Air-O-Swiss 7144 Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier Product Review

By Mercia Tapping, President, AllergyBuyersClub.com

This ultrasonic warm and cool mist model of the Air-O-Swiss humidifier line up is very likely to become my new favorite humidifier this winter season. I tried it out when I had a hacking cough and kept waking in the night, and it definitely helped my breathing and reduced the amount of time I coughed in the night. Specifically, this is what I found.

PLUSES

1. After cursing my office for not sending me home with a manual, I found that Air-O-Swiss had thoughtfully put operating instructions inside the humidifier in an easy to view spot. Great for those who lose the paper manual anyway. I did figure out most of it, and got it operational without the manual, and I am not very handy, but the actual instructions were a nice bonus!

2. I found the size and the shape of the humidifier made it the easiest of machines that I have ever tested. It still fills up from the bottom, but even when it was full, it was a cinch to carry it and did not need assistance from my spouse. Actually, I did ask for assistance once, but that was more from being annoyed at the hours of his couch potato behavior when I was doing all the housework!

3. This humidifier is almost completely silent, most people will think it is totally silent, but I hesitate to say that for 100% of the population, since there is always someone outside the norm. However, I defy you to hear it the other side of your bedroom from your bed.

4. The humidifier dispersed out a satisfying amount of mist, and the humidity in my room increased quite quickly .It was not a fair test however, since my Siamese cats kept walking in an out of the bedroom.

5. I confess to really liking the styling, and the silver/black color fitted nicely and unobtrusively with the bedroom décor.

MINUSES

1. If there was one thing to pick on it was how the digital read out of humidity levels worked. I checked the humidity readings on this machine against a separate hygrometer on several occasions in a medium size bedroom, and turned the machine on and off. I found that the humidifier tends to read high, but usually settled down within 2 minutes to a level that was zero to 2 degrees different than my hygrometer. On one occasion it took more like 5 minutes, and on the other I fell asleep, but when I woke up it was in sync with the hygrometer. Naturally, it varied a bit according to where the hygrometer was placed in the room. This is a very minor gripe but enough to knock off half a star from from what would otherwise have been a five star rating. I am going to continue to test it over time and suspect its rating will eventually go up.

2. You do have to figure out the controls when you have them up close and personal on a counter top, and then memorize them, because once you put this humidifier onto the floor, unless you have eagle, youthful eyes you will not be able to differentiate the controls from far away.

Starting at $199.95 the Air-O-Swiss 7144 Humidifier covers up to 650 sq. ft.