Humidifier Reviews

Humidifiers are practical home additions because they prevent the indoor atmosphere from becoming too dry. The two kinds of humidifiers based on water-output capacity are single-room and whole-house humidifiers. Single-room units are also referred to as tabletop and traveler humidifiers because of their portability. Room-specific devices can only humidify small areas. Whole-house humidifiers can be console humidifiers or central units attached to the heating ducts of the house. Such humidifiers are strong enough to increase atmospheric moisture in large enclosed spaces. Humidifiers can release warm air or cool mist.

Console humidifiers are stand-alone cabinets that are movable and relatively cheap like its smaller, portable counterparts. Water reservoirs of console units require manual filling, unlike central units that get water directly from a water pipe. Console humidifiers should be refilled depending on how much water it needs when it operates at its maximum speed and as indicated in the instruction guide. A freestanding cabinet console unit’s water-output capacity can be anywhere from eight to 14 gallons. Like tabletop units, console humidifiers have to be cleaned as often as possible.

Console humidifiers can use any of the four main kinds of humidifier technologies: vaporizer, ultrasonic, evaporative and impeller.

Vaporizer humidifiers use electricity to boil the water and release steam. Steam units are the least energy efficient among all kinds of humidifier technologies because they eat up a lot of energy. However, the boiling process in vaporizers keeps the water from stagnating and kills germs and bacteria.

Ultrasonic and impellers usually produce a cool fog or mist. Such humidifiers do not require much energy but are more prone to stagnant water. Unless cleaned often, such units can become potential homes for molds, bacteria and other kinds of fungi that pose many health dangers.

Evaporative console humidifiers use a motorized fan to blow through a wet filter. This is a self-regulating humidifier that adapts to existing humidity levels. But it needs to be maintained properly because the filter, in which grime accumulates, welcomes the growth and reproduction of harmful microorganisms.

Console humidifiers have a humidistat, which is a device that regulates the unit by switching it on and off when the indoor humidity levels go beyond or below a set range. A humidistat has to be adjusted from time to time to match fluctuations in indoor temperature. Other important and desirable features of good console humidifiers are the light option that blinks or appears when the tank is almost empty, different airflow controls and multiple speed settings, and a light option that goes on when the filter is dirty.