If you’ve been feeling the effects of dry air at home, take a deep breath! Lifestyle Expert Sarah Gunn shares your guide to choosing the best humidifier to get you through the winter months.
During the colder months, when windows are closed and the heat is running, the air in your home can get really dry. Here are the two most common type:
Ultrasonic
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Most new humidifiers are Ultrasonic – which are great because they’re really quiet. They use high-frequency sound waves to create a mist. All of the ones here are Ultrasonic
Hot or Cold
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Cool or warm mist options. I don’t recommend warm mist around children in case of spills.
Choosing The Right Size
It really depends on whether you want to perch one on a desk, or bedside table or have space for it to stand alone. There are also Tank Options with one-touch operations, visible mist and clean tank technology.
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This humidifier is a water bottle option that has a run time of 9 hours, whisper-quiet and comes with a travel bag. Finally, when picking the right size do you want a standard-sized or free-standing humidifier.
Mood Enhancing
Many humidifiers now have mood-enhancing features like the option to add essential oils or soothing light like this one:
Spa Room Puremist Essential Oil Diffuser, $30.00
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- Add essential oils to the water
- Light modes (7 rotating colours, freeze colour or off)
- Runs 3 hours
- Automatic Safety shut off
- Directional mist
Other Options:
Tech Talk
Some offer other features, like portability (cordless) or apps and more.
Ellia Cordless Diffuser
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This one is cordless, with a gentle glow. It can last up to 4 hours or 8 hours intermittent and comes with a rechargeable battery. One downside that it is not good for kids as it has a glass cover.
Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool
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This is for the techies. It automatically detects particles and gases, as well as temperature and humidity levels when needed. It has an app to operate and monitor remotely and also comes with remote control.
For Kids
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If your looking for one that is easy to operate and has a night light and essential oil option the Total Comfort Humidifier is a great option. It sits around $50 ish. It has 7-night light colour options and an essential oil option. Includes a lift and carry handle and rotating mist nozzle. The battery life varies as there are 3 run-time options of 4/6/8 hours. A big bonus to this one is that it is really quiet.
Cleaning & Maintenance
You should regularly clean your humidifiers to stop the growth of bacteria, mineral growth and mold. Read the instructions for how to clean. The general rule is once a week if used daily. Most often you can clean the water tank with a mix of vinegar and warm water. Replace wick in cool mist humidifiers periodically.