By adding moisture to dry air, a humidifier can help soothe dry skin, ease congestion, and create a healthier atmosphere for better breathing and restful sleep.
To help you find the right humidifier for your room, we bought 14 enticing models for side-by-side testing. We found great models in every price range, whether you’re looking to humidify a large living space or a small kid’s room.
The best humidifier for most people is the Levoit Oasis Mist 450S Smart. It has both warm and cool mist options, is ideal for the kids’ room, and one of the best plant-friendly apps we have operated.
For a budget pick, we love the Dreo HM311. If you are a seasonal humidifier user, this is an excellent choice for its simple interface and effective humidification.
Air quality is a top priority for many households. Tap into the technology of air quality meters to discover how you can best manage the health of your home.
Editor’s Note: On August 19, 2025, we completely revamped this review with fresh testing and an all-new lineup.
Quick Look
The Best Humidifiers
Full results from testing 14 top products are in our Product Comparison Table and Analysis & Test Results sections.
Best Overall Humidifier
Levoit OasisMist 450S Smart
| Approximate Run Time | 19.5 hours |
|---|---|
| Humidifier Type | Ultrasonic, Steam |
| Available App | Yes |
| Essential Oil Compatible | Yes |
| Sleep mode | Yes |
The Levoit Oasis Mist 450S Smart is our choice for tackling dry air, whether it’s cold-season congestion, allergy flare-ups, or stubborn dry skin. You can switch between a quiet, efficient ultrasonic cool-mist or opt for the heater-powered warm-mist, which pushed our room to 59% humidity in testing. The top-fill tank is convenient, and the fan hum is a gentle white noise “whoosh” that won’t wake a sleeping baby. Levoit’s VeSync app is surprisingly helpful: set a target humidity, build a bedtime schedule, or even tell it what type of plants you have, and it will handle the rest. We were impressed with this mighty machine during testing, with our lead tester noting, “Despite its slender profile, this Levoit proved to be very capable of making even the driest room pleasant. The app also lets me keep my plants happy, which I love”.
The quick output meant it empties its tank fast. If you run it full speed, you can expect to fill it daily. Cleaning is doable, but not as simple as some other options. There are a few nooks around the boiling plate that need a bit of extra work to clean. While the cool-mist option is easy on electricity, the warm-mist option isn’t (boiling water isn’t free), and you might notice a small bump on your power bill. All things considered, you can’t go wrong with the Levoit Oasis MistS Smart given its excellent performance, sleek design, and intuitive interface.
Read more: Levoit Oasis Mist 450S Smart review
Best for Convenience
Levoit Classic 300S Ultrasonic Smart
| Approximate Run Time | 45.9 hours |
|---|---|
| Humidifier Type | Ultrasonic |
| Available App | Yes |
| Essential Oil Compatible | Yes |
| Sleep mode | Yes |
Fill it and forget about it. The Levoit Classic 300S Ultrasonic Smart has an extra-large tank and steady output, which means you can run it through the night (and then some) without it nagging you for a refill, lasting nearly 46 hours in our testing. In our room, it increased the humidity from 40% to 52% in only an hour, which is within the ideal range for most households. The top lifts off cleanly, built-in handles make refilling easy, and Levoit’s app lets you set a target humidity for auto-on and off functionality. Like the Oasis Mist, the app allows you to specify the types of plants you have, and the humidifier will keep the room at an ideal level. Cleaning this machine is refreshingly painless. There are no 90-degree angles, and there is plenty of room to get your hand in there and wipe clean.
That big tank also means you’ll have more surface area to wipe down, though we think this is a fair tradeoff to not needing to refill the machine as often. While the Levoit is generally pretty quiet, the faint high-pitched whine isn’t as white-noise-like as other options. Otherwise, it is hard to find many faults with this powerful machine. “Simple, effective, and convenient. Initially, I overlooked the Classic because it didn’t stand out in any particular way, but after crunching the numbers, it became clear why Levoit keeps this model around.”
Read more: Levoit Classic 300S Ultrasonic Smart review
Best Value for Occasional Use
Dreo HM311
| Approximate Run Time | 43.1 hours |
|---|---|
| Humidifier Type | Ultrasonic |
| Available App | No |
| Essential Oil Compatible | Yes |
| Sleep mode | Yes |
The Dreo HM311 is about as simple as they come, but at a price that is hard to overlook. This machine is best for small-to-medium-sized rooms and occasional use where you don’t need precise humidity levels. It brought our room from 40% to 48% in our one-hour testing window, which isn’t the most powerful, but still within an ideal range. Where this humidifier shines is with how easy it is to use; simply turn it on and let it do the work. No settings to mess with, no app to download. It is also easy to clean with no corners or tricky ridges. Our lead tester notes, “With such a good price to performance ratio, you’d think that would be the highlight of the Dreo, but I would argue that the real highlight is how easy it is to keep clean. It’s so well-designed that I was able to clean it in under two minutes! For someone who dreads cleaning like me, this was a huge achievement!”
Smart capabilities can be a pro or a con, depending on your preferences. If you are interested in a smart humidifier and like this model, you are in luck. The Dreo HM311S is the same model, but with app control and a screen that shows the set humidity level, and it is still reasonably priced. The HM311 has a light white noise, but with a constant drip that sounds like a fountain or rain. We weren’t bothered by it, but it can be a bother if you want silence. Additionally, the tank isn’t the easiest to fill as it has no handle. If you need a humidifier for year-round use, we recommend one of our other award-winning products, like the Oasis Mist or Blueair InvisibleMist. All things considered, this is a great budget option for seasonal use.
