Average Rating:

This air purifier is OK, but considering the price as compared to other types of purifiers, it ought to be fantastically special. Originally we used it in a rec room right next to the kitchen. Noticeably less dust collected on the TV screen, and cooking smells disappeared rapidly. On two occasions when smoke filled that end of the house (there are 2 extremely absent-minded people living here, who sometimes forget they're cooking something, and who seem to consider the smoke alarm as a cooking timer), there was just too much in the air for the poor Ionic Breeze to really help. Anyway, after 8 months the IB started to hiss, crackle and pop, although it was cleaned weekly, so it got shut off, never to be used in the rec room again. It was moved into a bedroom where the dog sleeps, and it has done wonders for removing doggy smell. It's hissing and crackling louder than ever, despite all efforts to clean both the wires inside the unit, and the collection plates. But it is still dealing with odors well, so...I'm willing to keep it until I decide to get something else.

I knew that the noises on the IB would show up at some point (just not so early), because a good friend had the same experience with his unit. Although he had warned me, I bought one anyway, thinking "Well, I'm not a slob like you and I'll actually clean mine so I won't have the same problem." How wrong I was.

Sometimes there's a noticeable bleachy smell, but that's a great improvement over noticeable doggy smell.

I only gave it 2.5 stars because although it works (over 1.5 yr now) it's still too expensive. Not a good value.

I have had several air machines designs to clean the air in the house to cut down on all sorts of indoor pollution. But living in a very old house you have a lot of dust, so most have the filter run out in a matter of 6 to 8 months. If you have any hepa filter types you know this is the same situation as the printers for your computers. You get the printer for next to nothing, but the ink cartridges cost and arm and a leg! Same with hepa filters. IF you can find them. Why is it when you need one, you can never find the one you want?

I now have a total of 5 of these machines in my house and I could not live without them! It's so amazing. You don't hear a noisy fan going like you do with the other filtering machines. They are totally silent. But ever five foot away, you feel the gentle breeze, smell the beautiful air. I notice the cats really love them. They will get in the path of these breeze and just sit there inhaling the lovely smelling air. They have UV lights to help kill germs. I noticed this year, we got through with no flu (first time in 7 years!). No colds.

Now that allergy season is hitting, they are a must. They are a snap to clean. Just take the core out, wipe down and get rid of the nasty uglies that you would have been breathing.

I did have problems with the machines malfunctioning. But Sharper Image quickly replaced them with new ones, they even paid for the return postage. Since replacement, I have had no further problems. I do recommend following directions on maintenance. If have to turn them up and down several times after cleaning. If you don't do this you could end up with problems, but they come with a video explaining everything, so if you don't follow instructions you only have yourself to blame.

Although they clean the air, they require VERY frequent and VERY thorough cleaning (NOT because my air is any dirtier that yours either).

Cleaning is required almost weekly, never any longer than 2 weeks, and to clean them thoroughly is VERY DIFFICULT. If they are not cleaned regularly, they become very noisy, making highly irritating static and crackling sounds.

To clean them, I remove the grids, take the remaining cases/enclosures outside, and blow them out thoroughly with compressed air. Then I turn them upside down a few times per the instructions, and then I blow them out some more. And then I wash and dry the grid as the instructions call for. What a PAIN!

Also these things do not come back on automatically after a power failure.

I am sorry I bought them, especially considering how expensive they are.