Investing in one of the best humidifiers is an easy and effective way to improve the air quality in your home or workplace — especially if you live in a hot, dry climate. Humidifiers release moisture into the air, often in the form of water vapor, to increase relative humidity, Tim Carroll, a representative from the Environmental Protection Agency, told Live Science. This in turn can help relieve dry skin and nasal congestion, and in some instances, ease some of the symptoms of allergies and respiratory conditions, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
To help you find the right appliance, we have tried some of the best humidifiers from top brands like Levoit and Dyson. Our expert reviewers looked into their design, features and value for money, but more importantly, they tested their performance using an industry-grade humidity meter. Scroll down to the How we test section to read more about our testing protocol. Want to know more about humidifiers before you buy one? Read the Humidifiers FAQs section below for buying advice and humidifier maintenance tips.
But if you have the opposite problem and want to get rid of excess moisture in your home, you may want to invest in one of the best dehumidifiers instead.
The quick list
Best overall
The stylish Dreo 713S combines excellent performance with extensive smart features and year-round functionality — and it costs less than $90. Plus, it features a large and easy-to-refill water tank.
Best premium
This stylish humidifier beats the competitors with excellent performance, ease of use and smart features — and it doubles as a fan, too. However, it is relatively expensive.
Best on a budget
Portable and easy to use, this ultra-quiet humidifier offers excellent performance and 30 hours of run time, all for less than $46. However, it does not have smart features or multiple mist speed modes.
Best for bedrooms
Easy to use, whisper-quiet and thoughtfully designed, the Levoit LV600HH is a great choice for medium to large bedrooms. Its auto settings could be more accurate, though.
Best for easy cleaning
This no-fuss humidifier comes with a connected app, aromatherapy option and large LED display, as well as a spacious and easy-to-clean tank.
Best looking
This HoMedics ultrasonic humidifier boasts stylish looks and a large yet compact build, and it comes with essential oil tray pads. It can be quite flimsy, though.
The best humidifiers we recommend in 2024: Fully tested by our team with real-world experience
Why you can trust Live Science Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best ones for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best humidifier overall
✅ You are looking for a stylish appliance: It boasts a sleek, modern design.
✅ You want to use it all year round: This humidifier releases both warm and cold mist.
✅ You want to control it remotely: It is packed with smart features.
❌ You want something durable: This dehumidifier is made largely out of plastic.
❌ You are short on space: It has a relatively large footprint.
🔎 Dreo 713S Smart Humidifier: Stylish, easy-to-use and highly effective at increasing relative humidity, this smart-enabled humidifier offers superb value at a reasonable price. ★★★★½
The Dreo 713S strikes a perfect balance between price and functionality, making it one of the best ultrasonic humidifiers on the market. It offers a powerful mist output (both cool and warm mist), digital humidistat, auto mode and plenty of smart features — all for less than $90. It looks exceptionally sleek and modern, too. If you are looking for great value, the Dreo 713S will be right up your street.
One of the best features of this humidifier is its large water tank. Thanks to a massive 1.58-gallon (6 liters) capacity, it does not need frequent refills or complex maintenance. At the same time, we found it easy to move around, and it did not tend to spill over. Also, its semi-transparent design made it easy to monitor water levels at a glance.
During our Dreo 713S Smart Humidifier review, we were thoroughly impressed with its performance. To start with, this humidifier is near-silent. When we measured its noise levels, we did not get a reading higher than 14 decibels — which is about as loud as a whisper. More importantly, the Dreo 713S did a great job of increasing relative humidity. When we ran it on the highest cold mist output for two hours, the moisture levels increased from 59% to a whopping 83%. We obtained similar results with the warm mist settings.
We also liked how user-friendly it was. The Dreo 713S can be controlled manually or remotely via an app, and it has all the settings you would expect from a modern appliance, from timers and humidity controls to cleaning reminders.
The Dreo 713S has a few downsides, though. This humidifier has an unusually narrow shape, which makes it somewhat tricky to grab hold of. This also means it requires quite a lot of space to accommodate it. Moreover, the Dreo 713S feels quite feeble. This humidifier is made largely of plastic, so it may not be as durable as some of the more premium models. Lastly, its internal components take quite some time and effort to clean.
