AirSense 10 vs AirSense 11: Should You Upgrade?
AirSense 10 vs AirSense 11: Should You Upgrade?
Both are excellent machines, and the AirSense 10 is still doing a fine job for a great many people. Here's what actually changed, which problems the AirSense 11 genuinely solves, and what you'd need to replace if you switch.
Jump to what matters to you.
The short answer.
The AirSense 11 is a better machine to live with. The AirSense 10 is not a worse machine at its job. Which matters more depends on you.
It's worth saying plainly, because a lot of upgrade advice doesn't: a new machine won't fix a mask problem. If your nights are being ruined by leaks, red marks or a dry mouth, the AirSense 11 will deliver the same pressure into the same leaking mask. Those problems are fixed at the mask end — our guide to choosing a full face mask and our replacement schedule are the better place to start.
What the AirSense 11 does change is everything around the therapy: how easy the machine is to use, how much help you get settling in, how it behaves in a dark bedroom, and how your data reaches you. For some people that's a big deal. For others, it's a nice-to-have on a machine that already works.
What actually changed between the two.
Both are ResMed AutoSet machines that adjust pressure automatically within the range your clinician sets. The differences are mostly in how you live with them.
| AirSense 10 | AirSense 11 | |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | Dial and buttons | Full-colour touchscreen |
| Screen at night | Standard display | Ambient light sensor dims the screen and can switch it off |
| Getting started help | User guide and myAir app | Personal Therapy Assistant in myAir: guided set-up, troubleshooting and a "Test Drive" |
| Connectivity | Depends on model | Bluetooth and cellular data transfer to myAir |
| Software updates | Ask your provider | Over the air, downloaded automatically |
| For Her | Separate For Her model | For Her mode built in, switched on in the menu |
| Humidifier | HumidAir (AirSense 10 version) | HumidAir 11 — not interchangeable |
| Heated tube | ClimateLineAir for AirSense 10 | ClimateLineAir 11 only |
| Filters | AirSense 10 filters | Different filters — not interchangeable |
| Power supply | 90 W | 65 W |
| Masks | Any standard CPAP mask | Any standard CPAP mask |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see both machines.
What hasn't changed
The core job. Both machines deliver CPAP therapy, both offer automatic pressure adjustment in their AutoSet versions, and both offer the comfort features most users rely on, such as ramp settings and pressure relief on breathing out. If the AirSense 10 is controlling your sleep apnoea well, the AirSense 11 won't control it noticeably better — it will simply be easier and more pleasant to use.
The change people underestimate
Accessories. The humidifier tub, heated tube, filters and power supply are all different on the AirSense 11. If you've built up spares for an AirSense 10 — a heated tube, a box of filters, a spare tub — they won't carry over. Your masks will. That's worth knowing before you compare prices, because it changes the real cost of switching.
What keeps working, and what you'll need to replace.
Everything that touches your face comes with you. Most things that touch the machine don't.
On a phone, swipe sideways to see both panels.
What's prompting the question?
| If this sounds like you… | What helps | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Your machine is several years old, louder, or showing errors | Check the basics; then replace | Problem 1 |
| You find the dial and menus confusing | AirSense 11 touchscreen | Problem 2 |
| You're new to CPAP or can't get comfortable falling asleep | AirSense 11 Personal Therapy Assistant | Problem 3 |
| The screen light disturbs you or your partner | AirSense 11 ambient light sensor | Problem 4 |
| Water in the hose, or a dry nose | A matched humidifier and heated tube — on either machine | Problem 5 |
| You want your data without fuss | AirSense 11 connectivity | Problem 6 |
| You need a reliable machine at the lowest cost | AirSense 10 | Problem 7 |
Your machine is getting old, louder, or throwing errors.
It hums more than it used to. It's showing messages you don't recognise. Or it's simply been running every night for years, and you're wondering how long it has left.
Precautions first — before you spend anything
Change the filter. It's the cheapest fix in CPAP and the commonest cause of a machine that's suddenly louder. Disposable filters are a monthly item.
Check the connections. A whistle is very often air escaping at a hose cuff or a cracked elbow rather than the motor itself. Reseat the tube at both ends and look for cracks.
Descale the tub. A tub coated in limescale works less efficiently and can make noises of its own. Diluted white vinegar once a month, then a very thorough rinse.
Note any error message exactly and look it up in your machine's manual or contact your provider — some are trivial, some are not.
Check the warranty and who supplied the machine. If it came from an NHS sleep service, it usually remains their property, so speak to them before replacing it — they may repair or replace it themselves.
When it's time
Machines are commonly expected to last around five years, though many go on longer. If yours is well past that, the noise hasn't improved after a new filter and new connections, or it's showing repeated faults, replacing it is reasonable — and when you replace, it usually makes sense to move to the current model.
