Austin air purifiers



The Austin Air HEGA, Healthmate, Healthmate Plus, Healthmate Jr. and new Healthmate Plus Junior are good economy priced HEPA air purifiers, good for allergen, VOC, gas and odor removal. Air purifier ratings, reviews, comparisons and reports by consumer experts are available.

Austin Air air purifiers are real workhorses with little maintenance required, and a good value for up to 1500 sq ft. Just change the HEPA filter once every 3-5 years, and vacuum the pre-filter every few months. They use a HEPA and odor control combination filter with large amounts of filter media, so the air purifiers will combat particulates, odors and gases.

Austin Air Healthmate, Healthmate Plus and HEGA Air Purifiers are perfect for someone who...

  • Suffers from Allergy/asthma
  • Has multiple chemical sensitivities and needs an air filter that doesn't offgas
  • Wants a good value in an air purifier for particulates, odors and gases for up to 1500 sq ft
  • Needs HEPA particulate (small particle) filtration as well as filters for gases, odors and or smoke problems
  • A city dweller with medium particulate allergies who also may have city or neighborhood pollutants that produce odors, gases and or soot
  • Needs to remove volatile organic compounds and chemically reactive gases such as formaldehyde, ammonias and odors
  • Wants an air purifier that resists scratching, scuffing and smudging
  • Wants to be able to move the air purifier easily from room to room on casters

Austin Air Healthmate, Healthmate Plus and HEGA Air Purifiers: Which air purifiers are right for you...



Austin Healthmate Standard Air Purifier

  • Cleans up to 1500 sq ft on high fan speed at 2 air changes per hour, 750 sq ft at 4 air changes per hour (We recommend 4 air changes or more for allergy sufferers.)
  • Suitable for a large bedroom or living room
  • Removes a wide variety of contaminants, including dust, pollens, dander, odors, chemical vapors and more
  • Normal household odors - preferred model for this use
  • 60 sq. ft. true HEPA medical filter medium
  • 3 Speed control switch
  • 15 lbs mixture of solid activated carbon and zeolite
  • Casters for easy movement

Austin Healthmate Plus Jr. air purifier for Chemical Sensitivities

  • Carbon-Zeolite mix and potassium iodide enable this air purifier to remove volatile organic chemicals and chemically reactive gasessuch as ammonia, bleaching solutions, ethylene, formaldehyde, fresh paint and woodworking odors
  • Cleans up to 700 sq ft on high fan speed at 2 air changes per hour, 350 sq ft at 4 air changes per hour (We recommend 4 air changes or more for allergy sufferers.)
  • Suitable for a small bedroom
  • Removes a wide variety of contaminants, including dust, pollens, dander, odors, chemical vapors and more
  • 30 sq. ft. true HEPA medical filter medium
  • 3 Speed control switch
  • 6.5 lbs mixture of solid activated carbon and zeolite impregnated with potassium iodide

Austin Healthmate Jr. air purifier

  • Cleans up to 700 sq ft on high fan speed at 2 air changes per hour, 350 sq ft at 4 air changes per hour (We recommend 4 air changes or more for allergy sufferers.)
  • Suitable for a small bedroom
  • Removes a wide variety of contaminants, including dust, pollens, dander, odors, chemical vapors and more
  • Normal household odors - preferred model for this use
  • 30 sq. ft. true HEPA medical filter medium
  • 3 Speed control switch
  • 6.5 lbs mixture of solid activated carbon and zeolite

Austin Air Purifier HEGA

  • Austin engineers have created HEGA filtration - High Efficiency Gas Adsorption
  • Combines the gas trapping ability of military carbon cloth for smoke, smog and fumes from city environments with HEPA's particle filtration. (Note: Improved ventilation and use of air purifiers may reduce, but will not completely eliminate, your exposure to secondhand smoke and the associated health risks.)
  • Cleans up to 1500 sq ft on high fan speed at 2 air changes per hour, 750 sq ft at 4 air changes per hour (We recommend 4 air changes or more for allergy sufferers.)
  • Suitable for a large bedroom or living room
  • Removes a wide variety of contaminants, including dust, pollens, dander, odors, chemical vapors and more
  • 60 sq. ft. true HEPA medical filter medium
  • 3 Speed control switch


