Humidifiers have changed little over the years, their purpose the same as it’s always been: to increase humidity in a room or area, with the ultimate goal of achieving humidity levels of between 30% and 50% in an indoor environment. And that specific range is very important. Because while humidity below 30% can dry out sinuses, cause asthma problems and negatively affect your sleep (according to health experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), when it exceeds 50%, you run the risk of mold growth, insect infestations and damage to household appliances (according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). To keep your home’s humidity level in that ideal range, it’s critical to invest in one of the best humidifiers on the market.
In shopping for the best humidifier, there are a number of things to consider before you make your choice. Beyond optimizing your interior humidity, you also want to consider tank capacity and how much water you can put into the humidifier to improve air quality. The bigger the tank, the less often you need to fill it up (but the longer it will take to fill up).
Levoit
You should also consider the number of gallons per day the humidifier can output because the more output, the sooner you can achieve your desired humidity level. And you’ll also want to keep a close eye on how long it takes for a humidifier to increase humidity — in most cases, the faster the ramp-up, the better.
Finally, if it’s important to you, be sure to consider overall aesthetic and whether it’ll look nice in your home. Some humidifiers are downright ugly and others can be surprisingly well-designed. Choose the best humidifier that gets the job done — and doesn’t detract from your interior design.
More than anything, if you’re in the market for a new humidifier, read on. We’ve compiled the following roundup of the best humidifiers on the market today, complete with a look at key features that make them attractive.
Best Humidifier Overall
Honeywell HCM350W Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 17.9 x 9.37 x 11.4 inches
- Weight: 9.4 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Cool Mist
- Capacity: 1.1 Gallons
When you’re looking for the best mix of features for your next humidifier, look no further than the Honeywell HCM350W Germ-Free Cool Mist Humidifier. The device offers 1.1 gallons of capacity, making it big enough to humidify a bedroom or mid-size room with ease.
The device can run continuously for 24 hours before you need to replace the tank and has three “comfort settings” to work during the day or night. However, some users said they needed to replace the tank more often and it could be a tad bit loud at night. The Honeywell HCM350W, which offers cool mist performance, has a filter to protect against germs and bacteria and promises 99.9% protection.
Best Humidifier For Budget Shoppers
Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 12.00 x 7.88 x 14.25 inches
- Weight: 4.4 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Warm Mist
- Capacity: 1 Gallon
If you’re looking for a humidifier that can get the job done but won’t necessarily break the bank, the Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier may be the way to go. With a one-gallon tank, it’ll last quite long before it needs to be refilled, and Vicks promises the ability to reduce bacteria and germs by 95%. And while that’s a good thing, other models offer notably better germ filtering.
The Vicks humidifier also only works with warm mist instead of the cool mist some users may prefer. But since it works with medicated Vicks vapor treatments, it could be good during cold and flu season or for clearing up congestion.
Best Humidifier For Design-Conscious Shoppers
HuPro Premium Ultrasonic Cool & Warm Mist Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 14 x 11.2 x 10.5 inches
- Weight: 8.5 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Cool Mist and Warm Mist
- Capacity: 1.1 Gallons
There are times when you may want a mix of strong performance and good looks. And in that regard, the HuPro Ultrasonic Humidifier delivers. The device comes with both cool and warm mist options, and with a 1.1 gallon tank, it can deliver up 30 hours of performance before it needs to be refilled. The device even comes with an ionization feature to eliminate odors in the water.
The HuPro humidifier, which also comes with a remote, earned solid reviews from users, but some cautioned that the warm mist could have been warmer, and the lights stay on during sleep mode.
Best Humidifier For Large Rooms
LEVOIT 6L Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 11.3 x 7 x 10.5 inches
- Weight: 4.9 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Warm Mist and Cool Mist
- Capacity: 1.6 Gallons
Another warm and cool mist option, the Levoit 6L Humidifier is one of the biggest options in this roundup. While that may make for problems in smaller spaces, if you’re looking to humidify a big room (up to 750 square feet) and want a humidifier that can run for up to 30 hours before needing to be refilled, the Levoit humidifier is a fine choice.
Levoit claims the humidifier is extremely easy to clean and users agree. And customers also liked that it works with aroma oils to make your room smell better.
Best Humidifier For Essential Oil Users
Everlasting Comfort Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 11 x 7 x 13 inches
- Weight: 3.1 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Cool Mist
- Capacity: 1.6 Gallons
Another large-capacity option, the Everlasting Comfort Humidifier comes with a 1.6 gallon tank that can humidify a room for up to 50 hours before it needs to be refilled. The device, which comes with cool mist support, is also designed to work with essential oils so it’s a great option for those who enjoy aromatherapy. Users said they were pleased with the device’s performance, but cautioned it’s not as quiet as they would’ve liked.
Best Humidifier For Sleeping
TaoTronics 4L Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 8.07 x 5.31 x 11.81 inches
- Weight: 3.5 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Cool Mist
- Capacity: 1.1 Gallons
The TaoTronics 4L Humidifier is designed for use at night when you’re sleeping. It comes with just 38dB performance, meaning it won’t distract you when you’re trying to rest. Indeed, many users touted just how quiet the device was during use. Aside from that, look for the TaoTronics humidifier to work in rooms of up to 300 square feet. It can also work up to 30 hours before it needs to be refilled and doubles as a nightlight if you so please.
Best Humidifier For Small Spaces
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 9 inches
- Weight: 2.3 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Cool Mist
- Capacity: 0.4 Gallons
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is one of the smallest options in this roundup with a tank of just 0.4 gallon capacity. Unfortunately, that means it’ll only work for 16 hours before it needs to be refilled. That said, the device works with both low and high-fan speeds and uses ultrasonic technology to keep its water clean, so it has plenty of perks. If you need something for a small room, the MistAire is a great choice, but for larger spaces look elsewhere.
Best Portable Humidifier
Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 8.86 x 7.28 x 9.84 inches
- Weight: 2.5 Pounds
- Cool Mist/Warm Mist: Cool Mist
- Capacity: 0.6 Gallons
The Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier doesn’t offer the biggest tank, but at just 2.5 pounds, it’s small enough and lightweight enough to move to different rooms or bring with you when you travel. However, for that portability, the device only offers 0.6 gallons of size, so you’ll be refilling it more often than the larger options in this roundup. Homasy users say the humidifier works quietly at night and its cool mist performance is solid.
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