If you live in a dry climate or you’re prone to dry skin, humidifiers can improve your life — and your sleep. That’s because they add moisture to your bedroom (or any other room), which can make you more comfortable and therefore make it easier to drift off to sleep. In addition to soothing dry skin, lips, and throats, there’s some evidence humidifiers can also help relieve headaches and kick the common cold.
No matter your reason for wanting a humidifier, you’ll have your work cut out for you when you start the search. There’s a huge array of humidifiers available, and they all offer different specs and functions. So how do you choose the right one for you? Start by considering the space you’re trying to humidify and your personal preferences, and then consult our roundup of best humidifiers to zero in on the right humidifier for your needs.
Editor’s Choice
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Pros:
- The 360-degree mist nozzle lets you point the mist away from electronics, bookshelves, plants, and so on, while multiple speed settings let you control the output.
- An automatic shut-off feature ensures the humidifier turns off when the water level gets low or the water tank is removed.
- The unit is quiet and easy to assemble and refill.
- It has an optional nightlight if you want to softly illuminate a baby’s room or make it easier to find your way to the bathroom at night.
Cons:
- It can be challenging to keep the unit clean, because it has small nooks and crannies.
- The unit has a small footprint, but the tradeoff is that the tank is pretty small. If you use this all night long, you’ll probably need to refill it every day before bed.
Enjoy up to 16 hours of moisture-enriched air with the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, which features a 1.5-liter tank and multiple speed settings. An optional nightlight makes this humidifier multifunctional.
Contender
Onson 2019 Humidifier
Pros:
- The ultrasonic design makes this extremely quiet, so it shouldn’t disturb sleep.
- The 4.5-liter tank should run for anywhere from 15 to 30 continuous hours (depending on the mist level setting).
- Three mist levels let you customize the unit to your preferences, while an auto shut-off ensures it won’t keep running if it runs out of water.
- The top-fill water tank is easy to refill, and both the tank and its stainless steel filter are easy to clean.
Cons:
- Running the humidifier at the higher settings might result in some wetness in the areas surrounding the humidifier. If you prefer those settings, you might need to place a towel under the unit.
- The humidifier features a humidity level reading, but its accuracy is kind of dubious.
The Onson 2019 Humidifier is easy to refill and clean, and it earns high marks for its use of BPA-free materials and a stainless steel filter. The 4.5-liter tank should last for a day or two before it needs to be refilled.
Best Bargain
VicTsing Essential Oil Diffuser/Cool Mist Humidifier
Pros:
- This unit is budget-friendly and provides great function relative to its cost.
- The humidifier doubles as an essential oils diffuser, so you get two functions in one relatively compact unit.
- The unit features multiple timer, mist, and light settings, so you can customize it to your preferences. It’ll shut off automatically if it runs out of water, which is a nice safety feature.
- It’s easy to clean and refill.
Cons:
- The humidifier beeps when it shuts off. If you’re using it in your bedroom and this happens in the middle of the night, it could disturb your sleep.
- This is a bargain product, and that means it might not hold up to long-term use.
The BPA-free VicTsing Essential Oil Diffuser/Cool Mist Humidifier offers two functions for a remarkably low cost. Multiple timer and lighting settings and a pretty design make it easy to tailor this humidifier to any living space.
Best Space Saver
TaoTronics Cool Mist Humidifiers
Pros:
- A 360-degree nozzle lets you direct the air away from electronics, paper documents, and so on.
- This is a fairly budget-friendly humidifier.
- The water tank should hold enough water to last for a couple days, and the auto-shutoff ensures that the unit turns off if it runs out of water sooner than expected.
- The unit is FCC-certified and BPA-free.
Cons:
- It might be challenging to keep all of the nooks and crannies clean.
- The unit might off-gas a bit when you first receive it.
A compact, vertical design lets the TaoTronics Cool Mist Humidifier slide easily into tight spaces. The quiet, cool mist keeps bedrooms comfortable at day or night.
Easiest Clean
Homech Cool Mist Humidifier
Pros:
- The ultrasonic vaporizer keeps this unit quiet, so it shouldn’t disturb your sleep.
- The 4-liter capacity allows for up to 60 hours of operation before a refill is necessary.
- The wide opening makes it easy to reach a hand into the unit and scrub it clean. Additionally, the fan runs for 3 minutes after the mist is turned off to help dry out the unit, and the mist guide tube drains after each use to limit buildup.
- The 360-degree nozzle and mist height of up to 24 inches ensure the mist properly distributes throughout the room.
Cons:
- This isn’t the most stylish design out there, and it has the appearance of cheap plastic.
- Refilling can be messy, and you might find that you need to clean this unit frequently.
