The Best Humidifiers of 2020
Best Overall Humidifier
Levoit LV600HH
Combining best in class power, an easy to clean configuration, and set-it-and-forget-it functionality, the Levot LV600HH is the best overall humidifier we tested. It has a built-in humidistat that accurately monitors the surrounding humidity, and adjusts its setting accordingly. All you have to do is set your desired humidity level, start up the LV600HH, and not touch it again until the water runs out. When the water does run out the tank has a big, easy to fill opening and the machine itself allows easy scrubbing access to all the bits that need to be cleaned. The remote control lets you turn off the machine in the middle of the night without having to get up.
The only real downside of the LV600HH is its price. It is probably more than most people would prefer to spend on a humidifier. But if you want something powerful that will keep your house at just the right humidity year round, the LV600HH is the best choice.
Read review: Levoit LV600HH
Best Bang for the Buck
Honeywell HUL520B
If your bedroom is less than 200 square feet, the Honeywell HUL520B is one of the best machines to humidify your room on a budget. This simple model sells for much less than the competition, it is very easy to clean and was able to keep our 150 square foot testing room at a near-perfect 47% humidity. What more could you want?
The HUL520B does have some significant drawbacks when compared to higher-priced models. The first is power. It will likely take the HUL520B 1-2 hours to get an average-sized bedroom in a dry area to the right humidity. That's not too big of a deal, as you could turn it on right before bed and still enjoy its effects for the majority of the night. It also doesn't have any sort of off timer, so it will continue to run all day unless you turn it off. However, its capacity is too small to leave your room damp. All in all, this model is a good compact option for those on a budget.Read review: Honeywell HUL520B
Best Buy for Large Rooms
TaoTronics TT-AH001
If you need to humidify a large room but don't want to break the bank, we would suggest the TaoTronics TT-AH001. It was able to match the humidifying performance of the LV600HH in our tests while costing just a fraction of the price. It even offers a humidistat that tempers the output to prevent rooms from getting too damp — a feature usually reserved for more expensive products.
The biggest sacrifice you make in opting for the TT-AH001 over one of its higher-priced competitors is when it comes time to clean it out. We found the nooks and crannies of the TT-AH001 to present an unwelcome challenge that we didn't experience to the same degree with other top contenders. It also has an oddly placed air vent on its base that cannot be blocked, meaning you can't place the unit on rug or carpet. However, for larger rooms with hard flooring, the *TT-AH001 offers a great all-around value.
Best Evaporative Model
Honeywell HCM-350
Evaporative humidifiers simply blow air over a wet wick so the water naturally evaporates into the air. This is a self-regulating process — the evaporation will slow down as the ambient humidity increases. Many people prefer this more natural process to the sonic humidifiers that essentially push water into the air. If this sounds like the type of machine that you are looking for, the Honeywell HCM-350 is our top recommendation. It is relatively powerful, quite easy to clean, and is less expensive in the long run than many other evaporative models.
Like all evaporative models, the Honeywell HCM-350 requires replacement filters, making it generally more costly in the long term than its sonic siblings. Also, if you're not diligent about cleaning this machine per the manufacturer's recommendations the filter can get moldy, and that mold can quickly spread to the rest of the machine. However, if you clean your machine regularly and are intrigued by the benefits of evaporative humidification, this is the best option we've found.
Read review: Honeywell HCM-350
Why You Should Trust Us
Steven Tata and Max Mutter have been researching, using, and testing a variety of health and wellness tech products for the last 3 years. Spanning the worlds of humidifiers, air purifiers, fitness trackers, electric toothbrushes, and water filters, they have put dozens of models to the test. This testing team also lives in the arid climes of Tahoe, California where humidity levels rarely get above 30%, pretty much necessitating the use of a humidifier lest you wake with a scratchy throat and parched lips.
This review represents over 100 hours of controlled testing with these humidifiers, as well as dozens of nights spent with them in our bedrooms. The cornerstone of our testing involved letting each humidifier run for 3 hours on its highest setting, all in the same 150 square room, and measuring the resulting changes in humidity with an industrial grade humidity meter. In between tests, we ran a dehumidifier to ensure each model started out in the same relative humidity level. We also ran each model through the normal paces of use, cleaning each at least 5 times and adjusting all the possible settings, searching for anything that made the machines more difficult to use or clean. Throughout it all we measured each model's energy usage with a wattage meter, then used that data to calculate their estimated lifetime costs of ownership.
Analysis and Test Results
We categorized our tests into four separate testing metrics and weighted them according to their importance, ultimately assigning scores in each metric for all of our models. This allowed us to find the best humidifier for every situation, from mist-breathing dragons that can keep large rooms from becoming dry to smaller more budget-friendly models that are perfect for apartment-sized bedrooms.
