Why Everyone Should Have a Humidifier

You might associate humidity with hot summer days and frizzy hair but hear us out, everyone should invest in a humidifier. Whether you’re fighting off the cold, dry winter, or experiencing seasonal allergies in spring and summer, dry air can have a major impact on your comfort and health. From itchy skin to respiratory issues, there’s a laundry list of symptoms you can experience from low humidity. Adding back in humidity with the right humidifier easily helps alleviate the effects. Some of our favorite options are below. Whichever one you go with, be sure to keep it clean so you don’t introduce new problems — we’ve outlined how to use one safely. 

_{Prices are accurate as of March 19, 2025. Subject to change.}

How to Safely Use a Humidifier

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the ideal humidity level to improve your indoor air quality is between 30 and 50 percent. With low humidity and dry air, there’s a chance you might experience irritation with your skin, nose, throat, and lungs. On the other hand, too much humidity can potentially lead to mold growth, which has its own host of health problems.

To use a humidifier safely, Dr. John McKeon, CEO and founder of Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), recommends choosing one that’s the correct size for your space (use a square footage calculator if you aren’t sure). Also, keep a hygrometer on hand to avoid overusing your humidifier.

How to Clean a Humidifier

If you use a humidifier, it’s imperative that you keep it super clean. If it’s not cleaned regularly, you run the risk of bacteria and mold building up in the humidifier and being released into the air. That can bring on a variety of symptoms likely more uncomfortable than the effects of dry air that you were trying to alleviate with a humidifier in the first place. While it’s rare, the last thing you want is humidifier lung, a.k.a. hypersensitivity pneumonitis,  an inflammatory lung condition that could be brought on by inhaling contaminated humidifier water.

Dr. McKeon recommends cleaning humidifiers every three days, following the guidelines provided by the specific brand, with distilled or demineralized water rather than tap water.

Regular maintenance is also a must when using humidifiers. “This includes timely filter replacements and regular inspections for mold or mineral deposits,” Dr. McKeon says. Additionally, he encourages emptying and rinsing the tank daily.

Dreo HM311S Smart Ultrasonic Humidifier

The Dreo HM311S is budget-friendly but still packed with features. It can cover up to 300 square feet of space for 32 hours with a soothing, cool mist. You won’t have to constantly refill the top-fill 4-liter tank, but it’s easy to use when you do. On auto-mode, it detects and maintains humidity levels, which is perfect for not over-humidifying your room. You can also control it with an app and voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to adjust mist settings or set timers and schedules. 

It uses two Dreo cartridges to elevate your humidifying experience. The demineralization cartridge descales the humidifier and reduces limescale and the clean mist cartridge uses a three-layer cleaning system and silver ion pellets to clean the water before it’s released into the air.

Levoit Classic 160 Cool Mist Humidifier

Like to skip the frills and stick to the basics? You can’t go wrong with the Levoit Classic 160 Cool Mist Humidifier. With a 2.5-liter tank, it runs for up to 25 hours with whisper-quiet operation. The wide, top-fill design is easy to refill and, most importantly, clean without having to reach into any tight nooks and crannies. You can adjust the cool mist with a 360-degree nozzle and a simple knob control. It also has an auto shut-off feature when the water levels get too low. It’s a great addition to spaces up to 280 square feet, like bedrooms, offices, and nurseries.

Raydrop Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier

Small humidifiers may not fill an entire room, but they still provide moisture without taking up too much space. The Raydrop Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier is an excellent option that’s compact and perfect for office desks or nightstands. With a 1.7-liter tank, it covers up to 220 square feet for nine hours. A dial knob lets you control exactly the humidity level of your liking and it’s quiet enough to not interrupt work or sleep

Levoit OasisMist 450S Ultrasonic Humidifier

The Levoit OasisMist 450S Ultrasonic Humidifier offers two mist settings: a cool mist that’s great for year-round use and a warm mist that’s ideal for the colder months. With a 4.5-liter, top-fill tank, it has up to 45 hours of runtime and is easy to refill and clean with its wide opening. The humidifier is fantastic for bedrooms up to 430 square feet, as it has triple noise reduction technology and a display light that you can turn off before you doze off. To create even more of a relaxing experience, it has an essential oil tray to diffuse your favorite scents through the space. You can control the humidifier with the VeSync app, whether it’s to set a schedule or control the humidity levels. Or set it to auto mode to maintain the ideal level without worry.

Vicks Filter-Free Cool Mist Humidifier

When you hear “Vicks,” the first thing that comes to mind might be the brand’s famous VapoRub, but it’s not the only Vicks product that helps relieve a cough and cold. The Vicks Filter-Free Cool Mist Humidifier moisturizes the air in medium-sized rooms up to 600 square feet. With a 1.2-gallon tank, it provides its soothing cool mist for up to 30 hours. For even more cold, cough, allergy, and congestion relief, the humidifier can be used with Vicks VapoPads that release menthol vapors for up to eight hours.

Levoit LV600S Smart Hybrid Ultrasonic Humidifier

Need a humidifier that can do it all in a large room? Try the Levoit LV600S. With both cool and warm mist, it can up the humidity levels in large rooms, covering up to 753 square feet. With a 6-liter, top-fill tank, it has a runtime of up to 50 hours. As a smart humidifier, it has all the added features you could possibly need. Using the VeSync app, monitor the room’s humidity levels and set schedules and timers. You can also control the humidifier with voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. 

In addition to being a match for large rooms, it’s also specifically great for plant owners. Using plant mode in the app, scan and identify plants to customize care. There’s also a library of helpful plant information. But that’s not all — the humidifier also doubles as an essential oil diffuser with an aroma box that you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to.

Honeywell HCM350 Cool Moisture Humidifier

Perfect for medium-sized rooms and year-round use, this evaporative humidifier increases and maintains the optimum humidity in your space. Thanks to its UV technology and a wicking filter that treats and captures minerals in the water, it pumps out a cool, clean mist. The humidifier has a runtime of up to 24 hours with a 1.1-gallon tank that’s easy to fill and clean with dishwasher-safe parts.

Vitruvi Cloud Humidifier

Not all humidifiers are design-forward, but the Vitruvi Cloud Humidifier is an exception. Created with style in mind, the ultrasonic humidifier offers a cool mist at three levels with a 360-degree adjustable spout and a run-time of up to 24 hours. With a 1.5-liter capacity, it covers up to 602 square feet, making it perfect for bedrooms and offices. It’s also equipped with a night mode that’s quiet and designed for even the lightest of sleepers. Included with the humidifier is a long-lasting, three-month filter that catches minerals and particles in the water. Not to mention, the humidifier is easy to clean with a dishwasher-safe water reservoir. 

Featured image credit: Dima Berlin/ iStock