Kenmore, another recognized household appliance name and owned by Sears, produces air purification units in the low to mid range of the market. Their more expensive model, AC2044-1, received very good scores under the Clean Air Delivery Rate rating system. Some of the higher priced PlasmaWave products also received average-good scores and may be decent options.
| Kenmore AC-2062 | Ratings | Technical Specifications |
|---|---|---|
|
Est. Price - $129.99 |
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ?
Consumer Reports ?
|
Room Size ? : 150 Sq. Ft Circulation ? : NA Filter Type ? : Cleanable HEPA-Type & Pre-Filter Filter Life Est. ? : NA Size: NA Weight: NA Noise Level: NA Energy Star? ? : Yes |
| Kenmore AC2044-1 | Ratings | Technical Specifications |
|---|---|---|
|
Est. Price - $369.99 |
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ?
Consumer Reports ?
|
Room Size ? : 460 Sq. Ft Circulation ? : NA Filter Type ? : Pre-Filter, Collecting Cell & Ionizer Filter Life Est. ? : Lifetime Size: 27.9"H x 20.9"W x 14.1"D Weight: 40.3 lbs Noise Level: NA Energy Star? ? : No |
| Kenmore PlasmaWave 85150 | Ratings | Technical Specifications |
|---|---|---|
|
Est. Price - $99.99 |
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ?
Consumer Reports ?
|
Room Size ? : 150 Sq. Ft Circulation ? : 24-45 CFM Filter Type ? : True HEPA Filter & Activated Carbon Filter Filter Life Est. ? : NA Size: 18.5"H x 13.75"W x "D Weight: 11.2 lbs Noise Level: NA Energy Star? ? : Yes |
| Kenmore PlasmaWave 85300 | Ratings | Technical Specifications |
|---|---|---|
|
Est. Price - $199.99 |
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ?
Consumer Reports ?
|
Room Size ? : 300 Sq. Ft Circulation ? : 40-90 CFM Filter Type ? : True HEPA Filter & Activated Carbon Filter Filter Life Est. ? : NA Size: 21.7"H x 16.25"W x "D Weight: NA Noise Level: NA Energy Star? ? : Yes |
| Kenmore PlasmaWave 85450 | Ratings | Technical Specifications |
|---|---|---|
|
Est. Price - $299.99 |
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ?
Consumer Reports ?
|
Room Size ? : 450 Sq. Ft Circulation ? : 50-110 CFM Filter Type ? : True HEPA Filter & Activated Carbon Filter Filter Life Est. ? : NA Size: 25.6"H x 17.3"W x "D Weight: 19.4 lbs Noise Level: NA Energy Star? ? : Yes |
Air Purifier Noise Chart - Decibel Ratings of Common Sounds |
|
|---|---|
Source |
Decibel Rating (dB) |
Falling leaves |
0-10 |
Whisper |
10-20 |
Soft music |
20-30 |
Mosquito buzz |
40-50 |
Normal voices |
50-70 |
Traffic sounds |
70-80 |
Vacuum cleaner |
80-90 |
Thunder |
90-100 |
Chain saw |
110-120 |
Rock concert |
120-130 |
Pain threshold (jet take off) |
130-140 |
Perforation of ear drum (gun shot) |
160 and higher |
The Kenmore line of appliances became associated with Sears since back in the late 1930s, and by 1936 over one million Kenmore appliances had been sold through Sears stores and mail-order catalogs. Over the decades, Kenmore has become their number one appliance brand, selling over 50% more than its closest competitor.
Out of the 5 air purification products offered by Kenmore, 4 are EnergyStar qualified for efficient operation, with the exception being the electrostatic model. They come in a range of coverage sizes from 150 square feet to 450 square feet and are competitively priced, with the small units starting and $100 and the largest unit selling for $300. All but one one unit has a true HEPA filter with an activated carbon filter with Sanitized® designed to remove smoke, dust and pollen. The units are advertised as having quiet motors, but no decibel figures are included in the product descriptions. All Kenmore air purifiers have a one year warranty.
Kenmore's HEPA filters are washable, but they still need to be replaced at a cost of $39.00 to $69.00 and replacement intervals are not mentioned in the product descriptions. The HEPA filtration systems capture 99.99% of the particulates in an air stream down to 0.3 microns. Some units include Advanced PlasmaWave™ Technology that "attacks other air-borne pollutants at a molecular level" by attracting smaller particulates and ionizing the filtered air. Their replacements cost $60 to $70 apiece. Room air quality is controlled by sensors that detect pollutants and automatically adjusts the fan speed for optimal cleaning. A blue LED "smooth touch" control panel is programmable and includes a "set and forget" operation.
Overall, the Kenmore line of air purifiers receives more bad reviews than good, many having to do with issues about getting repairs, receiving improper replacement parts and filters or about Sears policies and/or their customer service department. Some critics suspect that the units sold as Kenmore products are actually inferior knockoffs of brands like Sharp and Whirlpool.