This is our buying guide on the best humidifiers for oxygen concentrators in 2023. Below is a quick summary of our top recommendations. Scroll further down to read our in depth, hands on reviews, for each humidifier.
AIRCARE MA1201
- Simple to operate
- Traps mineral deposits from hard water
- Extensive coverage
- Four-speed cycling fan to maintain acceptable noise levels
- Easy to clean
- Can handle hard water
- Easy-to-understand controls
- Digital humidistat
- Automatic shut-off
- Huge water tank capacity
TaoTronics 6L
- Super-easy to use
- Automatic humidity monitoring
- Auto humidity settings
- Warm or cool mist
- Auto on/off
- Essential Oil diffuser tray
- Good build quality
- Remote control
- 60-hour runtime
- Easy to clean
- Huge water reservoir
The Honeywell Top Fill Cool Moisture Humidifier
- 24 to 36-hour runtime
- Excellent for large and small spaces
- Quick to humidify from zero point
- Cost-effective to maintain
- No fuss, simple operation
- Excellent for hard water
- Top-fill design
- Various moisture output settings
- Easy to clean
- Generous water tanks
- Quiet operation
- Filter free
Let me take you through my journey of finding the best humidifiers for oxygen concentrators.
If you regularly use an oxygen concentrator, you’ll know all too well about the dryness caused by pure oxygen. It can lead to some really uncomfortable side effects, including sore throat, nasal irritations, and lung irritations. I’ve found that a good humidifier is key to counteracting these effects.
So, I put a few humidifiers through their paces, all with the goal of finding the top three that work best with oxygen concentrators. My tests led me to crown the Honeywell Top Fill Cool Moisture Humidifier as the king of the hill.
The Honeywell won me over with its ultra-quiet operation and filter-free design, not to mention the delicate, almost invisible, mist it produces. This feature is a game-changer, as it prevents water droplets from forming on your furniture.
Perfect for medium to large-sized rooms, the Honeywell sports variable moisture output settings and a rotating mist nozzle for added convenience.
Stick with me to get the lowdown on the test results for the Honeywell, as well as the other two stars of the show – the best budget humidifier, and the best premium humidifier for oxygen concentrators.
TaoTronics Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier
BEST OVERALL
Just a peek
With the TaoTronics, I found both cool and warm mist options at my fingertips, ensuring my sinuses and skin stayed hydrated. It turned out to be the perfect companion for the bedroom or kids’ rooms.
What caught my eye was the included remote control, making the unit even more user-friendly.
Sporting a large water tank, this device was guaranteed to keep running throughout the night without the need for a refill. It had all the flair and the power to stand out from the crowd, earning its place at the top of my list for the best premium humidifiers for oxygen concentrators.
The Build
What really jazzed up the TaoTronics was the addition of an essential oil diffuser by the design team. A brilliant add-on, indeed!
Bear in mind, standing warm water can serve as a breeding ground for airborne germs and other unwanted stuff. As the owners’ manual suggests, cleaning the unit at least once every seven days is key, particularly if anyone in your household suffers from breathing difficulties or nasal and throat irritations.
The silver lining is, cleaning it is a breeze.
In my test, all I had to do was unplug the unit, let it cool down, descale it with a simple water/vinegar solution, and employ the included brush to tackle the tricky spots in the water reservoir.
For added safety, a bleach solution could be used to disinfect the unit.
All in all, it took me about twenty minutes to get it cleaned and an additional three minutes to put it back together.
Water Tank Capacity
This TaoTronics humidifier comes with an impressively large water tank – a whopping 6 liters!
While the size is a plus, it does pose a bit of a problem when it comes to filling it up. It’s just too large for a standard kitchen or bathroom sink faucet, meaning I had to make several trips with a jug between the faucet and the humidifier.
Runtime
Depending on the intensity of its workload and your mist settings, this humidifier will run smoothly for up to 60 hours. Of course, higher fan settings and challenging ambient humidity will result in a decrease in runtime.
Coverage
The TaoTronics 6L Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier can comfortably moisturize the air in an area up to 430 square feet.
Mist Volume
I found the mist volume of this TaoTronics humidifier to be quite generous, averaging between 100-300ml/h. This makes the TaoTronics incredibly efficient at maintaining humidity levels according to my preferences.
