The 4 Best Home Oxygen Machines of 2023

• Home oxygen machines provide oxygen therapy that’s accessible from the comfort and convenience of home.
• Unlike portable oxygen concentrators, home oxygen machines are designed to stay in one place and are sometimes called stationary oxygen machines.
• Home oxygen machine prices range from $600–$2,000, but insurance and Medicare can help cover the cost.
• You can get a discounted home oxygen system by renting or purchasing one that’s used.

While a portable oxygen concentrator can help you stay active if you need extra oxygen while traveling, a home oxygen machine can provide continuous oxygen without the need to recharge any batteries.

A home oxygen machine is not the same as an oxygen tank for home use. Oxygen tanks are filled with a finite amount of compressed oxygen and need to be refilled or replaced when the oxygen runs out. In contrast, home oxygen machines supply oxygen by taking air from the room around you and filtering out nitrogen, according to the Food and Drug Administration.¹ They then use electrical pumps to concentrate the oxygen needed for oxygen therapy.

Most home oxygen machines offer continuous flow oxygen therapy, meaning the oxygen flows without stopping. The best continuous flow oxygen concentrator will depend on your prescription and your individual needs. But our Reviews Team gives you a place to start with a review of the best oxygen machines for home use.

• Best Value: CAIRE Companion 5
• Most Energy Efficient: Inogen At Home 5L
• Quietest: Philips Respironics EverFlo
• Best 10-Liter: AirSep Newlife Intensity 10

Our Reviews Team recommends products and services we believe provide value in the lives of our readers. We’ve spent more than 1,000 hours carrying out in-depth research on home oxygen machines to give you the most accurate review. To make our selections, we:

• Engaged in independent research
• Mystery shopped multiple brands and models of home oxygen machines
• Reviewed academic research into the efficacy of home oxygen machines
• Read hundreds of verified customer reviews from trusted third parties, such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot

Based on our expert consultations and research, we determined the following factors to be important for our readers when shopping for a home oxygen unit:

• Cost
• Ease of use
• Oxygen delivery method
• Maximum oxygen output
• Number of settings
• Weight
• Power consumption
• Oxygen purity

We had all of our selections medically reviewed by an expert in the field to ensure that each brand and model is appropriate for our readers’ needs.

Pros

• Offers a variety of features for a lower cost than other 5-liter models
• Offers oxygen flow settings in half-liter increments
• Power-saving technology reduces power consumption when operating at or under 2 liters per minute

Cons

• May not be ideal for someone who needs multiple hours of oxygen therapy
• Heavy for a 5-liter home oxygen concentrator
• Power-saving option only works at 2 liters or less per minute

Cost: $695

Weight: 36 pounds

Dimensions: 12.5 inches wide x 13.5 inches deep x 21.5 inches high

Delivery/flow type: Continuous

Range of flow settings: 0.5–5

Power consumption: 250–350 watts per hour

Max oxygen output: 5 liters per minute

Noise level: 50 decibels

Warranty: Three years

For a comparatively low price of $695, the features of this home oxygen machine may make it a worthy investment. The CAIRE Companion 5 delivers oxygen flow settings in half-liter increments, which allows precise dosing for anyone who only needs a few hours of oxygen therapy a day or overnight. At 50 decibels, the home oxygen concentrator is about the same noise level as a running refrigerator.

Another feature is the power-saving autoFLOW technology. This reduces the machine’s power consumption from 350 watts to approximately 250 watts. This feature only works when the home oxygen concentrator is operating at or under 2 liters per minute. The machine is also 36 pounds, which is the heaviest 5-liter model on our list. Although it may be difficult to lift, it is equipped with wheels to make transport easier.

Customer service

The CAIRE Companion 5 Home Concentrator is available for purchase from medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. You can either shop online or at its retail location in Denver, Colorado. You can also check with your local durable medical equipment store for availability, or you can ask your doctor where to order a home oxygen concentrator.

See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store customer service hours, ways you can reach them, and our experience with its customer service department.

Payment options

When buying from the Oxygen Concentrator Store, you can pay for your purchase using:

• Cash (in store)
• Credit card
• PayPal
• CareCredit

This product is not available to rent.

Learn more in our complete CAIRE oxygen concentrator review.

