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To survive and thrive, you need a certain amount of oxygen-rich blood to flow from your lungs to the rest of your body. In fact, most people need a blood oxygen saturation level of at least 89% to keep their cells healthy. But lung conditions, such as asthma, lung cancer, the flu, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or complications from COVID-19, can cause oxygen in blood to fall below normal levels.

An oxygen concentrator can help you breathe easier by supplying extra oxygen, and Inogen is a leading manufacturer and supplier of oxygen concentrators. Here’s what to expect from an Inogen oxygen concentrator, depending on the model you choose.

What we don’t like:

A market leader in portable oxygen concentrators, Inogen was founded in 2001 by Alison Bauerlein, Brenton Taylor and Bryron Myers, three University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) graduates who received first place honors for the company idea at a business plan competition sponsored by the UCSB’s Technology Management Program.

Inspired by Mae, a grandmother with COPD who complained about the restrictiveness of oxygen therapy—which required switching tanks and carrying extra oxygen bottles—the company was founded to help oxygen-dependent patients lead healthier, more active lives.

Unlike traditional compressed gas cylinders (tanks filled with oxygen), oxygen concentrators provide a safe source of oxygen-enriched air using room air, which is a mixture of 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen. An oxygen concentrator draws room air into a cylinder that filters dust, bacteria and other air particles and absorbs nitrogen, which results in concentrated oxygen (90% or higher).

There are two types of oxygen concentrators: portable and stationary. Portable models typically use pulse mode delivery in which oxygen is delivered when the user begins to take a breath. Meanwhile, stationary models feature a continuous flow of oxygen.

Inogen currently offers three portable oxygen concentrator products—the Inogen One G3, G4 and G5—and one stationary model called Inogen at Home. Below is a summary of their key features.

Splurge on the double battery for the Inogen One models if you want more flexibility with your time away from home. A double battery can keep an Inogen portable oxygen concentrator running throughout the duration of a baseball game, according to the company.

The Inogen One G3, G4 and G5 portable oxygen concentrator models include a battery, AC/DC power cables, a carry (shoulder) strap and a protective bag for the device. The devices require a nasal cannula to deliver oxygen. Your health insurance benefits may include a free supply of nasal cannulas, so check your policy to make sure.

A carry backpack and cart are also available for the portable models.

An external battery charger is available as well, which allows you to charge multiple single and double batteries at once.

Medicare covers up to 80% of the cost of renting an Inogen One G3 oxygen concentrator. Inogen oxygen concentrators may also be covered by private insurance plans, so check your policy for more details. If you’re not eligible for Medicare or your health insurance plan doesn’t cover Inogen oxygen concentrators, they’re available for purchase, too. Financing is available through the company.

Inogen offers both a 3-year and lifetime warranty on its oxygen concentrators. Warranties vary from 30 days to one year on parts and accessories. Discounts are available at various times throughout the year, such as during the holiday season.

The G4 and G5 systems also come with a 30-day risk-free trial. Free shipping offers apply to purchases only.

“With an oxygen concentrator, reliability is key, and the Inogen machines are some of the best available,” says Conor O’Flynn, the operations manager at medical supply company O’Flynn Medical. “This sentiment is shared across the different models—the At Home, the G3, the G4 and the G5. Their portable options are the best a person can get today,” he says.

“The G3 is probably the most popular portable option due to its lightweight structure, multiple flow settings, impressive 10-hour battery life and, perhaps most importantly, its FAA approval. It’s miles ahead of the competitors,” says O’Flynn. “However, the newer G5 model gives you all the bells and whistles of the G3 and improves upon them, including more flow settings and longer battery life, and it weighs less than the previous model.”

Several customers mentioned problems with delivery and/or customer service in their review on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. One person wrote, “On January 26, 2022, I contacted the salesperson with Inogen, Inc. to get the price of their POC and its availability. The price seemed reasonable, and the salesperson provided assurance that the equipment would arrive by Friday, January 28, 2022…but unfortunately, when we received the email for the delivery, the date planned was February 1, 2022.”

Another reviewer wrote, “Worst customer service ever. [I] placed an order on behalf [of] a loved one and have not received any contact on behalf [of] the company. I called multiple times and was not able to reach any resolution on the status of the order.”

Keep in mind that when purchasing or renting an Inogen oxygen concentrator, you can purchase directly from Inogen or through an authorized Inogen internet reseller, which are listed on the company’s website.

Many customers are happy with Inogen products. On Portable Oxygen Solutions, a supplier of various brands of oxygen concentrators including Inogen, one customer wrote, “I am impressed with how small my new G4 really is. I guess it only weighs about 3 to 4 pounds. I am able to carry the G4 anywhere I go, and that’s very nice and a big difference from the tanks I had.”

You should purchase or rent an Inogen oxygen concentrator if your health care provider prescribes one for you based on your health status. Not getting enough oxygen could lead to damage of the heart, brain and other organs. Your health care provider can determine how much supplemental oxygen you need and for how long.

If you want to travel or just go outside with your supplemental oxygen supply, the portable Inogen One G5 Inogen oxygen concentrator offers the best bang for your buck. It offers a mix of innovative features, including six oxygen flow settings and up to 13 hours of use on a double battery. It weighs just 5.7 pounds and is FAA-approved for airplane use. The only catch: This model may not be covered by insurance, so check your policy carefully.

Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional.

Forbes Health adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers.

Sandra Gordon is a journalist specializing in health and medicine for consumers and healthcare providers. Her work has appeared in major magazines and websites, including Prevention, Parents, Medical Economics, Healthgrades, Everyday Health and WebMD. Gordon is also the author of 10 books, including LIVEr: My Journey of Transplant Survival, a medical memoir written for John Hoffman who, in 1983, was among the first infants in the U.S. to receive a liver transplant when the field of liver transplantation itself was in its infancy. For more about Gordon, visit SandraJGordon.com.

Alena is a professional writer, editor and manager with a lifelong passion for helping others live well. She is also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a functional medicine certified health coach. She brings more than a decade of media experience to Forbes Health, with a keen focus on building content strategy, ensuring top content quality and empowering readers to make the best health and wellness decisions for themselves.