Best Humidifiers You Can Buy – Tested & Compared!

Humidifiers are relatively simple devices, but choosing the right one can be more challenging than it seems. There are ultrasonic and evaporative models, different tank sizes, different moisture outputs, and plenty of additional features that may or may not be useful.

What makes things even more complicated is that manufacturers often advertise huge room coverage or extremely long runtimes, which doesn’t necessarily mean that a humidifier will effectively increase the humidity in your room.

That’s why I believe actual performance tests are much more important than what’s written on the box.

For this guide, I picked five humidifiers that stood out the most. I tested them and compared their humidification performance, moisture output, runtime, power consumption, features, and overall value.

The Levoit OasisMist 450S is the best humidifier for most people. It delivered outstanding results in our performance test, has plenty of smart features, and supports both cool and warm mist. Keep reading to find out which one suits you best!

The 5 Best Humidifiers

We have developed a detailed testing methodology for evaluating humidifiers. We test humidification performance in a 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) room, measure how much water they use in one hour, calculate runtime on a full tank, measure power consumption, and evaluate features, maintenance, and overall usability.

What’s particularly important is that we test every humidifier under nearly identical conditions, which makes comparing different models much easier.

For example, the Levoit OasisMist 450S increased the relative humidity by 16.9 percentage points in 60 minutes, while the Homvana H101 increased it by 10.8 percentage points.

That’s a significant difference you wouldn’t necessarily notice just by looking at their specifications.

Levoit OasisMist 450S – Best for Most People

The Levoit OasisMist 450S is the best humidifier for most people and the model I would personally choose from this list.

It’s one of the most powerful humidifiers we’ve tested. In a 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) room, it increased the relative humidity from 40.3% to 57.2% in just 60 minutes. That’s an increase of 16.9 percentage points.

Even more interestingly, it needed only about 11 minutes to increase the humidity by 5 percentage points.

Apart from outstanding performance, what makes the OasisMist 450S stand out are its features. It has a built-in humidity sensor, auto mode, and works with the VeSync smart app. You can set your desired humidity level and let the device automatically maintain it.

Another feature I really like is the option to choose between cool and warm mist. However, keep in mind that warm mist uses significantly more electricity. It consumed approximately 27.4W when operating in cool mist mode at maximum output, while warm mist increased power consumption to approximately 279.4W.

Its 4.5 L tank is large enough for about 14.9 hours of operation at maximum output, which I think is more than enough considering how much moisture this device releases.

Overall, the Levoit OasisMist 450S is a powerful, reliable, and feature-rich humidifier. It delivered one of the best performance results we’ve measured, which, combined with its smart features and warm mist option, makes it the best choice for most people.

DREO HM311S – Best Value for Money

The DREO HM311S is another compact ultrasonic humidifier, but unlike the Homvana H101 (the one I mentioned below), it comes with plenty of advanced and smart features.

In fact, features are probably the biggest reason I recommend this model.

It has a built-in humidity sensor, auto mode, night light, aroma pad, and works with the DREO smart app. Through the app, you can control the humidifier remotely, set schedules, and adjust many additional settings.

When it comes to performance, the DREO also delivered very good results.

It increased the relative humidity in our 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) test room from 40.7% to 52.7% in 60 minutes, an increase of 12 percentage points.

Its measured moisture output was approximately 206 mL/h, slightly higher than the Homvana H101’s 181 mL/h.

What’s interesting is that the DREO has a 4 L tank and lasted approximately 19.4 hours at maximum output, which means you shouldn’t have to refill it too frequently.

I particularly like its auto mode. Thanks to the built-in humidity sensor, the DREO can automatically adjust its speed according to the current humidity in the room.

Overall, the DREO HM311S is the best choice if you want a compact humidifier with plenty of smart features. It isn’t as powerful as the Levoit OasisMist 450S, but its combination of smart controls, excellent runtime, low power consumption, and decent performance makes it a very good buying option.

Homvana H101 – Best Budget & Compact Humidifier

If you’re looking for an affordable humidifier that does the job without too many unnecessary features, then the Homvana H101 is the best option for you.

It’s a relatively small ultrasonic humidifier with a 3.6 L water tank and a moisture output of approximately 181 mL/h.

In our performance test, the Homvana increased the humidity from 41.8% to 52.6% RH in 60 minutes, which is an improvement of approximately 25.84%.

This result isn’t as impressive as what we measured with the Levoit OasisMist 450S or BONECO W200, but considering the Homvana’s price, I think it’s more than good.

What particularly surprised me is its runtime. At maximum output, a full tank would last 19 hours and 53 minutes, which is among the best results of all the humidifiers on this list.

The Homvana doesn’t have a humidity sensor, auto mode, or smart app, but it does have a few useful features such as a timer, night lighting, and an aroma diffuser.

Another thing I like is that it consumes only 18W at maximum speed, making it one of the most energy-efficient models on the list.

All in all, the Homvana H101 is my best budget pick. It isn’t the most powerful or feature-rich humidifier we’ve tested, but it’s affordable, has excellent runtime, is cheap to operate, and delivered decent results in our performance test.

Blueair DreamWell – Best for Bedrooms

The Blueair DreamWell H38i is my top pick for bedrooms, especially if you prefer an evaporative humidifier over an ultrasonic one.

It performed very well in our humidification test. In a 194 sq. ft. (18 m²) room, it increased the relative humidity from 40.7% to 54.1% in 60 minutes, which is an improvement of 13.4 percentage points, or 32.92%.

This puts it ahead of the Homvana H101 and DREO HM311S in our 60-minute test, although it still falls behind the Levoit OasisMist 450S and BONECO W200.