Value
We compare the performance of each model to its price. You can see that the Editor's Choice winning Levoit LV600HH offers the best overall performance, but asks a relatively high price for it. In comparison, the Best Buy winning Honeywell HUL520B performs well at a much lower price. Finally, the Dyson, while incredibly cool looking, doesn't live up to its huge price tag.
Humidifying Performance
Good humidifying performance is all about balance. You want a machine that can efficiently add humidity to the air, but not so much that it leaves condensation all over the walls. In our humidifying performance testing we focused first on power, that is, how quickly each model was able to achieve a target humidity level, along with consistency, i.e. the ability to maintain a desired level of humidity. Models with humidistat controllers that read and react to the humidity of the room performed much better in this regard. All of our tests were completed in a 150 square foot room, about the size of an average bedroom.
The Levoit LV600HH and the TaoTronics TT-AH001 were the clear winners in this test, earning the leading score of 9 out of 10. Of these models the TT-AH001 was slightly faster and more powerful. It hit the ideal level of 45% humidity in 17 minutes and reached 70% after 3 hours. The LV600HH took 30 minutes to hit 45% and reached 65.8% after 3 hours. Both models have humidistats which proved to be quite accurate in our testing. The bottom line, both of these models are powerful enough for a large bedroom.
Rounding out the top scorers with a 7 out of 10 was the Dyson AM10. It reached 45% fairly quickly (29 minutes) and maxed out slightly below the top scorers at 57.6%. Its score was buoyed by the built-in humidistat, which was the most accurate amongst the models that we tested. This allowed the Dyson to maintain remarkable consistency in the humidity level, never wavering more than 1% from the desired humidity. The Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic also earned a 7 out of 10, hitting 45% in 40 minutes and reaching 63.4% after 3 hours.
We tested all of our models in a 150 square foot room, and have made general suggestions based on those results. Please keep in mind that humidification performance can vary greatly based on ambient humidity, ambient temperature, and the ventilation in your home. Whenever you buy a new humidifier you should start out on a lower setting and slowly move up until you find a good level of humidity, rather than starting on the highest setting and ending up with damp surfaces.
Related: Buying Advice for Humidifiers
All of the models that scored below a 7 out of 10 in this metric do not have a humidistat. If you live in a particularly arid environment this likely isn't a problem, as the probability of over humidification is low. However, if you live in an area where the ambient humidity is higher but not quite ideal, about the 20-30% range, a humidistat might be more useful.
The Honeywell HCM-350 performed the best of the non-humidistat models we tested, earning a 6 out of 10. It was able to bring our testing room up to the ideal 45% humidity in just 34 minutes, and reached a maximum of 58.9% after running on high for 3 hours.
The TaoTronics TT-AH002 turned in a performance in our humidifying testing also worthy of a 6 out of 10. It was able to get our testing room up to 45% humidity in a single hour, making it faster than most comparably sized models that we tested. After 3 hours it was able to push the room to a maximum humidity of 56.7%.
Just barely turning in an above-average performance, the Levoit LV450CHtook 2 hours to get our testing room to 45% humidity, hitting a maximum of 52% after 3 hours.
Multiple models fell into the average 5 out of 10 range in this metric, providing noticeable but not overly impressive humidification capabilities. The Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 took a full hour to hit the ideal 45% humidity but did achieve a maximum of 56.8% by the end of the test. The Crane Drop got to 45% a bit faster, taking just 45 minutes, but stalled out at a maximum of 51.2%. The Honeywell HUL520B was the slowest of this group, taking a full 2 hours to hit 45% and maxing out at just 47.8%.
While every device we tested effectively added humidity to our testing room, there were a few models that fell behind the rest of the group. The Pure Ultrasonic took 2.5 hours to get our testing room up to 45% humidity, nearly missing our 3-hour testing window. Both models also only managed a maximum humidity of 47.5% in that 3-hour window. The VicTsing 2L Cool Mist went just a bit faster, managing 45% in 2 hours 35 minutes. However, it only reached a maximum of 46%.
Ease of Cleaning
If you don't clean your humidifier regularly it can become a breeding ground for bacteria and end up doing you more harm than good. Therefore, if a model is so hard to clean that you end up neglecting it it's just not worth the effort. Most machines require some basic scrubbing and soaking in a vinegar or bleach solution to get rid of mold. We cleaned every one of our models multiple times throughout our testing, and kept careful notes on how arduous the process was for each one.
The Honeywell HCM-350 was the only evaporative model we tested, which eliminates those hard to reach corners around the sonic agitator where mold can slowly take hold in other models. The tank is large and easy to scrub, and the bottom tray is even dishwasher safe. The one caveat is the actual filter (which soaks up water before it evaporates) can get very moldy if it gets neglected for a couple of days. If that happens you're pretty much out of luck and will need to buy a new filter.
