Humidifiers Reviews

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

We also found some retailer sites helpful. Allergy Buyers Club and its sister site, AllergyConsumerReview.com, do test the humidifiers they sell, but only report on those brands and models. User reviews at Amazon.com, Sears.com and elsewhere tell how satisfied users are with their humidifiers after they have them at home. Consumer Reports is impartial and thorough, and offers some sound general advice, but its ratings of 15 humidifiers are too dated to be of much value; all but two of the models from their 2004 test are now discontinued.

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. $40) -- in this report.

Among warm-mist humidifiers, Honeywell's new line of three QuickSteam Warm Moisture Humidifiers isn't nearly as well liked by owners as the highly regarded (but discontinued) Honeywell HWM-2030. At Amazon.com, the top-of-the-line Honeywell QuickSteam HWM-450 (*est. $70) earns an average of just three out of five stars from its owners, with nearly one-fourth reporting that their unit started leaking or stopped working altogether within several weeks. On the other hand, Slate's Laura Moser reported "zero leakage problems" in her review (though she reports another Honeywell humidifier, the QuietCare HCM-300T, did begin to leak). She cites the HWM-450 as a "quiet and compact" unit that takes little effort to maintain.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model(With Retailer Links)	Details from Amazon.com
2	Air-O-Swiss 7133 (*est. $120)	details
2	Graco 4-Gallon Humidifier (formerly Hamilton Beach TrueAir 05521) (*est. $70)	details
2	Kenmore 15408 8-Gallon (*est. $100)	-
1 each	Enviracaire EWM-220 (formerly Slant/Fin GF-220) , Bemis by Essick Air H12 , Air-O-Swiss 7135 , Honeywell HWM-2030, Vicks 3100 Cool Mist , Vicks Ultrasonic 1.5 gal., Desert Spring Whole House

No one humidifier is perfect, but several emerge as good choices according to experts and/or users. Air-O-Swiss is a well regarded brand among ultrasonic humidifiers. It offers an option of cool or warm-mist, and works well in most situations. Both the Air-O-Swiss 7133 and the Air-O-Swiss 7135 are well regarded, but the step-up model adds some worthwhile features and reports say it does a better job in minimizing dust. The Kenmore 15408 is a cool-mist humidifier that gets great professional reviews and is favored by owners, but we've seen reports that filters might be difficult to find. The Graco 4-Gallon Humidifier (formerly Hamilton Beach TrueAir 05521) is another cool-mist humidifier that gets some professional recommendations, but only very mixed reviews from owners. The Enviracaire EWM-220 is a top warm-mist choice, but many warn that the hot water of any warm-mist humidifier can be a hazard, especially if young children are around. The Bemis by Essick Air H12 is a well regarded console humidifier that can handle larger areas and multiple rooms.