What to Look for When You Buy a Humidifier

Here at Shelterrific HQ, it’s drafty and we’re slathering on lotion around the clock. Our resident fix-it expert Arianne Cohen gives us the lowdown on humidifiers.

Humidifiers literally launch moisture into your air, which prevents your wood floors and furniture from drying out–as well as your skin, nose and throat. We’re now in the heart of humidifier season, and marketers know that this week is EXACTLY when everyone decides they really need one. The trouble is that a slightly dirty humidifier spews molds and bacteria into your air. This is really bad. So follow the cleaning instructions religiously, and try these purchasing tips:

- Pick a dishwasher safe model. Ideally, much like your coffee maker, you can take the pieces apart and dump it in the dishwasher, particularly the opening where the steam is released from.

- Buy a low-change filter. Though the price tag might be friendly, many humidifiers require pricey filter changes–and you really have to do it. Try a once-a-year filter model. The one shown here is from Dynamism. It is cute and looks like it would do a great job, too. $260.

Click through to the next page to read the rest of Arianne’s tips

- Skip “ultrasonic” models. They sound cool, but you need to clean them every week.

- Check the size. The small cute models usually can only handle small cute rooms.

- Steer clear of paper products. Back at the ranch, keep your humidifier away from (potentially in a different room from) your bookshelves and priceless paintings, which do better in cool dry air.

I’m a fan of “warm mist” humidifiers, which boil the water before expelling the steam, which cuts down the chances of launching creepy crawlies into your room. — Arianne C.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 at 7:46 am and is filed under fixing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.