The dorm room is basically a safe living space for college students which literally interprets as a convenient place to sleep and do personal chores. For this reason, it is designed to be as convenient and habitable as possible, but regardless of its architecture or design, it cannot hold down the humidity in the air. For this reason, it is prone to deficient humidity conditions, which brings with itself all kinds of breathing and infection problems. This problem, though, can be well prevented by the use of the best humidifier for dorm room.
Though many prefer to use humidifiers of enormous capacity and other cool features, in picking the best dorm room humidifier, more consideration and thought has to be put in place due to the peculiarity of a dorm room. For example, owning a unit with a large water tank means more frequent cleaning for you, and one of the too-small tanks annoyingly needs to be filled too often. It would be really inconvenient doing that in a dorm room, as a student.
Another problem faced by students living in the dorm room is the problem of contaminated air. The room is mostly shared with other students, which of course, are never short of friends coming year in and out. This exposure, as well as other activities going on in the school environment generally, gives rise to pollutants in abundance, which thrives in the air. An air cleaner or better still, the best air purifiers for college dorms, is, therefore, one of the many handy guard electronics to have around.
Also Read: The 8 best Humidifiers for colds
Are humidifiers allowed in dorms?
One of the many challenges faced by students during the packing into dorm room process is the DO’s and Don’ts and more annoying, the allowed, and barned.
Due to misuse or for safety reasons, some materials and equipment aren’t exactly allowed in a dorm area, but if you are skeptical about whether a humidifier is on the list or not, then you should know that it isn’t. At least for most schools.
Though schools prohibited items list may differ, generally, a humidifier is a safe and pretty standard device that is not barned in many schools. We do recommend you check in with your school first, though, just to be sure they are not the exception amongst others.
Check Here: The best Humidifier for sore throat
The standard humidity level in a Dorm room
The first step to ensuring you are safe from humidity problems and impacts in your room is to understanding the levels humidity could rise or fall to, as well as the impact of each individual action.
It is crucial, therefore, that you get an idea of the right level of humidity, which should typically be in a room, as this would give an idea of what to do.
In summer seasons, average humidity always falls in the range of 30 – 45 percent or more, but certainly below the 50% mark, though there could be irregular spikes that cannot be accounted for.
Your aim while using a humidifier should, therefore be to hit between these targets, though it is generally safe to go a bit higher up to 60%. We recommend staying around 45% – 55%
Related Posts: Best Humidifier for Condos
Top 5 Best Humidifiers for College Dorm Room
1) Miroco MI-AH001 Ultrasonic Cool Humidifier
Special features: 6L water tank, top fill, night light, 360-degree rotatable mist nozzle, item weight 4.5 pounds
This is a pretty cool humidifier with a simple design to match its excellent quality. Built to be durable and not that fancy in looks, the mirocoMI-AH001 is very portable, only spanning about 15.7 inches off the ground, and comes with an analog toggling switch to vary the mist output rate to your desire. Sitting at the top side of the device is the 360degree rotatable mist nozzle, which allows for more precise directional purposes on when your mist would end up.
With a tank capacity of 6L, this device can give constant mist, maintaining humidity in the process for up to 60 hours at max on the lowest setting. This makes it suitable for dorm usage due to the irregularities of available water, while there exists at the top side a 90mm water inlet, for easy filling as well as comfortable cleaning as often as you would want.
There are many humidifiers out there today that is sure to do an excellent job as per humidification purposes, but comes with the downside of annoying and irritatingly loud noise, hence not suitable for bedrooms, but not this one.
It is instead built with ultrasonic technology, well renounced for their quietness, operating in a low profile and allowing you breeze through the night. The auto-shutoff is also built-in for safety purposes, preventing the device from overheating, though a low water level indicator exists to alert the user before getting to the shutoff point.
In all, the device is perfect for dorms, easy to clean and fill, and can be used in the room of larges sizes up to 430sqft. Meaning it is able to cover most dorm rooms around today. Purchasing the product also attracts a 1-year quality assurance and a 90-day money-back option to give the customer a totally risk-free investment platform. If you ask me, Miroco is pretty confident about its durability, and you should too.
