If you need more fine and detailed control, you can always use the app. A smart humidifier might still seem sort of silly, especially if you have privacy concerns. The VeSync app (named for the parent company of Levoit) is designed to work with several other brands, such as Etekcity and Cosori, and it also serves as an online store and a customer service hub. While the company has somewhat simplified its sprawling privacy practices, it can still be difficult to parse, let alone verify, exactly what the app will track and collect. While this shouldn’t be an issue if you’re buying a new humidifier, it can complicate things if you’re traveling with it or looking to sell or buy a used one. A self-regulating ultrasonic with an extra-large tank and warm-mist capabilities, the Vornado UH200 is a great choice for larger spaces that need even humidification.
And where you use your humidifier may also affect the kinds of bad bugs it breeds. “If they are placed in the kitchen, there might be more foodborne bacteria growing in the unit versus near a bathroom where there might be more fecal organisms,” Sexton says.
Balanced distribution and an even bigger tank
To discourage nasty things from growing, use a bacteriostatic treatment, such as Essick Air, or an antimicrobial cleaning cartridge, like the fish-shaped Protec, in your humidifier tank. Even doing something as simple as using distilled or demineralized water, instead of tap, will help reduce the amount of mineral deposits that get left behind, and that ultimately means less scrubbing. Compared with doing nothing, the pot method was marginally better, raising the relative humidity by about 5% when it was on the radiator. But that humidification rate was easily eclipsed by the performance of our budget pick on its lowest setting, which increased the humidification by double digits. The pot method also had the downside of working only at the whim of the radiator’s heating cycle (and in our tester’s case, the radiator didn’t really kick on until 9 or 10 p.m. each night).
Decreased Perceived Temperature
Read more about best humidifiers here.
Don’t fret, because I’ll go over all of that and more in this guide to help you determine if a humidifier is right for you, and if so, how to choose the best one. He has been with CR since 2016, focusing on digital privacy and covering smartwatches, wireless speakers, and headphones. He is a New York Times bestselling author, and lives in Montclair, N.J., with his wife and his dog, Rugby. Here’s a look at five top-rated humidifiers, one for each size we test. For more shopping advice, see our humidifier buying guide or the section below on what a humidifier can do for you.
Do you have a wooden table and do you want an ultrasonic humidifier? Place it on a dish and your table will be protected against splattering. An ultrasonic humidifier is suitable to place near your plants.
Olivia (she/her) is a media and tech product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, covering tech, home, auto, health and more. She has more than five years of experience writing about tech trends and innovation and, prior to joining GH in 2021, was a writer for Android Central, Lifewire and other media outlets. Olivia is a graduate of George Washington University, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, political science and French, and she holds a master’s degree in communications from Sciences Po Paris. However, there are some safety concerns regarding boiling water. If you have pets, kids, or have a tendency to knock things over, a humidifier full of boiling water might not be the best choice.
Some doctors warn against using these if you have children because of the risk of burns. Some humidifiers have a humidistat that senses the humidity in the room and shuts the machine off when it hits the right level. There are many different ways to raise the humidity in your home. For example, you can put a pan of water on the stove or on the radiator, or you hang wet towels near a heater duct.
It offers the same steady humidification as our other Vornado pick, along with a larger tank and warm-mist capabilities, and it has one of the best warranties we’ve seen. The “auto” feature actually works to stop the Dreo HM311S from over-humidifying the room. Again, over-humidification is a common problem with every ultrasonic humidifier. But we were surprised to find that this affordable little Dreo was able to maintain a consistent humidity level for three days straight, without turning the room into a dank pit of fog. It also has a 1.5-gallon top-filling tank, like our top pick, though it’s not quite as easy to clean. This tank is also a little trickier to balance in the sink when you’re trying to fill it up, and the notched side handles make it a bit more difficult to carry back across the room. Like other ultrasonic humidifiers, the LV600S is essentially silent.
Fan-powered humidifiers are a whole-home, evaporative humidifying solution. These types of humidifiers have their own fan to distribute moisturized air through the ductwork of your home so it works even when your furnace isn’t running. Fan-powered humidifiers have higher humidity output potential than bypass units making them an ideal choice for medium to large homes. The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute suggest investing in a humidifier if your home’s relative humidity is anywhere below 30% to help you maintain ideal humidity levels between 30% to 50%. If you’re unsure, a smart thermostat or a digital air monitor like this 2022 Home Reno Awards winner, Airthings View Plus, can give you a more accurate read of your home’s humidity levels. Steam humidifiers contain self-generating steam heaters and are the most expensive, lowest maintenance, and most efficient design.