You're new to CPAP, or can't get comfortable falling asleep.
Lying awake with the air rushing in, wondering if you've put the mask on right. Taking it off after twenty minutes. Feeling like everyone else finds this easier than you do.
Precautions first
Practise while awake. Wear the mask with the machine running for twenty minutes while watching television. It takes the edge off far faster than trying to fall asleep with it.
Use the ramp. Both machines can start at a lower pressure and build gradually, so you're not falling asleep at full pressure.
Fit the mask lying down, in your sleeping position, with the machine running, and tighten only until the leak stops.
Ask for help early. Your clinic would rather hear from you in week one than find you've stopped in week four.
Our guides on feeling trapped in your mask and why your CPAP isn't working cover the full set of techniques.
Which machine helps
This is where the AirSense 11 makes its most meaningful difference. Its Personal Therapy Assistant, used through the myAir app, offers guided set-up, troubleshooting help and a "Test Drive" that lets you experience therapy pressure while awake before your first night. For anyone who finds the start of CPAP hard — which is a great many people — having that guidance on hand at 11pm is genuinely useful.
The screen light keeps you — or your partner — awake.
A glow on the bedside table in an otherwise dark room. It catches your eye when you turn over, and your partner has started mentioning it.
What you're suffering
Light sleepers notice light. Even a small, dim screen can be enough to make settling harder, and it's one more reason for a bed partner to resent the machine — which matters, because a partner who's on board makes sticking with CPAP far easier.
Precautions first
Turn the machine to face away from the bed, keeping the air inlet clear and the machine below mattress height.
Check your screen settings. Many machines let you reduce brightness or have the screen go dark after a short time.
Don't cover the machine to block the light. It needs free air around it, and covering the inlet can stop it working properly.
Which machine helps
The AirSense 11 has an ambient light sensor that adjusts screen brightness to the room and can turn the screen off entirely, which suits light sleepers well. It's a small feature that some people care about a great deal.
Water in the hose, or a dry nose.
Gurgling in the tube and drips on your face — or the opposite, a raw, crusty nose every morning. Both are humidity problems, and both are worse in a British winter.
Why it happens
Warm, humidified air cools as it travels down a tube through a cold bedroom, and the moisture condenses into water — that's rainout. Turn the humidity down to stop it, and dry winter air leaves your nose sore. The answer on either machine is the same: a humidifier and a heated tube that work together.
The important precaution: match the parts to the machine
ResMed's Climate Control system manages humidity and tube temperature together to prevent rainout — but only with the matching parts. On the AirSense 11, ResMed states that the ClimateLineAir 11 is the only heated tube compatible with the machine, and that Climate Control needs it to be used with the HumidAir 11 humidifier. AirSense 10 heated tubes won't fit, and the AirSense 11 tube won't fit an AirSense 10.
So this is not a reason to change machine on its own. If you have an AirSense 10 and get rainout, a heated tube for the AirSense 10 solves it. If you're buying an AirSense 11, buy it with its humidifier and heated tube.
Our winter CPAP guide covers the free fixes too — machine height, humidity steps and hose routing.
For the AirSense 11:
For the AirSense 10:
You want to see your data without the hassle.
You'd like to know whether your therapy is working — usage, leak, events per hour — and you'd like your clinic to see it too, without posting SD cards or waiting for appointments.
Why it matters
Your machine's data is the clearest evidence of whether therapy is working, and an early warning when a cushion is wearing out or a seal is failing. For drivers, it's also part of what your clinic considers at your licence review. The easier it is to see, the more likely you are to act on it.
Precautions first
Learn what the numbers mean before worrying about them — our guide to your CPAP data explained covers usage, leak, AHI and the myAir score.
Look weekly, not nightly. Single nights vary; trends matter.
Never change your prescribed pressure because of something you see in your data. Talk to your clinic.
Which machine helps
The AirSense 11 sends data to the myAir app automatically using Bluetooth and a cellular connection, receives software updates over the air, and includes Care Check-In, which can share your therapy data with your provider if you choose to allow it. Connectivity on the AirSense 10 depends on the model you have. If seeing your data easily matters to you, it's one of the clearer reasons to choose the AirSense 11.
You need a reliable machine at the lowest cost.
You're buying privately, the budget matters, and you want effective therapy — not extra features you may not use.
The honest answer
The AirSense 10 AutoSet remains a very effective machine. It has been one of the most widely used CPAP machines for years, it does the core job well, and the AirSense 11's improvements are mostly about convenience rather than therapy. If cost is the deciding factor, choosing the AirSense 10 is not a compromise on treatment.
Precautions first
Make sure you have a current prescription. Any CPAP machine needs to be set to the pressure range your clinician prescribes. Speak to your sleep service about getting a privately bought machine set up correctly.
