Humidifiers are an integral part of our daily lives, especially during winter when we badly need to humidify our home. With a variety of humidifiers available on the market today, it can be daunting to figure out which one is best, and as a result, people don’t get the humidifier that they really need. So today, we’re going to dive into how to choose a humidifier that will be a perfect fit for your needs.
Table of Contents
Why Do You Need a Humidifier?
Your home’s humidity level should be between 30%-50%, with 35%-45% being the ideal range. If the humidity level in your home drops below 30%, you might experience a higher risk of cold and flu, a higher rate of nosebleeds and dry skin. Nobody wants to be sick, even during the winter months, so a humidifier is a wise, affordable choice to prevent these health-related problems. Remember that there are other indicators of low humidity, too, including static electricity – when the air is too dry, static electricity can become prevalent and has a tendency to damage your electronics.
Other telltale signs of low humidity include:
- Cracks in your furniture
- Peeling wallpaper and/or paint
- Damaged wooden floors and wooden musical instruments
Do you need a humidifier to improve the overall health of your family members and yourself, or is your aim is to take good care of the furniture and the electrical equipment in your home? Maybe, it’s simply for comfort while you are resting in your living room? Humidifiers are helpful to all of these scenarios – to learn about the benefits in detail and how to choose a humidifier that matches these needs, check out our article on humidifier benefits.
Types of Humidifiers
Our next discussion will revolve around the actual type of humidifier that will fit your specific situation and needs. There are a lot of humidifier types, but the two most common and widely used are warm mist and cool mist humidifiers. Both types are efficient in adding humidity to the home, but understanding the difference is part of how to choose a humidifier that's right for you!
Let’s start with warm mist humidifiers. They emit warm, soothing, invisible mist into the room you place them into in order to humidify it. Some warm mist humidifiers come with compartments that can be used for medications or essential oils, which is useful if you or someone in your home have allergies or sinus issues. Warm mist humidifiers are often considered healthier, since their unique boiling process kills waterborne bacteria and mold.
On the other hand, cool mist humidifiers disperse a comfortable stream of room-temperature mist throughout your environment. Most parents opt for cool mist humidifiers to avoid water accidents in bedrooms, children’s nurseries, or other common areas where curious fingers might find them.
Below are the differences of cool and warm mist humidifiers:
| Cool Mist Humidifier | Warm Mist Humidifier |
| Noisy | Silent |
| Cheaper to operate | Heating element requires more enegy |
| Cleaning is easy | Cleaning is hard |
| Suspended material such as microorganism and mineral in the water are diffused into the air by impeller and ultrasonic humidifiers | Hot water and heating element may cause scalding and can be risky with children around |
What Size Space Do You Want To Humidify?
Knowing what type of a humidifier is the right one for you is only half of the battle! You will also need to understand the importance of humidifier sizing. It is vital to get a humidifier that is sized for the area where you need to add moisture, instead of looking only at the humidifier capacity. While whole-house humidifiers are an option, most humidifiers are suited for just single rooms. Each humidifier is designed to cover a certain area, often measured in square footage, so start by measuring your own area then match the humidifier size to your measurements.
Also, a humidifier’s capacity does not necessarily relate to the water tank size—it relates to the amount of moisture output over a 24-hour period. To better understand the importance of humidifier size for your whole house or room, refer to our humidifier size guide. Humidifier size and efficiency is an essential part of how to choose a humidifier.
Additional Features to Consider
Aside from the type and size, many humidifiers offer flashy or high-tech features that tempt people to buy them. But, not all manufacturers and brands are alike – and not all humidifiers share the same functionality. With all the gimmicky features, it can be easy to get lost.
When considering how to choose a humidifier, below are the top features that you definitely should look for:
- Ease of use – your humidifier should not cause you any difficulty when using it.
- Variable speed – varied setting will allow you to customize the speed of the humidifier’s fan.
- Humidistat – with this feature, you will be able to set your device to maintain a certain level of humidity.
- Ease of handling and maintenance – nobody wants to have a hard time maintaining and cleaning their humidifier!
Choosing the Best Humidifier
Choosing the best humidifier is easier said than done for most people, but when you explore how to choose a humidifier with all of these points taken into account, you will easily be able to find the best humidifier for your home. The best humidifier is the one that will conveniently humidify the home or room you placed it into, and provide you with the features that you need.
For more information about humidifiers function, benefits, how they work, and everything else you'll ever need to know, be sure to read our humidifier buying guide. If you are looking for other home appliance guides and recommendations, you can always count on Appliance Accreditor for helpful and in-depth information.