- Read our full Dreo 713S Smart Humidifier review
| Attributes | Notes |
| Run time | Up to 60 hours |
| Features | Humidistat, auto mode, app control, warm and cool mist |
| Performance | Ultra-quiet (14dB) |
Best premium humidifier
✅ You are looking for a stylish appliance: Most humidifiers look bulky, but this one boasts a sleek design.
✅ You want a UV sanitizer: It purifies the water before releasing the vapor, getting rid of bacteria and minerals.
✅ Your room is on the small side: It works best in spaces up to 172 square feet.
❌ You want to cover large spaces: This dehumidifier is designed primarily for small rooms.
❌ You are on a budget: It is one of the most expensive models.
🔎 Dyson AM10: Compact, stylish and packed with smart features, this humidifier-fan combo delivers superb performance — but is relatively expensive, and may not perform well in large spaces. ★★★★
This sleek appliance is one of the best humidifiers we have tested. During the Dyson AM10 Humidifier review, it impressed us with its sleek design, ease of use, and great performance. True, it is one of the most expensive humidifiers on the market, but the Dyson AM10 can give you a good run for the money — and it doubles as a fan so it will not sit dormant in the summer months.
This top-quality humidifier features 10 levels, and will look good in any office or living area space. With some great functions, it enables you to set it for sleeping, while an auto mode gives you a choice of your preferred humidity level. However, its water tank is relatively small — only holding 3.75 quarts.
One of the best things about this Dyson Humidifier is that before the water gets vaporized it purifies the water, getting rid of bacteria and minerals with its ultraviolet light. This is one of its best qualities, especially for those who are worried about the air quality in their house. It’s easy to refill the water and our tester found that it ran continuously for 12 hours before it needed to be refilled. This model is better for smaller rooms up to 172 square feet.
Unlike other humidifiers we’ve tested, the Dyson AM10 Humidifier doesn’t have multiple mist settings. Instead, it asks you for your preferred humidity level. The appliance will run until your target is reached and adjust the moisture output from there. Humidity levels can be set to between 30 and 70 per cent. However, this humidifier also aims to regulate your desired temperature and will change according to the temperature in the room. Our tester also noted that the noise on any level was never louder than her air conditioner.
This Dyson humidifier is a great investment piece, even despite its high price tag.
- Read our full Dyson AM10 humidifier review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Up to 172 square feet |
| Features | Remote control, humidity sensor, UV sanitizer, fan, ability to set target humidity |
| Performance | Relatively quiet (up to 45 dB) |
Best budget humidifier
✅ You want something portable: It is small, light and easy to move around.
✅ You want good value for money: This humidifier offers great performance for less than $50.
✅ You are looking for something discreet: Its compact and non-transparent design will easily blend in the surroundings.
❌ You want smart features: No connected apps, voice commands, and the like.
❌ You need an auto mode: It has no humidistat.
🔎 PureGuardian H950AR: This compact humidifier combines affordability with ease of use and impressive performance, offering great value for money. However, it also lacks smart features. ★★★★½
The PureGuardian H950AR Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier costs only $44.99, but it offers better performance than other appliances in the same price bracket. First and foremost, it does a great job at increasing relative humidity without causing spills or making much noise. It is near-silent, to be precise. During our PureGuardian H950AR Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier review, we measured its noise levels with a decibel counting app and did not note any more than 15dB — which is equivalent to whisper or leaves rustling in the wind.
We liked its simple design, too. Thanks to its big lid and compact build, this humidifier was easy to move around and refill, while its non-transparent tank made it blend easily with the surroundings. It features only two mist speeds, but both of these settings delivered great results. We found this simplicity to be refreshing. However, this also means that this PureGuardian humidifier is stripped of the key features typical of more premium models. For example, it does not have a built-in humidistat, so it is not be able to measure relative humidity in the room. Consequently, it does not have an auto mode. The H950AR can't be connected to an app or operated remotely, either.
