Oxygen concentrators are typically home oxygen equipment useful to patients who need to supplement the low level of oxygen in their system. Such people deserve to live their normal active lives, whether out and about or indoors that is why these portable units come in handy.
They are divided into two categories:
Portable oxygen concentrators
These are usually lightweight units designed to be carried around. Most are electric-powered and will operate wherever there is a power supply. Some few are battery powered and will come with rechargeable batteries. They are suspended from a belt clip or shoulder strap or carried in a backpack while moving around thus greatly improving a patient’s quality of life. A portable oxygen concentrator price compared to their stationary counterparts is normally a bit higher.
Stationary oxygen concentrators
These oxygen concentrators deliver a continuous flow of oxygen at different preset flow rates. They are suitable for night use and usually come with a low noise setting allowing the user to have peaceful sleep through the night. A continuous flow portable oxygen concentrator comes with both advantages; portability and continuous oxygen flow for an all-time functionality.
| Price | Product | Our Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECH 3L Portable O-xygen C-oncentrator G-enerator | 9.5 | ||
| Yuwell YU300 Portable Homecare Oxygen Concentrator | 9.2 | ||
| INLOVEARTS Pure O2 Portable Generator | 9.0 | ||
| COXTOD Portable 1-5L Oxygen Generator O2 Concentrator | 9.0 | ||
| ECH 1-6L/min Oxygen Concentrator | 9.4 |
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What are oxygen concentrators?
How does a home oxygen concentrator work?
An oxygen concentrator takes in normal air consisting of 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen, takes it through a filtration process powered by a compressor. Once compressed, nitrogen is filtered out through filters in the concentrator and almost pure oxygen is supplied to the user through the cannula depending on the flow rate that the user selects. Usually, the purest form of oxygen is supplied at the lowest flow rate at 1 liter per minute (LPM). A high flow rate delivers less pure oxygen.
Can you buy oxygen for home use?
Yes. However, this should be strictly under prescription. You can have your oxygen supply in liquid or in gas form. Liquid oxygen is easy to store. Gas oxygen, on the other hand, is produced using an oxygen concentrator from the normal air and guarantees you continuous supply.
Buying guide
Planning to buy an oxygen concentrator, here is what you need to consider:
Size & weight
Usually, the heavier units are designed with pushcarts to make them easier to move around with. However, consider your options. If you travel a lot, your selected concentrator should fit in your car trunk, or be convenient to carry in the plane or public means of transport. Again it should be light enough if your needs demand that you move around with it strung to your waist or shoulder.
Oxygen supply options
While some oxygen concentrators supply oxygen in pulse mode, others offer a continuous flow of oxygen. The latter comes as the most suitable option for patients with higher oxygen demand. Still, some have both options. Most portable oxygen concentrators for sale are designed with a flow rate of between 1 and 6 LPM of oxygen with the highest purification level of 90% or more at the lowest flow rate usually 1 LPM. Finally, some come with an auto-adjust feature that increases or decreases oxygen pulse dose depending on the user’s inhale and exhale demands.
Filters
The common oxygen concentrator filters eliminate only dirt particles from oxygen. The best models, however, will come with advanced filters that clear bacteria too.
Display
A large enough display that’s colored matters to the elderly as they need easy viewing more than ever. They should also come with large easy-to-press buttons.
Noise
When buying an oxygen machine for home use, you need to be very particular about noise levels. Chances are, you’ll be using it at night when sleeping. Concentrators will list their range of noise in decibels (dB) making it easy to select what works for you.
Intelligence
Some intelligence features in a concentrator would include low battery alarm, filter cleaning alarm, malfunction alarm. These useful features make it possible for you to operate your unit properly and cautiously while taking note of faults just in time.
Cost
Oxygen concentrators come in a wide range of costs. However, be sure that the advanced, small size portable versions are not exactly cheap. They will cost you anywhere between $ 1400 and $ 3500 or more. It is advisable that you first get a prescription of your oxygen needs from a physician along with a recommendation, then you can begin searching for what is best for your needs and your pockets. You may want to check your insurance options if you have cover.
5 Best Portable Oxygen Concentrators 2023
We have researched some of the best oxygen concentrators in the space. Check out what we came up with.
#1 ECH 3L Portable Oxygen Concentrator Generator
This portable oxygen concentrator guarantees you of one thing – constant oxygen flow at all times. It can work non-stop for as long as 4 hours after which it automatically shuts off to prevent overheating. You can then switch it back on after 30 minutes and let it run again for another four hours. Basically, that is the cycle. It is obviously not a quieter device but the noise is considerably low, less than 50 dB.
It is great for traveling as it works with a car adapter as well. You can alternatively use its removable chargeable li-ion battery (110-240 V). It is a dual power source device so you can use either AC or DC depending on the availability. The rechargeable battery lasts between 1 to 1.5 hours when fully charged for 2 hours. You can always get an extra battery from TOPQSC if you need it. Luckily it comes with a very simplified concise control system so there are no technicalities in using it. To start it off, press the SET control knob once. Thereafter keep pressing the set button to choose the duration. Like press once for 20 minutes, twice for 40 minutes and thrice for 60 minutes and so forth till it goes for 4 hours.
