Friedrich C-90B Air Cleaner
by Friedrich
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List Price: Category: Home See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Friedrich C-90B Air Cleaner
Customer Review: Works well, minor quibbles -- first invest in well-sealed ducts
Summary: 4 Stars
Indeed this unit works much better than units by Honeywell and others I've used. It doesn't sound like a jet engine, like the Honeywell blasters. Importantly, the C-90 doesn't have coatings on its filters that can bother some sensitive people. Other brands do have those coatings. There isn't another filtration unit on the market that can touch the C-90's cleaning efficiency. Although the famous (and litigious) consumer magazine says that the C-90 produces less ozone than competitive products, I am able to smell the ozone when the unit functions, but not on competitive products. I called Friedrich about this, but the person they said would respond never called me.
The price of the C-90's carbon filter is downplayed, but it is far from free. The unit should have casters for easier movement, although it is not terribly heavy.
It's worth noting that this unit, designed to clean a small space, costs about the same as a good whole house filtration unit, which may be a better investment. The whole house cleaner is installed directly in the duct system, and is silent.
I just had my old ducts replaced and cleaned, which made a far bigger difference than running the C90 AND a whole house unit simultaneously. If you have a lot of dust, then you should consider updating your ductwork. Having done so, I no longer need to run the C-90.
Update: Consumer Reports, which previously rated this unit highly, now does not recommend it, or any other electrostatic cleaner, because of the ozone it generates.
Customer Review: Reliable
Summary: 4 Stars
This is my second unit, the first lasted 7 years. The unit runs 24/7 and I clean the filters twice a month. Its a little loud on high and you occasionally hear pops, but it works. You would be surprised as to the amount of black soot that is washed out. I would recommend it highly.Customer Review: Expensive, but good
Summary: 4 Stars
I used the unit for more then 5 years without any issues. Price could have been cheaper (I paid $430), but I suspect it is a low volume production item which necessitate to keep the prices higher then competitors. Deducted one star for high price.Customer Review: Might want to cut larger filters
Summary: 4 Stars
Air cleaner works fine, but filters that came with machine are a little small. It is easy to cut furnace filters to fit the cases. I live with 4 dogs, and they shed dust elephants worth of hair daily, so cleaners are put to hard use.Customer Review: Cleans great but poor quality control; the truth about "snapping"
Summary: 2 Stars
We've bought 4 of these for use throughout our home ahd have had to return half of them (50%) due to quality control problems and "snapping". This is ridiculous for a product of this high rating and price. We've been seemingly through the trenches with these, dealt with dealers AND the factory and here's the result of our research.
Now, here's the deal re "snapping". There is appropriate snapping and inappropriate snapping/rubbing noises. Like bug zappers, large dust and dirt particules drawn into the cleaner are ionized and charged, sticking to the metal filter elements and may create a sharp electrical, bug-zapper type snapping noise. We've noticed that and can discern it. This is good and we have no problem with it.
The other snapping noise we've had is the fan blades hitting the inner plastic appliance/fan housing, especially when run on high. This is NOT good and we've had repeated problems. Our current crop of 90-B we can run the one in the basement on High and its quiet. The living room one we can only run on Med; on High in a short time we hear this rubbing/snapping-type noise. Both sit on level hard floors.
I let one of these run a while snapping/rubbing and upon examination of the inner plastic fan housing (you can look when you clean the filters) noticed black skuff marks where the fan blades (black plastic...that can flex on higher rpms?) rubbed the bottom of the housing. Taking coarse sandpaper I rubbed the scuff area repeatedly, over time eventually removing enough excess plastic, and the fan stopped the rubbing/snapping.
I called another high volume allergy product retailer in the area and asked if they had any problems, the clerk responded "You mean like parts rubbing? Uh...no. Never! Never had any problems". Well, the disingenuous answer and tone told me this was something they had heard before. I described the problems and types of noises to the Factory and they suspected the fan may have gotten misalligned, hence rubbing, in shipping to the distributor...told me to return it immediately. My retailer in Delaware had a good return policy, I kept all papers and documentation and conversations and actions on our part, worked with us and we were eventually able to weed through poorly performing units and do Frederich's QC research for them.
In summary, an incredible air cleaner when it works like its supposed to that I'd love to rate high but recommend to purchase only after reviewing your vendor's return policy (definately NOT mail order!!!) ...and don't modify the unit like we did to fix the problem as it will likely void any warranty. BTW, we've also not noticed any odor problems or anything else.