7 Best Evaporative Humidifiers: Reviewed & Compared

1 - Aircare MA1201 (Editor’s Choice)

Who is Aircare MA1201 best for? Aircare MA1202 is an ideal humidifier for homeowners looking for a powerful, low-maintenance unit that just works.

If you’ve never owned a humidifier before, you might feel lost with all the options. Aircare MA1201 will resolve your dilemma with a great balance of power, ease of use, and value.

This evaporative cool mist humidifier has a great humidity output, with a maximum claimed coverage area of 3,600 square feet.

Although technically a whole-home unit, the MA1201 doesn’t have quite the same kind of whole-house utility as, say, AprilAire 700. Nonetheless, it’s more than enough for a medium-sized home.

The MA1201 is simple to use, with a bright digital display and responsive push buttons. The built-in humidistat turns the unit off upon reaching the desired humidity level. Likewise, it shuts down when the tank runs dry, so you can safely leave the device running overnight.

Speaking of the water tank, this humidifier has a nice 3.6-gallon one. However, it can actually hold twice that volume — the tank drains into the central unit, allowing you to refill it and extend the runtime.

I also like the unit's portability. Although it's on the heavy side at 14 pounds (without water), it's compact enough to place under a small desk. It also comes with optional wheels for rolling it around on the floor.

There are a couple of design mishaps. The humidistat is too close to the humidity vent, so it will always display around 5% higher humidity levels. You can compensate for it by adjusting the settings, though.

Additionally, inserting the wheels carelessly can crack the water tank — a problem endemic to all Aircare units, including the #2 product on our list, the Space Saver.

Despite its minor flaws, Aircare MA1201 is a high-powered and reasonably priced evaporative humidifier for practically any regular-sized home.

2 - Aircare Space Saver 831000 (Best Value)

Who is Aircare Space Saver 831000 best for? Aircare Space Saver offers an excellent cost-to-power ratio for a budget-minded homeowner.

Aircare has a knack for building humidifiers that offer great value. If the MA1201 is overpowered for you, the Space Saver can offer you a lot of bang for your buck.

The water tank is huge. At six gallons, this evaporative humidifier has the largest water capacity out of any unit on my list. The humidifier can run all day, even at high fan speeds, so you can say goodbye to having to constantly top up the tank.

This unit has a lot of power, too. Its coverage area isn’t quite as high as the Aircare MA1201’s, but it's still powerful enough to boost air humidity in a medium-sized home within an hour or two.

Another value-adding factor I like is how the Space Saver offers the same automated goodies as its more powerful sibling. The device knows how to turn itself off if it runs dry, and the humidistat is placed better than on the MA1201, so it’s more accurate.

The unit is reasonably compact (true to its name), so it's easy to fit somewhere it can perform to maximum efficiency while staying out of sight. That's good because I find its appearance to be less than aesthetic.

One problem that runs in the Aircare family is the wheels, which can break the tank if installed with too much force. This unit is also quite loud, and the plastic shell feels somewhat flimsy.

At its price point, though, Aircare Space Saver offers a lot of humidifying power and utility for your money.

3 - AprilAire 700 (Best Whole-House Humidifier)

Who is AprilAire 700 best for? AprilAire 700 is tailor-made for accurately humidifying every room, even in the largest homes.

Do you want to raise the ambient humidity level throughout your home? Then the AprilAire 700 whole-house evaporative humidifier can rescue your dry airways.

Unlike the other units on my list, the AprilAire 700 is a furnace humidifier. It installs directly into your home's HVAC system to distribute water vapor using the existing air ducts.

Thanks to this system, AprilAire 700 is incredibly powerful. It can effectively humidify the air in every room, no matter how huge of a mansion you live in. Even the Aircare MA1201 is no match for this device.

This unit also features an automatic dual humidity sensor that monitors the temperature and humidity level both indoors and outdoors. Just set the desired humidity level, and the machine calculates how to reach and maintain it most efficiently.

