Our Final Verdict
We give the Austin HealthMate Air Purifier a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Quality: 4.9/5
Aesthetic: 4.9/5
Material: 4.9/5
Value: 4.9/5
Looking for a way to keep your home’s air free of the bacteria and dust that your dogs or even just your windows let in? A household air purifier may be in your future.
My boyfriend and I have noticed that our allergies in the last couple of years have gotten a bit worse and that they even pop up in the Fall and Winter. We live in Scottsdale, Arizona where there is no shortage of polluted air, dust, and dirt. We also have two large dogs, one of which is a Border Collie mix. She has beautiful, long, brown fur that gets everywhere! Both dogs also have unlimited access to our backyard, which consists of mostly dirt throughout the year. They bring in a lot of our dusty backyard into the house as they come and go.
We decided to give Austin Air System’s HealthMate a try. Austin Air Systems has been around for 30+ years, are sold in 100+ countries. Their products were the chosen air purifiers by schools and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, The Medical-Grade HEPA used in all Austin Air filters has been thoroughly tested, proven, and certified to remove 99.97% of particles in the air. The Austin Air Systems brand was even chosen by FEMA and the American Red Cross during the 9-11 tragedy and the 2015 Southern California gas leak.
For me, the most important thing is that their air purifiers are built with non-toxic materials, including solid steel and nontoxic powder-coated paint. These air purifiers don’t produce off-gassing, which, if you’re unfamiliar with the term, means that these products don’t release harmful chemicals (Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs) into the air that a lot of new products do when you first open them up.
About Austin Air Systems
Austin Air Systems was created by Richard Taylor thirty years ago, with a mission to support his wife, Joyce, who suffered from respiratory problems. After years of diet changes and medications and seeing that Joyce was only truly comfortable in her hospital room, Richard decided the contaminated air was the source of her illness.
Richard engineered a filter that combined True Medical HEPA and Activated Carbon to target particulate contamination and chemical toxicity in the air and it worked! Joyce was sleeping soundly by the end of the week. The filter is able to remove airborne contaminants as small as 0.1 microns, as well as everyday pollutants such as dust, dander, and allergens.
Since then, Austin Air System has grown to be the largest air cleaner manufacturing facility in the world. Their air purifiers have been chosen by organizations such as FEMA and The American Red Cross, as well as for personal use by doctors and professional athletes.
Austin Air Systems has worked with Johns Hopkins University, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and more to clinically prove the efficacy of their air purifiers. From these partnerships, Austin Air Systems has become the only “the only clinically-proved, medical-grade air purifier” on the market.
Who Should Be Thinking About Austin Air Systems?
I would recommend an Austin Air Purifier for anyone who has a dog or cat at home. Pets bring in lots of airborne pollutants and they can not only stink, but be harmful to all of the humans and animals in the house. My HealthMate removes 99.97% of the allergens and odors my dogs bring in and honestly, I can tell the difference.
I would also say that non-pet owners can benefit from having an air purifier in your home as well. There are so many harmful chemicals and contaminants floating around us inside and outside the home, whether it is from burning an aromatic candle in the house or from living in a densely-populated area with lots of cars and general pollution. They do affect our health, even if we don’t always realize it.
If you have asthma, allergies, or COPD, I recommend having one of the air purifiers in your home. Even if you just snore, have a hard time sleeping, have recurring headaches, or even just don’t love the smell of your home – an air purifier may just be the remedy you need!
HealthMate Air Purifier Overview
I have had my Austin HealthMate Air Purifier for a little over a week and I can already feel a difference in the air quality of my home – especially the main rooms like the living room, dining room, and kitchen. I placed it near my nightstand and followed the given instructions for an easy setup and these are the highlights of my experience so far:
5-Year Filter and Mechanical Warranty
Um wait, I don’t have to buy an expensive air filter and replace it every few months?? This is just crazy to me. The original Austin Air filter that the HealthMate came with is designed to last up to 5 years with “normal residential use”. They also offer a pro-rated filter replacement price that is dependent on the number of years it’s been used. So if you want to replace the filter after 2 years (say you keep it on level III or “high” every day) then you can buy a new one at 40% off the retail price.
It also comes with a 5-year mechanical warranty that protects you from any defects in the non-toxic materials that make up the air purifier. So if you have an issue in those first 5 years, they’ve got you covered. Just make sure you register your air purifier on their website or with the form that comes with packaging in the mail as soon as your machine is delivered.
All About The Look
The first thing I said when I saw the HealthMate Air Purifier is “It is so CUTE!”. It reminds me of a little “R2D2” character from “Star Wars”. I opted for the black color because it just seemed like it would blend in a bit more with my home.
They also have “Midnight Blue”, “Sandstone”, and white for the HealthMate model.
The black, steel design is simple and the fan is meant to be projected out towards the open space and not towards the wall so you can’t even really see the controls on the technical “front” of the machine. The controls are simple with 3 options and easy to figure out with or without a manual. Lastly, it has wheels, making it easy to shift the machine as you see fit.
Air Quality – Does It Work?
I have had the machine for a little over a week and yes, I can tell the difference. The overall smell of our home is better, not that it was bad before, but it just smells cleaner than it used to. According to their website, the health benefits are reduced snoring, better sleep, less runny noses, less dry mouth, and lessened allergies. I have definitely noticed that my boyfriend who snores with sounds that mimic a helicopter landing is waking me up less and less with his “charter flight” snores. I have also noticed, I generally just sleep harder, wake up easier, and toss and turn a bit less. We also noticed it over our morning coffee a couple of days ago, the air in our living room felt different – and we each took a big breath.
