Although humidifiers do not cure any form of sickness, they are useful for alleviating its symptoms and would put you at ease, especially in breathing. Common sickness like a cold thrives on the survival of viruses in the air that causes the illness in the first place. Keeping humidity in a range of 40% to 60% by using the best humidifier when sick, relieves the nasal ways and also creates a less habitable ground for the virus.
We would be reviewing some of the best humidifiers to use when sick in this article. From our recommendation, the best type of humidifier while sick is the Elechomes SH8820 Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier. It is suitable for large areas up to 500sqft and can run for up to 50 hours on the lowest setting.
This product allows you to use either a warm or cool mist and has an essential oil compartment for aromatherapy. See some more reasons why we recommend it as the best humidifier for sickness in the proper review below.
Top 5 Humidifiers for Sickness
1) Elechomes Warm and Cool Mist Humidifiers
Cool design
The elechomes humidifier design looks like a perfectly shaped rectangular box and a good looking one at that. Its control panel is located at the front and has touch buttons that you use in controlling the device.
This panel also contains an LED display that works with a humidistat to measure and display humidity levels in the atmosphere. Asides being a good humidifier, this is also a beautiful piece of furniture.
Capacity
Highlighting the most impressive parts of its capacity, this humidifier has a 6L water tank, which allows it to run continuously for up to 50 hours on the lowest setting. In quantifiable figures, this is five nights of sleep.
This is matched with a humidification system that generates 600ml/h of mist on the maximum speed. With that amount of moisture, it can humidify up to 500sqft area. This puts it in the large room category.
Quiet Cool and warm mist option
As an ultrasonic humidifier, it generates very little noise while operating; therefore, it is suitable for bedroom use. Its ability to produce both cool and warm mist also comes in handy across different seasons of the year. In cold seasons, you can simply run it to release warm mist, and in the hot seasons, you can run as a cool-mist humidifier.
Easy to use and aromatherapy
Although the controls on this humidifier are easy to understand and use because they are touch-sensitive, the unit also comes with remote control for more comfort. With the remote control, you can vary just about any parameter you desire.
Aromatherapy is one of the top features the best humidifier for illness should have, due to its therapeutic value. It can help release stress and relax, which would help the body recover faster.
Low running cost with auto-shutoff
This humidifier lacks filters. Without filters, you can say goodbye to the occasional cost of expended in replacing them. This means you would spend less money to run this device over time than you would a unit with filters.
On the event of the water running out in the humidifier, the machine shuts off automatically, preventing overheating that can cause damage.
Pros
- Large 6L water tank and a runtime of up to 50 straight hours (up to 5 nights of sleep)
- High moisture output rate of 600ml/h
- Suitable for large-sized bedrooms up to 500sqft
- Contains essential oil tray for aromatherapy
- Auto shutoff when water runs out for safety
- The filterless design makes it cheap to maintain
- Ultrasonic mode of operation makes it very quiet to operate
- It is easy to clean and operate
- Contains a warm and cool mist option
Cons
- It does not have the most convenient filling process
Warranty
- Comes with a 2-year manufacturer replacement guarantee
2) Honeywell Cool Moisture Console Humidifier
Honeywell is always in the conversation for the best humidifier for flu, due to their good quality and brand name over the years. They produce excellent humidifiers, and the HCM-6009 is one of their top models in 2024.
Capacity
This humidifier is built with a 3-gallon water tank storage, and that gives it a runtime of 24 hours on the lowest setting. At this rate, you would only need to refill your unit once a day. In its recommended space of 1,900sqft, maintains the humidity level between 40 to 60%, helping you breathe easier and more comfortable. It is suited for use in large-sized rooms.
Evaporative humidifier
Evaporative humidifiers create moisture by heating water to steam and releasing it into the atmosphere. When saturated, the air cannot hold any more water molecules, and humidification stops. With an evaporative humidifier, you cannot over humidify your room. This type is the best humidifier for sick baby, especially since it eliminates the risk of irritating the atmosphere that could worsen the sickness.
