This thing works well, but it has to be out in the hallway or in the corner of an unused bedroom because it's so loud. It works very well, I definately must give it that much, but it is LOUD.

It works, but it could be better. I've had it in the bedroom for a few years, now, and it it still running. However, I'm looking to replace it because air purifiers have come a long way in 2 years. I never turn it off. The pre filters need to be changed when you can see tons of dirt on them, because the method used to determine if the filters need to be changed is a joke. The HEPA will last for about a year when running 24/7. It has a powerful UV light because the inside of the unit where the UV light hits is no longer black, but a light brown color after 2 years. But, I wonder how effective the UV light really is. Also, the fan is considerably louder than slightly more expensive purifiers on the market. Even the Low setting on this unit is sort of loud, but I got used to it. The Medium and Quick Clean settings will surprise you when the sensor kicks them into gear. It's almost hard to even talk over the highest setting. The air quality sensor is very sensative, and does work extremely well. However it needs to be cleaned frequently, which is easy to do and only takes a second or two. This machine really does a good job filtering stuff the air, but I have a problem with how the filters actually seal into the unit. The pre filter just sort of sticks loosely to the HEPA filter at the 4 corners, so there is a considerable gap between the carbon pre filter and teh HEPA that air can go through. I actually used packing tape to seal the carbon filter to the HEPA to close that gap. The HEPA sits loosely in the unit and I suspect that a lot of air can actually bypass the filters all together because there's not a good seal. I actually had to wedge little cardboard pieces around the filter because it vibrates. That's how loose fitting it is. So, I give it 3 stars because even though it does a good job filtering air, now there are now much better units out there for the money. It was a great price a few years ago, but not anymore. Check out other purifiers. A little more money goes a long way.

I've had the 04163 air purifier for a little over a month. I like the added benefit of the UV light but only use it sometimes because I don't think I always need it. The air purifier is noisy when you have it on quick clean but it really moves a lot of air! I can actually feel more air coming towards me from about 20 ft away than my ceiling fan pushes when standing underneath it (mounted about 20' high). I usually have 2 but can have up to 4 Australian Shepherds in the house and it does wonders with the hair that you can see floating through the air. It doesn't seem to do much with the hair that sticks to other things, but I expect it to. The air purifier is quiet enough that I couldn't hear it in the same room that I was having dinner in with 5 other people. Having it on low doesn't bother my sleeping either. I think it's a really good unit and hope its holds out for a long time. I'm planning on buying another unit for my parents to have at home.

I've had this air purifier since August now, and I have to agree with others here who have said that it does the job well. The first week or so there was a faint plastic odor emitted from it, but that quickly faded. As for the noise level, I actually enjoy having the white noise at night; I think I've slept better because of it. That said, I've never had problems sleeping. I've kept mine on automatic around the clock and it has stayed at low for the most part. This is reassuring, since I live in a big polluted city, and it's nice to know that my space contains decent air. It IS quite sensitive to food and other odors. The filters cost about $15 for 3, which is reasonable.

I spent a lot of time investigating air purifiers before I made my purchase and I've been happy with this one so far. Prior to this, I had a Honeywell air purifier purchased from Costco, and it was noisier than this one. Unless you want to spend much more, you can't beat this one for the functionality and price point.

The other reviews are right on. Please don't get this air filter and expect to sleep with it running, if you are a light sleeper. Most likely the 'low' setting is the only one that would allow most people to sleep. That being said, the filter is incredibly sensitive. In all seriousness, it really is sensitive to cooking odors, dust, flatulence, etc., as the other reviews will tell you. The LCD air quality bar graph is really cool, it gives you the reassurance that it's really working. This is a well designed unit that feels like it will last many years.

This is my first air cleaner and I was impressed with how easy it was to set up. Instructions are very clear. It definitely works as when i forget to turn it on one night, i woke up a bit congested the next morning. You definitely can hear it working but it's more like background noise so it doesn't bother me when i sleep. Would recommend for anyone.

Amazon offered the best price on this item that I could find. The air purifier does a good job and has relieved our night time allergy problems. While some may consider it noisy, for a bedroom it is perfect as it works like a sound machine and blocks out other noises that wake a light sleeper like me. We use the automatic setting and it really works. If I spray hairspray in our bathroom (about 12 feet from the purifier), the machine kicks to high to clear the air after a few seconds. The only negative is the price of replacement HEPA filters but it only supposed to be replaced once a year. The charcoal filters should be replaced every 3 months.

