Customer Reviews

3M Filtrete Ultra Clean Air Purifier FAP02-RC Brand New

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased one of these from Target a few days ago because my apartment smelled like cigarettes from the smokers down the hall. Sure enough, the unit cleaned out the whole bedroom's smell and let me sleep much better overnight. A rather unexpected thing happened as well though. I had read someone else's feedback about an air purifier stopping their snoring. I didn't really think that could happen, but sure enough it did the same for me. Maybe there's some type of allergen in carpetted rooms that causes throat or sinus tissue inflammation or something... I don't know; but it works. I've also read that the filtrete filters used by 3M are not as effective as HEPA filters, and don't disinfect like an ozone-based purifiers, but this guy does the trick for me (and the filters are cheap). Overall, I'm quite happy with it. The funny little purple control knob on the top also grows on you.

In my opinion, there are few products we consumers are less qualified to judge than air purifiers. The word "seems" keeps coming up- it seems the air is cleaner; it seems that I can sleep better; etc. Really, if you see less dust, for example, does it really make an appreciable difference to your health? Even Consumer Reports, with all the science at their disposal, doesn't do a sample of the population over time to show that one air purifier keeps us healthier than another. I live in a very old, drafty house in Chicago. I was getting sinus infections regularly, and looking back realized they began after big rains or melting snow. An air quality expert determined the culprit was mold. I couldn't afford mold remediation, and he suggested an air purifier in the meantime. We don't have central air, so I needed more than one. I bought a CR-recommended Kenmore. Big and noisy, and blows cold air- not good during our winters, but it SEEMED to make a difference. Then I discovered the 3M Ultra Clean. I will try anything 3M- from tape to home remodelling products, their stuff works best. The Ultra Clean takes up less space, is much less noisy and circulates the air gently and thoroughly. Turning it on I had the immediate impression of "fresh air". I placed it in the TV room, where the mold is the worst and where we spend a lot of (too much!) time. We had lots of snow in Dec., then it got warm and lots of melting snow/rain. The moldy smell and "chokey" feeling is virtually gone. Try it, give it a week or two trial. It has an electronic monitor that tells you when to change the filter. My model, which looks different than the one in the manual (?), has this grapefruit-sized three speed selector knob on top, with swirling green lights (filter ok) that change to yellow (needs changing soon) then red (change the filter). (You might find the lights annoying in a darkened room.) Still green after two monts, but I'll assume it works. On the downside, the knob has a very uncertain feel and you have to play with it until it settles on a speeed. Maybe the model pictured in the manual is an upgrade. If it's a later model, you might want to try and find one of those.

I have bad sinuses. I used to get the occasional headache from dust, but I had my last wisdom tooth pulled this year and have graduated to the next level. Here was my problem. I like to sleep in on weekends. If I slept in and had the air conditioner on constantly, life was good. If I turned the A/C off and overslept, I was in that useless sinus headache mode where functioning and concentration are not possible- it's more of a crappy state of consciousness than a hurting pain. I realized I needed an air purifier to make it through the winter. This has worked.

I researched alot of different filters, but what pulled me to this was

a. 3M product- good company that comes out with solid products.
b. Filter experience- 3M has been making furnace filters (which is basically what this is) for decades.
c. Nice looking unit- but if you are sinuses hurt you could care less.
d. Filters are $[...] @ Target

What I like about it since I bought it:

a. It's got a nice white noise to it. The white noise is similar to an air conditioner when on high- if you need super quiet put it on the low speed and most people won't hear it.
b. Absence of smell- this is weird. When you walk into the room there is a wierd 'no smell' smell kinda thing going on. It goes away in a few seconds.
c. It works- I can stay in bed on weekends.

For further info check:

[...]

Note: This unit hasn't been around that long compared to others on the market. I have had mine for 3 months and love the thing. Whatever you decide on getting can get very expensive. The heavy duty "Boy In The Bubble" models will cost you over $[...]/year to maintain for the European units- less for the American units. I recommend trying this first because it's cheap. If this doesn't work, then keep going up in $$$ til you hit the remedy. Also, before you try this, if you have central air/heat you should try changing your filters every 60-90 days with the best filtrete filters (which is what this is) and see if that works.

This was a great price for what I gather is a unit that is virtually the same as the more expensive FAP02-RS, which has different control buttons but uses the same filter. The filters seem to do what they are supposed to do: trap dust and pollen.

What they don't do is filter out odors and VOCs that units with an additional charcoal filter do. My daughter and I have severe allergies, and we have Austin and Blueair purifiers in the bedrooms and living room of our house. They certainly are more effective than this one. That said, I couldn't afford another high-priced unit for our small office, so I settled on this one. It is fine, but it does off-gas a plastic smell that I hope will decrease with time. I find it bothersome and I wouldn't use this in a room I was sleeping in. (The Austin and Blueair units are housed in stainless steel and do not off-gas VOCs.)

All that said, this seems like fine quality for the price. In appearance, it is sort of charmingly ridiculous - like an overgrown Airwick room deodorizer.

