Vornado AQS35: Purifier by Vornado

Filter $59.99

Prefilter $19.99

NOTE; AQS35 DISCONTINUED, AQS25 STILL AVAILABLE.

With one 5 star rating at epinions.com, a 5th rank in Consumer Reports (Oct 2005), and average Amazon.com customer reviews 4.5 of 5, Vornado AQS35 is a well regarded HEPA air purifier.

"Quick Clean" speed (5) is recommended for cleaning any size room in 30 minutes, and then turning down the AQS-35 air cleaner to maintain the clean air. Vornado is the first manufacturer Ihave seen to suggest anything other than the largest room possible for their product. This isconsistent with Air-Purifier-Power's "burst mode" theory of room sizing.

Vornado also publishes a chart to room size each product by air changes per hour (ach). At 250 square feet; 8 ach, 289 sq ft 7 ach, 324 sq ft 6 ach. I recommend theVornado air cleaner for 250 square feet. Unusual honesty from a vendorgets a point extra below.

Five fan speeds and a unique twisting vertical draft circulate air through entire rooms.

And Vornados top-mounted controls include a high speed dirty-filter indicator. The air cleaner must be on high for the guage to work. This is a real pressure sensor and not a timer.

Vornado AQS35 Filters

There are two filters. A "PreSorb" activated carbon prefilter reduces odors and some organic compounds. This prefilter is washable and cheap (4 in a $20 carton), predicted to last three months. Two extra prefilters are included at purchase.

The "High Alpha" Hepa filter, with a respectable 36 square feet of filter media, meets the strict Military Standard 282 filtrationefficiency test. The seldom used terminology "high alpha" means high alpha-cellulose fiber content pulp paper is used in the filter.

Vornado Noise

No scientific noise specification is available, so user feedback is relied on for noise data.AQS35 uses a squirrel cage blower, which is loud on any setting but the lowest. Many report liking the "white noise" and sleeping as high as speed three.

The air cleaner measures 22 by 13-3/4 by 10 inches: its small footprint and vertical exhaust work well behind obstructions. Portable at 16 lbs., Vornado AQS35 uses 200 watts on high, not an energy star.

Warranty, Returns

Considered good-looking, and available in any color you like as long as "greystone" describesit, Vornado is covered by a 5-year warranty.

Returns are subject to the individual Vornado retailer's return policy, but there is a liberal return policy of30 days if purchased factory direct. Customers pay shipping on returns.

Discontinued at some retailers, this is a value oriented air cleaner, inexpensive for thepower supplied. In this price range, every product has a warranty claim curve which issteep in the first year, flattens, and then rises again. Motor failures, switch malfunctions, or vibrations will occur in a certain percentage of shipped units. Two reviews report units running past the 5 year warranty.

Air-Purifier-Power Rating Criteria

Each of ten factors gets up to 10 points, 100 is perfect and very unlikely.

1. First do no harm; minimal out gassing, no ozone.

Score: 9 of 10.

2. Serious gas and odor removal is a requirement if health benefits are expected: Units with real carbon VOC capability rank higher.

Score: 5 of 10, easily replaced, inexpensive prefilters do remove odors when new. Not for paint or solvent vapors, as implied incompany literature.

3. Quality construction; case, gaskets, seals, and precision fitting eliminate bypassing and assure high efficiency at filtering sub-micron particles.

Score: 8 of 10, rubber band system for securing filters a good idea, needs stronger elastic.

4. The design maximizes the lifespan of each filter stage by allowing independent filter replacement. Ideally this is combined with electronic filter monitoring.

Score: 9 of 10, real filter monitor.

5. Unit has long filter life, low maintenance requirements, and reasonable operating costs.

Score: 8 of 10, filter costs low for all but smokers/pets.

6. Purifier produces low noise levels and meaningful air flow rates relative to noise.

Score: 8 of 10, a loud on high, but strong to match.

7. Manufacturer has a track record, with many units in the field and a reputation for supporting what they sell. Warranty period and average service life are long.

Score: 9 of 10, 5-year warranty good for price, unit sold essentially unchanged since around year 2000.

8. Purifier is a value in terms of price/performance ratio. Every price range should be included, “models above $1,200 are best”, while true, is not useful to most consumers.

Score: 10 of 10, in $160-$200 area good value, Vornado has high CADR per $.

9. No dirt; unit and manufacturer should be devoid of class-action suits, high returns, recalls, consumer complaints, and legitimate negative consumer reviews.

Score: 7 of 10, Vornado has a couple recalls and tort lawyer noise, but not on air purifiers.

10. Unit is stylish, portable, comfortable, and convenientfor consumer use.

Score: 8 of 10, consumers like Vornados appearance, no remote, easy interface.

Rating; 81

Vornado: good HEPA no VOC capability