I appreciate furnace humidifiers for their ease of maintenance. All you need to do is change the moisture filter and clean the unit once a year (twice in hard water areas). You won’t have to worry about filling water tanks.

However, this unit can be difficult to install. I recommend hiring an HVAC professional to do it (particularly because DIY installation can void the warranty).

Additionally, this is a pricey unit that consumes quite a bit of water and power. It’s a worthwhile investment, though, if you want powerful humidification throughout your home.

4 - Vornado EVDC300 (Best Budget Option)

Who is Vornado EVDC300 best for? Vornado EVDC is great if you’re looking to humidify a single room on a tight budget.

You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy decently humidified air. Vornado EVDC300 can help you breathe easier on a budget.

The EVDC is rated for spaces up to 750 square feet. It’s nowhere near as powerful as the Aircare units — but it’s not even trying to be. This unit works very well for single rooms, efficiently humidifying even a larger living room.

At this price and efficiency, I’d say the EVDC300 is perfect for a studio apartment — perhaps for a student!

Another wallet-friendly feature of the EVDC300 is its Energy Smart Mode. So keeping it running for longer periods won't rack up your electricity bill.

What I really like about this unit are the auto mode features that actually beat Vornado’s Evap40 — a rarity in a humidifier this cheap. The auto-shutoff function turns the machine off when it runs out of water, and it even has a humidistat for monitoring the indoor humidity level.

That said, the humidistat is cheap and far from accurate. I recommend investing in a separate hygrometer if you’re sensitive to humidity due to, say, allergies or asthma.

The water reservoir is easy to detach and clean, making the machine low maintenance. It is a bit notorious for developing leaks, but it has a long five-year warranty. Vornado’s customer service offers tank replacements promptly.

Overall, Vornado EVDC300 is among the best evaporative humidifiers for budget-conscious homeowners.

5 - Vornado Evap40 (Easiest to Clean)

Who is Vornado Evap40 best for? This humidifier is an excellent option for those looking for a low-maintenance unit that's simple to clean.

If you’re asthmatic like I am, it’s vital that you keep your evaporative humidifier squeaky clean. Vornado’s second entry on my list makes regular cleaning a breeze with its simple design.

The Evap40 consists of only four parts — the base, two water tanks, and a fan. It's straightforward to disassemble, and the simple components don't have sensitive electronics or deep grooves. It's easy to clean and prevent mold or bacterial infestation.

This evaporative humidifier is reasonably powerful, too, sitting somewhere between Vornado EVDC300 and Aircare Space Saver. It has enough punch to humidify a small home, adding moisture to the air in a couple of hours.

“But wait,” I hear you say, “did you mention two water tanks?”

Indeed I did! The Evap40 splits its 4-gallon capacity between two 2-gallon tanks. That makes them easier to fill since you’re not trying to hold one huge, heavy reservoir.

Granted, getting water in the tanks is pretty difficult until you learn how to get the water past the valves. I wish they had a simpler filling orifice.

The Evap40 technically has a humidistat, but it’s a simple twist knob with no digital display. You really need a separate hygrometer for monitoring your home’s humidity.

Yet, with no complex electronic sensors, there’s not much to break in the Evap40. Thanks to easy cleaning, you can get many years of faithful service out of this humidifier.

6 - Pure Enrichment MistAire Eva (Most Hygienic)

Who is Pure Enrichment MistAire Eva best for?: This unit is an excellent option if you want to add very clean humidity to a small space, like a single room.

With bad allergies or asthma, you might need to take extra steps to maintain high air quality in your home. Although humidifiers don’t clean the air, Pure Enrichment MistAir Eva can help you combat airborne pathogens.

This unit uses one of the most advanced filter systems I’ve seen. The filters have an antibacterial coating that lowers the chance of microbes multiplying in their folds.

The humidifier also has an auto-dry function. Once the water reservoir runs dry, the unit begins to blow air over the filter to dry it and prevent mold growth.

As a result, the filters can stay effective for much longer than even in the reliable Vornado Evap40. They are pretty expensive and hard to find in stock, though.

