Sharp Plasmacluster air purifiers feedback thread

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the 10 Mumsnetters who are reviewing a Sharp Plasmacluster air purifier in their home. All reviewers have at least one child with asthma or dust allergies - this could be mild, moderate or severe. Reviewers will be adding feedback and thoughts over the next three months, in a diary style.

However if you are not a reviewer but are interested in this product please feel free to add comments or ask questions of Sharp or of the reviewers.

Please note: This feedback will only be used by Sharp to inform their development of the product, it will not be treated as a clinical trial.

Sharp have some specific areas they would like you to comment on - you won't be able to add comments/ views on all of these straight away as some are looking at the longer term issues so please do revisit the thread and update your responses over the period of the review.

Please state the age of your child(ren) with asthma / dust allergies as well as the severity of their condition.

Initially, please add your first impressions of the product when it arrived: for example: overall first impressions of the product, was it what you expected? Where have you placed it? How was it to get it set up/ started etc. If you have any queries about the product please either post them here and Sharp will aim to respond or email MNHQ.

Then once you have had the product in your home for awhile, please add your thoughts, comments or experiences regarding the following areas - and the possible effects the air purifier has had for yourself and your child(ren).

Affect on asthma / dust allergy generally
Any reduction in illnesses in the home or affects on winter colds you would normally expect to see
Any reduction in smells around the home
Any reduction or effect on dust in the home - and the effect of this on your child with asthma
Any reduction or effect on mould in and around the home (in troublesome areas such as Bathroom and Kitchen where ventilation might be an issue) - and the effect of this on your child with asthma
Any other comments?

All reviewers who add feedback here will receive a £50 high street gift voucher as a token of thanks for taking part.

Many thanks

MNHQ

I wonder if the no charge is because it may be less than a penny per hour on the lowest setting?

Ds' little cough seems less.

Hi mumsnetters,

Just coming back on a few questions asked yesterday. In reference to location of the unit, we would recommend to have the product closest to where the user is sitting / sleeping for optimum effect. If it is for general use in a room, the ideal place is as close to the middle of the room as possible although of course is not always practical. It can be placed at the edge of the room as long as there is sufficient space on all sides so there is no obsticle to air flow.

And for the science bit; Plasmacluster is the technology brand name. The "plasma" bit refers to the process of generating the ions. The "cluster" bit refers to them clustering together to fight airborne viruses / allergens / bacteria etc.

We are just checking the energy consumption figures for you and will update ASAP.

Thanks Gemma.
Do we need to keep the packaging? The box is rather large and I'd rather it went for recycling.

Hey bramblebooks, unfortunately we would rather you kept the box for the unit's safe return. If it helps with storage though, by all means dismantle it until it is needed again.

I love this machine. I wish it were smaller but I do love it. I wouldn't be able to afford to buy one at the price they sell for but it is heavenly.

I filled the tank 3 days ago and its still full, no water has been used. It has been on the humidify setting so I don't understand it.

Anyone else the same?

3 great nights sleep had by my DS now, he is in such a good sleep I am actually having to wake him in the morning, totally unheard off!

no my water has been going down just refilled the tank today

Must be a prob with mine then?
What setting u got yours on?

I have checked instructions etc and have done everything right.

I have filled my tank too. I have the plasmawhatchamcallit switched on and the middle button (cleam/humidify) on

My water level dropped by about 3/4 in 24 hours.

I'm trying it without humidity on at moment as the levels were at about 65%, which I thought was a little high.

Sounds as though it is having a very positive effect. Great

My water hardly went down at all. I changed it because I thought we were meant to change to clean water. Is that not right? (I skimmed the instruction booklet... too many papers to mark, lesson plans to do, reports to write and ds to play with until bedtime... I will read it on the weekend when I have mroe time to do so).

I have re-read instructions, took the water drawer thing out and still can't find a reason why the water is not going down, it may be broken.

You can't take it back though as DS is sleeping the best he has ever done, I seriously can't believe it!

Gemma, do the units monitor the humidity in the room and only switch on this function if it gets below a certain level? Or does the machine just pump out the moisture if the correct button is selected?

