Customer Reviews

Grossan Hydro PulseŽ Pulsatile Nasal & Sinus Irrigation System

5 star:		(95)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I am a convert to the idea of nasal irrigation, having previously used a waterpik with a nasal adapter for several years. There is no question that nasal irrigation can alleviate sinus problems. I decided to try the Grossan Nasal Irrigation System and found the pulsation an improvement over the waterpik. The Grossan provides more control over the strength of the stream of water. HOWEVER, my Grossan began to link around the 8th month of use and completely failed 29 days after the one year warranty. Considering that the Grossan is close to $100, I can't recommend it. It is too expensive when it fails in so short a time. Another reviewer mentioned that he had gone through two Grossans in a relatively short period of time. I took the Grossan apart after it failed to see if there was any way I could fix it. The motor is not well protected from any water seepage which suggests to me that once it begins to leak through the bottom, its days are limited.

I wavered whether to give 2 stars or 5. I decided on four to encourage ANYone to use sinus irrigation using this method vs anything else out there I know about (and I have used them, all, neti pot, sinus surgeries, squeeze bottles, etc)

I would give THIS product 2 stars because there is some serious price gouging going on here. Save yourself about $65 and get a water pik, which is what this thing is. Seriously. Nothing more, and in fact I noticed that the water pik company has started adding sinus adaptors with some of their kits.

BUT, considering what this unit has saved me from, I am compelled to give a high score here.

I know for a fact that using this thing multiple times a day EVEN IN THE START/MIDDLE of a sinus infection, can get rid of it. You have to be dilligent though and do it EVERY day, several times a day (at least twice probably), for several days though. And that is a pain, but it's either that or the inevitable antibiotics which I try to avoid. And with this bad boy, I can avoid that more than half the time I feel an infection coming on.

Also, here's a tip to save further money. Don't pay for the little pre mixed packets...mix your own and save a lot of money. The ingredients are literally salt and baking soda. The "higher end" packets come with Xylitol (which I swear by for sinuses, and highly recommend you use it when you rinse), which is so easy to just buy these days. You can buy a big packet of Xlitol sweetener for about $6 I think and add it to your rinse.

Anyway, back to topic:

Beyond 5 stars for this type of sinus irrigation (there really is NOTHING else that compares), but no need to pay the premium for this unit when a regular water pic does the same thing (with the proper tip on it)

Notes:
1. This thing is loud, messy and pretty cheaply made.
2. The water container leaks when you shake/swirl it (recommended to mix the solution with the warm water)
3. The tongue "tool" is a gimmick imo.
4. The switch on the unit's wand is very uncomfortable to use, and when it's wet, I find it's hard to turn on and off.

My unit is still running after...1.5 years of pretty heavy use and I have yet to do the vinegar cleaning they recommend you do every once in a while.

BUT I faithfully rinse the thing well after every use, so there is no salt residue in the system when I'm done. I think the people complaining about these not lasting might not be doing the proper cleanup after using.

Having said all that I HIGHLY recommend this or any similar unit for anyone with sinus trouble OR anyone that appreciates the feeling of a clean sinus. It really feels great to me for several hours after I do this.

Hope that helps some people.

EDIT: As of 11/30/11 still going strong! I have yet to clean it per the instructions, (not the tip, the whole vinegar thing), but after every time I use it I fill the tank with about a cup of water and run it through with the machine running. Seems to clear out the salt solution fine. Not at all saying you shouldn't clean the thing, just that I am very slack, yet the unit continues to operate normally even if it's not cleaned with something other than water.

Also, some additional tips I have learned over the years...if you are reading this review, you will likely find the following "special" ingredients helpful.
In addition to one pre-mixed saline packet (I buy the local pharmacy brand of 100 for convenience), I put the following in my rinse:
A little bit of Alkalol (look it up here on Amazon)
A liquid budesonide postule (need a Rx for it, but it's dirt cheap and generic, and is much more effective than using nasal steroid sprays as this gets IN your sinuses) or 2 if I am really congested
If I think I am getting or have a sinus infection, I will also add:
2-3 drops at MOST of GSE (Grapefruit seed extract, also see here on Amazon) POTENT stuff...be careful here...no more than a few of drops!
1/4 of a packet of Xylitol

These things combined together provide a POWERFUL anti-inlflammation/anti sinus infection solution that is safe to use even on a regular basis (not sure I would use the GSE more than once a day though). Hope that helps someone...it's taken me years of reading and experimentation to find something that is up to battling my constant sinus issues.

This thing works great. It clears out the stuff in your sinuses and has been the only thing that brings me relief from sinus congestion.

