Humidifier Review

Evaluating humidifier claims

Few of the reviews we found for humidifiers agree on favorite models, although certain brands are repeatedly given good reviews. In a comparative review for Slate.com, Laura Moser tests seven humidifiers of different types and gives each a numerical score. This currently is far and away the best review we found for humidifiers.

Good Housekeeping also reviews humidifiers. In the October 2008 report, its engineers test 21 humidifiers, recommending five models by type. Comparisons are based on four criteria: ease of use, appearance, energy cost and how quickly the units humidify a room. However, Good Housekeeping doesn't detail which models didn't make the cut, and the discussion of each model doesn't include specific ratings or scores.

We also found some helpful retailer sites. AllergyBuyersClub.com and its sister site, AllergyConsumerReview.com, test the humidifiers they sell, but they only report on those brands and models. User reviews at retail websites like Amazon.com and Sears.com tell how satisfied users are with their humidifiers after they have them at home. ConsumerReports.org is impartial and thorough, offering some sound general advice, but its editors haven't tested humidifiers since 2004.

Humidifiers are usually described as either cool-mist or warm-mist, but an equally important distinction is the method they use to produce the moisture they release. Both evaporative humidifiers and impellers emit cool mist. Evaporative humidifiers use a fan to blow water through a wet pad or wick filter that traps mineral dust and bacteria before the water evaporates into the air. On the other hand, impeller humidifiers use a fan to blow water through a diffuser to produce fine droplets; however, with no filter, minerals and bacteria are dispersed along with the water droplets. Although evaporative humidifiers cost more to buy and maintain than impellers, most people and experts say the benefits outweigh the inconvenience and added cost of changing filters. For this reason, we don't include impeller humidifiers -- such as the Sunbeam 644 (*Est. $23) and the Vicks Cool Mist V400 (*Est. $25) -- in this report.

We featured the Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357 (*Est. $100) in a previous version of this report. The Hunter CareFree Humidifier line of evaporative cool-mist humidifiers won praise from some reviewers because it uses a permanent filter that only needs to be cleaned once per season. However, since our earlier report, consumer complaints have mounted regarding the Hunter CareFree line. Owners posting to Amazon.com complain frequently about Hunter humidifiers not lasting through a season, and many say their humidifier got progressively louder after a week or two. Also, twice in just over five years, Hunter has recalled different humidifier models for fire hazards. For these reasons, another evaporative model, the Kenmore 15408 (*Est. $110), may be a better choice.

On its website, Denver's NBC affiliate KUSA reprints a ConsumerReports.org test of two Venta-Airwasher models, which are humidifiers that also claim to purify the air. ConsumerReports.org tests the Venta-Airwasher LW 14 (*Est. $200) and the larger LW 44 (*Est. $400), using the same procedure used to test all air purifiers. Although the humidifiers are supposed to be able to remove particles as small as 10 microns from the air, ConsumerReports.org points out that dust and smoke are much smaller than this. The Venta-Airwasher could not remove these smaller particles, although the humidifiers did add moisture to the air. Owner opinion is divided on performance, but the majority agrees that this German-made product is just too expensive. The required water additives and cleaning solutions also add to the cost of approximately $90 per year. Venta-Airwasher models also lack important features such as humidity level controls and sensors.