“5 LPM” and “10 LPM” are the maximum continuous flows a home oxygen concentrator is rated for. The choice isn’t about better or worse. It’s about whether the machine can deliver the flow your clinician prescribed, with headroom if your needs are expected to rise.
The rule: match the prescription
A home concentrator must deliver your prescribed flow continuously, often all night. If your prescription is up to 5 LPM, a 5 LPM unit does the job and is lighter, quieter and cheaper. Above 5 LPM, a 5 LPM unit can’t meet it, and you need a 10 LPM unit. Don’t change your flow without your clinician. Drive DeVilbiss’s own manual says: “Do not increase or decrease the flow of oxygen – consult your physician” (1025DS guide).
Published specs, side by side
| Model | Class | US price (retailer) | Flow range | Weight | Sound | Power | Outlet pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nidek Nuvo Lite 5 | 5 LPM | $737.60 (Vitality Medical) | up to 5 LPM | 13.6 kg (30 lb) | 40 dB | 290 W | 5.5 psi |
| DeVilbiss 5 LPM (525DS) | 5 LPM | $749 (Medex Supply) | up to 5 LPM | 16.3 kg (36 lb) | 48 dB | 310 W | 8.5 psi |
| CAIRE Companion 5 | 5 LPM | $995 (DME Supply USA) | 0.5–5.0 LPM | 36 lb | 50 dB at 2 LPM | Not listed | Not listed |
| CAIRE NewLife Intensity 10 | 10 LPM | $1,299 (Vitality Medical) | 2.0–10.0 LPM | 58 lb (26.3 kg) | 58 dB(A) | 600 W | 20 psig |
| Drive DeVilbiss 10 L (1025DS) | 10 LPM | $1,399 (The CPAP Shop) | 2–10 LPM | 42 lb (19 kg) | under 59 dBA at 3 and 10 LPM | 639 W average | 20.0 ± 1.0 psi |
Prices are listed cash prices on 13 October 2026, before tax and shipping. The Intensity 10 price is the retailer’s sale price for the dual-flowmeter configuration with oxygen monitor. Specs come from each manufacturer’s documentation (CAIRE Intensity 10 cut sheet, DeVilbiss 1025DS guide). The Companion 5 figures are the retailer’s. HHZ didn’t measure any of them. The 1025DS figures are for the 120 V model.
What you give up with 10 LPM
- Weight. The lightest 10 LPM unit here (42 lb) outweighs every 5 LPM unit in the table.
- Electricity. Published draw roughly doubles: 600–639 W against 290–310 W for the 5 LPM units that list it. That shows up on your electric bill if the unit runs around the clock.
- Noise. About 58–59 dB published, against 40–50 dB.
- Low-flow range. Both 10 LPM units start at 2 LPM. At 2 LPM, DeVilbiss’s purity table for the 1025DS shows 87%–94%.
What you gain
- Headroom for prescriptions above 5 LPM.
- Outlet pressure. Both 10 LPM units publish 20 psi, which helps with long tubing. CAIRE lists up to 200 ft for the Intensity 10.
- Dual flowmeters. The Intensity 10 is offered with dual flowmeters (Vitality Medical). Use them only as your clinician directs.
Medicare and high flow
Medicare covers home oxygen when you meet LCD L33797. It pays a higher stationary allowance for flow above 4 LPM only if the qualifying blood gas study was done while you were on at least 4 LPM. If your prescription is going up, make sure that test is done. Under the rental model the supplier provides equipment that meets your prescription, and medicare.gov says the supplier can’t change your equipment type without your doctor’s order. More in Medicare home oxygen coverage.
Verdict
If your prescription is 5 LPM or less and isn’t expected to rise, buy a 5 LPM unit: it’s lighter, quieter, cheaper to buy and cheaper to run (home concentrator guide). If you need more than 5 LPM, buy a 10 LPM unit. The Drive DeVilbiss 1025DS is the lighter one at 42 lb. The CAIRE NewLife Intensity 10 was cheaper on the day we checked, at its sale price. Neither replaces a portable unit for leaving the house (portable concentrators).
Running costs
See oxygen concentrator electricity cost for monthly costs by state.
Model reviews: CAIRE Companion 5 (5 LPM), DeVilbiss 1025DS and NewLife Intensity 10 (10 LPM).