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In July, both Dave and I had the opportunity to receive an AirMini Travel CPAP machine in exchange for our participation in a REALLY fun AirMini commercial, which is featured on the ResMed website. You can click this link to check it out!
The day of the shoot was one of the most fun days of my life – after all, who doesn’t like to be a star? (Okay, my husband Dave doesn’t…but he did great, right?)
I wanted to make sure I got some use out of the AirMini first before writing the review, including a bit of travel. So, here I am, four months later, getting this review DONE. Finally!
Here are the things I love about the AirMini:
Size. It is so small! Ah, it is great! It comes with a little travel case, however, I store mine in a cute little pouch (with #cpapbabes embroidered on it, of course!) According to Thirty One Gifts, where I got the pouch, it is about 9″ by 12″ by 2” – perfect for throwing in a backpack during air travel or even your purse for a quick overnight.
The thing about it being so small is that it’s super portable even around the house, so it gets use even when we’re not traveling. Dave is known to fall asleep on the couch, so we keep his AirMini in a basket on one of our side table shelves so that he can nap without me worrying about him. (Once you learn the risks of sleep apnea it is absolutely nerve wracking to watch a love one sleep without it! I’m not letting my man have no heart attack!) I don’t use mine around the house much, but am currently expecting a baby, so I can imagine that may change as I might need to nap on the couch with a newborn laying on me from time to time…
Portability. This is probably my absolute favorite thing about the AirMini – having a machine that is portable and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Whenever we travel, I am usually the one packing up the machines – and that is not really an easy task with a regular machine. Like, come on – I have my machine perfectly placed on my nightstand, the cords tucked out of the way, the humidifier filled…and now we have to get it all put in those massive cases for an overnight? And for our family, it’s not just one machine – it’s two! (Dear lord, please make sure our kid doesn’t have sleep apnea…I don’t think I can take packing up another machine!)
But, with the AirMinis….we just throw them in our bags. Or, I do, because I still worry that Dave won’t pack his and it’s IMPORTANT (even though he totally would but I am paranoid) so I make sure that AirMinis are always part of our travel packing routine. Always.
Masks. The AirMini is compatible only with certain types of masks – which you might think is a bummer. I didn’t mind, because the second I tried the mask I was converted to it for regular use. My machine came with two masks to try – the AirFit N20 for Her (bonus points for being PURPLE, my favorite color) and the regular AirFit N20 (Not purple, but still good). Because it came with two masks, I keep one with the AirMini to de-complicate packing (in reality, I could just unhook my mask from my regular machine when traveling, but I LOVE the “grab and go” aspect of having a mask packed in with the AirMini at all times).
Dave uses a full face mask, so his came with the AirFit F20 and the AirTouch F20. He tried them both, but prefers the AirFit F20 (although you should definitely try the AirTouch F20 – it’s new and people love it because the part that touches your face is made of memory foam!) and now uses it as his full time mask. He switched from the AmaraView. The cool part for him about the Airfit F20 compared to the Amara View is that the AirFit F20 keeps his mouth closed better so he hasn’t been complaining of dry mouth as much, which is awesome.
All of these masks have MAGNETS in them. Yes, MAGNETS! The magnets attach and detach on the sides when you take your mask on and off, which is much more convenient than the clips I used before.
Not Having to Yell “IT’S A MEDICAL DEVICE!” When Boarding Airplanes. Okay, so I actually have not experienced taking the AirMini on an airplane yet, but I can tell you that every time I take my regular machine on an airplane, they give me grief about my extra piece of carry on luggage. I get it – rules are important – but HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD USE A DAMN CPAP? You’d think the people helping with the boarding would recognize a case by now? Maybe not. And while I’m all about #cpappride and educating peeps, the boarding line isn’t the best place to do it (not enough time) and also, not everyone in the world is as enthusiastic about sharing their CPAP experiences with the world as I am. So, having an AirMini tucked away in your carry on bag is a nice change than the whole “IT’S A MEDICAL DEVICE” yelling routine.
All right, there are pros and cons to everything – what are the cons to the AirMini?
Noise. Honestly, this doesn’t bother me THAT much, but it is slightly louder than your regular CPAP. Whatevs. It’s not significant to me, but some people have complained about it. I will try to get a video up comparing the two.
Cost. If you’re reading this, you are probably aware that CPAP machines aren’t cheap. While the cost will vary on the AirMini, it is cost-comparable to a regular machine and debatable whether or not your insurance will cover it. Make sure to check on this yourself because maybe you’ll get lucky. Call your provider, call your insurance company, look around online. Really, you’re paying for convenience, which is often worth every damn penny, I think.
Humidification. There is no humidification chamber on the machine – just a small disc that holds moisture that fits in the tubing for those using the nasal mask. Humidification is not available on the full face mask. Dave hasn’t complained too much, so I don’t think it’s a huge deal, but wanted to make sure y’all were aware. I can’t speak on the humidification feature specifically at this time, however, because I rarely use humidification! (I know! I’m weird. I don’t get it either!)
All in all, I am loving the AirMini and feel very grateful that Dave and I both have them!
Questions? Feel free to shoot me an email or comment here
And now, I present you with…some really fun behind-the-scenes pictures from the video shoot!
To buy the AirMini from CheapCPAPSupplies.com, please click here!
