Is there another brand machine close to equal to ResMed?

[bbmiller]

Hello
I just started using a cpap machine last night have found treatment beneficial in that I do feel more restful and less hungry. My health plan recommends ResMed cpap machines and has presently loaned me one for a month. They recommended I shopped for one on the web since I have not bought the coverage option to pay for this equipment in my health insurance plan. They said it would be half the price on websites from what they sell it for. The trouble is this manufacturer has exercised price control. So is there any other brand almost as good who has of now not exercised price control. I was particularly impressed the quietness of ResMed cpap machine I have borrowed. But I only have a month use of it so what would you suggest for a good deal on a cpap machines? Is that ResMed brand simply without equal?

[Julie]

Absolutely not. I'm not even sure what 'price control' means in your situation, but there are other machines at least as good and many, many masks. Go to Cpap.com and peruse them (they'll show you comp. listings, all the features of each machine, reviews - good and bad - by customers, plus loads of graphics making things as clear as possible, plus they're as inexpensive as it gets. When you click on 'machines' on the first page, look on the next page for 'cpap' vs 'autopap', etc. til you find what you want. I hope you're not in Canada or overseas, though, because one thing Resmed has done (frustrating to many of us) is to allow sales of their products only in the U.S., tho' there are ways around that too if it becomes an issue. Look at machines like Respironics PR System 1, and DeVilbiss Intellipap ones - both excellent.

[BlackSpinner]

They said it would be half the price on websites from what they sell it for. The trouble is this manufacturer has exercised price control. So is there any other brand almost as good who has of now not exercised price control.

Assuming you are in the USA call cpapdotcom - they can give different prices over the phone - they just can't advertise it on the internet.

If you are in Canada you will have to find a way to have some one else to ship it to you.

[johnnygoodman]

Assuming you are in the USA call cpapdotcom - they can give different prices over the phone - they just can't advertise it on the internet.

This is true for Respironics but not true for Resmed. Currently, the price listed for Resmed is the actual price, phone or internet.

[The Texan]

IMHO, Respironics is just as good as Resmed and a lot less money, since Resmed is trying to control prices that should be left to the free market.

[Janknitz]

PR System One is a great machine. It doesn't have quite all the bells and whistles of the Resmed S9 (legible, color LED screen with lots of data, climate or slim line hose options), but it delivers great therapy! REed up on it though--if you are a very slow or shallow breather you might be troubled by puffs of air that are sent out to check your airway and some people can hear a very high-pitched beep--but most of us who use the PR S1's find them just right.

If you are looking at the prices, when you consider a PR System One, figure in another $100 for software. These machines give a lot of data, but only if you have the software to read it. The LED screen on the machine is almost useless.

[Emilia]

We should not overlook the new Intellipap Auto CPAP w/Smartflex that was just released. I think it will give the two major contenders a run for their money!

[jnk]

Has anyone figured out anything wrong with this one:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/evo-co ... ?RespMAP=1

$450 ain't bad for an auto with heated humidifier and software. No EPR, I guess, but other than that, what's wrong with it, I wonder?

[Emilia]

Well, I don't know about that one, but the brand new Intellipap Auto with Smart Flex (EPR) was purchased by me, including the integrated heated humidifier, for $469 at another online seller.

[bbmiller]

Thank you for those responses
I do have other questions generated from those responses and one of my own. I was wondering your opinion on how beneficial getting an auto adjust machine is over one that is said not to be auto adjust to your nightly condition? Also it seems some of you find looking at reports generated from these machines useful. I have glanced on one of the reports of one of the machines mentioned above and they was one which generated many charts on your condition. Do you have to become extremely medical knowledgeable to find it of utility to look at reports of your nightly sleep beneficial to you? It seems some of you find self-diagnosis useful. So how hard is it to become that knowledgeable where the reports generated on your computer is useful to you?

Finally the medical therapist who's working with me suggested I call this person who sells reconditioned machines. I spoke to her and she says some of them have very low hours and reconditioning only amounts to cleaning a few parts of the machines. These machines can be a fraction of the cost of new. What do you think of using a reconditioned machine?

[Janknitz]

I was wondering your opinion on how beneficial getting an auto adjust machine is over one that is said not to be auto adjust to your nightly condition?

Auto adjust machines are more versatile. They can be run in straight CPAP mode or in auto mode--depending on your need. Sometimes autos are better--e.g. if you need a higher pressure on your back than you do on your side, or your pressure needs tend to fluctuate during the night. Auto's are also useful if you are having a problem. You can set a range of pressures and see if it's too high or too low, and whether during certain portions of the night your pressure needs change. But, auto machines work best if you understand when and how to use the auto features, which leads to your next question . . .

