Customer Reviews

Rabbit Air MinusA2 SPA-780A [White, Odor Remover]

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I wanted an air purifier for my living room where I have some electronics that need protection from smoke and dust. I also needed a unit that could realistically and reliably clean the air sufficiently in this 250 square foot area and help remove the odor and particulate matter from occasional cigarette smoke that may drift into the room. It's a large volume area because of the high cathedral ceiling and open design. While that may not sound too difficult to accomplish with many mid to large air purifiers, I also wanted a unit that was as silent as possible, and that's not so easy to find.

I spent several weeks researching air purifiers and came away with the conclusion that IQ Air, Austin Air and Blueair are probably the best that the industry has to offer as far as big and powerful air purifiers go these days (IQ Air has a carbon filter with 5 pounds of charcoal and Austin Air has 15 pounds of charcoal ... 15 pounds!). So why didn't I choose one of those? Price, noise level, size and looks were the determining factors (although Blueair has good noise ratings and they look attractive, but are a bit on the pricey side). Excluding any of those models wasn't easy. Nor was it easy to cross off less expensive mid-power sized units from Sharp and Winix. I also had a difficult time choosing between several models of Rabbit Air. Decisions ... decisions....

In order to educate myself in the murky waters of outrageous air purifier claims, I turned to the internet, but at first I found no real help (not many websites review air purifiers). I had recently purchased a small, one-room air purifier from Alen and didn't do enough research. Turned out that I wasn't exactly thrilled with that purchase (although it's really not a bad unit per se ... I rated it 3 stars). Fortunately, I eventually found a website that took reviewing and testing of these products very seriously, which gave me more confidence when I decided to go for a more powerful (and expensive) unit in the living room. I highly recommend Air-Purifier-Power as the one and ONLY source (at present) to help shed some light on this less than stellar industry. Personally, I wouldn't rely on Consumer Reports as far as air purifiers go. I found them to be of little help and their testing methods for air purifiers have been under fire for years, and I can see why. What they rated highly gave me a good chuckle.

So now that I have the Rabbit Air 700A, what do I think? As the title indicates, this is a very quiet air purifier, perhaps one of the top two or three in the industry (of the ones that have fans ... I won't go into what I think about those that don't have fans). This unit has five different fan speeds (silent, low, medium, high and turbo). To me, noise level was as critical as cleaning ability. What good is an air purifier if it interferes with your daily living? I didn't want to have to turn up the TV to drown out a fan. Of course at the two top speeds (high and turbo), one can easily hear the 700A throughout the house. Still, its high speed is quieter than many products at mid speeds. So do yourself a favor and check out fan output (CFM) and the associated noise level (dBA) on any model you may want to purchase. The Rabbit Air 700A is about 46 dBA on turbo speed (@ 187 CFM) and under 21 dBA on silent speed (@47 CFM)! BTW, some products are even quieter than this, but check the CFM to see if they are putting out as much air at that noise level.

I chose the 700A over the 780A for a couple of reasons, even though I would have preferred black over white (not too impressed with the looks of this white model). The two reasons were value and noise level. These two models are virtually identical except the fan is revved up a bit on the 780A, making it a tad louder, but has the ability to suck in and blow more air and cover a little larger area. The first three speeds on the 700A (silent, low, medium) are indeed quiet, and the silent speed is aptly named. I have to get within 4 or 5 feet to begin hearing it. The CADR (clean air delivery rate) rating on the 700A and 780A is the same (except the 780A has a slightly better Pollen rating). As far as square footage is concerned, divide any number that these manufacturers spew out by two (normal ceilings) or three (high ceilings) and you will get a closer idea of what is realistic. If you assume the manufacturer's claims are legit, you may be in for disappointment (I'm pretty sure they calculate all these numbers based upon normal ceiling height and maximum fan speed, which is unrealistic in the normal home environment). I'd like to see a CADR rating at each fan speed and the use of volume in addition to square footage as far as coverage specification, but fat chance that these will ever be implemented.

What separated the Rabbit Air products from each other (the 700A and 780A vs their other models), as well as other manufacturers models, is the ability to choose a custom filter (they have four to choose from at present: germ, toxin, pet allergy and odor). This is a great idea, and one can order a specific filter type depending upon one's needs. I find this makes perfect sense. And installing and changing filters is simple and painless (pealing off the cellophane wrapper on these filters is a bigger pain than installing them). It also has a permanent pre-filter one can vacuum and/or wash, which I find a very important feature. Pre-filters pick up the biggest particulate matter, and I will no longer buy an air purifier without a cleanable pre-filter. Live and learn.