Easy to use and mobile
Because of its bulky nature, this humidifier is built with wheels beneath that makes movement very easy. It is mobile and portable, and easy to use. With analog knobs, all you have to do is turn to your desired speed. Refill is also made easier through top-fill access. It entails zero stress, and the large top opening also makes cleaning easy.
Clean mist generation and auto-shutoff
Filters are used in the process of mist creation for evaporative humidifiers. This wick filter absorbs water, which is then blown off it, and in the process, holds back contaminations and impurities.
Evaporative humidifiers clean the water before humidification; therefore, it only produces fine and contamination-free mist. This process also helps avoid white dust problems.
An auto-shutoff feature is built into the device, preventing it from running when there is no water in the tank.
Pros
- Large 3-gallon water tank allows up to 24 hours runtime on the lowest setting
- Automatic shutoff on empty water tank for safety
- Evaporative humidifier type means that you can’t fall victim of over humidification
- Wheels for easier mobility
- Easy top-fill design and easy to clean
- Wick filter removes impurities from water for a completely clean mist and zero white dust problems
- It is suitable for large-sized rooms up to 1,900 sqft
Cons
- It is a little bulky in size
- Poor durability
- There are complaints of it being too noisy, but we would base it to be dependent on more of your tolerance. Some noise is expected since it draws in air and forces it through a filter.
- Cool mist option only
Warranty:
- The product comes with a three-year limited warranty.
3) Pure Guardian H4810AR Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier
Another well-known brand in the humidifier market, pure guardian, produces very portable and budget-friendly units. Their product market targets the best humidifier for baby when sick, or healthy. They have simple designs that look great for babies’ bedrooms.
Capacity
Perhaps the most efficient humidifier on our list for maximizing water, the H4810AR, can squeeze out 120 hours of runtime on the lowest setting, with 2 gallons of water (tank capacity). This is very impressive and allows you to run your humidifier for days without a refill. It also produces a good quantity of mist, enough to humidifier 600sqaft of space.
This unit long runtime makes it the best humidifier for a sinus problem. It keeps moisturizing the air to keep your nasal ways moisturized.
Warm and cool mist
Like the Elechomes, it also comes with both cool and warm mist option. This makes it effective and convent to use across the year and in different seasons. Suit yourself with whatever gets you through the season
Silver clean see-through tank
Its tank is silver clean, which is unconducive for molds and slime to thrive. With this design, you would not clean it very frequently, and when you do, it would be very easy. For easy monitoring of water, the tank is transparent.
Aromatherapy and timer
The unit supports aromatherapy, which makes it a top choice for the best humidifier while sick. Adding essential oils to its humidification makes it easier for you to breathe and give a better overall impact. To save power and enhance the user experience, you can make use of the timer to limit the duration of the operation. It also helps you stay flexible as a user.
Pros
- Long runtime of up to 120 hours on the lowest setting and a 2-gallon water tank
- It operates very quietly due to being an ultrasonic humidifier
- Comes with both warm and cool mist option
- Can humidify large sized rooms up to 600sqft
- A silver clean, protected tank which prevents the growth of mold and slime on the surface
- Contains aromatherapy tray for essential oil
- See-through water tank makes it easy to use
- Timer feature with low water indicator light
Cons
- Prone to white dust problems when used with non-distilled water
4) Everlasting Comfort Humidifiers for Bedrooms
This everlasting humidifier is a portable and effective product that manages humidity decently. It operates very safely and quietly, ensuring that you can use it without any form of stress. This makes it one of the products to consider for the best humidifier for when you are sick.
Good Capacity
Although not the best, this humidifier possesses a good mist capacity, as well as the ability to humidify fairly large-sized rooms. It releases mist at a rate of 270ml/h, which provides it with just enough to humidify a 500sqft room conveniently. Its water tan is 1.6 gallons large, which gives a runtime of up to 50 hours continuously on the lowest setting. These qualities make the unit a good fit for the humidification of a bedroom.
Filterless design with aromatherapy
This humidifier is designed to work without a filter. Without filters, you do not have to worry about the occasional cost of replacement; therefore, it has a lower running cost than units with filters.
