibly to your furniture, walls, and/or floors. Some owners have returned these machines because of an annoying odor emitted by the unit. Some consumers report the odor as a musty smell, which is most likely the small amount of ozone produced by this model.

Another air purifier that has created a buzz is the Fresh Air by EcoQuest (*Est. $475). EcoQuest was started in 2000 by a former executive of its predecessor, Alpine Industries. In the late 1990s, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled against Alpine Industries for making misleading health claims, and in 2000, a federal judge again ordered the company to stop making claims that its machines relieve medical conditions or effectively remove indoor air pollutants. Subsequently, both Alpine Industries and EcoQuest were named in a complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Justice Department. Alpine Industries was fined $1.49 million on the health claim charges; it also came to light that the company owed a large amount of back taxes to both Minnesota and Tennessee.

EcoQuest markets its air purifiers primarily through a large network of affiliate salespeople, sometimes door-to-door by enterprising entrepreneurs. EcoQuest's Fresh Air purifier has a five-speed fan, a carbon filter and uses a UV-light ionizer. The manufacturer claims that the ionizer reduces airborne contaminants, while the ultraviolet light kills microorganisms. Like the now discontinued Ionic Breeze, the EcoQuest produces ozone as a byproduct of ionization. Several consumers posting to Epinions.com report that their allergy and asthma symptoms worsened after running the EcoQuest for just two or three days. This, along with the company's history, gives us pause. While the Fresh Air hasn't been included in independent comparative testing yet, we think that, for the price, you'd be better off considering other models that have been proven to clean air without the ozone risks.