Travel Machine or Full Size

Hello Folks.

Going to get a second CPAP machine. I don’t fly much and the second machine would be for keeping in the car for when my wife and I want to stay over somewhere without much prior planning or occasional flights.

I’m on the fence for a travel or full size. For the travel version I would go through thecpapshop.com, but as I am leaning torward the full, where prices vary more widely I am less clear. Any recommendations (Air-sense 10 auto)?

Also, if I go full and my current machine is only 2 years old, but am on new insurance, any chance I could get the new insurance company to pay for it? Did I miss a forum topic on that? Planning to do out of pocket but figure I’d ask.

Thank you!

I would go for an identical machine as your current machine as travel machines do not have humidification in the same way as a full size machine and are noisier to use. https://www.secondwindcpap.com/ Have lightly used machines at a great price with warranty

Having recently purchased a travel CPAP to augment my home machine I can tell you that:

1. Lack of true water humidification does suck especially if you live in a really dry climate. I can tolerate about four days of no humidification in my home town before my sinuses say “no more”

2. You can get a waterless humidification system on the ResMed AirMini only and ONLY if you buy into their P10 or N20 make. Full mask users are SOL on humidification options.

3. Travel machines are noisy! They will easily run 8-10 dB louder than your home unit will and they make your breathing sounds on inhale very apparent.

4. Travel machines (at least the Resmed air mini) are truly tiny but tiny is only good if you need it to be tiny. For transcontinental travel is take my air mini but for shorter trips I will take my home unit any day of the week.

5. Travel machines can sometimes have proprietary parts which can limit you to certain masks and drive up costs.

If you muclat buy a travel machine then air mini or the Dreamstation GO we’re my two choices. I landed on the air mini becaisneit was the smallest and I lucked out that the limited masks available for the mini were the ones I already were using otherwise I would’ve have happily gone to the Dreamstation Go.

I would say it depends a LOT on HOW you travel! I travel a lot on a motorcycle where space and weight are very important. I fly occasionally, and based on past experiences I do NOT want my cpap in checked luggage. So a lighter, smaller package pays big benefits there too. If I traveled by car almost all the time, the full size machine is simply better.

You can do things to make the travel machines quieter. But they still do not approach a Resmed 10 Autoset. Having two machines is important to me, I want to not have to tear down my home machine just to leave. Better to leave it alone and ready for my return!

TheTerpCpapUser wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:48 pm

Any recommendations (Air-sense 10 auto)?

Which machine are you currently using?

TheTerpCpapUser wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:48 pm

any chance I could get the new insurance company to pay for it?

Insurance policies vary from company to company and within a company. Call your new insurance company and tell them you need a new machine. See what they say.

I have traveled extensively with a ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset. It is quite compact and comes with a secure travel case. Your first choice should be to duplicate your current machine. If its size prohibits travel, the ResMed is very good.

TheTerpCpapUser wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:48 pm

Hello Folks.

Going to get a second CPAP machine. I don’t fly much and the second machine would be for keeping in the car for when my wife and I want to stay over somewhere without much prior planning or occasional flights.

I’m on the fence for a travel or full size. For the travel version I would go through thecpapshop.com, but as I am leaning torward the full, where prices vary more widely I am less clear. Any recommendations (Air-sense 10 auto)?

Also, if I go full and my current machine is only 2 years old, but am on new insurance, any chance I could get the new insurance company to pay for it? Did I miss a forum topic on that? Planning to do out of pocket but figure I’d ask.

Thank you!

as others have said, it's probably best to duplicate your current machine. you're comfortable with it, you know how it works and so on. unless you just have a burning desire to try out a new machine! and there's nothing wrong with that.

i might suggest, if you're going out of pocket, to pick up a used machine. fellow user LSAT often has machines for sale. you can PM him and see if he has anything currently.

good luck!

I agree with getting the same machine that you already have (or the updated version thereof). The travel machines don't have humidification and are noisier. Also, if you detach the humidifier, the "regular" machine is not very much larger than the travel machine.

Of course, if you have a completely discontinued machine (such as the Everest 3), I don't suggest trying to find a used or surplus one.

Also, please be careful that the travel machine is packed with everything needed (mask, head gear, hose, power supply, extension cord, international adapters, etc.). If you're storing it for longer periods between usage, make sure it' bone dry between uses.