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Reviewed.com /Jackson Ruckar
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Credit:
Reviewed.com /Jackson Ruckar
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
Learn more about our product testing
We believe that the Levoit Classic 300S is the best humidifier for most people. It has great output and quiet operation. Read More
The Honeywell HUL430 offers a sleek design, good nightlight, and high humidity output. Read More
The Vornado EV100 is an energy-efficient evaporative model. Read More
The Levoit LV600HH is one of the best warm misting humidifiers we've ever tested. Read More
The Baby Dream Machine is a five-in-one tool that can help kids get to sleep. Read More
Humidifiers offer many benefits: They can ease cold symptoms and congestion by adding moisture to the air, which can also help alleviate dry nasal passages and skin, especially in winter months. Your houseplants will love the extra moisture too.
That said, humidifiers can be loud, messy to fill, and difficult to clean—and shopping for the best one for you can be overwhelming because of the sheer number of makes, models, and extra features available.
To find the best humidifier, we tested 11 models in a climate-controlled chamber, running them for three hours to see how much they raised the relative humidity. Additionally, we looked at efficiency, noise, and ease of cleaning. After testing, we found that the Levoit Classic 300S (available at Amazon for $78.92) was the Best Overall for most people because of its mist level, value, and power for your money.
If you're looking for a humidifier with a nightlight and a great design, we’d suggest the Honeywell HUL430 (available at Amazon). Finally, for people looking to keep a room humidified year-round, check the highly efficient Vornado EV100 (available at Amazon).
Here are all the humidifiers we tested ranked, in order:
The Levoit Classic 300S is a modern classic with its easy-to-use controls.
High capacity
High output
Quiet
High Energy Usage
The Honeywell HUL430 provides lots of humidity quickly.
The Vornado EV100 is one of the most energy efficient humidifiers that we tested.
Energy efficient
Easy to use
Nosiy
Hello, I'm Jon Chan, senior lab manager at Reviewed. The testing team–Beckett Dubay, Michael Elderbee, Dr. David Ellerby, and I–wanted to find out which humidifier is worth your money. Between us, we've reviewed everything from space heaters to shop vacs.
We tested humidifiers by placing them in a room filled with humidity sensors.
To test humidifiers, we filled their tanks with water and weighed the units. We then placed each of them in a climate-controlled chamber and ran them on their highest setting for three hours. Sensors placed to either side at a distance of 5 feet recorded changes in the environment. After three hours, we weighed the tanks again to figure out their water usage.
Additionally, we evaluated how easy each model was to use, move, fill, and clean. (Note: Many are not dishwasher safe.)
We tested three types of humidifiers: ultrasonic, warm mister, and evaporators.
Simply put, humidifiers add moisture to dry air. How they do so varies depending on the type of humidifier. But there are a number of other differences in humidifiers you should be aware of when shopping for one.
We tested basic types of humidifiers, including those with ultrasonic and warm mist settings, and evaporators. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers: These models are virtually silent, efficient, and are among the most popular on the market. They work by vibrating a ceramic plate very quickly. The high frequency turns the water into a fine mist that is cool to the touch. Ultrasonic models work best as personal units. They tend not to be powerful enough to cover a lot of square footage.
Warm mist humidifiers: These humidifiers are pretty basic: They boil water, and the resulting steam is piped out through the top via a fan. Warm misters tend to be the most effective humidifiers, covering more square footage and outputting more moisture. However, this high-powered method makes them unsafe around small children and they can increase a room's temperature to uncomfortable levels.
Evaporators: As the name suggests, evaporators work by evaporating water into the air. A fan circulates air over the reservoir. These models make a bit of noise, but if you like white noise while you sleep, you may find it soothing. If you have mineral-rich water in your area, you might want to get an evaporator. The models we tested had filters to prevent white dust from forming.
As you might guess, smaller humidifiers will generally run out of steam (pun intended) faster than those with larger tank capacities (although it depends somewhat on the settings you choose on the humidifier itself). However, if you're looking for a more portable humidifier, those with smaller tanks can be refilled faster and are easier to carry.
If you just plan on making a humidifier a fixture in larger rooms or open areas, a larger humidifier with a higher capacity will probably be a good fit. For those times when you plan on sharing a humidifier between multiple bedrooms, though, consider getting a smaller humidifier (or even multiple smaller humidifiers).
Efficiency is important, as well. While our top pick, the Levoit Classic 300S (available at Amazon for $78.92) advertises that it can run for 60 hours, our tests found that it could only run for 16 on its highest setting without refilling. That said, if it wasn’t on its highest setting, it could go longer.
When looking for a humidifier, consider the size of the rooms you plan to use it. Some are better for personal use, while others are appropriate for medium size or larger rooms. For instance, the Levoit LV600HH advertises that it can easily handle spaces as large as 753 square feet.
What you’re looking for beyond moisture in the air can help determine what humidifier is right for you. Some can be used as nightlights while others can serve as essential oil diffusers. For people who only use a humidifier when they’re sick, the Vicks Ultrasonic Cool Mist V5100NS can be used with Vapopads. Others use a UV light to sanitize water. There are so many features with humidifiers that you should be able to meet your specific needs.
Humidifier cleaning instructions don't vary much from model to model. Here are some things you can do to keep your humidifier running properly and safely.
Use a bit of distilled white vinegar to regularly descale the water reservoir. Just add vinegar to the tank, shake it, and rinse. With more intense cleaning, a long-necked brush can help break up anything stuck on the sides.
Most ultrasonic humidifiers work by having the reservoir drain into a base that features wick filters, drawing water upward. A fan then blows air through these filters, sending moist air into the room. The base, fan, and filters are the trickiest parts to clean, so follow your humidifier's instructions.
An old toothbrush can be effective at getting into the small areas, especially around and under the little ridges of the base where water can get stuck and promote bacterial growth.
The hardest part to clean is the fan in the base. These tend to collect dust over time, which can lead to increased noise. The fans are usually not accessible without a screwdriver. A can of compressed air, however, may be able to blow much of it away without disassembling the humidifier.
White dust forms when you put hard water into a humidifier without a filter. The minerals get pulled up into the mist and come back down again as dust. You can prevent white dust from forming by using distilled water that can be found at any large supermarket.
All humidifiers can help with congestion by preventing the air from becoming too dry. When the air is properly humidified, the moisture will help prevent and heal built up mucus. The majority of humidifiers on the market are cool mist, but which humidifier is best for your congestion is largely based on personal preference.
Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
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