Humidifiers these days have become a must-have device in every home, and not just because of some trend or decorative purposes, but as a result of the fact that it does a vital job in keeping low moisture away. The safest humidifier for baby is one of the essential commodities on the market today, and are they are basically the warm misting humidifiers that normalize baby’s health by raising humidity quality of the air.
In short, the safe humidifier for a baby must be a multipurpose humidifier that can fit in as the best humidifier for newborn congestion, best humidifier for toddler cough, and the best humidifier for baby with cold.
To have the safest humidifier more suitable for kids, check the ultrasonic humidifiers. Both warm and cool mist type are suitable for different seasons (like the crane humidifier or Vicks humidifier for babies). Ultrasonic warm mist humidifiers are especially useful during the cold seasons. They create a warm feeling in the end alongside mist released to both alleviate cold and increase humidity. In essence, they are one of the best warm mist humidifier for baby during winter. Also, they are the best humidifier for baby cough.
The cool ultrasonic mist, on the other hand, is beneficial during the summer period. That is due to their specialty creating a relaxed atmosphere along with the mist produced. This mist baby humidifiers produces moist that is good for specific environment as well as humidity needs. So, they are suitable for round the year use with proper monitoring.
Is the warm humidifier the safest?
Despite the potential harm associated with using a warm mist humidifier, it doesn’t water down the fact that they are a significant must-have product in the room of babies, for creating better environs to live in. Therefore, warm mist humidifiers great to have in a baby’s room. Their capability in raising the humidity to a safe level is important.
When used correctly and all instructions adhered to, humidifiers create a balanced moisture environment for the child, and in the process, eliminates common infection-causing organisms that thrive in low humid conditions. In a simple sentence, humidifiers are much recommended for babies.
To wrap things up, we would say that warm mist humidifier is the best humidifier for baby with cold.
Read Here: The best Humidity for baby
Warm mist humidifier or cool mist for babies: Which option is the safest humidifier?
The class of humidifiers generally all do the same work. That is getting moisture into the air to increase relative humidity. However, the choice of warm or cool mist for babies mostly boils down to personal preference and environmental conditions.
Cool mist products are not directly more effective than the warm mist or warm mist more effective than cold, but rather, in certain seasons, the impact and comfort offered by one might be heightened, and the other wine down.
During summer, temperatures hit the highest degrees all year, making the air very hot and, as a result, uncomfortable. The cool mist humidifier hits this purpose. It releases mist low in temperature that adds to relative humidity and also gives a cooling sensation. Therefore offering an extra bit of relief.
Warm mist products, on the other hand, suit the cold seasons. It is released with a higher temperature than cool mist type. Thus, relieving the baby from the cold, as well as humidifying the air. As a result of this, both humidifiers are critical at various times across the year.
Where should You place a humidifier in a baby room?
The position of a humidifier in the room could also have a significant impact on its effectiveness and extent to which it would cover.
Generally, start by scouting the whole room for a place where the mist released can quickly disperse through the air without accumulating on the spot or confined spaces like ceiling or crib. This could lead to mold growth over time and cause infections.
Also, the humidifier position and power cord should be entirely out of reach from the baby. This is to avoid pulling off the elevated surface that could lead to falls and damages. As well as the danger of electrocution.
It is also essential to not place the device too close or too far away from the child. No one would want mist directly on the kid when too close or the hazard of potential skin burn. Also, too far might render the device ineffective.
Also Read: How to use Humidifier for babies
When should you use a warm mist humidifier for babies?
As earlier stated, warm mist products can be used at any time of the year. However, more suited to cold seasons due to the extra heat relief they come with.
During cold, the temperature drops really low, leaving the body of babies in desperate need of warmth. What better way than to provide it with a humidifier?
Also Read: Baby air purifier vs humidifier in the nursery
Top 5 Safest humidifier for baby
1) Steamfast SF-920 Warm Mist Humidifier- best humidifier for toddler cough
Special features: warm mist humidifier, aromatherapy, 1-gallon tank capacity, top-fill design. Product dimension; 10.5 x 8.8 x 14 inches, item weight; 5.26 pounds.
This is a simple device, which is designed to look very simple. Hence enhancing its ease of operation. It basically carries the appearance of an electric kettle. This makes it very portable and easy to move around while releasing a decent amount of moisture into the atmosphere, depending on your needs.
Being strictly warm mist design, this humidifier creates warm mist only. Thus, very much suited to be used in cold seasons, though it can be used in the summer too. The absence of a cool-mist means it wouldn’t give that extra edge of relieving to the environs. Though it surely does an excellent job in increasing the moisture level of the air. Its design also ensures it is filter-free, eliminating the cost associated with purchasing replacement filters occasionally.
With a water tank of 1-gallon capacity, the device is able to afford a runtime of up to 24 hours on the lowest setting, and also has an awe-inspiring moisture output rate for its size, which could go as high as 2 gallons per day. On the water running dry in its tank, the auto-shutoff feature kicks in, immediately turning off the device in order to prevent the unit from damages resulting from overheating.
Filling the water tank is also a straightforward process as a result of the device’s top fill design, while it is also effortless to clean. The downside to purchasing this product, however, is a high running cost due to its suitability to only distilled water. When used with hard water, scaling quickly builds on several parts in the device, leaving it in need if more frequent maintenance than it usually would.
