Being healthy in your home requires getting certain environmental parameters just right, and one important parameter is humidity. To learn more about the importance of proper humidity in the bedroom, Bottom Line Personal turned to Caroline Blazovsky, a consultant who helps homeowners figure out why their homes might be making them sick. Here, she shares with us what’s most important when it comes to humidity, as well as her choices for the best humidifiers for bedroom use.
| Tank Size | Room Size | Runtime | Technology | Features | |
| PureGuardian H4810AR-2 | 2 Gallons | 600 square feet | 120 hours | Silver ions | Warm and cool mist…automatic shutoff |
| Dreo Smart Humidifier 713S 6L | 6 Liters (1.585 gallons) | 500 square feet | 60 hours | High-temperature sterilization | Low noise (28 decibels) |
| Carepod One | 4 liters (1.05 gallons) | 500 square feet | 30 hours | Stainless steel tank | Removable tank for cleaning |
Why Bedroom Humidity Matters
Make no mistake, humidity matters throughout the house, but because we spend so much time in our bedrooms, installing a humidifier there provides the most exposure to well-hydrated air, explains Blazovsky.
Breathing low-humidity air can dry out the nasal passages and reduce your ability to fight off the common cold and other viruses. That’s why humidity is important for health, especially during winter.
Caution: Breathing air with too much humidity is arguably even worse for your health. Dust mites thrive in a humid environment, as do molds. Excessive humidity often is behind allergies, asthma and other respiratory problems. Most new homes are prone to too much humidity, not dryness, so make sure you’re not adding moisture to air that doesn’t need it. You want to keep the humidity in your home between 30% and 50%. Before running a humidifier, test your air with a digital hygrometer, which you can pick up from a big-box store for about $15.
Choosing the Best Bedroom Humidifiers
Identifying the best humidifier for your situation depends on specific circumstances. Are you cramped for space and looking for a small humidifier for bedroom use? Are you a light sleeper and need a quiet humidifier? Is a long runtime important to you? Are you looking for a unit that puts out both cool and warm mist?
A cool-mist humidifier uses a fan or a vibration plate to launch the mist and is safer if there are children or pets in the household. It requires less energy and can extend the mist farther in the air. A warm-mist humidifier adds a heating element to the process. The warm mist can help loosen congestion, sooth irritated airways and can be a cleaner mist.
Key Features to Consider
Misting technology: This should be your very first consideration, says Blazovsky. Years ago, most home humidifiers used evaporative technology, in which water was drawn up from the tank by a wheel and its moisture dispersed with a fan. Today, evaporation has been eclipsed by ultrasonic technology, in which the water molecules are exposed to sound waves that disperse droplets that form a mist. While you can still find some evaporative machines, you really want an ultrasonic humidifier for bedroom use because it’s easier to keep clean.
Cleaning: The importance of cleaning the humidifier cannot be overstated, warns Blazovsky. If you purchase a humidifier that does not have good cleaning technology or you fail to clean your machine regularly, you may be doing more damage to your health than by not having a humidifier at all. A tank can very quickly fill with a pink, moldy slime that can signal the presence of harmful microorganisms. Look for humidifiers that use silver, stainless steel, or UV rays to keep such critters at bay.
Tank size and runtime: Read the specifications to make sure that any model you’re considering will properly hydrate the space you have.
Once those criteria are met, you can consider such bells and whistles as quiet operation, warm and cool mist, night mode, smart technology, aromatherapy trays and so on.
Best Humidifiers for Bedrooms
Best overall: PureGuardian H4810AR-2
PureGuardian H4810AR-2
The two-gallon tank can humidify a 600-square-foot room and run for a whopping 120 hours before needing a refill.
The unit features warm and cool mist and uses silver ions to keep bacteria from forming in the tank. It automatically shuts off when it runs out of water. And its low price of $69.99 makes it the best affordable humidifier for bedroom use. GuardianTechnologies.com.
Best for quiet operation: Dreo Smart Humidifier 713S 6L
Dreo Smart Humidifier 713S 6L
Running at only 28 decibels, this model uses high-temperature sterilization to prevent bacterial growth in its six-liter tank that can run for 60 hours.
You can run it off an app on your phone or connect it to your smart home tech. You also can purchase cartridges to prevent the white dust that is sometimes created by ultrasonic misters. Dreo.com. $89.99.
Best for easy cleaning: Carepod One
Carepod One
The Carepod features a stainless-steel tank that can be easily removed and washed with soap and water or sterilized by boiling. The four-liter tank hydrates a space of up to 500 square feet for 30 hours. HelloCarepod.com. $275.
How to Use and Maintain Your Bedroom Humidifier
No matter what kind of cleaning technology your humidifier uses, you will have to clean it periodically. Some can be washed in the dishwasher, and many can be cleaned with a vinegar and water solution. Best: Follow the instructions that come with yours. Those should include a cleaning schedule and maintenance checklist.
