If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, or any other debilitating lung condition, you likely depend on a strict treatment regime that encompasses all facets of your life. Typical treatment plans usually involve an improved diet high in protein and fiber, an exercise routine that improves lung strength and endurance, and most importantly oxygen therapy which helps stabilize your lung condition and ensure blood oxygen levels are normal.

One concern many people have with these lifestyle changes is that they make you increasingly dependent on medical devices like your oxygen concentrator, nebulizer, or inhaler. If these devices stop working suddenly, you may be stuck in a situation where you’re unable to get the medication you need. This issue only gets worse as your disease progresses because your doctor may require you to use oxygen for longer periods of time each day.

Fortunately, we live in a time of innovation and the medical devices we have access to today are far more reliable than in the past. Portable oxygen concentrators, for example, are battery-operated oxygen machines that are praised for their reliability and long lifespan. Rather than going out of your house each day worrying that you may lose access to your oxygen supply, portable oxygen concentrators allow you to focus on things that are important to you in your day-to-day life.

If security is important to you, stick around because we’re going to take a look at the most reliable portable oxygen concentrators in 2021. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or you’ve owned a POC in the past, you’re sure to find something on this list that suits your lifestyle. If you have any questions, be sure to leave them in the comment section below or reach out to us to speak with a respiratory specialist.

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Why Choose a Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

You may be thinking to yourself, “what’s so special about portable oxygen concentrators?” After all, there are plenty of other options available like oxygen tanks, liquid oxygen tanks, and stationary oxygen concentrators. And while these oxygen devices have served their purpose for many decades, they simply can’t compete with the state-of-the-art design of modern portable oxygen machines.

The truth is that oxygen tanks and stationary concentrators have overstayed their welcome in many ways. Oxygen manufacturers have shifted their focus to battery-powered portable oxygen delivery systems because they provide their customers with more freedom and convenience in their daily lives. Rather than being confined to your home with a heavy and bulky oxygen tank, POCs allow you the freedom to live life on your own terms.

At this point in time, portable oxygen concentrators are the only oxygen delivery devices that are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for in-flight use due to safety concerns. What this means is that if you choose to use an oxygen tank or liquid oxygen tank, you’re largely forfeiting your ability to travel long-distance. On top of this, other modes of transportation like driving, walking, or taking the bus will be much more difficult and stressful. 

The Caire FreeStyle Comfort

If reliability is important to you, there is no better portable oxygen concentrator out there than the Caire FreeStyle Comfort. In fact, this is one of the only concentrators currently in use by military personnel meaning it’s a trusted product even under the most strenuous of circumstances. The Caire FreeStyle Comfort also sees use in a variety of other industries including space exploration laboratories, hospitals, and in-home use. 

While Caire Inc. may not be a household name in the oxygen industry, you may recognize their products under the name AirSep, Helios, and SeQual. The Companion 5, for example, is one of their top stationary oxygen concentrator designs offering economic in-home oxygen delivery and easy-to-use controls. They’ve also produced continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators like the SeQual Eclipse 5 which offers up to 3 liters per minute (LPM) of oxygen and 9 pulse flow settings.   

One of the most unique things about the Caire FreeStyle Comfort is its mobile application, CAIREView Telehealth Technology. This app can be downloaded on any phone, tablet, or computer and connect to your Caire FreeStyle Comfort via Bluetooth. It has two primary benefits. First and foremost, it enables you to track all your oxygen usage through a simple-to-use dashboard. It will provide you with information such as hours of use, flow settings used, and alerts.

Secondly, this application allows for periodic monitoring to ensure that patients comply with their oxygen treatment plan. Clinicians will be able to view up-to-date data about your oxygen usage and assist remotely by monitoring your device settings. This feature significantly increases the reliability of your device, because in the rare chance that it stops working or you stop receiving the oxygen you need, your doctor will know about it immediately and he/she will notify you. 

Caire FreeStyle Comfort Specs 

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The Inogen One G5

Inogen is one of the top pulse dose portable oxygen concentrator manufacturers in the industry. While Inogen has only been around since 2001, they made a name for themselves very quickly. While they started off with stationary oxygen concentrators, they made their way into portable oxygen concentrators with the Inogen One G1. There are currently five generations of Inogen POCs, and their latest, the Inogen One G5, is one of the most advanced on the market.

