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“Ensure that the humidifier you choose can handle the space,” says Misha Kollontai, the engineer who leads Consumer Reports’ humidifier testing. “Living spaces often have open doorways that effectively increase the square footage,” Kollontai says. Wick filters typically need to be replaced at least every three months, but if your home has hard water, you’ll need to change the filter more regularly.
Best Ultrasonic: Turbro Commercial Ultrasonic Humidifier
Dry air can wreak havoc on your nose and lungs and make existing conditions worse, Dr. Nicolacakis says. They just need to be placed where preferred, filled regularly with water, and plugged into a convenient power outlet. The tank size is modest at 3.6 gallons and provides a maximum runtime of 36 hours. This humidifier provides alerts when the water level is low and when the filter needs to be changed. This high-quality Aircare humidifier is a neat unit that is easy to live with and offers outstanding value for the money.
Levoit Superior 6000S Smart Evaporative Whole-House Humidifier
There were some manufacturing issues with the oscillation wand, which prevented us from making this a pick in the past, however. And even though the company has addressed the problem, we still think this one is too expensive. The Vornado UH200 is another one of those rare ultrasonic models that won’t turn your room into a fog. It has the same controls as its evaporative counterpart, which limit your humidification expectations to somewhere 40% and 60% (though there is also an option for “continuous” humidity). It doesn’t self-regulate like an evaporative, but in our tests, it performed just as well.
Q. How long do whole-house humidifiers usually last?
We personally find that kind of white noise tolerable, even pleasant, and it easily blends into the background. But it may be jarring if you’re accustomed to ultrasonic humidifiers or if you have more-sensitive hearing. We aren’t too strict on selecting a type of humidifier—evaporative or ultrasonic, cool mist or warm mist—having found they all have their perks, and they all have their flaws. Similarly, we don’t have much of a preference for digital or analog controls, as long as you can easily figure out how to make it do its basic tasks. Smart-home features are a nice bonus as well; they won’t make or break our decision, but they can aid in accessibility or just help avoid over-humidifying the room. Most humidifiers are safe to use around children, though Waqar recommends a cool mist humidifier if you have kids or pets to eliminate the chance of burns or injury due to the hot steam or heating element.
The 11 Best Humidifiers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
After three hours, we measured an over 45% increase in the air’s humidity two feet from the device and a 24% increase 10 feet away from the unit. If you’re looking for an option that will complement, not detract from, your decor, the Homedics TotalComfort Deluxe Large Room Ultrasonic Humidifier is a solid pick. The device has an attractive design, and despite being larger than most of the models we tested at 20 inches tall, is still compact enough to fit comfortably on a side table.
The 12 Best Humidifiers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Setting up the device took us less than five minutes and just a few steps to complete. For more shopping help with whole-house humidifiers, check out our What to Look for Section below. Ultimately, it can be a fine line between having too much or too little humidity in your home. You’ll need to consider your specific climate and any health challenges as you decide when, and if, you’ll invest in the best whole-house humidifier for you.
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Should You Use a Humidifier to Hydrate Dry Skin?.
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This unit is good for homes up to 2,400 square feet but can work for most one- or two-bedroom houses, as well as larger apartments. We noticed during testing that some parts of the home were not as well humidified as others while using this unit, especially if doors were left closed. If you have a larger space or multiple floors you need to monitor, but want a console model, we recommend purchasing an additional pedestal model for the second floor of your home. For larger, tightly constructed homes, we recommend this fan-powered model from AprilAire. It has a coverage area of up to 5,300 square feet on homes with tight construction, and it can handle up to 18 gallons of water per day, which is larger than many other options. It includes a manual control rather than an automatic one, so you’ll need to keep an eye on humidity levels and adjust them accordingly.
However, the lack of filter means the humidifier can release bacteria and allergens from the water into the air, so it’s best to use distilled water in these units. Some ultrasonic humidifiers, like the Crane Warm & Cool Mist Top Fill Humidifier, do include a filter to catch allergens. The Carepod One, our Best Splurge pick, is an ultrasonic unit that uses a removable oscillator to sterilize the water before it’s turned into vapor.
Can a Whole-House Fan Keep Your Whole Family Cool?
Finally, we combined all of our firsthand insight with our writers’ and editors’ independent research to offer you a comprehensive list. We also used a hygrometer to track the humidity in our bedroom while we used the humidifier by our nightstand to get a sense of its effect on the surrounding air. We measured an improvement in humidity from 40 percent to 50 percent, which was rather noticeable. Some humidifiers are also intended to be used with medications or essential oils to relieve sore throats, coughs, congestion, and other symptoms. The humidifier does release quite a bit of mist, so you might want to put a waterproof mat down under it if you plan to run it for an extended length of time. This humidifier can get heavy and difficult to move when it's full of water, so we suggest picking a spot and leaving it there until the water level is much lower.
The smart app offers a little more control, if you need it, and the setup process is remarkably easy. The Vornado EVDC300 Energy Smart Evaporative Humidifier is the most energy-efficient humidifier we’ve ever tested, thanks to its unusual DC motor. It’s also the most consistent, with a powerful fan that keeps the humidified air circulating evenly around the room. Unlike our other picks, the EVDC300 is an evaporative model, which means it’s better at self-regulation. But it also requires a little more maintenance, including regular replacement of the wicking filter.
Our pros like that it’s quiet while running throughout the entire night and that it features a built-in night-light for extra convenience. “Set-up was a breeze, and I was impressed by how quiet it was,” one tester says. “Even on the highest setting, I thought it must have been off because I could barely hear it. A portable evaporative console humidifier is a budget-friendly solution to a smaller home’s humidity needs. We like this model from Aircare because of its large water tank capacity, impressive coverage capabilities, and simple-to-use control panel. This humidifier is set on caster wheels, so you can easily push it around a room or between areas of your home when needed.
However, if closely monitoring your larger home’s humidity is important to you, this humidifier makes it easy. Similar in functionality to the AprilAire 500, our pick for best overall through HVAC, the AprilAire 700 system is designed for homes up to 5,300 square feet. In addition to its two sensors and monitoring system, this model also has a built-in fan that pulls air directly from the adjoining furnace and moves it through your home.
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