The ad states that it is a six stage purification system: anti-microbial pre-filter (read silver), anti-bacterial medium filter (additional dust catcher, which is unusual in the industry and helps not to overtax the HEPA filter), BioGS HEPA filter (I guess it gets that name because they added some anti-viral agents ... yeah, whatever), custom filter (not many companies I know, if any, have this option) and carbon filter (although I doubt there is much more than a pound of charcoal in it, but I haven't measured the weight). I guess the mysterious sixth stage is a negative ion generator (the good kind, but who knows these days?). I like the fact that their filter kits, which include the four changeable filters, are reasonably priced and are one of the better values I have found.

This model comes with a decent set of electronics and lights for giving you information, plus it performs automatic cycling (changes fan speed depending upon the air quality that the particle sensor reads), but it doesn't come with an odor sensor. This probably isn't too big of a deal since these sensors are hardly reference quality to begin with. However, even knowing the limitations of these sensors, I like the idea of having them included and thought for the price I paid for the 700A an odor sensor should have come with this unit. At least the particle sensor gives me some feedback (accuracy not withstanding) and a baseline to go from.

Rating air purifiers may not be too accurate unless one has used their particular model for a full filter cycle (anywhere from 6 months to a year depending upon the environment it is in). I've only owned this product for a little over 2 months now, and during that time I found the quality and performance has been very good. If things change during the year, I'll report back. So, between 1 and 10, I rate the Rabbit Air MinusA2 SPA-700A (that's a mouthful) an 8, or a solid 4-star rating, but this is assuming it will give me years of untroubled service (it does come with a 5 year warrantee, which is a big plus). Other than thinking it should have included an odor sensor (one of their cheaper models include this), I wish it had a more hefty carbon filter, say 3 pounds of charcoal at minimum, but it is what it is. This marginal carbon filter is the reason I selected the custom odor filter option (although I may opt for a different custom filter later on and swap them whenever I choose). I also felt that they should have provided a wall mounting bracket since they advertise it being wall mountable. Now if this bracket was an expensive to make add-on, I'd understand. But it's a bracket they make for a buck and sell for 10, so I consider this wringing out every cent they can from the consumer. I also had to laugh at their ridiculous claim concerning their "mood" light. Still, I'm pretty happy with this unit, but for the life of me I don't know where I can put it so it will be unobtrusive (but that would be the case for any of these devices).

I had never written a review for any product before.

Tried all types of air purifiers / odor removers, and this has got to be the best system out there. Amazingly quiet while being able to push through and purify high volumes of air, even at the lowest setting, which is absolutely silent. In our apartment, normally we had problems with kitchen air after cooking, especially frying food; with this system, food / grease odor is reduced within 10-20 minutes, and eliminted COMPLETELY in the next hour or so. I could not detect a hint of food odor after 2 hours. Living in the city, we have air problems. Now, interior air is drastically improved along with my persistent sinus issues. I replaced every other air purifiers in my apartment with rabbit air minusA2's. The unit is very easy on the eye and non-obtrusive. And once again, when the unit is on one of the lower settings, it is completely inaudible.

I contacted Rabbit Air support for some billing issues and some technical issues, and was greeted very courteously and professionally. The support staffs were very knowledgeable and helpful. I am absolutely happy with this air purifier and highly recommend to anyone who is seriously looking for ways to improve air quality and odor removal.

pros: silent, very effective at odor removal and air purification, most aesthetically pleasing system out there, one of the thinnest profile out there, and it truely works

cons: a bit pricey, filter replacement cost

I bought this item for my dad as he has severe allergies all throughout the year. I was pondering between this unit and the IQair units, but this one seemed nicer as a gift and also sounded more automated than the IQair. My parent's are not that good with any kind of gadgets, so I wanted to make sure that they'll be able to use it. The unit seems to be working wonders for my dad. Whenever we talk, he thanks me for the gift. He wakes up with clear sinus and does not suffer allergy symptoms when he's in the house.

Also when I bought this unit, it was priced at over $500 and just a few days afterwards, they started their sales. To my surprise, Rabbitair credited back the difference to my credit card without even my asking for it. Awesome customer service and now that I have my own place, I'm thinking of getting one for my self.

You know you're getting old when you're excited about an air purifier. I have two cats, so i've wanted one for a while, but never wanted to invest in one. Now that i'm living in a one room studio I had no choice. I was going to get a cheap one, but after reading the reviews I made an impulse buy late one night and shelled out for this one. I've only had it for a week, so problems could arise in the future, but so far I'm glad I got it. It looks great, so you don't have to worry about having a big clunky purifier taking up space. It's about dead silent too. I have it on low right now about 3 feet from me and can't even hear it. Both sensors work. A few minutes after I turn the light off to go to sleep the light sensor sets the speed to low. I have a cat box about 10 feet from the purifier. Whenever I clean it out dust gets in the air. After a minute or two, if set to auto, the purifier increases it's speed to get rid of the bad air. No complaints so far, and hopefully it stays that way.

