The 18 Best Ultrasonic Humidifiers 2020 (Humidifiers for the Bedroom and Office)

You’re here because you’re curious about humidifiers.

You want to know which is the best ultrasonic humidifier on the market.

Perhaps you’re wondering what to look for when you shop for a humidifier.

We’ll answer these questions today and respond to others as well.

Let’s start with the most pressing.

Are Ultrasonic Humidifiers Effective?

Yes, ultrasonic humidifiers work very well.

They are quiet and inexpensive. Plus, you can find them in a wide range of sizes.

They contain a diaphragm that vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency. The vibration breaks water down into a fine mist. (1)

There are two downsides to an ultrasonic humidifier. But these are easy to rectify with a little bit of care.

First, if you fill an ultrasonic humidifier with hard water, it’s likely to leave white dust on nearby furnishings. But if you fill it with distilled water or use a demineralization cartridge, this problem goes away.

Second, cool mist humidifiers (like most ultrasonic models) can spread microbes if they aren’t cleaned regularly. Again, frequent cleaning or the use of a purification cartridge solves this issue.

Which Is Better: A Cool or Warm Mist Humidifier?

Ultrasonic models are usually cool mist humidifiers. But some disperse warm mist.

Cool mist is safest around children. But warm mist boils away pathogens to emit pure vapor.

In either case, although warm mist may feel comforting, by the time the moisture reaches your lungs, the temperature is about the same.

What Are the Differences Between the Different Types of Humidifier?

Ultrasonic humidifiers are advantageous as they generally don’t require a filter. This cuts down on the long-term cost of ownership.

Evaporative humidifiers rely on a filter that needs to be changed every few months. Many times, they also depend on a fan to disperse the water vapor, and that makes them a little noisier.

Using a Humidifier Solves Problems

Dry air below 30% relative humidity leads to a variety of problems.

People who live in homes in desert climates and those with central air and heating know exactly what we’re talking about.

Their skin, eyes, hair, and mucous membranes are dry. Their body feels itchy, and they tire of static electricity shocks.

Their musical instruments, wooden furniture, art, and books may warp and become brittle.

Worse, flu viruses spread easier in dry air (2). And it’s harder to deal with asthma, allergies, and congestion if the air is too dry.

Medical experts recommend keeping your home between 30 to 50% relative humidity to protect your health and your belongings (1).

An inexpensive hygrometer will show you the amount of humidity, or the humidifier itself may display this information.

Take Good Care of Your Humidifier and It Will Take Good Care of You

The EPA reminds us that a dirty humidifier can spread bacteria and mold (3).

Moreover, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology warns about over-humidifying your home. Too much moisture helps dust mites thrive (4).

Be sure to follow the instructions for cleaning your humidifier. If you anticipate that you might not be up to the challenge, invest in cleaning cartridges and filters to do the job for you.

If you’re not sure how to clean your humidifier, avoid disinfectants and cleaning products except for hydrogen peroxide. A 3% solution will disinfect the water tank. Then be sure to rinse thoroughly to remove any residue.

Now, let’s help you find the best ultrasonic humidifier for your needs.

Honeywell HUL520L Mistmate Cool Mist Humidifier with Humidity Monitor

Honeywell is a trusted brand that makes various models of humidifier. Their Mistmate is one of the best humidifiers for winter.

It doesn’t require a filter, and it runs up to 20 hours on a full tank. It’s suitable for small rooms like a child’s bedroom.

The package we selected includes a humidity monitor, also known as a hygrometer. Use information it provides to help you choose the appropriate output setting.

When the tank runs dry of water, the humidifier will shut down automatically for safety.

ProTec PC-1 Humidifier Tank Cleaning Cartridge (Pack of 3)

Try the ProTec Tank cleaning cartridge to prevent slimy buildup inside the humidifier. The active ingredient is silver.

Each cartridge lasts for 40 fillings.

Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

The Pure Enrichment MistAire runs up to 16 hours and shuts down automatically when the water level is low.

It has high and low speed settings, plus an optional night light.

The company offers a two-year warranty and seven-day a week customer support.

This model covers 250 ft.². That capacity may be ideal for your office.

Otherwise, the company also sells an XL version for rooms up to 500 ft.².

The only downside is the small opening which makes the tank challenging to clean. The company does send along a cleaning brush to help you scrub away buildup.

LEVOIT Dual 100 Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier Essential Oil Diffuser

If you enjoy aromatherapy, you can get the best of both worlds with this humidifier that’s also an essential oil diffuser. It’s one of the best ultrasonic humidifiers for the bedroom.

To begin with, it has a top-fill design for less mess. And the opening is wide enough that it’s easy to clean inside.

Next, there are three speed settings. That fact, combined with the Spiral Air Duct Technology ensures that you won’t be soaking the tabletop or the carpet.

Third, it’s nearly silent at only 28 dB when it operates. Plus, Sleep Mode turns off the display lights and uses a sensor to maintain the perfect humidity level.

Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, Filter-Free, 1 Gallon

Crane’s humidifier consumes only 45 watts and turns itself off when the water level is low.

The tank is made of antimicrobial material to prevent bacteria and mold from growing in the water. Furthermore, the removable tank fits in most bathroom sinks, so it’s not awkward to refill.

TaoTronics TT-AH002 Humidifier

TaoTronics offers a 12-month warranty on this humidifier. It has a transparent tank and a replaceable ceramic filter. The filter purifies tap water and removes odors.

The nozzle on top rotates 360 degrees. That’s handy as you can direct it away from furnishings.

Once filled, the 3.5-liter tank lasts up to ten hours in a medium-sized room.

PureGuardian H965 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

The large one-gallon tank allows the PureGuardian humidifier to run for 70 hours without a refill.

