This guide contains:

Background on portable oxygen
Features to look for in portable oxygen services
How to find the best portable oxygen for you

This independent guide was created to help you understand the basics of buying portable oxygens and to help you choose the right portable oxygen supplier for you. We do not sell any portable oxygen ourselves, so you can be confident that all of the information in this guide is independent and unbiased.

Background on portable oxygens
Regardless of if you need portable oxygen for yourself or a loved one for medical purposes, in the cockpit of a small plane, while hiking or skiing in the mountains, or for emergencies, buying portable oxygen doesn't require running across town to visit medical supply stores anymore. You can now get just about whatever portable oxygen and accessories you want for any use online. But, there are some differences among online portable oxygen stores and some things to pay particular attention to when comparing portable oxygen products and the sites that sell portable oxygen online.

Features to look for in portable oxygen products
If you think that searching online for portable oxygen would fit your needs, there are a few things to look for when shopping for the right portable oxygen supplies and accessories for you. Many portable oxygen supplies are sold as a complete system, but you can always customize your own system. Here are some of the key individual components and accessories of portable oxygen systems:

Oxygen tank- the main heart of any portable oxygen system is the tank, and the most popular sizes for portable oxygen tanks range from around 150 liters to around 700 liters. Portable oxygen tanks are typically 1-2' high and weigh between 2-8 pounds (for aluminum- steel oxygen tanks are naturally heavier), although they also do come in both smaller and larger sizes.

Regulator- regulators manage the flow of oxygen from the tank to the mask; most oxygen tanks will be paired with a regulator that matches the fittings on a specific tank. The majority of regulators have gauges to show the fill level of the tank. If you need special flow requirements or a tank that will only work under a certain pressure, make sure to confirm compatibility between the tank and regulator. Most regulators help conserve oxygen by allowing a variable flow so that you only use what you need (vs. a constant flow which emits the same amount of oxygen regardless of the need).

Carrying system- there are a number of ways to carry your portable oxygen system, including wheeled carts for larger systems, shoulder bags, carrying cases, and even fanny packs for the smallest portable oxygen systems.