The MistAire Eva competes with Honeywell for the lowest humidity output on my list. That's not a bad thing, though, since this unit is intended for smaller rooms. It's still quite effective at raising the humidity, even in medium-sized rooms.

With its colorful LED night light and low noise level, this unit can be good for bedrooms. I’d personally pick the Honeywell for my bedroom, but MistAire Eva is a solid choice for very clean nighttime humidification.

MistAire Eva doesn’t have a humidistat, so a separate hygrometer is a necessity. It does have a neat timer, though, so you can set it to run for a certain number of hours to prevent over-humidification.

As a side note, Pure Enrichment claims its products are Energy Star-certified — which is curious as Energy Star doesn’t rate humidifiers.[1]

As long as you’re not looking to humidify big spaces, Pure Enrichment MistAire Eva is a great option for adding clean moisture to your home air.

7 - Honeywell Cool Moisture HCM350 (Best Bedroom Humidifier)

Who is Honeywell Cool Moisture best for? Honeywell Cool Moisture humidifier is a good, quiet option for humidifying your bedroom or a baby's nursery.

Dry air in your bedroom can make you snore and cough all through the night (as I know all too well). Honeywell HCM350 is a quiet evaporative humidifier that can help you sleep peacefully.

I usually hesitate to bring evaporative units into the bedroom because of their noisy fans. However, the HCM350 is a pleasant surprise in the audio department. At the lowest fan setting, you can barely hear it.

Even in the medium setting, it’s not overly loud and can actually provide nice white noise to help you relax. The highest fan speed does get louder, but it’s still not as bad as Aircare Space Saver or Vornado Evap40.

Power-wise, this is likely the weakest humidifier on my list — but that's not the entire story. The HCM350 is designed specifically for bedrooms. It produces plenty of humidity to help you sleep better, even in a more oversized bedroom.

The unit features a UV light that kills bacteria in the water tank, according to Honeywell. I’m skeptical about whether it actually does anything, but at least it’s there.

The water tank is pretty small (although still bigger than Pure Enrichment’s tiny one). That said, it should hold enough water to last the night.

Note that this unit doesn’t have auto-shutoff, so it won’t power down if the water runs out. Like the Pure Enrichment unit, it doesn’t feature a humidistat either, so you’ll need a separate hygrometer. This unit is also pretty bulky, so it can be difficult to find a suitable spot for it.

Yet, if sleeping in a well-humidified room matters to you, Honeywell HCM350 is the best humidifier option — for babies and adults.

8 - Aircare D46 720 Tower (Best Humidity Control)

Who is Aircare D46 720 Tower best for?: Aircare D46 720 Tower is the best choice for those who need precise humidity levels — and want a good-looking unit.

Some conditions, like my asthma or allergies, require precise humidity control — and you should monitor humidity to prevent mold growth, anyway. Aircare’s D46 720 Tower model makes keeping humidity levels in check easy.

The Tower unit’s humidistat is very good for a console humidifier. It can’t compete with AprilAire 700’s top-notch dual sensor, but it’s better than that found on other listed units — including the other Aircare ones.

On top of the good humidistat, you get an auto-shutoff feature and indicator lights for tank refills and filter changes. The Tower does a great job at keeping you informed about its status and your home’s humidity.

Like the Evap40, this unit has two detachable tanks. They’re lighter to carry, but filling them can be a hassle because of their long, thin shape. That can also make them hard to clean.

The Tower isn’t as powerful as its Aircare brethren, but it more or less matches the Evap40. In other words, it has enough kick in it for small to medium homes.

This is also one of the most aesthetic humidifiers I've seen. The dark, sleek look is easy on the eyes, and the tower shape also makes finding a nice spot for the humidifier easier.

Unfortunately, the build quality doesn't match the pretty looks. Some of the parts feel pretty cheap, especially the tank attachment clips. Be careful when handling this unit, or you might break it.

The Tower is also quite loud beyond the lowest settings, and the water tanks occasionally gurgle, like with the Evap40. In my opinion, though, the humidity controls more than make up for the noise.