What it does have, however, is an essential oil tray. With just a few drops, this humidifier can add a pleasant and not overbearing scent to your home.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Up to 320 sq ft (30 sq m) |
| Features | Two mist speeds, essential oil tray, no smart features |
| Performance | Ultra-quiet (up to 15 decibels) |
Best humidifier for bedrooms
✅ You want an ultra-quiet appliance: It will not distract or wake you up.
✅ Your bedroom is on the large side: It works best in spaces between 430 to 753 square feet.
✅ You want to switch between warm and cool mist: It can fit the temperature in your room.
❌ You want to cover large spaces: This dehumidifier is designed primarily for small rooms.
❌ You are on a budget: Although it offers good value for money, it is not the cheapest option.
🔎 Levoit LV600HH: It is whisper-quiet and easy to clean, and it does a great job at increasing relative humidity in medium to large spaces, making it a great option for bedrooms. ★★★★½
Easy to use, extremely quiet, and packed with features, the Levoit LV600HH is a great choice for large bedrooms and studies. This sleek-looking humidifier includes three mist settings, an essential oil diffuser for aromatherapy, and a dual nozzle that twists 360 degrees.
As a smaller model, it’s ultra-quiet but is capable of holding a large amount of water, which means that it can run for up to 36 hours.
This humidifier is great for larger rooms that measure between 430 to 753 square feet. The built-in water tank is see-through, which means that you always know how much water you have left in your tank. Able to sit on your worktop or tuck under a table, it’s a little tricky to fill up. However, this humidifier is ready to use as soon as you get it out of the box, with nothing to set up aside from filling the water.
With a small LCD display on the front, it also has various buttons that enable you to control the mist level, humidity and how long the humidifier will run for. The mist function has three settings going from low to high, while the humidity button enables you to change the percentage of humidity in the air. During our Levoit LV600HH humidifier review, we found that even on the highest mist level, the humidifier didn’t need a refill until the next day, running for more than 17 hours. Meanwhile, the nifty remote control means that you can control the humidifier from up to 16 feet away.
- Read our full Levoit LV600HH humidifier review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Up to 753 square feet |
| Features | Remote control, humidity sensor, ability to set target humidity, essential oil diffuser |
| Performance | Whisper-quiet (up to 31 dB) |
Best humidifier for easy cleaning
✅ You want a low-maintenance appliance: Its top-fill design and transparent tank make it easy to clean and refill, and it can run for up to 60 hours.
✅ You want smart features: It comes with a handy app.
✅ You like aromatherapy: It features an essential oil diffuser.
❌ You have a small room: This dehumidifier is designed primarily for rooms between 215 and 505 square feet.
❌ You need to place it close to the wall: Its humidity sensor may not work properly.
🔎 Levoit Classic 300S: Thoughtfully designed and jam-packed with smart features, this sleek humidifier performs well without requiring a lot of maintenance. ★★★★½
The Levoit Classic 300S is a great no-fuss humidifier for those who do not want to spend hours cleaning their appliance. This compact appliance impressed us with its ease of use and multiple smart features. It connects to the VeSync app, which enables you to control the mist levels and notifies you when it needs cleaning.
During our Levoit Classic 300S humidifier review, we also found it was easy to maintain. This medium-sized sleek model is equipped with a clear water tank that sits on the top, giving you a clear indication of how much water is left.
Perfect for small or medium sized rooms, the humidifier will need some assembling, but it's not a complicated affair. With a large LED display, it clearly indicates the humidity level, while the buttons for mist levels, night mode and humidity levels sit around this. The connecting app is easy to download and connects via WiFi. Once downloaded, the app enables you to switch between the manual, auto and sleep modes. You can also set a timer and change the humidity levels via the app.
This humidifier is easy to clean and its humidity levels perform well on both the high and middle mist setting, climbing to a 68% level within two hours on the highest setting. Another quiet model, it will last for 19 hours on a high setting, but 60 on a lower setting. However, the built-in humidity sensor is quite sensitive and the model does need to be cleaned regularly to avoid bacteria getting into the water.
