Kenmore 83202 True HEPA Air Cleaner Review

What the reviewers like:
In one major test, the Kenmore 83202 True HEPA air purifier finishes near the top of the pack, with high scores for dust and smoke removal. Owners posting to user-review sites are very satisfied with this machine.

What the reviewers don’t like:
The Kenmore 83202 air purifier scores only average grades for noise, and its replacement filters are fairly expensive compared to this air cleaner’s retail price. One source says its large exhaust opening can be tempting for curious children.

Kenmore 83202 True HEPA Air Cleaner review highlights

In one comparative test of 36 air purifiers, the Kenmore 83202 finished second, earning high scores for dust and smoke removal but only average scores for noise. In another test of 14 machines, the Kenmore/Whirlpool finished in the middle of the pack. The enthusiast site Air-Purifier-Power.com likes this machine’s cleaning ability, but criticizes its noise on high speed settings and the high cost of its replacement filters ($100 for the main HEPA filter and $30 for a box of charcoal pre-filters), while Air-Purifiers-America.com says the large exhaust opening can be a temptation for little hands. Owners are generally satisfied with this air purifier, but one reviewer to Amazon.com also notes the high cost of replacement filters. The Kenmore 83202 is intended for rooms of about 400 square feet. Overall, the Kenmore (and its clone, the Whirlpool AP51030) is one of the best picks in this price range, according to reviewer consensus.

The Kenmore 83202 True HEPA Air Cleaner -- which is also sold as the Whirlpool AP51030R -- is included by Consumer Reports in its November 2007 roundup of air purifiers. It's also tested by Air-Purifiers-America.com, and examined in depth at the enthusiast site Air-Purifier-Power.com. This Kenmore air purifier is also reviewed by a fair number of owners posting to Sears.com and Amazon.com.

Also see full report: Air Purifiers

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

1. Consumer Reports
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Air Purifiers
Editors of Consumer Reports
Nov. 2007

The Kenmore 335 CADR True HEPA Air Cleaner is among the 36 air purifiers tested by Consumer Reports in its November 2007 roundup. By injecting allergens into a test chamber, then measuring air purifier performance at several time intervals on both high and low speeds, editors test models for dust and smoke removal, ozone emission and noise.

2. AirPurifiers America.com
Air Purifier Test Results
Editors of Air-Purifiers-America.com

Air-Purifiers-America.com tests air purifier models with a high-performance laser particle counter, which measures the air purifier’s ability to remove particulate allergens from the air. In a test of 14 air purifiers, the Kenmore 335 CADR True HEPA Air Cleaner finishes in the middle of the pack. The editors say this machine (which cleared 70% of particles from the test room) moves a lot of air, but say it’s unattractive, and worry that a child’s hand can get stuck in the large exhaust opening.

3. Air-Purifier-Power.com
Whirlpool AP51030R Review
Ed Sherbenou

Reviewer Ed Sherbenou doesn’t conduct performance testing with a particle counter, but he does take a look at third-party reviews. Sometimes, Sherbenou takes air purifiers apart to examine their mechanics. However, his writeup for the Whirlpool AP51030 (the clone of the Kenmore 83202) doesn’t appear to be based on a hands-on examination.

4. Sears.com
Kenmore 335 CADR True HEPA Air Purifier Review
Contributors to Sears.com

About two dozen owners posting at Sears.com have are relatively positive about the Kenmore air purifier, noting its low-noise operation and effectiveness at filtering pet dander. One complaint repeated is the odd placement of the Styrofoam protector as owners weren’t sure if this was part of the packaging or part of the air purifier itself.

5. Epinions
Kenmore 83202 True HEPA Air Purifier Review
Contributors to Epinions

A small handful of owners posting to Epinions are satisfied with the Kenmore 335 CADR True HEPA Air Cleaner, but one notes that replacement filters are costly -- $100 for the main HEPA filter and $30 per box for charcoal pre-filters.

Also see full report: Air Purifiers