Lets be blunt. Choosing the best CPAP machine/sleep apnea machine for your needs can be outright confusing. It shouldn’t, and doesn’t, have to be this way. That is why we are here. We are going to go over the 6 best cpap machines.
There will be a mix in this list covering original CPAP machines, APAP (auto adjusting pressure) machines, and ones that are ready for travel. These will be the best, overall, to choose from based on features, quality, and most importantly, user reviews.
These are not listed in any particular order because there is NOT a one best machine due to too many different factors in sleep apnea patients.
To put it simply, one machine may be the best fit for you, but not for someone else. CPAP machine cost may vary greatly from $200 to $900 dollars based on features or popularity. Well, lets get to it!
XT FIT CPAP MACHINE
This machine is the best bang for the buck, period. Overall, it is the most bought CPAP machine for the price and features it offers. This is the best sleep apnea machine for patients that are on a tight budget.
This machine offers a one-set pressure and is not auto adjusting. It is nothing fancy, which is why it doesn’t cost much.
It does not record data, have a data card slot, or doesn’t display any data that you would like to save.
Features
- It is travel friendly being light weight and small (5.7 in x 5.1 in x 3.9). It comes with a carrying bag that can hold the machine plus some accessories.A separate c-100 battery travel battery pack can also be purchased so that it can run off batteries.
- It has a ramp setting you can adjust to ease into while going to sleep. You can adjust the pressure in 5 minute increments up to 45 min. before reaching full pressure setting.
- It has a illuminated display that can be seen at night. The display shows pressure settings, how long the XT FIT has been used and ramp settings.This display is not very bright, but also note that it can not be turned off.
- There is not a bulky power adapter. It has a simple plug cord and can be used overseas with the proper adapter since it can operate between 100-240v AC power.
- There is an optional XT heated humidifier accessory that can be purchased separately to offer even more comfort to cold or dry air environments.This accessory is made specifically for the XT Fit sleep apnea machine and doesn’t add much more space to the device.
Overall, this is the best, basic cpap machine that you can get for the very low price it is. If you don’t care about data, fancy features, and just need the job to get done. This sleep apnea machine is a good fit for you.
There is also an auto adjusting machine XT FIT that looks almost exactly like this one besides it adds the auto adjusting pressure feature. Of course, it is almost double the price.
Transcend miniCPAP Machine
This is one of the smallest, quietest, light weight (less than a lb.), feature packed CPAP machines available. Which is why it makes our “best” list. It is compatible with all cpap masks.
It has 3 different battery options which make it excellent for travel or camping etc. And don’t worry, it doesn’t sacrifice features because of it’s size. This little machine packs a punch!
Features
- Power – You can plug it up or use 3 different battery options which are a one-night battery pack, a multi-night battery pack, and even a solar charger. It also has a battery backup feature.If you were to have the battery in at the same time you have it plugged up, and the power goes out, it will run off the battery. This is an excellent portable cpap with the battery options it offers.
- Compact – It is so small and lightweight it makes it an awesome travel system as well as home system. It can fit in the palm of your hand practically measuring 6.1 inches x 3.5 inches x 2.8 inches.
- Compatability – It is compatible with all masks. The Transcend comes with a normal 6 ft. host and adapter to be used to fit all cpap masks.
- Quietness – Did we say this thing is quiet?! It has an incredible 29db sound rating, which is very quiet, and matches most of the market leading machines.
- Advanced – Just because it is small doesn’t mean it doesn’t have many features. It has a ramp feature like previous machine above, tracks or records AHI and leak detection for up to 12 months, uses a USB cable connection to access the advanced data, and has an auto altitude adjustment up to elevations of 8,000 feet.
- Placement– This machine can even be put on top of your head with the 4 latches on the side of the machine which are meant for straps. You may think why on top of your head?Some users report with the machine on top of your head you can sleep however you want without worrying about hose movement like you would when the machine is stationary on a surface.
This is probably the best machine for overall convenience while also being feature packed. It may be small, but has a bigger cpap machine cost of course ($450).
If you travel a lot, sleep without power in the outdoors, or just want a sleep apnea machine that is small, quiet, and records data, then this machine is an excellent choice.
Transcend also makes an auto adjusting pressure machine (APAP) that looks just like this one if you need auto adjustment to pressure instead of constant air flow. It is called the Transcend Auto miniCPAP machine with EZEX.
