ResMed AirMini AutoSet Travel CPAP

In this post, I wanted to go through my initial experience and thoughts of owning a ResMed AirMini AutoSet Travel CPAP.

I’ll go through the unboxing, the differences between owning a regular and a mini, and whether I think it would be a good purchase for you.

I’ve had a regular bedside CPAP machine for about 5 years now. Two years ago I took it with me on a trip to Europe, and it was a bit much to carry around, and I couldn’t use it on the plane because obviously it’s bulky and it needs somewhere to plug it in.

So for my next adventure, I decided it was time to buy a ResMed mini CPAP travel machine, together with a battery pack.

As you can see below, it looks pretty neat.

Getting Started

As you can see, it’s nicely boxed, and as I opened it, it was easy to see how everything plugs together.

To give you some sense of size, here is the mini CPAP machine in my hand.

How does a mini CPAP work?

The CPAP mini is a small version of a regular CPAP machine with two components missing – The humidifier tray and the display panel.

The humidifier is replaced by this little clip-on filter which needs to be changed about once a month.

And the display is replaced by a nice-looking app.

This was after my third night of usage. It took a little getting used to, which I’ll cover below.

First thoughts using the mini CPAP

All the components come with thick instruction books because they are medical devices.

But it’s simple to assemble. You plug the power lead into the machine on one end, and the hose on the other.

Getting that filter to clip on was a bit tricky. I turned it around and around, trying to get it to clip in place. Then I realized it had a L and a R on it. Doh!

The first time I used the mini, it was obvious that this machine was louder than the normal type. Not a lot louder but it’s noticeable. This is because being smaller, it doesn’t have the padding like the regular one. Having that extra filter makes the air flow noise louder.

The first night was spent getting used to it, but by the third, I achieved the impressive 99% score shown above. 3.7 events per hour is very impressive when you consider without it, I was 60 events per hour.

A major noticeable difference I found between my Travel Mini and my regular bedside ResMed 10 is the noise. It is distincively louder. This is because of the filter you have to put in the mouth piece breaks up the airflow causing the noise.

Long Haul Flight

This is why I bought this machine. It was to do the long-haul flight between Singapore and London which is between 12 and 13 hours.

OK, I’ll admit, I’m pretending to be asleep here for the purposes of taking this photo, but I was really impressed. I mentioned above that the mini is a bit noisy but this was drowned out by the background nose of the plane, and I got a nice sleep after I took this picture.

This was a game changer for me. I’ve always been acutely aware of my terrible snoring and it has held me back in the past from camping, and hostelling, and generally travelling. I think this neat little device will open up all whole new world for you too.

I think an obvious question would be if you should consider buying a mini CPAP travel machine as your only CPAP machine. I would recommend not to. I know it’s a luxury having both, but the regular bedside type is far better for day-to-day usage. It’s much quieter and I find it more comforting. It sounds a bit weird but it’s like a pacifier to me, and I now find it hard to sleep without it.

If you have any questions about the Travel Mini or its usage, please comment below.

Please remember, that I am not a health professional or remotely qualified in any way to diagnose your issues, but I’m here to offer you some friendly advice.