10 Best Large Room Humidifiers – Reviews & Buying Guide 2020

6. PowerPure 5000 Warm and Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier

The PowerPure 5000 Warm and Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier can humidify spaces of up to 700 square feet. So it is suitable to humidify two or three rooms at a time (depending on the size, of course). Thus, you can avoid having to buy a unit for every room in your house, which achieves two goals: saving money and reducing clutter. 

The near-silent operation of this machine makes it ideal for use at any time, day or night. Naps on the couch, night shifts, baby sleeping routines, and light sleepers are all examples where a noisier machine may become a problem. However, you can rest assured that no one in your household will be disturbed from their rest by this humidifier.

This includes an auto shut-off feature for your convenience, so you can run it whenever you want, and for however long you want. If you forget to top it up, it will simply shut itself off. 

The LCD control panel has a nice modern look to it, and the buttons are very easy to press. This simply adds to the already impressive convenience of his model. All in all, this is a competitive product in the market of humidifiers.

Pros

• It has a near-silent operation
• Includes an LCD control button with soft-touch buttons

Cons  

• Some other models reviewed here can cool a larger area, but the area is still large at 700 square feet

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7. URPOWER MH501 Large Capacity Humidifier

This unit bears a close resemblance to a desktop computer CPU with an innovative touch. It’s the humidifier to get if your current unit is noisy and disrupts a good night sleep. 

URPOWER MH501 is a low-maintenance humidifier; it’s easy to clean and exhibits highly user-friendly features. The black and gray color-scheme and the slick curvy edges is an added advantage if you are into electrical products that make bold interior décor statements. 

The wish to keep your utility bills in check transforms into reality when you obtain URPOWER MH501 Humidifier. It grants you 350 ml of mist per hour for 14 – 17 hours at a unit power consumption rate of 30 watts and 5 liters of water. Automatic shut off features mean that the unit has an in-built guard against unprecedented destructive incidents such as power surge.

Pros:

• Outstanding whisper mode that makes it impressively silent when running.
• Easy refill.
• Compact and durable design.
• Weighs 4.55 pounds and measures 16.2 x 10.1 x 7.8 inches – making it highly portable.
• Has a single power for on and off as well as humidity adjustment functions making it one of the easiest and safe humidifiers in the market. 
• Very affordable.

Cons:

• Can’t be used with aromatic air humidification ingredients such as exotic herbs and perfumes.
• Has possible counterfeits – hence should only be obtained from certified retailers. 

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8. BONECO Steam Humidifier S450

Boneco S450 is known for its combination of hygienic and auto light dimmer characteristics. Another notable trait is its ability to offer scented air humidification through jets of clear mist that takes specialized vision aide to spot.  

At 10 pounds and measuring 14 x 9.5 x 13.2 inches, this unit is ideal for people who suffer from allergies. That’s because it heats the water to eliminate bacteria instead of relying on chemical-based pathogen elimination techniques. 

The auto-mist technology is also a healthy way of stepping up the unit’s air humidification process. It can also be set on an eco-mode to make the humidifier’s operations environmentally friendly. Hygrostat integration means that Boneco S450 can function on programmable mode to register and carry out self-cleaning and water refill commands.

Pros:

• Comes with quality components that include two anti-mineral pads in addition to EZcal friendly features.
• Mineral-free humidification.
• Humidifies up to 860 square feet of in-house space. 
•  Power water heating element and jetty to offer warm air humidification options.
• Auto-cleaning mode.
• Compact and durable design with a user-friendly digital control and display panel. 

Cons:

• Gets slightly noisy when put on a higher setting.
• Does not allow the direct flow of steam and this limits some its humidification procedures. 
• The unit offers no warning when the water level – it shuts down instead. 

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9. Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier 

Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is the type of unit that is affordable yet brings style and efficiency. Apart from having outstanding features, this humidifier weighs 4.15 pounds, measures 14.3 x 12.4 x 7.9 inches, comes with 6L (1.6 gal) tank, and produces a powerful mist output of up to 270 ml/hr.

