Beware Sharper Image Ionic Breeze?
Apr 6, 2005 at 9:25 PM Post #16 of 62
I actually work for the EPA, so I can back this up. (But don't quote me on this -- this is only my personal opinion.) Ozone generators are bad news. They used to use giant ozone generators in army barracks to sterilize the air, but the grunts developed all kinds of respiratory problems which the army traced back to the generators. The ozone they generate is the same crap as you find in smog. I hate, hate, hate the Ionic Breeze. Sharper Image's marketing ploys are worse than Bose's. My parents bought one against my recommendation and -- surprise -- my mother who has asthma developed a hacking cough when they used it. Back to the store it went.

They do something, they help a little bit, sure. UV rays and ozone are fairly effective as sterilizers. But not nearly as effective as a HEPA filter. If you don't have asthma or pre-existing respiratory conditions, ozone generators probably won't bother you much. BTW, those UV machines generate ozone also (ever notice the stink in the air in tanning parlors?? that's ozone...)

So the Ionic Breeze = crap. Buy something with a HEPA filter. It makes a little noise, but who cares? It works.
 
Apr 6, 2005 at 11:30 PM Post #18 of 62
The advertising for the Ionic Breeze does remind me of Bose... blanket the market with aggressive advertising for insanely overpriced product, and maybe people will believe it. I guess they are indeed worse, cuz I don't see Bose using multimillion (billion?) dollar TV ad campaigns to sell stereo equipment (!).

If someone wanted to try an ionizer, there are far cheaper alternatives (tons of companies now riding on the coattails of Sharper Image's ad campaign... check out Radio Shack).

P.S. AFAIK the Ionic Breeze is primarily an ionizer, not an ozone generator (I guess according to the article referenced it does produce ozone tho).
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 12:29 AM Post #19 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch
P.S. AFAIK the Ionic Breeze is primarily an ionizer, not an ozone generator (I guess according to the article referenced it does produce ozone tho).


I don't think any air cleaner intentionally creates ozone. It's a byproduct of the use of the electrically charged plates. You smell ozone after a lightening storm because the electrical discharge of the lightening creates ozone, same thing with the electric air cleaners. Of course ozone is a toxic gas, but you're just doing your part to help plug the hole over Antartica.
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 3:45 AM Post #21 of 62
Ozone is another form of smog in Los Angeles, and any other place that creates hydrocarbons. It is basically O3, an unstable form of O2, or oxygen. It is as hazardous as the other pollutants, maybe more.

All of that aside, HERE is the kicker: if you value your speakers, headphones, and amps, do NOT buy anything that creates ozone. Ozone is corrosive (READ: to your driver membranes and rubber surrounds), fades the ink in pictures, and is toxic to humans.

Do not touch this piece of junk with a ten foot pole!!! Bose never covered up health risks, Sharper Image makes Bose look like a saint!!!
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 4:38 AM Post #23 of 62
I have an ionizer and I'm disappointed to read all of this. I might end up tossing it now, even though I spent 80 bucks on it
frown.gif
. Though, I will say this: it gets rid of bad odors like nobody's business. Before I had it, the room used to constantly smell musty, but not anymore.
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 5:39 AM Post #24 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by Born2bwire
Of course ozone is a toxic gas, but you're just doing your part to help plug the hole over Antartica.


Strictly speaking, oxygen is a toxic gas as well (just one we've adapted to and come to depend on) -- that's why antioxidants are advertised as being healthy. But I get your point...
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 7:30 AM Post #27 of 62
I could be wrong... but I believe that it is inherent in their operation.

The ozone problem irritates me... there's something about the concept of big ionizers like that that has always seemed like a sexy bit of technology to me. Ah well.
rolleyes.gif


Hey building one of these bad boys seems pretty simple: http://experts.about.com/q/1356/894464.htm . That is, if you happen to have a High voltage source in your living room.
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 9:49 AM Post #28 of 62
Great. I got a small Honeywell ionizer air purifier on my office desk. My main concern is whether this is actually unhealthy for me to be breathing the "purified" ozonated air?
eek.gif



Apparently the unit's manual does say that it generate traces amounts of ozone, but that it's well below safe limits. But, of course.. what manufacturer would say their products oozes poision?
rolleyes.gif
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 3:47 PM Post #29 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
Isn't ozone used as a disinfectant in both air and water?


I've heard that they do use ozone as a water disinfectant because it does not leave behind organic compounds like chlorine and it does not stay in the water. I don't know what would be safe levels for ozone. It's fairly common today because it exists in smog and is produced by a lot of electrical equipment and phenomenon (like laser printers). It's fairly unstable so it doesn't last very long, but if you breath it into your lungs then it causes problems and it also is prone to producing other toxic oxides when it breaks down as well.
 
Apr 7, 2005 at 5:11 PM Post #30 of 62
There's really no need to freak out. If you haven't already been bothered by whatever ionic/ozone/UV-ray machine you're using, chances are you aren't one of those respiratorily sensitive people who shouldn't use them. I think the point of this thread is more to say that they don't do the job half as well as a HEPA-filter equipped air purifier that actually moves the air.
 
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