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When you’re shopping for a humidifier, matching the unit to the size of the room is key. A humidifier that’s too small for your space probably won’t provide relief from cold-weather symptoms like dry and itchy skin.
But a bigger model isn’t always better. Ideally, the humidity level in your home should be between 30 percent and 50 percent, according to Energy Star. In colder areas during the heating season, the sweet spot ranges from 30 percent to 40 percent to prevent window condensation.
A humidifier designed for a room that’s larger than yours can create an overly moist environment that breeds dust mites and mold and triggers allergic reactions.
“Since high humidity leads to its own set of problems, avoid buying the largest humidifier and instead pick the one designed for the size of your space,” says Misha Kollontai, the engineer who leads Consumer Reports’ humidifier testing.
To find the right humidifier, calculate your room’s square footage (by multiplying the width by the depth). Then use our humidifier ratings. They’re organized by room size, from models made for areas up to 25 square feet to consoles meant for spaces of 1,000 square feet or more.
Manufacturers typically claim that their humidifiers are intended for a specific room size, which is why we measure the moisture output and calculate how well each model humidifies the specified area.
Most of the models in our humidifier ratings are cool-mist units. A few are warm-mist units, also known as steam vaporizers, or dual-mist units, capable of producing both warm and cool air. In our ratings, you’ll see humidifiers from dozens of brands, including Air Innovations, Boneco, Crane, Dyson, Honeywell, Lasko, Vicks, and Vornado.
Here’s a look at five high-scoring humidifiers from our ratings (available to CR members), each meant for a different room size. Most use ultrasonic technology—a small vibrating diaphragm—to create the cool mist. (The evaporative models, which tend to be noisier, use a fan to blow air through a wet wick.) For more help in choosing the right model for you, check out our free humidifier buying guide.
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