6 Of The Best And Affordable Humidifiers For The Dry Seasons
While high humidity is often considered one of the more problematic elements of home ownership, leading to stuffy rooms and lurking mold, the opposite extreme isn't any better. When you're in the midst of a dry spell, particularly in a freezing winter with the heater cranked up, you may see problems like cracked, warping wood in floorboards and cupboards. That's not even mentioning personal problems like dry lips, nosebleeds, and sinus congestion.
Where a dehumidifier is employed for an overly-moist, moldy home, a humidifier exists to give you just enough moisture in the air to keep everything smooth and slick. There are a variety of humidifier models available at your local Home Depot, though some of them can get a bit expensive in exchange for features you may not need. Luckily, there are plenty of humidifiers available for less than $200, each one backed by recommendations from Home Depot customers and ready to put a little more moisture in your life.
AIRCARE 6 Gallon Cool Mist Evaporative Tower Humidifier
The best kind of humidifier is one you can just leave in one spot of your home and have it humidify the whole thing, as opposed to using one in every room. If you have a smaller home, say, 2,300 square feet, then the AIRCARE Evaporative Tower Humidifier will get you all the moisture you could need, no matter where you are.
This humidifier holds up to six gallons of water, which you can pour right in with a pitcher via the convenient front loading port. On a full tank, this device can run for up to 70 hours straight, providing moisturizing mist on one of three fan settings. Thanks to the Cool Mist technology, which doesn't use any heating elements, you don't have to worry about kids or pets getting scalded by hot steam.
The AIRCARE Tower Humidifier is available at Home Depot for $122.99, where it has a 4 out of 5 rating. Users claim to appreciate the ease that comes with pouring water in the tank, a simple chore you can do at the start of any day. Users also enjoy how easy it is to set up, with large, snap-together components and a slot-in filter.
AIRCARE 5 Gal. Evaporative Humidifier
Not all home-wide humidifiers are made equal. If you're living in an especially large home, then even one designed with full home humidifying in mind may not work for you. Luckily, for larger situations, there exist equally big humidifiers. If your home is around 4,000 square feet in size, AIRCARE has another humidifier just for you.
The AIRCARE Evaporative Humidifier is an absolute brute of a device, channeling 5 gallons of water into a massive humidifying radius. The humidifier is filled via a pair of easy-access water tanks, which you can stick right under your kitchen sink to refill. The top of the device features a set of digital buttons for setting your fan speed and humidistat preferences, allowing you to set your ideal humidity level and keep it there throughout the day.
The AIRCARE Evaporative Humidifier is available at Home Depot for $189, where it has a 4 out of 5 user rating. Users enjoy the ease in set-up that comes with the dual water tank system, which carefully sends water onto the wicks throughout the day. One user recommends this unit for its sheer scope of coverage, as it was more than enough to humidify their entire home with no missed spots.
Crane 1 Gal. Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Whether you live in a smaller apartment or only need extra humidity in a single room like an office or bedroom, there exist smaller humidifiers that can comfortably fit on a work desk or nightstand. If you need a little extra moisture during the day or at night, try the Crane Ultrasonic Humidifier.
This aesthetically pleasing, drop-shaped humidifier channels 1 gallon of water into up to 500 square feet of moisturizing action. The small size and quiet operation makes it great for those nighttime congestions in the winter. Rather than a traditional disposable filter, the entire device is composed of antimicrobial material, which reduces the presence of mold and bacteria by up to 99.96%. When you need to clean it, just detach the bottom tank, give it a quick scrub, then pop it back on.
The Crane Ultrasonic Humidifier is available at Home Depot for $49.99, where it has a 4.3 out of 5 user rating. Customers enjoy its ease of use and fun design, with multiple users noting it's perfect in their kids' rooms. Several users recommend the device for nurseries, as it keeps the room moisturized without making enough noise to wake a baby.
LEVOIT 1.5 Gal. Smart Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier and Diffuser
When it comes to vapor-distributing devices, humidifiers aren't the only game in town. Besides moisturizing your room with a humidifier, you may also employ a diffuser to dispense pleasant, calming aromas. While it is possible to use both a humidifier and a diffuser in the same room at the same time, you might as well simplify things and combine both in a single device.
The LEVOIT Smart Ultrasonic Humidifier and Diffuser combines humidifying and aromatherapy into a convenient package. The 1.5-gallon tank provides mist up to 505 sq. ft. away, while the built-in aroma pad simultaneously dispenses the scent of your favorite essential oil over the same range. The special ultrasonic transducer also turns water into vapor, giving you much-needed moisture without soaking anything.
The LEVOIT Smart Ultrasonic Humidifier and Diffuser is available at Home Depot for $80.36, where it has a user rating of 4.9 out of 5. Users enjoy both the simplicity of the top-loading tank and pop-out aroma pad. It's also Bluetooth compatible, and several users reported adding the device to their smart home setups.
Air Innovations 1.37 Gal. Cool Mist Digital Humidifier
If you have a large area like a living room or dining room that needs a little extra muscle in the moisturizing department, you want a humidifier that will give you as much coverage as you want. In such a situation, the Digital Humidifier from Air Innovations is just the guy for the job.
This humidifier features a convenient digital LED display, which clearly shows how much water is left in the tank, what your current humidistat settings are, and more. What's especially cool about this device is its permanent filter. Rather than a disposable fabric filter, this humidifier employs a special ceramic filter that never needs to be replaced, just washed. Combine that with the antimicrobial plastic body, and neither bacteria nor water impurities will get anywhere near you.
The Air Innovations Digital Humidifier is available at Home Depot for $66.77, where it has a user rating of 4.4 out of 5. One of the most popular features among users is its quiet operation, making it great for both bedroom sleep aid. It also helps pets with allergies without bothering them with noise.
Pure Enrichment MistAire Eva 4-Speed Evaporative Humidifier
The annoying thing about humidity, much like most atmospheric phenomena, is that it can be inconsistent. Some days things are like the bottom of a bathtub, other days it's dry as a bone. To keep up with these changes, you might consider a humidifier with some deeper control.
The MistAire Evaporative Humidifier from Pure Enrichment features a simple four-speed setting for its internal fan, giving you plenty of options for finding your perfect humidifying state. The evaporative framework is designed to capture and recirculate existing humidity, which saves you some electricity, while the 1-gallon water tank gets you around 25 hours of operation. As an added bonus, the top of the device glows in 7 rotating colors, so it doubles as a night light for the kids.
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Evaporative Humidifier is available at Home Depot for $79.99, where it has a user rating of 4.8 out of 5. Users enjoy the clean operation of this device, with the fan framework eliminating the white dust you sometimes get from humidifiers. Several users report improved sinus health while using this device, with one user even saying it fixed their spouse's snoring problem.