AirMini daily use: How long will it last?

[shlinder]

An interesting comment came up in another thread that I think would be better on its own. I was asking about using the AirMini for daily use when a user made this comment:

If somebody needs to prove CPAP compliance, the AirMini does not provide that data, AFAIK (as far as I know). The AirMini may not be tested / rated for continuous use and therefore may fail sooner than the expected 5-year life of a home CPAP machine. This would make it much like most all electrical seasonal decorations. Most of them are only rated for use 3 months maximum out of the year,

Can this be true? Can anyone tell me how long they have been using AirMini for daily use? Has anyone had it die on them after only a short period of time as their daily device? What is its life expectancy as a primary device?

Further info: right now I'm trying to decide between buying an AirSense 10 and an AirMini as I travel quite a bit. I'd rather not have two machines. If the AirMini can stand up as my primary machine (which I have read that it can) ... that'll be my buy. But if it's going to die much sooner than the AirSense, well...

[palerider]

An interesting comment came up in another thread that I think would be better on its own. I was asking about using the AirMini for daily use when a user made this comment:

If somebody needs to prove CPAP compliance, the AirMini does not provide that data, AFAIK (as far as I know). The AirMini may not be tested / rated for continuous use and therefore may fail sooner than the expected 5-year life of a home CPAP machine. This would make it much like most all electrical seasonal decorations. Most of them are only rated for use 3 months maximum out of the year,

Can this be true? Can anyone tell me how long they have been using AirMini for daily use? Has anyone had it die on them after only a short period of time as their daily device? What is its life expectancy as a primary device?

Further info: right now I'm trying to decide between buying an AirSense 10 and an AirMini as I travel quite a bit. I'd rather not have two machines. If the AirMini can stand up as my primary machine... that'll be my buy. But if it's going to die much sooner than the AirSense, well...

Best to just ignore prodigyplace. He's got a long established history of talking about things he doesn't actually know anything about.

Ask Resmed if you want to know.

[LSAT]

I don't think it's been out more than 2-3 years to know for sure.

[shlinder]

I don't think it's been out more than 2-3 years to know for sure.

Has anyone had it die already?

[sburke91]

I travel extensively and have been using an Airmini for about a year and a quarter now. I also have a full-size machine at home. While the 'mini's been rock-solid, common sense indicates it won't last as long as a full-size machine, just due to the sheer size of all of the moving parts, since they're smaller and need to work harder to maintain the same pressure.

[Goofproof]

Common Sense, tends not to last very long on the internet, I think it fails mainly from lack of use. don't think W. D.- 40, can free it up. Jim

Can a pony pull a beer wagon as fast and far as a team of horses?

[shlinder]

I travel extensively and have been using an Airmini for about a year and a quarter now. I also have a full-size machine at home. While the 'mini's been rock-solid, common sense indicates it won't last as long as a full-size machine, just due to the sheer size of all of the moving parts, since they're smaller and need to work harder to maintain the same pressure.

If you use it so extensively when you travel, why not use it all the time? Why have a second machine at home?

[Goofproof]

I travel extensively and have been using an Airmini for about a year and a quarter now. I also have a full-size machine at home. While the 'mini's been rock-solid, common sense indicates it won't last as long as a full-size machine, just due to the sheer size of all of the moving parts, since they're smaller and need to work harder to maintain the same pressure.

If you use it so extensively when you travel, why not use it all the time? Why have a second machine at home?

Probably so he would like to have a travel machine that still worked when he wanted to travel with it. If they were meant to be run 365 days a year why would they not raise the price and close the Full sized product lines.

People should jump at a product that has less features and noise, at a high price, to save packing around 2 more pounds. Jim

[palerider]

I travel extensively and have been using an Airmini for about a year and a quarter now. I also have a full-size machine at home. While the 'mini's been rock-solid, common sense indicates it won't last as long as a full-size machine, just due to the sheer size of all of the moving parts, since they're smaller and need to work harder to maintain the same pressure.

If you use it so extensively when you travel, why not use it all the time? Why have a second machine at home?

Because having a machine at home that you don't have to pack up, and risk forgetting part of when you get ready to travel is *smart*.

[billbolton]

While the 'mini's been rock-solid, common sense indicates it won't last as long as a full-size machine, just due to the sheer size of all of the moving parts, since they're smaller and need to work harder to maintain the same pressure.

That's just speculation, and definitely not common-sense.

