It’s also great at filtering out indoor air pollution and a mighty powerful fan to boot. Expensive, then, but it does a lot and looks exceedingly attractive, too. Console humidifiers are larger, freestanding units, designed to deliver moisture for a whole office, flat or an area of a house. A good console humidifier can balance the air quality in a whole house, provided the house isn’t too big! Our servers are getting hit pretty hard right now. To continue shopping, enter the characters as they are shown Humidifiers often have a choice of continuous or intermittent spray patterns, giving you a non-stop stream for six to 12 hours, or a longer running time with regular pauses. You may also get additional heat, mist or power levels, depending on the technology used.

SmartDevil Small Humidifiers, Desk Humidifiers, 500ml SmartDevil Small Humidifiers, Desk Humidifiers, 500ml

It’s also super stylish, very quiet, can be controlled via your smartphone or remote control, and it’s extremely easy to keep bacteria-free. There are no filters here; instead, Dyson uses a high-power UV lamp to kill off nasties before they’re pumped into the air. The only cleaning you have to do yourself is periodically to run a so-called “deep clean” which involves, essentially, descaling the parts that accumulate scale over time. On the other hand, using a humidifier too often can present its own problems when humidity levels become too high. As mentioned, 40% is optimum; but indoor humidity levels between 30% and 50% are considered fine for health and comfort. Lower than 30% is too dry, and risks causing short-term health problems and exacerbating long-term problems. Higher than 50 to 60% creates a welcoming environment for bacteria, dust mites and mould – not to mention a musty smell. If your humidity levels regularly rise above 60%, particularly in the winter, you might want to think about investing in a dehumidifier. What features should I look for in a humidifier? I have 3 of these, 1 pumps out the perfect amount of humidity and last about 20 hours but 2 of them pump out waaay too much! They empty in 8 hours. Is there a way to slow them down? The slower one is absolutely perfect I would like them all the same. Help please Also consider the size of the humidifier you buy. Smaller models are easier to move, while larger ones cover a bigger area. Here are the three main sizes: You don’t get a sensor or any automatic controls – you’ll need the more expensive Dual 200S for that – but the Dual 150 puts out plenty of fine mist, raising the humidity in our test room by around 18% in half an hour. It’s also very quiet, measuring 28dB at most, which makes it perfect for a living room or bedroom. What’s more, you can add essential oils and aromas to the water without fear of damaging the ultrasonic mechanism. Compact, effective and affordable, it’s an excellent choice for a quiet bedroom or any smaller space.

Beyond the basic humidification functions, you’ll find oodles of clever optional features such as antibacterial UV lights, digital control panels, spill-proof tanks, and air-cleaning “pre-filters” that are designed to trap pet hair, dust and even some pollen. Perhaps the most important features in a humidifier are the following: If your USB SmartDevil Snow Mountain Humidifier suddenly gives off a bad smell or stops working, it’s time to change the filter.

SmartDevil Humidifiers 500ml Cool Mist Humidifier Air

Whole-house humidifiers do a better job of covering the entire home, but are more complex to install because they connect to a home’s heating and cooling system. If you’re particularly concerned about air quality, or struggle with allergies or asthma, then you might want to look at an air purifier with a built-in humidifier function. This will filter out pollutants from the air and humidify it at the same time. However, it’s likely to be a bigger unit – not to mention more expensive. Are humidifiers easy to maintain? You only have to fill up the tank once a day and it’s a doddle to clean. The release of mist is much more consistent than with some cheaper machines (and even some more expensive ones), but be warned that the mist can cause dampness on fabrics, so keep it away from curtains and furnishings. That aside, this humidifier is hard to beat for the price.

We found it really easy to control the strength of the flow of steam, and it barely makes any noise, which certainly isn’t the case with many similarly-priced humidifiers. It even lets you scroll through various colours until you find your ideal ambience, and add oils such as eucalyptus to give the room a lovely fragrance. Key specs – Dimensions: 26 x 25 x 34cm (WDH); Tank size: 3.8l; Running time: Up to 22 hours; Automatic shut-off: Yes; Warranty: Lifetime Tabletop humidifiers are designed to humidify a single room. They’re lightweight and easy to carry around, and usually have a removable water container.

SmartDevil Snow Mountain USB Humidifier Filter Replacement SmartDevil Snow Mountain USB Humidifier Filter Replacement

The good thing about this budget beauty is that it delivers a decent quantity of moisture; our small room saw its humidity rise by 18% in half an hour – and, where some cheap models coat the area with condensation, this one puts out a nice fine mist. It’s also virtually silent. If you’re not fussed about automatic settings or other features, the SmartDevil is a decent buy. This is our most expensive option, but there’s enough purifying and humidifying power here to take care of a 26m² space, while the larger UA-HD50U-L will handle rooms of up to 38m². Splash the cash, and your sinuses or skin will thank you. The Babymoov gets full marks for clear instructions and easy setup. The touchscreen controls make it a doddle to monitor the ambient humidity and temperature, then adjust the settings as required. We test humidifiers by setting them up in a small room with the doors and windows closed. We take baseline measurements of the humidity levels with an air quality monitor before turning the humidifier on, and again after 15 minutes and after 30 minutes. Whenever there’s any operating noise, we measure sound levels using a smartphone sound meter app and, if the unit is mains-powered, we measure power consumption using a passthrough power meter. Finally, we use the humidifiers around the house and/or in a greenhouse to find out how easy they are to use, fill, and clean, as well as whether any niggles that may annoy in the long term become apparent.

The best humidifiers you can buy in 2023