RESmart CPAP Machine with RESlex with Heated Humidifier
The name is a lot to say, but we wanted to make sure we got it right because this cpap machine has a lot to say also. This is another budget friendly machine that includes a humidifier, has RESlex exhalation relief to make exhaling easier against the airflow, and stores data that can be accessed via iCode.
All of this for only $230 make this a very popular choice!
Features
- Pressure relief – A machine changing pressure when you exhale is a big feature and this machine has it. This is big because it offers more comfort when breathing out.They coined their own term for this on this machine and called it RESlex. It can be adjusted from 0, 1, 2, or 3 with the 3 setting being the largest drop in airflow while exhaling. This an excellent feature for beginners who are trying to get used to their sleep apnea machine.
- Data – The machine can and will give you a code/iCode so that you can look it up online to see what it means. This is a good way to track your data to see all the small variables like average pressure in a 4 hour period, snore index, Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), and a few others. This information will be saved on the machine for up to 365 days.
- Auto Settings – It has a auto on-off feature that can detect when there is breathing in the mask or not. If there is it will stay on and if there isn’t it will automatically turn off.It has an auto altitude adjustment up to 8200 feet similar to the Transcend mentioned above. It has a Power Off alert if power to the machine is interrupted.Then lastly, it has an auto leak alert that will let you know if or when there is a leak present.
- Humidifier – The included humidifier (seen in the picture) can be snapped on and used the same power source the machine does. It can be adjusted from 1 – 5 levels of humidification based on your needs.
For the money, this cpap machine is hard to beat with all the features it is packed with. There are just not many machines, if any, out there that stores data, comes with a humidifier, and has a pressure relief setting like this one does at the low price. This is why it makes the “best” list.
System one REMStar SE CPAP Machine with Bluetooth
This System One Remstar SE is a very popular one and been upgraded over the years with more and more features. The latest addition Phillips Respironics added to this machine is the Bluetooth feature.
You can now connect this machine to an app (SleepMapper) on your apple or android phone and it will relay the data/records of your sleep to the app on your phone which is very convenient.
It also still uses C-flex technology like the past ones for comfort in transitioning from inhaling to exhaling against the airflow pressure.
Features
-
-
- Bluetooth – As mentioned, the data can be relayed to your phone so that you can easily upload it to your email or send it to your doctor easily.
- Optional Humidifier– It has an optional heated tube humidifier that can be purchases separately for those who need a humidifier.
- Auto-Trial and CPAP Check Modes – This is probably the most amazing feature of this unit. You can put the machine into a auto trial mode which is auto adjustment to your breathing much like a APAP machine (NOTE: This is NOT a auto adjustment machine).For a certain period of time it acts as an apap machine to gather data on how you are breathing then switches to CPAP check mode to deliver a constant rate of pressure according to what it detects you need.This is an optional, but awesome, feature and can be turned off completely so that the machine delivers the default pressure if you do not want to use it.
- C-flex – Like the prior machine mentioned above, this also uses C-flex technology to help with exhaling as the air flow is coming in.
- System One Resistance Control – This feature was designed by Phillips to help get the optimal pressure for their CPAP masks. This feature is only good to use if you also have a Phillips Respironics mask. If you do, you can get data and even more comfort out of your machine and mask.
-
This is also a jam packed machine with all the different features you get for the money ($280). As you can see, the more money you are willing to spend, the more features you will get.
The PR System One makes the “best” list because it goes over the top in features while still being in the affordable cpap machine cost range for many people.
There is also an APAP machine offered in this same model.
Airsense 10 CPAP Machine with HumidAir Heated Humidifier
This is a top of the line cpap machine and to get this kind of quality and features, you are going to have to pay for it($450). The Airsense 10 CPAP is so costly because of all the features it has.
Mainly, because the awesome autoset feature that will automatically do lots of things that you don’t have to anymore, such as turning the unit on or off.
Features
-
-
- Autoset – Lets go ahead and talk about the best thing about this sleep machine. It should be called the lazy machine due to you don’t have to do nothing but put your mask on and lay down at night.You do not have to turn it on as it senses when the mask is on and you don’t have to turn it off for the same reason. It also automatically senses when you are asleep and once it does, it can turn the pressure up.This is optional of course. It also has an auto light sensor for the display so it will not blind you at night. So, speaking in ease of use, this machine tops the charts in that area.
