warm mist humidifier shop

Humidifier

As I write this there have been numerous reviews of this product. Some of them very glowing and some of them quite negative. I will try to avoid either extreme and focus on some things I haven't seen reviewed yet.

* SIZE: When I opened the box I was truly surprised. In the photos this looks to be the size of a table radio. Wrong! It is easily twice the size and not easily placed on most night stands.

* SOUNDS: As claimed, the unit is virtually quiet in operation.

* VISUAL: Nice very heavy-grade plastic construction, nice packaging. Most drug-store humidifiers are very thin all plastic, this unit feels well built and solid. Cool retro look to it.

* CONTROLS: Everything you would want or need, EXCEPT for one. Read on for details.

* USER MANUAL: Pretty basic. Misses a lot of important details, like what is that center column and do you remove it to fill the tank, because it seems to want to be removable for some reason. And the chrome thing at the top ... is it supposed to rotate to direct the mist in different directions? Wouldn't it be nice if the manufacturer told us it was okay to do that?

* MISTING: After all, that's what you buy a unit like this for. Well, it's true that some very cheap units can put out a stronger mist, but remember this is an ultrasonic unit, which has numerous benefits (like no wicking filter). The mist can be adjusted from "just barely there" to a heavy mist that honestly scared me every time I entered the room that I was seeing smoke from a fire.

* EFFICIENCY: I filled the tank and had it on the entire first night. In the morning it looked like the tank was empty and I thought that's just about what I would expect. However, looking at the tank again I realized that the water level had only gone down slightly. It turns out the tank is so large that I have only had to fill it a couple of times a week. I consider that excellent.

* GOOD THINGS: I have had several humidifiers and was disgusted by the mold and mildew that grew on the wicking filter. This is healthy? Ultrasonic humidifiers work a different way and tend to be cleaner. This unit takes that one step beyond and I have confidence I am breathing air that is as clean as possible out of a humidifier, especially if I clean it out occasionally.

* BAD THINGS: The evil BEEP sound every time you push a button! If you have a sleeping partner they will NOT sleep for long if you need to make any adjustments. That goes for people trying to sleep anywhere in your house. The beep volume should be 2% of what it is. Since the manufacturer was thoughtful enough to include a mode that turns the disco lights off if you prefer while sleeping, they should have included a switch to turn off the beep. This is not unique to this product, several Chinese-made consumer electronics products ranging from toasters to food steamers to clothes irons have a beeper that all seem to made by one diabolical company who also makes industrial smoke alarm beepers. The volume and tone are unnecessarily loud. This humidifier doesn't even need to beep at you in the privacy of your bedroom, the status lights are enough.

* EASE OF OPERATION: Why does EVERY humidifier have to have a tank that you remove, turn upside down, and try to fill under a faucet? What is wrong with a fixed tank and a cap like the gas cap on your car that you twist off and use a pitcher to fill? There would be far less chance of leakage, and it would be much easier to fill. Kudos to the manufacturer on this one in that the tank is made of heavy-duty plastic with a strong, secure carrying handle. But once you get it to the sink, that carrying handle makes it impossible to hold or lay flat, so you somehow have to try to balance the entire tank while filling it, without dropping it as it gets increasingly heavier. Then there is that flimsy spring valve that every humidifier seems to have. There just has to be a better way. The good news is that mine hasn't dripped more than a few tiny drops and is totally drip-free in operation.

* DOES IT WORK? After a few nights running it at a medium speed with the bedroom door closed, I find I wake up with less of a dry throat and breathing easier. I feel more rested as well. I live in one of the driest places in the country and I think this is a very effective humidifier. I am considering buying another for the office where I spend much of my day.

SUMMARY: WAY larger than it looks. Excellent cold and warm misting. Extensive controls. Premium construction. Large water tank. Cool, retro styling, doesn't look like a medical device. Virtually silent operation. Sketchy instruction manual. Insanely loud function beeps when buttons are pushed. Could be easier to fill.

RATING: Having researched humidifiers extensively I rate this as a solid 4. What kept it from a 5 is primarily price ... this is at the stratosphere of the market and, while you get more value that the cheap drugstore units, no humidifier should cost over a hundred. I also feel it is necessary to deduct a point to give the message to the manufacturer that the loud confirmation beeps are not necessary and they are really annoying.