On most fronts, the G5 is pretty neck-in-neck with the Caire FreeStyle Comfort. They both offer 6 pulse flow settings, they’re both around 5 pounds, and they’re about the same size. However, the Inogen One G5 has a great reputation for having an extremely low failure rate and a long lifespan between 5 and 7 years.

Similar to the Caire FreeStyle Comfort, the G5 is accompanied by a mobile application called Inogen Connect. This app was introduced with the Inogen One G4 and allows you to manage your flow rate and device settings remotely. This is great if you carry your POC on your back and don’t want to take it out all the time to adjust your oxygen settings. 

Inogen One G5 Specs

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The Inogen One G3

Although the Inogen One G3 released all the way back in 2012, that hasn’t set it back when it comes to being a dependable portable oxygen concentrator. While the G3 certainly has a little less oxygen output than the Inogen One G5 or the Caire FreeStyle Comfort, it makes up for it with an array of useful accessories that help you customize your oxygen therapy.

One of the most unique accessories for the Inogen One G3 is the GO2 Carryall. This product is designed to look like any ordinary purse or handbag but it holds your G3 snuggly and securely inside. It also comes with both a hand strap and a shoulder strap so you can choose exactly how you want to carry your portable oxygen concentrator.

One thing you’ll notice right away about the GO2 Carryalls is that they’re way more fashionable than any other POC carrying case you’ve seen in the past. They come in either black or brown to match your wardrobe and they’re made of genuine leather so that no one would ever suspect there’s a portable oxygen machine inside. There’s also plenty of room for personal belongings like your car keys, a wallet, or your G3 user manual.

While fashion is important for many people, the most important thing about the GO2 Carryalls is that they protect your Inogen One G3. When your G3 is inside one of these bags, you can rest assured that it will be protected from things like scratches, dents, and even minor water damage. Although the GO2 Carryalls are water-resistant, they are not fully waterproof, so you’ll want to find some cover if you’re getting rained on.

All-in-all, the GO2 Carryalls make the G3 one of the most reliable oxygen concentrators on the market. These bags have a mesh material on the side where the intake vents are located so that your device never overheats or stops working. It also enables you to carry your Inogen One G3 conveniently at your side so that you can keep track of it. However, if the GO2 Carryalls don’t appeal to you, you’ll be happy to know that there are three other carrying options: the G3 custom carrying case, the G3 backpack, and the G3 rolling backpack.   

Inogen One G3 Specs

The Respironics SimplyGo

All of the aforementioned machines have been pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators. What this means is that they closely monitor your breathing rate and deliver oxygen only at the peak of your inhalation. The Respironics SimplyGo differs from these in the fact that it also has a continuous flow setting. In other words, it can deliver oxygen indiscriminate from your breathing rate. The Respironics SimplyGo can deliver up to 2 LPM of continuous flow oxygen.

One of the most important things to note about the Respironics SimplyGo is that it is the lightest continuous flow portable oxygen concentrator on the market. Whereas most continuous flow units need to be wheeled around on a carrying cart, the SimplyGo is light enough to carry on your shoulder or your back. This may not seem like a big deal, but for someone who’s been prescribed continuous oxygen, it can be a life-changer.

If you’ve been an oxygen patient for some time, you know that having to wheel around your oxygen concentrator can be a huge pain. Not only do you have to make sure that it’s not bumping into anyone but there’s always a chance of your oxygen tubing getting caught on something and damaging your unit. Walking in a busy area is difficult and it can distract you from what you’re trying to do.

Using the convenient carrying case, you can ensure that you always have a reliable source of oxygen wherever you go. The Respironics SImplyGo was designed for people with the highest oxygen demands so it can run 24/7 without running into any problems. Since it’s a continuous flow POC, it’s perfectly compatible with CPAP, BiPAP, or APAP machines. In other words, it’s one of the most reliable portable oxygen concentrators for people who have both COPD and sleep apnea.

Respironics SimplyGo Specs

Tips for Extending the Life of Your Portable Oxygen Concentrator

Conclusion

Dependability is one of the most important attributes of portable oxygen concentrators. If you’re looking for a POC, it means you want to be able to get out of the house and enjoy your freedom, so your device needs to be able to match your lifestyle. While there are plenty of great oxygen concentrators out there, the ones above will offer you the reliability you need to live life on your own terms.

If you’re still struggling to find the right portable oxygen concentrator for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to our respiratory specialists here at LPT Medical. We’ll walk you through all your options ensuring that both your oxygen needs are met and you have a unit that will give you the freedom you need to go about your daily life.