The cool mist it produces is just perfect for tackling nasal irritations, scratchy throats, nosebleeds, and burning eyes. But with its warm mist feature, it also proves to be a capable companion for the chillier winter months.
Noise levels
While the TaoTronics humidifier isn’t the quietest unit I’ve tested, it’s not the noisiest either. The low purr and occasional gurgle were easy to get accustomed to. Plus, I could control the noise level by adjusting the fan speed.
Standout Features
The TaoTronics 6L Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier automatically starts and stops as it monitors the atmosphere’s humidity levels. Once set, it just does its thing. This feature was a godsend for dealing with nasal, lung, and throat issues, as I knew that the humidity levels in my frequent areas were always optimal.
In the bedroom, I found the noise made by the TaoTronics when it switched on and off a bit disturbing, in fact, it was more annoying than the actual hum of the humidifier.
As I mentioned, the essential oil diffuser is a superb addition. It’s so simple to operate. Just a couple of drops of my favorite oil into the oil tray resulted in a clean and fresh aroma throughout my home.
Saving the best for last, the massive 6 liter water tank capacity is the real standout feature of this TaoTronics Humidifier. It’s hands down one of the longest-running humidifiers I’ve ever tested.
Taking the top spot on my list of best premium humidifiers for oxygen concentrators, the TaoTronics 6L Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier gets my whole-hearted recommendation.
Pros
- Super-easy to use
- Automatic humidity monitoring
- Auto humidity settings
- Warm or cool mist
- Auto on/off
- Essential Oil diffuser tray
- Good build quality
- Remote control
- 60-hour runtime
- Easy to clean
- Huge water reservoir
Cons
- Not a fantastic industrial design
AIRCARE MA1201 Whole-House Console-Style Evaporative Humidifier
BEST BUDGET
First Look
While this humidifier won’t win any beauty contests, its design is clearly geared towards functionality.
The overall shape does seem a bit on the bulkier side. A bit more thought could perhaps have packed it into a sleeker package. But hey, that might just be me, especially when you consider the fact that it’s designed to moisturize the air in areas up to 1000 square feet.
It’s practically a whole-house humidifier – a perfect sidekick for a top-notch oxygen concentrator.
The Build
When it arrived, I found no assembly was required. Even the filter was already in place.
All I needed to do was fill up the AIRCARE with water, plug it in, and it was good to go.
The reservoir was easy to fill up at the kitchen sink. A word of caution, though – the design makes spillage a possible hiccup. I learned that one the hard way!
Cleaning the unit was a breeze. A quick wipe-down and rinse got the job done in under 15 minutes.
Water Tank Capacity
One cool trick I discovered is that you can actually double the water capacity. Just fill the reservoir, put it back in place, wait for the water to drain into the base, and fill it up again. This little trick drastically increased the runtime of the AIRCARE MA1201. I stumbled upon this during the first week of testing, and ran the humidifier on a double-fill for the rest of the two weeks – the runtimes were fantastic!
When you’re using an oxygen concentrator, fewer refills are always a win.
Runtime
The Aircare keeps going for 36 hours between refills, as long as you’re not running it on high mist and full fan settings all the time. Of course, with the double-fill trick, the runtime could go up to a staggering 70 hours!
Coverage
This unit is rated to humidify areas up to 3200 square feet. It does an admirable job, making it a fantastic choice for entire home use. Its capacity also qualifies it as one of the top humidifiers for oxygen concentrators.
Mist Volume
The performance of the AIRCARE is unrivaled. Whether you place it in a cozy study or a spacious living area, it simply excels. The only limit seems to be the laws of airflow.
In a larger area like my living room, it was capable of causing condensation on the windows – even on colder nights!
Noise Levels
The AIRCARE comes with a four-speed fan. At higher speeds, it does tend to get a bit noisy. Plus, the runtime drops. So, to balance noise and runtime, I found running it on medium speed to be optimal.
Standout Features
Operating the unit is as simple as can be. A clearly marked button gives you total control, and the device will automatically switch off and on to maintain a steady humidity level in your space.