The Honeywell HUL520B was a close runner-up to its sibling, garnering a top score of 8 out of 10 in this metric. It has a wide, nearly 4-inch opening that allows for easy scrubbing access. There are some nooks and crannies around the ultrasonic unit, but generally, you can scrub everything without too much maneuvering.
The Levoit LV450CH was also one of the top performers for cleaning, earning an 8 out of 10. This is mostly due to the large, 3" opening on its water tank that provides relatively easy access for scrubbing. It also doesn't have many hard-to-reach crevices where gunk can build up. Ultimately, we found the manufacturer suggested 30-minute vinegar/water soak to be quite effective at loosening mineral deposits.
The Levoit LV600HH scores 7 out of 10 in this metric. This model requires more focused scrubbing than the Honeywell HCM-350 to make sure every crevice is clean, but it's not particularly arduous.
The VicTsing 2L Cool Mist also earns a 7 out of 10. It is quite easy to clean, with a large 3.25" tank opening, but the sonic unit does have some areas where gunk accumulates. The manual is heavy on touting its antibacterial properties but after we saw some mold after just over a week of use without cleaning, we were skeptical of the claim. We suggest that you go with a classic vinegar soak.
Earning scores of 6 out of 10 and just verging into 'oh crap I need to clean that thing' were the TaoTronics TT-AH002, the Crane Drop, and the Sunpentown SPT SU-4010. These products have smaller openings and more crowded internal construction, making both access and scrubbing every surface more difficult. It can be done, but it requires some hand yoga and maybe even sacrificing a toothbrush to the humidifier cleanliness deities.
Starting off the list of models that are almost too hard to clean to be worthwhile is the Pure Ultrasonic, which earned a 5 out of 10 in this metric. Its cleaning difficulty arises from the small tank opening, which necessitates some creative toothbrush and/or chopstick use to get every surface scrubbed. The Everlast Comfort Ultrasonic also earned a 5 out of 10. It has a bigger opening but has lots of little crevices where mold can hide.
The Dyson AM10's unique design present more cleaning challenges than most. Specifically, the 1-inch tank opening does not allow for interior scrubbing. Regular citric acid soaks and the UV purifier can keep mold and mineral build-up at bay, but if any buildup does occur it is near impossible to clean.
The TaoTronics TT-AH001 has a 2-inch opening for its water tank. Though it is larger than that of the Dyson AM10, it is still very hard to get in and scrub the inside of the tank. additionally, the manual has no instructions for performing deeper cleaning.
User Friendliness
Humidifiers are generally very simple machines, but a few small design differences can make using them feel like a walk in the park or a laborious undertaking that prompts you to question whether the air in your house really is too dry. From large water tank openings to remote controls that let you change settings without getting out of bed, choosing a thoughtfully designed model can save you from the scourge of extra logistics that many of our modern appliances can bring on.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the two models we found most user-friendly were the two that won awards, the Editors' Choice Levoit LV600HH and the Best Buy Honeywell HUL520B. These models shared the top score of 8 out of 10, largely because of their easy to fill water tanks. The Honeywell's tank has a huge opening and is short enough to fit in any sink, making refilling a breeze. The Levoit's opening isn't quite as large, and the tank is bigger so it may take some maneuvering to get it into a small sink, but it is still very easy to fill. The Levoit also has a convenient remote control that lets you adjust settings without leaving your bed. Both models have simple and intuitive interfaces. The Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic also earned an 8 out of 10 in this metric. Its simple, single dial control panel and relatively large 2.75" tank opening made filling and operating the machine quite easy.
The Honeywell HCM-350 was just off the top scorers with a 7 out of 10. Like its smaller sibling, it has a wide opening in its water tank, making refilling a painless process. It also uses evaporative humidifying, which self-regulates based on the humidity of the room and requires less monitoring. However, it missed out on a top score because this evaporative technique requires replacing the filter/wick every six months.
The VicTsing 2L Cool Mist offered enough perks in our user friendliness testing to earn a 7 out of 10. We particularly like the large, 3.25-inch opening in the water tank that makes for easy refilling, and the simple single-knob control panel.
Also earning a 7 out of 10 in our ease of use testing, the TaoTronics TT-AH001's tank opening is 2 inches, which requires greater pouring accuracy than most models but doesn't feel too difficult. Built-in handles allow for easy relocation, and an optional nightlight makes it a nice option for a child's bedroom.