I am very glad buy this machane, it work exact like I expect, release my analgy, and I feel very good.

I really liked this product, I purchased it for my daughter as part of a whole plan for eliminating dust and mold in her room because of allergies ( changing her matress, cleaning the closet, etc.)and she's really a lot better. I live in the caribbean and we have a LOT of humidity, and this has really worked!

Good product for the price and the reading screen is easy to read. However, the purifier may not be suitable for bedrooms if any small noise bothers you ( the lowest setting is still noisy). Also the air purifier is rather large so Plan ahead where you want to put it before you purchase.

Recently received our Hamilton Beach 04163 TrueAir HEPA Air Purifier with UV light. We purchased it for my daughter's basement dorm room. Almost immediately, her room smelled fresher, to the point that other students are noticing it. When at high speed it is noisy, but it is running on automatic sensor and does not switch to high often (and can be turned down if it is bothersome), BUT the HEPA filter's noise level is LESS than the room AC unit, and at low speeds is less than my daughter's computer's noise. Very good, economical choice. The UV light might help to reduce incidents of illness during the school year, too--added bonus! I'd rank it 4.5 stars, simply because there ARE quieter machines--but they are too expensive.

We had read in the newspaper an article rating air purifiers. The Hamiton Beach 04163 was rated the highest. It has worked very well in our bedroom. In fact,we sleep better. I do not wake up sneezing.

We are planning to purchase another for another part of our home in the near future.

I purchased this air purifier, and returned it the next day. When I turned it on it emitted a stale dirty smell. It made the room smell so bad. I don't know if it was just the specific one that I purchased or if all of these do it. I received a refund for the purchase price, but not the shipping cost.

There are subjective and objective aspects to evaluating an air purifier. I leave the objective ones to the professionals and I won't try to claim that I've measured the number of particles or size of mold spores before/after using this device. But I can tell you this: I've had one of these for about 4 months, it's worked wonderfully, and I just came back to this page to buy my second one now and decided to leave this note for anybody else considering one of these. So that right there should tell you something.

Now on to the subjective issues. Does the air "feel" and "smell" fresher with this thing on? Definitely. (Realize that the first week or so with ANY new air filter is going to have some weird smells if you have a sensitive nose. You need to get past that period to accurately judge the freshness.)

This unit, while slightly larger than I expected, goes flush against a wall (or corner) and has a fairly small footprint. It is mostly white with good simple design stylings. At night, the UV light is slightly visible coming out of the top grill. It's like a mini blacklight nightlight, and I like it. (You can always turn off the UV if you like breathing mold spores.)

The HIGH setting is great for really nasty smells, asbestos removal, and drowning out loud noises, like somebody banging on your skull with a hammer. You'd sleep through that just fine. The AUTO setting is nice, because it adjusts to the air conditions. And you can always see on the readout just how bad the air is. You'll probably be surprised how dusty the air gets for a bit when you shake out your blanket. It's interesting to watch (or listen, as the device gets louder in AUTO mode when the air gets dusty). There is also a MEDIUM setting, which I use sometimes. But I generally keep mine on 24/7 on the LOW setting, and it's nice to come home or wake up and see the meter show that there is no dirt in the air.

With respect to noise, you'd be redefining the word "whisper" to call this thing "whisper quiet" on any kind of absolute scale. I've only used one other kind of purifier before, and it was slightly quieter, but also less efficient. The noise on LOW is quieter than MED and HIGH, but it's definitely there. The thing is, it's a pleasant noise. It seems like fairly even white noise (no rattling or high pitched noises AT ALL, despire what some have claimed). You end up sleeping better with it on, because it drowns out the more sudden noises that would otherwise disrupt your sleep! Read about white noise, I won't go into it here. If you're listening to soft music, maybe you'd want to turn it off, but the controls are VERY easy, right on the front/top, and can be done from muscle memory (i.e. you don't have to look at the screen to change settings).

