The Best Home Humidifiers

The Levoit Classic 300S cinches the number-one spot on our list of best humidifiers thanks to long-lasting performance and smart features at an affordable price. But because it’s a cool-mist-only humidifier, it might make your home chilly in winter. Read our other recommendations for warm-mist vaporizers and cool-and-warm combos. 

In auto mode, the Levoit Classic 300S turns off automatically once it senses ideal humidity levels and kicks back on when the air gets too dry. We read some user complaints regarding the accuracy of the humidity sensor, so you may run into trouble with this feature.

That said, we read similar comments about every humidifier we researched. The Levoit Classic 300S stood out to us because many users also claimed the sensor worked fine. 

To improve your chances of getting the best reading, keep the humidity sensor (located under the Levoit Classic 300S and to the left) pointed out toward the middle of the room and rotate the misting nozzle in the opposite direction. Make sure the humidifier isn’t near an air vent or fan, which could affect the readings.

If it still just doesn’t seem to be accurate, you can use a separate humidity sensor and run the Levoit Classic 300S on manual mode. Since it pairs with a smartphone app and is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, it’s easy to turn it on and off whenever you remember. Or, you can set schedules and timers to make life even easier.

This humidifier also alerts you when the tank runs out of water and automatically shuts itself off.

You’ll lose about two cups of tank capacity and five hours of run time by choosing the Elechomes Smart Humidifier instead of the Levoit Classic 300S, but all of the smart options remain the same:

• Control with voice commands through Alexa or Google Assistant
• Set schedules and timers
• Use app to adjust other settings like mode or mist intensity
• Get low water warnings
• Turn off light display with sleep mode

Plus, you can set a child lock to prevent curious kids from changing the settings.

This is   when I’m feeling sick. I’ve also used it to keep humidity-loving plants healthy during winter. It works like a charm, but it needs to be filled on a daily basis if you want to use it all the time.

The Vicks Nursery Vaporizer isn’t exactly quiet or discreet—you can hear the water gurgle as it boils, and the steam produces a thick, visible mist as it exits the vaporizer. This didn’t bother me since it sounded like a trickling water fountain and it was apparent the machine was working.

There’s no way to control how much vapor is produced by the Vicks Nursery Vaporizer, so if you’re trying to achieve a specific humidity level, you’ll need to use a separate air quality monitor and run this machine as needed.

I also liked how easy it is to clean the tub by hand thanks to the wide-mouth design, and you can add Vicks VapoSteam or essential oils to the trough at the top for aromatherapy.

Just don’t use this (or any other warm mist humidifier) where toddlers or pets could get too close and burn themselves on the steam. 

Humidifier water tanks have to be scrubbed on a regular basis to prevent mold from growing inside. The Honeywell Cool Mist is one of the only models with dishwasher-safe components that make this chore a little easier. But if you’d rather hand-wash the water tank, the opening is easy to reach into.

It can run continuously for around 24 hours and holds a little more than one gallon of water. It has three fan settings but no other modes. It’s also not compatible with any smart hubs or apps, which makes its price tag—around the same as the Levoit Classic 300S—seem pretty high.

You can control mist output, set timers, and turn a nightlight on, but you have to push buttons on the machine since it’s not compatible with any smart hubs or apps.

We read several user complaints about this humidifier leaking from the base, so keep an eye on it when you first set it up.

The Levoit Classic 300S is a large-capacity smart humidifier with a reasonable price tag. Although there have been reports of sensor issues with this model, that’s easily remedied with a separate sensor placed well away from the unit. But it may be worth spending a little more money on the runner-up—the Elechomes Smart Humidifier—if you want a warm mist option too.

The best kids humidifier produces cool mist only—warm mist is a possible burn hazard. But warm mist humidifiers can be used safely around kids as long as they are kept well out of reach. If you get a warm-and-cool combo humidifier, look for one with a child lock to prevent kids from changing the settings.

Between 30% and 50% humidity is considered ideal for a home.²  Anything higher than 60% humidity creates an environment in which mold and dust mites thrive.³

White dust is made of minerals like calcium. These minerals disperse through the air when hard water is used in a humidifier. Once the water molecules evaporate, the minerals are left behind and settle onto surfaces in a thin layer of dust.

You can reduce white dust by using a humidifier with a wicking filter, adding a water filter to your kitchen faucet, or using distilled water in the humidifier.

We looked for humidifiers that could hold a lot of water, run for a long time, and shut off automatically when empty. We short-listed the best humidifiers based on extra features like smart home control, aromatherapy compatibility, and ease of maintenance. Then we dove into reading customer experiences and looking for common malfunctions or other product issues. Finally, we considered the price of each unit. Learn more on the SafeWise methodology page.

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• How to Improve Air Quality in Your Home
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• How to Make an Air Purifier at Home for Less than $40

1. Julie Baughn, M.D., Mayo Clinic, “Warm-Mist Versus Cool-Mist Humidifier: Which Is Better for a Cold?” July 2021. Accessed May 31, 2022.
2. Mayo Clinic, “Humidifiers: Ease Skin, Breathing Problems,” June 2021. Accessed May 31, 2022.
3. United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Mold Course Chapter 2: Why and Where Mold Grows,” June 2021. Accessed May 31, 2022.