Best Quiet Operation: AquaOasis Cool Mist Humidifier

Let’s talk the best humidifiers for your home or office.

There’s good news and bad news when it comes to buying a humidifier today. Good news: there are dozens of different models and features to choose from. And that’s also the bad news—sifting through all the options can get overwhelming.

We’ve been writing and reviewing humidifiers for twenty years, so let us help you sort through the myriad of choices out there!

Before buying a humidifier, ask yourself what are you trying to humidify: a bedroom? Office? Nursery? A larger room like a living room? Or do you need a humidifier for plants? Or travel?

Focusing on what space you want to add humidity to helps narrow down the best choices.

Perhaps the most common use is a humidifier for a bedroom. And here, most folks want a quiet model that lasts all night. A night light feature is also helpful.

Yes, some humidifiers are noisier than others—even so called quiet ultrasonic models. This one was quieter than others we tested: the AquaOasis.

And when we say quiet, we mean quiet—no humming, whistling or gurgling.

What We Liked

• No filters to replace.

• Easy to use.

• Very quiet.

• Affordable.

• Auto shut-off feature is handy.

• Easy to clean.

• Night light feature is good for baby’s room.

What Needs Work

• Water tank opening could be bigger. That would make it a tad easier to fill.

• Some folks thought the night light was too bright.

 

Best Cool Mist: Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

Sometimes, simpler is better.

Take humidifiers for example. Yes, you can buy models with a dozen settings, with lots of bells and whistles (essential oil diffusers, etc.). But what most folks just need is a simple humidifier that adds humidity to a bedroom, office or living space.

You can’t get any simpler than the controls on this humidifier—it basically has an on/off button and a high/low setting. That’s it.

We liked this humidifier for its no-nonsense design. You fill it with water, turn it on and it just works. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Quiet.

• Integrated night light. This is great for bedrooms where you need a night light.

• Includes cleaning brush.

• 1.5 liter tank gives about 12 hours of mist on low (according to our hands-on test) and about half that on the high setting.

• Good quality overall.

What Needs Work

• Small capacity tank doesn’t last through the entire night (when on high setting). So perhaps if you live in a very dry climate, this isn’t the best choice. On the other hand, for more moderate climates, the low setting will work for an entire night.

• Fill port could be larger.

• No carry handle on tank.

• More challenging to clean than others we tested. If you can, we recommend using distilled water in this humidifier.

• Top heavy. This model has a somewhat narrow base—which means it can possibly tip over when bumped. As a result, this probably isn’t the best bet in a kid’s bedroom. But if you’re careful, it works well in other bedrooms.

Best Cute Humidifier: HOPEME Cool Mist USB Humidifier

Let’s be honest: most humidifiers are nothing special to look at. This humidifier is a great conversation starter—or a nice accessory for a nursery. And beyond looking cute, it works well at adding humidity to a space.

What We Liked

• Takes up very little space.

• So cute!

• Great for work desk or bedside table.

• Super quiet.

• Easy to assemble.

• Easy to use.

• Affordable.

• LED lights can change to 7 colors.

What Needs Work

• 300 ml. tank doesn’t hold much water. That means it will have be refilled frequently, making this one not ideal for overnight use.

Best Warm & Cool Mist Humidifier: LEVOIT Humidifier LV600HH

Most humidifiers today are cool mist. But what if you live in a drafty historic home with minimal insulation and leaky windows? A warm mist humidifier might be just the right solution.

This model is also good for larger rooms. To humidify a large room up to 750 square feet, you need two things: a large tank for long run times and customized humidity controls to correctly dial the moisture. The LEVOIT Humidifier LV600HH hit all the right notes in our testing. Here’s what we liked:

What We Liked

• Large tank. With a six liter capacity, this humidifier can run 22-35 hours without refilling.

• Accurate humidistat and granular controls. Many humidifiers just have a high or low setting—this model allows much more control, which is important when it comes to large spaces.

• Warm and cool mist. Few models offer both large capacity AND warm mist—this one does and that’s a big plus if you want to humidify a drafty room.

• Remote control. Another nice feature for large rooms—you can use the remote to turn it on or off from a bed or couch.

What Needs Work

• Nooks and crannies to clean. All humidifiers require cleaning—and the Levoit LV600HH is no exception. One negative are all the little nooks and crannies on this model, which make cleaning a bit harder.

• Needs to be on shelf or table. Like most ultrasonic humidifiers, this model works best when positioned off the floor like on a table.

Best For Travel: MOVTIP Portable Mini Humidifier

The best travel humidifier for you depends on what you need—are you looking for a small, portable model with night light? What about a model that works via USB power, where a power outlet may not be handy?

Other travel humidifiers are designed to work with water bottles.

If you need a portable humidifier with a night light, we recommend this model: MOVTIP’s portable mini humidifier. We liked the overall compact size (it holds 500 ml. of water) yet has enough capacity to run for four hours (on high setting).

What We Liked

• USB powered. That’s nice because many hotel rooms now have USB plugs on the nightstand. 

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

• Auto-shut off.

• Cotton swab filter.

• LED night light has 2 modes—steady or flickering (like a candle). We thought the latter was too distracting, but we know some folks find it soothing.

• Great for tropical plants.

• Works with tap or mineral water.

What Needs Work

• Not rechargeable. No battery. That’s right—this humidifier just works via USB power. 

• 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 to add moisture to a vehicle or small room, it will probably do the trick.

• Doesn’t work with distilled water.

• Can’t use essential oils.

Best For Plants: 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!

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. When we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

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!