In areas of high humidity, it is often the case that humidifiers are often used to improve the atmosphere in your home (and maybe where you work). In winter months and in countries where it is generally much colder on a day-to-day basis, households are likely to use more of their heating. As a result, your humidity can plummet exponentially.
With the use of a high-quality humidifier, you can ensure your indoor air has more moisture and feels less dry, even in colder weather or areas that are naturally cold. Furthermore, while humidifiers are used in colder temperatures, they are also commonly used during the less cold seasons.
But how do you decide what type of humidifier to buy? There are plenty of makes and models of humidifiers available on the market. This can make searching for the right humidifiers more complex and more irritating.
Humidifiers come in 3 different types: dual mist, warm mist, and cool mist. Warm mist humidifiers help your room to feel nice, warm, and comfy. In contrast, cool mist dehumidifiers provide a cooling effect and relief from humid air through the cool mist.
If you suffer from dry skin or have dry nasal passages, then cool mist humidifiers are sure to help relieve your symptoms with their moisturizing effect on indoor air.
Warm vs Cool Mist Humidifiers in Detail
Warm mist and cool mist humidifiers are very similar. They differ largely because of the process by which they humidify the air. As in the name, warm mist humidifiers use the power of heat to boil water and thus creates steam that has a warming effect on the indoor air.
On the other hand, cool mist humidifiers use a fan to let the water evaporate safely and efficiently into your indoor air, thus causing a cooling impact.
Both types of humidifiers have advantages and disadvantages. Since warm mist dehumidifiers use boiling water, it may be dangerous for young children or pets. If the boiling water either leaks or somehow spills over, it may cause burns. It is also likely to require more energy than cool mist humidifiers.
A major advantage of warm mist humidifiers is that it is more effective at getting rid of harmful bacteria due to the boiling water temperature. Without the need for a fan to function, warm mist humidifiers have often been reviewed as being quieter than cool mist humidifiers.
Cool mist humidifiers can often be a brilliant choice. This is because a warm mist humidifier may be too inconvenient in the hot summer months. It is also largely unsuitable for naturally hot areas with very high humidity. Cool mist can also help to alleviate the symptoms of cough or colds.
Unfortunately, an irritating factor when it comes to cool mist humidifiers is that they can quickly accumulate bacteria if it is not cleaned as properly or as frequently as required. Without being actively maintained, it may cause the harmful growth of germs and mold.
Factors To Consider Before Making a Purchase
There are several elements to a good cool mist humidifier. Below is a guide that might be able to help you make a choice more easily:
Type of Cool Mist Humidifier
In general, there are 2 types of cool mist humidifiers: Evaporative Cool Mist Humidifiers and Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifiers.
Evaporative Cool Mist Humidifiers
Evaporative Cool Mist Humidifiers use a fan to create their humidifying effects. Air is pushed through a porous wick by a well-built fan. Then, water is absorbed directly into the wick. Afterwards, the air chills as it retails moisture from the wick. Be aware, however, that it is required for you to purchase wicks to replace the current wick for maximum efficiency.
Since this type of humidifier utilizes the power of fans, an unfortunate result is that it can be quite loud.
Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifiers
Such humidifiers create a cooling mist through very high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations. These types of humidifiers do not use fans; hence they can be much quieter in comparison to evaporative cool mist humidifiers.
These humidifiers can also be entirely silent, depending on the model. More often than not, they are also lower maintenance since they are less likely to induce the growth of mold and mildew. However, it is still important to make sure that you clean your humidifier at least once a month to ensure good hygiene.
Coverage Area
Basically, coverage area refers to how much square footage a dehumidifier is designed to work in. It depends entirely on the humidifier itself. The type and output capacity are the elements that determine the coverage area.
For those who wish to purchase humidifiers for smaller, more compact places, then certain types are more beneficial than others. For example, either a personal or tabletop humidifier is a good choice for such places.
For those looking to purchase humidifiers for larger and more spacious places, it would be beneficial to purchase a console model. They are advisable in these cases because they tend to create plentiful levels of moist air. These humidifiers also tend to have water tanks with larger capacity, meaning that it’s more convenient.
User-Friendly Design
An important factor for humidifiers is how easy they are to set up, maintain, and use.
Those who aim for convenience will likely benefit from purchasing humidifiers that are compact and portable. Being able to easily move the product means that it is much more efficient to clean, and it will require less time and effort overall. If you choose to purchase a floor model (or even a table model), it should still have good portability.
A user-friendly design also includes how easy it is to maintain and locate part replacements. For those who want to choose an evaporative cool mist humidifier, it is essential to make sure that the model has a wick that is easily accessible and replaceable. It would be irritating if the wick replacements are difficult to purchase or difficult to actually find in a reliable shop.
