Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357 Review

What reviewers like:
The PermaWick permanent filter is often cited as the Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357's best feature, with reviewers crediting this unit for easy maintenance and dishwasher-safe cleaning.

What reviewers don't like:
Lack of durability is the most common complaint about the Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357, as many reviewers report it's prone to breaking down and can be noisy to operate.

Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357 review highlights

Owners and professional reviewers give the Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357 high marks for using a PermaWick permanent filter that needs to be cleaned only once per season, eliminating the need for regular replacement. One review of the CareFree series calls these cool-mist humidifiers "the best of the bunch" on the basis of their low maintenance needs and digital humidistat. The unit is rated for rooms of up to 1,600 square feet, and owners generally agree that it humidifies adequately. However, these owners and experts also say it's not durable and may give out after a single season, with some adding that the Hunter humidifier makes too much noise on the highest fan speed. For these reasons, Hunter is no longer the class leader. Another cool-mist model, the Kenmore 15408 8-Gallon humidifier (*est. $100), is said to avoid some of these problems, though it requires regular filter replacement.

The retailer web site Allergy Consumer Review has an article on the entire Hunter Humidifier Plus line that's the only expert review we found for the Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357. Although the piece was posted in December 1999 and so would seem to contain old information, the site says it was updated in April 2007. It offers a balanced view, taking into account both pros and cons of the CareFree humidifier series. For user appraisals, a fair number of reviews for this specific model are available on Epinions and Amazon.com, with Epinions being the more extensive of the two.

Also see full report: Humidifiers

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Allergy Consumer Review.com
Hunter Humidifiers Review – Best Pick for Humidity Control
Mercia Tapping
Apr. 2007

The president of Allergy Buyer's Club reviews the Hunter CareFree humidifier series, praising its permanent wick filter, intelligent design and "highly desirable" digital humidistat. The review notes that the tested unit took a few hours to humidify a room, and that its rating was reduced from five stars to four because it broke down after one season.

2. Epinions
Hunter 34357 3.5 Gallon Humidifier Reviews
Contributors to Epinions

A fair number of postings on the Hunter CareFree 34357 yield a barely middling rating overall. Most owners agree that it humidifies as stated, and many appreciate the money-saving permanent filter, dishwasher-safe cleaning and humidistat. However, a number of complaints arise about the unit's lack of durability, the noise it makes when run at high speed and (less often) insufficient humidity.

3. Amazon.com
Hunter 34357 3-1/2-Gallon CareFree Plus Humidifier Reviews
Contributors to Amazon.com

A handful of user reviews give the Hunter CareFree 34357 humidifier a high consensus rating based on user-friendly features like the permanent wick filter, though one owner mentions that it's noisy and didn't reach the desired humidity setting.

Also see full report: Humidifiers

Hunter CareFree Humidifier Plus 34357 Review