Home care · Respiratory
Oxygen concentrator buying guide for home use
An oxygen concentrator is prescribed equipment, not a general-purpose appliance. The flow rate must match the prescription — here is how to read the specification sheet.
Of all the equipment families buy for home care, the oxygen concentrator is the one where getting the specification wrong has the most direct consequences. It is also the one most often bought in a hurry, at the point of hospital discharge, with no time to research.
This guide is what we would tell you across the counter.
First: get the prescription details
Before looking at any machine, you need three numbers from the treating doctor:
- Prescribed flow rate in litres per minute (LPM)
- Hours of use per day — continuous, nocturnal only, or as needed
- Target oxygen saturation the therapy is aiming to maintain
Everything else follows from these. A shop that sells you a concentrator without asking for the prescribed flow rate is not doing you a favour.
Understanding capacity: 5 LPM vs 10 LPM
The headline number is the maximum continuous flow the unit can deliver. The important detail is that oxygen purity falls as flow increases on most machines. A 5 LPM concentrator may deliver 93% ± 3% oxygen at 5 litres but only its rated purity at lower settings — check the specification table, not just the headline.
Practical guidance:
- Up to 5 LPM prescribed: a 5 LPM home unit is normally appropriate
- Above 5 LPM, or two patients / two outlets: a 8–10 LPM unit
- Mobility required: a portable concentrator, but note these are usually pulse-dose rather than continuous flow
Continuous flow vs pulse dose
A continuous flow machine delivers oxygen steadily whether the patient is inhaling or not. This is what most home prescriptions require, and it is what you need for use with CPAP/BiPAP or during sleep.
A pulse dose machine delivers a burst when it detects inhalation. It is efficient and allows small, portable, battery-powered units — but it is not suitable for every patient, particularly during sleep when breathing is shallow. Do not substitute one for the other without asking the doctor.
Purity, and why the alarm matters
Home concentrators typically produce 90–96% oxygen. Look for a unit with an oxygen concentration status indicator or low-purity alarm. Sieve beds degrade over time, and without an indicator you have no way of knowing the machine has quietly stopped delivering therapeutic oxygen.
Practical factors people forget
Noise
Rated in decibels, typically 40–55 dB. If the machine will run beside a patient’s bed all night, in a small room, the difference between 42 dB and 55 dB is the difference between sleeping and not sleeping. Ask to hear it running.
Heat and ventilation
Concentrators generate heat and need clear air space around the intake — usually 30 cm or more on all sides. In a small Kerala bedroom in April, this matters. Plan where it will physically sit.
Running cost
At 300–600 W running 24 hours a day, electricity is a real ongoing cost. Get the wattage figure at the prescribed flow setting and calculate it before you buy.
Power cuts
Concentrators do not store oxygen. If the patient is oxygen-dependent, discuss a backup plan with the doctor — typically a small cylinder kept for emergencies — and make sure the household knows where it is.
Maintenance you will actually have to do
- Gross particle filter: rinse and dry, often weekly
- Cabinet filter: replace per manufacturer schedule
- Humidifier bottle: clean and refill daily with distilled or boiled cooled water if humidification is used
- Cannula and tubing: replace regularly; cannulas are consumables, not permanent
- Professional service: at the manufacturer’s stated interval
Ask the shop to demonstrate filter cleaning before the machine leaves the counter, and ask who performs the professional service locally.
Before you pay, confirm
- Maximum flow and purity at your prescribed setting
- Continuous flow or pulse dose
- Noise level in dB
- Power consumption in watts
- Warranty length, and whether it covers the compressor and sieve beds
- Local service availability and spare-part lead time
- Whether a demonstration and setup at home is included
Buying in Kottayam
Cosmic Surgicals supplies oxygen concentrators, nebulisers, suction machines and related respiratory equipment in imported and Indian brands, with the specification sheet available before you commit. Bring the prescription and we will match the machine to it rather than to a price point.
See home and palliative care equipment or ask for a quotation.
Frequently asked questions
Oxygen concentrators — FAQs
Oxygen is a prescribed therapy. The flow rate in litres per minute and the hours of use per day must come from the treating doctor. Buy the machine only after you have that prescription — the required flow rate determines which capacity you need.
The number is the maximum continuous flow in litres per minute. A 5 LPM unit suits most home patients prescribed up to about 5 litres. A 10 LPM unit is for higher prescribed flows or where two outlets are needed. Buying above the prescription wastes money and electricity; buying below it is unsafe.
Typical 5 LPM home units draw roughly 300–600 watts depending on model and flow setting. Over 24-hour use that is a meaningful addition to a monthly bill, so ask for the power consumption figure before buying and factor it into the running cost.
Yes. External filters need regular cleaning or replacement — often weekly to monthly depending on the model and dust levels. Internal filters and the sieve beds need periodic professional service. Confirm the service interval and who will do it locally before you buy.
Keep reading
Related guides
The home palliative care equipment checklist →Choosing a nebuliser for home use →Need an oxygen concentrator urgently?
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