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Humidifiers: Ratings of Sources
Total of 18 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. Slate.com
Jan. 31, 2008
Get Misty for Me: Humidifiers to Help You Through the Winter
by Laura Moser
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Slate.com's Laura Moser tests seven humidifiers in her own apartment, each for five 24-hour periods, and ranks the results with a numerical score based on performance, maintenance requirements and overall… attractiveness. The Kenmore 15408 humidifier is top-rated. Though Moser notes some personal reservations about warm-mist humidifiers, the Honeywell HWM-450 scores highly and "trounced" the other warm-mist humidifier that was tested. Two ultrasonic humidifiers, the Germ Guardian Manual Ultrasonic H2000 and Air-O-Swiss 7142, also rate highly. Though the write-ups on the individual humidifiers are not especially long, Moser does a good job describing the pros and cons of each humidifier, and the testing methodology and criteria are well explained.

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2. Good Housekeeping
Oct. 2008
Best Humidifiers
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Engineers at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute scrutinize 21 room-size humidifiers, rating them on appearance, energy cost, user friendliness and how long the units take to humidify a room. Editors… cite the ultrasonic Air-O-Swiss 7144 as their "splurge-worthy pick." In the cool-mist category, the Honeywell HCM-300T is top-rated, while the Enviracaire Germ-Free EWM-211D is the warm-mist pick. The article doesn't state how long it tested the humidifiers, nor does it reveal which models it reviewed, other than the featured five. The write-ups on each humidifier are just two to four sentences long, but they do list some drawbacks as well as praise.

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3. Allergy Buyers Club.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifiers for the Home, Office & Bedrooms
by Editors of AllergyBuyersClub.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

AllergyBuyersClub.com sells humidifiers and other health-related equipment, so the only ratings here are for models that the retailer actually carries -- humidifiers from Air-O-Swiss, Germ Guardian, Graco,… Ecor Environmental and Desert Spring. It appears that these humidifiers are indeed tested, and there are notes regarding noise level, ease of cleaning, etc. However, because the site's scope is so narrow, we don't know how the many other brands of humidifiers stack up. In addition, only higher-rated humidifiers get more extensive discussion.

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4. Amazon.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifiers
by Contributors to Amazon.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Owners rate their humidifiers with the usual mix of positive and negative comments. Among humidifiers with numerous postings, the Crane Adorable line fares well, as does the Air-O-Swiss 7135. Few models earn more than four average stars.
5. Target.com
As of Oct. 2009
Home Air Control: All Humidifiers
by Contributors to Target.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Most of the 50 or so humidifiers sold at Target.com have only a handful of reviews, but a few have many more. Of these, the Crane Adorable Ultrasonic Humidifier fares well, while the American Red Cross Cool Mist Humidifier receives a poor average rating.
6. Walmart.com
As of Oct. 2009
Heating, Cooling & Air Quality
by Contributors to Walmart.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Walmart.com sells about three dozen humidifiers, most of which have at least a few reviews. Crane, WindChaser and Sunpentown models receive the highest ratings from owners here, while Vicks and Bionaire humidifiers receive mixed reviews.
7. Allergy Consumer Review.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifiers
by Editors of AllergyConsumerReview.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

AllergyConsumerReview.com, a sister site to AllergyBuyersClub.com, has helpful reviews of humidifiers, as well as advice on choosing a humidifier from company President Mercia Tapping, who suffers from… allergies herself. If you poke around on this website, you will find constantly updated reviews and comments on a wider range of products, including Bemis and Hunter, which are no longer sold by AllergyBuyersClub.com.

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8. ConsumerReports.org
Updated Dec. 2008
Humidifiers: Indoor Comfort
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment ConsumerReports.org hasn't tested humidifiers since 2004, and the now-outdated humidifier ratings have been removed from the website. However, there's a thorough -- and fairly up-to-date -- buyer's guide that discusses humidifier types, choosing a humidifier, and humidifier cleaning tips.
9. ConsumerReports.org
Feb. 25, 2008
Claim Check: Venta-Airwasher "Humidicleaner"
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment ConsumerReports.org tests the Venta-Airwasher LW 14 and LW 44 to check the manufacturer's claims that these humidifiers can trap particles in the air as small as 10 microns while adding moisture to the air. The results are reported in the blogs section of the website, meaning that unlike much of CR's online content, it's available to anyone without a subscription.
10. Sears.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifiers
by Contributors to Sears.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Most of the consumer-written reviews posted to Sears.com are limited to Kenmore and Holmes humidifiers, but Sears does carry a few other brands. There aren't a great number of owners posting here, and Kenmore models receive the best ratings. The 12-gallon Kenmore earns a high average rating from about 30 reviewers.
11. Buzzillions.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifier Reviews
by Contributors to Buzzillions.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Buzzillions.com has collected ratings and reviews of humidifiers from users at a wide variety of websites. One problem here is that humidifier filters and accessories are mixed in with humidifier models, making navigation tedious.
12. Drugstore.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifiers/Vaporizers
by Contributors to Drugstore.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Drugstore.com sells several humidifiers, most of which receive at least a few reviews from users. Two models -- the Crane Adorable Ultrasonic Humidifier and the Vicks Warm Mist V745A -- receive very good average ratings from more than 20 users.
13. Viewpoints.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifier Reviews
by
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Of the dozens of humidifiers listed at Viewpoints.com, most only receive one or two ratings, but a few receive a half-dozen or more. While no specific model has enough comments to draw any real conclusions, the reviews posted here are very detailed and worth a read.
14. Epinions.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifiers
by
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Epinions.com lists more than 500 humidifiers, but few models have more than one or two user reviews. The humidifiers that receive more than a dozen reviews have poor overall ratings.
15. Purity Planet
Not Dated
Humidifiers
by Editors of PurityPlanet.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment PurityPlanet.com is a consumer information website for homeowners that has a section about humidifiers. In addition to advice on purchasing and upkeep, it provides information on several leading humidifiers. No specific models are rated, but opinions about each brand in general -- garnered from reading reviews elsewhere -- are shared.
16. Dulley.com
Not Dated
Portable, Room-Size Humidifiers Improve Comfort, Save Money
by James Dulley
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

James Dulley is an environmental engineer and syndicated columnist. His free online report gives a good introduction to humidifiers. For a fee, you can also buy his more detailed report, Update Bulletin No.… 649. The longer report includes brands not mentioned in other expert reviews, such as Duracraft, Windchaser and Lasko. But this report has not been updated in several years, and many discontinued models are listed. No humidifier ratings are furnished, but there's a good buyer's guide, including a chart to help you determine the output capacity you need for your home.

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17. About.com
Updated Oct. 19, 2008
Humidifiers and Vaporizers
by Vincent Iannelli
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Pediatrician Vincent Iannelli, About.com's guide to pediatrics, offers his top five humidifier picks for children, though he doesn't refer to any testing in the brief write-ups. The Vicks 3100 Mist and… Vicks Ultrasonic models are included. The Ultrasonic gets middling ratings from owners on user-review sites, however. Iannelli also warns parents to avoid warm-mist humidifiers to eliminate the possibility of a child being accidentally burned. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

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18. ConsumerGuide.com
As of Oct. 2009
Humidifiers
by Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

ConsumerGuide.com's humidifier reviews don't offer much useable guidance. Air-O-Swiss, Holmes and Hunter humidifiers get Best Buy recommendations, but those reviews were written several years ago, when… ConsumerGuide.com gave some type of recommendation to virtually every product mentioned with scant evidence of any real testing. More recent ratings of a trio of Kenmore humidifiers are more measured, but discussion is brief and offers little that could not be gleaned from reading product literature.

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