Home > Consumer Reviews > Honeywell HFD-120-Q Tower HEPAQuiet Air Purifier with Permanent IFD Filter, Black

I decided to get this air cleaner after trying the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze and a larger Honeywell HEPA filter. At the time of purchase, the Sharper Image was the only one with a permanent filter. This was a big plus for me seeing as the older HEPA cleaners have 2 filters to replace, the larger one being nearly the price of the machine. This Honeywell tower has a permanent filter.

There are many claims for and against the Ionic Breeze. I'm still undecided on how effective it is -- but I feel almost the same way about my large HEPA filter. I found myself running both of them to control my allergies. Although I cleaned them regularly and found dust on both, I can't say the air was particularly different. However, shortly after turning this on in the bedroom for the first time, I could smell a difference. I haven't had it long enough to say it's made a real dent in my allergies -- plus the fact that my allergies are intermittant -- but I'm pleased that I even notice it.

One thing to note -- the Amazon description says there is an independently controlled Ionizer. I assumed that meant I could control it independently of the HEPA Unit. If that's the case, I have yet to see how. It's not mentioned anywhere in the tiny booklet and there are no buttons for it. For that reason, I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5. I did want to control the ionizer separately because I wanted to be able shut that off entirely. There are camps on both sides arguing for an against ionizers, and some claim they make breathing worse -- so being able to compare with and without it was something I wanted to try. If anyone else knows how to do it, then post it here. :)

Compared to the larger Honeywell that I own, this one is much more quiet on each of its three settings. When I first read the description I didn't pay attention to the oscillating function. Now, it's my favorite part of this cleaner. The oscillator is the thing that is independent of the cleaner -- and when its on, the machine rotates in place, back and forth, blowing the air in an arc. I like this feature a lot and I think helps with cleaning a larger area. Maybe the ionizer is attached to this feature?

This unit is significantly heavier than the similar looking Ionic Breeze. Also, the manual states it should be placed 3 feet from any wall or furniture. The cord is not that long, and placing the cord behind some furniture to get to an outlet has made it nearly impossible for me to reach a spot a full 3 feet away.

Anyway, so far I am pleased and would recommend this unit to some one who is looking for a compromise between those two types of cleaners.

Its very sturdy and well constructed, it cleans and circulates the air through out my bedroom... The only thing I'm slightly worried about is the strange smell... Maybe I'm just used to breathing dirty moldy air

**Update**
Okay... The strange smell has disappeared after my first day of full use so maybe it has something to do with the purifier being brand new... I highly recommend this product because its very sturdy and the base feels weighted so theres no need to worry about it moving or falling over while it oscillates! I gave my 21 inch box fan to my friend Amanda because this device blows just as much air with hardly any noise at all, its very close to being silent... and the air feels and smells clean which really makes me happy... I mainly purchased this product because I hate vacuming... I really hate vacuming! I'm really hoping this product rids my room of dust and cuts my vacuming down to once a week...

So remember... This machine is very quiet almost silent, It circulates just as much air as my 21 inch box fan, It has a weighted base which keeps it stable as it oscillates, it has washable filters that must be allowed to dry before you re-install them, It has a weird smell its first few hours of use, its energy efficent and has a 5 year warranty on the box...The tower is black and constructed of durable thick plastic and the base is silver... The unit is tall but has a small diameter so it ended up taking up very little area on my night stand near my bed...

You won't regret buying this product from Amazon

Confusion in HEPA home filters is starting to rise--I was at a local home improvement shop and they had a whole selection of machines--From True HEPA to "Hepa Type" and this one is supposedly better then "Hepa Type" but not as good as True Hepa. So for those who are allergic to everything, you may be better off with what Honeywell calls a "True Hepa."

For me at least, I'm doing well with this model, and I'm relieved that I no longer have to buy 70 dollar filters for my old Honeywell machine.

I'm using it for the baby's room. Thus far, it has performed very well. I especially like the fact that the filters don't need to be repurchased. Approximately a month or so of usage, I simply take the filters out and clean them. This product offers good quality for a very attractive price.

Had this on my Amazon wish list, but then came across it for the same price at a Target store and bought it (sorry Amazon). And I really am pleased so far. My toddler has allergies and his allergist had recommended an air purifier for his room. We did lots of research in looking for the right one that was still affordable. I really like that this one has washable filters. Lots of $$$ savings there. Since getting this, my son has had fewer runny noses and no severe allergy symptons. We've even been able to drop two of his three allergy meds - - not sure yet though if this is due to the seasons, or perhaps we were possibly over-medicating him before, or if this thing really does work that kind of miracle. Either way, fewer snotty noses makes me happy. In regard to the concerns over noise, this one is fairly quiet. I keep it on low pretty much all the time and it is hardly noticeable. My son has no problem sleeping with it running in the same room. The oscillating feature is nice and it has a small nightlight on it that comes in handy. I would definitely recommend the Honeywell HFD 120.