Best humidifiers

Humidifiers are designed to add moisture to the air and prevent dryness that could cause irritation in parts of the body, such as the skin, nose or throat.

A good humidifier will add enough moisture to the air to create a comfortable environment and do so in a quiet and energy-efficient way. But buy the wrong one and it could be fiddly to fill, make noisy dripping sounds or just not be very effective at humidifying the air.

Find out our top picks of the best humidifiers in the table below, and avoid overspending or ending up with a humidifier that's not suited to your needs.

The best humidifiers from our tests

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The humidifiers we tested

All the humidifiers we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best humidifiers from our tests.

Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.

Argos Challenge Ultrasonic Humidifier

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Most recently tested September 2022

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 2.6 litres

Need to know 360-degree mist nozzle, no humidistat, 37dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 25sq metres

BabyMoov Hygro+ Humidifier

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Most recently tested April 2023

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 3.1 litres

Need to know 360-degree mist nozzle, timer, aromatherapy oil diffuser, five power settings, night light, humidistat, 40dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 20sq metres

Beurer LB45 Ultrasonic Air Humidifier

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Most recently tested March 2023

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 4.1 litres

Need to know 360-degree mist nozzle, aromatherapy oil diffuser, no humidistat, night mode, 37dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 30sq metres

Dyson Humidify+Cool Auto React PH3A

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Most recently tested September 2022

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 4.4 litres

Need to know 10 power settings, humidistat, 60dB on highest setting, air purification and fan functions, UV lamp designed to purify water

Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04

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Most recently tested March 2024

Type Evaporative

Water tank volume (max) 4.6 litres

Need to know Smart functionality (MyDyson app), 10 power settings, humidistat, 60dB on highest setting, air purification and fan functions

Looking to tackle damp and mould? Find out the best dehumidifiers we've tested

Electriq 2L Cool Mist Humidifier

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Most recently tested March 2023

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 1.9 litres

Need to know 360-degree mist nozzle, aromatherapy oil diffuser, three power settings, no humidistat, 39dB on highest setting

Levoit Classic 300S Ultrasonic Smart Humidifier

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Most recently tested February 2024

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 6.6 litres

Need to know Smart functionality (VeSync app), 360-degree mist nozzle, aromatherapy oil diffuser, three power settings, humidistat, night mode, 37dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 47sq metres

Meaco Deluxe 202 Humidifier and Air Purifier

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Most recently tested September 2022

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 5 litres

Need to know Humidistat, aromatherapy diffuser, night mode, timer, remote control, air purification function, 39dB on highest setting, UV lamp designed to purify water, recommended for rooms up to 65sq metres

Pro Breeze PB-12-UK

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Most recently tested February 2024

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 5.7 litres

Need to know 360-degree mist nozzle, timer, aromatherapy oil diffuser, three power settings, humidistat, night mode, 39dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 70sq metres

Vicks VH845 Warm Mist Humidifier

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Most recently tested September 2022

Type Warm mist

Water tank volume (max) 3.4 litres

Need to know 180-degree mist nozzle, 24-hour timer, aromatherapy oil diffuser, no humidistat, 46.5dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 37sq metres

Vicks VUL525 Ultrasonic Humidifier

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Most recently tested September 2022

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 1.8 litres

Need to know 180-degree mist nozzle, 24-hour timer, aromatherapy oil diffuser, no humidistat, 39dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 15sq metres

Vicks VUL565 Ultrasonic Humidifier

Available from Argos (£80).

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Most recently tested September 2022

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 4.5 litres

Need to know 180-degree mist nozzle, timer, aromatherapy oil diffuser, five power settings, no humidistat, 35dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 35sq metres

Vicks VUL585 Top Fill Humidifier

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Most recently tested March 2023

Type Ultrasonic

Water tank volume (max) 2.8 litres

Need to know 360-degree mist nozzle, aromatherapy oil diffuser, no humidistat, 37dB on highest setting, recommended for rooms up to 35sq metres

How we test humidifiers

We put humidifiers through a set of tough scientific tests to find the ones that excel in all of these key areas:

• Humidification ability We put each humidifier on its maximum setting and run it twice for an hour, using a special climate-controlled test room. The room is set with a relative humidity level of 35% and a temperature of 27°C. We then measure the relative humidity, air flow rate and the volume of water used. From these two test runs, we work out the average amount of water released into the air.
• Humidistat accuracy To test the sensitivity and accuracy of the humidistat, we set the humidifier to turn on at 40% RH (relative humidity). We place the device in a room at 22-25°C with a RH of 50% and then start decreasing the RH levels by 1-2% per minute until the humidifier switches on. We note the RH reading of the air at the humidifier inlet and record the actual RH when it switches on. Then we start increasing the RH level in the room to check when the device turns itself off.
• Ease of use Our assessments include looking at the instruction manual to check that it’s clear to follow and understand, checking how simple it is to use the controls, whether filling or emptying the water tank is likely to cause any problems, and whether it’s easy to move the unit around. We also see how easy it is to clean and descale the humidifier.
• Quietness Our expert lab testers make two ratings on the noise of each humidifier. They measure the decibel level of the device on both the lowest and highest setting, and then subjectively rate how noisy each humidifier is.
• Energy efficiency We measure the energy consumption of each humidifier while we’re carrying out our humidification tests. 

