What is the Difference Between an Oxygen Concentrator and an Oxygen Generator? 

While oxygen concentrators and oxygen generators use a similar technology, their difference is about scale. Oxygen concentrators are designed more for home, personal use managing a respiratory illness. Oxygen generators are larger and are used for industrial applications where pure oxygen is needed in a manufacturing process. Oxygen concentrators are considered durable medical equipment and are purchased by individuals while oxygen generators are purchased by manufacturers, mining companies and other large scale businesses that require pure oxygen for industrial applications.  

An oxygen concentrator is a home medical device that converts ambient air into pure oxygen. This technology provides a more useful substitute to oxygen tanks, which need to be replaced once they become empty. Oxygen concentrators continually process the air into oxygen, so they never run out. They can be used by patients managing a range of respiratory illnesses that require pure oxygen for treatment. Oxygen concentrators are available as home units and as portable units that allow oxygen therapy to take place anywhere the patient needs it.  

Oxygen concentrators are available as both portable and home units. 

Portable oxygen concentrators use the same technology as home units but are smaller and more compact. They can be carried about, usually in a case and store well into a suitcase or overnight bag.  Portable oxygen concentrators give more freedom to patients with a serious respiratory illness, allowing them to travel or conduct daily errands without worry about their respiratory condition. Portable oxygen concentrators use battery power which requires regular recharging as patients go about their day.  

Learn more about portable oxygen concentrators here. 

Home oxygen concentrators tend be larger, usually including casters so they can be wheeled from room to room. They plug into the wall like any appliance to provide continuous oxygen therapy to patients while at home. Many home oxygen concentrators may have more features than portable units. For patients managing an on-going respiratory condition they will typically use their home oxygen concentrators at home and keep a portable oxygen concentrator available for travel or running everyday errands.  

Learn more about home oxygen concentrators here. 

An oxygen generator is similar to an oxygen concentrator but functioning on a much larger scale. An oxygen generator produces a lot more of pure oxygen than an oxygen concentrator and is meant for industrial applications that require pure oxygen in their process. Oxygen generators may be used in mining, manufacturing and in oxygenating freshwater for aquaculture. Because of their size, oxygen generators are not generally available to individual users. Their industrial purpose is focused on providing a source of pure oxygen to industries that need them.  

If you have been diagnosed with a respiratory condition that requires pure oxygen on a regular basis, then you will most likely require an oxygen concentrator, either a home unit or portable unit, depending on your lifestyle. 

There is no reason for individual users to ever need an oxygen generator, unless they are in a specific industry that requires pure oxygen for a production or extraction process. Oxygen generators are large and expensive and exclusive to large-scale industry.  

You can find both portable oxygen concentrators and home oxygen concentrators online at The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Shop. You will require a prescription from your doctor to purchase an oxygen concentrator. Shopping online is faster and easier, and you can compare makes and models side by side, see reviews, learn more about individual products and engage with helpful customer service representatives to ask questions.  If you have any questions about any product, call us 888-941-1688 today!