It is equipped with an auto shut off that turns off the unit once the water tank is empty. While that’s a safety precaution that many units offer, it’s also one way of preventing any damage to the machine. Another important feature is the built-in essential oil tray. You can put your preferred essential oil and enjoy the aroma when the strong mist is blown into the room.

When using some humidifiers, you may need to replace the filters every couple of months. Some filters are usually costly, and even if they aren’t, that is an added cost that you have to accept. Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier has a unique filter-less design that makes it both economical and more sustainable.

Take advantage of this unit to prevent the symptoms of dry weather by customizing it to your needs. The 360-degree rotating nozzles and adjustable mist output knob allows you to direct the mist right where you need it the most, ensuring every part of your room remains above the 43% humidity level.

Pros

• Affordable
• 6L (1.6 gal) tank with a powerful mist output of up to 270 ml/hr
• Auto shut-off automatically turns off once the air humidifier is out of water.
• Built-in essential oil tray
• The filter-less design makes it both economical and more sustainable.
• Customize humidity using the 360-degree rotating nozzles and adjustable mist output knob.

Cons:

• It’s a total pain to refill and drips everywhere when refilling. 

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10. Winix AW600 Triple Action Humidifier with Plasmawave

Winix AW600 suits people who live in heavily polluted environments. The HumidipüR discs give it the ability to fight airborne bacteria. It’s also equipped with HEPA/Carbon filters for the elimination of harmful gaseous elements in the air. 

Fitted with a high-tech plasma water technology, Winix AW600 uses 3.75 gallons of water to humidify 600 square feet when programmed to run on the 24 hours mode.  

The humidifier measures 13.4 x 13.4 x 17.7 inches and weighs 15 pounds, which makes it easy to move from one room to another. It has multiple mortar systems and a set of antimicrobial discs that collect particulate air pollutants such as pollen, allergens, and viruses. The unit is an excellent air purification and humidifying machine for people looking to have control of the air they breathe inside their homes.

Pros:

• Lowers medical bills by maintaining healthy living environments.
• Cutting edge self-cleaning technology.
• Sleep mode specifications on a digitized control panel. 
• Quiet when running.
• Gives fresh, crisp, and aromatic air humidification options. 
• Slick and durable design that’s available in an array of colors. 

Cons:

• Expensive owing to cutting-edge tech design additions.
• Suits people with ample space in their homes because it is slightly bulky.

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Best Humidifier for Large Rooms Buying Guide

Choosing the best humidifier for a large rooms shouldn’t be a complicated process. As long as you understand how humidifiers work, the current level of humidity in your indoor air, and how much additional humidification you need for optimal comfort, you should be able to identify the ideal humidifier with ease. 

This guide discusses some of the critical factors and considerations you may want to keep in mind throughout the shopping process.

Signs that You Need a Humidifier in Your Home

The first you need to ask is whether you need a large room humidifier in the first place. Would purchasing a humidifier help you in any way?

Often, the answer is YES. But, this doesn’t mean that everyone needs a humidifier. For instance, if you’re thinking about bringing in a humidifier into your large living room solely for health reasons, you won’t solve your problems. Yes, a humidifier can relieve a wide range of symptoms (as we’ll see shortly). But, it can’t treat any infections on its own. 

You may want to consider investing in one if you experience two or more of the following conditions;

• You’ve been experiencing cold-like symptoms. 

Let’s get one thing clear here – a humidifier alone can’t treat flu symptoms. If you’re experiencing the symptoms, you need medical attention. That said, however, humidification, combined with medical treatment, works excellently at relieving the symptoms. 

Cold-like symptoms include successive sneezes, an itchy nose, and sore throat. The symptoms are particularly common in the cold season, especially between November and March. Prolonged exposure to dry air is known to dry the mucous membranes that protect your respiratory tract.