I wonder if your room has more moisture in it, Louii, and that is why the water level is not going down?

DA that's what I was thinking as well, the humidity on mine is always between 65 and 70, doesn't say in the instructions though.

Another good nights sleep had by DS, 4 in a row, NEVER happened before!

Well another good night here. We have a very 'dry' house with the humidity at 48-50 when on clean air only and 55-60 when on humidity and clean air, so it must monitor and use water accordingly as I have to fill my tank again this morning.

Hi DaftApeth, yes it does adjust according to humidity, please see below extract from the manual:
"The Temperature/Humidity sensors automatically detect and adjust humidity according to changes in room temperature.
Depending on the size and humidity of the room, humidity may not reach 55~65 %. In such cases, it is recommended that CLEAN AIR & HUMIDIFY/MAX MODE be used."
Hope that helps.

Max mode means fan on full blast?

Louii did you normally use a fan? It's probably of course this product and the humidity...etc that is helping, but I started putting a fan on for DS about a year ago (he's 25 months now) and he slept loads better from day one. He must like the white noise. It blocks out all of the other annoying noises, too.

My ds1 has a stinking cold, bless him. So I am very pleased that the filter is in his room as for ds2 to catch a cold is usually a hospital job. At least the germs are being filtered so there's fewer around! Much handwashing going on here.

Hi all, I have feedback on the energy consumption figures, they are as follows based on the following user conditions & estimating the cost of 1Kwh of electricity to be 10 pence.

Hope that helps!

When used without the humidifying function

Max fan speed: 350.4 kW/year = GBP35.04 per year

Medium fan speed: 101.6 kW/year = GBP10.16 per year

Low fan speed: 33.2 kW/year = GBP3.32 per year

When used constantly with the humidifying function:

Max fan speed: 353.32 kW/year = GBP35. per year

Medium fan speed: 118.26 kW/year = GBP11.83 per year

Low fan speed: 59.56 kW/year = GBP5.96 per year

Hi Gemma, really appreciate you coming back to us so often to answer our questions. It does make evaluating the machine easier to have some background info.

On the last thread, you said that the ideal mumidity is between 50-55%. This is ideal for what or who? i.e. do you mean ideal to stop allergy reactions, for the machine to function, to prevent damp/mould building....?

The machine seems to creat a higher humidity when on dual function, up to 65%. Does this mean it is too high?

I'm also interested about whether this machine, when set on humudity function, will increase any damp in a room?

What sort of range does the machine have? It seems to pick up 'smells' (perfume and creams) from the bedroom next door. Will it also be purifying that far away too?

Sorry, lots of questions.

I did notice this morning when the sun was streaming in through the windows that there was very little dust flying around in the air, when previously, there would be loads.

do you after emyty the tray at the bottom thats got water in !!

StarExpat, no could never use a fan as makes any dust etc worse.
There has still been no coughing overnight and DS sleeping great, too good to be true almost.
Honestly after having no sleep for 6 months of the year for the past 4 years can it honestly be this simple?

I'm finding the same, Louii re the coughing. DS is only 2 but both winters he has been alive so far have been horrible at nights with coughing. He had been coughing for a while just before this arrived. Now, he sleeps without coughing at all and everything is clean and fresh.

I love it. I wish I could afford to buy one. :( I was all worried about arranging collection at first for when the trial is over, but now the collection person may have to tear it away from my fierce grip

Gemmasharp what are the chances that these will be made more affordable? Maybe a smaller version?

StarExpat, delighted you are getting good results as well.
We are getting a discount if we want to buy it after the 3 months, if the results we are getting continue then i will def keep it.

Have quite a few people interested in this trial as well who have kids with bad nightime coughing asthma so depending on how the 3 months go, may be more people interested in purchasing the Plasmacluster.

What kind of discount will we get Gemma?

Oh I didn't know we would get a discount. It would have to be an enormous one, though

I know people are interested in mine as well, especially as they know how much it has improved DS' breathing. But when I tell them the price, they change the subject and forget about it.