Questions, answered straight

Exhaly is a compact, non-powered choking rescue device for the home. It uses suction to pull an object out of a blocked airway when standard choking first aid (back blows and abdominal thrusts, the Heimlich manoeuvre) has not worked or cannot be performed.

The Exhaly Automatic sold here is spring-loaded: the plunger is stored compressed inside the body, and one press of the button releases it. There are no batteries, nothing to charge and nothing to pull. It comes with three air-cushioned masks so the same device fits adults, children and infants.

Three steps. Place the mask over the person's nose and mouth and press it down firmly so there is a seal all the way round. Press the red button: the plunger springs upward on its own and creates a strong one-way suction. Remove the device and the obstruction comes away with it.

If the airway is still blocked, push the plunger back down to reset the device, place and press again. Sealing the mask is the only thing you have to get right. No seal, no suction.

Manual devices (plungers and pumps) make suction with your arm: you push the handle down and pull it up, and you need some strength and rhythm to build enough pull. Exhaly Automatic stores that energy in a spring. You hold the mask sealed and press a button; the device does the pulling.

That matters most in the situations people worry about: a grandparent with a weak grip, a parent in a panic, or someone trying to use the device on themselves with nobody else in the room.

No. A one-way valve inside the unit means air can only ever travel out of the airway, never into it. When you push the plunger back down to reset, the air inside the body leaves through the side vents at the base, away from the person. On the suction stroke those vents close and all of the pull is concentrated through the central valve into the mask.

Made to pull, not push.

No, and we will never say it does. Exhaly is a backup for the minutes before help arrives, when standard choking first aid has been tried without success or cannot be done: on yourself, on someone who has collapsed, on an infant, on a person in a wheelchair.

Call 911 first, or have someone else call while you act. Learn back blows and abdominal thrusts; everyone should. Keep Exhaly for when they aren't enough.

Use it for a complete airway obstruction: the person cannot breathe, cough or speak, and standard choking first aid has not cleared it.

Do not use it on someone who is still coughing, talking or breathing. A strong cough is the most effective way to clear a partial blockage, so encourage it and stay close. If the cough weakens or stops, that is when you act.

Three soft, air-cushioned masks:

• Adult mask: ages 12 and up
• Pediatric mask: ages 3 to 12
• Infant mask: ages 1 to 3

Pick the one that seals around the nose and mouth without gaps. If you are between sizes, the smaller mask that still covers both nose and mouth is the right one, because the seal is what makes the suction work.

The infant mask is sized for ages 1 to 3 and the pediatric mask for ages 3 to 12, so the whole household is covered with one device. The masks are soft and air-cushioned so they sit gently on a small face, and each suction should last no more than three seconds.

For a baby under one, infant choking first aid (back blows and chest thrusts) remains the first step, and 911 is always the first call. Whatever the age, have the child examined by a medical professional afterwards, even if the object came out.

Yes. This is one of the main reasons the device exists, because you cannot perform the Heimlich on yourself with any reliability. Seal the mask over your own nose and mouth, hold the body firmly in both hands and press the button. The plunger springs outward, away from your face.

Practise once with the mask against your palm so your hands already know the motion. In the moment, you won't have time to read anything.

Yes. Abdominal thrusts need the person upright; Exhaly does not. Lay the person on a flat surface, tilt the head back slightly and lift the chin, seal the mask and press. Once the object is out, turn them onto their side so anything in the mouth can drain, and follow the 911 dispatcher's instructions. If they are not breathing, begin CPR.

Choking risk rises with age, dentures, dry mouth and swallowing problems, and abdominal thrusts can be hard to perform on a frail person. Exhaly does not depend on the person's build or on the rescuer's strength, which is why so many of our customers buy it for a parent or grandparent.

If the person wears dentures, remove them if they are loose before placing the mask so the seal is clean.

No. Exhaly is designed and tested for people. The masks are shaped for a human face, so you would not get a seal on an animal, and we are not going to claim it does something we haven't tested. For a choking pet, call your vet or an emergency animal hospital.

