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6 Best Humidifiers in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Portable dehumidifier colect water from air inside of living room

Portable dehumidifier colect water from air inside of living room

Some significant health benefits of keeping air humid in your home include reduced allergy symptoms and better skin health. But where does one even begin with the number of humidifiers and diffusers available online?

Many of the ones you see are simply a rebranding of the same thing, so we’ve gathered six of the best humidifiers and written reviews on each of them. This helps you cut through the marketing and enables you to see the pros and cons of each.

After the reviews, there’s also a short buying guide with additional information to help you make an informed decision.

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A Glance at Our Winners in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Ultrasonic Warm & Cool Mist Air Ultrasonic Warm & Cool Mist Air
  • Ceramic water filter with activated carbon and minerals
  • Purifies air with cleansing ions
  • Accommodates essential oil
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
  • Intuitive technology controls and features
  • Top-fill for convenient filling
  • Quiet operation
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Whole Home Humidifier Whole Home Humidifier
  • Humidifies up to 4,200 sq. feet
  • Use a fan to pull heated air from your furnace
  • USA made
  • Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
  • Cute, kid-friendly design
  • Extremely quiet
  • Works for medium to large bedrooms
  • Portable Cool Mist Humidifier Portable Cool Mist Humidifier
  • Easy to transport
  • Extremely quiet
  • Easy to clean
  • The 6 Best Humidifiers

    1. Ultrasonic Warm & Cool Mist Air – Best Overall

    Ultrasonic Warm & Cool Mist Air

    Brand: Hupro
    Size: 1.4 gallons (5.5 liters)
    Diffuser: Yes

    If you’re looking for the best overall humidifier, this large warm and cool mist humidifier from Hupro is a great option. This model pushes out enough mist to increase and maintain humidity in a 500-square-foot room. The other great thing about this humidifier is that it has a ceramic filter that produces cleaning ions to purify your air. And if you’re interested in diffusing essential oils, this unit can accommodate the oils in a special chamber.

    When comparing the price to many other models available, this one is definitely on the higher end, especially because it only does one room. However, it has some pretty advanced features and works excellent, so many people consider it worth the extra money.

    Pros
    • Ceramic water filter with activated carbon and minerals
    • Purifies air with cleansing ions
    • Accommodates essential oil
    • Warm and cold mist options
    • Quiet operation
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Only big enough for one room

    2. Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier – Best Value

    Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

    Brand: KFC
    Size: 1.1 gallons (4.5L)
    Diffuser: Yes

    This ultrasonic cool mist humidifier may lack some of the air purifying functionality of the previous one, and it also has a smaller reservoir. However, this is the best humidifier for the money. Not only do you save a significant amount compared to our top pick, but it’s still loaded with awesome features that make it a great pick.

    You can control the humidity levels, timer, and speed with the easy-to-read buttons on the front of the machine. Or, you could simply download the KFC Smart App and control the unit from anywhere. This machine is suitable for humidifying spaces up to 325 square feet, so you’re good for the average-sized room. Another neat feature of this humidifier is that it’s compatible with Alexa or Google voice assistants for voice control.

    Pros
    • Intuitive technology controls and features
    • Top-fill for convenient filling
    • Quiet operation
    • Adjustable nozzle for mist direction
    Cons
    • Cool mist only
    • Lacks air purifying capability

    3. Whole Home Humidifier – Premium Choice

    Whole Home Humidifier

    Brand: Aprilaire
    Size: 18 gallons (68L)
    Diffuser: No

    If you live somewhere with chronically dry air through long winters, it may be worth considering a whole home humidifier. While they are significantly more expensive than the single-room units, you’d be surprised at their affordability. This kit comes with the unit and everything you need for the average installation.

    Once installed, you set your desired humidity level on the controls, and the unit goes to work. It uses a fan that pulls airflow directly from your furnace. It humidifies the air and pushes it into your home. All you need to do is ensure that the 18-gallon reservoir has water in it.

    Pros
    • Humidifies up to 4,200 sq. feet
    • Use a fan to pull heated air from your furnace
    • USA made
    • Includes installation kit
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Only works while heating your home

    4. Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

    Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

    Brand: Crane
    Size: 1 gallon
    Diffuser: No

    If the air is dry and you’ve got little ones, quiet and kid-friendly are helpful features when looking for a humidifier. This one by Crane offers a great option for a child’s bedroom. This particular one is an elephant, but there are several animal options like a fox, monkey, or hippo.

