This is our buying guide on the best humidifiers for congestion 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.
Aprilaire Whole House Steam Humidifier
- Integrated info display
- Lights indicate when service is required
- Fan-powered version also offered
- Doesn’t require purified water
- Water filtration is not recommended
- Less recurring costs
- Rated to cover 6200 sq-ft of space
- Ideal for the largest of houses and spaces
- 6 levels of mist volume adjustment
- Mist volume between 52 and 150 liters
- Water in the canister can get up to 100 C for improved steam production
- Best choice for folks who like warm mist
LACIDOLL Whole House Steam Humidifier
- 21 liter tank
- Ergonomic, top-fill design
- Easy to clean
- 2000 ml/hr max mist volume
- 2000 sq-ft coverage
- Portable design with wheels at the bottom
- Completely noiseless
- 3 adjustable mist volume settings
- Ideal for large spaces and homes
- LED display
- Remote control
- Timer function
- More power efficient than actual whole house steam humidifiers
Honeywell Electrode Whole House Steam Humidifier
- Compact design
- Designed to be inserted into a ducted system with constant airflow
- Easy-to-access, easy to replace water canister
- Disposable design for the water canister keeps salt from water sealed
- Stays cleaner than other units
- Between 42 and 83 liters per day mist production, depending on voltage
- Ideal for even the largest of spaces
- Convenient informational display
- HumidiPRO™ Digital Humidity Control
- Automatic digital humidistat
- Works well with Nest thermostats
Here’s my take on the finest whole-house steam humidifiers.
Whole-house humidifiers hold an advantage over smaller units, delivering superior coverage and performance. But the limited choices available can make picking the right one a challenge.
In my experience, the Lacidoll’s whole-house humidifier stands out as the best overall package. This unit breaks the mold of typical whole-house humidifiers by being portable, yet it doesn’t skimp on coverage and efficient humidification.
The only hitch is that it requires boiled water.
With almost a decade of experience testing and reviewing humidifiers under my belt, you can trust my recommendations. If you’re unsure about the best fit for your specific needs and requirements, you’ve come to the right place.
Stay with me as I share more of my insights on the best whole-house steam humidifiers.
LACIDOLL Whole House Steam Humidifier
BEST OVERALL
Here’s how I see it,
Lacidoll has boldly met the challenge of creating a portable whole house humidifier. The unit delivers impressive coverage and humidification, plus, it comes with some cool features that just make humidifying the whole house a walk in the park.
Now, design isn’t usually something I put on top of my list when it comes to whole house steam humidifiers, but the Lacidoll just changed that.
This thing isn’t bolted on a wall like most of its counterparts. No, it embraces the traditional humidifier design but in a larger package. It’s taller and comes with an extended nozzle, which is just the perfect combo to cover larger spaces.
The nozzle? It comes in two styles: a single ‘chimney style’ pipe for general use and a multi-channel setup that sprays mist in all four directions. I found the latter particularly handy for humidifying larger spaces in record time.
And let’s not forget the integrated wheels at the base that make moving the unit from room to room an absolute cinch.
Now, to the water tank capacity. For a portable whole house humidifier, it’s pretty solid, but compared to regular humidifiers, it’s off the charts. It holds just under 21 liters! The ergonomic design makes topping it up a breeze. A wider opening eliminates spills and lets you fill up faster. Plus, cleaning it is easy-peasy, no disassembling needed.
When it comes to runtime, I have zero complaints. This baby is designed to run for 20 hours with the mist at full blast. Tweak the mist settings a bit and you can squeeze 30 hours or more out of a full tank.
Coverage can be a concern with a portable whole house humidifier. Trust me, I was skeptical too. But the Lacidoll quickly assuaged my fears. It’s rated to cover spaces up to 2000 sq-ft. While it may not be the top performer in this list, its portability and unique mist pipes more than compensate.
The mist volume plays a huge part in why this whole house humidifier performs so well. On its highest setting, it produces 2000 ml/hr, providing quick humidification no matter the space size. The low, medium, and high mist volume modes offer flexibility. To my surprise, I barely ever needed to go past the medium setting, even in larger spaces.
For the noise levels, the ultrasonic diffuser is practically silent, and the fan is just a faint hum even on the highest setting. I was expecting a noisy monster, but it didn’t disturb my sleep at all.
Now, let’s clear up something. You might have noticed I haven’t referred to this unit as a whole house ‘steam’ humidifier. That’s because it’s actually a cool mist ultrasonic humidifier. Still, its design and performance were irresistible. And if you crave the warm steam feel, just use boiled water, it does the trick.
Moreover, it has some neat tricks up its sleeve. The filter-free design saves you from changing filters, a large LED display provides important info, it comes with remote control capability, and a timer that you can use to auto shut the unit after a while.
So, who is this for? If you want to humidify your entire home but want the portability of traditional humidifiers, Lacidoll’s whole house humidifier is right up your alley. You might need boiled water for the steam or warm mist, but the other features certainly make up for it.
Pros
- 21 liter tank
- Ergonomic, top-fill design
- Easy to clean
- 2000 ml/hr max mist volume
- 2000 sq-ft coverage
- Portable design with wheels at the bottom
- Completely noiseless
- 3 adjustable mist volume settings
- Ideal for large spaces and homes
- LED display
- Remote control
- Timer function
- More power efficient than actual whole house steam humidifiers
Cons
- Not a steam humidifier; you’ll need to use boiled water for warm mist
Aprilaire Whole House Steam Humidifier
WORTH CONSIDERING
Here’s my take:
Casting a glance at the Aprilaire’s whole house steam humidifier, it definitely piqued my curiosity. Its coverage is mind-blowing, the mist output is nothing short of impressive, and it doesn’t chow down power like the Honeywell.
