scotte1218's Full Review: Friedrich C-90A Air Purifier
I have to say that I am stunned that there has only been one review (prior to mine) on this product. The Friedrich C-90A air cleaner has been around for years and has been consistently rated as #1 by just about every consumer magazine out there. And judging from what I had to go through to get mine, they sell faster than Friedrich can make them. There was a 60 day waiting list. Which is why I am so amazed that a product this good has received only one rating here on Epinions. Well for those of you who are in the market for an air cleaner....look no further. This is the absolute best mid-sized system you can buy for home use.
Those of you familiar with my reviews know that, unfortunately, I suffer from allergies. I have been on allergy shots just about my entire life and have suffered through 6 sinus surgeries. Not fun. But because of this, I happen to know a thing or two about air cleaners.
I have always had air cleaners of one brand or another in my home as every doctor has told me that with my allergies, it was pretty much a necessity for me to have one. In general, the cleaners I have owned seemed to work fairly well but the one thing I couldn't stand was the fact that every few months I would have to buy replacement filters. Why is this a problem?? Well, most cleaners have 2 filters. A pre-filter and a HEPA filter. The pre-filters usually weren't all that expensive (around $10-$20) but the HEPA's were a different story. At around the $80.00 mark or more, I was looking at around $200-$300 dollars a year or more in filter replacement costs. Yikes!!! So being the tightwad that I am I began my hunt for a new cleaner....one that didn't require new filters every other month.
After weeks and weeks of researching, my hunt lead me to the Friedrich C-90A. Top rated and highly recommended by every source/place I checked with, it is hands down, without a doubt the best air cleaner I have ever owned.
One of the most important things you need to look at when purchasing an air cleaner is the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate). Simply put, this is the volume of clean air the unit releases into a room. Obviously, the more the better. Well the C-90A has the highest CADR in its class for all three of the rating categories....dust, pollen, and tobacco smoke. How does it work?? Well read on.
The C-90A's filtration system consists of 3 parts. A pre-filter, an electric cell (which has 2 sections), and a carbon filter. When the unit is in use, the air is cleaned by the following 4 steps:
1. The PRE-FILTER catches the larger particles as room air is drawn in.
2. The IONIZING section of the electric cell electrically charges the billions of microscopic particles that pass through.
3. The COLLECTOR PLATE section of the electric cell attracts and grabs the charged particles.
4. Finally, the CARBON FILTER removes whatever dust and odors might have made it through.
By using these 4 steps, the C-90A ensures that nothing but clean, fresh air is released back into the room. In fact, you can smell the cleaner air within 5 minutes of using the machine for the first time. It really is incredible.
The units reduces pollutants from the following: Dust, air fresheners, tobacco smoke, pollen, pesticides, mold spores, aerosol sprays, plant spores, pet dander, and wood smoke. There isn't anything this baby won't filter out.
The unit features 3 fan speeds, an indicator lamp that lets you know its working properly, a safety catch that shuts the unit off when the top cover is removed, and a voltage regulator to protect from power surges.
The unit itself measures 21.5" long, 15" wide, and 19" in height. It weighs in at 28lbs. While a little on the large side, I think this is a small price to pay for the units performance.
As much as I love and recommend this unit, there are 2 cons that I feel obligated to report. First is the maintenance issue. You have to take out and wash the filters every week. Although it is not a difficult process (simply slide the filters in and out) it is a pain to have to do it every 7 days. But you really need to based on the amount of dust this baby picks up. You will see after the first week that the pre-filter is literally covered with a thick layer. And if you wipe a clean cloth on the electric cell, you will see the black pollutants it has trapped. So if you don't clean it, the unit will eventually get clogged up and not work. So to keep it running in tip-top condition, I religiously clean mine. The metal electric cell is dishwasher safe so feel free to pop it in.
The other con would be the noise. Set at low or medium speeds, the noise level is no problem. But at high speed it does get quite loud. So if you really need to have a whisper quiet unit, the C-90A might not be for you. I just leave mine on the medium setting and it works perfectly. In fairness to this product, I found the noise to be no worse than most of the other brands I have owned.
As for replacing the filters. The only one that needs to be occasionally replaced is the carbon. Friedrich recommends replacing it every 6 months to a year depending on the amount of use it gets. I leave my unit running 24/7 and find that replacing it once a year is just fine. The filter goes for around $25-$30 dollars.
The C-90A costs anywhere from $450-$550 dollars and can be found on a number of internet sites. Just type Friedrich C-90A into your search engine and start price shopping. Or you can try E-BAY. I picked mine up for $435.00 on sale. The unit comes with a 1 year warranty and has a 30 day money back guarantee. I should note that it comes ready to use. Just take it out of the box and plug it in. All filters are included.
So as you can tell, I give this unit my highest recommendation. No other cleaner comes close to the job it does. Yes it is a little on the expensive side, but mark my words, it will make up the initial price difference within the first year as well as out perform all other brands. So do yourself a favor, if you are in need of an air cleaner, check this product out. Your body will thank you.
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