  • Strategically placed activated carbon military fiber cloth
  • Casters for easy movement

Austin HEGA Jr. air purifier

  • Austin engineers have created HEGA filtration - High Efficiency Gas Adsorption
  • Combines the gas trapping ability of military carbon cloth for smoke, smog and fumes from city environments with HEPA's particle filtration. (Note: Improved ventilation and use of air purifiers may reduce, but will not completely eliminate, your exposure to secondhand smoke and the associated health risks.)
  • Cleans up to 700 sq ft on high fan speed at 2 air changes per hour, 350 sq ft at 4 air changes per hour (We recommend 4 air changes or more for allergy sufferers.)
  • Suitable for a small bedroom
  • Removes a wide variety of contaminants, including dust, pollens, dander, odors, chemical vapors and more
  • 30 sq. ft. true HEPA medical filter medium
  • 3 Speed control switch
  • Strategically placed activated carbon military fiber cloth
  • Casters for easy movement

Features of the Austin Air Healthmate, Healthmate Plus and HEGA Air Purifiers

  • Removes a wide variety of contaminants: particles removed include dust, pollens, dander, odors, chemical vapors and more.
  • Controls VOCs: additional filter treatment of potassium iodide gives greater effectiveness in removing volatile organic compounds such as fresh paint and woodworking odors. (Healthmate Plus models are additionally effective in removing chemically reactive gases such as formaldehyde, ammonias and "new carpet")
  • Protects from toxic poisons and smoke: activated carbon is woven into a lightweight cloth, which is powerful enough to protect military personnel from toxic poisons. (HEGA models). (Note: Improved ventilation and use of air purifiers may reduce, but will not completely eliminate, your exposure to secondhand smoke and the associated health risks.)
  • Lasts up to 30% longer than conventional carbon/zeolite filters and weighs 13 pounds less
  • Does not produce harmful air components: Austin air purifiers do not produce ozone or negative ions
  • Good air flow: All units draw in air on all four sides
  • Easily cleaned and maintains finish: Each unit is encased in steel with a special baked-on powder coat finish with a non-gloss, lightly textured surface that resists scratching, scuffing and smudging. Clean easily with a just a wipe of the cloth.
  • Ease of mobility: Austin Healthmate Standard and Plus air purifier models are mounted on 4 casters (Healthmate Jr. model is not wheel mounted)
  • Low energy use: uses very little energy even on its highest setting
  • Low filter cost: Austin air purifiers replacement filter costs are low, which means less annual maintenance cost
  • Extra lengthy 5 year warranty: on parts and prorated 5 years on the filter under normal household use

 

How the Austin Air Healthmate, Healthmate Plus and HEGA Air Purifiers Work

Austin Air Healthmate, Healtmate Plus and HEGA Air Purifiers:

All Austin Air air purifiers remove a wide variety of contaminants: particles removed include dust, pollens, dander, odors, chemical vapors and more.

Austin Air Healthmate Plus (Superblend)

The Austin Air Healthmate Plus has the same amount of carbon and zeolite as the Healthmate. The difference is that it is impregnated with potassium iodide. The reason for this is in some cases where the gas is chemically reactive, this additional treatment will be more effective in removing those VOCs such as ammonia, bleaching solutions, ethylene, formaldehyde.

The economical 1 ½ H.P. split capacitor only uses 115 watts of power at its highest setting, and the motor only uses 400 CFM of air movement cleaning range of up to 750 square feet (200 cfm on high for up to 375 sq. ft. for the Austin Jr. air purifier model). The air exchange rate is proportionately higher at maximum fan speed. The included HEPA filter filters out allergens up to .3 microns and 99.97 % efficiency. The units have 3 fan speeds.