Pros

• Uses 275 watts of electricity, the lowest amount of electricity on this list
• Easy-to-use, three-button control panel
• Lightweight at 18 pounds

Cons

• Lacks wheels
• Includes two columns that must be replaced when the machine alerts you
• Most expensive of the 5-liter options on this list

Cost: $1,645

Weight: 18 pounds

Dimensions: 13 inches wide x 7 inches deep x 16.5 inches high

Delivery/flow type: Continuous

Range of flow settings: 1–5

Power consumption: 275 watts

Max oxygen output: 5 liters per minute

Noise level: 40 decibels on flow setting 2

Warranty: Three years

The Inogen At Home 5 Concentrator uses a maximum of 275 watts of power, making it the most energy-efficient option on our list. Although the CAIRE Companion 5 has the ability to operate at 250 watts, that’s only when it utilizes its power-saving technology. The Inogen At Home 5 never uses more than 275 watts of power, regardless of which setting you use, which could help you keep electricity costs down.

This model is also small and lightweight, at only 18 pounds and 16 inches tall, making it a good minimalist option for those who would like to save on space. But since it lacks wheels, you have to lift the concentrator when you want to move it. Also, the unit has two sieve bed columns that you’ll need to replace every 18 months to two years to maximize the life of the unit. Its sieve beds convert air with low oxygen levels into medical-grade oxygen. Replacement sieve beds cost $160 and can be done by yourself at home.

Customer service

The Inogen At Home 5 Home Concentrator is available for purchase from local medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. You can either shop online or at its retail location in Denver, Colorado.

See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store customer service hours, ways you can reach them, and our experience with their customer service department.

Payment options

When buying from the Oxygen Concentrator Store, you can pay for your purchase using:

• Cash (in store)
• Credit card
• PayPal
• CareCredit

This product is not available to rent.

Learn more in our detailed Inogen oxygen concentrator review.

Pros

• 40-45 decibels
• Simple control panel with power switch
• 5-year warranty available

Cons

• Heavier than other models at 31 pounds

Cost: $795

Weight: 31 pounds

Dimensions: 15 inches wide x 9.5 inches deep x 23 inches high

Delivery/flow type: Continuous

Range of flow settings: 0.5–5

Power consumption: 350 watts

Max oxygen output: 5 liters per minute

Noise level: Between 40 and 45 decibels on all settings

Warranty: Three years

The Respironics EverFlo home oxygen concentrator is the most consistently quiet 5-liter model on our list. It operates at between 40 and 45 decibels on all settings, which is about the same amount of noise you would hear in a library.²

It’s also easy to use with a simple control panel and a power switch. It has only two filters: a microdisk filter that only needs to be replaced if deemed necessary during routine maintenance procedures and a compressor intake filter that needs replacing every two years. Some other home oxygen machines have filters that require weekly cleaning or replacing, making this machine especially low-maintenance in comparison.

Customer service

The Respironics EverFlo Concentrator is available for purchase from local medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. You can either shop online or at its retail location in Denver, Colorado.

See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store customer service hours, ways you can reach them, and our experience with their customer service department.

Payment options

When buying from the Oxygen Concentrator Store, you can pay for your purchase using:

• Cash (if shopping in-store)
• Credit card
• PayPal
• CareCredit

This product is also available to rent.

Pros

• High-pressure and high-flow
• Best for individuals with high-volume oxygen needs

Cons

• Heaviest home oxygen system
• Uses the most power

Cost: $1,895

Weight: 58 pounds

Dimensions: 16.5 inches wide x 14.5 inches deep x 27.5 inches high

Delivery/flow type: Continuous

Range of flow settings: 2–10

Power consumption: 590 watts

Max oxygen output: 10 liters per minute

Noise level: 55 decibels

Warranty: Three years

If your prescription for home oxygen therapy requires high-volume or high-pressure oxygen, a 10-liter home oxygen system may be a better choice for you. We selected the AirSep Newlife Intensity 10 as our best 10-liter option for its average oxygen purity rating of 93% and air pressure of 20 pounds per square inch (psi), which is twice as much as most oxygen machines. It can also support nebulizers and venturi masks.

The machine is never louder than 55 decibels, which is the equivalent of the sound from an electric toothbrush.³ At 27.5 inches tall and 16.5 inches wide, it has the ability to neatly fit next to a couch or bedside table. One downside to this unit is its weight—at 58 pounds, it would be difficult to move from place to place as it lacks wheels. It also uses the most electricity out of all the units on this list.

Customer service

The AirSep Newlife Intensity 10 Home Concentrator is available for purchase from local medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. You can either shop online or at its retail location in Denver, Colorado.

See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store customer service hours, ways you can reach them, and our experience with their customer service department.

Payment options

When buying from the Oxygen Concentrator Store, you can pay for your purchase using:

• Cash (in store)
• Credit card
• PayPal
• CareCredit

This product is not available to rent.

