Hamilton Beach Humidifier Review

Room and home humidifiers with ratings on features

by Mercia Tapping, President, AllergyBuyersClub.com

After the Hunter humidifier 3.5 gallon manufacturer's recall, we have been testing various humidifier brands. No manufacturer has come up with the perfect humidifier in my opinion. They all have their drawbacks. This Hamilton Beach humidifier is no exception. It is very good but does a few minor flaws.

INFO LINKS Humidifiers Overview - view all humidifiers sold by AllergyBuyersClub.com Humidifiers Comparison Chart - a comparison with pluses and minuses of all the best humidifiers Warm mist vs. cool mist humidifiers - Learn the differences between cool mist humidifiers and warm mist types Best Humidifier Articles - Editor's top picks on humidifier info

Pluses
1. These humidifiers are extremely quiet on the low setting known as "QuietMist." In fact, the noise is barely detectable and satisfies even the most noise sensitive person, such as my husband who hates the noise of appliances in the bedroom.

2. The fine mist emitted from the humidifiers doesn't over soak everything, and it doesn't even leave a mist on the windows either.

3. This humidifier has a unique built in humidistat, you can set your own desired humidity level between 20%-90% humidification. The manufacturer recommends 50% humidity. I was surprised at how often the desired humidity level was reached, especially because the outside conditions of rain and snow had caused the humidity level to rise in the room naturally without my noticing. If it wasn't for the humidifier's automatic humidistat, it would have continued to pump mist into the air, and the room would have been over humidified. Over humidification in a room can lead to mold growth. I love this feature on this humidifier.

4. The parts on these humidifiers that need to be cleaned are dishwasher safe, and easily disassembled for washing in the dishwasher.

5. The water tank sizes are a comfortable size and weight to carry and place back into the humidifier upon each refill. However I need to add that my husband who is the proverbial clutz, managed to not turn the cap back on tightly and spilt water all over the bedroom floor.

6. When I used the automatic humidistat setting, the humidifier turned on and off automatically and used less water and therefore didn't need to be refilled often. The humidifier actually lasted 6 days without needing a refill, which was unexpected.

Minuses
1. The biggest minus in my opinion was the humidifier filter needs replacing about every 3 months depending on use, unlike some competitors which have filters that don't need replacing. For this reason, it's a good idea to have spare humidifier filters on hand for convenience.

2. When the water tank needs replacing, it's no problem to remove the container and fill it, but when the tank is full of water, I did feel that it is a bit heavy and awkward to turn it and place it back into the humidifier.

3. When the humidifier needs refilling, it has no warning light, although there wasn't evidence of overheating after the water ran out. I found the lack of a warning light irritating but I then disciplined myself to look at the actual humidity level on a regular basis and when there was a discrepancy, then it was likely the machine needed refilling. I also began to get an idea of how many days the water was likely to last and got into a routine. Because the water tank is smoke color, it's a bit difficult to see if the water reservoir is in fact empty.

4. I hate adding another chore to my routine and having to wash the machine out, although easy to do, is a minus in my book.

Summary
The easy to use electronic auto humidistat panel on the Hamilton Beach humidifiers is a feature that gives it an edge over the competition, and the fine mist that is emitted will not oversoak a small space. If you want a very silent machine, Hamilton Beach's trademarked QuietMist low humidifier setting is just right for the noise sensitive. For people who want a no-brainer, dishwasher safe humidifier that is easy to use and clean, for all my pickiness, I recommend these models highly

First Published: early April 2002
Updated: April 2007

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