At-home oxygen therapy is important for individuals with chronic respiratory illnesses. After receiving your prescription, it is important to select an oxygen concentrator that meets your specific needs and lifestyle. While some doctors work with suppliers to get your first concentrator, this buying guide provides useful tips for shopping online.
Type of Respiratory Illness Treated
Doctors prescribe oxygen concentrators for a number of respiratory illnesses. They include:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- pneumonia
- asthma
- cystic fibrosis
- lung disease
Your prescription will include settings for LPM, or liters per minute, and whether or not you require continuous flow or pulse dose oxygen. These settings depend on the severity of your illness. When choosing an oxygen concentrator, make sure you select one that will fit your prescription.
Factors That Affect Choosing An Oxygen Concentrator
How Active Are You?
Whether you travel frequently for work or enjoy leisurely activities such as walking or biking, oxygen therapy should not limit your lifestyle. Portable oxygen concentrators are the best choice if you need to take your therapy on the go. These oxygen concentrators are lightweight and compact, meeting the demands for your oxygen therapy even while you are not at home.
Are You A Frequent Traveler?
As mentioned, an active lifestyle may also include frequent travel. Ensuring your portable oxygen concentrator meets the demands of travel is important. A durable carrying case, extra nasal cannulas and the proper AC/DC power cords are necessary for therapy on the go.
One of the most overlooked factors, however, is power. Portable oxygen concentrators use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to provide therapy. When selecting your device, make sure the battery life meets your travel requirements. It may also be a good idea to purchase additional batteries for longer trips or unexpected power outages.
Most portable oxygen devices are approved by the FAA for in-flight use.
How Much Oxygen Do You Need?
Your oxygen needs will depend on your prescription and the severity of your respiratory condition. Portable oxygen concentrators will deliver therapy in pulse doses, between 1-6 pulses per breath. Home oxygen concentrators, on the other hand, deliver oxygen continuously between 1-10 liters per minute (LPM).
It is important to note that a pulse dose setting of 2 is not the same as a continuous flow setting of 2. Prior to changing your settings, be sure to speak with your doctor to ensure you are getting accurate therapy.
Here are some setting ranges among the most popular oxygen concentrator brands.
| Oxygen Concentrator Brand | Type of Oxygen Concentrator | Type of Oxygen Delivery | Range of Settings |
| Inogen One G4 | Portable | Pulse Dose | 1-3 |
| Respironics SimplyGo Mini | Portable | Pulse Dose | 1-5 |
| Nidek Mark 5 Nuvo Lite | Home | Continuous | 0.125-5 LPM |
| Caire Companion 5 | Home | Continuous | 0.5-5 LPM |
| Respironics SimplyGo | Portable | Continuous/Pulse Dose | 0.5-2 LPM/1-6 |
Benefits of Buying an Oxygen Concentrator Online
Shipping Options
When you buy online, you have the convenience of receiving your oxygen concentrator shipped directly to your home. You can also receive free shipping for orders over $99.00 when you purchase from The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Store.
Shopping online makes it easy to select the right oxygen concentrator for your needs without visiting medical supply stores, who may or may not have your oxygen concentrator in stock. Learn more about the benefits of online shopping for your OC.
Online Price Match for Best Price
Online stores like the Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Store can also help you get the best price for your oxygen concentrator. If you are able to find a lower price for the oxygen concentrator you want to buy from a competing online store, The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Store will match that price. Check out our price match guarantee.
Warranty and Easy-Returns
Any oxygen concentrator purchased from The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Store is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. You can return your oxygen concentrator within 7 business days of delivery. If you experience any issues, you can make an easy return of the product for a full refund. Learn more about our refund policy.
Online Reward Programs
The more you shop at The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Store, the more you save. We reward frequent shoppers. Our online rewards program helps you earn points on future purchases. So, you can save on accessories such as oxygen tubing, pulse oximeters, nasal cannulas and more. Learn more about our online rewards programs.
Insurance Claims for Oxygen Concentrator Purchase
Your health insurance plan may cover the cost of your oxygen concentrator purchase. We can help you determine of your costs are partially or fully covered by health insurance. While most insurance providers do not completely cover medical equipment like oxygen concentrators, it is important to check to see if equipment for oxygen therapy is covered by your policy.
Expert Support
When you shop online with The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Store you have the support of our expert team. They can help review your prescription and assist you in selecting an oxygen concentrator that fits your needs. They can also assist with finding machines that fit your budget as well. Learn more about the expert support we provide to all our customers.
Popular Portable Oxygen Concentrators
As you can see by the chart above, there are a wide variety of oxygen concentrators that offer solutions for everyone. At The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Shop, we stock a number of both portable and home oxygen concentrators from top manufacturers. Here are a few more of our most popular models:
Philips Respironics SimplyGo Mini Portable Oxygen Concentrators
Briefly highlighted above, this portable oxygen concentrator is one of our top-sellers. Its innovative, sleek design feels more modern and less medical. Choose from the standard or extended lithium-ion battery for up to 12 hours of on-the-go use. This 5 lb. unit comes with a soft, durable carrying case for use anywhere you need it.