That being said, it is, without a doubt, the cheapest piece of junk I have ever owned. And I've owned FOUR of these puppies. I've never had one last more than a year, and yes I follow all the instructions, using distilled water and flushing the system out after use. At $100 a pop, that gets expensive.

They inevitably start leaking all over the place, and once that happens, the motor burn-out will occur shortly after. I never would have bought more than 2 if I wasn't so desparate for it.

There appear to be other nasal irrigators on the market now. I have not tried them, but after throwing $400 at the Grossan over the last 4 years, I am going to try something different.

So to sum it, it works well, but is almost guaranteed to fail on you with any kind of regular use. Be prepared.

I have had two of these machines. When I first used it, I was impressed by how much more I liked it than using a bulb syringe. It is much easier to get my 13 yr old son to use it than the syringe as well. I can really tell a difference when I use the machine and when I don't. I also think that it has helped me limit my sinus infections - before I got more of them and they were much more painful. Now, if I happen to get an infection (usually stemming from a cold I caught from one of my kids), at least its not as painful. I really like this machine when its working.

The machine can be a bit tempermental though. The first one I got was good for about a month & a half, then it seemed to struggle with pumping the water (only at the beginning, once it got going it was fine). It seemed to deteriorate as time went on until it would not work at all. In all fairness, I did not do the vinegar flush every week as in the instructions (although I flush it with tap water after every use). I also mix my own solution of simple salt and baking soda becaue the solution they recommend is way too expensive and my solution seems just as good. But the company was good enough to replace it free of charge under the warranty when it failed completely after about 4 months.

The second machine seemed to work much better, although it could also be that we figured out some of its secrets (I never add salt or baking soda to the compartment while the reservoir is sitting in the machine - I'm guessing it may just leak into the machine even before you fill it with water). Unfortunately, this machine has now "burned out" after about 14 months fo daily use.

A little unscientific, but I think that this machine is not really built to last much longer than that. I have sort of reconciled myself to the cost of the machine and compare it to the costs of feeling a bit better and having less sinus problems. Its a bit on the costly side, and I wonder why anyone can't make a little more durable machine (another post happens to mention that the motor is not well insulated from the solution that is pumped through the machine, leading to corrosion - which makes perfect sense to me). It's just that right now, this seems to be the best alternative for me and my family.

Great machine if you are willing to pay for the lack of durability.

The Grossan nasal irrigator is a very effective product -- I've not seen anything really comparable -- but it's poorly made. I've never had one last more than about 18 months. It's usually the "wand" that breaks, but it's always something. It's very unfortunate that the manufacturer can't figure this out, or at least provide a meaningful warranty.

Yes, yes, it's all true. The Grossan is a miracle worker for your sinuses. I am a Grossan Evangelist and have converted two friends. It's also true that it is cheaply made. But c'mon people, who cares? Really? You rate this low because it doesn't last long? You act like you are reviewing a DVD player here. This is your life. This is your health. I just had septoplasty with turbinate reduction this week. Well, my crap luck that my Grossan died a couple months back (after 1+ years of regular.... very regular use). I didn't bother to replace it and I got sent home from surgery with that cheap little bottle to flush my sinuses. A mess. It's too small and it's to easy to over-pressurize your sinuses. Anyway, I am online at Amazon today to order a new one. I just ordered it and for probably the second time in my life I ordered something "Over night". It cost $16 extra bones. I am not rich, but I am not going to suffer 5-8 days without my grossan. Get over the longevity issue people. Life is too short to suffer.

I first ordered this item approximately 2 years ago and I'm now on my SECOND machine and looking for yet another replacement. The first one started malfunctioning before the 1 year warranty ended; it started just by leaking slightly after use and then progressed to the pump flat out dying if I hit the Open/Close switch on the handle.

My first unit was replaced free of charge (because I called & complained before the warranty expired); however, my second is now on the fritz and I'm going to have to pay full price for a 3rd unit in less than 3 years.

That said, this machine works wonders for my allergies; I've used the irrigation system a few times a week year-round since it arrived on my doorstep. My usage of prescription allergy meds dropped by more than half within the first few months of being able to irrigate my sinuses. I have much less sinus pain and pressure and my overall quality of life with allergies has vastly improved.

Overall, I'm completely devoted to my irrigator; it goes EVERYWHERE with me and I tell anyone I know who has sinus problems about it.

However, I'm going to see if using a WaterPik with the Grossan attachment has any longer of a life span. I'm not willing to completely forgo using this system, but I'm really disappointed in the quality of the pump inside the unit.