One thing that is kind of odd, but also a nice feature is the draft. This thing puts out a fairly directed (out and to the right) breeze (of clean air). I would not recommend sitting right in the draft of this unless it's pretty hot in your house, and then it might be nice. You probably also wouldn't want to sleep right in the path of this. But as I said, it's fairly directed, and easy to avoid (or block) by placement of the unit. The effect of the draft is that the clean air actually circulates in the room, and therefore pushes the dirty air around to be cleaned, rather than letting dust settle on everything and having stagnant pockets of clean and dirty air.

Summary: Know the issues with this unit, but give yourself a chance to appreciate them and take advantage of the good design and engineering that went into this. Every negative aspect of this unit has a positive side too, the price is great, it's easy to use, it has good interface design, and you'll breathe easier, have less allergies, and generally be a happier person in your home.

Can someone tell me how to insert the UV bulb? The instructions make it sound like you have to put the pins somewhere in the white plastic mount one pin at a time rather than just slipping the bulb in one end at a time (which happens very easily) but the bulb does not lock into place. When I do it the easy way it doesn't work. Help!

the sound is not a problem becuse its nothing but the sound of the air that gets blown (strongly) in quick-clean mode its not noise from the engine or the fan so we can't complain.
the problem is when i leave it on for a long time (more than 3 hours) it gets hot and puts out a smell in the whole room, not a burning rubber smell but an unpleasant weird smell, ive had it for a month now and hope this will stop in time when the engine is not new any more, other than that its efficient and it shows you that it is efficient with the cool display at the front.

Purchased this air purifier in July '05 for $99.99 on Amazon. It went into the baby's nursery and has taken the smell of poop out of the room everytime! It's not "whisper quiet" but it has never waken the baby. Don't expect it to make the room feel refreshing like a carribean breeze in the morning -- the room will still get somewhat stuffy when you leave the door closed all night, but at least you know the air is cleaner.

It's also very easy to set up and use. No cons so far.

I would recommend this to all my loved ones - friends & family. I like performance of this unit in my apartment - made really big difference in air quality. I gave 3 start only because if its noise. This unit is designed for residential use, but sounds somewhat more suitable for heavy duty environment. =)

If noise cannot bother you as a big of the issue, this is pretty good.

(...)

We live in a small, cramped, old apartment that attracts dust very quickly. After my wife's latest bout of coughing, I decided it was high time we did something about it. It took us a few days to get used to the clean air--at first it seemed drier than normal, but now I would never give it up. It definitely makes a difference.

Also, the noise it makes on the lowest setting has really helped to block out street noise and aid in sleeping.

okay, so my husband and i had assumed the ionic breeze unit from shaper image was the way to go, but upon doing some homework we came upon this model. not only does the unit work well, but it is not as loud as others. my husband, who has breathing issues noticed a difference right away. the air felt cleaner. the only downside is the size of the unit. it's not huge, but a bit bigger than i would have liked. with that being said, we made some concessions and very easily found a home for the unit in the rooms we purchased them for. overall, we are very happy!

I've been using this air purifier for the last month or two, and I love it! Due to a recent move and increased allergens in my environment, I've been experiencing more difficulty breathing and sleeping. After purchasing this product, I never feel like breathing comfortably is an issue my apartment! I love the automatic option that adjusts depending on air quality. The noise level has never been disruptive or annoying, and I often enjoy the gentle "white noise" when I'm sleeping. Plus, I feel safe knowing this product actually filters the air versus emitting potentially harmful, unwanted substances/chemicals.
-JG in VA

Recently I purchased this product. Can't beat the price and more features than I anticipated. Previous reviews indicated the unit was noisy, but I have not found the noise to be disruptive to sleep. This unit certainly moves the air. Excellent product, I couldn't be happier.

This is a very good purifier. I love the automatic sensor feature and it really works. For example - I live in a 1 BDRM appartment and when the dishwasher is working in the kitchen - there was this smell from the chlorin in the living room. The purifier picked it up right away and increased the fan speed automatically and then reduced to the lower level again when the smell dissapeared.

On the down side - even on the lowest fan speed (they call it Whisper Clean) it is MUCH more then a whisper. You will have to get used to having a sound equivalent to a medium speed fan in your bedroom.

This unit cleans the air well and generally I'm pretty happy with it. I dont think it's that noisy.

HOWEVER.

