I owned this purifier for 3 months before returning it.
The unit has conflicting specifications. According to several commercial websites, such as allegybegone.com, it has a 145 CADR (clean air delivery rate) and a recommended floor space of 225 sq ft. However, according to the manufacturer Kaz and AHAM, the average CADR rating is 113 and the recommended floor space is 170 sq ft. This is a significant difference. Since the CADR numbers are certified by AHAM, I am more inclined to believe the latter numbers. Here is the link:
http://207.140.180.12/dirsvc/aham.nsf/fraAirCln?OpenFrameset&pgm=Room Air Cleaners.
The unit is currently being sold at ~$180. Using the average CADR value of 113, this means 0.6 CADR per $ spent. The energy consumption is 60 Watts, which is alright. HFD-130 also has a very stylish look and it weights barely over 10 lbs. The IFD filter can be regenerated using household vacuum cleaner or water wash. I prefer water wash because it cleans better. However, it takes a long time to dry the IFD completely before you can put the IFD back, so that can be slightly inconvenience.
HFD-130 belongs to the ionizer family. It traps airborne particle by charging the particles with ions, and ions are generated via electrical discharge. You can hear tiny sound of discharge if you pay attention, and you can see little blue sparks (discharge) from the bottom of the unit when there is no light. The machine is fairly quiet and has a 10 hour operation timer, which can come handy. It draws air at the bottom of the unit from 360 degree and expels the clean air on the top. This is a good air circulation design. It is not expensive comparing to many other purifiers. Unfortunately, 113 CADR is not very impressive with a price tag of $180.
Honeywell 50250 is a better value air purifier. 50250 has a 250 CADR, more than doubles that of HFD-130, and 50250 is sold at a lower price. On the other hand, 50250 is much noiser. Another shortcoming of HFD-130 is that the IFD filter does not seal well around the casing. In other words, air can pass around the filter, instead of through it. Nevertheless, the HFD-130 does work. I have washed the IFD filter with water and notice the water turn into light grey color. The actual cleaning of IFD is easy, but drying it takes at least 4 hours. Some people have complained about seeing dust around the exhaust outlet and conclude the dust passed through the IFD without getting trapped. I have see this too, although it does not necessary means the purifier is not work. It is working differently than we expected. HFD-130 purifier is designed for small invisible airborne particles, which are the main cause for health concern. Visible large particles do not really get breathed in our bodies. As mentioned earlier, ions are generated by the electrical discharge. Ions are then attach to airborne particles and the larger one will aggregate and fall. Most will fall around the electrical collector plate (this is not the IFD). Some will fall later, such as around the purifier or on the exhaust. Only the smaller particles will be deflect to the IFD filter and trapped there. The IFD is electrically charged.
For people who already own this unit. You will notice dust slowly accumulates on the discharge plate. This is the plate where the needle made discharge too. It is located at the bottom the unit. As dust grow thicker, the discharge will be less effectively and so will the purification. The manual does not describe how to clean it and it is not straightforward. My guess is that Kaz does not want people get shocked since it is a high voltage part. It can be cleaned and should as well. Here is my suggestion. First, unplug the unit from the wall and wait for a moment (~10 min). Then, get a Q-tip and attach/tape it to a rod, something like a chopstick. Insulator material is preferred such as plastic or wood. Now, you should be able to reach in and clean the collector plate.
Like all ionizer, HFD-130 emits low level of ozone which can irritate people who suffers from asthma or serious allergy. Ozone is a oxidant pollutant, and I simply do not like the idea of having an air purifier which purify and pollute at the same time, which was a major reason why I returned it -- especially I had asthma.
Overall HFD-130 is a decent air purifier comparing to other ionizer, like Ionic Pro or Ionic Breeze. Personally I prefer real HEPA filter and exchanged for the Honeywell 50250.
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