The bulk of the AirMini is the blower, and in fact it is not much smaller than the blowers in the later generations of Resmed normal size devices. The real miniaturisation has been in the electronics package. The elimination of a built-in control-surface (display and buttons), the connection for a humidifier tank and the need for an SD slot also reduce the need for space in the overall package very considerably.

The only real downsides of the AirMini are the consumable HumidX capsules are a more expensive to run than a Humidifier, its a bit noisier than an A10 and you can't easily look at detailed data.

I can live with those downsides while I'm travelling as its upsides FAR exceed the downsides in that situation, but I continue to use my A10 at home.

[TropicalDiver]

Resmed's Take:
Q. Will I be able to use this as a full time machine?
A. While the AirMini matches the performance of the larger AirSense 10, it was designed to be used as a travel CPAP. ResMed has achieved a significant reduction in size, while maintaining the same quality of therapy, through innovations that include ActiveAir™, HumidX™/HumidX Plus, and the AirMini app. If you have additional questions, please contact your home medical equipment or healthcare provider.

My Take:
Personally, I would likely go with the full sized unit for the following reasons:
a) You can use most any mask out of the box -- with the mini you are either doing some hose surgery or are limited to three masks.
b) Humidifier and heated hose (not available on the mini -- the HumidX is available but only for nasal).
c) The airsense will be quieter.
d) Depending on the model (I would go with the for her model), Airsense will provide more data.

What would tip me towards the mini:
a) If I was in travel status most of the year;
b) I didn't really want the humidity;
c) When I was in travel status, I rarely stayed in one place for more than a few days at a time; and
d) Weight and size was a huge deal;

-- or---

I truly needed very portable and battery powered.

[sburke91]

That's just speculation, and definitely not common-sense.

The bulk of the AirMini is the blower, and in fact it is not much smaller than the blowers in the later generations of Resmed normal size devices. The real miniaturisation has been in the electronics package. The elimination of a built-in control-surface (display and buttons), the connection for a humidifier tank and the need for an SD slot also reduce the need for space in the overall package very considerably.

The only real downsides of the AirMini are the consumable HumidX capsules are a more expensive to run than a Humidifier, its a bit noisier than an A10 and you can't easily look at detailed data.

I can live with those downsides while I'm travelling as its upsides FAR exceed the downsides in that situation, but I continue to use my A10 at home.

If you take a hard look at everything on the 'mini, it's all slightly smaller than a normal-sized machine--intake port, hose, all the plumbing, you name it. It is a great package though. It definitely works harder hour on hour to maintain the same pressure.

Depending on how much distilled water you use, the humid-x cost is only about 2x that of distilled water. When I first got the 'mini, I thought about lobbying Resmed to make a humid-x setup for home use, as it is damn convenient, enough that I'd be willing to fork over the ~$10/month for cartridges. The big downside I've found is that the humid-x (even the plus) struggles to maintain good humidity in very dry air, especially dry winter air. I'll 'kickstart' the cartridge with a blast of plain saline solution, but if it's really dry, I still wake up sometime in the early hours of the morning with dry sinuses.

I agree on the data piece--it's so frustrating that the machine communicates with the phone/app via bluetooth, but you can't get at the detailed data. It's also annoying that the Airmini stats can't be pumped into Resmed's MyAir ecosystem to present a consolidated view, if you also have a ResMed full-size machine.

For those that ask why two machines when I travel a lot, several reasons:

* A real humidifier is still a better experience, for me, but one I'm willing to trade off for convenience when traveling
* It's a heck of a lot easier to have the machine already packed an in the car when you get up at 3:30 for a 6am flight than have to tear a machine down, pack it, etc (and my wife appreciates that a lot too!)
* Same when I get home (usually late at night)--I don't have to unpack, set up the machine, etc
* I 'automatically' have a spare machine

One other thing to note, for those that cover machines with insurance--many providers won't cover the Arimini, or any travel-specific machine, because it's positioned as an additional machine, for travel.

[billbolton]

Depending on how much distilled water you use, the humid-x cost is only about 2x that of distilled water.

You don't need to use distilled water.

[sburke91]

Depending on how much distilled water you use, the humid-x cost is only about 2x that of distilled water.

You don't need to use distilled water.

My time's more valuable than $0.79/gallon

[biker]

Depending on how much distilled water you use, the humid-x cost is only about 2x that of distilled water.

You don't need to use distilled water.

Please elaborate.