A portable oxygen concentrator is a big purchase - which is exactly why so many people default to renting one first. But once you line up the real weekly rental bills against the one-off cost of owning a machine outright, the maths (and the hygiene case) tips heavily toward buying. Here's the honest breakdown.

Renting looks cheap on day one - then the invoices keep coming

Portable oxygen concentrator rentals in Australia typically run somewhere between $70 and $190 a week depending on the provider, the model, and whether insurance and delivery are bundled in. Weekly rates around $115-$150 are common for a mid-range portable unit like an Inogen-class device, once insurance is added. That sounds manageable - until you multiply it out.

Where the breakeven actually lands

Below is a simple side-by-side using an average weekly rental rate against a real, mid-priced portable unit we sell. The rent line keeps climbing every single week for as long as you need oxygen. The buy line is one payment, then flat - forever.

Illustrative only, based on a $130/week average rental rate and the Inogen One Rove 6 16-cell purchase price. Actual rental and purchase prices vary by provider and model.

Play that forward two or three years - which is the reality for most people managing a chronic respiratory condition - and renting can end up costing two, three, even four times what the machine would have cost to buy outright. With rental, you never stop paying. With ownership, you pay once.

Hygiene: a rental machine has a history you can't see

The part rental companies don't put on the price list: a rented portable concentrator has almost certainly been in someone else's home before it reaches yours - used daily, carried in bags, breathed through for hours a day, then cleaned and sent back out. Reputable rental providers do sanitise units between hires and swap filters, but you're still relying on someone else's process, someone else's schedule, and a machine that's already partway through its working life.

When you buy new, the concentrator has had exactly one owner: you. You control when filters are changed, how it's stored, and who else has ever breathed through it. For a device that's essentially a piece of personal respiratory equipment, that matters - especially for anyone immunocompromised or managing a chronic lung condition where a fresh, unshared machine isn't a nice-to-have.

Ownership means no contracts, no excess, no return-by date

Rental agreements come with terms: minimum hire periods, insurance excess if something's damaged, delivery windows, and a unit that has to go back by a set date - often at the exact moment you need it most, like mid-holiday or mid-flare-up. Buying removes all of that. The machine is yours, on your schedule, for as long as you need it - packed for a flight, left in the car, taken camping, lent to a family member for a weekend - with no rental company to call and no daily hire clock running.

What happens when you no longer need it? Resale is real

One argument for renting is "why buy something I'll only need for a while?" But portable oxygen concentrators hold genuine demand on the secondhand market - through medical equipment resellers, family and carer networks, and marketplaces where people specifically look for used units at a lower entry price than new. If your own oxygen needs change, a well-maintained concentrator you own is an asset you can pass on or sell toward your next piece of equipment. A rental unit that's been returned, on the other hand, has given you nothing back for every dollar paid - it was never yours to begin with.

Buying vs renting, side by side

	Buying	Renting
Upfront cost	One payment, from ~$2,289	Low or $0 upfront
Ongoing cost	None (aside from filters/batteries)	~$70-$190 per week, indefinitely
Cost over 12 months	Purchase price only	Often $5,000-$9,000+
Hygiene / usage history	New, single-owner from day one	Previously used by other hirers
Contract terms	None	Minimum hire periods, insurance excess, return dates
Travel & flexibility	Use anywhere, anytime, no approvals	May need provider sign-off for travel
End of use	Resell or hand down - recover some value	Returned - no residual value

Portable oxygen concentrators available to buy - every budget covered

We only sell portable oxygen concentrators outright - no rental contracts, no hire fees. Here's a spread across the range, from entry-level to premium continuous-flow:

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to buy or rent a portable oxygen concentrator in Australia?

For anything beyond a few months of use, buying is almost always cheaper. Rental rates of roughly $70-$190 a week add up to $5,000-$9,000+ over a year, while most portable concentrators can be bought outright for $2,289-$5,350 as a one-off cost.

How much does portable oxygen concentrator rental cost in Australia?

Weekly rental rates generally range from about $70 up to $190, depending on the provider, the model, and whether insurance and delivery are included.

Can I sell my portable oxygen concentrator later if I don't need it anymore?

Yes. There's an active secondhand market for portable oxygen concentrators through medical equipment resellers and family/carer networks, so a device you own can be resold or handed down once your needs change - unlike a returned rental, which gives you nothing back.

Is a rented oxygen concentrator as clean and hygienic as a new one?

Reputable rental providers do sanitise units between hires, but a rented machine has still been used by other people before you. Buying new means you're the only person who has ever used the device.