    In addition to being fun kid designs, these units also offer extremely quiet operation. The way their reservoir is designed, they also feature easy access for cleaning. And with a 1-gallon capacity in the reservoir, you’ll have no issues allowing this to run all night up to 24 hours. Plus, you don’t need to worry about it running without water if you forget because there is an automatic shutoff.

    Pros
    • Cute, kid-friendly design
    • Extremely quiet
    • Works for medium to large bedrooms
    • Automatic shutoff
    Cons
    • No essential oil diffuser
    • No water filter included
    • No timer

    5. Portable Cool Mist Humidifier

    Portable Cool Mist Humidifier

    Brand: Geniani
    Size: 250 milliliter (ml)
    Diffuser: No

    If you’re looking for a cool mist humidifier that you can take to the office or on a trip in the car, this unit by Geniani is a great pick. It features a rechargeable battery that has up to 8 hours of runtime. And if the battery dies at work, you simply need a USB cord for charging.

    This one isn’t only for traveling with, you can simply take it with you wherever you go in your house. And if you use it at night, it’s got a soft white light that doubles as a night light. Compared to other humidifiers on this list, this one won’t fill a large space, and you’ll have to refill it often. But it is a great option if you need something you can take with you without relying on plugins.

    Pros
    • Easy to transport
    • Extremely quiet
    • Easy to clean
    Cons
    • Limited battery life
    • Small water reservoir
    • No oil diffuser tray

    6. Essential Oil Diffuser & Himalayan Salt Lamp

    Essential Oil Diffuser & Himalayan Salt Lamp

    Brand: Autumn Rain
    Size: 400 ml
    Diffuser: Yes

    This humidifier combines several features: it provides cool humidity, a Himalayan rock salt lamp, and an essential oil diffuser. Plus, it has seven different LED lighting options for a nice atmosphere as well. If you’re looking for a fun, portable humidifier and diffuser option, this one is worth your consideration.

    Unfortunately, it does have a fairly small reservoir. That being said, this unit isn’t designed to create mist for large rooms, so the small water capacity probably won’t be a huge issue. It also lacks filters or purifying qualities like other humidifiers on the list. For the price, this one still isn’t a bad option, though. Especially if you’re on a tight budget.

    Pros
    • Seven lighting options
    • Essential oil diffusing
    • Compact and portable
    Cons
    • Small water capacity
    • No water filter
    • Doesn’t purify the air
    • Some complaints of noisier operation

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    Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Best Humidifiers

    Buying a humidifier is easy once you know what you’re looking for. Let’s go over a few things to consider when choosing which one to buy.

    Size

    There are a few things to consider regarding the humidifier’s size. First off, you’ll want to consider the reservoir size. For example, a 500ml tank will have to be filled much more often than a 2-gallon tank. Another size-related issue that typically goes along with reservoir size is how much mist the unit can push out to keep a room humid.

    So, you need to decide what you’re trying to humidify. Do you want to increase humidity in one room, the whole house, or just your desk space?

    Essential Oils

    Many people believe in the beneficial properties of essential oils. Even if you don’t, you probably won’t complain about some wonderful smells you can get. This may be something to consider when looking at humidifiers. Some have special trays to diffuse essential oils with cool or warm mists.

    Power

    Most humidifiers are plugged into a standard wall outlet, and some are built right into the house like a whole home humidifier. However, you can also get humidifiers that have rechargeable batteries, making them an excellent option for someone needing a compact and portable unit.

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    Conclusion

    The warm and cool mist humidifier by Hupro is your best bet if you’re looking for one that does it all: purifies and humidifies air, diffuses essential oils, and lasts for a long time. On the other hand, the cool mist humidifier from KFC will save you a few bucks for a little less functionality. Whereas if you’re looking for a way to humidify your entire home, the whole home humidifier by Aprilaire is probably your best bet.

    We hope these reviews have been informative and helpful in your buying decision.


    Featured Image Credit: mady70, Shutterstock

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