There’s nothing better than snuggling with your kitty after a long day. Unless, of course, you happen to be allergic to that loveable feline. 

For every cat owner out there whose love of kitties is at odds with their immune system’s disdain for cat hair and dander, I give you the Austin Air HealthMate.

This medical-grade air purifier was made for homeowners who are serious (and I mean SERIOUS) about clean air. And for cat owners who happen to be allergic to cats, it may just be the remedy you didn’t know you needed.

With a particulate prefilter, true medical HEPA filter, and carbon and zeolite biofilter, this purifier can handle more than cat hair. It’s also been proven to remove over 99% of all airborne particulates, including viruses, bacteria, allergens, and VOCs.

I, thankfully, am not allergic to my cat, but I do have an incredibly reactive respiratory system made worse by all the colds my daughter brings home and any impurities in the air. That’s why I wanted to try out the HealthMate. 

Keep reading to find out how this supercharged air purifier helped me and to see my full Austin Air HealthMate review.

About Austin Air

Austin Air got its start decades ago when founder Richard Taylor set out to help his wife with her chronic respiratory symptoms. Drawing on the fact that his wife only felt relief when in her hospital room, Richard designed a home air purifier with the same medical-grade filters used in hospitals. 

Austin Air was born after Richard saw how much relief this home air purifier offered his wife. Now, over thirty years later, millions have benefited from these purifiers and half a dozen clinical studies have proved their effectiveness.

Where Are Austin Air Purifiers Manufactured?

Austin Air boasts the largest air purifier manufacturing facility in the world. Every one of their air purifiers is made in-house in their Buffalo, New York, facility. The company controls the manufacture of all parts of the units, including the filters and finish paint.

Who Will Benefit Most from Austin Air’s HealthMate?

Austin Air’s purifiers are the only clinically proven air purifiers available for home use. Their powerful filter is effective against 99% of airborne contaminants under 0.1 microns and even more effective against larger particles like cat hair and dander. 

All this is to say that this powerful machine is perfect for anyone who is dead-set on improving their air quality. Whether you have a cat you’re allergic to, want relief from chronic respiratory infections, or just want to vastly improve the air quality in your home, this unit is an excellent choice.

HealthMate Overview

Here’s an overview of Austin Air’s most popular air purifier, the HealthMate. We’ll look at what’s inside this unit, the different settings, the technical specs, maintenance costs, and your ordering options.

The Filter

Each HealthMate unit contains a massive, cylindrical filter with three primary layers.

The first is a prefilter meant to capture any large particles that make it through the metal grate on the outside of the unit. This filter removes things such as cat hair, dander, dust, and any other visible particles in the air.

The second layer is made up of a mix of carbon and zeolite. These two biological materials actively capture and absorb gasses, odors, and chemicals in the air.

The innermost layer consists of a true medical-grade HEPA filter. This powerful filter captures 99.97% of particles over 0.3 microns and 99% of particles down to 0.1 microns. It effectively removes bacteria, viruses, and other microscopic allergens and pathogens in the air.

Austin Air’s filters have been clinically tested with some amazing results. For example, one trial done by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital showed that using a HealthMate air purifier in the bedrooms of asthmatic children overnight reduced hospital visits by 20%.

Settings

To call the HealthMate “simple to operate” would be an understatement. This purifier has only four settings: high, medium, low, and off. 

The single dial on the front controls the speed of the motor. There are no auto settings, filter reminders, or other fancy settings you’re likely to find on other home purifiers. 

For those looking for a purifier that knows a lot of tricks, this is not the unit for you. But if you’re serious about cleaning your air, the downsides of the HealthMate’s simplicity are easily overshadowed by the air-cleaning power it delivers. 

Technical Specifications

The HealthMate is a beast among home air purifiers. It’s made entirely of powdered coated steel and weighs a hefty 47 pounds. It’s about as durable an air purifier as you’re likely to find.

At 14.5″ long by 14.5″ wide and 23″ tall, this is a sizable unit. But none of that space goes to waste. The intake vent extends over all four sides of the base and the filter inside is large enough to thoroughly clean every molecule of air that’s sucked inside.

The unit sits on four sturdy castors so it can easily be rolled around as needed. The high-efficiency motor is extremely powerful, a fact that is obvious the second you turn this beast on high.

Maintenance Costs

One thing you must always consider before purchasing an air purifier is the maintenance costs associated with it. This means taking a hard look at both the cost of running the unit as well as the cost of replacing the filter.

I tested my unit using an electricity usage meter. Here are my readings and cost calculations (based on the national average cost of electricity):

The average air purifier costs about $10 a month or $120 per year to run 24/7. Considering this, the HealthMate is actually very cost-effective to use. This is true even if you crank it up to high and leave it running all day and night.

Another place where the HealthMate shines in terms of value is in the filter replacement department.

The massive cylindrical filter on this unit lasts 5 years. This kind of lifespan is unheard of in the air purifier world. Most filters for home use only last 3 to 9 months.

When it’s time to replace this filter, you will have to fork over some cash. The HealthMate series filters cost about $290 each. 

However, if you break this down by cost over time, you’d be paying less than $15 every three months. Considering the average cost of a three-month air purifier filter is about $30, this filter is actually fairly affordable.

Options

The HealthMate model is available in four colors: white, black, sandstone, and midnight blue. I opted for the midnight blue option and it matches the accents in my home perfectly. 