Update 4/10/11: I upgraded my review to 5 stars because the optical sensor is a lot of fun. When my cat walks by, it turns purple. When I cut through the ceiling to install a new air conditioning supply register, it turned red for a while. In quiet mode this is just about silent during bed time.

I have both the 700A and 780A series. The simplicity of the design is very attractive, and the electronic controls are top notch. The light sensor is great for the bedroom so it automatically goes into low speed sleep mode. For us, it looks better on the floor than on the wall because of the depth.

I couldn't tell any difference between my 700A and 780A. Out of curiosity I took some scientific measurements of the sound level and power usage between the two models (I work in aerospace, so this was easy).

Basically the ONLY difference between the two is that the 780A fan will blow more air in Turbo mode. The product specs state that the fan spins faster on the 780A in all modes; but in reality it's just in the Turbo mode. If you don't need the highest setting (which is pretty noisy anyway when it's cranked up so high), or the expanded color/artwork selection, then you could save $ going with the 700A.

The following sound level measurements are from Auto mode. It will go even quieter than the numbers below when it's set to Quiet mode (in which case it's completely silent from a few feet away).

Sound SPL level at 6 inches from the vent:

700A 780A

55dbA 54dbA Level 1 Silent

58dbA 55dbA Level 2 Low

61dbA 61dbA Level 3 Medium

66dbA 68dbA Level 4 High

72dbA 75dbA Level 5 Turbo

(note: noise measurements depend on distance - manufacturers usually take it from several feet away for more impressive numbers)

Power usage:

700A 780A

4W 4W Level 1 Silent

6W 6W Level 2 Low

12W 12W Level 3 Medium

27W 26W Level 4 High

48W 62W Level 5 Turbo

For reference comparison here is the sound level I measured from my Honeywell model 17000 air cleaner:

67dbA Low

72dbA Medium

80dbA High

The Rabbit Air is much quieter than this basic Honeywell model, but all the manufacturers fudge with their sound level ratings because they don't tell you the distance they're measuring at.

Air purifiers have come a long way in terms of design and technology. I've gone thru the simple HEPA filters, charcoal filter, UV bulbs, electrostatic ionizers, washable collector cells, and controversial ozone emitting products.

Now I'm down to two in my home one of which is the RabbitAir MinusA2 air purifier. I love it's stylish design that doesn't look boring, kitschy, or even gimmicky. I can place it in any part of my home and it doesn't look like an eyesore.

PROS:

1. Design - slim and modern

2. Controls - chrome-like buttons all laid out on one side

3. Remote - a small plastic remote emulating all the chrome buttons on the unit that is especially useful if you decide to hang the unit on a wall

4. Mood Light / Night Light - a horizontal strip of light in the front of the unit which contributes to the ambiance in the home.

5. Technology -

a. Silver Ion Pre-Filter - washable filter similar to A/C units with a fine mesh weave that capture large dust

particles. RabbitAir goes one step further by coating it with silver ions which have been proven to retard or even eliminate bacteria growth.

b. Anti-Bacterial Medium Filter - which appears to be a blue cotton filter and captures finer dust particles, pollen, mold and bacteria.

c. BioGS HEPA filter - (technology found on the previous BioGS models) and captures even more of the above plus fungus, dust mites, odours, smoke and greenhouse gases.

d. Customized Filter - another stage in filtration to specifically tailor to your choice of "Germ Defense", "Pet Allergy" and "Toxin Absorber".

e. Charcoal Based Activated Carbon Filter - the final stage in filtration in an old reliable charcoal filtration method that helps absorb more odours and toxins.

All of the above filters are housed in a relatively sturdy filter case which helps organize and arrange these for easy removal and replacement.

f. Negative Ion Generator - which further helps purify the air by clinging to suspended particles that haven't passed thru the filter and essentially making them fall to the floor rather than float around.

g. Brushless Motor - essentially produces a longer motor life and a quiet operation due to a friction-less design.

6. Filter Life / Cost - Less time consuming and relatively less expensive replacement method by being able to operate for a year in between changes. Of course, regular monthly maintenance is recommended by vacuuming and/or washing the pre-filter as well as cleaning the vents and odour analyzer.

