If you've never considered having an air humidifier, then let us help you to understand the benefits of this wonder machine – especially during the wintertime. Dry skin, dry coughs, allergies and even congestion or sinus problems are unavoidable when the cold weather strikes, but an air humidifier will be able to relieve all of these symptoms!
Humidifiers come in many varieties from portable mini models to those designed especially for babies and children, or, if you have a large room, there are plenty with massive water tank capacities and even humidistats. To help you choose and buy the perfect humidifier for your home, we've compiled a ranking list including brands like Levoit, VicTsing, Elechomes and more, all available from Amazon, Argos and eBay.
A humidifier is not to be confused with an essential oil diffuser even though both seem to be emitting steam via the output. Diffusers are designed to diffuse essential oil into the air, whereas the purpose of humidifiers is to add moisture into the dry air. You should not add essential oils to your humidifier as the oil will damage its components.
During cold winters where the air is generally much dryer and causes us to have dry and irritated skin, a humidifier will be able to effectively add moisture into the air, relieving these issues alongside other cold weather complaints such as dry coughs and sinus problems.
Now that you exactly know what a humidifier does, our detailed buying guide will help you choose the best product by considering their working time, level of mist emission, the quietness of the machine and more.
The first thing you might notice when looking up humidifiers is the capacity of the water tank. This information can hint at their maximum working time, and sometimes the area it covers each time the water tank is filled. Typically, models with a larger tank have a longer working time than those with a smaller capacity, so you won't need to refill a large humidifier as frequently.
As well as functioning for longer in one go, larger humidifiers normally cover a larger area as well. For example, those with a water tank capacity of 6 L will be able to cover an area of 70 square metres, which smaller humidifiers definitely won't be able to do!
Think about your needs and your space: you might want to purchase a medium-sized humidifier if you want to use it in your bedroom or office, or a large one if you want your entire house to be moisturised by the mist.
Fortunately, most humidifiers have a whisper mode which allows you to sleep peacefully or work without being disturbed. Even if the model you like does not specify whether it has a whisper mode, the noise level will be indicated to show how loud – or rather, how quiet – the machine is.
On our ranking list, we have included several products which use decibels to measure their noise output. To give you an idea of what these figures mean, the 'highest' noise level of 40 dB is equivalent to the sound of a quiet library, so imagine how quiet a 20 dB model will be!
We've added this information to the specification tables so you can be 100% sure your choice of humidifier will not cause a disturbance at all.
Some days you'll experience extra dry weather and other days you won't, which is why you might want a humidifier with several humidity settings that emit different mist levels. Tailoring these to what you need that day or that hour will enable you to experience optimum comfort in your room.
Humidifiers will typically have one of two types of mist settings. If you'd like complete control over the mist, look for models with an adjustable knob to precisely adjust the level to your liking. If you're not too bothered about precision, you could go for one which can be adjusted to one of three fixed levels.
You could even look for a humidifier with a cool or hot mode, whereby the cool mist moisturises the air and the hot mode can help to relieve congestion and dry coughs.
We know we told you at the very beginning never to add essential oils into your humidifier as it will damage it, but some you might be delighted to know that this is not always the case.
Some humidifiers can be used with essential oils, however, this is only limited to those with an 'essential oil tray' or 'aroma box' where you'll be able to add your choice of oil into a designated part of the machine.
If the humidifier does not explicitly state that it has an 'essential oil tray', then you must never add essentials oils directly into its water tank!
Our ranking list includes products from a variety of price ranges, so whether you have a tight budget or some money saved up to invest in an expensive model for life, you'll be taking home the best humidifier regardless of your funds!
