The air quality in your home can affect your health in so many ways.  Poor air quality can lead to getting sick more frequently and can really do a number on your allergies.  If you don't have allergies, having poor air quality can actually help you to develop them.  Since you probably spend at least 1/2 of your day in your home, you should do all you can to try and breath cleaner indoor air.

This is where the Electrolux EL500AZ Oxygen Ultra Air Purifier comes in.  With this handy machine, you can dramatically reduce the level of dust, allergens and odors in your home and help create an inner sanctuary of health for your family.

I was very excited to have the opportunity to review the EL500AZ Oxygen Ultra Air Purifier from Electroluxfor several reasons.  First, the air quality here in Houston is usually pretty poor.  Between the frequent rains stirring up all sorts of mold, pollen and other allergens, and the constant pollution which comes from being the 4th largest city in the U.S., our air here could use some serious cleaning!

Next, I'm not sure whether or not Riley has inherited her father's allergies or not, but all outward appearances are leaning toward yes.  I wanted to install this Electrolux air purifier in her bedroom so as to insure she breathes in well-cleaned air while she naps during the day and sleeps at night.  Being only 20 months old, she still sleeps over 12 hours per day and so I figured she would receive the most benefit from the EL500AZ if it was placed in her room.

The Electrolux EL500AZ, Brand New in its Box

Front View

 

The Electrolux EL500AZ works well in large rooms, up to 405 square feet or about a 20' x 20' room.  This was surprising because I've seen many units costing the same or even more which cover a lot less area.  The EL500AZ  has three automatic fan speeds as well as a TURBO fan speed which can be selected manually for maximum air circulation.

What's great about this air purifier is that there is a Auto/Environmental Mode where you can basically "set it and forget it".  When using this mode, the purifier will automatically cycle through three fan speeds to compensate for increased/decreased air contaminants, such as pet odors, insecticides, cosmetics or aerosol sprays.  This auto mode ensures that your air purifier will only run as hard as it needs too, saving both electricity and wear and tear on the filters too.

I was a little confused as to where to place this unit in Riley's room for the instructions stated that it should be placed at least 7 feet away from equipment such as televisions and radios.  That wasn't a problem.  The next part was.  The instructions said to place the unit at least 2 feet away from the wall.

Now, Riley has a fairly small bedroom and if I placed it 2 feet away from the wall, the air purifier would definitely be in the way.  The confusing part came when I was looking at the instruction manual and the first full-colored picture in the manual shows a family with the unit placed right against their living room wall.  Hmm...  I carefully inspected the back of the EL500AZ and noticed that there were no vents or anything, so I went ahead and put the unit a few inches away from a wall in Riley's room.

Top View Showing the Remote Control too

Notice How the Remote Sits in the Depression on Top of the Machine...So You'll ALWAYS Know Where It Is!

 

The air purifier was extremely easy to set up.  Simply open the front cover and remove some of the packing tape used to keep the item secure during shipping.  Then, take the HEPA filter and charcoal filter out of the packaging and reinsert back into the machine.  DONE!  Plug it in and presto, your air starts to be filtered in 3 stages: First, the carbon filter reduces powerful odors and other particles such as dust, mold and cigarette smoke.

Next, the HEPA filter captures airborne pollutants and removes 99.97% of dust, pollen, pet dander and other pollutants 0.3 microns large.  Finally, the PlasmaWave neutralizes and freshens the air by generating both positive and negative ions to create plasma clusters which instantly neutralize viruses, bacteria, chemical vapors and other odors in the air.

Back View

Side View

 

The neat thing about the EL500AZ air purifier is that it actually has a Quiet Operation mode whereby the bright blue lights on the front of the machine are dimmed and the unit silences down to a whisper (26 Decibels) so as not to disturb your sleep.  It also has a sort of holster for the small square remote control on the top of the machine.  This way you are sure to always know where the remote control is. The maintenance costs on the Electrolux Oxygen Ultra Air Purifier are relatively low too.

The HEPA filter should be replaced every year and the charcoal filter should be replaced every 3 months.  I found both the HEPA filter and a one-year's supply of charcoal filters online for $79.99.  The good thing is that the Electrolux EL500AZ actually comes with 4 charcoal filters and 1 HEPA filter, so it will be at least a year before you have to replace them.  This unit also has a Filter Indicator Light on the front of the display panel, so you will know exactly when to replace your filters.  This way you don't accidentally do it too soon or not soon enough and compromise the quality of your air.

The Electrolux EL500AZ, With Its Front Cover Removed, Showing the HEPA & Charcoal Filters

The Electrolux EL500AZ Operating in Auto Mode

 

Riley, being only 20 months old, can't really tell me whether she feels better since the Electrolux EL500AZ has been installed in her room.  What my nose can tell me though, is that this machine definitely works!  Riley's diaper pail is often pretty stinky at times and there always seems to be a hint of unpleasant odor to her room no matter if the diaper pail is clean or not.

Since using the Electrolux EL500AZ Oxygen Ultra Air Purifier, I've noticed that Riley's room smells clean and fresh and there's no longer that underlying odor to her room.  Whether or not Riley will have her father's allergies is still uncertain, but what is certain is that the air quality in her room is MUCH better thanks to the Electrolux EL500AZ!

 

 

Disclosure:  I received the EL500AZ Oxygen Ultra Air Purifier from Electrolux in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.