If you’re looking for a unit that’s a little smaller or one that has an even more powerful filter, Austin Air offers some additional options in other models. 

The HealthMate Plus model does everything the original does plus it better captures chemicals like formaldehyde thanks to the addition of potassium iodide. This option is a great choice for those affected by wildfires and airborne toxins.

For those with intense allergy issues, Austin Air’s Allergy Machine might be the best option. This unit improves upon the base design of the original with increased airflow to reduce airborne allergens in half the time. 

Lastly, Austin Air offers all of their HealthMate units in the “Junior” size. These purifiers are about 7 inches shorter and less than half as heavy as the originals. 

Pros & Cons

Key Features

Clinically Proven Air Cleaning Abilities

Many air purifier manufacturers claim their units are effective at cleaning the air, but only Austin Air has the clinical trials to prove it. 

Through six different clinical trials the HealthMate has been shown to reduce asthma and COPD symptoms, effectively clean air in homes with smokers, and reduce pollution associated with airplane traffic.

Simple Functionality

When allergies are ruining your life, you don’t have time for fancy settings and a long list of features. What you need is powerful filtration that works fast without all the glimmer and glam. And that’s what the HealthMate delivers.

With three speeds and no additional buttons, this machine was made to be turned on to quickly and effectively clean the air.

Cost Effective

Given how powerful this machine is (and, yes, you can hear that power the moment you turn it on), you might be surprised to find out it’s also impressively cost-effective to run and maintain.

Even on the highest setting, this unit only costs about 25 cents per day to run nonstop. On the lowest setting, it will only cost you 5 cents per day to run overnight. Just as impressive, the filter lasts five years and costs about half as much to replace as the average home air purifier filter, when you take lifespan into account.

Is the HealthMate a Good Value?

The HealthMate is a sizeable investment, with new units costing just over $700. However, if you compare it to the competition and consider the performance and power of this model, it’s an impressive value.

Not only does it deliver better performance than most purifiers in this price range, but the maintenance costs are much lower. Most competitor purifiers feature filters that last only 9 months or less and cost, on average, about $100 to replace each time. The HealthMate, by comparison, has a filter that lasts five years and costs only $290 to replace (this equates to about $44 every nine months).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the square footage rating for the HealthMate?

In general, the square footage rating of the HealthMate is about 1500. However, Austin Air doesn’t like to look at performance in terms of square footage or CADR since there are too many variables that affect these numbers. They suggest using the HealthMate in large bedrooms and spaces and the Junior model in small bedrooms and offices.

Does the HealthMate produce any harmful substances?

No, the HealthMate does not use any chemical or ionizing filters and therefore does not release any ozone, ions, or toxins.

How noisy is the HealthMate?

Short answer, fairly noisy. On high it produces a considerable amount of noise (about 60.5 decibels according to my measurements). On low, it has a nice white noise sound and puts out about 37 decibels. This level is not too noticeable but it is noisier than most home air purifiers set to the lowest setting.

Our Experience With Austin Air’s HealthMate

I have reviewed a lot of air purifiers throughout my career. I’ve tested everything from itty bitty countertop units to purifiers made to combat chemical warfare toxins.

One look at the HealthMate and I knew I was dealing with a unit closer to the latter end of the purifying spectrum.

This thing is a beast. The full-steel body and massive filter make clear this unit is built for powerful air purification. In my opinion, this is a good thing, though it did leave me wishing my bedroom was on the first floor!

While I don’t have any allergies to my cat, Makoa, or the other pets in my house, I do have chronic respiratory issues. I have something called “reactive airway,” a type of asthma with no clear cause. Mine seems to be most affected by viruses, but any irritant in the air can make my symptoms worse.

And that’s why it was worth it to haul my HealthMate up the stairs to my bedroom. 

This powerful purifier filters not just cat dander and other allergens, but also 99% of pathogens like viruses and bacteria. I hoped that the unit would help reduce my exposure to everything and hopefully improve my chronic cough and congestion.

I have been using the unit nightly for the last week and have already noticed improvement. Most specifically, I’ve woken up consistently with less stuffiness and have slept more soundly through the night with fewer cough attacks. 

I use the low setting most of the time. It has a pleasing, though not entirely quiet sound. My husband loves it and uses it in place of our white noise machine at night. 

The higher settings are loud enough that they make it hard to watch TV, but I rarely have to use these settings. I typically only crank the unit up after cleaning the cat box, vacuuming, or doing anything else that kicks up a lot of dust. After about fifteen minutes on high, the air quality noticeably improves.

As far as Makoa, my kitty, is concerned, this metal box is a mystery. However, he does seem to enjoy sticking his face in front of the air outlet and letting his whiskers blow in the breeze. For me, though, this purifier is life-changing. 

It has already helped reduce my respiratory symptoms and I’m hopeful it can help prevent me from catching every single virus my kindergartener brings home. I also really love the blue color!

Conclusion

Whether you’re allergic to your cat or just want your kitties and the rest of your family to enjoy better quality air, the HealthMate from Austin Air delivers. 

This powerful air purifier is clinically proven to reduce respiratory symptoms and clean household air of pathogens, pollutants, and allergens. It’s far more utilitarian than your average household purifier but also more effective while still being affordable to run and maintain. For anyone serious about seriously clean air, the HealthMate is worth a look.

• See also: Molekule Air Mini+ Review: A Detailed Look