1. Call 911, or have someone call while you act.
2. Position the person on a flat surface, tilt the head back slightly and lift the chin.
3. Remove the safety ring from the device and fit the mask that seals the nose and mouth with no gaps.
4. Keep your body at least 10 cm (4 in) from the top of the device, since the plunger springs upward. Press the mask down for a seal and press the button. Keep each suction to three seconds or less.
5. Lift the device away and check the mask and mouth for the object. If it is still blocked, push the plunger back down to reset, then place and press again.
6. Once the object is out, turn the person onto their side so secretions can drain. Reset the device so it is ready again.

Afterwards, always have the person examined by a medical professional. If they are unresponsive, follow the dispatcher's instructions and start CPR.

Each suction should last no more than three seconds. If the object does not come out, reset the plunger and try again; it takes a moment. If the airway is still blocked after a few attempts, keep following the 911 dispatcher's instructions, including CPR if the person stops responding. Chest compressions can also help dislodge an object.

Turn the person onto their side so anything left in the mouth can drain, keep them calm and keep 911 on the line. Then get them checked by a medical professional, even if they seem fine. Small fragments can remain, and suction on the airway should always be followed by a proper examination.

Push the plunger back down so the device is ready again, and if it was used in a real emergency, plan to replace it.

The safety ring locks the trigger so the device cannot fire in a drawer, a bag or in transit. Pull it off before use and refit it after practice or testing. We recommend a quick practice run when the device arrives so you know exactly how it comes off; you don't want to be working that out for the first time in an emergency.

Over both nose and mouth, always. The suction works by creating negative pressure in a sealed space; if the nose is outside the mask, air simply flows in through the nose and there is no pull on the airway. Press the mask down firmly until it seals all the way round, then press the button.

The masks are soft and air-cushioned so they do not press hard edges into the face, and the one-way valve means nothing is pushed into the airway. The rules that keep it safe are simple: use the right mask size, keep each suction to three seconds or less, and keep your body clear of the top of the device because the plunger springs upward with force. Afterwards, a medical check is always part of the process.

We are careful with the wording here. Exhaly is registered with the FDA as a Class II medical device. "Registered" is a different status from "approved", so you will not see us use the word approved. If anyone else does, ask them to show you the paperwork.

No formal training. The process is place, press, remove, and the device does the part that normally needs strength or technique. What we do ask is that you practise once when it arrives: remove the safety ring, press a mask against your palm, press the button and feel the pull. Then reset the plunger and refit the ring.

Show the people who might need to use it: a partner, a babysitter, the grandparents. Thirty seconds of showing beats a page of instructions.

No. Never fire the device on anyone who is not choking, including yourself, and never let children play with it. Practise against your palm, a flat surface or the inside of the box lid. The suction demo you may have seen in our videos, where the device lifts the whole box, is exactly that: a demo on a box.

No. There is no expiry date and nothing inside that runs out: no batteries, no gas, no chemicals. As long as it is stored assembled and unused, it stays ready.

What keeps it ready is a trigger test every three months: remove the safety ring, press the button, push the plunger back down, refit the ring. That keeps the moving parts moving and lets you catch any problem long before you need it.

The device is reusable after practice and testing: push the plunger back down and it is reset. The masks wash with warm soapy water and air-dry.

After use in a real choking emergency, we recommend replacing the device. It has done its job under real conditions, and the small cost of a fresh unit is not worth any doubt about the next one. Masks are personal-use items: once a mask has been used on a person in an emergency, do not reuse it on someone else.

Somewhere everyone in the household knows and can reach in seconds: the kitchen drawer, the dining room, the nursery, the car glovebox, the diaper bag. Store it assembled, in its box, with the safety ring fitted, and out of reach of children. If you own more than one, spread them where meals happen.

1. Remove the safety ring.
2. Hold the body away from your face and press the button. The plunger should pop up instantly.
3. Push the plunger firmly back down until it clicks into place.
4. Refit the safety ring and put it back in its spot.