The Oxygen Concentrator Store refers to its customer service representatives as oxygen specialists. There is a page on its website where you can see thumbnail photos and read brief biographies of each specialist.

We reached out to Oxygen Concentrator Store via phone, email, and live chat. In each instance, they were quick to respond. With the live chat function, we were placed in a queue and told how many people we would wait behind until we could chat with a representative. With one person in the queue, we waited for approximately one minute before chatting with someone.

When you request to see internet pricing from the Oxygen Concentrator Store website, you are required to give your phone number. Giving your email address is optional. When we submitted our phone number, we were contacted within a few hours. The representative we spoke with was friendly and courteous, and they gave us thorough and in-depth answers to our questions. They were eager to help us make the right decision and wanted to ensure we were informed and prepared before making a final purchase. Throughout the experience, we did not feel pressured into making a rushed decision. Instead, we felt as though we could ask questions and gather information before making a final purchase. Shipping from the Oxygen Concentrator Store takes approximately 2–4 business days.

Oxygen Concentrator Store customer service is available seven days a week. It is located in Colorado, so its hours are all Mountain Time as follows:

• Monday through Thursday: 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. MT
• Friday: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT
• Saturday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. MT
• Sunday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT

The air we breathe consists of 21% oxygen.⁴ The rest is nitrogen and trace amounts of other gasses. For people without lung disease, and even with mild lung disease, their lungs are able to filter a healthy amount of oxygen from the air, according to the American Thoracic Society.⁵ But for someone with advanced lung disease, their lungs cannot filter oxygen out of the air around them. A home oxygen machine can help by filtering oxygen out of the air and delivering it to the user.

Home oxygen machines use electric pumps to filter the air in a room. The process removes nitrogen from the air and provides a continuous supply of oxygen to breathe. The oxygen is then delivered via either a nose tube (nasal cannula) or a mask connected to the machine, according to MedlinePlus.⁶ Most home oxygen machines deliver air that’s between 85% to 95% oxygen.⁷

Home oxygen machines differ from portable oxygen concentrators in a few ways. First, most home oxygen machines are able to provide a constant supply of oxygen without stopping. Portable oxygen concentrators may have that option, but they often deliver oxygen through “pulse flow,” which means the oxygen is delivered every time you take a breath. Home oxygen machines are also powered by electricity only, whereas portable oxygen concentrators will also have the option to use battery power. And because they are designed for home use, home oxygen machines are larger and heavier than portable oxygen concentrators.

While your doctor will determine whether you need an oxygen machine at home, many recommend oxygen therapy for people with health conditions such as:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Interstitial lung disease
• Late-stage heart failure

When considering home oxygen machines, there are multiple factors to consider.

Cost

Most home oxygen machines cost between approximately $700 and $1,900, excluding taxes and shipping. The cost may be lower if you are using Medicare or insurance to help pay for your home oxygen machine.

Maximum oxygen output

If you need high-volume or high-pressure home oxygen therapy, you may want to look into 10-liter home oxygen machines rather than 5-liter machines. Your doctor will tell you how many liters per minute you need as part of your prescription. But if those details are unclear, make sure to ask your doctor to add how many liters per minute of oxygen you need and/or get it in writing from your doctor before purchasing or renting a home oxygen concentrator.

Oxygen purity

When the oxygen saturation falls below 89%, supplemental oxygen is needed, according to the University of California San Francisco.⁸ Your health care provider will determine your supplemental oxygen needs. Most home oxygen machines will deliver oxygen at levels between 85% and 95% purity.⁹

Noise level

A loud home oxygen system may be disruptive to some people, especially if they use it while sleeping. For others, the noise level may not be as much of a concern, or it may be lower on their list compared to other priorities. Either way, you may want to consider how quiet you’d like it to be or how willing you are to have it running as background noise.

Power usage

If you plan on running your home oxygen system for several hours a day, if not constantly, you may want to consider how this will affect your energy bill. Most 5-liter home oxygen machines use about 350 watts of power per hour, but a 10-liter home oxygen machines uses more. The Oxygen Concentrator Store has a blog post that walks you through how to calculate stationary oxygen concentrator electricity usage and costs.

Compared to portable oxygen concentrators, home oxygen machines are the more affordable option. The online retailer Oxygen Concentrator Store states that its home oxygen machines generally cost between $600 and $2,500.

Does Medicare cover home oxygen machines?