Budget for the humidifier and tube. Humidification makes therapy far more comfortable for most people, especially in winter. A bundle that includes them often works out better than buying separately.
Think about the next five years. If you're buying new and expect to keep the machine a long time, weigh the price difference against accessories you'll be buying for years.
Four common situations, and what we'd suggest.
These are illustrations of situations we hear about often, not individual customers. Find the one closest to yours.
Notice the pattern across all four: try the free fix first, then decide whether the machine is really the issue. A great many "I need a new machine" situations turn out to be a filter, a tube connection, a humidity setting or a worn mask cushion. When the machine genuinely is the problem — age, faults, usability, or wanting the support that comes with a newer model — that's when replacing it makes sense, and when the AirSense 11's improvements earn their price.
And if none of these sounds like you, or you're simply unsure which machine suits your circumstances, speak to your sleep service about your therapy needs, or contact us with your current set-up and we'll talk you through the options.
Upgrading from an AirSense 10: what to buy.
The machine is the start, not the end. Here's the shopping list, so the real cost doesn't surprise you.
| Item | Do you need a new one? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Machine | AirSense 11 | Or the machine and humidifier together |
| Humidifier tub | Yes, if you use humidification | The HumidAir 11 is specific to the AirSense 11 |
| Heated tube | Yes, if you use one | Only the ClimateLineAir 11 fits |
| Filters | Yes | AirSense 11 filters are a different size |
| Power supply | Comes with the machine | Don't swap power supplies between models |
| Mask and mask parts | No | Any standard CPAP mask works on both |
| Hose cover, strap covers, brush | No | These don't connect to the machine |
Three precautions when switching
Get your settings transferred. Your new machine needs your prescribed pressure settings. Speak to your sleep service before your first night, and don't try to set therapy pressure yourself.
Keep your old machine until the new one is running. A working backup for the first few nights removes any risk of a night without therapy.
If your AirSense 10 came from the NHS, it usually belongs to your sleep service. Tell them you've moved to your own machine, and ask how they'd like it returned.
Eight things to check first.
Five things people believe about upgrading.
Quick answers on the AirSense 10 and 11.
What is the difference between the AirSense 10 and AirSense 11?
The AirSense 11 replaces the AirSense 10's dial with a full-colour touchscreen, adds an ambient light sensor that can dim or switch off the screen, a Personal Therapy Assistant in the myAir app, Bluetooth and cellular data transfer, over-the-air updates and a built-in For Her mode. Both deliver effective CPAP therapy; the differences are mainly in ease of use and connectivity.
Is it worth upgrading from an AirSense 10 to an AirSense 11?
If your AirSense 10 is working well and you're happy with it, there's no therapy reason to upgrade. It's worth considering if your machine is ageing or showing faults, you struggle with the menus, you want more help settling in, or easy access to your data matters to you.
Can I use my AirSense 10 humidifier or heated tube on an AirSense 11?
No. The AirSense 11 uses its own HumidAir 11 humidifier, and ResMed states that the ClimateLineAir 11 is the only heated tube compatible with it. Filters and the power supply are different too. Your mask and mask parts will still work.
Will my mask work with the AirSense 11?
Yes. Any standard CPAP mask works with both the AirSense 10 and AirSense 11, so your mask, cushions, headgear and frames carry over when you switch machine.
Does the AirSense 11 have an SD card?
It has an SD card slot, though a card isn't necessarily included, and it also sends data to the myAir app automatically using Bluetooth and a cellular connection, so most users don't need to handle an SD card at all.
Do AirSense 10 and AirSense 11 use the same filters?
No. The two machines are designed differently and use different-sized filters, so filters for one won't fit the other. Check the listing matches your machine before ordering.
Can I buy my own CPAP machine if mine came from the NHS?
Yes, many people do. An NHS-supplied machine usually remains the property of your sleep service, so tell them you're moving to your own machine and ask how to return theirs. You'll also need your prescribed pressure settings applied to the new machine — speak to your sleep service about that before your first night.
More UK-specific CPAP guidance.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Any CPAP machine must be set to the pressure prescribed by your clinician. Speak to your sleep service before changing machine, and never adjust your prescribed pressure yourself. Follow the user guide supplied with your machine and accessories.
Check that every accessory — humidifier, heated tube, filters, power supply — is compatible with your specific machine model before use. If your current machine was supplied by the NHS, arrangements for its ownership and return vary between sleep services; contact yours directly. Feature descriptions are taken from manufacturer and retailer information available at the time of writing and may change.
AirSense™, AirCurve™, ClimateLineAir™, HumidAir™, myAir™, AirTouch™ and ResMed™ are trademarks of ResMed Ltd. ResLab products are compatible replacement parts and are not manufactured, endorsed by, or affiliated with ResMed Ltd; ResMed names are used only to identify compatibility.