Pros
- quiet operation,
- long runtime,
- auto shutoff,
- easy to clean,
- easy to refill,
- low water level indicator,
- 1-year quality assurance, and 90-day money-back,
- suitable for large-sized rooms,
- filterless design.
Cons
- it is expensive
2) Homech 6L Cool Mist Humidifiers Quiet Ultrasonic Humidifier
Special features: 6L water tank capacity, 360degrees rotatable nozzles, nano-coated circuit board, 3.5 inches wide opening, dry clean tube design.
This humidifier bears much resemblance both in looks and capacity to the earlier reviewed Miroco MI-AH001. It features a simple but fresh look, with just standard curves around the sides, and an analog button for varying mist output production rate of the humidifier to the user’s choice.
The efficient design of this product is backed up by the presence of 6L water tank capacity, which allows the device to run for a really Impressive 100 hours. That’s basically more than anyone could ask for.
The Homech 6L humidifier’s topside is designed to harbor a 3.5 inches wide opening for easy and less messy filling, as well as allowing the user to clean occasionally easily.
There is also present a mist output nozzle (of course, it’s a humidifier), which is designed differently compared to the regular single directional type seen today, as it is preferably rotatable in 360 degrees, allowing for more precision in direction.
One major catch about this humidifier is its durability, hence the extent to which it can last. Humidifiers are prone to spills and leakages, which, when it gets to the wrong places, could cause severe damages or gradually reduce the life span of the device.
To combat this, Homech ensured all circuitries in this humidifier was Nano coated, hence protecting the circuit from water leakages and spills. Also, in order to enhance cleanliness, after the device is turned off, it keeps on running for 3 more minutes to ensure that water present in the tube is vaporized completely, leaving no stale behind that could quickly breed molds.
Being a cool mist and ultrasonic in nature, this device is very quiet while operating; therefore, it can be placed anywhere in the dorm, even close to the bedside. It also built to operate safely, with the auto-shutoff feature, which kicks in to turn off the device as soon as water runs low, therefore preventing overheating.
Feel free to use this product in large-sized rooms, because that’s just what it is built for. A very easy to use, and easier to clean device is what you would be getting in purchasing this product.
Pros
- quiet operation,
- long runtime,
- Easy to clean,
- auto shutoff,
- suitable for large-sized rooms,
- comfortable to fill,
- comfortable to monitor water tank levels,
Cons
- it is also expensive compared to similar units
3) GENIANI Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Special features: Night light, 3L water tank, 360-degree mist nozzle, anti-bacteria material, 360-degree rotatable mist nozzle, ETL certified.
So far, we have reviewed about two products now that come with just a plain and simple design, but getting to this device, there is a significant change.
Shaped with all-round curves to fit a transparent blue water tank, this product is gorgeous to behold and is sure to add a touch of beauty to the dorm, while it’s ultimately see-through tank allows for easy monitoring of water levels. However, its strength is not just in looks, but also performance, boasting an awe-inspiring mist output rate and consequentially, humidity control.
The mist output nozzle is stationed at the top of the humidifier, with the whole cap head rotatable, and as a result, the mist output direction. The device possesses night light, which is sure to give a soothing and pleasant feeling at night for heavy sleepers, and should in case of water dries up in the tank at any point; it automatically shuts off for safety reasons. In fact, this product is ETL tested and approved to show its completely safe mode of operation.
This humidifier is designed, unlike many, to be filter-free. This means you wouldn’t have to worry about the occasional washing of filters to keep dirt away, as well as the increased running cost of having to purchase a new filter as soon as the life of the present one spans out.
As a result of this, however, this product is prone to white dust problems when used with tough water. When it comes to refilling, though it lacks top fill design, it isn’t that hard to cope with, as merely detaching the tank and filling before attaching it back would the trick.
In essence, the product is straightforward to use, as well as easy to clean (can be taken apart and coupled with relative ease), though it possesses one major low, which is in its water tank capacity.
This GENIANI humidifier can only boast of a 3L water capacity, that can afford a runtime of 12 hours, and a little more when used in small rooms. It is also generally suited to a small-sized room. Purchasing it is, however risk-free, due to the attachment of a 2-year warranty.