Put a reminder in your phone. The whole thing takes ten seconds.

Almost always a loose body joint. The body is two sections screwed together just below the button, and the joint can loosen a little in transit. Hold the lower section, twist the upper section clockwise until it is snug, then press the button to test: the top should pop up instantly with real force.

If it still rises slowly after tightening, stop there and email support@exhaly.net with your order number. We will replace it. You should never have to wonder whether your device will work.

Push the plunger straight back down into the body until it seats and clicks. That re-compresses the spring. Refit the safety ring and it is ready again. If you are in the middle of an emergency and need a second attempt, skip the ring: reset, place, press.

Masks: wash in warm, soapy water, rinse and air-dry before putting them back in the box. Do not boil them or put them in a dishwasher; the air cushion can deform. Device: wipe the body with a damp cloth. Do not submerge it, and keep liquids away from the button and the valve.

Do not rely on it. A mask with a flat or split air cushion will not seal, and without a seal there is no suction. Email support@exhaly.net with your order number and a short description, and we will send a replacement. If you can attach a photo, great; if not, describe it and we will take it from there.

Yes. Test every unit when the pack arrives, not just one. Try the tightening fix first (twist the upper body section clockwise until snug, then press). If a unit still does not fire properly, email us with your order number and which unit is affected, and we will replace that unit.

First: we are glad it was there. Get the person medically checked, then plan to replace the device, since we recommend a fresh unit after real use. We would also like to hear what happened. Tell us through the Report a Saved Life page or by email, and we will help you get a replacement ready in your drawer.

One Exhaly Automatic device with the safety ring fitted, three air-cushioned masks (adult, pediatric and infant), the quick-start guide and the Certificate of Conformity, in the orange Exhaly retail box. Multi-packs contain one full kit per device.

Orders are processed and dispatched within 1 to 2 working days. Most orders arrive within 7 to 15 working days of dispatch, depending on the shipping option you choose at checkout and where you are. Remote addresses, Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, APO/FPO/DPO and PO Boxes can take an extra 3 to 7 working days.

Standard and express options are shown at checkout, and 2-packs and 3-packs ship free.

As soon as your order is dispatched you receive a shipping confirmation email with a tracking link. Tracking sometimes shows "label created" for a day or two before the first scan; that is normal. If your parcel has not arrived within 7 days of the end of the estimated delivery window, email support@exhaly.net with your order number and we will chase it with the carrier.

If it has not shipped yet, usually. Email us straight away with your order number and what you need changed. Once an order has been dispatched it cannot be cancelled or altered; wait for it to arrive and then use the return process if you still want to send it back.

You have 180 days from delivery to return a device. Because it is a medical device that ends up over someone's face, returns have to be unused and unopened, with the original seal and accessories intact. Email support@exhaly.net with your order number and we will approve the return and send you instructions; returns sent without approval cannot be accepted. Return shipping is paid by the customer, and refunds go back to the original payment method within 10 business days of the return being received.

A faulty or damaged device is a different matter: that is a replacement, not a return. Just tell us.

Read the full return policy

Email support@exhaly.net as soon as it arrives, with your order number and a description of the damage; a photo helps but is not required. If the box is crushed, the seal is broken or a mask is damaged, do not use the device. We will send a replacement.

Yes. Schools, daycares, care homes, restaurants and first responders can email us with how many units they need and we will come back with a quote. Our 2-pack and 3-pack bundles already carry a discount and free shipping for families who want one device per room or per car.

Exhaly is a brand of Rivona, a company founded by a former paramedic who had seen too many choking emergencies where the people in the room could not help. Our U.S. operations run through Rivona LLC in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the company's UK arm, Rivona Corp Ltd, is the manufacturer of record for our UK product. Our mission line is on every box: access to life must be accessible.

Email support@exhaly.net or call +1 (423) 487-1972. Include your order number if your question is about an order; it saves a round trip. If something is wrong with your device, whether it is a weak plunger, a damaged mask or a box that arrived crushed, tell us and we will make it right.