Everyone knows that Amazon is the Largest Ecommerce site in the world with the largest about of products. So they must sell CPAP machines, correct? Unfortunately, Amazon does NOT sell CPAP machines. CPAPs are medical devices that require a prescription and are usually sold by DME (Durable Medical Equipment) companies.
However, from time to time you see a CPAP, APAP, or other PAPs listed on Amazon. This will usually be an off brand CPAP you have never heard of before and probably sold by a third party seller and not Amazon themselves. The seller probably listed it and sneaked it through Amazon’s protocols and got it listed without Amazon catching it.
But Amazon’s website is quite sophisticated, so pretty quick either an Amazon employee or their automatic tracking system will catch the listing and delete it. They will probably also suspend the sellers account, probably permanently.
But just because you can buy a CPAP or BIPAP machine on Amazon, doesn’t mean you can’t buy the accessories. There are plenty of CPAP supplies you can still buy on Amazon (and save some money)
Can you buy CPAP supplies on Amazon?
Most CPAP Supplies you are able to buy on Amazon without any issues and don’t need a prescription like you would for the CPAP itself. A lot of times this could be cheaper than going through a DME company or your insurance (unless your insurance pays for everything and extra).
Another benefit to ordering on amazon is if you are a prime member you get free 2 day delivery on eligible items.
Here are some of the best supplies you can buy on Amazon with examples. For the purpose of this article, I will use examples that would go with my Philips Respironics Dreamstation BIPAP. But you can also find Options for Resmed models as well when you search amazon.
Filters:
Filters are one of the best things to order through Amazon. They work just as good as the ones you would get from a DME company and they are often much cheaper.
In the example HERE, this set comes as a 24 pack. It comes with 4 of the main filters (the ones you can wash) and 20 of the disposable ones. This is a set that would last quite a long time and they are universal to all the Philips Dreamstation devices. I have used these ones in the past without any issues.
This next example is the one I currently order for myself now because I get the most bang for my buck. But I wanted to explain it to you so you understand more about what you are getting, because there is a slight difference.
This comes with:
4 main plastic holders (just the thick blue part that holds the white filters)
4 small plastic holders (just the light blue plastic part that holds the disposable white filters)
26 main white filters (the white filters themselves)
26 of the disposable filters (the white filters themselves)
So they are essentially the same type of filters. But the difference is, you get extras of the white filters and you can replace them on the blue plastic pieces. This essentially gives you 26 of each filter! this is pretty sweet, but if you don’t understand what you are ordering, you could be disappointed.
In the picture below you can see a visual example of what I mean:
From that picture, you can see how it works. But if you order it without understanding that, you could be disappointed or confused when you open up your package. It may not be for everyone, but I love it because I get more out of it. This is the one I order now, because it is the best value and they work no different than the other filters out there.
CPAP Tubing
CPAP Tubing is a super easy thing to find on amazon. And the best part it is (mostly) universal across all makes and models. So it won’t be a problem to find tubing for your machine.
Really, the only thing you will be looking for is the length that matches what you are looking for. Most will come in 6 feet and then some in 8 feet. There will be select other lengths available, but 6 and 8 are pretty standard. There might be few different color options like this one that has a black option that you don’t normally see.
Of course, the color means nothing for the quality of the tubing. But some people might find color options appealing. You may also use CPAP tubing covers to “decorate” the tubing to colors you like or match your bedspread. And example of a tubing cover would be like this blue one here.
The only other thing you would look for is price to see what is the best deal. Sometimes they can come in 2 packs to save money. The prices are always changing with different sellers, so you would have to search to see what is available. But for the most part, you will see that they are usually not more than a couple dollars apart.
CPAP Cords and Power Supply
Ever lose your cord and power supply to a perfectly good CPAP? Even though CPAPs tend to stay in one place, there comes a time when either a move, vacation, or just rearranging the house, the cord and power supply get lost or go missing.
So a couple things about buying power supplies for you CPAP on Amazon. First of all, there will some options. In some cases, it will come with both the power supply and the cords. The power supply is that little black box that attaches to the middle of the cord transferring AC to DC power. For example, here is a listing on Amazon that has both the cord and power supply.
And in comparison, here is a listing with just the cord so you can see the difference. Some people might find a really cheap deal for a cord on Amazon and not realize it doesn’t come with the power supply. So this is important to know.
I am one of the few that has probable needed to order the cord without the supply. I had a pet nibble on the cord damaging it. The power supply was fine, so I just replaced the cord. Thankfully no pets were hurt.
Another tip, when searching on Amazon for it, “CPAP cord” is the best to search under. If you search by “CPAP Power Supply” you will be getting a lot of portable power units to power CPAPs on the go. They are obviously useful, and if you are looking for that, then great. But if you are needing the cord that plugs into your wall and powers the CPAP, then it won’t be useful to you.
CPAP Water Chambers
Ah, yes. Those clear water chambers that sit in our humidifiers holding water. These can often be hard to clean, can break easily, and insurance doesn’t replace them as often as I think they should. These are very brand specific, so you want to make sure if they fit for the Dream Station or the Resmed devices.
The prices aren’t as cost saving as compared to the other supplies on this list. But you can still get some good deals. This is one I have ordered in the past when mine cracked one day. I needed a replacement ASAP and grabbed the cheapest one with Prime and saved me.
Conclusion:
You may not be able to buy CPAP machines on Amazon. But you can save a lot of money and hassle buying supplies for your CPAP on Amazon and does not require a prescription. Take a look through what they have available and see what you can save compared to a regular DME company.