Product Description: Air that feels good must be properly humidified. Heated air dries out the mucous membranes (weakening your resistance to viral infections). Overheated dry air makes you feel tired and listless. Your skin dries out, your plants suffer and your wooden furniture starts to show cracks. The Venta-Airwasher is ideal to reduce chapped lips, stuffed up noses, sore throats, and dried out eyes. Protect your valuable wood furniture and floors as well as musical instruments from drying out. Dry indoor air is difficult to clean; every movement causes millions of particles to be stirred up and become airborne. However, humidification keeps a large number of airborne particles down on the floor; making the two-in-one humidifier/purifier more effective than air purifiers alone. The Venta Airwasher humidifies the air while simultaneously drawing in and removing dust, pollen and other contaminating particles down to 10 microns ( 10/1000 mm ) in size from the air. Easy maintenance. No filters to change or clean or cumbersome containers to fill. The simple design and convenient access to the tank allow for easy cleaning. 10 Year Limited Warranty Made in Germany
Are you freakin kidding me? This humidifier/Air Purifier is what I've been waiting for...I read consumer reports and all the negative reviews on this machine and had to try it out for myself...in a nutshell, don't pay attention to the negative reviews...I've been raising carnivorous plants for a long time and couldn't get the humidity in my apartment at a constant level to raise my plants...The Venta Lw44 keeps my apartment at an constant 65-70% humidity range needed for my delicate plants...and on top of that it cleans the air...proof of the dirty water inside the 3 gallon tank...I love this machine alot and I'm glad I didn't listen to the negative reviews.
The only complaint the one should have is the price but the machine is still well worth it.
Consumer Reports used simulation, lab setting; it's a fantasyland. It's expensive but it works. It's quiet and simple. Use your own cleaning solutions, save $$$$, get any cleaning products with nonionic or anionic surfactants and dilute accordingly. Get one and try it; if it works for you, keep it; if it doesn't, return it. It works for me. Consumer Reports used simulation, lab setting; it's a fantasyland, it's not a real world. We are human being - not machine or robot. Everyone is unique and complex. You have to try it.
Bad smoker, bad...but hear me out... Even though I have an LW14, the smallest of the three units offered by Venta, I thought I would post my comments here since it seems to be the most read section of the reviews.
I'd like to start out by stating that I am a smoker. Yes, I know, I'm a bad man, but let's skate on past that for the moment so you'll understand just why I think the Venta is such a great product. I live in Colorado where the humidity can get as low as 5% on some days. I keep my bedroom door closed year round to prevent my cats from overwhelming me while I sleep, read or watch television and just generally trashing my room with bits of fur and whatnot. Keeping the window cracked for ventilation in the winter keeps my room well below gas chamber thresholds while I smoke but also reduces the humidity to that of the outside air. I also have electric baseboard heat which further reduces the humidity in my room. While I have a large Hunter humidifier/air purifier that sits next to my wood stove for the rest of the house it's affects obviously can't be felt in my bedroom.
I tried the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze to purify the air in my bedroom but the cigarette smoke overwhelmed it and I had to clean it frequently, otherwise I'd have to endure the "short circuit" sound it puts out when the plates would get dirty. I've also read negative reports about breathing the high levels of ionized air put out by the unit.
Having said all of that, I have to say that the Venta has exceeded my expectations. Yes, the fan is a little loud on the LW14 but I bought this one used and a new fan may be quieter. I've also bought an LW24 for my girlfriend and it's 3 setting fan is indeed whisper quiet on the lowest setting. My bedroom now smells and feels fresh and clean and I feel that I'm eliminating the smell of tobacco in my room almost completely. While tobacco may be my vice that doesn't mean I care for it's affects on the walls of the room or the smell of stale tobacco, but no one's come up with a nicotine delivery system that doesn't leave those deposits behind, yet, so...