Also it seems some of you find looking at reports generated from these machines useful. I have glanced on one of the reports of one of the machines mentioned above and they was one which generated many charts on your condition. Do you have to become extremely medical knowledgeable to find it of utility to look at reports of your nightly sleep beneficial to you? It seems some of you find self-diagnosis useful. So how hard is it to become that knowledgeable where the reports generated on your computer is useful to you?

No special knowledge required. Normal intelligence and higher than average curiosity will do fine. When you boil it down, it's not that complicated. One chart shows pressure--that's easy enough to understand. One chart shows leaks--you need to understand about acceptable vent flow rates (every mask has a baseline leak rate at a given pressure because of the outflow vent), and then that chart makes sense. One chart shows events. It's helpful to learn the difference between Obstructives, Centrals, Hypopnea, and Periodic Breathing. Then it's easy enough to see if you are having events, how often of what kind, and do they correlate to pressure or leaks.

Finally the medical therapist who's working with me suggested I call this person who sells reconditioned machines. I spoke to her and she says some of them have very low hours and reconditioning only amounts to cleaning a few parts of the machines. These machines can be a fraction of the cost of new. What do you think of using a reconditioned machine?


Sure, refurbished machines from a reputable organization that does a thorough cleaning are fine. When you get right down to it, a CPAP machine is just a sophisticated leaf blower and if you can save money by buying a used one with little wear and tear, that’s good for you, your pocketbook, and the environment.

[The Texan]

I would have no problems buying and using a good used machine. There was a Respironics M series APAP with about 900 hours on CPAPAuction.com today, that was used in a sleep lab only and was a year old. It was $175 with free shipping and there was NO bids, which would have made you an excellent machine at a very good price. Yes, a good used machine is your best buy, without insurance.

[Emilia]

@ bbmiller -- check your Private Message in your inbox. I sent you information.

[bbmiller]

No special knowledge required. Normal intelligence and higher than average curiosity will do fine. When you boil it down, it's not that complicated. One chart shows pressure--that's easy enough to understand. One chart shows leaks--you need to understand about acceptable vent flow rates (every mask has a baseline leak rate at a given pressure because of the outflow vent), and then that chart makes sense. One chart shows events. It's helpful to learn the difference between Obstructives, Centrals, Hypopnea, and Periodic Breathing. Then it's easy enough to see if you are having events, how often of what kind, and do they correlate to pressure or leaks.

I would have no problems buying and using a good used machine. There was a Respironics M series APAP with about 900 hours on CPAPAuction.com today, that was used in a sleep lab only and was a year old. It was $175 with free shipping and there was NO bids, which would have made you an excellent machine at a very good price. Yes, a good used machine is your best buy, without insurance.

In light of what has been said in the quotes above I have some more questions. The woman who is selling machines is in my local Denver Metro Colorado USA area. She had a machine that seemed like a goodbye to me which was ResMed S8 compact which he sells for $150 without a humidifier and $225 with humidifier. I called her back and asked her about an auto machine and she said she might have one that is auto the would be $400 and she thinks it has the humidifier. I asked her about software for that machine. She said it may have a memory card, but she can not help me with software she doesn't know about that. Her price seems much steeper for an auto machine unless a ResMed auto is much steeper in price new and I do not think it is from what I've seen. So I was wondering if any of you have searching the web advice for me as far as finding other sources of used or reconditioned CPAP machines. If I get a used one and using software which tells me about my condition is useful and not too difficult I would have to have the software and computer connectors to use it or it'll could turn out to be a bad buy if getting what I need proves expensive on the use machine. Well the woman says she will call me back and tell me more about the ResMed auto machine she has when she looks it over. Also what would you think is a well mileage machine as far as I hours of use goes? This Denver woman also has other brands of CPAP machines. I could go over there and look them over. Any ideas on what computer cabling and software this I should find with the machine capable of giving reports to my computer?

[LinkC]

By all means go for an Auto machine if your budget allows. They are great for tweaking your settings. And, as someone mentioned, they can also be run in CPAP (non-Auto) mode.

But be aware they should NOT be run with a wide range. You will get a lot of events while the machine searches for your optimal pressure. But I don't want to overload you with too much info at this stage. We'll talk later...after you have a machine.

I have a Respironics M-series Auto. I love it! I don't think they are still available new, only used. The PR One model replaced the M-series. Don't know much about the PR One...