What makes the DreamWell especially interesting is its evaporative technology. It uses a washable wick filter and releases invisible moisture into the air, so you don’t have to worry about the white mineral dust that can occur with ultrasonic humidifiers when using hard tap water.

Its measured moisture output was approximately 178 mL/h at maximum speed, and a full 3.8 L tank lasted around 21 hours and 21 minutes. That’s one of the longest runtimes among the humidifiers on this list.

Power consumption is another strong point. We measured just 9.5W at maximum speed, 5.8W on speed two, 2.8W on speed one, and only 2W in sleep mode. Because of this, the Blueair DreamWell received a perfect 10/10 in our operating costs test.

I also like that it has a built-in humidity sensor, auto mode, and support for the Blueair smart app. This means you can set a target humidity level and let the humidifier adjust its operation automatically, which is particularly useful if you plan to use it overnight.

One thing worth mentioning is noise. We measured 48.5 dBA at maximum speed, so I wouldn’t describe the DreamWell as exceptionally quiet when running at full power. However, for bedroom use, I would normally use a lower fan speed or Sleep Mode rather than keeping it at maximum speed throughout the night.

Maintenance is relatively simple as well. The wick filter is washable, the tank can be filled from the top or removed and filled separately, and there’s also an aroma stone if you want to use essential oils.

All things considered, the Blueair DreamWell is an excellent bedroom humidifier. It delivered very good performance in our test, has an exceptionally long runtime, consumes very little electricity, and its evaporative design makes it a particularly good choice for people who don’t want visible mist or mineral dust in their bedroom.

BONECO W200 – Best Air Washer

The BONECO W200 is probably the most unusual humidifier on this list. It’s an evaporative air washer, which means it humidifies the air while its evaporator mat also traps some larger airborne particles.

However, don’t confuse it with an air purifier. The W200 doesn’t have a HEPA filter and can’t replace a dedicated air purifier.

What surprised me most was its performance. It increased the relative humidity in our test room from 41.4% to 58.2% in just 60 minutes, which is an increase of 16.8 percentage points, or approximately 40.58%.

Interestingly, this result is almost identical to the Levoit OasisMist 450S, which increased humidity by 16.9 percentage points.

The BONECO also had the highest measured moisture output of the tested models on this list, at approximately 318 mL/h.

Because of that relatively high output, its 4.5 L tank lasted around 14 hours at maximum speed. That’s shorter than the Homvana or DREO, but those models also release significantly less water per hour.

The W200 is a much simpler device than the Levoit or DREO. It doesn’t have a humidity sensor, auto mode, or smart app. Personally, I think a built-in humidity sensor would be a very useful addition, especially considering its price.

On the other hand, I like its simple design, evaporative technology, washable evaporator mat, and outstanding performance.

Overall, if you prefer an evaporative humidifier and like the idea of having a washable filter that also traps some larger airborne particles, the BONECO W200 is the best option on this list.

What to Look for When Choosing a Humidifier?

There are many things to consider when buying a humidifier, but based on my experience testing them, humidification performance is by far the most important.

Manufacturers often advertise large coverage areas and extremely long runtimes, but these numbers don’t always tell you how quickly a humidifier can actually increase the humidity in your room.

That’s why we measure the humidity before and after running each humidifier for 60 minutes under the same conditions.

Apart from performance, I would also consider the humidifier type, tank capacity, moisture output, humidity sensor, maintenance, and power consumption.

Ultrasonic or Evaporative?

Most humidifiers I’ve tested use ultrasonic technology.

These models use an ultrasonic membrane to turn water into extremely small droplets and release them into the room as visible mist. They’re usually quiet, affordable, and energy-efficient.

However, ultrasonic humidifiers can release minerals from tap water into the air, which may appear as white dust around the room. Because of that, using distilled or demineralized water is often a better option.

Evaporative humidifiers work differently. They typically use a wick or evaporator mat soaked with water while a fan moves air through it.

The BONECO W200 and Blueair DreamWell are evaporative models.

Personally, I like both technologies, and I don’t think one is universally better than the other. Your choice should depend mostly on your preferences, water quality, maintenance expectations, and budget.

Humidity Sensor and Auto Mode

A humidity sensor is one of the most useful features a humidifier can have.

The Levoit OasisMist 450S and DREO HM311S, for example, can measure the current relative humidity and automatically adjust their operation.

Models without a humidity sensor, such as the Homvana H101 and BONECO W200, require more manual control.

If you buy one of these, I recommend using a separate hygrometer, so you always know the humidity level in your room.

Tank Capacity and Runtime

A larger water tank usually means less frequent refilling, but don’t judge a humidifier by runtime alone.

For example, the Homvana H101 lasted almost 20 hours in our test, while the BONECO W200 lasted approximately 14 hours (at maximum speed).

However, the BONECO released 318 mL/h, compared with only 181 mL/h from the Homvana.

In other words, the BONECO empties its tank faster because it puts significantly more moisture into the room.

That’s why I always look at moisture output and performance alongside runtime.

FAQ About the Best Humidifiers

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best humidifier wasn’t easy, especially because several models delivered very similar results.

However, the Levoit OasisMist 450S stands out as the best option for most people. It delivered outstanding results in our performance test, has plenty of advanced features, and supports both warm and cool mist.

If you’re looking for a cheaper option, I recommend the Homvana H101, while the DREO HM311S is a much better choice if smart features are important to you.

Finally, the BONECO W200 is an excellent choice if you prefer evaporative humidification. In fact, it delivered almost identical performance to the Levoit OasisMist 450S, making it one of the biggest surprises in this test.

Whichever model you choose, I strongly recommend monitoring the humidity in your room and avoiding excessive humidification.