£13.99
Water Tank Capacity | 320 ml |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 20 hours |
Area Covered | Limited |
Whisper Mode/dB | 19 dB |
Mist Level | 2 levels |
Essential Oil Compatible | No |
Dimensions | 7.8 x 7.8 x 15.7 cm |
£35.99
Water Tank Capacity | 2.8 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 20+ hours |
Area Covered | One bedroom |
Whisper Mode/dB | Whisper mode |
Mist Level | Adjustable Knob |
Essential Oil Compatible | Yes, built-in aroma diffuser |
Dimensions | 21 x 20 x 29 cm |
£45.32
Water Tank Capacity | 3.8 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 24 hours |
Area Covered | 35 m2 |
Whisper Mode/dB | 40 dB |
Mist Level | Adjustable knob |
Essential Oil Compatible | Only VapoPads scented pads (one included) |
Dimensions | 33 x 29 x 28 cm |
£54.99
Water Tank Capacity | 3.78 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 24 hours |
Area Covered | 23 m2 |
Whisper Mode/dB | Whisper mode |
Mist Level | Adjustable knob |
Essential Oil Compatible | No |
Dimensions | 32 x 23 x 23 cm |
£39.99
Water Tank Capacity | 4.5 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 30 hours |
Area Covered | 35 m2 |
Whisper Mode/dB | 28 dB |
Mist Level | 3 levels |
Essential Oil Compatible | No |
Dimensions | 23 x 19 x 30 cm |
£30.99
Water Tank Capacity | 2.2 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 24 hours |
Area Covered | One bedroom |
Whisper Mode/dB | 28 dB |
Mist Level | Adjustable knob |
Essential Oil Compatible | No |
Dimensions | 24 x 19 x 26 |
£49.99
Water Tank Capacity | 4 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 30 hours |
Area Covered | 30 m2 |
Whisper Mode/dB | 38 dB |
Mist Level | 3 levels, customised mist level |
Essential Oil Compatible | No |
Dimensions | 20.5 x 30 x 13.5 cm |
£39.99
Water Tank Capacity | 3.8 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 40 hours |
Area Covered | One bedroom |
Whisper Mode/dB | Whisper mode |
Mist Level | Adjustable knob |
Essential Oil Compatible | Yes, essential oil tray |
Dimensions | 23 x 22.5 x 32 cm |
£89.99
Water Tank Capacity | 5.5 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 40 hours |
Area Covered | 70 m2 |
Whisper Mode/dB | Yes |
Mist Level | Warm or cool mode, each with 3 levels, customised mist level |
Essential Oil Compatible | Yes, essential oil tray |
Dimensions | 34 x 31 x 22 cm |
£79.99
Water Tank Capacity | 6 L |
---|---|
Max. Working Time | 36 hours |
Area Covered | 70 m2 |
Whisper Mode/dB | Yes |
Mist Level | Warm or cool mode, each with 3 levels, smart auto mode |
Essential Oil Compatible | Yes, aroma box |
Dimensions | 24 x 31 x 34 cm |
Image | 1 ![]() Levoit | 2 ![]() Elechomes | 3 ![]() Pro Breeze | 4 ![]() TaoTronics | 5 ![]() VicTsing | 6 ![]() Homasy | 7 ![]() Crane | 8 ![]() Vicks | 9 ![]() Aennon | 10 ![]() Homasy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Humidifier for Home | Top-Fill Ultrasonic Humidifier | Large Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier | Cool Mist Humidifier | Ultrasonic Humidifier | Cool Mist Humidifiers | Elliot the Elephant Humidifier | Sweet Dreams CoolMist Humidifier With Image Projector | Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier for Bedroom | Portable Mini Humidifier |
Features | Automatically Adjusts To the Most Suitable Level of Humidity | Futuristic Design With Customisable Settings | Filtrated Mist to Maximise Its Health Benefits | A Humidistat Helps to Monitor the Humidity Level | Reasonably Priced With Impressive Features | Sleek Humidifier That Blends Perfectly in Your Living Room | Elliot the Elephant Will Save Your Child's Room With His Trunk! | 2-in-1 Humidifier With Colourful Image Projector | 7 LED Colours to Boost Low Winter Moods | Keep Your Face Well-Moisturised Wherever You Go |
Price | £79.99 | £89.99 | £39.99 | £49.99 | £30.99 | £39.99 | £54.99 | £45.32 | £35.99 | £13.99 |
Water Tank Capacity | 6 L | 5.5 L | 3.8 L | 4 L | 2.2 L | 4.5 L | 3.78 L | 3.8 L | 2.8 L | 320 ml |
Max. Working Time | 36 hours | 40 hours | 40 hours | 30 hours | 24 hours | 30 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours | 20+ hours | 20 hours |
Area Covered | 70 m2 | 70 m2 | One bedroom | 30 m2 | One bedroom | 35 m2 | 23 m2 | 35 m2 | One bedroom | Limited |
Whisper Mode/dB | Yes | Yes | Whisper mode | 38 dB | 28 dB | 28 dB | Whisper mode | 40 dB | Whisper mode | 19 dB |
Mist Level | Warm or cool mode, each with 3 levels, smart auto mode | Warm or cool mode, each with 3 levels, customised mist level | Adjustable knob | 3 levels, customised mist level | Adjustable knob | 3 levels | Adjustable knob | Adjustable knob | Adjustable Knob | 2 levels |
Essential Oil Compatible | Yes, aroma box | Yes, essential oil tray | Yes, essential oil tray | No | No | No | No | Only VapoPads scented pads (one included) | Yes, built-in aroma diffuser | No |
Dimensions | 24 x 31 x 34 cm | 34 x 31 x 22 cm | 23 x 22.5 x 32 cm | 20.5 x 30 x 13.5 cm | 24 x 19 x 26 | 23 x 19 x 30 cm | 32 x 23 x 23 cm | 33 x 29 x 28 cm | 21 x 20 x 29 cm | 7.8 x 7.8 x 15.7 cm |
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If you went with a humidifier that's compatible with essential oils, you'll be glad to read the following article! We've included a selection of oils that are relaxing and calming, perfect for use with your new machine.
Dry skin is unavoidable during winter, so while you're checking out humidifiers, why not to take a look at these moisturising skin products? You'll be soft and hydrated no matter how cold and dry it gets!
Have we convinced you to invest in a humidifier? Not only will your skin be moisturised and hydrated during the long winter months, but you'll also get some relief from symptoms like congestion. Get one now and instantly feel the changes in your skin's condition!
Author: Angina Chow
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