These Are the 5 Best Humidifiers

Dry winter air can wreak havoc on everything from your skin to your sinuses. Now, Consumer Reports has identified five great humidifiers that can add moisture to rooms of almost any size.

The publication ranked 51 models and winnowed that list to the five that make the most sense for various-sized rooms. According to CR:

“Our tests of dozens of humidifiers found that some are much better than others at pumping out the amount of moisture they’re claimed to produce. And some humidifiers are quieter, more convenient to use and clean, or use less energy.”

The best humidifiers for various room sizes are:

Travel/personal humidifier: Hunter QLS-03

The Hunter Ultrasonic Personal Air Humidifier, model number QLS-03, adds moisture to areas up to 25 square feet and uses a bottle of water (up to 20 ounces) to do the job. An automatic shut-off stops operation when the water runs out.

Small humidifier: CVS Health GUL540V1

The CVS Health Cool Mist Humidifier, model number GUL540V1, humidifies rooms up to 150 square feet. CR lauds this model for being especially quiet when it runs.

Medium humidifier: Vicks V5100NS

The Vicks UltraQuiet Cool Mist Humidifier, model number V5100NS, can humidify a room up to 400 square feet and handles hard-water output well. That’s important because water supplies with large amounts of calcium and magnesium can clog humidifiers, making them less effective.

Large humidifier: Boneco 7135

The Boneco Ultrasonic Humidifier, model number 7135, can handle large rooms — up to 650 square feet — and is a dual mist model that can create either cool or warm mist.

Console humidifier: Essick MA1201

The Essick Air AIRCARE Evaporative Humidifier, model number MA1201, can do the job in a huge area — up to 2,500 square feet. But CR notes that all console humidifiers tend to be quite noisy.

Do you have a favorite humidifier? Share your recommendation in comments below or on our Facebook page.