Outside of these top scorers, all of the models we tested had some little thing that annoyed us about them. Three of those models, the TaoTronics TT-AH002, the Dyson AM10, and the Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 , scored 6 out of 10 in this metric. The TaoTronics has a relatively small opening on its tank. Additionally, the tank is quite tall, which can create a geometric puzzle if you have a small sink. The Dyson has the smallest water tank opening of all the models we tested at just one inch. This can make refilling feel like trying to dock with the international space station. However, a convenient remote control and the ability to use this as a fan as well as a humidifying device saved it from a lower score. The Sunpentown's tank also has a large opening, but the tank itself is fairly long, so you may not be able to fill it directly from smaller sinks.
Leading off the low scorers in this metric is the Pure Ultrasonic, which scored 4 out of 10. The tank's opening is fairly small, but the tank itself is also small and easy to maneuver during refilling. It really lost points due to its interface, which requires you to scroll through different settings by pushing a single button. There is no display to indicate which setting is currently selected, so you just have to remember how many button presses gets you to your preferred setting.
The Levoit LV450CH also earned a 4 out of 10. We don't hate its user experience, but it does have some quirks. First off, though the water tank has a large, 3" opening, the 10" height may be a bit too high to fit under some sink faucets. Also, its single-button toggles between off, on, low, medium, and high, but there is no label to tip you off to this fact. You either have to figure it out yourself, or read the manual.
Operating Cost
Humidifiers generally do not use much electricity, but their operating costs can add up in the long run. To estimate operating and lifetime costs we measured each model's electricity usage with a wattage meter. Then we assumed 12 hours of use each day and a cost of $0.12 per kWh (the national average), and a functional lifetime of 5 years. We also factored in filter costs for those models that use filters, and of course we considered the upfront cost of each machine. This resulted in estimated lifetime costs that spanned a range of more than $500.
The Honeywell HUL520B, our Best Buy Award winner, was the most inexpensive model we tested with an estimated lifetime cost of just $56. This is largely due to its incredibly low list price, and the fact that it barely uses any electricity (less than 0.01kWh per hour to runs its sonic agitator. The Pure Ultrasonic wasn't too far behind, logging an estimated lifetime cost of just $63. It also has a low list price and uses even less electricity than the Honeywell. In a slightly more distant third was the TaoTronics TT-AH002 with an estimated lifetime cost of $89. Its list price is quite low, but it uses a bit more electricity than average (0.015kWh per hour).
The VicTsing 2L Cool Mist has a low list price and sips electricity, using just 0.01 kWh per hour in our tests. This equates to an electric bill of only $5.26 per year, and an estimated lifetime cost of just $66.
Next in line was the Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic, with an estimated lifetime cost of $98. The other TaoTronics model, the TT-AH001, wasn't far behind, clocking an estimated lifetime cost of $101.
The Levoit LV450CH uses a bit more electricity than the top scorers, burning through 0.02 kWh per hour in our tests. However, it sells for a very reasonable price, leading to an estimated lifetime cost of $112. While this is more than the above model, it does offer a bit more power and a much larger tank, so it might be worth the tradeoff.
The Crane Drop is one of the more inexpensive models we tested at a low list price, but it also uses more electricity than most models (0.02kWh per hour). This pushed its estimated lifetime cost a bit higher to $108. Just behind this was the Editors' Choice Award-winning Levoit LV600HH. It was mid-range both regarding electricity economy (0.015kWh per hour) and list price, resulting in a lifetime estimated cost of $159.
The Honeywell HCM-350, thanks to its evaporative humidifying technology, has the added cost of replacement wicks (essentially tall sponges). These will set you back $8 and must be replaced every 6 months. Combine that with the list price and 0.02 kWh per hour electricity usage, and you have an estimated lifetime cost of $203.
Now we get into the really expensive, is this even worth the cost kind of territory. First up is the Sunpentown SPT SU-4010. Its list price is relatively high, but its electricity usage is quite efficient at 0.015 kWh per hour. Where it adds a lot of extra cost is in its ION exchange filter. This filter is meant to reduce the amount of minerals in the water, and thus make the ultrasonic unit last longer. That's all well and good, but these filters cost $30 and must be replaced every 6 months. That skyrockets the estimated lifetime cost up to $447.
The Dyson AM10 is in a league of its own when it comes to cost. First off, it uses the most electricity of any model we tested, burning through 0.03 kWh per hour. This is most likely due to its UV light, which is meant to disinfect the water in its tank, Then there is the list, price, an astronomical $500. That combines for an estimated lifetime cost of $579. Honestly, we only think this cost is worth it if you want a bladeless fan, and wouldn't mind there being a decent humidifier attached.
Conclusion
A humidifier can make your home much more comfortable and negate many of the adverse side effects of dry climates and parched, winter air. However, any humidifier requires diligent cleaning and upkeep, and not all are created equal concerning the ease of this upkeep. We hope our detailed testing results have led you to a model that is both powerful enough and user-friendly enough for your needs.
— Max Mutter and Steven Tata