This membrane serves as the first line of defense against viruses and microbes. When the membranes become dry and thin out, you become exposed to these harmful microorganisms.

Humidifiers help ensure sufficient moisture in the air, thus keeping the mucous membranes moist and functioning optimally. 

• You’re experiencing dry skin symptoms.

You may be tempted to trivialize dry skin and perhaps even consider ignoring it. But, dry skin is a grave concern. Healthy skin acts as a natural barrier against all kinds of external threats, including diseases. Unhealthy, dry skin offers compromised protection.

If there’s a break in your skin from cracking or overheating, you become exposed to various infections. If left unattended for an extended period, one could even develop dermatitis. 

Not having enough moisture in your environment is one of the leading causes of dry skin. Sooner or later, your skin will start losing moisture to the dry air. Symptoms of dry skin include itchiness, redness, and flaky, scaly skin. Dry skin also feels dry, tight, and rough to the touch.

Humidifiers introduce moisture into the indoor air, so your skin doesn’t start losing water to the surrounding. 

• You’re floors and furniture are cracking.

 Many factors can cause floors and furniture to crack, and low humidity is one of them. Some people often confuse this for the cold weather, but it’s the lack of moisture in the air. Wood acclimates to its surroundings and will expand or contract depending on the current humidity levels.

When humidity levels drop, the wooden material on your floors and furniture lose moisture. Over a few weeks, this can result in shrinking and ultimately cracks. 

Manufacturers of wooden products always advise buyers to maintain moderate temperatures and keep humidity levels in the home to 50-55%. You’re also encouraged to shield your wooden items and floors from sudden and frequent changes in humidity.

Humidifiers can do both. You can set your humidifier to maintain 50-55% humidity in the home, which would also prevent sudden humidity changes. 

• You frequently use the furnace.

You probably didn’t see this one coming. But, yes, whenever you need to heat the house, humidification becomes necessary too. It would be difficult to explain this without getting too deep into scientific details. Still, scientific studies show that when air loses moisture, it simultaneously loses the ability to hold heat. The reverse is also true; i.e., as air loses heat, it loses its ability to retain moisture. 

When you’re heating the home, you need to raise indoor humidity levels too if you’re to keep the warmth in the air for long periods. Low humidity, when combined with poor air circulation, can also cause severe temperature fluctuations. 

A humidifier would come in and solve all these problems. You’d have sufficient moisture in the air to hold the heat pumped into your rooms. Also, you’d have enough humidity in the room to avert temperature fluctuations. 

Benefits of Humidifiers

If you’re experiencing the challenges mentioned above, then you should consider acquiring a humidifier. Aside from helping alleviate your cold symptoms, solving your dry skin symptoms, preventing your floors/furniture from drying, and helping with heat retention & distribution in the colder months, the appliance will also benefit you in the following ways.

• Helps prevent the spread of airborne diseases

Studies show that raising indoor humidity to at least 43% has a dramatic impact on up to 85% of airborne viruses. Most microorganisms thrive in low humidity environments. When you raise humidity levels, they are rendered ineffective. Moisture, for example, makes it difficult for germs to move. In high-moisture situations, allergens combine with the humidity and drop because they become too heavy to float around in the air.

• It helps with snoring.

If you or someone else in the house snores a lot, humidification may help. When the air in your bedroom is too dry, your throat and nasal membranes become dry also. When these membranes dry out, they become swollen. This can lead to restricted airflow, which causes air tissues in the throat to vibrate as you force air through them. Using a humidifier to add moisture to your bedroom air would soothe the tissues at the back of your throat, thus resolving it. 

• Relieves allergy symptoms

House dust is the biggest trigger of allergies worldwide. Anyone allergic to the dust reacts to either mite constituents or animal allergens, which symptoms including sneezing, asthma, and eye irritation. What most people don’t know, however, is that low humidity significantly increases house dust turbulence, effectively increasing the risk of allergies. Studies show that mite constituents’ disturbance decreases about 100 times if indoor humidity increases from 10% to 40%.