The aromatherapy option is a nice touch — with six drops of tea tree oil added to the aroma pad, we created a beautifully scented air that lasted in our room for hours. However, we need to point out that six drops is more than the recommended 2-3 drops.
- Read our full Levoit Classic 300S humidifier review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Up to 505 square feet |
| Features | App control, humidity sensor, ability to set target humidity, essential oil diffuser, night light |
| Performance | Whisper-quiet (up to 31 dB) |
Best looking humidifier
✅ You are looking for a stylish appliance: Humidifiers do not tend to look good, but this is a rare exception.
✅ You want to put it in the bedroom: It is whisper-quiet, and it can run up to 70 hours.
✅ You like aromatherapy: It features an essential oil diffuser.
❌ You need to move it around a lot: This dehumidifier is quite bulky and flimsy.
❌ You want smart features: No connected apps or wide connectivity.
🔎 HoMedics TotalComfort Deluxe Ultrasonic humidifier: Stylish, quiet and feature-packed, this top-performing tower humidifier will be a talking point in your home — but it is quite bulky and tricky to move around. ★★★★½
If you’re looking for a humidifier that seamlessly blends into your home without being an eyesore, the HoMedics TotalComfort Deluxe is a great option. This stylish, sleek appliance can hold 1.47 gallons of water, has a run time of up to 70 hours, and can cover large rooms up to 426 sq ft.
The HoMedics TotalComfort Deluxe boasts many useful features. For example, its three cool mist settings let you adjust the output to fit your space exactly how you want it. These can be controlled using the intuitive buttons on the front of the humidifier. There is also the option to set an auto-off timer for four, eight or 12 hours.
During our Homedics TotalComfort Deluxe Ultrasonic Humidifier review, we found it to be whisper-quiet. It measured around 13dB — which is equivalent to leaves rustling in the wind — so you will hardly notice it in the background if you are trying to work, or when you are asleep at night. In fact, it also has a built-in nightlight and an auto-shutoff mode when the tank is out of water.
The humidifier does feel a little bit flimsy (which surprised us for the price), and leaked a bit when we tried to transport it into another room with water still in the tank. However, it is an efficient machine that does a good job of improving indoor humidity, and it has the added benefit of looking good too.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Up to 426 square feet |
| Features | Humidity sensor, ability to set target humidity, essential oil diffuser, demineralization cartridge |
| Performance | Ultra-quiet (up to 13 dB) |
Best humidifiers: Comparison
| Product | Rating | ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dyson AM10 | ★★★★ | Compact, built-in fan and UV sanitizer, smart features, excellent performance. | Relatively expensive, not suitable for large spaces. |
| Levoit LV600HH | ★★★★½ | Whisper-quiet, remote control, great performance. | Auto settings may not be accurate, not suitable for large spaces. |
| Levoit Classic 300S | ★★★★½ | Easy to clean, smart features, great performance. | Auto settings may not be accurate, not suitable for small spaces. |
| HoMedics TotalComfort Deluxe Ultrasonic humidifier | ★★★★½ | Whisper-quiet, stylish, great performance. | No smart features, relatively bulky. |
| PureGuardian H950AR | ★★★★½ | Whisper-quiet, compact, easy to clean, great performance. | No smart features, no auto mode. |
| Dreo 713S | ★★★★½ | Whisper-quiet, excellent performance, smart features, humidistat. | Takes up a lot of space, lacks some durability. |
Our expert consultants
We spoke with members of the Environmental Protection Agency to confirm the latest research and findings on humidifiers, as well as advice on how to maintain a humidifier so that it performs smoothly.
Best humidifiers: Frequently Asked Questions
What should the humidity be in your house?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, people should keep their indoor humidity below 60% — ideally between 30% to 50%.
More info
Where should I place my humidifier?
Where to put your new humidifier depends on the conditions of each room in your house and what you hope to achieve by using one. For instance, if you struggle with snoring, then it would make sense to put your humidifier in your bedroom. Humidifiers in the bedroom should be kept at least three feet away from the bed to avoid disturbing you while you sleep, although you might want it temporarily closer if you’re battling a respiratory infection. Some humidifiers have LED displays and run louder than others, so you might want to place it somewhere the lights aren’t directly visible from the bed and far enough away that the sound isn’t disturbing.
