Holmes® HAP412N-U HEPA-Type Mini Tower Air Purifier

by Holmes

Product Features

• HEPA-type filter helps remove up to 99% of airborne particles as small as 2 microns from the air passing through it
• Filter is enhanced with Arm & Hammer® baking soda to help eliminate common household odors
• Optional ionizer assists in particle removal
• 3 speed settings provide options for different conditions
• Recommended for rooms up to 120 sq ft (10ft x 12ft), Smoke CADR 76

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.2 x 15.7 inches ; 6.9 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000BX56YQ
• Item model number: HAP412N-U
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,819 in Home & Kitchen (See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen)
  • #78 in Home & Kitchen > Heating, Cooling & Air Quality > Air Purifiers > HEPA Air Purifiers

Product Description

This space-saving tower air purifier works two ways to freshen and clean the air in your home. First, its HEPA high-efficiency filter helps remove airborne particles such as smoke, dust, pollen, mold spores and pet dander. Then, to absorb and eliminate common odors, the filter is fortified with trusty Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Features three speed settings and optional ionizer. Recommended for rooms up to 120 sq ft, Smoke CADR 76. Replacement filter: HAPF30PDQ-U

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Little Unit!, November 6, 2007

By 

rvalens2 "Richard" (Burley, Idaho USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holmes® HAP412N-U HEPA-Type Mini Tower Air Purifier (Kitchen)

I have been using this Holmes Air Purifier for several months and can give it my 5 STAR recommendation.

It has 3 speed settings for the fan and a separate switch that turns on the ionizer. At the mid or low setting the fan is nice and quiet. On high it's a bit loud but tolerable for daytime activites. I keep my unit running all the time on the medium setting and also keep the ionizer turned on.

Within a couple of hours of first setting up the unit, I noticed an immediate improvement in the air in my bedroom (12 x 14). It seemed "fresher" and easier to breathe. After a few days my dust allergies were virtually gone and breathing, while I was asleep, was much easier. Before buying it, I would wake up with a stuffy nose and a dry mouth because my nose was plugged and I was forced to breathe through my mouth. (Yuk!)

The black soot commented on by the other reviewer is due to the negatives ions which attach themselves to the smoke particles in the room and make them drop to floor. If you don't smoke it won't be much of a problem. Some minor residue will be found in and around the unit but this comes about because the negative ions make dust and other particulates fall to the floor. A quick wipe or vacuum easily eliminates this problem. Besides, I would rather have them on the floor than floating around in the air, wouldn't you?

The cost of the unit is fabulous (less than $50.00). That sure beats other ionic units that want more than $300.00! I have owned both and will never go back after trying this one. It's cheap, effective and actually works better than the more expensive, but well known, model.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great air filter to start out with, January 12, 2009

By 

CAC (California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Holmes® HAP412N-U HEPA-Type Mini Tower Air Purifier (Kitchen)

This is the first air filter I've ever bought. After using it for 6 months, I can now testify on behalf of this product.

I've been using it in my bedroom (dimensions 16x12 ft) continuously on the middle setting. The noise level is minimal on the 2nd setting (sort of like a low hum... I don't even notice it anymore) and even quieter on the lowest setting. I have pretty severe dust allergies and even the first day, I noticed a difference. No more sneezing, stuffy nose, itchy throat, etc.

The recommendation that came with the manual said to change the HEPA-type filter every 3-4 months. After about 4 months, I opened up the unit to check on the filters. There's a washable carbon pre-filter and a replaceable HEPA-type filter. I cleaned the pre-filter. The HEPA-type filter looked pretty much like new, so I didn't buy a new filter. (there are pictures of how dirty the filter looks at various stages inside the panel after you open it up).

Last weekend, I had to go out of town to take an exam. I arranged to stay with a friend. He warned me that he had recently gotten some cats. I'm also highly allergic to cats. I loaded up on allergy medicines the weeks prior to the trip (nasal corticosteroid sprays, antihistamines) and thought that would keep me from reacting to the cats. As a last minute idea, I brought this little air filter with me as backup. And boy was I glad I did. After an hour at his apt, I started sneezing non-stop and feeling altogether miserable. I whipped out the air filter, and set it up in the bedroom. After retreating to the filtered room, my symptoms subsided and I woke up allergy-free.

I see some other reviewer complaining that there is a layer of black dust/sooty material that accumulates around the filter if you have the ionizer on. The accumulation is supposedly heavier if you smoke in the house. I'm not a smoker but I still notice a thin layer of black dust around the filter. It doesn't bother me at all. You can just wipe it away with a damp paper towel (if you are on hardwood) or vacuum it up (if you're on carpet). I'd much rather have the black dust particles on the floor rather than floating around in the air where I am breathing it in. Of course, if it bothers you, you can always turn off the ionizer function and just use it as a filter.

Lastly, I see some people complaining about the cost of the replacement filters. It comes out to be about $18 each if you buy from Amazon. That's not so bad ... I looked at some other brands and they're still in the teens or $20's. Some other reviewer suggested vacuuming the replacement filter so it lasts longer. This is what you would do with a permanent HEPA filter anyway, so it didn't sound like a bad idea. Today, I opened up the filter again and saw that the HEPA-type filter was covered with cat hair. :-( That was just with 2 days of continuous use at my friend's apt. So perhaps the filter would get dirty much quicker in a household with pets that shed a lot.
I went ahead and vacuumed the HEPA-type filter on this unit... it cleared the filter without sending much if any dust in the air. I figure I'll change the filter once a year at this rate.

I'm completely allergy free in my bedroom. However, I still sneeze in the dining room area. I'm now saving up to get an air filter for the dining room / living room area. Please let me know if you have any suggestions on bigger air filters.

In summary:
This little unit is affordable, portable, and effective. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to get a good starter air filter for his/her bedroom and doesn't want to spend over $100 for something bigger/fancier just yet.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not too shabby, March 7, 2007

By 

L. Day "World Devourer" (Universe) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Holmes® HAP412N-U HEPA-Type Mini Tower Air Purifier (Kitchen)

Pretty good little unit for the bedroom. Quiet operation and reduces any oder that may be lingering. I'm a smoker and it usually clears the air pretty quickly.