I purchased this filter a little over a week ago for my 21 year old son's room in the basement(he shares it with a gerbil and a ferret). He had not been able to sleep in his room for several months due to allergies to the ferret, I assume and had been bunking with his 11 year old brother...I purchased the filter and immediately set it up in his room. He is now able to sleep in his room without feeling like he cannot breathe and he has not been waking up congested as he was before the filter. The 11 year old is EXTREMELY happy to have his room back and I suppose that the 21 year old is happy to have his room back as well. Any way, for what it is worth, the 3M Ultra Clean Bedroom Air Purifier is DEFINITELY worth the money!!!! I am seriously thinking about purchasing another one.

I got this at Target for a bargain price, and while I was initially skeptical, it has proven to be a great addition to my small apartment. I like sleeping with background noise, so the humming on the highest setting is better than the fan I was using before. The ultimate test, though, was getting rid of a 14-year-old's stinky foot odor out of my office. In the past, I've had to open all the windows and spray the room with Febreeze to get rid of the smell (and even then it would linger for quite a while). Now, I just pop this air purifier in, shut the door, wait maybe 15 minutes and the smell is gone! Thanks, Filtrete!

I got one...and was not sure whether I was going to use in bedroom or workshop. My spouse smokes in the shop so I put it out there. He turns it on when he smokes. The second hand smoke smell is gone. Air seems much clearer.
And the filter has changed colors. I think it works well, so I bought another for the bedroom. Also got a $[...] rebate. P.S. There was no smell when I first used it as another Amazon client noted.

It is a rather large unit and the filters are $[...] on sale. Supposed to change them every three months.

Update, bought second unit for the bedroom. Nice looking.

I searched carfully before spending $79 [free supersaver s&h] for an effective, cost efficient, and quiet air purifier. I Have the 3M Filtrete FAP02-RC [not sure how this differs fron the FAP02-RS] but mine was cheaper by $15. I don't have alergies, but I have a dog, and I'm tired of "DUSTING" every month. [I even resorted to putting towels on top of the frig, and on the floor near the front & back doors to catch the dirt & dust & so I cuuld just toss the towels into the clothes washer.... and STOP DUSTING !! ]
I've read several other reviews for this air purifier,and agree with most of them. This is an excellant product, but you need to be clever to not get trapped into $17 replacement filters [or $12 generic replacement filters.
My solution: buy big 3m "Dust & Pollin" rating 500, or "Micro Particle" brown rating 700 or "Ultra Alergen" or "Alergin Reduction" rating 1100 purple air filters rating intended for a forced air furnace / A.C. system.
Using the [1] supplied filter that comes win the air purifier, mark & cut the furnace filters to the correct size [9" x 15 1/4"]. Get these furnace filters in bulk from Amazon. Net cost will be about $3 to $5 per small filter. You'l need a hacksaw to cut the heavy cardboard furnace filter frame, and a sharp jumbo shears [sizzors] or a sharp quality tin snips to cut the filter material and supporting mesh. Should take about 10 minuits to cut each small firter.
Works great. Annual filter replacement cost aprox $3 x 4 small filters = $12. THAT IS $12 ANNUAL COST!
I have 2 air purifiers running on medium [very quiet] for 1000 sq. FT. living space. Filters trap tons of dust. I'm thrilled with the results.

UPDATE AFTER TWO MONTHS:
To get several months ot of your primary $3 filter [use genuine 3M filters for the primary filter, buy in bulk from amazon], you should use a cheep "pre filter". Don't buy the expensive A/c 1/8 inch thick pre-filters as other reviewers have advised. Instead, buy the cheapest [I found blue] local fiberglass aprox 24" X 24" four pack for less than four bucks. You get 4 filters out of each, so the net cost is next to nothing [actually 25 cents each ! ]. Consumers will win if they investigate the best options. Simply tear off & discard the flimsey cardboard frame and cut the remaining blue fiberglass filter with sizzors to 9" X 15 1/4".
You will be amased how much big dust particles and dog hair etc these 25 cent ! pre-filters pick up. I expect my primary 3M super alargy purple $3 filter will last 3 to 4 months

PS: The blue pre filters I used are about 1/2" thick. You will have to leave the air purifier "service cover" slightly open to allow adequate air in-flow. I drilled a tiny hole at the top of the service cover and attached a 8" piece of wire bent in the shape of a "U" kind of. this wire simply grabs the top grill of the air purifier while the service door [panel] is open about one extra inch. Way easier to do than to describe.
I'm thinking of buying more of these 3m Filtrete air purifiers before they stop production. For some reason, the cost for these has gone up recently. [Allergy season or fears of tocahama radioactive dust in Hawaii??]

Very pleased with this purchase! Also arrived fast and well packed! Really does clean the air of smoke and freshens it as well. I have noticed a BIG difference in my allergies with this in the bedroom. I have tried other types none compare to this. I can actualy fall asleep able to breathe through my nose which with the others I still was not able to do. Is worth the price for buying filters, which isn't that bad in price. Thank you Amazon for my being able to find good deals! Compare at the stores, you will find like I did, this is by far your best deal!

I got two of these at Big Lots about a year ago and they work so good I tossed my Oreck air cleaners in the trash. If you look around you can find good deals on replacement filters and when you pull the used filters out to throw them away it feels great knowing that junk is out of your house and not in you lungs!