It also has provisions for aromatherapy with the inclusion of an essential oil tray where you can add essential oils. This oil is circulated around the room along with the mist generated, providing a fresh smell, and also giving other benefits offered by the essential oils of your choosing.
Quiet and safe operation
It is designed to operate very quietly and features an ideal baby humidifier LED night light to provide soothing relief for your kid. The unit is completely safe to use and avoids overheat and fire hazards by automatically shutting off as soon as water runs out.
Pros
- It contains an aromatherapy chamber for essential oils
- Fairly large 1.6 gallons water tank with 50 hours of runtime
- Suitable for large-sized rooms up to 500sqft
- Filterless operation and auto-shutoff
- Super quiet operation and good mist output of 270ml/h
Cons
- The water tank has to be detached and turned upside down to refill, which is a little difficult.
Warranty:
- Two-year replacement guarantee
5) Steamfast SF-920 Warm Mist Humidifier and Steam Vaporizer
Steamfast might not be one of the most popular brands of humidifiers today, but it is surely one of the good ones. This model of humidifier is good at what it is designed to do and comes at a good price tag.
Capacity
With the lowest tank capacity of all products on our list, this unit has only 1gallon capacity and can run for 24 hours on a full tank. What is impressive, however, is how much moisture it can produce per day. At 2 gallons, it generates more moisture than many other more expensive products.
It is designed to humidify small-sized rooms, however, which is a big letdown compared to its mist output rate. Although these are average specifications, it is very good for the unit’s price.
Filter free design and auto-shutoff
Its filter-free design means you would require a far lesser running cost to keep it going as opposed to devices that you have to change filters frequently. Auto shutoff is also built-in for safety reasons, and it turns off the device when water finishes in the tank. This protects the unit and you from any overheating hazards.
Aromatherapy and easy to use
Aromatherapy makes it also suitable for dealing with sicknesses. It contains an essential oil chamber where you can apply oil for therapeutic purposes. Overall the humidifier is very easy to use and refill due to its top fill design.
There are numerous complaints about breaks or leakages of this unit by customers, which has led us to conclude on the fragility of the product.
Pros
- Decent 1-gallon tank capacity that gives 24 hours of operation, with a fair mist output of 2 gallons per day
- Auto shutoff when water runs out
- Filter free design for a cheaper running cost
- Supports aromatherapy
- Top-fill design for easy refill and cleaning
Cons
- Suitable for small-sized rooms
- Poor durability and steam output rate
Warranty:
- Two years warranty
How to choose the best humidifier when sick
Below are the things to put into consideration when choosing the best humidifier for sickness
Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy involves adding essential oil to a humidifier I order to take advantage of its therapeutic value. Essential oils are known to help boost energy, aid digestion, and relieve stress, among other numerous benefits depending on the oil content. Take advantage of this feature by purchasing a humidifier with an essential oil chamber.
Capacity: As always, the capacity of a humidifier should be taken into consideration before purchase. The unit should be able to humidify the room enough to cause relief. Always measure your room size and go for a unit that can do the job.
Top-fill design: Top-fill design in humidifiers, enhances two qualities. Firstly, it makes refilling much easier. Instead of the traditional style of detaching the tank and refilling it, you can simply pour in water while the tank is still attached. The opening at the top of a humidifier also allows you to easily clean it since most can conveniently accommodate the hand of a full-grown adult.
Noise level: The aim of purchasing a humidifier is to relieve an existing illness or discomfort of the body. Therefore go for a product that is both quiet and relieves you. This combination does exist and is easily found in ultrasonic humidifiers.
Auto shutoff: The auto-shutoff feature protects the humidifier, and you from potential overheat hazards. A unit that keeps running after the water dries up, tends to overheat and damage after a while. This is not safe, and in rear cases, can cause a fire.
FAQs On the Best Humidifier When Sick
1) Do humidifier help when sick?
Yes. Humidifiers are especially useful when dealing with cold and flu-related sicknesses. Cold is characterized by dry sinuses, bloody noses, and cracked lips, and humidifiers relieve them by adding moisture to the air.