Pros
- auto shutoff
- filterfree
- 2-year warranty
- auto shutoff
- quiet operation
- easy to clean
- easy to fill.
Cons
- short runtime
- small water tank
- suitable for small-sized rooms only
4) BAYKA Cool Mist Humidifier
Special features: 4L water tank, top fill design, aromatherapy, night light, touch panel, sleep mode,
[image code=”B07R9PZGYS”]
This humidifier is designed to have an almost entirely transparent look due, though it is primarily due to a significant part of its body being the water tank. The tank, of course, is entirely transparent, thus enhancing the easy monitoring of water level by sight.
In all, the humidifier is sure to bring more beauty to your dorm, while doing its job, and is really convenient to operate due to the presence of soft a touch button, that is toggled for various settings.
The humidifier comes with a 4L tank size, which is able to afford a runtime of only about 28 hours at maximum, which really in truth is not good enough though fair (better than the GENIANI). In larger rooms and higher mist speeds, be sure to get a much lower run time. Sleep mode is also one of the features built into the device, which, when activated, runs in a more quiet manner than it would normally do, giving you next to nothing sleep disturbance in the process.
Speaking about the high side of this product compared to others on our list so far, it supports aromatherapy. All you need to do is add a few drops of essential oil to the pad (at most 3), and it does the rest, releasing soothing fragrance alongside mist to both attack humidity problems and leave a trail of pleasurable scents along the way.
Wrapping up, the device is very easy to top up, due to the presence of a top fill design that allows you to do so without taking off the tank, and also possesses the auto-shutoff feature for automatically killing power when water runs out. It is also effortless to operate and convenient to use in all but suitable for small-sized rooms only.
Pros
- essential oil compatible
- auto shut off
- quiet operation
- easy to clean
Cons
- fair runtime,
- moderately sized water tank
- suitable for small-sized rooms only
5) LEVOIT Humidifiers for Bedroom
Special features: 2.4L water tank, night light, 360-degree rotatable mist nozzle, compact,
We must say that quite an effort was put into the design of this device, as it really looks cool. Bearing much resemblance to the GENIANI product, this device is able to do a decent job in tackling humidity problems around dorms, though more suited to small areas. It has an entirely transparent water tank for easy water level monitoring and features the old analog button designs for varying mist output levels.
Being ultrasonic in design, the unit is expected to make mist in a hushed manner, which it doesn’t disappoint. However, this Levoit took this product a step further with the presence of s special patented silencer that ensures its noise generation is no more than 30dB, which is quieter than a library. Therefore be sure to get the most silent of operations from this product.
The automatic shutoff feature is not also lacking, which turns it off when water runs dry in the tank or the tank is removed while running, to avoid overheating that could damage the device or harm the user. A 360degree rotatable mist output nozzle exists for more precision in dealing with mists problems in the dorm, while night lights are for those who fancy them. The light can be turned off, though, for light sleepers.
Refilling this device is easy. As easy as detaching the water tank, turning upside down, and filling up with water. Be sure not to let water get into the base during the process of refill or the device would fail to turn on. The major downside to using this device is its very small water tank, only 2.4L in capacity, which, as a result, is only able to afford a short runtime. It should also be used with distilled water, preferably, as it is prone to quick mineral buildups and white dust problems.
Pros
- quiet operation
- auto shutoff
- easy to clean
- easy to refill
Cons
- fair runtime
- moderately sized water tank
- suitable for small-sized rooms only
- should be used with distilled water only
Features to consider when choosing the best Dorm Room Humidifier
Size: The area in which the humidifier would be used should be considered in comparison with the capacity of the humidifier for a proper blend and much convenience.
Now dorm rooms are usually smaller compared to regular bedrooms, and therefore purchasing a high capacity humidifier would simply be a waste of money, without even considering the stress of moving it.
We recommend, therefore, that you get a device that can serve at least 300sqft in space and has a good enough water tank capacity for adequate runtime.
Noise: We already established that a dorm room usually is small in size. Therefore it is expedient that any humidifier in it should be portable and quiet enough not to make a fuss.
Having a noisy unit is sure to quickly create an inhabitable environment in the day, let alone at night. Be sure to get a lot of sleepless nights. This is why it is expedient you purchase a low noise product, preferably an ultrasonic type.