Remember that humidifiers are releasing moisture, so you want to keep them at least a foot away from walls, furniture or curtains to avoid causing water damage, and direct the mist outlet towards the center of the room to enjoy the benefits. If the water is condensing on a surface before it can reach you, the humidifier will be less effective. This one foot rule also applies to floors and carpets; it’s best to keep your humidifier at least one foot above the ground to avoid puddling. Ultrasonic humidifiers in particular are prone to puddling, as they release miniature water droplets as opposed to evaporating the water. The elevation also allows the mist to reach higher and therefore disperse further within the room.
If you have bought a humidifier for a baby’s room or nursery, then ensure that the humidifier and power cords are kept out of the baby’s reach to avoid accidents.
How to maintain your humidifier for optimum performance
The best humidifiers are great at ensuring the air quality and humidity levels in your home are kept at the best possible levels. There are some best practice guidelines you should follow to ensure they are running at their best, and we spoke to an expert, Tim Carroll, a representative from the Environmental Protection Agency, to get his breakdown of how to care for your humidifier:
• You should empty the tank of the humidifier, wipe all of the surfaces dry and refill the water in portable humidifiers daily. This will help to reduce the growth of microorganisms.
• Try to use water with a low mineral content in order to prevent the build-up of unwanted minerals in the tank. This will also reduce the potential dispersal of minerals into the air.
• You should aim to clean portable humidifiers every third day.
• Clean and dry the humidifier thoroughly when storing the product or when it is being used infrequently.
• Do not humidify to indoor relative humidity levels exceeding 50 percent.
• Do not allow the area around the humidifier to become damp or wet.
• Follow any specific manufacturing instructions regarding use, cleaning, and maintenance.
How we tested these humidifiers
How we test the best humidifiers
Our reviewers: We know a good deal about the best humidifiers. Most of our expert reviewers use these appliances on a daily basis, whether to ease nasal congestion, prevent dry skin or to keep their plant babies alive and well. Not to mention, they have personally tried and tested dozens of humidifiers over the years to find the ones that are truly worth the money. You can put trust in our verdicts.
To be as objective as possible, we tested each humidifier in this guide to the exact same standards, using the same procedures and review protocols.
Design. When evaluating the design of a humidifier, we take into account factors such as the size and looks of the unit, the energy consumption and maintenance costs, the length and conditions of the warranty and the overall ease of use. We check the positioning of the mist nozzle, the portability of the water tank, the length of the cord and the controls on the unit. We also assess how easy it is to assemble and clean the humidifier in question, how intuitive are its controls and whether the unit is easy to move around when filled to the brim with water.
Features. We take a good look at the features to get a good understanding of what the humidifier has to offer. Does it emit cool mist, warm mist or both? How many modes and mist outputs does it have? Can it be operated remotely? Does it come with a humidistat, and if so, can this unit automatically adjust its output to match the humidity in the room? Also, does it have any smart features or other high-tech frills? Once we check all of the features in a humidifier, we give our verdict on the overall functionality of the unit.
Performance. We conduct several performance tests using professional air particle monitors and humidity meters (such as the Perfect Prime AQ9600) to quantify the humidifier's ability to increase relative humidity and to check whether any circumstances impede or speed up the process. We start by measuring the humidity level in an enclosed, middle-sized room. We fill the humidifier’s tank to the maximum and let it run on the highest setting for at least an hour. While the machine is running, we measure its noise level using a decibel-counting app (the Sound Meter app, for example). After an hour, we measure the humidity in the room and make note of any changes to the air quality. This is repeated at the two-hour mark, or when the tank is empty. This process is repeated for each mode the unit has, such as lower mode and night mode. We also note how long it takes to empty the water tank.
What the users say. Finally, we check online user reviews to see what people think about their humidifiers, and we test for any persistent problems or defects that we read about. We also make note of the users' experiences with the company's customer service.
As per our testing policy, we fully disclose all our findings in our reviews.
