Humidifiers
Dry winter air cracks lips, irritates sinuses and dries out wooden furniture; the EPA suggests keeping indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent.
Evaporative humidifiers leave no dust behind. Ultrasonic models are quiet, but with hard tap water they can spread a fine white mineral dust, so they are best filled with distilled water. Size the tank to how often you are willing to refill it.
The comparisons below set each family's models side by side and name the one to buy for each room.
All 2 comparisons
- Dreo Humidifiers for Days Between Refills: Which Large-Tank Smart Model to Buy
Best overall: 11 L tank and 100-hour runtime give the longest time between refills here, and at 26 dB it is the quietest of the large-tank models.
- Best Levoit Humidifier for a Bedroom or Whole Room: Top-Fill Picks Compared
Best overall: 6 L tank and 215–505 ft² effective range at $71.99 make it the balanced bedroom-to-living-room choice, with 30 dB noise.