Kenmore 15412

Unlike a tabletop humidifier, which provides moisture in a single room, a console humidifier can cover several rooms or even an entire house. The Kenmore 15412 console humidifier is an evaporative model, which means that it does not produce white dust as ultrasonic humidifiers can. However, it also requires the use of a fan, which can be very loud on its highest setting. The humidifier produces up to 12 gallons of moisture per day, enough to cover an area of 2,500 square feet. Its 3.9-gallon tank uses a double-fill system with a detachable bottle that is filled twice, emptied into the tank, and then refilled -- a system most owners find easy to use. They also say its mildew-resistant filters (*Est. $18) keep odors at bay, but that replacing them is expensive. If you only need to humidify one room, you may prefer the Air-O-Swiss Ultrasonic 7144 (*Est. $200) , which can produce warm or cool mist, or the budget-priced Crane EE-5301 Cool Mist Humidifier (*Est. $45) . Both are much quieter than the Kenmore but cannot cover as large an area.

The Kenmore 15412 is included in the latest roundup of humidifiers at ConsumerReports.org, which tests both tabletop and console models. This model also receives a write-up at ConsumerGuide.com, though it is not clear that the reviewer has actually tested the humidifier. We found about 45 user reviews at Sears.com, the only retail site that sells Kenmore appliances.