Top Humidifier Picks
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If you're dealing with dry air in your home and are suffering from itchy skin, irritated sinuses, or respiratory issues, it might be time to invest in a humidifier. The best humidifiers on the market will have a reasonably large capacity, include quality-of-life features like an auto-stop function or an integrated humidistat, and be relatively easy to clean. That said, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. The best option depends on your budget, space, and whether you want a cool or warm-mist unit.
Cool-misting models can provide relief in warm and dry environments, but you need to be mindful of their maintenance requirements: ultrasonic cool mist units are quiet and energy-efficient, but by design, they aerosolize whatever particles are in their water tank, which can present a respiratory hazard if you aren't diligent about refilling them with distilled water and keeping the tank free of mold and bacteria. Conversely, evaporative cool-mist models can be refilled with tap water, but are also noisier. Meanwhile, since warm mist units sterilize the water in their tanks by boiling it, you don't really need to worry about mold or bacteria; just be aware that they consume a lot more power than cool-mist models.
We've tested 20 humidifiers, and below are our recommendations for the best options based on their performance, price, and feature sets. We've also included an FAQ section at the end of the article to answer some basic humidifier-related queries. If you're shopping for a bedroom or nursery humidifier, you can also see our recommendations for the best bedroom humidifiers or the best baby humidifiers.