Cool mist humidifiers can help ease symptoms of colds and some respiratory conditions. During use, ensure you clean the unit properly, and prevent molds and other contaminations from getting in. Not doing this could make the sickness worse rather than alleviating it.
2) How does a humidifier help when sick – Do humidifiers clean the air?
The main function of a humidifier is to increase the amount of moisture in the air. Many infections causing agents like viruses thrive in the low humidity and eventually find their way into the body. Humidifiers get rid of them by attacking their habitat, therefore redoing their numbers and, as a result, the chance of being breathed in by you.
If you are already infected, it follows the same principle to help you feel better. Moisturizing the airways creates an uninhabitable atmosphere for disease-causing organisms, reducing their effectiveness and helping you breathe better. Over time, your body would overcome these infections, and much credit can be given to the humidifier.
A humidifier does not directly clean the air but creates an atmosphere that is unconducive for infectious organisms. We can safely say that it indirectly cleans the air.
3) When sick, what’s better, a vaporizer or Humidifier?
The main difference between a vaporizer and humidifier is that humidifiers breaks water into tiny droplets and release as mists, while the vaporizer heats water till evaporation in order to add humidity to the air.
Although different, they both achieve the same goal, which is to increase the overall level of humidity, and have their respective advantages.
A vaporizer’s steam is very clean and does not contain harmful organisms because it is heated to 100 degrees before being released. With a humidifier, on the other hand, contaminations can creep in as a result of poor cleaning habits.
Vaporizers, however, poses a risk of burns due to the high amount of heat involved. They could also be more difficult to clean because of mineral deposits left behind after heating. Generally, humidifiers are safer to use around babies than vaporizers because they involve less heat.
They should, however, be cleaned properly to prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Both products need frequent and proper cleaning.
When it comes to picking one between these two devices, it’s really down to personal preference since they cost around the same price and achieve the same goals.
4) Cool or warm mist humidifier for sickness
Warm mist and cool mist humidifiers are both effective in equal measures when humidifying the air. When steam makes its way into your lower airways, it becomes the same temperature regardless of whether it started out as cool or warm. What matters most is that the humidifier is free from contaminations like molds or bacteria.
Cool mist products are just as effective as their warm mist counterparts, and the best way to manage impurities getting into the units is to use distilled water only.
5) Can humidifiers make a cough worse?
When not used appropriately, a humidifier can actually make a cough worse than it was before the humidifier. Contaminants like mold and dust mite thrive in highly humid environments, and when a humidifier is allowed to increase humidity beyond the safe range, it invites more infections.
Asides over humidification, making use of a dirty humidifier could also worsen a cough. A dirty unit containing molds and bacteria would spread the organisms along with its mist, therefore creating a contaminated are for you to breathe in. This worsens coughs.
6) Can humidifier cause pneumonia and worsen cold
A humidifier can worsen pneumonia symptoms, which are originally caused by viruses, bacteria, or other irritants. When not cleaned properly, the humidifier accumulates bacteria and irritants like mold spores and releases them along with its mist. These organisms could cause pneumonia symptoms to manifest as a result, and worsen already existing cold.
7) Is it bad to inhale the vapor from a humidifier
Inhaling vapor directly from a humidifier poses the risk of burns (if it a warm mist unit or vaporizer) or causes sickness if the humidifier is dirty.
Asides those two risks, inhaling vapor from a humidifier is safe and would not bring any harm to you. Taking in the mist directly is known to have a faster impact and quicker relief on the nasal airways, but only when you do it right.
Final Verdict- Best Humidifier to use when sick
Although a humidifier can help ease symptoms of a sickness, it can also worsen it when not used properly—the best humidifier to use when sick is the Elechomes Warm and Cool Mist product. With a 6L tank, It offers 50 straight hours of runtime and can humidify 500sqft. The important aromatherapy is also present, allowing you to use essential oil. It is safe, easy to clean and operate, and comes with both options of a cool and warm mist.
Honeywell cool moisture console humidifier is our next best device for sickness. It can run for up to 24 hours with a 3-gallon water tank and does not fall victim to over humidification since it is an evaporative type humidifier. It is easy to clean and fill and safe to use.
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