Top 5 Humidifiers Tested by WIRED for Indoor and Outdoor Use (2024)

I started writing This humidifier review reports for WIRED in New York City during the second-longest drought on record. Last November, my radiators crashed, blasting my 100-plus-year-old Brooklyn apartment with heat. And according to what I said Indoor air quality monitoring devicesMy humidity was at 32 percent. The inside of my nose was dry and so was my skin. My houseplants need to be watered more often than usual. Prospect Park in Brooklyn was hit by a massive fire that required more than 200 firefighters. This is all to say that it was barren.

And dry interiors aren’t just about chapped lips or dry noses. Based on recommendation Harvard School of Public HealthIndoor humidity can slow the spread of COVID-19. The ideal indoor humidity should be between 40 percent and 60 percent. and studies Higher ambient humidity combined with warmer temperatures also prevents the spread of influenza, she notes. There is a lot that small humidifiers can do.

However, the first abandoned appliance I see on the roofs of my neighborhood is the humble humidifier. Often, they are left with a Paddington Bear-style sticker with the words, “Still working!” I also see them thrown in the trash. I’m also guilty of tossing more than one humidifier. I give up when I can’t clean the dark brown layer at the bottom of their cabinets. I start with good intentions, filling it with the recommended distilled water, but will eventually switch to tap. My condition has improved and I properly cleaned my last humidifier using water and citric acid, purchased at a spice store. However, minerals in the water pose a problem. If you have hard water, the humidifier may produce a layer of white dust; That’s why many models recommend distilled water or come with filters. I’ve had very hot and dry winters because I didn’t feel like dealing with a humidifier.

All of the humidifiers mentioned in this review were tested in my 100+ year old apartment with the heating turned on. I was looking for easy-to-use humidifiers that could fill a medium sized room with the perfect humidity. I didn’t want to carry jugs of distilled water on my stairs; I also wanted one that was easy to maintain. I was looking for a more committed and sustainable relationship with my humidifier. Maybe you want that too.

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