Okay, I'm going to help you out with this one:
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My floor fan in my bedroom removes allergens from the environment because dust sticks to the fan blades, but that doesn't make it a useful air cleaner.
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(I'd like to make it clear, I agree with the statement above, and how it relates to the Ionic Breeze.)
That's from a review at epinions.com.
I found these pages of reviews for you.
Ionic Breeze 1
Ionic Breeze 2
Another quote for you:
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One standard that is used to compare how effective an air purifier is, is the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) certified by the AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers). The higher the CADR, the more particles are removed from the air in a given time. If you ask Sharper Image what its CADR for the Ionic Breeze is, they will not provide it. They will likely reply that CADR is an unfair measurement and does not apply to the Ionic Breeze. Simply, they have not been certified by the AHAM.
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I've read a few reviews on this bugger, all from where I've linked to on Epinions.
From what I'm reading, if you want it believe it works, you will. You will base all your evidence on the fact that the dust is visable on the blades you have to spend mucho time cleaning.
The unit seems to genuinely generate Ozone. Ozone is one hell of an oxidizer, it will make smells go away. I believe, myself, that this unit will help with smells, not because of any filter effectiveness, but because it releases ozone. Fairly simple.
Dust sticks to things, we know this. If I stuck a ten-dollar fan in the homes of 90% of these reviewers, I think they'd think it was a fucking miracle cleaner. Every review I read, over and over, bases all evidence of it working on the fact that the blades get dirty. Well, no shit. My TV screen catches dust too.
I gather it is quiet. I gather it moves a tiny amount of air. I don't care how effective it is; and I don't believe it is at all. But, that nonwithstanding, if you read up on air cleaners, you find that to seriously clean the air in a room, you have to turn the air in that room over (filter ALL of it) several times an hour. This is because you're house is not air tight, and it's continiously being filled with dust. Literally, as soon as you get the dust out, more is being introduced. To effectively filter a home, you'd be looking at a whole house filter on the HVAC unit, and HEPA or ULPA filters in EACH room, all running continously. Most people are just looking to do one room. You still have a lot of cubic feet of air to filter. The Ionic Breeze slowly wafts a few cubic feet through itself. Numbers? Data? Not provided by the sharper image. You're just supposed to believe it works.
There are filters out there that are certifed to work. There is no guesswork, there is an organization that sets standards. The filters are tested to meet the standards. How well they meet the standard, and an explaination of that standard, are published. HEPA is the name of that. The Ionic Breeze is not certified to do shit. You're just supposed to believe. If you do, more power to you.
I have 2 HEPA air filters. Over 4 years I'll spend more on them then the Ionic Breeze. But, I'll have clean air, and I don't have to clean the damn things every week.
Your call.
About.com
Has some pretty handy information on how to buy an air cleaner.
Best thing I can tell you to keep in mind is this: Buy the biggest damn filter you can afford, with the highest efficiency.
1) Air cleaners are rated with the fan on "Hi." Most people run them at "low" or roughly 1/4 speed. Obviously, this affects how well it cleans. Don't blame the filter if it's rated to clean your room at max speed and you run it at 1/4 that.
2)Just don't buy a cheap POS, okay? You get what you pay for with these things.
(OH, and by the way, Operating rooms, bilogical labs, etc, they don't use anything REMOTELY resebling and Ionic POS. They use HEPA and/or ULPA filters. That might mean something.)
*EDIT*
Well, shit, you already bought one. Don't I feel silly.
Sorry about your luck pal.