Reviews of Friedrich Air Purifiers (C 90B)

Unlike many other air purifiers in the market today, the one factor that makes the Friedrich C 90B air purifier different is that it does not use expensive HEPA filters. This means that you do not incur additional costs every 6 months because of the need to change HEPA filters. With this in mind, the cost of this particular model of air purifiers becomes reasonable. Friedrich c90B air purifier is also 15% more effective than its predecessor, the discontinued award-winning Friedrich C 90A air purifier.

With the ability to trap particles up to 0.01 microns, it claims to be superior than typical HEPA air purifiers which are most efficient in trapping particles up to 0.3 micron. However, judging from the air purifier system it has, it's very likely that the efficiency for removing the smallest particles including gases is limited because Friedrich electronic air purifier does not have enough carbon which can absorb volatile organic compounds, such as organic gases, smoke and odor. Therefore, it is limited in its performance as far as helping those with MCS or Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and gas-sensitive lung disease. However, since it does a great job at removing non-gaseous particles in the air, it's great for allergy sufferers.

Friedrich Air Purifier C 90B Reviews

1. How Friedrich C 90B Air Purifier Works.

The Friedrich air purifiers use electrostatic technology to get rid of pollutants and contaminants from room of about 500 square feet or smaller. Electrostatic technology may sound like a very complex process but in reality, it is based on a very simple concept.

It starts by drawing the air into the appliance and passing through a pre filter. This pre filter will remove the large particles in the air like dust or hair. Then the air passes through two electronic plates which will charge the remaining particles in the air electronically. Once this step is done, the charged air then stick on collection plates which has an opposite charge, since as you know, opposites attract. Now you start to have cleaner air, but the process is not done yet.

After most of the particles have been removed, the air passes through the activated carbon mat. This step will remove gases, including odor-causing gases rom the air before releasing the clean air back into the room.

With this filtering process, the Friedrich air purifiers claim to remove particles to 0.01 micron; better than HEPA specifications which is pegged at 99.97% based on a 0.3 micron.

2. Big Pluses of Friedrich C 90B Air Purifier

With no HEPA filter present, the Friedrich electronic air purifiers have a relatively smooth air flow in cleaning the air. So, its fan does not have to work hard and it does not really make a lot of noise. Its dBA level ranges from 40 to 55 and at the lowest (40dB) the noise is really a negligible white sound for some. However, others who are light sleepers, may not find the noise conducive to sleeping. But when you think about how much air is being filtered by Friedrich air purifiers every minute (280 cubic feet per minute on low) and compare it with other air purifiers, then you might be able to disregard the sound in favor of the cleaner air.

As alluded above, Friedrich air purifiers have a good air flow per minute for the sound they produce. It is no wonder that their clean air delivery rate or CADR is high. For dust it is pegged at around 384, smoke is at 326, and pollen a high 421. These numbers further emphasize that for a room that is 500 square feet, the air can be effectively cleaned by the Friedrich electrostatic air purifiers. In fact, when put on high, the machine moves air at 401 cubic foot per minute. For the recommended room size (500 sq feet) with 8 foot ceiling, this means that the room gets cleaned 6 times in an hour, which is above and beyond the industry recommendation of 2 air changes per hour.

3. Other Positive Features of Friedrich C 90B Air Purifiers

• The Friedrich C 90B air purifier is very cost effective. You will only need to replace the carbon mat and washable prefilter, retailed for $34.95 and $39.50, respectively, every not so often. One caveat though. Although the prefilter is cleanable and needs only to be replaced when it's broken, the carbon mat filter should be replaced and not washed. Washed or vacuumed carbon filter mat will not work well to restore odor.
  
  
• With its casing, the filtering of air is done efficiently with minimal air bypassing. Unlike some HEPA air purifiers that have tiny passageways where air can pass unfiltered, the Friedrich electronic air purifiers are very effective even at the sub micron level, provided of course, that the plates are kept clean.
  
  
• Works very well in a working environment like a workshop or repair shop because of its efficient and quick removal of particles. Even its appearance will blend in well in this kind of setting.
  
  
• Friedrich air purifiers are more energy efficient than the lower end models which means that the end result as far as power consumption can justify the price.

4. The Drawbacks of Friedrich C 90 B Air Purifier

• Friedrich air purifiers may be low on costs, but this electrostatic air purifier is definitely very high on maintenance. Ideally, if used daily for extended periods, you must clean the collection plates every 3 days. This can be done in your dishwasher, if it fits. Otherwise, you will need to clean them manually with soap and hot water. If you have to wash them manually, you must be careful since the plates are sharp and fragile with ionizer wires. Replacement of the plates will be expensive ($160 per plate). If you don’t clean the plates regularly, you won’t have a clean indoor air. What’s more, you will have a noisy air purifier which will get noisier the dirtier it is (talking about crackling and vibrating sound here).
  
  
• Unfortunately, the Friedrich electrostatic air purifiers come with a short 1 year warranty which is really not good enough for any kind of home appliance.
  
  
• Friedrich air purifiers emit ozone. Ozone, in any level above background, is not an ideal situation. Even if the Friedrich C90 air purifiers emit only 14 ppb and are within the EPA safety standards of 50 ppb, there will be ozone odors emitted and the odor that may linger in the room up to an hour after the device is shut off. For those sensitive to ozone at any level, this air purifier can cause headaches and other minor ailments. To their credit, this company manages to make an electrostatic air purifier with much less ozone emission compared to other brands. Most electronic air purifiers's ozone emission are tested much higher than 14 ppb and even higher than the EPA safety standard. The popular Sharper Image Ionic Breeze's ozone emission was tested at a high 48 ppb!
  
  
• This air purifier cannot help if your indoor air is infected with toxic chemicals and odors like secondary smoke. It just does not have a good enough carbon filter for strong odors.
  
  
• The 90 watt energy consumption of the Friedrich C90B will affect radio and TV interference because of the electromagnetic fields the ionizer creates.
  
  
• Unless it has been edited recently, the manual for the Friedrich C 90B air purifier recommends using dishwashing detergent on the plates. However, there is a tendency for the detergent to turn the element black because of its reaction to the aluminum. If this happens, you have no other option but to replace the expensive $125 element.
  
  
• The noise of the Friedrich air purifiers can be irritating to many consumers, especially when set at high. It also has a tendency to emit a snapping or rubbing sound that happens when the parts are not aligned properly. This can happen during the course of removing the plates for cleaning or mishandling the appliance.
  
  
• There have also been complaints of dirt spewing out with the cleaner air which is very difficult to clean.
  
  
• The size of the Friedrich C-90B is 19 inches high, 21.5 inches deep, and weighs about 28 lbs. It may be a little bulky for some people. Also, since the electrostatic process uses the front and back of the air purifier, you cannot back up the appliance against the wall. If possible, you might have to arrange it sideways so that airflow is not restricted.
  
  

All in all, the Friedrich air purifier C 90B has been tested and rated to be at the second tier of rating for air purifiers. This means that while it works well at removing mold, dust, and pollen, it will not purify the indoor air sufficiently from volatile organic compounds such as gases, odor, and smoke. So, it's suitable only for allergic people or for all around cleaning. It's not suitable for multiple chemical sensitivity and lung disease sufferer who need more of gas control. It is also bulky and unstylish compared to the other air purifiers in the market. Nevertheless, it is cost efficient and easy to handle.

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