I have to disagree with the negative reviews on this item.

I've been using this unit for over a month. This technology, even at the price, is the best I could find in the available models by various manufacturers.

First, this unit does not require filters. Any sediment or deposits will settle out naturally to the bottom of the tank. This means that cleaning is a simple matter of rinsing out the tank when you fill it.

Second, the ultrasonic method of evaporating the water leads to a germ-free (99.999%) vapor which is ideal if you are using this for respiratory environmental care.

Third, this unit is sturdy.

Fourth, this unit is attractive.

Fifth, this unit is easy to fill - you don't have to shut it off to refill the tank. Re-filling is a simple matter of grasping the tank by a handle, removing it, undoing the cap, and, filling it from a faucet. The unit continues to operate while you are filling the tank.

Sixth, you have the most control over the vapor of any other unit. You don't just have a choice between warm or cold mist with the need to buy a separate unit for each. You can produce either with the touch of a button.

Seventh, this unit has quality construction. The cap where the vapor discharges is stainless steel and not only looks attractive, but, cleans very easily.

I'd give this unit five stars if it put out a little more vapor (for larger rooms), and, had a larger tank for longer operation. As it is, it uses about a tank every other day. I keep it by my bedside and it provides all of the comfort I need for an arid or semi-arid mountain environment (in which I live).

I think this unit is the best buy for the money.

I purchased the Germ Guardian for our bedroom based on the recommendations of friends, on-line reviews and even the reviews found here which are very descriptive and helpful. Though I have rated this humidifier poorly I do believe most positive reviewers are sincere in their experience with it. I even agree with many of their observations. Yes, the Germ Guardian is whisper quiet. Yes, it has 4 different levels of misting output ranging from 'barely there' to incredibly strong. Yes, the manner in which you're forced to refill the tank is clumsy due to its round design but easily manageable nonetheless. No, I couldn't tell the difference between the cold misting and warm misting features either.

Those are all important features but nowhere near the most important: How well does the unit humidify a room?

After "road testing" this humidifier for 2 months, the answer is: Poorly. The H-3010 does a lousy job of humidifying my 16 x 11 bedroom. Optimal humidity levels in the home range from 35-45% give or take. According to my humidistat, which is not included w/ the H-3010 btw, this unit routinely struggles to get to the high 20's. Only when it has added help from outside humidity levels does the % get above 30.

It's not my style to post negatively but felt this was pertinent information that I would certainly like to know if I was considering a purchase. Here's hoping others have a better experience.

I puchased both the Germ guardian and a Air-o-Swiss humidifier because they were both reviewed very well and I couldnt make up my mind. I Love them both. I live in a 1800 sqare foot home. The Germ Guardian is virtually silent, easier to fill and replace than the Air-o-swiss humidifier. Although, I think I like the idea of a replacement cartridge and silver stick in the Air-o-swiss that I would need to replace at the end of each winter season, (when I need humidifiers). They both put out alot of mist. Everyone that comes to my home comments on the humidifiers output and how the house feels and wants to know what brands they are. I run both humidifiers non-stop so it seems I need to clean them about once every 10 days; they are easy to clean. I do get the white dust or film others complain about but its a small price to pay to get rid of my severely dry skin. I plan on installing a undersink water purifier to see if that eliminates the white dust instead of buying distilled water as that would cost to much on a continual basis. The Air-o-swiss is kept in the living room and is also virtually silent, needs to be filled twice a day because I keep it on maximum out-put plus it covers larger area. The germ guardian is kept in my bedroom, does not interupt my sleep and needs to be filled once a day for my needs. Awesome products! I like the retro look of the Germ Guardian humidifier but really would have liked something more non-descript to blend in to surroundings. But who cares, I loves the fact that my skin is not stinging from dryness.

We just bought the Germ Guardian H-3010 and love it! I love how low maintenance it is and not having to worry about mold and bacteria! It's quiet and the tank is quite big so the humidifier can work all night long. The only con I can think of is that night light is quite bright. It's easy to use. You do have to put it on a flat surface. I originally put it on a towel in fear of water leaking but it caused the unit to keep saying that it needed to be refilled. Once I removed the towel, it's been working great and it doesn't leak so no towel needed. It's perfect for a bedroom. I also bought it at Costco and it was the cheapest I could find it ($99).