Read more: Dreo HM311 review
Best Value for Constant Use
Blueair InvisibleMist H35i
| Approximate Run Time | 30.2 hours |
|---|---|
| Humidifier Type | Evaporative |
| Available App | Yes |
| Essential Oil Compatible | No |
| Sleep mode | Yes |
What makes the Blueair InvisibleMist H35i a great value isn’t its initial upfront cost. Rather, it is because it costs very little to run, which is ideal if you need a humidifier going constantly. We estimated this machine to cost around $43 annually for average use, including electricity and replacement filters. This is about half the cost of the next best in terms of annual operation costs. Unlike ultrasonic humidifiers, the InvisibleMist H35i doesn’t require demineralized water, which can significantly cut back on costs. This evaporative machine quickly brought up the humidity in our room, and kept it at a comfortable 51%. Because this is an evaporative machine, it is able to humidify the room without visible mist and the wick keeps impurities from entering the air you breathe. Maintaining it is simple, just pour water into the top, and set your desired humidity on the touchscreen or within the app. You can even refill it as it is running. Our testers noted, “I love that you don’t need deionized water or demineralization tablets, which is so much easier to use. Just fill it with tap water and go.” We also appreciate this machine’s decor-like design rather than looking like a clunky appliance.
It is important to keep replacing the filters as needed (every six months per the manufacturer). Not replacing them can introduce mold and bacteria into your air. This wasn’t the easiest to clean. You must take the top off and remove the filter to get to the tank, which itself is straightforward to wipe down, but we didn’t enjoy the few extra steps. The Blueair is also slightly louder than other options we tested because it has a constant fan running, but if you don’t mind sleeping to the subtle white noise, it shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.
Read more: Blueair InvisibleMist H35i review
Best for Large Rooms
Levoit LV600S Smart Hybrid Ultrasonic
| Approximate Run Time | 20.6 hours |
|---|---|
| Humidifier Type | Ultrasonic, Steam |
| Available App | Yes |
| Essential Oil Compatible | Yes |
| Sleep mode | Yes |
The Levoit LV600S Smart Hybrid Ultrasonic is the best option if you need to humidify a large space. This humidifier brought our testing room from 40% to almost 65% in only an hour. Our lead tester, Liber McKee said, “When I went in the room after an hour, it felt like I walked into a tropical jungle.” This massive increase in humidity is thanks to its effective steam and cool mist options. Like the other Levoit humidifiers, the LV600S Smart Hybrid utilizes the VeSync app to allow precise control over your home’s humidity levels, even adjusting it based on the plants you have.
The Levoit LV600S Smart is able to humidify so quickly that is burns through the water in the tank quickly. If you run it on max, you can expect to refill it daily, and you’ll see a spike on your power bill. However, you shouldn’t need to run it on max everyday as you might end up living in a cloud. The steam feature is power hungry and loud. At first it sounds a lot like a boiling tea kettle, but quickly subsides as the steam begins. Still, if you need a machine to humidity your entire living room or office, the Levoit LV600S Smart Hybrid Ultrasonic is the option for you.
Read more: Levoit LV600S Smart Hybrid Ultrasonic review
Product Comparison Table
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How We Tested
After considering every humidifier on the market, we settled on the 14 models in this review. Our series of detailed tests, created by engineers and professional product testers, covers 5 main testing metrics that are detailed below.
Why Trust GearLab
Liber McKee is our lead tester for humidifiers. Liber is a biochemical engineer with years of experience testing household appliances and tech-related gear. Liber led the testing for this review and became deeply acquainted with every humidifier, even testing out how easy it was to sleep while they were running.
Becca Glades is a Senior Review Editor with GearLab. Prior to this, she spent years as a respiratory therapist. She is no stranger to how important humidified air can be to one’s health, especially during cold and flu season. Living in Colorado with a toddler, she is constantly humidifying her household.
Kyle Hameister has a degree in Industrial Design and spent many years as a product designer. His experience allows him to truly understand what makes a product work and what makes it fall flat. Additionally, Kyle is a plant aficionado. His home looks much like a greenhouse, and living in a dry Colorado climate, a great humidifier is non-negotiable.
Analysis and Test Results
There are plenty of benefits to adding a humidifier to your home, office, or nursery, especially in dry climates. We did the work to find the best available and have outlined our process below.
What’s the Best Value?
If you’re okay with a bare-bones humidifier that lacks an app and screen, the Dreo HM311 is the best for an entry-level price. Slightly more expensive, the Dreo HM311S has more smart capabilities like an app and humidity percentage display. However, it should be noted that the price of humidifiers doesn’t end at the initial price. They require constant maintenance and demineralized water, depending on the model you choose. Those with steam or warm mist options will require more electricity, so your power bill might be higher depending on the humidifier you choose.
While the initial cost of the Blueair InvisibleMist H35i might make you pause, the overall cost of owning the machine is significantly less than the other options in our lineup, making it one of the best value options. It barely uses any electricity to run, and it doesn’t need demineralized water, which is not only less expensive but something you won’t have to remember.
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Humidification
Our most important metric is based on how well each machine can humidify a room. After all, that is their intended purpose.
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To test this, we placed each humidifier in the same room with 40% relative humidity and evaluated the final humidity after 30 minutes and an hour of running on high. The more humid the room after an hour, the better. However, we also considered how much water this took to accomplish and how often we had to refill the machine.
The Levoit LV600S Smart Hybrid Ultrasonic is the best at humidifying rooms, especially larger rooms. In just an hour, it increased the humidity in our space to 64%, which our tester noted, “I felt like I was in a tropical jungle.” The LV600S Smart Hybrid has both ultrasonic and steam options, and our team was impressed by the efficacy of both settings, which can be used simultaneously.
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