Resmed or PB?

I'm traveling more all the time and I'm packing my Remstar up constantly. I want to leave my home machine in place and keep a unit ready for traveling. I'm down to the Resmed S8 Vantage or the PB 420e and the respective humidifier. Not concerned about EPR and can deal with price on either. Also not concerned about software on the travel machine. Comments from owners?

Thanks,
Doug

The PB420 SEEMS to be having a bit of problem with quality recently.
Which might be coincidental with PB moving their manufacturing to Tijauana Mexico....a place well known for its high quality manufacturing.....

Several people, including myself, have found the PB420E starts to whistle after a few months. And just try to convince your DME that you have a defective machine when it takes a couple hours of USE to make it whistle and it only whistles while someone is actually using it.

Otherwise I REALLY like the 42OE and its very responsive to my apnea episodes.

I like and use the PB 420E--quite small:-). No experience with the Resmed machines.

Actually, the GK420s are manufactured in France, not Tijuana. You can even see this info on any Manual. Call their Technical Support and they will tell you the same thing. It's illegal to lie about where they are manufactured, trust me. I know at least 3 others who love the GK420E. They are super light and responsive.

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the GK420s are manufactured in France, not Tijuana. You can even see this info on any Manual. Call their Technical Support and they will tell you the same thing. It's illegal to lie about where they are manufactured, trust me. I know at least 3 others who love the GK420E. They are super light and responsive.

I was basing my GUESS on the fact that when I googled Puritan Bennett, to find their site, the first thing that popped up on the search was their pending lawsuit on contamination of one of their other medical products in the Tijuana Mexico plant. I will say I assumed they were moving manufacturing processes en masse to that area on that basis.

Frankly I am getting pretty disappointed with PB in general, especially since they were bought out by Tyco, which is known for ruining previously good companies.
I gave up on the PB Breeze interface which I liked but found its build quality was very bad in my experience. I thought I would give them a chance with the GK420E, but I seem to be finding the same trend. Now if they had a decent customer service or warranty program, I wouldn't feel quite so bad about that, but they don't want to connect AT ALL with the ACTUAL customer, and will only work through DME's, and barely at that, according to my DME.

So I get stonewalled by my DME that doesn't want to deal with PB on a tricky warranty issue, and I can't deal directly with PB to get an RMA that I could give to my DME to show that it would be worthwhile to send it back to PB.

I based going with PB on MANY good reviews. But I am figuring its only fair to warn people there MIGHT be a trend starting to develop.

and don't throw that veiled threat of "illegal" crapola at ME "guest". Funny how one sided that contact with PB can be........

I have been using a resmed vantage s8 for the past 5 months and have been very happy with it. It's very compact and when I have travelled it is very easy to transport.

Good Luck!!!

I have just returned (last night) from a 3000 mile business trip. I have both a ResMed S8 and a PB420S (both with H/H).

This trip (a flying trip) I chose the PB420S and as always, was glad as it weighs so little, it worked like a dream, makes no noise that I am aware of, and was a pleasure to use.

The S8 would have given the same results except for the weight but the added weight is not too much of a burden.

But in balance if I do this trip again I'll take the PB. If I was driving for o'night stay I would take the S8 or the PB.

Cheers

DSM

This is a tougher decision than I expected. I am confident that Both machines are very good, so I know whichever way I go it'll be okay. I'm leaning a little bit towards the S8. It appears to have less "loose" parts to forget at home or leave in a motel room and I like the idea of being able to check some basic results right on the machine while I'm traveling. The PB looks like a great size, but weight isn't too big a deal since this is mostly road trip stuff. I would give the Everest some consideration but I'm not hearing much feedback on it at this point and battery power isn't too important especially since I need the HH which murders the battery anyway. The new Remstar has a loose elbow for the back located circuit connection and that's a deal breaker for me. Thanks for all your input, feel free to keep it coming while I waffle around on this decision!

you could always go for the new M series Remstars. I myself would be a bit leary of a brand spankin new machine containing a Rev. A circuit board, but they have been making cpaps for some time and I suspect the new M series will be fairly reliable, the rest is just plastic and a motor. Most problems seem to come from noisy motors.

The only M series model currently available (and/or taking orders) from cpap.com is the Plus version, but if you currently have a autopap as your main machine you can use the pressure found on that to set the travel machine.

I'm sure it will come with a 2yr warranty like the old models, but it is supposed to be tiny like the 420's. It does however cost more than a current model, so that is a disadvantage. But if you need autoapap that would be another.