FAIR PRICE FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP, HONEYWELL ENVIRACAIRE 16060 AIR PURIFIER

Author's Rating:

Pros: Inexpensive, small, easy to set up, and it works, what more do you want.

Cons: None so far. I'll let you know when I have to change the filter.

The Bottom Line: 
It works, and that's good enough for me.

Author's Review
After a little over a year’s marriage. I’ve noticed more than a few changes in my domestic routine. The first and foremost being what we now spend our hard earned money on these days. The second is in regards to just how easily I’m willing to do something for my better half.

Case in point a couple of months ago I noticed Elena was sneezing a lot around the apartment. She assured me it wasn’t a cold or flu, but simply her allergies that seem to come out as the weather turns cold. I’m sure it was the same last year, but for the life of me I can’t remember.

About the same time I caught an infomercial on the tube about room air filters one night. I knew there was an advantage to the occasional bouts of insomnia and this was one of those times. Laying there watching the magic of modern technology I could hear Elena in the bedroom sneezing and coughing and the proverbial pin dropped.

Now I would like to point out that we are not slobs. In fact I would say that our apartment is for the most part fairly clean. Dishes get done after each meal, garbage gets tossed long before the need to break out the bio hazard suits and it seems that a large part of every weekend is spent cleaning and tidying up these days. Ah domestic bliss.

However as the nice infomercial pointed out, even a place that has been cleaned by both June Cleaver and Martha Stewart combined can contain large amounts of microscopic airborne bits and pieces and all-round nasties. This of course was the reason you had to call the 1-800 number without delay.

There’s something about the male ego that just screams out in these situations. My wife was in discomfort, albeit minor discomfort, and there in front of me was the means to her salvation. Only common sense and the fact that my wallet was in the other room, prevented me from dialing and running up my Visa bill to the tune of another $300, plus shipping and handling.

I decided to check and see if the product could actually be bought in the stores first though. It’s just me, but I’m still loathe to buy stuff off of the tube or over the net for that matter. Sure enough a couple of days later I found the same product at a local store. Same price, well actually a couple of bucks more, but no shipping and handling.

The price really didn’t bug me, but I’m a cynical consumer so decided to do a little research first just in case this thing didn’t do everything short of turn water into wine as advertised. Well one thing led to another and the whole project got tossed onto the back burner for a week or so.

Then one Saturday afternoon I was in Canadian Tire picking up a few odds and ends and there in one of those large displays at the end of the aisles were air filter systems, all shapes, sizes, brand names and prices, the overpriced wunderproduct from TV excepted. The pin dropped again and I began to look over the various makes and compare them.

Eventually I settled on the Honeywell Enviracaire 16060 Air Purifier as it seemed to meet our immediate needs. Which would explain why this little piece is posted here for those of you still here some 550 odd words later. Purchase price $70.00 Canadian more or less.

Initially I considered wrapping it and tossing it under the tree as an extra present from Santa. Hey Santa does tacky small appliances right? When I got home though I felt deep concern for my wife and decided to set it up immediately. She was out and I thought it would make a nice surprise. Actually that’s only part of the reason. It’s a gadget right complete with instructions and everything and what guy can resist that, especially when he’s been sent to Canadian Tire that bastion of testosterone to get a lousy drapery rod!

Set up is simple and rather disappointing too, no power tools are required. Actually all you have to do is remove it form the box, plug it in and turn it on. Supposedly after six months I’ll have to replace the filter unit, but sadly it looks like all that entails is opening a compartment, pulling out the old filter and sliding in a new one. It even comes with an idiot proof filter replacement reminder on the side. The only real moving part aside from the reminder dial is the different speed settings dial.

Does it work? Well in a word, yeah. We have a 1000 square foot two bedroom and it seems that this unit is more than adequate for a place that size. Of course it all depends on where you place it. After a bit of trial and error I’ve got it located at about dead centre of the place and it seems to reach everywhere.

Elena claims she noticed a difference right off that night. Basically we leave it running all the time, the drain on electricity is minimal. The noise level about that of a small fan so after a while you really don’t notice it.

The acid test came over Christmas, after we’d had it up and running for about a month or so. We spent a week visiting my parents in Halifax and no we didn’t take it with us. Now if our place is “clean” my mother’s is...well there is no word to adequately describe it, especially when her daughter in law is coming to visit for the holidays. I’m sure prior to our arrival that place received such a going over that hurricane Juan paled in comparison.

Despite this, our first night there I noticed someone sneezing every now and then. I considered grabbing the yellow pages and seeing if the local Canadian Tire would be having a Boxing Day Sale, but got the “don’t you, I’ll tough it out for a couple of days” look. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence but the first night back in our own place and surprise surprise the sneezing stopped.

I’m sure that sometime down the road I’ll look into replacing this filter with a bigger version with all the TV infomercial bells and whistles, especially after we move into a bigger place. For the time being it does the job, and what more can you ask for.

Oh yeah that drapery rod, I’ll probably get around to hanging that for a Valentines Day present honey.