HEGA - High Efficiency Gas Adsorption Technology Explained
Most people have heard of HEPA filtration which is HIGH EFFICIENCY PARTICULATE ARRESTANCE filtration (good for small particles such as dust, danger, pollen, mold, etc.) In cases of smoke removal, this is highly effective, since the smoke consists of millions of tiny particles which normally would fill the pores of the activated carbon, greatly reducing it's life and effectiveness. In the Austin Air HEGA, the positioning of the HEPA and gas filter is reversed. The HEPA filter is located first on the outside, and the HEGA filter is located second on the inside. The smoke encounters the HEPA filter first, where the smoke particles are removed and then the gases and odors can be addressed by the HEGA filter.

Some allergy sufferers also need chemicals, odors, and gases removed from their environments (new homes, city living, apartment living). This type of gas filtration is usually achieved by using some type of carbon or carbon/zeolite pellets to absorb the gases and odors. Some manufacturers are now also using a carbon cloth filter for gas and odor control. Wouldn't it be great to combine both technologies to remove particulates, gases and odors?

Austin Air's product development team listened and developed a method for combining the carbon cloth's gas trapping properties with HEPA particles filtration. Austin engineers named their new filtration discovery HEGA - High Efficiency Gas Adsorption. It consists of an activated carbon lightweight cloth, which is powerful enough to protect military personnel from toxic poisons. Because of this, it is also more effective for smoke filtration.

Technical Specifications of the Austin Air Healthmate, Healthmate Plus and HEGA Air Purifiers


Model

 

Austin Healthmate™
Standard and Plus
Air Purifiers

 

Austin Healthmate Jr. ™ Healthmate Plus Jr.
Air Purifiers

 

Austin HEGA
Air Purifiers

 

Austin HEGA Jr.
Air Purifiers
Size of the Austin HEGA Jr.   70% to scale of regular Austin Healthmate   70% to scale of regular Austin HEGA
Cleaning range of the Austin Air Purifiers 750 to 1500 sq. ft. under normal conditions on high fan speed. We recommend 400 sq. ft cleaning range if low fan speed is used to achieve 6-8 air changes per hour). For example, in an urban heavily polluted area the rate of recontamination is higher and the cleaning range is proportionately lower. 350 to 700 sq. ft. under normal conditions on high fan speed. We recommend 150 sq. ft cleaning range if low fan speed is used to achieve 6-8 air changes per hour). For example, in an urban heavily polluted area the rate of recontamination is higher and the cleaning range is proportionately lower. 750 to 1500 sq. ft. under normal conditions on high fan speed. We recommend 400 sq. ft cleaning range if low fan speed is used to achieve 6-8 air changes per hour). For example, in an urban heavily polluted area the rate of recontamination is higher and the cleaning range is proportionately lower. 350 to 700 sq. ft. under normal conditions on high fan speed. We recommend 150 sq. ft cleaning range if low fan speed is used to achieve 6-8 air changes per hour). For example, in an urban heavily polluted area the rate of recontamination is higher and the cleaning range is proportionately lower.
Allergy, asthma range 400 sq. ft. 150 sq. ft. 400 sq. ft. 150 sq. ft.
Air flow (cfm) 400 cfm (on highest speed) 200 cfm (on highest speed) 400 cfm (on highest speed) 200 cfm (on highest speed)
Pre-filter Comes with 'Permafilt' pre-filter design to be vacuumed from the outside. Does not need replacement. Comes with 'Permafilt' pre-filter design to be vacuumed from the outside. Does not need replacement. Comes with 'Permafilt' pre-filter design to be vacuumed from the outside. Does not need replacement. Comes with 'Permafilt' pre-filter design to be vacuumed from the outside. Does not need replacement.
HEPA filter media 60 sq. ft. HEPA media for trapping 99.97% of all particulates down to 0.3 microns 30 sq. ft. HEPA media for trapping 99.97% of all particulates down to 0.3 microns; 60 sq. ft. - HEPA media for trapping 99.97% of all particulates down to 0.3 microns; 30 sq. ft. HEPA media for trapping 99.97% of all particulates down to 0.3 microns;
Carbon Filter