Now, the Aprilaire’s design is noticeably more hefty than the neat, compact Honeywell. It lacks the simplicity that gives the Honeywell that premium feel, but it’s not all bad. It manages to pack in some controls and info bits, like a display that shows the relative humidity level, and lights that signal if the humidifier is running and when it needs a service.
Here’s the thing, this steam humidifier requires air ducts to work. If you’re not up for that, there’s a pricier fan-powered version available.
Onto the water tank. The coolest thing about the Aprilaire is that it saves you the hassle of using purified water. Thanks to the use of electrodes, which need a dash of impurities in the water to conduct electricity effectively, you don’t even need to filter the water. That means less cost, plus an easier setup and maintenance.
Aprilaire absolutely nailed the coverage with this steam humidifier. It’s rated to cover a jaw-dropping 6200 sq-ft, comfortably covering even the largest houses. With such an impressive coverage, it’s even suitable for larger commercial spaces.
Now, this unit gives you a bit more flexibility and customization options for the mist volume. It boasts 6 levels of adjustment for the mist volume, ranging from 52 liters per day to over 150 liters per day. That’s way more than the other two units we’ve looked at, and trust me, you’ll notice the difference in day-to-day use.
However, bear in mind that you’ll only get the higher mist volumes if you supply the unit with more voltage. Also, you’ll need to follow some special installation instructions to enable the higher mist volume.
The special features? This unit sports an automatic humidifier function. It uses the dual integrated sensors to gauge the relative humidity inside your house and the outdoor temperature, and then intelligently adjusts humidity to keep you comfortable.
Another neat design feature is the ability to heat the water in the canister up to 100 C, a tad higher than other units. So, if you’re a fan of warm mist, this is your perfect steam humidifier.
So, who’s it for? This one’s a bit tricky to pin down. It does boast the highest coverage rating but it misses some of the cool features the Honeywell offers, yet it costs pretty much the same. However, if you’re looking to humidify a seriously large space, this unit should be on your radar.
Pros
- Integrated info display
- Lights indicate when service is required
- Fan-powered version also offered
- Doesn’t require purified water
- Water filtration is not recommended
- Less recurring costs
- Rated to cover 6200 sq-ft of space
- Ideal for the largest of houses and spaces
- 6 levels of mist volume adjustment
- Mist volume between 52 and 150 liters
- Water in the canister can get up to 100 C for improved steam production
- Best choice for folks who like warm mist
Cons
- Not as compact as the Honeywell
- Lacks some of the special features of other units at this price point
Honeywell Electrode Whole House Steam Humidifier
BEST PREMIUM
Let me tell you about Honeywell’s electrode whole house steam humidifier. This compact little dynamo quickly won me over. It’s smaller than its competitors, yet, astonishingly, its performance outranks them. With a connection to the HVAC system, you never have to worry about coverage.
The design of Honeywell’s electrode whole house steam humidifier has simplicity and efficiency down to a fine art. It’s one of the tiniest steam humidification products you can find. The high-quality plastic construction and its compact size makes installing it a breeze.
The way it’s designed, it needs to be hooked up to a ducted system with constant airflow. It’s unique – the only duct or wall-mounted whole house steam humidifier I’ve come across! It’s in a league of its own.
Now, let’s talk water tank capacity. Despite its cunningly compact design, accessing and replacing the water canister is straightforward, making maintenance quick and hassle-free.
However, I was a bit let down when I found out the water canister needs replacing every year. Though the process isn’t tricky, the replacement parts will set you back about $70 a year, which is quite a downer.
That being said, the disposable design of the water canister ensures that salts from the water stay sealed in, keeping it cleaner. Honestly, it’s a lot easier to clean than the other models I’ve tested.
When it comes to coverage, I doubt you’ll find a space this steam humidifier can’t handle. I tested it in an open plan house, large spaces everywhere, and it didn’t even break a sweat while producing top-notch mist.
The mist volume is equally commendable. How much you get depends on the voltage you feed it. Running it on a 120V setup, you can churn out 42 liters per day. Crank it up to 240V, and you’re looking at an impressive 83 liters per day.
These figures outstrip any bypass or fan-powered whole house humidifier I’ve tested, and significantly reduces the amount of water wasted. But, there’s a catch. Regular use will cause a noticeable spike in power usage, and your power bill along with it.
Many people who are eyeing a high-performance steam humidifier like this one may anticipate a slight increase in their electricity bill, but it’s definitely something to bear in mind.
Honeywell has decked this steam humidifier out with an informational display that gives you the humidifier’s status at a glance. It’s straightforward, practical, and even alerts you when it’s time for the steam cylinder to be replaced.
This unit employs HumidiPRO™ Digital Humidity Control, complete with an automatic digital humidistat which I found to be super convenient. Plus, if you have a Nest thermostat, this steam humidifier syncs up perfectly with Nest devices.
So, who’s it for? Honeywell’s electrode whole house steam humidifier is for the person who wants the best-in-class humidification, appreciates a unique, compact design, and isn’t afraid to splash out a bit more on the initial purchase, annual maintenance, and running costs.
Pros
- Compact design
- Designed to be inserted into a ducted system with constant airflow
- Easy-to-access, easy to replace water canister
- Disposable design for the water canister keeps salt from water sealed
- Stays cleaner than other units
- Between 42 and 83 liters per day mist production, depending on voltage
- Ideal for even the largest of spaces
- Convenient informational display
- HumidiPRO™ Digital Humidity Control
- Automatic digital humidistat
- Works well with Nest thermostats
Cons
- Water canister needs to be replaced every year, costs $70
- High power consumption
