MABISFacial Steamer, Steam Inhaler, FSA Eligible, Vaporizer or Vocal Steamer with Aromatherapy Diffuser and Soft Face Mask for Cleansing, Sinus Pressure, Congestion, Colds and Cough, 25mL

After a recent bout with allergies and inconsistent results from my Neti pot, I decided to look for other alternatives and thought a personal steamer might do the trick. As I looked for a consensus, I noticed there's a huge price disparity between many of them and all of them seem to have a large cadre of haters who have had bad experiences. After quite a bit of research, I decided on this unit and so far I've been very happy with the results.The MABIS is a pretty simple device. There are two water chambers. The first one is the water that gets heated and I only put distilled water into that. There's a little measuring cup that tells you how much to fill it but I usually put in a bit more which I will explain later. The water in that chamber is pulled through holes in the bottom into another section which then heats it to the point where it turns into steam, and the steam shoots out into the breathing tube. Pretty simple.The second water compartment is essentially a little plastic drawer you slide into the device and it is not heated. Instead a tube pulls the liquid out and shoots it in a fine stream into the steam from the other compartment as it rises. This 1) cools the steam so it isn't as hot, and 2) allows you to use aromatherapy with the steam. I personally only use the salt packets from my neti pot in this water compartment as the negative reviews made me nervous to try anything too fancy. I've had good results thus far. A quick note - the water 'drawer' actually has two sides. The bigger side is the one where you put the 'aromatherapy' laden water. The smaller side is under the drain and catches all the water that doesn't leave the device as steam.CARE AND MAINTENANCE - I've been worried since the beginning that the device would stop working but I've had no issues since I bought it three months ago. I'm probably jinxing myself but I've been doing a couple of things that might help others and I thought I'd share them as it took me a while to figure this out. First, I've seen people put the suction hose down into the drain section of the 'aromatherapy drawer' to get a longer run time. Don't do that! While that will work and it will allow you to run the device longer, I suspect the longer running time puts a strain on the device's heating element beyond its design. The device ships with a measure device for the 'distilled water compartment' and if you use it the two sections empty at about the same time. I stopped using the measuring cup but I think they include it as a reminder so people do not use the device for too long (they might also include it for legal reasons as without the 'aromatherapy water' to cool the steam, the steam hitting your face increases in temperature real quick). I overfill the the 'distilled section' because I had a couple of uses when it heated all the water out of the distilled section and I started to smell burnt plastic. That's never a good sign so I make sure the water in the 'distilled' chamber never runs out (which is why I put a little extra in). Then key is to only use the device for as long as the water from the 'aromatherapy drawer' isn't empty. Once it runs out (about 6-7 minutes) - turn off the device, unplug it, let it cool a bit, pull out the aromatherapy drawer and empty the drainage water. Then open the 'distilled chamber' and carefully pour the very hot water down the drain. The residual heat of the device will cause the rest of the water to evaporate, which should help its longevity as leaving water in an electrical device is never a good idea. I also make sure to allow it to completely cool if I feel the need to use it the same day.Perhaps I'm being overcautious but I've used this device almost daily for three months and been very happy. I can see where I may need to replace the soft plastic mask someday as I can't image it will take the repeated heating and cooling forever. I can see no issues with hard plastic warping that others have reported but even if it broke today I'd know I got my money's worth. This device cost less my last three months of allergy medicine and I think it has helped my sinuses more than pills or my neti pot. While I hope it isn't something that needs constant replacement, it's been well worth the price so far (and I know I've jinxed myself).

Have used this for about a week and am very happy with the purchase. Short of having a prescription nebulizer with prescription medication for it, this vaborizer is an excellent choice for home care of bronchitis, etc. which is what I'm using it for. It's easy to use. There are two reservoirs; one for plain water and another for water/liquid steam medications such as Vicks or Equate generic. The construction materials seem to be appropriate -- nothing feels flimsy or cheap. I think it's a good value purchase. Cleaning is easy. Some commenters has talked about the "mask" that actually fits to your nose/mouth; perhaps it could be a bit larger. Well, I'm not so sure that's a valid complaint. On my first use, I attempted to keep my face/nose tight to the mask. I wouldn't advise that because you'll trap the vapor and make the inhalation too hot. I find it works best when I hold my face as close as possible but not actually touching. You can inhale two different ways: 1) mouth 2) nose. You either hold your nose within the "mask" or your nose above the "mask" with your mouth open. Accordingly you'll either breath in through your nose; out your nose or in through your mouth; out your nose. As you experiment, you'll get the hang of it. Instructions aren't perfect, but you do have a brain that'll figure it out. Without a doubt, I'd make this purchase again. Couple this device with a neti pot and I think you'd have a home nasal/throat/lungs therapy session. It's well worth the money. Only time will tell the longevity of the device. UPDATE: I've been using this for three years now, and my review hasn't changed. I have no problem with it's durability. It works!! I only use it when I feel a bout of bronchitis coming on. Some complaints talk about it getting too hot; come on!; it has to be hot to generate steam; steam is hot; I merely move my mouth/nose a quarter inch away and the problem is solved. Some have complained about water condensation where they don't think it should exist; come on!; steam condenses into water; water is fluid; when finished with my treatment I merely have a hand towel available into which I turn the unit upside down and let it rest there until the unit dries. Take the collection tray out before you do that and dump it down the drain. Durability? So far, so good for me. So, if it breaks, take a look at the price and buy another because you'll not find a better, inexpensive unit than this one. I call it a best buy.UPDATE #2: Bought in 2019 and it's now 12/2024. The little orange LED light indicating it's turned on stopped working. Now, I have to be careful with the on/off rotating click in-line switch to be sure whether it's on/off. Unit still works in every way otherwise. I've examined the case carefully and can't find any way to disassemble to get at the LED and doubt it would be a convenient fix anyway. Well past warranty and know a contact with customer service would likely be frustrating. I still must say this steamer is great to use. I like it. Seasonal weather changes, being on vacation with humidity changes, almost always leaves me with an onset of bronchitis. This little unit, along with a Pulmicort inhaler, and Flonase saves me from prolonged weeks of discomfort. Be careful with keeping it clean. My doctor leaves me on my own without a recommendation because he is concerned about breathing in contaminated steam. I clean the unit and boil the water to make a saline solution for use.