15 lbs of carbon & zeolite mixture for odors, vapors, fumes

Plus Model: impregnated with potassium iodide for chemically reactive gases such as amonia and formaldehyde

6.5 lbs of carbon & zeolite mixture for odors, vapors, fumes

Plus Model: iimpregnated with potassium iodide for chemically reactive gases such as amonia and formaldehyde

A acivated carbon military fiber cloth, the . HEGA filter traps contaminants in the large surface area of the cloth. A acivated carbon military fiber clothr, the HEGA Jr. filter traps contaminants in the large surface area of the cloth.
Filter replacement for the Austin Air Purifiers 5 years with normal residential use. 5 years with normal residential use. 5 years with normal residential use. 5 years with normal residential use.
Guarantee 5 year parts HEPA. Carbon 5 years. Prorated for regular residential use. 5 year parts HEPA. Carbon 5 years. Prorated for regular residential use. 5 year parts HEPA. Carbon 5 years. Prorated for regular residential use. 5 year parts HEPA. Carbon 5 years. Prorated for regular residential use.
Dimensions of the Austin Air Purifiers 23.5"H x 14.5"W x 14.5"D 16½" H x 11" W x 11" D 23.5"H x 14.5"W x 14.5"D 16½" x 11" x 11"
Noise Level 64 decibels on high, 20 on low fan speeds 64 decibels on high, 20 on low fan speeds 64 decibels on high, 20 on low fan speeds 64 decibels on high, 20 on low fan speeds
Weight 45 lbs 18 lbs 45 lbs. 18 lbs
Air Intake 360° 360° 360° 360°
Fan Control 3 speed switch 3 speed switch 3 speed switch 3 speed switch
Motor 1.3 amps, 120V 1 amp, 120V 1.3 amps, 120V 1 amp, 120V
Power Consumption 115 watts (on highest speed 80 watts (on highest speed) 115 watts (on highest speed) 80 watts (on highest speed)
Colors Black, White and Sandstone Black, White and Sandstone Black, White and Sandstone Black, White and Sandstone
Housing Metal non offgassing Metal non offgassing Metal non offgassing Metal non offgassing
Approvals CSA, UL, and CE CSA, UL, and CE CSA, NRTL CSA, NRTL
Austin Air Warranty 5 years on all parts and labor 5 years on all parts and labor 5 years on all parts and labor 5 years on all parts and labor
Filter Guarantee 5 year prorated guarantee under normal residential use 5 year prorated guarantee under normal residential use 5 year prorated guarantee undernormal residential use 5 year prorated guarantee under normal residential use


We wish Austin Air had submitted their units to AHAM to back up their claims around specifications. However, the listed specifications of this filter are excellent. Remember that if you want the fan on low to control noise, the air exchange rate is proportionately smaller.

Pluses:

  • Energy cost efficient: economical to run with a low 80 watt power consumption at highest setting - same amount of energy it takes to run an 80 watt light bulb
  • Quiet on low speed: the air purifiers motor is somewhat quiet at low fan speed, which makes it much easier to live with in the bedroom at night
  • Long lasting HEPA + carbon + zeolite filter: the filter lasts for 5 years before it needs replacement; there is a 5 year prorated guarantee under normal residential use
  • Durable exterior: casing materials are of superior steel construction with a baked-on powder coat finish, and visually appealing with a choice of 3 attractive colors
    •

Minuses:

  • The Austin Air air purifier is “portable” in as much as it has wheels, but you would not want to lift this unit up and down stairs
  • The Austin Jr. does not have wheels, but it is lighter at 18 lbs. and therefore easier to move than the standard unit
  • Many catalogs oversell this machine by talking about 20 air changes per hour, or 1500 square feet air cleaning capacity. We wish Austin Air would monitor its distributors’ claims. The truth is that when used on low fan speed 75 CFM this filter can effectively clean a 141 sq. ft. size room at four air changes per hour.

Summary: This air purifier is one in the top 5 we have seen for domestic use and we are currently testing it for its efficiency in the removal of particulates, over long term usage.


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