• Prevents static electricity

Colder, drier conditions are notorious for static electricity (commonly referred to as static). You might have felt this in the past when holding the doorknob or attempting to open the refrigerator in the winter season. It’s also what causes your hair to stand on end when you pull off a hat or pull on a sweater.

What usually happens is that, when the air is dry, we pick up lots of electrons as we move around, leaving us positively charged. When you come in contact with negatively charged items (such as the doorknob), there is a movement of electrons between your body and the doorknob, resulting in the zap. Adding moisture to indoor air can help dissipate these electrons. 

• Healthier house plants 

Watering alone isn’t enough to provide your indoor plants with the humidity they need. While watering adds moisture to the soil where the plant grows and allows them to remain hydrated consistently, it is also imperative to maintain sufficient humidity in the air surrounding the plants.

That’s because plants lose a lot of water through the leaves, especially when the environment is dry. The water absorbed through the roots can’t replace all this water. The thinner the plant’s leaves, the higher the need for round-the-clock humidity; thicker, more succulent leaves can survive dry conditions for a while. 

What is the Recommended Indoor Humidity Level?

Everyone has their preferences when it comes to indoor humidity. Some prefer lower humidifiers, while some feel they’re better off with higher levels of moisture. In general, though, nearly everyone maintains indoor humidity at between 35% and 50%.

If you don’t have a stand yet and are wondering what setting to have on the hygrometer, we recommend basing your humidity on prevailing outdoor temperatures. Consider using the following table of outdoor temperatures and corresponding indoor humidity settings.

Outdoor temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit     

To keep close track of these humidity numbers, we recommend investing in a whole-home humidifier for your large room. These humidifiers automatically work with your home’s heating and cooling systems to add or remove moisture from the air.

We also recommend using the humidifier mostly in cold winter months when the air is drier. The summer air often contains sufficient moisture.

Different Types of Humidifiers

When it comes to types, there are two broad ways of categorizing humidifiers; by technology and by size. 

Categorization by Technology

There are five primary humidifier technologies you should know about;

• Central humidifiers: These are whole-home humidification systems installed directly into the existing HVAC system.
• Evaporative humidifiers: Evaporative humidifiers evaporate water to produce steam. The steam is then distributed throughout your home.
• Impeller humidifiers: Also known as cool mist humidifiers, impeller humidifiers use a rotating disc that breaks down large water droplets into a fine mist, which is then dispersed into the room.
• Steam vaporizers: As the name suggests, steam vaporizers also involve heating of water to produce steam. These humidifiers can be easily purchased at local drugstores, but are a safety risk, especially for children.
• Ultrasonic humidifiers: Ultrasonic humidifiers are high-tech humidifier models that use high-frequency sound vibrations to break down water particles into a fine mist and then disperse them into the surrounding air.

Categorization by Size

When it comes to classification by size, there are three main groups of humidifiers; portable, large/semi-portable, and whole-home. 

• Portable humidifiers: Portable humidifiers are the smallest type of humidifiers you can find, with most of them the size of a regular teapot. They are designed to be used for single room humidification. The room must be small too. 
• Large/semi-portable humidifiers: If you’re looking to humidify one large room, this is the type of humidifier you should be focusing on. These humidifiers are technically portable, with most of them equipped with caster wheels for ease of moving. However, they are better set in a selected location and left there as they’re cumbersome to move. 
• Whole-home humidifiers: Ideal for humidifying an entire house, whole-home humidifiers are the largest type of humidifiers. They are typically installed directly into the existing HVAC system to humidify the home. 

Difference Between Warm Mist and Cool Mist Humidifiers

It’s simple – warm mist humidifiers output warm moisture while cool mist humidifiers generate cool humidity.

• Warm mist humidifiers

Warm mist humidifiers use an internal heating element that boils water before releasing it into your environment. The humidifiers are considered healthier than their cool mist counterparts because the boiling process kills most germs and bacteria, preventing these harmful microorganisms from entering your rooms.