It’s suited to medium-sized rooms and has high and low mist settings.

Inside the water tank, the Silver Clean Protection prevents mildew and mold from growing.

But the biggest highlight is the aromatherapy tray. Add your favorite essential oil to the tray and it will disperse with the vapor.

PureGuardian GGHS15 Aquastick Antimicrobial Humidifier Treatment

Drop in the AquaStick water treatment, and you’ll halt bacteria and mold growth in your humidifier. It’s compatible with ultrasonic and evaporative models up to 1-gallon in size.

TaoTronics Cool Mist 4L Ultrasonic Humidifier

This ultrasonic humidifier from TaoTronics is discrete and modern-looking. You might not guess its true function at first glance.

It’s suitable for rooms up to 430 ft.² in size. If you put it in your bedroom, it won’t disturb you as you can turn off the light. Plus, it operates at only 35 dB, similar to the sound of a whisper.

The tank holds about a gallon of water. On high, it emits 300 mL of mist per hour for 12 hours. But on low, it can run up to 50 hours.

Safety 1st 360-Degree Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier

Safety 1^st recommends this compact humidifier for a child’s bedroom. It has an automatic shut-off and an indicator light to tell you when to refill.

There are two mist outlets on top that rotate 360° to cover the full room. Then, the variable mist control lets you dial the right amount of humidity.

It never requires a filter and comes with a one-year limited warranty.

Vicks Mini Filter-Free Small Cool Mist Humidifier

Vicks put a soft glow night light in this little humidifier. But don’t be deceived by its diminutive size. It runs up to 20 hours on the half-gallon tank.

You can also pop in a scented pad like menthol or lavender and enjoy the soothing fragrance.

LEVOIT Humidifiers for Large Room (6L) (Warm or Cool Mist)

Levoit’s ultrasonic humidifier for large rooms holds more than a gallon and a half of water. On low, it runs up to 36 hours.

But on high, it puts out up to 500 mL of mist per hour to humidify up to 753 square feet.

Furthermore, you can select either warm or cool mist. Warm mist humidifies the room faster and kills bacteria in the water.

The LED screen reveals the relative humidity as well as the timer and mist modes. But you don’t need the screen to change the settings as the humidifier comes with a remote control.

In Intelligent Auto Mode, the sensor automatically adjusts the flow of the mist according to the desired amount of humidity.

Finally, the aroma box is where you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil and diffuse it.

PureGuardian H4810AR Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier

The PureGuardian warm and cool mist humidifier has a two-gallon tank for up to 120 hours of runtime. It’s best suited for medium to large rooms.

Inside the tank, Silver Clean Protection prohibits the growth of mildew and mold.

Meanwhile, the control options include a 12-hour timer, three speed settings, and a nightlight.

There’s also an aromatherapy tray to hold drops of essential oil.

Pure Enrichment Hume Ultrasonic Humidifier with Easy-Clean 3.5-Liter Water Tank

What if you could fit your whole hand inside the tank to clean it? If that sounds appealing, then check out the Hume humidifier from Pure Enrichment.

It runs up to 12 hours continuously, and it’s quiet enough (at less than 35 dB) for your office or child’s nursery.

The manufacturer offers a five-year warranty.

BONECO Travel Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier 7146

What if you could take your humidifier with you everywhere you go? This travel model is possibly the best desk humidifier we discovered.

It comes with a bottle adapter to allow you to fit different types up to half a liter in size. The maximum flow rate consumes up to 1 gallon every 24 hours.

It also comes with a travel bag.

BONECO/Air-O-Swiss Warm or Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier 7147

Boneco’s powerful ultrasonic humidifier has high output for large rooms up to 600 ft.².

If you don’t feel like messing with the controls, put it in auto mode.

Otherwise, select from either warm or cool mist, then program the hygrostat for the amount of humidity you want.

The company also sells demineralization cartridges, activated carbon filters to remove odors, and descaler for cleaning.

LEVOIT LV550HH, 5.5L Warm and Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier

If you want maximum control, take a look at this dual-mode humidifier. It produces either warm or cool mist and runs up to 36 hours continuously. It’s best for a medium-sized room.

There are five mist settings, or you can preset a humidity level between 30 to 80%.  Otherwise, auto mode manages the mist output based on the surrounding temperature.

TaoTronics Top Fill Humidifier for Bedroom or Nursery [BPA-Free]

This TaoTronics model has a BPA-free tank to avoid polluting the water with toxins. It holds up to just over a gallon of water and runs up to 36 hours.

It works well in rooms from 107 two 322 ft.².

At night, it runs without any fan noise or water gurgling. Plus, you can turn on a soft blue night light.

URPOWER Humidifiers, Updated 4L Cool Mist Humidifier with Sleep Mode

This attractive humidifier holds nearly a gallon of water and runs up to 12 hours. There are three mist modes and auto shut off when the water runs low.

In sleep mode, the indicator light turns off.

A final advantage is that is has a one-year warranty.

HoMedics Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier

HoMedics says that this ultrasonic humidifier runs up to 36 hours on the lowest setting. It has a built-in nightlight that you can turn off if you don’t wish to use it.

Users say that filling it with distilled water ensures that there is no white dust on their furniture.

Conclusion

An ultrasonic humidifier is a low-maintenance solution to add moisture to dry air.

We hope you discovered the best humidifier for your home or office today.

Let us know which one is your favorite in the comments below.

Resources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humidifier accessed September 25, 2019

2. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0057485, by John D. Noti , et al., published: February 27, 2013, accessed September 24, 2019

3. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/humidifier_factsheet.pdf accessed September 25, 2019

4. https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/humidifiers-and-indoor-allergies accessed September 25, 2019