What portable oxygen concentrator has the best warranty?

Q: What portable oxygen concentrator has the best warranty?

A: There is a wide range of warranties for portable oxygen concentrators (POC). The most comprehensive warranty is the Caire Sequal Eclipse 5 (3-year machine, 3-year sieve canisters, 1-year battery), followed by the GCE Zen-O (3-year machine and 2-year sieve canisters).

Key Factors:

·       Sieve canister coverage: Most POC warranties only cover sieve canisters for one year. However, the Caire Sequal Eclipse 5 has a 3-year sieve canister warranty and the GCE Zen-O has a 2-year sieve warranty.

·       Longest standard warranty: The standard warranty (covering everything but sieve canisters and accessories) for most POCs is three years. However, the Oxlife Independence has a robust 5-year standard warranty.

·       Standard vs extended warranty: The standard warranty is part of the initial cost of the machine. Some companies, such as Respironics and Inogen offer extended warranties for an additional cost ranging from $200.00 (Respironics SimplyGo 3-yr) to $975.00 (Inogen Rove 6 lifetime warranty).

·       Accessory coverage: Most accessories, such as batteries and power supplies are covered for one year.

What warranties cover and what they don’t

Sieve canisters are the biggest issue in POC warranty coverage. They contain an organic material called zeolite (molecular sieve), which degrades over time. Because of this, the sieve canisters must be replaced periodically (usually every 1 to 3 years). As a result, most manufacturers limit the duration of sieve canister warranty to one year. However, the Caire Sequal Eclipse 5 has a full 3-year warranty on sieves and the GCE Zen-O has a 2-year sieve warranty.

While the Respironics SimplyGo warranty extension covers the sieve canisters, the Inogen Rove 6 warranty does not. Even with the purchase of an Inogen lifetime warranty, the sieve canisters are only covered for one year. All sieve canister replacements beyond the first year are an out-of-pocket expense for the owner of a POC.

Batteries are another item not covered for an extended period. Most batteries have a 1-year warranty and will eventually need to be replaced. Although the battery life will slowly decrease, most batteries should last several years.

AC/DC power supplies are also usually covered for one year. While they can fail, they can last many years without replacement.

Most warranties do not cover damage caused by external exposure, especially exposure to tobacco smoke, rodent or insect infestation, or drops.

The components usually covered by standard and extended warranty include compressors, circuit boards, valves, wiring, fans, tubing, and other internal components. External components, such as cases and power connectors may be covered if the failure is not considered due to negligence or abuse.

Warranty Comparison

Unit	Standard Machine	Standard Sieve Canisters	Battery and Power Supply	Extended Warranty
GCE Zen-O	3 yrs or 15K hrs	2 yrs or 15K hrs	1 yr	No
GCE Zen-O Lite	3 yrs	1 yr	1 yr	No
Inogen Rove 6	3 yr	1 yr	1 yr	Yes (Lifetime excluding sieves)
Oxlife Independence	5 yr	2 yr	1 yr	No
Caire Sequal Eclipse 5	3 yr	3 yr	1 yr	No
Respironics SimplyGo	2 yr	2yr	1 yr	Yes (2 yr or 3 yr including sieves)

REFERENCES

GCE Zen-O and Zen-O Lite – Warranty Policy

Inogen – Product specs

Oxlife Inependence – Warranty Policy

Caire Sequal Eclipse 5 – Cutsheet

Respironics SimplyGo – User Manual

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