Best Easy To Clean: Raydrop Cool Mist Humidifiers

When it comes to the best humidifiers for indoor plants, we looked for models that were compact (narrow enough to fit on a shelf) and easy to clean. Most of these models are on the small side . . . but some are smaller than others. 

How easy or difficult to clean a humidifier is easily a deal breaker for a good plant humidifier—when you use tap water, minerals and detritus can collect in the tank and humidifier body. We looked for models with a wide tank opening (to get your hand inside to clean) and designs that didn’t have many cracks and crevices where dirt can hide.

After trying out several models and researching a dozen more, we decided Raydrop’s Cool Mist Humidifier is the easiest to clean humidifier for indoor plants. This excellent humidifier is super easy to use . . . and we loved the tall, slender profile (which fits nicely on a plant shelf). Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Quiet. 

• No filter to replace.

• Easy to fill.

• Easy to clean.

• Looks nice.

• Narrow profile fits nicely on desk or plant shelf.

• Lasts about 8 hours on high setting.

• Auto shut-off.

• 1.7 liter tank.

What Needs Work

• Cord could be longer.

• Can’t see the water level in tank.

• Not recommended for essential oils. If you want to add essential oils to your humidifier, some models are designed for that. This isn’t one of them!

Best Budget-Friendly: SmartDevil Small Humidifier

If the budget is tight, this mini humidifier does a good job . . . at a price that doesn’t break the bank. We liked its simple, see-through design and LED night light. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Super compact size (roughly 4″ wide and tall.).

• Cotton swab filter.

• USB powered.

• LED night light has 2 modes.

• Auto-shut off.

• Works with tap or mineral water.

• Great for tropical plants.

What Needs Work

• Small tank (500 ml.) = short run time. In real world testing, this humidifier runs for about 4 hours. Not bad, but not designed for overnight use. Then again, if you are using this humidifier for indoor plants, four hours may be just the right amount of mist.

• Doesn’t work with distilled water. 

Best Longer Run Time: LEVOIT Humidifiers for Bedroom, 4L Cool Mist Ultrasonic for Plants

Most planet humidifiers are small by design. Unfortunately, small tanks means short run times. 

If you want a longer run time or have a more than the average amount of plants, this model by LEVOIT is our top recommendation—yes, it can run for 10 hours on the continuous setting. It’s a basic humidifier that gets the job done. Here’s an overview:

What We Liked

• 4 liter tank. This tank is bigger than most other budget humidifiers, which allows for longer use before refilling.

• Easy to fill and clean. The wide opening on this humidifier makes it one of the easier to fill.

• Affordable.

• Works with essential oils as a diffuser.

What Needs Work

• Slight buzz when working. While we judged this humidifier to be quiet enough for most folks, there is a slight buzz when it is working—and that might not make the best choice for bedrooms.

• No humidistat. You can’t control how much humidity flows from this model, which means it might over-humidify a space if left unattended.

Best Energy Efficient: Venta LW25 Airwasher 2-in-1 Humidifier and Air Purifier

If you have a large amount of plants and live in an area with expensive electricity, this model is the most energy efficient humidifier we tested—it uses just 7 watts of power on the high setting . . . yet is still impressive in humidifying a room. (Most standard humidifiers use about 50 watts of energy on high).

Venta pulls this off by drawing air over disks that rotate. And that produces more humidity with low energy use. Unfortunately, this model is also expensive—meaning you have to pay upfront before you see any energy savings down the road. Here’s an overview:

What We Liked

• Less cleaning required. Most humidifiers require cleaning once a week—this model’s maker says it can go for two weeks.

• Large two gallon tank. Requires less filling—most tanks are one to 1.5 gallons.

• No filters to replace.

What’s Needs Work

• Requires additives. Venta requires an antimicrobial additive and water softening agent to keep it clean—this adds to the cost.

• Good humidifier, so-so air purifier. In our tests, the humidifier part of the Vents worked well . . . the air purifier, not so much.

• Expensive. This model is quite pricey, so even though it is the most energy efficient, you may have to use it for quite a while for payback.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. For models we don’t personally test, we tap our large network of parent readers to get their real-world feedback.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!