Ease of use: This feature captures al lot of essential qualities in a humidifier, from how easy it is to fill, to how regular it needs refilling, its cleaning requirement and frequency, and operational procedures. Also, look out for parts that would need frequent replacements if purchased.
Price: Considering the universal fact that students always like to float around the cheaper products, the price of humidifier should, of course, be considered, in order to tailor your choice adequately to your pockets.
Appearance: Though this is most certainly not at the top of the list, it would be cool of the humidifier purchased don’t just look the odd one out amongst other furniture in the room. In simple terms, it wouldn’t hurt to get something that would do the job while staying pretty to look at.
Aromatherapy: Having a humidifier that can be used with essential oil in a dorm room is simply bliss. Along with the mist it produces, it gives the whole room a delightful scent, getting rid of smells from dirty laundry and a messed up kitchen for starters.
How you should humidify a dorm room?
Humidifying a dorm room is pretty straight forward, and is simply about going on to get the humidifier working. After taking into account the dorm room size, and getting a device to match, ensure the room is adequately insulated and sealed from the low external humid levels, or else running a humidifier in it would be like pouring water into a basket.
The whole idea is to generate humidity in an area that is able to confine and hold it; that way, the moisture content of the air actually increases. If there are too many openings and leakages connecting the external environment with the dorm, the chances are that you would overwork the device without ever getting results to match.
Over-humidification: how to make the dorm room less humid.
If you find yourself in an extremely humid room at any point in time, be sure to follow the following steps to reduce the piled up moisture content.
Kindly follow the following steps
1. Aerate the room.
There are several ways through which this could be achieved, and its purpose is to get rid of as much as possible, the air in the room, and, consequentially, the humidity it carries. It is the first thing that should be done and is really useful. Do so by running a fan, opening windows, air conditioners, etc.
2. Dehumidify the room
The first step discussed is more or less a passive way to get things done, after which we recommend you take action by getting something that can actually pull off moisture from the air.
Ways this can be done include getting a desiccant and placing at strategic areas for them to absorb moisture, or running a wood stove space heater to actually dry the air (though we do not recommend it for safety reasons). The most effective way, however, is to purchase a dehumidifier, which is sure to clean up the mess in no time.
Should you use Humidifier and dehumidifier in the same room (Dorm)
Many ask questions on the impact of having a humidifier and a dehumidifier in the same room, or how advisable it is to do so if it has some sort of special effect that neither of them possesses when standing individually.
The truth is that a humidifier was not built to work for or with a dehumidifier; neither was a dehumidifier built to work for the humidifier. They are instead two separate devices, built for specific functions that are not intertwined around each other.
A dehumidifier takes out the moisture, while a humidifier puts in moisture; hence they are both useful for moisture control, but in different ways.
Placing them in the same room would just be like creating a closed-loop system, where moisture is pushed in and withdrawn at the same time, what’s the point? What’s the essence? To create a balanced relative humidity level? If it works, manufacturers would have actually designed a device that does both at the same time instead.
Instead of trying to use both units to get the perfect blend of relative humidity, understand your environment and instead pick the one that would work best for you, then learn how to harness its quality to get what you want. Low humidity? Get a humidifier, and work it to get moisture up to a safe level. Extremely humid? A dehumidifier suits you well and toggles its settings to draw moisture down to a safe level.
Also Read: Best small Humidifier for bedroom
The Miroco MI-AH001 stands out shoulder high amongst all the products reviewed in our article and is recommended as the best out there for low dorm humidity problems. This is primarily due to its high capacity water tank of 6L and, as a result, very impressive runtime, which it matches with an effective mist output rate that does justice to low humidity in large-sized rooms. It employs a filterless design, and is really easy to clean and refill, plus comes with 1-year quality assurance and a 90-day money-back addition that ensures it’s a completely risk-free purchase.
For a slightly lower budget, be sure to go for the Homech humidifier. It boasts of an impressive runtime of 100 hours, as well as a Nano coated circuitry design that ensures durability amongst many other impressive qualities like the top fill design, suitability to large-sized rooms, and auto-shutoff feature for complete safety. Purchasing this product is sure to give dryness a long and laborious chase in your dorm.