Another advantage of warm mist humidifiers is that most of them don’t use fans. Thus they are a lot quieter than cool mist types. 

Warm mist humidifiers are, however, more expensive than cool mist models and consume more electricity too. They are also less suited to large areas. 

• Cool mist humidifiers

Cool mist humidifiers, meanwhile, can be evaporative or ultrasonic. Evaporative models use an internal wick filter to absorb water while a fan blows through the filter to break down water particles into vapor. The cool vapor is then dispersed into your rooms.

Ultrasonic models, meanwhile, use ultrasonic vibration technology to create micro-fine cool mist, released quietly into the room. These humidifiers work exceptionally well in large spaces and consume less energy/electricity. They are also safer for children. 

Cool mist humidifiers are, however, noisier than warm mist models. Also, because of the cool mist, they can cause the surroundings to feel chillier than usual. 

Things to Look for when Purchasing a Humidifier for Large Room

There are several factors to consider when buying a humidifier for a large room. Let’s look at some of them;

• Size of the space: This is perhaps the biggest consideration when looking to humidify a large room – the area’s size to be humidified. For a single room, such as a normal-size bedroom, a tabletop humidifier should be sufficient. For larger spaces measuring over 1,000 square feet, a large/semi-portable model may be required.
• Humidifier type: We’ve discussed the different types of humidifiers; central, evaporative, impellers, steam vaporizers, and ultrasonic. Then, we also mentioned cool mist vs. warm mist options. Take time to fully understand the working and benefits of each model before making a decision.
• Noise: This is very important. Depending on the area you’re humidifying, noise may or may not be an issue. For instance, if noise is an issue, then the blowing fans in cool mist humidifiers might not be very welcome. The warm mist models that produce excessive noise might also be unappealing. Again, take time to understand each humidifier type fully before making a decision.
• Maintenance: The good news here is that most humidifiers, especially larger models, are easy to maintain. For the portable models, draining the water tray must be done daily while cleaning the water tank should be done at least every two weeks. The larger models only require once or twice-a-year maintenance unless you opt for models that use wick filters. Wick filters must be cleaned every few days and replaced at least once a month.

Cost is another crucial factor that you need to consider. Always make sure to remain within your budget while focusing on value for money.

How to Use, Clean, and Maintain Humidifiers.

It is imperative to clean and maintain your humidifier properly. Otherwise, you risk bacteria growth inside the humidifier, which could result in indoor air poisoning. A poorly maintained humidifier also breaks down more quickly and may not serve you for very long.

The following use and maintenance tips are recommended;    

• Change the water in your humidifier daily: For larger models, you may be required to change the water once every two days or even once every week. Abide by the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Use distilled or demineralized water: Tap water or softened water contains minerals that often result in white mineral dust blown into indoor air. To avoid this dust, use distilled or demineralized water. 
• Clean your humidifier regularly: Different types of humidifiers require different cleaning frequencies. Smaller ones need cleaning every two weeks, some are cleaned once every month, and others need cleaning once every six months. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 
• Use with a soft-bristled brush and a natural cleaning solution: we recommend natural vinegar for the natural cleaning solution, which removes bad odors and doubles up as a disinfectant. Use the soft-bristled brush to scrub the inside of the unit’s water tank. For the exterior, wipe it with a clean, damp cloth. Then, wait for all components to dry before refilling the tank with freshwater. 

Conclusion

Dry environments can contribute to a wide variety of ailments, including asthma, skin disorders, and even breathing in general. As such, it’s important to ensure you and your family are enjoying pure, high-quality air that has enough moisture content.

There are many features that manufacturers include in their humidifying systems. Quiet operation, running time, special features, and tank capacity are just some of the things that are designed to make your life that little bit easier. So, now that you’ve seen some of the best large room humidifiers, you’ll know exactly what specifications to look out for when it’s time to purchase.