The UV light used in air purifiers such as this is something to be very careful about. On each one I've seen there is a clear warning that looking at the light can cause "immediate and irreversable eye damage and even blindness". Other air purifiers we have seen let no UV light escape except through a tiny UV-protected window. But this Hamilton Beach leaks a ton of UV light out of a grate in the top. I discovered this at my own risk. I've been avoiding using the UV light or averting my eyes when near it to protect against the chance of permanent eye damage. I wrote to the company to ask about this, and they said that it was dangerous to look at the light escaping out the top grate of the unit!

How irresponsible to build a unit that leaks high-intensity light that can cause blindness by merely looking at it! And even if you're not instantly blinded, you may be slowly degrading your vision each time you walk past the unit and look at it. And what about your pets who dont know better?

My rating of 3 is a combination of 5 for air-cleaning and 1 for absolutely irresponsible design of the UV light casing.

I have pet allergies. I always have, and I've never been able to have a pet. My allergies are worse around cats than dogs, but they are bad either way. My Girlfriend recently decided that she had to have a dog, and since we are in a new city and lonely, I figured what the hell, I'll live with my allergies. I knew I would have to do everything I could to keep the house as clean as possible. I vacuum at least once a week, and bathe the dog often as well. After reading reviews of all the air purifiers I could find on the internet, and taking into account that I am not rich, I decide to get the Hamilton Beach 04163. Even when I didn't have any pets, I have always suffered from post-nasal drip, especially when I sleep. Every morning I wake up and have to clear my throat for about 15 minutes. It's gross I know but the point is that after I started using this purifier I no longer have that problem. I run it all night, and for about 1 hour before bed. The noise is not a problem unless it is on the highest setting, but that is not really necessary at night. Medium or low are both very queit. Sometimes I will bring it into the living room and run it for a few hours there as well. I have never had as many days without allergy symptoms as I have now. I still have allergies outside, but they used to be worse indoors. After about 2 months, the carbon pre-filter was solid dust and pet fur, so I would recommend replacing it every month if you have a pet. The main filter has lasted about 3 months, and it is starting to look like it needs replaced as well. Some people have said they kept thiers for a year and it didn't get too dirty, but they must have unusually clean air becuase I clean my apartment at least once a week. I would also recommend getting a vacuum cleaner with some type of filter on it as well if you have pet allergies since it is the dander that is the problem. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who suffers from pet allergies.

I have purchased or/am using most every air purifier made (under $300). Having been poisoned by a new home, built defective/mold, I am now MCS/EI. So I'm very sensetive to oders (chemical & organic) mold, dust, etc. This Hamilton Beach unit is powerful and can be loud. Though the white noise is not annoying it is best for use in large rooms. Good construction and function (Auto feature does not turn unit on/off, though). Good filter elements as well. I vacuum all my units, the charcoal mat and front of filter element, once a week in order to maintain longevity. Also UV light (in close proximity) does sterilize many organism, thereby preventing spread of germs.

I've had this Hamilton Beach up and running (24-7 on high) for almost a year now, and I'm thrilled with the product overall.

At this moment, I have an air purifier in every room of my home (three top brands represented - Hamilton Beach, Hunter, and Honeywell). They've all been put to the test. This one has performed the best on the quality of the air output, the feedback from the unit ("please clean me"), the endurance of the filter, and the price and time commitment of upkeep.

Notes on FILTER REPLACEMENT:
1. The manufacturer recommends replacing the filter every year. I would recommend replacing it every six months. It's not cheap, but this is a case where you get what you pay for. It's the heaviest and most effectively layered filter I've seen. The crinkle-style of the fabric in the filter means you're getting much more use and effectiveness for your buck. As you use the filter, pull it out and look at the back side, the fabric there is completely clean and nothing is getting past the filter even though the front side looks well used.

2. There's a carbon pre-filter on this unit. Take it outside and dust it off with a broom every other week in order to maximize use. Don't get it wet. Replace with a new one every 3-4 months.