Easy Set Up and Maintenance
The Austin HealthMate is super easy to set up. All you have to do is find a space in your house you want it to live in and plug it in. Then put it on level III (“High”) for 1 hour and then set it to the desired speed. I leave it on level I (low) to keep it quiet. Then you leave it on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You do have to change the filter, but the original filter is designed to last 5 years with normal use!
In Summary
Key Features
Here are some of my favorite features of the Austin HealthMate Air Purifier:
Non-Toxic Materials
What your household items are made of matters – at least it does to me. So I appreciate the design of the HealthMate model and that there is no plastic in sight. I appreciate the perforated steel outer shell and the Medical Grade HEPA technology used alongside the carbon blend in the filters which have already been proven to remove up to 99% of all airborne contaminants as small as 0.1 microns.
5-Year Filter and Mechanical Warranty
The original Austin Air filter that the HealthMate came with is designed to last up to 5 years with “normal residential use”. So you don’t have to change it for 5 years, that’s actually insane. Your machine also comes with a 5-year mechanical warranty that protects you from any defects in the non-toxic materials that make up the air purifier. Make sure to register your machine on their website as soon as it arrives to initiate this warranty!
The Design
The black, steel design is simple. The HealthMate is also both small and compact, making it easy to fit in any space in your home. The controls are simple with 3 options and easy to figure out with or without a manual. It is also equipped with wheels that make it easy to shift the machine as you see fit.
Ease of Use
I can leave my HealthMate Air Purifier on all day every day to do its thing and make space healthier and cleaner without ever having to worry about it. I don’t even have to change the air filter for five years. The simple design makes it easy to clean the top of it with a dusting rag or clean the entire exterior with a vacuum brush attachment. This is a very low-maintenance machine to have in the home.
Is the Austin HealthMate Air Purifier a Good Value?
This air purifier is expensive, but I understand why. This little machine is offering my partner, my dogs, and me cleaner air to breathe in the comfort of our home. It is helping my boyfriend and I sleep better, it is supporting a stronger immune system for all of us, and making our home smell and feel better in general. Not to mention, it basically does all the work itself with very little maintenance or assistance from us – despite it working all day, every day.
FAQ
Did you notice a difference in your home’s air quality?
Yes, I did notice a difference in just a week of using the product. The air felt cleaner and it smelled better in our house.
Is there a warranty that comes with this model?
Yes, the air filter comes with a 5-year warranty and the machine itself comes with a 5-year mechanical warranty.
Can you sign up for a trial period?
No, but there is a “30-Day, Money-Back Guarantee”. If you are not satisfied with your Austin Air Purifier then you can return it within the first 30 days after it is delivered, “no questions asked”.
Is it loud?
It does make a noticeable sound when it is on level III or “high”. For this reason, I turned it down to level I or “low” and kept it there after the first hour of use with it on “high” as was recommended in the manual. With it on “low”, I can only hear it if I get up right next to it. My dogs don’t notice it either.
Our Experience With Austin Air Systems HealthMate Air Purifier
When the Austin HealthMate Air Purifier came in, I wasn’t entirely sure I would notice a difference in air quality. But with our allergies only increasing in frequency and intensity and living with too big dogs, who both shed at different levels, I knew an air purifier could potentially improve the overall quality of life for our little household.
Austin Air Systems simply offered a higher level of quality over the other options with the non-toxic materials, 5-year air filter warranty, and the medical-grade HEPA technology to remove 99% of all airborne contaminants. All of their clinical studies and partnerships with organizations like FEMA, John Hopkins University, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and others made them seem like the clear choice.
I like the simplistic design too. It really does look like a little robot, just sitting there quietly making our air more breathable. My two dogs, Halle and Indy, gave it quite a few questioning sniffs when it first came out of the box. I was grateful that the machine didn’t produce off-gassing, because those VOCs would have gone right up my pups’ noses. Halle even put her nose on it and I was again grateful the machine is made of steel and not plastic.
We felt the best home for the HealthMate was in the corner of our living room but the manual recommends you put the air purifier in your bedroom. Maybe one day I’ll move it there. They make it easy to move by putting wheels on the machine. I opted for the living room because I would say my boyfriend and I and the dogs spend most of our time out there. That’s where our guests usually congregate as well, so it seemed like the best option.
After plugging it in, we followed the instructions and blasted it on level III or “high” for one hour. It was decently loud and I probably would not have it on this setting on a daily or even weekly basis. After the hour, I dropped it to level I or “low” and you could barely hear it purr unless I basically laid my ear on the machine. Halle and Indy also sleep right in front of it on the rug or on their beds and don’t pay it any attention. Indy hates anything that makes unfamiliar noises and will avoid whatever it is, but she doesn’t seem to care about the air purifier.
We have kept it on since at that low setting and started feeling the difference a couple of days after we plugged it in. I noticed this last week, I’ve been sleeping deeper and waking up easier. My boyfriend’s snoring has quieted and he also commented that he woke up less frequently in the middle of the night.
We also noticed the smell of the house has shifted. It just smells cleaner. We keep our dogs pretty well groomed and bathed, but it feels like there is less dust and just general human and dog odor in our house.
Conclusion
I would recommend Austin Air Systems to anyone who is looking to improve their quality of life. While these air purifiers are on the pricier side, the quality of the non-toxic materials and the medical-grade technology used to create this machine make it a worthwhile purchase. The fact that the machine is designed to be low maintenance and has the ability to run for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year is amazing. An Austin Air Purifier is an investment in your health and that of your loved ones, making it well worth it.