Positive: Silent, fills a room pretty quick, timer is nice, turning off the display is nice, has enough water for all night on max setting,


I only filled it with Brita filtered water...

What i didn't like: I am pretty particular with smells. When i first loaded and powered on this unit, it has slight plastic smell. No problem; it's new, but how was it changing the smell of the water so profoundly? Oh well, i gave it time to break in. Then i noticed that all the humidity just went 6 inches above the unit and straight down like a waterfall. I wanted to put the moisture up in the air, so i tried the heat function to have that moisture rise. Half an hour later I still don't think it heated the vapor, and now there really is a strange smell coming out of it. Not violently strong but you definitely walk in the room thinking "what is that smell??".
I feel that the base of the unit and it's warm. The troubleshooting guide says the heat function takes 10-15 min and you may not even be able to feel the warmth.
(80 degrees vs. room temperature) And you can't feel it, What??
(i was in a room at 67 degrees)

You could save a lot of money by just getting a small ultrasonic humidifier. Don't buy this product because you really like both warm and cool mist. Warm mist is the worst thing about this product. Why even bother if it makes strange smells? Because you want your humidifier to start before you get home?? That's the only real function that sets this one apart, and is it really worth the money?

Oh YEAH and customer service doesn't answer the Phone or return Voicemails! WTF?! I tried 4 times 2 days ago during business hours and on the 5th try i left a question and my contact info. I still haven't heard from them.

Without customer support any product is crap, especially one for such a price.

With a newborn in the house I was looking for the best humidifier for our room and this is doing a great job, it works all night without making any noise. The fact that you can choose warm or cold mist it makes a difference. Being able to program the humidifier to start at certain hour is great so by the time you get home it's already working and you avoid the nasty little electric shocks. The night function is also appriciated for those who like full dark at night.Overall very satisfied.

After much research on Amazon to find the perfect humidifier to deal with these dry Colorado winters, I still found myself undecided and exasperated. The repeated complaints about leaky units and poor performance across so many of the units is really what fueled my doubt. It seemed that the ratio of good reviews to bad ones was higher than most other products that I research on here.

Anyway, I happened to come across this unit at my local warehouse club at a good price and I decided on a whim to buy it. Not sure exactly why, but it probably had to do with the frustration described above. One was in front of me that had the features I wanted, so I went for it!

And am I glad that I did. I have been thoroughly impressed by this unit after about 8 months of regular use. The tank size is great, on the medium setting where I normally leave it at, I have enough water to last for 3-4 days. That is if I am feeling too lazy to change it which does happen sometimes. I sometimes use filtered water and other times tap water and I have not noticed a difference in the steam produced.

Speaking of tap water, the heating element of this unit collects much less mineral deposits than my old AirOSwiss unit did. I find that odd for some reason. The water where I live is pretty hard and yet I see a noticeable difference in the frequency of cleanings. This was an unexpected benefit but I will take it!

Thankfully, the kaleidoscope of bright colors on the LED is dimmable with the push of a button. I like having the clock feature and I find myself looking at my humidifier for the time more than my alarm clock. Also, the adjustable control over the steam is a nice feature that works well. I see a very noticeable difference between the different modes.

I suppose that the warm steam feature is the only one I don't think works well. The steam feels like virtually the same temperature as the cold steam unless you hold your hand right in front of it.

Overall, I'm very happy with the durability and performance of this little work house. I would definitely buy it again and strongly recommend that you do the same!!

This unit was working nicely until the water level sensor failed after just two months. Basically, even when the water tank is full, the Refill indicator is still on and the unit thinks that it has no water and therefore would not turn itself on.

Check the reviews here. This apparently is a very common problem.

Unfortunately, I have thrown away the boxes and it is a really big hassle to have to find a box to pack it up and ship it back for warranty.

In summary, a big disappointment...

We have been quite pleased with our purchase. Works great so far and hopefully, will continue to do so. It is extremely quiet. The adjustable mist output is a nice option. We don't find the beep sounds to be overly loud. We use the timer feature so after setting it, there really aren't beeps to annoy you. Love the fact that it has no filters. Cleaning maintanence is very minimal. "Nightlight" is a bit bright, but just turn off that feature. Would highly recommend.