7. Function -

a. Odour Sensor - a vent on the right side that detects changes in air quality and adjusts fan speed accordingly for faster air purification. Of course, effective placement of the air purifier matters for a more effective operation.

b. Light Sensor - detects available light and shuts down the mood light (if used) and air quality indicator.

c. Air Quality Indicator - gives a visual indication of present air quality by changing from blue (good) to purple, pink and then red (bad).

d. Easy front panel removal - no clumsy clips here. Elegant magnet on the bottom and a simple latch on top to facilitate easy pre-filter cleaning and filter replacement.

CONS:

My gripe is the filter replacement cost. As of this writing the marketing of the filter can last "up to two years". If you further read the manual and manufacturer FAQ, this of course means operating the unit non-continuously at only 12 hours a day. But RabbitAir has stated this on their website FAQ:

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Q: Why should I run my air purifier continuously?

A:To be truly effective, ALL air purifiers should be run continuously. Scientific researches confirm that indoor air pollution rapidly returns to pretreatment levels when an air purifier is turned off.

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To truly benefit from the air purifier, then it is a no-brainer to operate it for 24 hours a day (unless it's on a vacation home that sees traffic a few times a year). Which means under "normal use" then filter life is really good for a year. Replacement cost then amounts to $75 a year plus shipping and taxes, where applicable. I would have preferred the manufacturers offer discounted filter service and free shipping KNOWING that loyal customers will be replacing their filters anyway at this predictable time frame.

Throw us a bone and make it more convenient so we won't go looking for other air purifiers down the road.

OVERALL:

I would recommend this product with it's higher quality manufacturing and design that sets it apart from other air purifiers. Are the air filters with it's multi-stage redundant layers gimmicky? I don't know. Independent reviews and studies (not provided by the manufacturer) will prove in time. And it does beat simple one-layer filters of other machines, well, at a higher price to pay.

Of course, air purifier manufacturers will tell you that "there is no price to pay for your health". Well there certainly is a price to pay for buying these purifiers and if RabbitAir can improve their product filter replacement cost down the road and independent studies can prove the performance of their filters, then we definitely have a winner in the MinusA2 model.

As for which model to buy - SPA-780A or SPA-700A. I can only say that they are exactly the same on the outside as well as filter replacement parts. The only difference is a more powerful motor to help cover a wider space and essentially guarantee up to 815 sq feet of area as well as a choice of glossy black or glossy white. Choose well.

We bought this air purifier as both my husband and I suffer from allergies and I often wake up with headaches. I noticed a difference in the air within a few hours of turning it on and I have not had a morning headache since. We also have 2 Boxer's (dogs) and notice huge improvement in dander as well as dust in our bedroom. The air smells so fresh. We also love the "auto" mode and that at night when we turn the lights out it automatically turns off the lights on the unit and the fan to silent mode - which is sincerely practically silent. We love this machine.

Rabbit air purifier is very sleek and seems to work great. Whenever I smoke, the light sensor changes color to red (poor air quality) and starts working hard. After little while, the light changes and the fan slows down. Air quality improvement is undeniable. It is slgihtly bigger and noiser than I expected.

Highly recommended for smokers.

Purchased March 08 - for the bedroom

Positives: It's narrow size and shape means it doesn't take up much space in the room. At medium level it is quiet and not a distraction, though you do hear it. I have had chronic sinusitis, probably from our cats. The impact since purchasing it: 1) I now breath through my nose when sleeping; 2) my sinuses are clearing up w/o taking any antibiotics.

Deltas: When using it on low one night - I found that I had to breath through my mouth and awoke with my nosed stuffed. It was not very effective at that speed for me.

Overall: It is expensive but more suitable for the bedroom than the Honeywell we purchased. However, the Honeywell has done an excellent job in the basement.

I would highly recommend this unit to friends. First, the unit is functional. I mean it works well. It filters the dust, pet allergy and so forth nicely -- as I can see that from the filters. Second, it is very quiet. It has light sensor and has air quality sensor to adjust the mode of the operation dynamically (from Turbo to silent mode and vice-versa). I did check out 2 air purifiers from Costco and return them all after using RabbitAir. There is no way to beat Rabbit Air's stylish design, the noise level at operation. And the power consumption is the best. This is not a cheap unit anyway. I can purchase two units from Costco for the price of one here. But I think it is worth the money for long run -- low power consumption, good air quality produced, and stylish design. As for the technical (after sale) support, it is great. It should come with a wall mount kit though. As comparing it with the other rabbit air models, I personally like this unit better. Mainly, it is due to low operational noise. I hope you would agree with what I am saying here. Thanks.