Deciding on a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) can feel tricky since many similar units are on the market. If you’re considering a POC and looking for one that’s lightweight and easy to travel with, two units to consider are the Inogen One G4 and the Caire Freestyle Comfort.
Let’s compare these two units to see which one suits your needs.
Inogen One G4 Vs. CAIRE Freestyle Comfort: What’s the difference?
Weight and Size
At first glance, the most noticeable differences between these two POCs are the size and weight. Although both units are portable, small, and lightweight, the Inogen One G4 beats the Freestyle Comfort when it comes to its size.
CAIRE Freestyle Comfort
Although the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort weighs a little more than the Inogen One G4, it’s still one of the lightest units you can buy. This unit weighs five pounds with the small battery and six pounds with the larger battery. The dimensions are 10″ high x 7.3″ wide x 3.1 ” deep with the small battery. When switching to the large battery, the unit becomes 11 inches high.
Inogen One G4
Weighing only 2.8 pounds, the Inogen One G4 is the smallest and lightest unit made by Inogen and is almost two pounds lighter than Caire’s Freestyle Comfort. The dimensions are 7.2″ high x 2.68″ wide x 5.91″ long, smaller than the Freestyle Comfort.
Oxygen Flow Settings and Output
Both of these POCs offer pulse dose oxygen only, not continuous flow. If you have higher oxygen demands, you might consider the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort over the Inogen One G4 since it offers more increased oxygen flow and output. Let’s compare the oxygen flow settings and output on these two units.
CAIRE Freestyle Comfort
The Freestyle Comfort offers up to a flow setting of five, so this unit is more suitable for those with higher oxygen demands. The maximum oxygen output is larger than the Inogen unit, reaching 1,050 ml per minute, or 1.05 liters per minute on intermittent pulse flow.
Inogen One G4
The Inogen One G4 offers flow settings of 1 to 3. Its maximum oxygen output is 630 ml per minute, which is 0.63 liters per minute on intermittent pulse flow.
Battery Life and Recharging Times
CAIRE Freestyle Comfort
At a flow setting of one, a small 8-cell battery lasts about eight hours and up to 16 hours with the larger 16-cell battery. Get up to four hours of battery life at the highest flow setting with the larger battery.
The smaller battery takes about 3.5 hours to recharge fully, and the large battery about 6 hours. Charging times apply to using both AC and DC power sources.
Inogen One G4
The G4 lasts for about five hours on a setting of one with a double battery, and in this case, the double battery comes with the package. With a single battery, the unit lasts up to 2 hours 40 minutes.
The single battery takes approximately 3.25 hours with AC or DC power to recharge fully, and the double battery takes approximately 6 hours.
Comfort vs. Inogen G4 Comparison Video
Accessories Included
This unit comes with the following:
- The unit
- One battery
- Carrying bag
- AC and DC power supply
- Nasal cannula
- User manual
- 3 year manufacturer’s warranty on unit and sieve beds
- 90 day manufacturer’s warranty on accessories
An external battery charger and backpack is available for purchase but not included with the package.
Included in the package, you’ll get:
- The unit
- One battery
- Carry bag
- Carry strap
- AC and DC power supply
- Nasal cannula
- User manual
- 3 year warranty on unit
- 90 day manufacturer’s warranty on accessories
An external battery charger, hip bag, and backpack is available for purchase but not included with the package.
Technology
Each of these POCs offers benefits using their manufacturer’s technology. Let’s take a look at what each manufacturer has to offer.
CAIRE Freestyle Comfort
The Freestyle Comfort offers CAIRE’s UltraSense technology. This technology titrates oxygen to meet your needs, whether you’re sleeping, doing housework, or exercising. This technology titrates oxygen delivery to your respiratory rate, whether it increases or decreases, and also delivers a breath when there isn’t one detected. CAIRE’s MyCAIRE offers telehealth to patients, improving efficiency and oxygen patient care.
Inogen One G4
This unit offers Inogen’s Intelligent Delivery Technology, ensuring oxygen delivery within the first 400 milliseconds of inhalation, the time during your breath that oxygen has the most significant impact on gas exchange in the lungs. This unit can quickly detect your breath and deliver oxygen during this crucial time.
Another technology Inogen offers is the Inogen Connect app. Inogen Connect is a Bluetooth mobile app that allows you to monitor your oxygen concentrator through your Smartphone. The app enables you to monitor your battery life, guides you through troubleshooting, and offers many other benefits to its users.
Design
One difference between these two units is the design. The Inogen One G4 is smaller than the Freestyle Comfort and has a box-like shape. However, the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort is slightly larger than the Inogen One G4 but designed with a curved shape, so it hugs your body while wearing it.
Side-by-Side Unit Comparison
6 pounds with the 16 cell battery
3.3 with double battery
16 cell battery: Up to 8 hours on setting of 2
Double battery: Up to 4 hours, 30 minutes on setting of 2
CAIRE Freestyle Comfort vs Inogen One G4: Which One is For You?
Before deciding on which unit you’ll get, compare these two POCs with your needs in mind. These units are both suitable for someone who likes to travel or stays active. They’re both lightweight and portable. If you have higher oxygen demands, you might consider the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort over the Inogen One G4. If your flow setting is less than three and you prefer the lightest POC, the Inogen One G4 might be for you.
Have more questions about these units?
- Call Us at 877.774.9271
- View our Portable Concentrator Buying Guide
- Download our Guide to Oxygen Therapy and Oxygen Concentrators
Updated: January 23, 2024
Published: March 11, 2022
Kristina Diaz, RRT, is a health writer and registered respiratory therapist with over a decade of emergency and critical care experience. She earned respiratory care and journalism degrees in Michigan, where she was born and raised. She now resides in Florida, where she works as a full-time freelance writer and part-time respiratory therapist.
Kristina began her respiratory career in 2011 in Saginaw, Michigan. She now works in Lakeland, Florida, in one of the busiest emergency departments in the nation, treating people with various lung conditions, like COPD, asthma, and sleep apnea, among others. She maintains her Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification and is a member of the trauma team at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. Her favorite part of being a respiratory therapist is providing relief to people struggling to breathe.
Kristina began freelance health writing in 2014, and her work is published on multiple websites, including Philips Respironics, the American Sleep Association, the Sleep Doctor, and more. She writes about lung health, sleep disorders, nutrition, and other health-related topics. Since she was a child, she’s always wanted to write, and now she gets to combine her passion for writing with the knowledge obtained from her respiratory career.
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Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
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Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
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Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
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Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
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