Ionic Pro Air Purifier is Cheap But Not Highly Efficient

The technology behind the Ionic Pro Air Purifier has made it a leader in the field of ionic air cleaners. Ionized air cleaners were an instant hit with consumers worried about contaminants in the indoor air of their homes.

In the past decade, people have become more aware of the dangers posed by particulates and gases in the environment. Initially, the focus was on outdoor air and ozone layers but quickly we realized we were breathing polluted air even in our own homes.

Outdoors, factory emissions, auto exhaust and pollens add contaminants to the air while inside our homes tobacco smoke, cooking, pets, children and hobbies combine to add odors and particles to the air we breathe. Building materials, furniture and drapery fabrics and carpeting release gases from finished added to them. The vapor from new carpeting can lead to sneezing yet most of the gases released by products and finishes have no discernible odor.

The term “home pollution” is part of our vocabulary today. The reasons for the problem are a combination of pollution outdoors, release of particulates indoors and seasonal pollens. It has become more of a problem as our homes are now designed to be energy efficient.

Drafty doors and windows are caulked to stop the outside air from coming in. Every little crevice between the walls is filled with insulation to maintain the air conditioning systems of heating and cooling.

However, the same energy efficient practices we use at home today traps indoor air inside. This means the same particulates and gases are re-circulated over and over within our home. This has led to a rapidly growing industry producing air cleaning systems such as the Ionic Pro air purifier.

ioniser air purifier

Ionic vs. Ozone

The terms ionic and ozone have been confused by warning from the EPA of the dangers of releasing high levels of ozone into the home environment.

The Ionic Pro air purifier uses an ionic process to add negatively charged ions to the air in a room. There is a small amount of ozone produced in the process but the company claims it is well below accepted safety standards.

Currently there are tests being conducted by government agencies to determine guidelines for safe levels of ozone. In the meantime, there seems to be no reason for concern as the ionization air cleaners are cost efficient and work well with few consumer complaints.

Adding the negative charge to ions creates a slight odor. Interestingly, some consumers complain about that odor while other reviewers like the crisp scent added to the air and take the smell as proof of clean air.

The degree of confusion that reigns in the area of ionic air cleaners and the ozone they emit can be verified by several lists provided by the State of California.

Though the Ionic Pro air purifier is not listed on the recommended list of air cleaners it does not appear on the list of products to avoid. Great Innovations, the company behind the air cleaner does have several of its air cleaning products on the listed of “safe” air cleaners published by the State.

Advantages

An increase in negative ions in the atmosphere is responsible for the fresh smell of outdoor air just after a thunderstorm has passed. Lightning generates negative ions. It gives the air a crisp, fresh smell to it and the Ionic Pro air purifier does the same thing to the indoor air of your home.

Price has been a huge factor in the popularity of this product. Ionizing air cleaners are expensive with prices often in the $400-500 range. Consumers who believe that newest technology is best are a perfect market segment for this low cost Ionic Pro air purifier.

This product has a sleek, attractive tower style that consumers prefer. It is that tower design that leads to some of the problems of inefficiency.

Disadvantages

Like so many products that are cheaply built to meet a consumer face, the Ionic Pro has many complaints from buyers. Reviewers have labeled the process as a knockoff that was reverse engineered from a product offered by Sharper Image. It certainly is a look alike for several higher priced ionizing units.

Air purifiers are judged for effectiveness by the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate). It’s not surprising products with a high CADR boldly announce that on their sales pages. The CADR of many top air cleaners is as high as 80. Estimate of the CADR for the Ionic Pro air purifier are as low as 20.

There is also mention of capturing dust particles “as small as 1.0 micron”. In terms of air purification systems, that is not a small particle. Most air purifiers remove particles up to .03 microns in size. The truth is in the decimal point.

The fan is quiet and moves air so that you feel a slight breeze. That air movement leads you to feel the unit is working well when in fact it is moving about 1/12 the volume of air of similarly priced Honeywell air cleaner.

The square, boxy design of Honeywell is not as pretty as the Ionic Pro air purifier. However, it is that boxy design that makes the units far more efficient as air cleaners.

If you compare the amount of square footage an air cleaner is meant to handle, the Ionic Pro sounds good. After all, the sales page claims one unit covers up to 500 square feet.

That’s amazing for an air cleaner that costs only about $115. It would be amazing if it were true. The ionizer produces ozone and, as the ozone disperses throughout the room, it covers other odors which gives the impression all the air in the room is “clean”.

Summary

This air cleaner continues to sell well on popular low priced storefronts online and at venues such as Walmart offline. Consumers buy this product because of the low price and the stylish tower design.

It is unlikely this ionizer produces enough ozone to be a risk in your home. As the Ionic Pro air purifier does not do a very good job of cleaning the indoor air, it is not a good buy.

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