To all those that complain about the price let me say that you're buying a unit that has a 10 YEAR WARRANTY! How people expect the company to support such a warranty with a $50 product and still show a profit is beyond me. Show me another company that provides such a warranty, because I'm not aware of one. I agree with the comments that state that the unit as constructed could go for $50 or so at a Big Box store, but then it would have a 90 day warranty. I know as Americans we've been trained to believe that planned obsolescence is good, but I don't buy it...which is why I drive a Volvo...8) From all accounts, including my own experiences with Venta customer service, they're exceedingly liberal about supplying replacement parts. Contrast that against a company like Black & Decker where getting replacement parts under warranty just about takes an act of Congress.
Could the plastic housings be more robust? Certainly, and I do agree that it should be because they appear to be a bit thin and delicate. Treat the unit gently and you won't have a problem. But again, Venta customer service will take care of you if approached correctly. Get shrill and demanding and they'll most likely give you a hard time in return. Be reasonable and calm and they'll take care of you. American buyers expect their things to be as robust as a Timex watch, which takes a lickin' and keep on tickin', while German buyers appear to have a different sensibility about such things. Different strokes and all of that...
To those who complain about the looks of the unit I have to point out that it's a an air purifier/humidifier, not a merry go round. If you want something flashy, buy it, but expect to replace it on a regular basis. Form follows function...or should...and this unit meets that model. As consumers we're being led by the nose by American manufacturers to believe that flash over substance is what we should buy. I believe we should think for ourselves and be smart consumers, not lemmings.
To those that prefer 70% humidity I suggest that they live in a sauna...or the Amazon. Sweating walls and windows create the perfect breeding ground for mold, which has it's own health downside. 40 to 45% humidity is perfectly acceptable from a health and comfort perspective, given where I live.
In summation, I would absolutely recommend this unit to others. The initial purchase price can be a bit daunting but shop around a bit and you'll find a more reasonable purchase price than the MSRP.
Venta LW44 Air Humidifier OK this is a good solid evapator type humidifier. Easy to use, you don't have to change and clean water solution as much as they say, mainly because it does not clean the air in your house. You need another machine to this, a hepa filter. More info check out consumers report.
Best Humidifier I Have Owned - Still Cranking Along After 4 Years I have owned about 4 or 5 humidifiers in my lifetime and Venta is by far the best one ever. I have had this one now for 4 years and am fully satisfied. Venta is by no means perfect. One big issue with humidifiers is keeping them clean. Fact is, nobody wants to clean a humidifier regularly. In our busy lives, we focus on other things and we usually don't want to clean a humidifier until we have no choice.
This model consistently keeps the humidity in my place between 35 - 45% which is ideal for me. It will not boost the humidity in high ranges > 60% like steam model humidifiers since it uses water evaporation. It works best if you're in a super dry room and then turn it on. For example, if your humidity is at 10%, it will quickly raise it to 35-40%. You would not be able to raise your humidity from 40% to 60% with this type of humidifier. This is a major plus because the water evaporates at a rate that compensates for the dryness level in the room and you will not end up with sweating walls and windows as with steam humidifiers.
In addition to humidifying your room, the Venta removes dust particles from the air and makes my breathing better. I personally find the unit quiet even on the high fan setting. You can use the Venta even in damp months of the year to clean the air and it won't over humidify the space. It's amazing how much dirt and dust it captures in the water reservoir.
Cleaning is not as easy as the manufacturer indicates. Point blank: when this thing gets super dirty, use a small utility plastic bristle brush, rubber gloves, and a strong cleaning solution such as bleach, ammonia, etc. Do this in your shower or bath tub. Simply using the manufacturer's cleaning solution in no way cleans all the areas that can gather sludge: the fan, case vents, motor, etc.
When the unit gets dirty, it may start to make squeaky sounds like a squeaky wheel. This has only happened to me when it gets super dirty. After a cleaning, the sound goes away.
Cost. This thing is super super expensive for what you get. I'm still in disbelief that it cost me $400. The engineering concept is pretty brilliant, so I expect you're paying for a patent. I would guess this thing could sell at $50 and Venta would still make a profit. It consists of a tank with air vents, a fan, and two cylindrical discs. The unit is almost entire plastic. Some body is making a fortune off these things.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
