Review Details

Austin Air Healthmate Plus HEPA Air Purifiers HM450 & HM250

Product Review (submitted on April 9, 2015):

I am very happy with the large main replacement filter, however, the replacement pre-filter that came with it is flimsy. We have an older unit approximately ten years old that has worked well from the beginning with no issues whatsoever. The pre-filter that came on the machine was very thick approximately 5/8" and held the shape of the square body of the air cleaner even with the fan on high. The new pre-filter is very thin 1/4" or so and extremely flimsy. When I turned the air cleaner up to high I could see the pre-filter pulling in from the body of the air cleaner which exposed air gaps around the pre-filter that allows more "stuff" to get into the main filter - this probably reduces the life of the main filter. I spoke with Austin Air and they told me the pre-filter is the right one and that the quality varies depending on the supplier not very encouraging!. To resolve the issue I had to use a continuous strip of velcro at the top, bottom, and seams of the pre-filter to hold it in place. This was an easy fix but a fix that I did not feel should have been required.