This device looks bulky but surprisingly it only weighs 5 pounds and measures 9.8” x 4.72” x 5.9”. This is a perfect compactness for traveling.
Pros
- Comes with an air purifier installed
- Rechargeable battery for portability
- 29+ / -2 % oxygen concentration
- Compact and light making it easy to carry around
- The simplified control system makes it easy to use
Cons
- The adapter heats up pretty quickly
#2 Yuwell YU300 Portable Homecare Oxygen Concentrator
The YU 300 oxygen bar by Yuwell stands out for its intelligent surveillance making it a great easy-to-operate option for the elderly and a wide range of other users. It features a fault alarm that notifies the user when the device is damaged and a 5 minutes filter cleaning alarm every 100 hours. Its filters can be cleaned three times for reuse before replacement. The large LCD screen positioned at the top of this device is convenient to eliminate strain or hassle when reading data. It is possible to adjust the supply of oxygen during its flow depending on your needs. With a flow rate of between 1 and 5 LPM with 90 % oxygen concentration at the 1 LPM flow rate. This unit is operable from a distance using the wireless infrared remote control included in its package.
Weighing just 13.53 lb, this portable oxygen concentrator is easy to move around within your car during travel. Here you will need a 12v/220v or 12v/110v inverter (sold separately) to produce its rated 400w of power. Quite impressively, it produces both oxygen and anion particles to purify the air around. Finally, its night mode produces less than 43 dB noise allowing for comfortable undisturbed sleep.
Pros
- Detachable easy-to-clean reusable filters
- The high power rating for efficient operation
- Large LCD screen for easy reading
Cons
- The filter alarm is sometimes noisy and will go on for 5 minutes before going off
- Poorly installed filters cause the device to produce a lot of noise
#3 INLOVEARTS Pure O2 Portable Generator
This portable oxygen concentrator from Carejoy is reliable, safe and performs surprisingly well. The device is fitted with an air purifier that filters out bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. This feature is very important for oxygen concentrators as breathing impure oxygen can be very harmful. The air filtrations undergo a two-step process for maximum safety and the intelligent control system makes this very convenient to use.
The device has an added shockproof mat to keep it very secure. Compared to its competitors, this oxygen concentrator can continuously work for up to 24 hours. Very impressive! This provides you with a continuous supply of oxygen. Going by the number of positive reviews from people already using it and our experience with it, we can confidently assure you of excellent performance. With setting modes of between 1 and 5 liters, you can be certain of up to 90 % concentration.
Pros
- Installed with an air purifier
- It has an added shockproof mat to make it more secure.
- It can continuously work for up to 24 hours
- Dual filtering performance
- High concentration setting modes (1 L – 5 L)
Cons
- Has to be plugged into a power source
#4 COXTOD Portable 1-5L Oxygen Generator O2 Concentrator
There is so much to say about this oxygen concentrator. First off, the design is impressively made with a stream-line front panel. You will also notice the design of the control valve is rather unique. Its filtering performance is excellent and molecular sieves boast of over 3000 hours of life. Other noticeable features include the oilless compressor, super clear LCD screen, easy-to-use control, the anion, and timer function and the ability to save power. It is more power-saving than its predecessors.
This is one of those oxygen concentrators that we can confidently say it is silent It will not disrupt your sleep at night or your precious daytime nap. You can easily pack it into your bag when you want to head out or use the trolley to move it around. Whichever is easier for you. When out and about use the battery to power it on and when in the car use the car’s adapter.
Pros
- Very responsive customer service reps
- Very minimal noise made (less than 43 dB)
- Super clear LCD screen
- Power-saving
Cons
Does not come with a battery so you’d have to buy separately
#5 ECH 1-6L/min Oxygen Concentrator
ETE ETMATE oxygen concentrator is another portable device that guarantees you of a constant supply of fresh and clean oxygen. You can either choose to set a timer or have it run continuously for 24 hours. This is very ideal for children and the elderly who may need long hours of oxygen use.
Its filtration system is multi-layered; there is a coarse filter layer, fine dust filter layer, and 3 bacterial filtration layers. The oxygen that comes out after all these filtration steps is super clean and fresh. You can actually smell the cleanliness of it. As for cleaning and replacement, you can disassemble the layers and replace them with so much ease. The intelligent control is super easy to control and operate. And the fact that it comes with a large LCD screen means that the timer is very visible even to those with sight difficulties. This makes it easy to adjust the timer as you wish. You can also use the infrared remote to operate the control panel.
Pros
- High purity level
- Can be used both at home and outdoors as well as when traveling
- LED timer display
- Adjustable timer
- Multi-layered filtration system for clean fresh oxygen
Cons
- You have to buy batteries separately
Conclusion
Oxygen concentrators are certainly less limiting compared to oxygen tanks. The smallest portable oxygen concentrator models are some of the most advanced. Thanks to the patients with breathing-related problems live their normal lives. Even then, a user will only experience relief after selecting the best oxygen concentrator for their needs. This makes the selection process a very crucial step.
