AllerAir 5000 Vocarb Review

What the reviewers like:
Reviewers praise the 18-pound activated carbon and zeolite core of the AllerAir 5000 Vocarb.. There are no complaints about the Vocarb’s efficiency at filtering allergens, but we didn't see it tested extensively either.

What the reviewers don’t like:
Even a retailer that sells the AllerAir 5000 Vocarb notes that it’s extremely noisy at the high-speed setting, and this unit is very heavy (44 pounds). We didn't seen enough scientific performance testing of this unit to come to any firm conclusions about its effectiveness.

AllerAir 5000 Vocarb review highlights

The AllerAir 5000 Vocarb is very similar to the less expensive Austin Air HealthMate HM-400 (*est. $400). Its most prominent feature is its 18-pound activated carbon and zeolite core, which claims to absorb chemicals and odors; the HealthMate has a slightly lighter 15-pound core. Experts say this machine can thoroughly scrub a 750-square-foot room, but one source says it’s very noisy on its high-speed setting, and another notes that its 44-pound weight makes it cumbersome to move. Overall, the Austin Air HealthMate HM-400 receives better (and more numerous) reviews.

The AllerAir 5000 Vocarb is discussed in detail by AllergyBuyersClub.com and Air-Purifier-Power.com, which give a good sense of this air purifier’s advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, the Vocarb hasn’t been tested for particle-removing efficiency by either of the two sources that conduct independent testing, Consumer Reports or Air-Purifiers-America.com, and it hasn’t yet received any notices from owners posting to Epinions or Amazon.com.

Also see full report: Air Purifiers

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Allergy Buyers Club.com
AllerAir 5000 Vocarb Review
Editors of AllergyBuyersClub.com

Although it’s a retailer, AllergyBuyersClub.com does a good job pointing out the pluses and minuses of the air purifiers it sells. The editors praise the AllerAir 5000 Vocarb’s 18-pound carbon-zeolite core, noting that it can absorb various chemicals and odors, but admit that AllerAir machines are very noisy on high-speed settings. This unit doesn't appear to have undergone any testing with a particle counter.

2. Air-Purifier-Power.com
Air Purifier by AllerAir
Ed Sherbenou

In this article, reviewer Ed Sherbenou details the features of the AllerAir 5000 Exec, which is very similar to the AllerAir 5000 Vocarb. He likes its 18-pound activated carbon core (which uses high-quality carbon "from coconut shell"), but notes that its 44-pound weight can make it a difficult proposition for the elderly or infirm. Sherbenou didn't conduct any scientific testing.

Also see full report: Air Purifiers

AllerAir 5000 Vocarb Review