We regularly revisit the humidifiers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do.

Find out more about how Which? is not influenced by product manufacturers or retailers and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

What does a humidifier do and how does it work?

A humidifier increases the humidity level in the air by emitting water vapour or steam. Using a humidifier to keep humidity levels within the recommended range of 30-50% has a range of potential benefits, including:

• Reducing snoring and preventing nosebleeds by keeping nasal passages lubricated.
• Keeping skin and hair moist.
• Giving moisture to houseplants which helps to stop the leaves from getting dehydrated.
• Preventing wooden furniture and wallpaper from drying out and cracking.

While there are different types of humidifiers, it can be confusing as they can often go by different names depending on the type of technology used to release vapour into the air. However, generally, you can divide them into two types – cool mist and warm mist.

Cool mist humidifiers

There are two main types of cool mist humidifiers:

• Ultrasonic humidifiers produce a mist via ultrasonic vibrations. They use a metal or ceramic ‘diaphragm’, which vibrates at an extremely high frequency against water, creating droplets that are blown out into the room as a fine mist.
• Evaporative humidifiers work via a filter material, a bit like a wick, that dips into the water absorbing droplets. The humidifier fan then blows through the material and this releases water vapour into the air. The difference between an evaporative and ultrasonic model is that these release vapour, whereas the ultrasonic releases tiny water droplets. Evaporative humidifiers tend to have less of an issue with depositing fine minerals that might be present in the water, because they’re filtered out during the evaporation process.

Cool mist humidifiers can be a good option to use with babies, children and pets, as there’s less risk of them being exposed to hot steam, which could be dangerous. Even so, you should keep any humidifier out of reach of pets and children where possible.

Warm mist humidifiers

Sometimes known as a steam vaporiser, a warm mist humidifier uses heat to create water vapour. They often use more energy because of the heating element. The action of heating the water means there’s less risk of the water containing any biological nasties such as bacteria or mould.

What humidity level should you maintain in your home?

Experts generally agree that you should aim for a humidity level of 30-50%. This is measured as relative humidity (RH), that is, the water vapour content in the air expressed as a percentage of the amount of water needed to achieve saturation at the same temperature. 

A reading of 100% RH means the air is totally saturated and wouldn’t be able to hold any more. If you increase the temperature, the amount of water vapour the air can hold increases, so the RH decreases. This is what can happen during the winter when people put their heating on, and it can lead to drier environments. If the RH is above the target of around 30-50%, you may start to feel uncomfortable.

Humidifier features to consider

• Humidistat – monitors moisture levels in the air, allowing you to keep track of the relative humidity level in the room and keep it within the recommended range of 30-50%.
• Auto shut off – stops the device from operating once the water has run out, so you won’t be wasting energy unnecessarily.
• Aromatherapy – many humidifiers give you the option of releasing aromatherapy scents alongside water vapour. Be mindful, though, that many of the aromatherapy functions require you to buy brand-specific sponges to slot into the humidifier.
• Smart functionality – lets you control the device remotely via an app on your phone, so you could turn it off without going into your child's room. Look for a device that you know will receive update support for a decent period of time. For more information, read our guide to smart devices and security.
• Timer – allows the humidifier to turn itself off after a certain amount of time in operation.
• Night mode – some models offer a night mode, where LED lights are dimmed or switched off and digital displays are turned off.

Will a humidifier help with coughing or allergies?

A humidifier may be able to help with a cough. This is because humid air helps to moisten the airways in your lungs, which, if you have a dry or tickly cough, could be soothing.

As for allergies, a humidifier may alleviate some symptoms, such as sinus congestion, but it won't do anything to tackle the presence of the allergens themselves. If tackling dust and pollen in the air is a key concern for you then take a look at our pick of the best air purifiers.

Do I need a humidifier for my baby?

Humidifiers can help to encourage better sleep for a baby, primarily through keeping the child's airways moist and preventing congestion.

Some humidifiers have baby-centric features, such as night lights, while the white noise emitted by the appliance can also help a baby drift off more easily.

Take a look at our Family hub for more baby and child advice, including tips on travelling with children, picking the best car seat and identifying common childhood illnesses.