3. I use the UV germicidal light when someone in the home has a cold, which is not very often. I'm not sure if it does anything meaningful, or not. (as a skeptic I would have to say: "probably not")

I'm one of those cat lovers, who's also unfortunately allergic. My combined effort of kitty baths, Aller-C pet rub, personal allergy shots, keeping floors clean, and air purifiers has brought me to just welcome a second kitty into my home. I'm breathing free and clear, never sneezing and no runny noses, and completely med free (no Allegra, Claritin, Sudafed, etc, etc) This air purifier is a significant player in the equation.

I'm grateful for the improved quality of life.

This air purifier works very well to eliminate dust, polllen, etc. from the room. The auto detector kicks it into higher speeds when impurities are discovered -- very cool! It is extremely loud, however. It is essesntially a three-speed fan and its noise level is comparable to a medium-sized fan. We turn it off at night because it's in our master bedroom and keeps us awake a night. I'm pretty sure mose machines like this will create a similar noise level, so I still give it a high score.

I recently had to deal with my son's allergies becoming so bad that he was close to having pneumonia due to a variety of factors, which included some animal dander. As part of the process for ridding the house of all possible airborne allergens, I purchased 2 of these air purifiers and couldn't be happier with them. I've read some reviews indicating that the units are noisy, but unless they are cycling on high in order to clean the air faster after detecting particles in the air, the noise hasn't been a factor for me. My son now feels "back to normal" after two weeks of serious medical intervention. I chose the unit because of the UV light to help kill bacteria in the air and the filtration system. I would (and have) recommended this product to anyone who suffers from airborne allergens. The price here is about half of what it is at major retailers, which helps as well.

I got in on this unit when it was 99.99. I deliberately chose a 350 sq ft model for my small room so i could leave it on whisper. The model gives off a somewhat loud fan noise. It isn't that quiet, but it's considered WHITE noise. I am a very light whisper (I wake up when my phone is on vibrate) and I sleep even better with it on as it blocks other noises. As for it's purifying ability, it's great. I have asthma and when i went home during the weekends, my asthma used to always act up during the night. ALL WENT AWAY when I got this baby. I breathe really easily now, especially at night in my room. I can't believe I lived so long without this thing!

Compared to other air purifiers we've used the Hamilton Beach is very effective, and NOT noisy -- at least on low speed. We have two (one for each bedroom in an 900 sq. ft. apartment), and keep them on low speed overnight just to mask other noises (primarily neighbors and street traffic). It's a soothing white noise, not high pitched at all. I'm not sure if some of these other reviewers got bad units or if they're just sensitive to noise in general.

We had a real dust problem in the apartment until we got these units. Now we sleep much better, and no longer wake up every morning with dry itchy throats. Highly recommended.

On the "whisper" mode, it is still extremely loud. On the highest mode, it's so loud it is hilarious, but is only meant as "quick clean". If you've cooked something that smells horrible, maybe? I've noticed a difference in air quality for the better.

Not only are my allergies relatively tame since I got an air purifier for the bedrooms (see review of 14163 model) and living room areas, but the air in my home seems "purer".. It is rare now that I sneeze and even though all my allergy problems didn't dissolve (they won't with pets and pollution in and around where we live), they are so much calmer than they were.

What some consider "noisy" about these purifiers, I consider that kind of noise that lulls you into a deep sleep. What I do is turn them on "auto" when I come home in the evenings or when I'm home all day, then turn them to "whisper quiet" when I go to bed so they don't boot into high gear and disrupt my sleep.

Any drawback at all will be having to change the filters every three months, the UV light and HEPA filter once a year. That's a small inconvenience considering the benefit to my health and the air in my home... And the price was great in comparison to the Ionic Breeze.

I suffer from allergies, colds, the flu and catch just about everything else that causes illness - especially during the winter months. I purchased the Hamilton Beach 04163 HEPA air purifier with UV Germicidal Light and am looking to purchase more of them. They are good for single room use but they do an excellent job! I keep mine on auto all the time and it's just amazing how it detects impurities in the air and compensates by speeding up the filtering system all on it's own! I feel SO MUCH BETTER since running the purifier and wish I bought it sooner. For the price this one is well worth the expense! If you want a reasonably priced air purifier that works really well this unit is for you!

Not too sure what sets the sensor off as my air quality has gone from one bar (very good) to max bars (horrible) with fan automatically running on high and I don't know why. Cat broke wind perhaps? Anyway, I set it on whisper mode at night (sensor off) and it is "white noise" quiet to both my wife and I. We don't need to increase the TV volume because of it. I guess it is working well - the air smells fresh and neither one of us awakens with sinus or eye problems since getting it. As allergy sufferers, it was a small expense for some springtime relief.