Caire SeQual Eclipse 5 Portable Oxygen Concentrators
Another popular portable concentrator, the Eclipse 5 is one of the few to offer both continuous flow and pulse dose oxygen. Although it weighs 18 lbs., this oxygen concentrator comes with rugged casters and a retractable handle, allowing you to wheel it with you wherever you go. This device also comes equipped with a number of safety and troubleshooting alarms to let users know when something is going wrong with the machine. The SeQual Eclipse 5 from Caire can provide up to 5.5 hours of oxygen therapy on the lowest setting.
Inogen One G5 Portable Oxygen Concentrators
One of the newest products we carry, the Inogen One G5 is the latest addition to the lightweight, user-friendly Inogen One family. Weighing less than 5 lbs., this unit can house up to two rechargeable batteries, providing up to 13 hours of use on the lowest oxygen setting. Additionally, the display is easy to read, with large buttons for simple use.
Popular Home Oxygen Concentrators
For those who need reliable oxygen therapy at home, home concentrators are an essential part of your respiratory care. Popular home oxygen concentrators offer many of the features and benefits of portable oxygen concentrators, but as home units. Often home oxygen concentrators may meet higher demands for oxygen LPM that might not be available in portable units. Review the following home oxygen concentrators that patients find to be the best for their home oxygen therapy.
Inogen At Home Oxygen Concentrator
One of the most energy-efficient, lightest, and quietest oxygen concentrators on the market today is the Inogen At Home Stationary Oxygen Concentrator. It is half the weight of its counterparts, weighing in at around 18 pounds. Inogen At Home is an oxygen concentrator with a continuous flow rate of up to 5 liters per minute (LPM). Continuous flow oxygen concentrators employ a nasal cannula to supply a consistent stream of supplementary oxygen to the user's nasal passage.
Caire Companion 5 Stationary Oxygen Concentrator
The Companion 5 oxygen concentrator from Caire Inc. is a continuous flow oxygen concentrator that provides up to 5 liters of oxygen per minute (LPM). It’s simple user interface and ultraSILENT™ Technology make it the perfect fit for patients. Simply flip the on/off switch to begin oxygen therapy. At 2 LPM, the Caire Companion 5 is 40 dBA, which is approximately as loud as a quiet library. The control panel includes LED indicators, a flow control knob and audible alarms to alert users of any operational issues.
Nidek Mark 5 Nuvo Lite Oxygen Concentrator
The Nidek Mark 5 Nuvo Lite Home Oxygen Concentrator is an ultra-compact home concentrator unit. Its durable exterior and made-to-last parts, along with the sturdy handle and lockable castors, make it easy for patients to transport from room to room. The Nuvo Lite is a continuous flow oxygen concentrator, meaning it constantly delivers oxygen to the patient. This home oxygen device can deliver up to 5 liters of oxygen per minute.
Popular Oxygen Accessories and Supplies
Your oxygen therapy is more than just an oxygen concentrator. You will also need accessories and supplies to keep oxygen therapy consistent and effective while managing your respiratory illness. Most supplies need to be replaced over time, so you will always need to replenish when accessories such as nasal cannulas get old, or oxygen tubing begins to crack. Here are some of the most popular accessories and supplies you will need for oxygen therapy.
Nasal Cannulas
Nasal cannulas can wear out over time, and you will need to replace. You can feel when they become less comfortable or less secure or if you start to experience irritation from the contact on your nostrils. You want to make sure you choose a cannula that meets your specific needs for comfort and flexibility. Additionally, you can even choose a nasal cannula that is latex free. Choose from some of the most popular nasal cannulas.
Oxygen Tubing
Oxygen tubing can begin to crack or develop fissures which can compromise the effectiveness of your oxygen therapy and reduce oxygen pressure. Select oxygen tubing that fits your needs in terms of length. You can choose tubing that is extra-long so you can move around freely and shorter tubing, so you don’t have too much tubing to tangle. You can also find tubing that is kink-free. Choose from a variety of oxygen tubing.
Batteries And Power Supply
For patients who use portable oxygen concentrators, backup batteries become an essential part of their oxygen therapy equipment. While many portable oxygen concentrators have internal batteries, they may last for only so long. External batteries help patients extend the charge of their portable oxygen concentrators. Other types of power supplies are also available for charging up a portable oxygen concentrator from your car. See what batteries and power supplies are available.
Pulse Oximeters
Anyone managing a respiratory illness can practice essential self-care with the help of a pulse oximeter. These simple devices lets anyone measure their blood oxygen level. When someone does not receive the necessary amount of oxygen through breathing, blood oxygen levels drop, often without a patient realizing it. A pulse oximeter lets you quickly and easily measure blood oxygen saturation to know when you need oxygen. Find pulse oximeters for your self-care.
Where you Can Receive Support Based on Your Location?
The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Shop is a trusted online retailer for all of your oxygen needs. We ship globally, and our customer care team is standing by to answer any questions you might have via phone or email. Give us a call at 888-941-1688 or email us at contact@oxygenconcentratorsupplies.com.
This post was published on December 30, 2022 and updated on August 25, 2023.