Yes, but only for rentals. Home oxygen equipment is considered durable medical equipment, so it’s covered by Medicare Part B, which covers home oxygen equipment if you meet the following criteria:¹⁰

• Your doctor says you aren’t getting enough oxygen or you have severe lung disease.
• Your arterial blood gas level, or the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood, fall within a certain range. Medicare doesn’t specify what that range will be, but according to the Cleveland Clinic, most doctors prescribe oxygen therapy if the oxygen levels in your blood are lower than 88%.¹¹
• You’ve tried other methods to improve your health, and they haven’t helped.
• Your doctor believes oxygen therapy may help improve your health.

If you meet these criteria, Medicare Part B will cover your home oxygen machine, as well as additional supplies such as tubing to help deliver the oxygen. You can rent home oxygen machines from the Oxygen Concentrator Store, but they will not bill Medicare or Medicaid. Direct retailers, local durable medical equipment companies, or doctor’s offices may also have home oxygen concentrator rentals.

After you’ve met your Medicare Part B deductible, you’ll pay 20% of the approved amount for any home oxygen equipment you rent.

If you use Medicare to cover your home oxygen equipment, you’ll be able to rent the equipment from a supplier for 36 months. After 36 months, the supplier must continue maintaining and furnishing your home oxygen equipment for as long as you need, up to five years.

Does insurance cover home oxygen machines?

If you’ve been diagnosed with a disease that benefits from home oxygen therapy and your provider has written you a prescription or a letter of medical necessity to use an oxygen machine for home, your insurance may cover some or all of the cost. Insurance plans vary, so call your insurance provider to be sure. Additionally, don’t forget to check out NCOA’s BenefitsCheckUp tool to see what other discounts and savings may be available.

How to save money on oxygen machines for home use

You can save money by buying used home oxygen machines instead of new ones. At the Oxygen Concentrator Store, used machines can cost between $395 and $1,500. Another option is to rent home oxygen equipment. Prices may start as low as $35 per day and go up to $200 per week. Extended rentals or using insurance or Medicare could make you eligible for discounts.

The best home oxygen machine for your needs will depend on a variety of factors. There are multiple options to choose from, and each brand and model has its own benefits and drawbacks. To find the best oxygen machine for home therapy use, consider the price, the amount and purity of oxygen your prescription requires, how much energy it will consume, and whether noise or portability is a concern.

It is important to talk with your doctor and/or respiratory therapist about your home oxygen therapy needs. Ask if they have a recommendation for what type of home oxygen concentrator is best for you or if there are certain features you should look for.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pulse Oximeters and Oxygen Concentrators: What to Know About At-Home Oxygen Therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/pulse-oximeters-and-oxygen-concentrators-what-know-about-home-oxygen-therapy
2. International Noise Awareness Day. Common Noise Levels – How Loud Is Too Loud? Found on the internet at https://noiseawareness.org/info-center/common-noise-levels/
3. International Noise Awareness Day. Common Noise Levels – How Loud Is Too Loud? Found on the internet at https://noiseawareness.org/info-center/common-noise-levels/
4. National Geographic Society. Atmosphere. Found on the internet at https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/atmosphere
5. American Thoracic Society. Oxygen Therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/oxygen-therapy.pdf
6. MedlinePlus. Oxygen Therapy. Found on the internet at https://medlineplus.gov/oxygentherapy.html#:~:text=Others%20use%20an%20oxygen%20concentrator,in%20along%20with%20normal%20air
7. American Thoracic Society. Oxygen Therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/oxygen-therapy.pdf
8. University of California San Francisco. The Need for Supplemental Oxygen. Found on the internet at https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/the-need-for-supplemental-oxygen#:~:text=When%20the%20oxygen%20saturation%20falls,then%20supplemental%20oxygen%20is%20needed
9. American Thoracic Society. Oxygen Therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/oxygen-therapy.pdf
10. Medicare.gov. Oxygen Equipment and Accessories. Found on the internet at https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/oxygen-equipment-accessories
11. Cleveland Clinic. Arterial Blood Gas (ABG). Found on the internet at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22409-arterial-blood-gas-abg
12. Cleveland Clinic. Supplemental Oxygen Therapy. Found on the internet at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23194-oxygen-therapy
13. American Lung Association. Learn About COPD. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/learn-about-copd
14. National Institutes of Health. Therapeutic Management of Nonhospitalized Adults With COVID-19. Found on the internet at https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/management/clinical-management-of-adults/nonhospitalized-adults–therapeutic-management/
15. American Lung Association. Oxygen Therapy: Using Oxygen Safely. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy/using-oxygen-safely
16. American Lung Association. Oxygen Therapy: Using Oxygen Safely. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy/using-oxygen-safely