I have 2 cats - one long hair and one short. I am slightly allergic to their dander. Prior to purchasing this air purifier, my mom couldn't be in my place for more than a couple hours because she is very allergic to their dander. Now, I'm not sneezing and don't have the itchy eyes and my mom is hardly bothered by the cats! This purifier is wonderful. There is less dust on my shelves and in general the air just smells better. I changed the carbon filter (there is a carbon and a HEPA filter) and after 4 months there was a ton of dust collected on it so I can see that it's working. Also, I love that the machine automatically adjusts itself when there is more/less pollution in the house.

I at a point where i need to buy one, i live in a place where it's just dust city. I have bought the Ionic Breeze and something from Home Depot. None of them did the job. Now, this one they say is good, i like the Air-Quality Sensor screen.
But there's one that they are selling on HSN called the Hunter QuietFlo HEPAtech Air Purifier and Ionizer. They say that one is quieter but people have a hard time replacing the filters because they can't find them. Need Help.

Had a lingering burned fish smell on the second floor of our house for about a week. Finally with the air purifier running on AUTO for about 2 days, the smell is gone! I couldn't tell you how it was able to do it, but it did.

The unit IS too noisy for a bedroom even though its room size rating suggests it would fit right in. Unless you're a deep sleeper, keep this unit in the hallway.

I bought this because I live in a tiny, dusty New York City apartment and was tired of waking up every morning to an hour-long sneezing fit. (I suffer badly from both asthma and dust allergies.) I had recently started working from home and was constantly sick. This received high ratings on an allergy website and the price was right (and it came in black!) so I decided to try it. It proved its worth immediately. The first hour I had it on, I was also taping up the air conditioners with packing tape and plastic for the winter. The "auto" setting immediately went on high and cleared the air of the tape's chemical smell.
I left it on low all night and woke up for the first time in years without sneezing.

Interestingly, I also woke up for the first time in years without intense lower back pain. I used to have to do 10-15 minutes of stretching every morning just to be able to move normally during the day. Since having the Hamilton-Beach, the back pain has almost completely abated. I can't explain it, but I know it's related since if I forget to leave it on at night the pain returns--although it's not nearly as bad now.

Yes it does make noise, but less than a normal air conditioner running on low. The "white" noise actually does help me sleep. However, on a setting higher than than "low", it can be pretty loud. The fan is quite strong and really creates a breeze! Also, the manufacturer says the pre-filter lasts three months, and in my experience it needs to be changed every month, but this is a small price to pay for the relief it's brought me.

I am really happy with this unit. For the price I feel that it was a great buy.

I bought this unit because I had just moved into a new apartment and after a month everything was so dusty. So I cleaned and then a week later it was just as dusty. So I became really concerned with what I was breathing. I did a little researching and for the price I thought that I would try this. (I was willing to pay as much as an Ionic Breeze, and now I am glad that I didn't, this is a great unit for a fraction of the price.)

Since I have had the unit it has cut down on the dusty apartment. I don't run the unit all the time, as I have picked up a light timer and set the unit to run at various times during the day. As far as the unit noise goes, anything with a running fan is going to make noise, that's why I like the unit on the timer.

I run it a few hours during the day to clean the air before I come home and through cooking dinner, turn off during some primetime TV and on a few hours while I am asleep. (It's doing a nice job on a 950sqft apt)

I always run the unit on WHISPER QUIET, it does the job and it is quiet enough to even have on while watching TV. It does have an AUTO feature that will adjust its self, but I found that I did not like that feature because of it turning its self onto a high setting at anytime can be obnoxious and the AUTO setting never powers the unit off when it thinks that the air is clean enough it just shifts it down to low.

I love the digital display that shows the current air quality. Also I think that the size of the unit is fine.

LIKES: Price, UV light, Digital Display, and ease of use, powerful little cleaner.
DISLIKES: Needs programmability, auto feature can turn the unit on high at the worst moment.