Humidistat
To find the best cool mist humidifier, you will need to understand the importance and quality of the controls and the user interface that portrays humidity levels. There may also be additional settings included by the manufacturer.
While not all humidifiers are equipped with controllers, the ones that do have controls prove advantageous due to giving you the ability to control the humidity.
There are also quite a few models of humidifiers that do not have humidistats. However, for many people, the presence of a humidistat can be crucial when deciding on a purchase. This is because some products automatically shut down when the air reaches your preferred humidity level.
Humidifiers with humidistats can help save money on both water and electricity. For those who have chosen a humidifier without a humidistat, then it might be prudent to purchase a hygrometer as an alternative.
Hydrometers help to measure the humidity level in your rooms. This can therefore help you understand when the humidifier needs to be shut off. However, this may be more inconvenient as you need to do this manually. You may have to constantly check the hydrometer.
Cleaning
Certain types of humidifiers have a very innovative design that ensures that it is easy for users to refill. Certain designs are also much easier to clean and maintain. There are also humidifiers with more parts, making them harder to maintain and more difficult to clean.
Nonetheless, it is very important to be able to properly clean your humidifier. Follow the instructions accompanied by your purchased product in order to efficiently clean your humidifier.
When it comes to how frequently your humidifier needs cleaning, this depends entirely on how often you decide to use the product. It may require cleaning and drainage on a daily basis. However, it is very important to clean the unit as it could cause the growth of bacteria and germs.
Without cleaning properly, the humidifier could circulate harmful airborne bacteria around your home. The water may be filled with bacteria that could cause detrimental effects on the members of your household.
Top-Rated Cool Mist Humidifiers
We have researched and analyzed the most efficient, effective, and generally best cool mist humidifiers available. After considering the feedback, we are happy to present you with the world’s best cool mist humidifiers on the market.
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Cool Mist Humidifier with The Most Innovative Design
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier has a rather lovely design. It fits nicely in compact, tight spaces, including nurseries, bedrooms, and small offices. It has a sleek and modern look, ensuring that it looks brilliant in any location.
This product also gives you the ability to turn on or off the blue night light. This means that you can turn it on when it becomes dark and then off when it is lighter, thus saving on electricity bills in the long term.
The controls and settings for this humidifier are quite simple. This device has only a single button at its base. You only need to press it to turn it on and then press again to alter the speed levels.
Why We Endorse This Product
Cleaning
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is very easy to clean. Included in your purchase is a brush for cleaning the dish. This brush is a brilliant addition to help you reach difficult spots. Furthermore, it doesn’t come with a filter or removable sections that require a lot of maintenance.
Design
This humidifier has a very sleek and stylish design. As a result, it can be stored in smaller and more cramped locations. In comparison to its alternatives, it has a much better design that can blend in with modern furniture.
Run Time
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier has a run time of about 16 hours. This is a brilliant feature since many humidifiers of a similar size have run times of only 10 hours.
Keep In Mind
Mist Nozzle
It is a simple process to alter the direction in which the mist is going. However, there have been reviews that suggested it can become stuck and difficult to move.
Levoit Ultrasonic Bedroom Cool Mist Humidifier
Highest-Rated Cool Mist Humidifier for Those on a Budget
The Levoit Ultrasonic Bedroom Cool Mist Humidifier does a brilliant job of humidifying the air and is also a reasonable price. It has a nozzle that rotates a full 360°, making it very convenient. It can push out cooling mist in all directions.
This product also includes a night light for you to be able to save energy. You can also turn the night light on and off, which is much better than humidifiers that cannot turn on and off the night light.
Moreover, it only emits 24dB at the low setting and only 30dB at the high setting, thanks to its innovative silencer (which can also be removed).
This humidifier has great performance. Even with a tank that is less than ½ gallon full, it can still run for 23 hours when set to a low setting. In total, it helps to humidify 290 square feet of space and is a brilliant product for indoor spaces that are quite small.
Why We Endorse This Product
Silencer
The Levoit Ultrasonic Bedroom Cool Mist Humidifier has an effective silencer that significantly lowers the amount of noise involved in its operation. This makes it highly suitable for use in quiet spaces such as nurseries and bedrooms.
Mist Settings
This humidifier is equipped with several mist settings. With the 360° nozzle, it can be fully set to your preferences. At the price it is being sold for, this amount of control you have over your product is amazing.