I've been going insane from allergic reactions related to pollen and also some environmental (chemical) irritants at work. I've tried almost every medication there is to try. My main problem is nasal congestion and post-nasal drip. I also recently quit smoking. Used with Grossans Breatheease XL formula, this stuff really does seem to clear out my nose...when, ten minutes after cleaning my nose, MORE stuff comes out from sinuses, I start to realize how much crap COULD be in my sinuses. The post-nasal drip, so far, is not greatly improved. I'm hoping this will get better after a couple weeks of regular use, because that is my primary problem. I intend to edit this review as I see results. I also suspect that this product will be great in the winter, when my nose is very dry. If you're remotely OCD like I am, it feels pretty good to clean out your nose.

On the down side? 3 stars for the restrictive marketing and (sorry, but I hate errors on product packaging/marketing) the horrible typos on the package information and info that comes with the product. Very unprofessional...no way I'm going to buy Grossan's book. Most importantly, though: these packets Grossan sells that you mix to make the solution are way, way too expensive. There really is no "bulk" purchasing option...the largest container is, by my calculations, enough for about 38 applications, and that's only 19 days (if you use it twice a day). I want something a bit more cost-effective, and I think that's a reasonable need for many people...I mean, it's just salt and baking soda and xylitol, basically, and there isn't much overhead in manufacturing that. Grossan capitalizes on the fact that there is no real competition for this sort of mixture, and I guess you can't really fault him for that. I intend to figure out how to make it on my own, because I don't like being "locked into" purchasing something over and over. Plus, the $6.95 shipping cost (everywhere...private sites, ebay, here) is a bit much for a small box. I don't like pseudoinflations like this on products just for shipping. It feels gimmicky, like the commercials on TV that sell a product for $2 with $45 shipping charge. I know this is how he makes his money, but the $89 for the machine is enough, I think. Maybe as this product becomes more popular, there will be some competition for the mixture. If anyone has any suggestions on other solutions for this machine, please email me and let me know. I've typically been a strict adherent to medication, over the counter and prescription, to fix my health problems, and this has been a good experience in my venture over to the more "natural" point of view.

In short: great product, good idea, well-made, solution is comfortable and comforting. Advertised as "quiet" but it's actually sort-of loud; this, however, doesn't really bother me. But the system is also a bit gimmicky, with the cost for the salt-packages, and the poor editing on packaging that make it feel like a "cheap" product.

Update: It turns out I don't use this machine so often in the winter, because it's REALLY uncomfortable when you have a semi-stuffy nose. I thought I might use it to moisturize what feels like dry sinuses, but I think it's best used as a summer anti-allergen machine...at least that is where I felt it was most effective. It did not fix the post-nasal drip, but quitting smoking may (eventually) have helped.

I have now had 2 of these nasal irrigators and both have terminally failed. The first one was used for about 3 months and was then stored for 5 months before needing it again. The motor would not turn on so I contacted Grossan and they replaced it under warranty, though getting that to pass took 3 months. The second unit was used for 2 months and then stored for about 6 months. When attempting to use it after storage the motor was again frozen. Both units had been thoroughly rinsed and flushed before their periods on nonuse. In that I'm mechanically inclined I taken both units apart to diagnose the problem. The internal motor drives a small variable stroke pump which can be easily disconnected from the drive motor. The pump can be removed from the motor and the motor can then be tested without the pump loading it. Checked the electrical connections and the switch action and all was fine. In both cases the motor had simply frozen up! It would seem that the grease in the motor bushings hardens during storage.

When these units work they are fine, but with a failure rate of 2 for 2, I couldn't recommend these to anyone.

I recently had sinus surgery. Doc gave me a "squirt bottle" cleaning system for sinus. What a joke, what a mess. Friend at work told me about these kind of machines. I was a little wary. Went out to Amazon looking.
Actually did not intend to order it. I clicked "one click order" without realizing it. Next day I checked my e-mail and realized what I had done. Decided to give it a shot. Glad I did.

I use it once in morning and once at night. It is scary what comes out. Even when I feel that I am clear, it washes out some nasty looking stuff. I can not see a down size of using this item. The idea of getting all that stuff out daily can only be beneficial.

I live in SC. Pollen is terrible right now. This machine is helping deal with the problem. Easy to use. Easy to clean. No complaints. You can find instructions on internet to make your own solution at home. Very cheap. Two parts pickling salt, one part baking soda. Then you can save the expensive "pre-made" packets that come with it to take on trips and stuff.

Worth every penny (so far). I have used it at least twice a day now for 60 days. Not a minutes problem. Good luck.