Friedrich C90B Electronic Air Cleaner Review
The C90B electronic air cleaner by Friedrich is an electrostatic air cleaner that uses a pre-filter, a series of electronically charged plates and a carbon filter to clean the air. The pre-filter and carbon filter require replacement while the electrostatic plates are permanent filters and require cleaning by the user. The Friedrich C90B air purifier has a larger footprint than most air cleaners however the C90B air purifier is energy star rated and produces ozone at 0.014 ppm (parts per million) that is less than the FDA standard of 0.05 ppm.
Approximate Price: $549
Overall Air Cleaner Rating: 7/10
- Ease of Use Rating: 1 out of 2. The Friedrich C90B air cleaner has a simple manual switch to control the fan speeds and replacement of the pre-filter and carbon filter are fairly simple although not always obvious which filter goes where. The electrostatic plates require cleaning in order for the air cleaner to operate at its peak efficiency and this can become a chore compared to a maintenance free air cleaner.
- Air Flow: 2 out of 2. The Friedrich C90B air cleaner has a strong air flow rating of 390 cfm (cubic feet per minute). If you look through the air intake or exit you can see through the air cleaner as there is no mechanical filter media to reduce the air flow as you will see in a HEPA type air purifier.
- Filter Efficiency: 1.5 out of 3. The C90B air purifier performs well against other electronic air cleaners however when compared to the full spectrum of air purifiers the particle removal rates were in the middle of the pack.
- Consumer Feedback: 2.5 out of 3. 80% of reviewers give the C90B air cleaner a 4 or 5 star rating on Amazon. We have found similar results on other product rating sites such as Epinions. Most people purchased this air cleaner due to a positive review in a leading consumer testing magazine. They found the Friedrich air cleaner to work as advertised and were particularly impressed with the quiet noise level on all fan speeds. Positive remarks were also given to the ease in cleaning the air cleaner and relatively low filter replacement costs. On the negative side, several reviewers found the Friedrich C90B to be large and not attractive – some referred to as a pet carrier. A few negative comments were also given for a popping noise that is experienced when particles are zapped in the electronic plates as well as an unpleasant odor from the low levels of ozone that are generated in operation.
See how the Friedrich C-90 compares to the listing of top rated air purifiers.
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