Rabbit Air BioGS (model 421A - 600 sq. ft.) Ultra-Quiet Air Purifier w/ Germicidal Sterilization - Low Maintenance - Washable Filters!, Chrome Silver

Comment: Ok... ok... ok... I know there are lots of you (like me) that are skeptical about a ~$300 product that claims to make the air in your environment smell and feel cleaner but is it actually effective? I purchased the Rabbit Air 421A in Silver back in November 2009 direct from the manufacturer. The purchase was made solely off of the Amazon reviews I read and other external websites that seemed to have nothing but glowing impressions of this fancy little box. I have spent the last several years fighting off a continued sinus infection that had gotten so bad that when I would wake up in the morning I would find myself coughing up LITERALLY coughing up mucus and phlegm. When I came home from work in the dusk I could see millions of little particles floating around in the beams of light coming in from the windows. I knew it was time to find a solution.

Introducing - the Rabbit Air BioGS 421A - God's gift to the dirty air world. I felt like a kid at Christmas I was so giddy when the box arrived. Did I mention this box was giant? I really underestimated the size of this thing, but it's okay because the bigger the unit the more air it is able to clean. So I unpackaged the big boy and within 5 minutes I had the thing running. Installation was literally removing all of the bags from everything and then plugging in the charcoal filter, HEPA filter, and pre-filter, then replacing the plastic front cover and plugging it in. The unit is big but light enough to carry with one hand.

Night 1 - I swore it was the best sleep I had ever gotten and I woke up feeling clear and able to breathe, although my significant other swears that it's all subliminal. By the end of the first week I was no longer hacking up pieces of my own lung. The automatic sensor(s) are so smart that I can throw a chicken on the stovetop in the kitchen and ~60 seconds later the unit kicks into high gear. Sometimes when the cat walks by the Rabbit Air whirs into full speed and scares the heck out of him (not necessarily a pro for some people but for me it is!). I catch myself doing certain things in the apartment and then mindlessly staring at the front indicator lights on my Rabbit Air to see how it feels about my actions.

I was hesitant to post a positive review until I really knew if the unit worked. After 3 months of non-stop use (daytime - auto mode, nighttime - fan speed 3 mode) the unit finally beeped at me this morning to "clean filters." So I popped the front of the unit off (no screws, it just pops off!) and I didn't know whether or not to be excited or disgusted. The pre-filter was COVERED in dust, hair, big particles - it took me a solid 2 minutes to pull off of the dust off with the vacuum. Behind the pre-filter the HEPA filter also needed a quick pass and the charcoal filter was fine as is. After looking at all of the dust and dirt and pet hair (think if you opened your lint trap on your dryer) I knew the purchase was more than worth it to keep all that crap out of my air.

My only complaint? That I didn't buy two to keep myself from lugging it around the apartment from room-to-room.

Comment: This thing is pricey, but it really works. I keep it in my cat's litter box room and I can't smell a thing. I haven't had to clean the filter yet, but even if it is difficult it'll be worth it because it works so well.

Comment: Do not buy this product. My husband and I bought this going off what others reviews read. We dont feel that the odor sensor worked at all, nor did it clean the air. We kept it for two weeks thinking that it just needed more time to clean the air. Didnt work. The odor still stayed in the house, and it did no more than suck air in and blow the same air back out through the top. Very expensive to purchase, very expensive to return. Very dissappointed. Returned to company, and then purchased an Oreck. Couldn't be happier with our Oreck purchase.

Comment: Given the reviews below, I purchased the Rabbit Air with great optimism but have been completely disappointed. The unit has delivered no change in air quality, and in fact often fails to notice a scent as strong as a match being light and extinguished directly in front of the sensor. With regard to observations by other users - I did not find the noise disturbing, and in fact it offered a good "white noise" background for sleeping. The display, however, is exceedingly bright and cannot be adjusted; I ended up taping a post card over it so as not to illuminate the room.

Obviously I wasn't looking for a $330 noise maker and nightlight, so I will be returning the item. What's particularly disappointing (and not disclosed elsewhere, as far as I can tell) is that Rabbit Air is charging me $35 for return shipping on this worthless device.

I would give 0 stars if Amazon offered that option; I would strongly encourage you to look elsewhere.

Comment: Aside from some cosmetic issues -- the badge on the front face of the unit is a sticker that was loose (and somewhat folded and therefore will remain loose) -- this unit has been everything I expected. It is extremely quiet and sensitive -- When I walk past it after coming out of the bathroom in the morning, it senses my cologne and immediately kicks in.

The true test will be when my asthmatic girlfriend returns and can judge the air quality in our smallish apartment.