A wide opening makes it easy to scrub out the insides of the Homech Cool Mist Humidifier. The lightweight unit features 4-liter capacity for up to 60 hours of continuous humidification.
Most Functions
Elechomes UC5501 Ultrasonic Humidifier
Pros:
- You can opt to turn on “sleep mode” at night, which turns off the LED display and quiets the sound to minimize sleep disruptions.
- The six-liter capacity should run for up to 40 continuous hours and can humidify up to 750 square feet at a time.
- The included remote lets you control mist level, mist temperature, and more without walking over to the unit. The unit will also save your most recent settings. A run timer lets you control how long it runs so you don’t waste energy.
- The unit can function as a humidifier and/or an aromatherapy diffuser.
Cons:
- This unit is on the pricier side and won’t be in everyone’s budget.
- Some users have reported that the unit puts out so much water that it can dampen the surrounding area. This can also reduce the run time between refills.
If you’re looking for a humidifier with tons of bells and whistles, then the Elechomes UC5501 Ultrasonic Humidifier has got you covered. It humidifies via both warm and cool mists, diffuses essential oils, comes with a remote control, offers a “sleep mode,” and saves your settings for easy use.
Best Whole House Humidifier
Aprilaire 600M Whole House Humidifier
Pros:
- A single humidifier can keep your entire house moisturized, so there’s no need to purchase a humidifier for each room.
- A labeled damper lets you easily choose the right setting for the season.
- Built-in safeguards limit the whole-house humidification level to 45% relative humidity.
- The humidifier is designed and manufactured in the USA.
Cons:
- This is a pricier option that won’t be accessible for all budgets.
- Assembly can be complicated, and you might need to pay extra for professional assistance.
Distribute moisture across anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 square feet with the Aprilaire 600M Whole House Humidifier, which is designed to work with at-home HVAC systems. Simple setting controls let you choose the right option for winter and summer seasons.
How We Picked
The number of humidifiers on offer is pretty overwhelming, so it’s important to review all those choices with a critical eye. To shrink the list of available options, we took the following into account.
Cost
Humidifiers can range widely in price. Some of them cost less than $30, while others cost over $100. There are great options at both ends of that price range, so it should be possible for everyone to find a humidifier in their price point.
Ease of Use
“Ease of use” could refer to a number of factors, including how easy it is to refill the humidifier, how often it needs to be refilled, how easy it is to clean the humidifier, and so on. All of the humidifiers on this list should be relatively easy to care for, but some might require a little more maintenance.
In some ways, ease of use is a matter of preference. For instance, some people are annoyed by having to refill a humidifier tank every day, while others aren’t bothered by that chore. Take your personal preferences into account when choosing what’s right for you.
Functionality
Every humidifier on this list is going to add moisture to your bedroom (or several rooms, or your whole house). But beyond that, some humidifiers offer additional functionality.
This could look like the ability to diffuse essential oils, a built-in nightlight, the ability to remember your preferred settings, and so on. It’s up to you to determine just how many bells and whistles you want your humidifier to have (or none at all). We included models with a range of functions so you could settle on what’s best for you.
Size
Along with cost, this is an important practical consideration when you’re shopping for a new humidifier. It’s helpful to think about size both in terms of the space available for stashing the humidifier and the size of the space that you’re trying to humidify.
This will help you determine how large or small the humidifier’s tank needs to be (which will determine the square footage that it can humidify) as well as how large or small its footprint needs to be (depending on whether you’ll be sitting it on the floor, a narrow table, or somewhere else).
We included humidifiers with different tank sizes and footprints so you can find the right option for your space.
Sleepopolis Buying Tips
Ready to find the humidifier for you? Ask yourself the following questions to ensure the right fit:
- What is your budget? Humidifiers can range in price from around $25 to well over $100. That’s a really big price range, so determining your budget can help you filter out options that aren’t going to cut it from a price standpoint.
- Where are you going to use the humidifier? This will tell you how much you need to take size and shape into account. For example, if you’re planning to place the humidifier on a narrow nightstand, then you’ll want to look for an option with a space-saving design. If you want a humidifier that works across multiple rooms, you’ll need to look for one with a large water tank or a whole-house option.
- Do you want multiple functions? Some humidifiers simply humidify, while others come with built-in nightlights, the option to diffuse essential oils, and so on. Determining whether or not you want a multitasking humidifier can help you narrow down your choices.
It can take some time to determine the best humidifier for your needs, but the effort is worth it. By making you more comfortable, soothing dryness-induced ailments, and helping you sleep more comfortably, humidifiers can seriously improve your quality of life. So don’t give up until you’ve found the best option for you.
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