I've had one of these for about 2 months now... I don't think you can buy a better machine for anywhere near the well spent money. I am a springtime allergy/asthma sufferer that lives in a humid mold friendly area (marsh, marine or tule fog!) My unit is set up in a huge 35'x15'room x9' high ceiling that is my kitchen/nook/family room... complete with two bubbling aquariums and a cat never mind the kitchen and adjacent laundry and bathroom w/catbox, you never know what is in the air... my air has NEVER been cleaner. My breathing is definitely easier, others notice as well. This is an amazing machine in AUTO mode, with it's 3 speeds automatically controlled by a very sensitive sensor (complete with air quality indicator gauge), it literally blows away my big round Enviracaire and Hunter programtimed HEPA machines and my 3M Filtrete furnace filter because it will go from low to full throttle before you would think to turn it up or on yourself, as you've got lots of other things on your mind and a smoking frying pan on your hands perhaps a few screaming anklebiters as well... the machine will be on high in a literal minute. (actual response time to a single puff of dissipated smoke or burnt toast from 30' away) This filter circulates the air very well through the whole room... even on low... I have it set up on the floor in one corner of the room, it blows it's hardest up and to the left about 45 degrees all the way across the ceiling, I can feel the air moving in the far corner of the room.
I think it does a better job distributing warm air off the ceiling than my ceiling fan does. On high it moves a lot of air, i would definitely NOT put it in a smaller room than they suggest unless you like a good breeze and the noise that goes along with moving so many CFM in a small room. So now the down side of a unit this size of course is noise... On high, you know it's on, on low, it may or may not bother you it, subtle white noise at best, I can still sleep on the sofa with it on, but I would not want to sit next to it except perhaps on a hot day. My computer case fan is far louder and more annoying. As far as the UV sterilizing light goes (manual on/off), seems like a great idea, I am hoping to see less mold related spoilage. Maintenance wise, this thing is really easy to open for filter changes... my filter change indicator hasn't come on yet and it runs 24/7. Hopefully you found this long windedness useful...

I purchased this air purifier to rid ourselves of an annoyance due to the fact that our apartment is above a smoker's apartment. The nightly wave of cigarette smoke was driving us insane, let alone what it may be doing to our health. Since buying this product, we now have smoke-free and happy evenings. It really does a great job. (I'm not sure how it would fare in direct contact with smoke.) I like the air quality meter because it is fun, although not a necessity. I also like this product because it has several different levels (quick clean/high, whisper quiet, auto, medium). It was very easy and quick to install. It does make some noise, but I think this is expected from a product that has a fan blowing in it. It isn't louder than our air conditioner. The benefit we get from it is worth any noise! Overall, highly recommended.

Got this for a good price (discount coupon). Also own an IQAir which costs more than three times, so shouldn't really compare them.

Pros:
- A lot of Features for a really good price (UV light, Active carbon odor-eliminating prefilter for under $170.). Big bangs for the bucks!
- True HEPA filter!
- You can place it on the side of the room against a wall and still have the unit work effectively.
- Really like the active air quality monitoring sensor (which shows you the current air quality in realtime).
- Clean a lot more air than the expensive Ionic Breeze for a fraction of the price - please do yourself a favor and do a research on the net.

Cons:
- Somewhat NOISY for its rated cleaning air flow.
- Huge in size for its rated cleaning capability (don't be fooled by the tiny picture).
- Although my wife did not complain about the noise at night, she hated the constant cold breeze reaching her face while sleeping, no matter which location or how we positioned the air cleaner. So, I swapped it with the "breeze-less" IQAir for the bed room.

The smaller clean air outlet(actually nozzle) of this Hamilton Beach air purifier causes higher airspeed and noice level even at the lowest speed setting.

Is a great product for the price.pretty good warranty compared to others of the same price. Like other reviews could have probably did without the digital disply but it is nice to know air quality. the auto setting is nice and seems to work good, actually senses when a door or window opens.replacement filters are priced cheaper compared to other brands,I did think it was noisy the first couple of days but i really dont notice it anymore i would compare the noise between a fridge running and and a small fan running on low . Overall I happy with it and would purchase another if I need to

I just go this purifier and it's already made a difference. I keep it on "Auto" and it works flawlessly. I had it in my bedroom but even on the lowest setting, it was still too loud...so I moved it to the living room. It really moves the air (on Max it will knock you over :)
I recomend the purifier for people who really need to move the air in a room that they don't sleep in. If it weren't for the noise level, I would give it 5 stars...but it's defintely a keeper!