Quality
More often than not, humidifiers at this price point are not as high-quality as their counterparts. However, the Levoit Ultrasonic Bedroom Cool Mist Humidifier has been quality tested thoroughly. It has certificates from FFC as well as ROHS. Moreover, it is also ETL listed and free of BPA.
Moreover, this product has also been CA65 tested.
It Can Turn Off Automatically
This humidifier can turn off automatically when the tank is almost empty. This ensures that your energy usage is optimized since it can automatically turn off whenever you cannot refill the tank immediately.
Keep In Mind
Not Suitable for Larger Rooms
For larger and more spacious indoor spaces, the Levoit Ultrasonic Bedroom Cool Mist Humidifier is unsuitable; it will not be efficient in humidifying the air. You will need to carefully consider where you want to place the product.
Crane Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Most Suitable Cool Mist Humidifier for Your Health
The Crane Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier has been developed to work efficiently in indoor air spaces of 500 square feet or less. It is very easy to use, and its ultrasonic technology does not produce loud, irritating noises.
The antimicrobial materials used to develop this humidifier means that it can reduce the growth of harmful microorganisms. This humidifier is a wonderful choice for removing a large percentage of bacteria and significantly reducing mold build-up.
The most notable feature of this humidifier is that it is very easy to use and maintain. The design itself ensures that the divide is easy to clean. It features an easy to detach water tank at the bottom for easy refill. In order to clean and dry the water tank, there is enough space for you to place a scrub.
Why We Endorse This Product
User-Friendly
There are certain devices that make it easier for bacteria to grow quickly. However, with the Crane Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, the water tank is easily cleaned and detached for access. This ensures that you can keep it clean and free of harmful bacteria. Although the cleaning process is not automatic, it is still very convenient.
Child-Friendly
This humidifier is highly suitable for use in places like nurseries. Due to the automatic shutdown feature, you will not have to be concerned if the tank becomes empty. This BPA-free machine is also available in several different colors in order to match the theme of your child’s room.
Keep In Mind
Essential Oil
For those who commonly use essential oils with your humidifier, this unit may not be the most suitable for you. This machine cannot be used with essential oils since it would cause the process of maintaining it to be more complex.
Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Cool Mist Humidifier with The Highest Runtime
Fifty whole hours. What is this, you may ask? Well, 50 hours is the average run time for the Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. This indicates that you can keep it running for many days without having to be concerned about it. Furthermore, to save energy and optimize its usage of electricity, it will automatically turn off whenever the water runs empty.
This humidifier is ultrasonic, so it is less of a concern when it comes to replacing the filters. It also ensures that plenty of mist is sprayed out frequently. In total, it can disperse about 9 ounces of water every hour, hence its ability to cover larger areas.
It also includes certain features that make it easier to use. It includes a dial to help you alter the moisture level. Similar to the Levoit Ultrasonic Bedroom Cool Mist Humidifier, this product also comes with a 360° mist nozzle for your convenience.
Unlike the Levoit product, the Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is capable of handling essential oils. It also comes with a cool tray for essential oils. This feature is for aromatherapy purposes.
Why We Endorse This Product
Runtime
This humidifier comes with a very long run time. It can continue to spray quite a bit of cool mist for 6 days. For those who are particularly busy or those who live in a very dry environment, this product would be very convenient.
For those going on holiday, you can ensure that this product runs to keep the humidity levels appropriate.
Essential Oil
This humidifier is a brilliant choice for those who wish to use essential oils for aromatherapy purposes. If you wish to sleep better, it may be a good idea to include some drops of the lavender essential oil
No Filter
Without the presence of a filter, it is easier to maintain, and you will not have to purchase costly filter replacements. It also makes the process of maintaining the product much easier and more convenient in the long term.
Keep In Mind
Not As Easy to Clean
The Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is not as easy to clean as other cool mist humidifiers. The water tank can only open between 2 to 3 inches wide; therefore, it is harder to clean.
Furthermore, this product also contains a lot of hard-to-reach spaces where mold can grow.
Cool Mist Humidifiers
Cool mist humidifiers are very advantageous. As proven in this article, they come with numerous benefits and various makes and models.
For those with very dry skin and other such issues, the products we have introduced can help to purify and moisturize the indoor air in your home effectively and efficiently.
The mentioned products are also quite stylish. Furthermore, the top product mentioned is also capable of being used with essential oils for aromatherapy.
Although many humidifiers come with brilliant extra features that you can think to be useful, it is still important to make sure that the item you purchase directly suits your needs and circumstances.
For those who are more inclined towards small and easy-to-carry humidifiers, it would be a good idea to purchase one that is not intended for large spaces. Make sure that you understand the coverage area and compare the product specifications to the requirements of the room in which you intend to use the humidifier.