The Best Humidifiers of 2026

Humidifiers offer many benefits: They can ease cold symptoms and congestion by adding moisture to the air, helping alleviate dry nasal passages and skin, especially in winter months. Your houseplants will love the extra moisture, too.

That said, humidifiers can be loud, messy to fill, and difficult to clean—and shopping for the best one for you can be overwhelming because of the sheer number of makes, models, and extra features available.

To find the best humidifier, we tested many models in a climate-controlled chamber, running them for three hours to see how much they raised the relative humidity. Additionally, we looked at efficiency, noise, and ease of cleaning. After testing, we found that the Levoit Classic 300S (available at Best Buy for $69.99) was the Best Overall for most people because of its mist level, value, and power for your money.

---

---

Other Humidifiers We Tested

How We Tested Humidifiers

Why You Should Trust Us

To test humidifiers, we filled their tanks with water and weighed the units. We then placed each in a climate-controlled chamber and ran it on its highest setting for 3 hours. Sensors placed to either side, 5 feet apart, recorded environmental changes. After three hours, we weighed the tanks again to figure out their water usage.

Additionally, we evaluated how easy each model was to use, move, fill, and clean. (Note: Many are not dishwasher safe.)

What to Consider When Buying a Humidifier

Simply put, humidifiers add moisture to dry air. How they do so varies depending on the type of humidifier. But there are several other differences in humidifiers you should be aware of when shopping for one.

Types of humidifiers

We tested basic types of humidifiers, including those with ultrasonic and warm-mist settings, as well as evaporators. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Ultrasonic cool-mist humidifiers: These models are virtually silent, efficient, and among the most popular on the market. They work by rapidly vibrating a ceramic plate. The high frequency turns the water into a fine mist that is cool to the touch. Ultrasonic models work best as personal units. They tend not to be powerful enough to cover large areas.

Warm mist humidifiers: These humidifiers are pretty basic: They boil water, and the resulting steam is drawn up through the top by a fan. Warm misters tend to be the most effective humidifiers, covering more square footage and outputting more moisture. However, this high-powered method makes them unsafe around small children, and they can increase a room's temperature to uncomfortable levels.

Evaporators: As the name suggests, evaporators remove water from the liquid phase and convert it into the gaseous phase. A fan circulates air over the reservoir. These models make a bit of noise, but if you like white noise while you sleep, you may find it soothing. If you have mineral-rich water in your area, you might want to get an evaporator. The models we tested had filters to prevent white dust from forming.

Water Tank Capacity

As you might guess, smaller humidifiers will generally run out of steam (pun intended) faster than those with larger tank capacities (although it depends somewhat on the settings you choose on the humidifier itself). However, if you're looking for a more portable humidifier, those with smaller tanks can be refilled faster and are easier to carry.

If you plan to make a humidifier a fixture in larger rooms or open areas, a larger, higher-capacity humidifier will probably be a good fit. When you plan to share a humidifier across multiple bedrooms, consider a smaller humidifier (or multiple smaller ones).

Efficiency is important, as well. While our top pick, the Levoit Classic 300S (available at Best Buy for $69.99) , advertises 60 hours of runtime, our tests found it could run for only 16 hours on its highest setting without refilling. That said, if it wasn’t on its highest setting, it could go longer.

Room Size

When looking for a humidifier, consider the size of the rooms you plan to use it in. Some are better for personal use, while others are appropriate for medium-sized or larger rooms. For instance, the Levoit LV600HH advertises that it can easily handle spaces up to 753 square feet.

Extra features

What you’re looking for beyond moisture in the air can help determine what humidifier is right for you. Some can be used as nightlights while others can serve as essential oil diffusers. Others use a UV light to sanitize water. There are so many features with humidifiers that you should be able to meet your specific needs.

Humidifiers FAQs

How Do You Clean a Humidifier?

Humidifier cleaning instructions don't vary much by model. Here are some things you can do to keep your humidifier running properly and safely.

Use a bit of distilled white vinegar to regularly descale the water reservoir. Just add vinegar to the tank, shake it, and rinse. With more intense cleaning, a long-necked brush can help break up anything stuck on the sides.

Most ultrasonic humidifiers work by having the reservoir drain into a base with wick filters that draw water upward. A fan then blows moist air through these filters into the room. The base, fan, and filters are the trickiest parts to clean, so follow your humidifier's instructions.

An old toothbrush can be effective for reaching small areas, especially around and under the base's small ridges, where water can get trapped and promote bacterial growth.

The hardest part to clean is the fan in the base. These tend to accumulate dust over time, which can increase noise. The fans are usually not accessible without a screwdriver. A can of compressed air, however, may be able to blow much of it away without disassembling the humidifier.

What is the White Dust in my Humidifier?

White dust forms when hard water is used in a humidifier without a filter. The minerals are pulled up into the mist and return as dust. You can prevent white dust from forming by using distilled water, which is available at any supermarket.

Which Humidifier is Best for Congestion?

All humidifiers can help with congestion by preventing the air from becoming too dry. When the air is properly humidified, the moisture will help prevent and clear built-up mucus. The majority of humidifiers on the market are cool-mist, but the best humidifier for your congestion depends largely on personal preference.

More on Oil Diffusers, Aromatherapy, and Relaxation

• The Best Essential Oil Diffusers We've Tested
• How to clean an essential oil diffuser
• I tried a smart oil diffuser—now I can't live without it
• This scent machine lets you control aromas with your iPhone
• Aromeo Sense: the new bedside device to help you sleep
• 15 self-care products that help with stress relief
• 10 items to make at-home therapy more comfortable
• 11 ways to get rid of cooking smells from your home
• 10 things to help you ease anxiety around coronavirus
• Do pillow mists have any benefits for sleep?
• The Best Portable Air Conditioners
• The Best HEPA Air Purifiers
• 15 things you need to survive cold and flu season