I've been very impressed by our 04163 since our purchase several months ago. We have it on "auto" setting and it does speed up/slow down as it senses contaminants in the air (for example, when we fry bacon!). We feel that it has done well for us as an air filter (that's why we bought it). I'm fairly certain that I'll order another two of these units: one for our upstairs bedrooms and one for our basement.

So... why not five stars? It is a little bit louder than we'd like and it does produce a very strong draft when it's running at maximum. Neither "shortcoming" is a surprise, of course, and those two drawbacks may well be the price of cleaning the air effectively.

I have been using this product for a year now with great results. It really does seem to clean the air and has improved my allergies. The filters are extremely easy to replace when necessary. My only complaint is that it is noisy, too noisy for me to use when I am sleeping.

My room used to be very dusty but since I purchased this product, the room is much cleaner.Recommended

It has been 3 months since I received the air purifier, one word, WOW. For over 3 years, I have suffered from postnasal drip and congestion every morning due to minor dust allergies. I have noticed this has progressively gotten worse over this period. In an effort to remedy this situation, I was more diligent in dusting and cleaning my apartment and I visited my doctor a few times over the past few years. I was prescribed allergy pills and steroids in an effort to cure me, nothing worked. I finally decided to buy an air purifier as general means of breathing cleaner air. I selected this one based on the reviews and comments others reported and was not disappointed. Literally, the first night I used the purifier, it cured my postnasal drip problem. The morning after, my nasal passage was clear and dry. I could breathe!!! Now every night before bed, I turn on my purifier and every morning now, I wake up clear and congestion free. I have even noticed when I am away from my purifier/apartment, the congestion returns.Now to review the product itself... I must say the gadget-lover in me, opted for the UV light and digital readout of this particular model. Honestly, I probably could have done without the UV light and digital readout. There have been nights where I forgot to turn on the UV light and still woke up fine, perhaps it may be more effective in the winter when there are more germs flying around. The only semi-annoying thing is the device does not remember the UV setting when you turn it off. With the digital readout, I think I could have done without it. As I said, I love gadgets and features like this. However, it does work though. For example, when I open my window, it quickly determines the air is much dirtier and reacts accordingly. How smart!!!People have noted that the purifier is very noisy. I think this is a purely subjective matter. I live in NYC on a ninth floor apartment off the East River on the FDR Drive. I am accustom to a certain amount of noise. I am subject to varying levels of car and wind noise 24/7. Concerning the purifier, I typically run it at low speed each night (I only run it at night). It is positioned at the foot of my bed. IMHO, using the lowest speed is no noisier than running an air conditioner at low speed. After a couple nights, it became white noise and is hardly noticeable to me now.As far as size goes, I was a bit surprised how large it is but considering the size of the HEPA filter. It is not that bad in comparison. I am sure the larger size helps in better coverage of a large sized room.The only negative I could come up with is the price (I paid about $140) but, given my success with the purifier, I cannot really claim this as a real fault. After 3 months, I am still on the original HEPA filter. The carbon filter I actually rinsed off the dust with some running water a couple times. It is a bit of a messy process but seems effective. I recently ran the built-in test on the filters and it passed. The replacement HEPA filter is a bit pricey; I think it should cost a lot less. They run about $40 to $50 each while the replacement carbon filters run three for $10.Overall, I am very, very, very happy with my purchase. The money I paid was worth it. I can breathe!!! However, if can settle for the smaller size and/or without the digital readout, just get a lower-end model which sells for much less. The most important feature is the HEPA filter.

So I bought 2 of these Air Purifiers from Amazon after seeing them highly recommemded online and their claim that they remove 99.97% of all allergens from the air including particles as small as 0.3 microns. After continuously running for 2 weeks, they haven't made ANY difference in either the kids' or my pollen allergies. The digital display continues to claim that the air quality is "Good", I even tried running it at High, but it doesn't seem to have removed any pollen from the air whatsoever. Called up Hamilton beach Customer Service today to see if I was doing something wrong and they were quite unhelpful Just said that if it doesn't work for you, return it, which I plan to do!