- Humidifier – It comes with a humidifier that can be used optionally with 9 different levels of humidity
- LED Display – It has a sleek LED display that shows all types of therapy data and will even tell you if the mask is not put on properly.
- Expiratory Pressure Relief (EPR) – Like some of the other machines, this also has exhaled air relief. It detects how you are exhaling and adjusts the pressure to make it more comfortable to breathe out.
- Wifi – It has a wifi connection so that you can easily transfer the data over the internet to any of your devices.
- SD Slot – It also comes with a SD card and slot so that you can record any data you like and easily transfer to any pc with a sd card slot.
- 2 Year Warranty – Resmed knows you paid quite a bit for this unit and they offer a 2 year warranty to back your purchase
-
It is fairly evident why this machine makes the “best” list. It has just about anything you can think of on a sleep machine (even the appearance is top notch!). Of course, all these fancy features come at a much higher price, but if you like luxury, this is about as luxury as it gets. Resmed also makes an APAP machine in this same model.
IntelliPAP Standard Travel CPAP Machine
This machine comes with many highlights with the main ones being durability and it being one of the best portable machines on the market. DeVilbiss has been around quite a while and they know how to make a machine that can stand the test of time.
If you are looking for the “Toyota”(Toyota’s last, we know that!) of cpap machines, this may be a great fit for you.
Features
-
-
- Warranty – Just to prove that DeVilbiss is confident in their product, they offer an amazing 5 year warranty on this product. This speaks volumes about the quality of pride they take in the IntelliPAP.
- Durable – They build this unit super tough for travel, no matter where you may go. It is water resistant. Lets say that again. It is water resistant. This feature alone will sell to many outdoorsy types of people.It has a stainless steel heat transfer plate. Also has a water chamber built of Lexan for an optional humidifier. The chamber is designed for a full 8 hours sleep even with the humidifier setting turned to the highest setting (8).
- Data – Stores therapy up to 90 days and up to 3 years of usage data. This data can be stored to an SD card.
- Altitude – It has an automatic altitude adjustment like the other machines
- Ramp – It has a ramp feature like the others that can slowly increase the pressure as you fall asleep.
- LCD – Has a backlit lcd display that has an easy to follow menu that also will show you remind alerts.
- Quiet – One of the quietest machines on the market. Users rave about this machine being extremely quiet.
- Portable – Can be used with backup batteries and is small., compact, and durable to make mobility a huge feature of this machine.
-
This machine makes the “best” list due to it’s durability and warranty that backs the product. This is one of, if not the, toughest cpap machines available. If you are looking for a sleep machine that will last you for many years to come, then this machine is definitely for you.
This IntelliPAP unit is also made as an APAP machine if you need APAP capabilities.
(New) DreamStation Auto 500
We had to add this one (yes, we know it is number 7) just because it has recently been a very popular choice The Dreamstation Auto 500 is a auto adjusting machine and probably the best for the price.
It is small, light, quiet, and very elegant similar to the Airsense (has the nice display).
It also had a sd card slot for saving your sleep info, bluetooth capabilities and an app called dreammapper to help monitor and give you data on your sleep even more.
The best thing is it is way cheaper and has optional humidifier capabilities as well.
The Dreamstation Auto 500 is definitely worth your look if you are into having a nice, sleek, great working apap machine at a great price.
Summing It Up
We told you there is no such thing as a one best cpap machine and hopefully after reading the features of all these awesome units, you will see why we said that.
It was very difficult narrowing down the selection to the best 6, but all these above are definitely at the top of their game in different areas.
The way you can narrow down your choice between these is fairly simple. What feature is most important to you and suits you for your sleep life? Is it basic and low cost? Is it luxury with all the bells and whistles? Is it dependability and durability? Is it portable and mobility?
These are questions that only you can answer and once you answer those, the choice should be simple.
We hope we didn’t overwhelm you, but trust us, there are way too many cpap machines out there and we narrowed it down to just 6! There are definitely some more out there that could compete with these and arguably be just as good, or better ,depending on the person.
We didn’t want to add 4 more and make it 10 just because that is a lot to read and take in for a single article.
Good luck on your CPAP machine choice. You will be fine!