Like many other manufacturers, AIRCARE recommends using distilled water in this humidifier. This helps prevent scale buildup and white dust, especially in areas with hard water.
Throughout the four weeks of testing, I used tap water and didn’t notice any negative effects.
Wick replacement is recommended every 30 days – giving you around 700 hours of worry-free operation in 100-square foot areas. Plus, the unit will alert you when it’s time for a filter replacement, usually around 20 days in.
The AIRCARE MA1201 Whole-House Console-Style Evaporative Humidifier more than earned its place as the budget champion on my list of the best humidifiers for oxygen concentrators.
Pros
- Simple to operate
- Traps mineral deposits from hard water
- Extensive coverage
- Four-speed cycling fan to maintain acceptable noise levels
- Easy to clean
- Can handle hard water
- Easy-to-understand controls
- Digital humidistat
- Automatic shut-off
- Huge water tank capacity
Cons
- Not a great aesthetic design
The Honeywell Top Fill Cool Moisture Humidifier
BEST PREMIUM
First Look
This Honeywell employs evaporative technology. Here’s how it works: it pulls in dry air from the surroundings, passes it over a wet filter to absorb moisture, and then releases it back into the atmosphere.
What’s impressive about this unit is that it also filters out damaging minerals from the water, preventing the formation of white dust – a common issue in hard water areas. This dust can worsen many conditions that call for the use of an oxygen concentrator.
The Honeywell Top Fill Cool Moisture Humidifier is quite a large piece of kit. Though it might lack the plethora of features that some similar-priced units possess, I found its simplicity to be a benefit. With fewer features, the controls are far easier to understand and use.
The water reservoir is quite substantial, offering lengthy runtimes between refills.
The Build
Despite its size, this Honeywell humidifier can comfortably fit on a counter or dresser. It might be larger than some, but it doesn’t feel intrusive.
The designers and manufacturer of this humidifier recommend placing it at least 12 inches away from the wall. Its top-fill water reservoir design makes refilling it a breeze.
Honeywell hasn’t provided any specifics on the ideal room sizes for this humidifier. I tested it in various spaces around my office and home and found it performs best in larger, open-plan areas.
If you’re using an oxygen concentrator, this Honeywell unit will blend right in.
Water Tank Capacity
One of the reasons this unit provides exceptionally long runtimes is its colossal water tanks. They can hold up to 3 gallons in total.
Runtime
Runtime can vary depending on the settings. On low, the water in the two reservoirs can last around 24 hours. On high, you’re probably looking at around fourteen hours.
Coverage
I wanted a clear picture of this unit’s coverage, so I tested the three fan speeds individually.
On all three speeds, the humidifier managed to boost the humidity to 56% within the first hour of use, and then maintain it at that level.
The size of the room didn’t seem to impact this Honeywell’s performance. I tested it in areas ranging from around 700 square feet to smaller spaces of around 250 square feet. The performance was always steady, and the unit didn’t over-humidify smaller spaces.
This makes it a perfect companion for an oxygen concentrator.
Mist Volume
On a medium setting, the mist volume held steady at around 65%. As you’d expect, this volume decreases as the room size increases.
Noise Levels
For its size, this Honeywell is pretty quiet. It gives off a low hum, but it’s so gentle it won’t interfere with your everyday life. If you think about the sound your fridge makes – the hum of this humidifier is many times softer.
Standout Features
The greatest asset of this humidifier is its simplicity. It’s designed to be hassle-free. All you have to do is fill it with water, plug it in, select your preferred setting, switch it on, and then leave it until it’s time to refill the water reservoirs. Easy!
Because this Honeywell uses evaporative technology, it doesn’t emit visible mist. So you won’t have to worry about water droplets settling on your furniture or causing water stains!
The Honeywell Top Fill Cool Moisture Humidifier has earned its spot at the top of my list of the best humidifiers for oxygen concentrators. I can’t recommend it enough!
Pros
- 24 to 36-hour runtime
- Excellent for large and small spaces
- Quick to humidify from zero point
- Cost-effective to maintain
- No fuss, simple operation
- Excellent for hard water
- Top-fill design
- Various moisture output settings
- Easy to clean
- Generous water tanks
- Quiet operation
- Filter free
Cons
- It’s a large unit
