Air Purifiers > Viva Air Purifiers

Advantages: Does what it says
Disadvantages: Don't use near children or animals

Once upon a time there were ionisers. They pump negative ions into your room, which is normally full of too many positive ions. Positive ions make the air heavy and impure, while negative ions make it light and fresh. The trouble was, that when the positive ions were driven out by the negative, they came to rest around your ioniser in a black heavy sludge, that was unsightly and difficult to clean. Then, Eureka! The fresh air globe, which is basically ...
...sludge falls out of the air it falls ino the water and you do not see it. The fresh air globe does everything it says on the box. It purifies and humidifies the air and gets rid of smells. But it is not designed for humans to use. It comes in three bits with fiddly little wires, meaning it is difficult to move around the room. The globe part is a flimsy plastic bowl I am always sending flying. It won't last long and there is no mention of replacements. ... Read review

Advantages: Cleaner, fresher air
Disadvantages: Quite large

...I have invested in the Bionaire BAP1500 PERMAtech. The unit is quite large at 27" high x 10"x 6" but it is suitable for areas up to 84m2. It's quite stylishly finished in black with silver trim. The 'Permatech' model is so called because it has permanent filters which can be washed or vacuumed when the filter indicator light on the top of the unit comes on. It is a pain replacing bags and filters (if they are available at all) so I've decided to ...
...looks well made and the 3 speeds operate quietly considering the volume of air they process. However, don't think it's silent - the lowest speed is just louder than a computer fan which I find acceptable in my living room. The medium and fastest speeds I use to give a boost - usually when I'm going out. The Air purifier is designed to run continuously and at only 50 Watts max this should be no problem. There is also an oscillator function which ... Read review

Advantages: Attractive and can be used for aromatherapy
Disadvantages: Can be difficult to keep clean

...Eucalyptus and Lavender. The JML water tank is made of clear plastic, unlike some other brands which have a glass tank. This has to be filled with tap water up to the maximum water level shown. It is then placed on the base with a few drops of the essence (if required), topped off with the lid and connected to the power supply. The on/off switch is at the back of the base which also contains the LED light display. The switch for this is on the ...
...The others that JML sell are: Rose, Sandalwood and Teatree. As I said, the water does become rather dirty but apparently doesn't have to be changed until this happens. We have found that the water goes down fairly quickly so it does need topping up regularly. As we live in an area which has extremely hard water we also have to clean the bowl and interior as we get deposits of lime scale which need to be removed. I have found that cold water and ... Read review

Advantages: Permanant Hepa Filters. 3 Speeds. Remote control. Ioniser button. Quiet. Low energy.
Disadvantages: None that i know of.

I've used Bionaire air purifiers for a few years and think they are great. This is one of the larger models size-wise because it covers a larger area (approx. 84m2), which personally i needed. This makes it dearer to buy of course, but i did not hesitate to spend the money on what i class as an essential. You can buy smaller and cheaper models if you do not need to cover so much space. It has 3 speeds and is much quieter than the older models, even ...
...me, as is the ioniser button. One reason i chose this model is because it has permanant, cleanable Hepa filters, so no extra cost after the initial purchase. The other filters are washable. It doesn't use much energy to run (can't recall exact wattage but it's under 90W when on full power). As a smoker i would not be without one! ... Read review