Pros:
- a filter-free design for cheaper running cost
- essential oil compatible
- auto shutoff
- 2-year hassle-free warrantee
- large water tank
- long runtime
- easy to fill
- easy to clean
Cons:
- compatible with distilled water only
- it lacks durability
2) Honeywell Easy to Care Warm Mist Humidifier- safest humidifier for newborn congestion
Special features: warm mist humidifier, medicine cup, product dimensions; 15.3 x 9.1 x 14.2 inches, item weight; 5.6 pounds.
This device features the old analog knob design, which is still very handy and loved around the world by many. It enables users to switch between various mist rates, with the device being strictly warm mist option only. A button for toggling between it’s on and off-state also comes in handy for operation, and we would say that this device has overall good moisture increasing capacity.
Being pretty portable in size, and shaped like a bucket, this device is simply wouldn’t require any extraordinary space evacuation before being mounted in the home, and with a low water level indicator, be sure always to get that attention calling glow light as soon as water runs out in the tank. It has a decent tank size, which allows the device to run for up to 24 hours in the lowest setting.
The unique feature attached to this device is in the presence of a specially built-in liquid inhalant compatibility. It is basically the presence of a medicine cup, where liquid inhalant with medicinal values, can be poured in, which is released in gradual measure along with the mist. This humidifier is able to do all these in ample sized areas, basically suited to large-sized rooms.
Cleaning the device is a piece of cake due to its simple design while using it isn’t far off in the same category as cleaning. Wrapping up the product purchase package, it comes with a 3-year limited warranty, which makes it an overall good buy for anyone desiring a warm mist humidifier.
Pros:
- low water level indicator
- liquid inhalant compatible for medicinal solvents
- long runtime
- suitable for large-sized rooms
- easy to clean
- easy to use
- 3-year limited warranty
Cons:
- more suited to distilled water use
- prone to leakages
- it lacks durability
3) Holmes Warm Mist Humidifier
Special features: warm mist humidifier, item weight; 4.85 pounds, product dimensions; 14.4 x 13.9 x 7.6 inches, 1-gallon tank capacity.
There isn’t much difference between this product and other regular humidifiers, with the exception of being a little fancier. With an ok capacity, this product is very suited for small to medium-sized rooms while coming with a decent tank size, which allows it to run for about 9 hours on the lowest mist setting at max.
Using this device is, however, straight forward like those reviewed so far due to the presence of an analog control knob. Returning to the earlier fancy nature, this product comes with a completely transparent water tank, which helps for easy monitoring of water level and gives the device an overall beautiful look. It is easy to take apart for cleaning and does an excellent job of pushing out mist for moisture control.
The major problem many found in using this device is the need for too frequent cleaning. Though easy to clean, we have discovered that it needs to be cleaned basically every day, and accurately at that, or you risk accumulation of mold and mildew in the tank. It, however, operates in a pretty quiet measure, producing very little noise while operating.
The device is very suited for small to medium-sized rooms, and we recommend you make use of distilled water only to reduce cleaning frequency, as well as avoid mineral buildup. Its tank is also precisely 1-gallon in capacity, and asides the cleaning problem, it is overall a useful device.
Pros:
- easy to use
- easy to clean
- quiet operation
Cons:
- more suited to distilled water use
- suitable for small to medium-sized rooms
- requires frequent cleaning
- short runtime
4) Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier
Special features: warm mist humidifier, 1-gallon tank capacity, good housing keeping top 5 humidifiers to buy in 2019. Product dimensions; 12 x 7.9 x 14.2 inches, item weight; 4.25 pounds, aromatherapy
This humidifier is completely filter-free, removing the stress as well as the expense of using a filter, which, as a result, leads to a lower running cost compared to filter-used humidifiers. It is strictly warm mist in design, and we’d say it pretty much does what they say it does, in the temperature of mist released. With a 1-gallon water tank size, this product would give a reasonable runtime, while producing enough moisture to affect the environment.
Deep from the array of Vicks humidifiers, this device carries the trademark look of a Vicks product, coming with a completely transparent water tank, sitting on the remaining plastic body. Controlling the mist output rate is done through the use of an analog button, and its whole setup is designed to achieve portability as well as mobility.
The humidifier can last for up to 24 hours of runtime on the lowest setting, which is enough to keep your hands off the product for at least a day, and is also very quiet while functioning. This makes it suitable for bedrooms and baby’s rooms, primarily due to their noiseless sleep nature, and it also has the auto mode to back it up for should water run dry in the tank.
The auto mode immediately shuts off the device to avoid overheating, and then you go on to clean the device (which is very easy by the way), before refilling. It comes with a special chamber that makes it compatible with the Vicks Vapor steam or essential oil, depending on your choice, which helps relieve congestions while adding fragrance to the air.
Pros:
- filter-free, auto-shutoff
- long runtime
- easy to clean
- 3-year warranty
- quiet operation
- mobile and portable enough to be moved around
- essential oil compatible for aromatherapy
Cons:
- more suited to distilled water use
- prone to leakages
5) Vicks VWM845 Warm Mist Humidifier
Special features: warm mist humidifier, aromatherapy. Product dimension; 7.9 x 12 x 14.3 inches, 1-gallon water tank capacity, item weight; 5 pounds,
This humidifier is also built with a unique medicine cup segregation as well as a separate chamber for aromatherapy. The blend of these two features makes it potentially one of the most medicinal humidifiers out there, depending on usage. It also comes with small dimensions as well as lightweight for easy mobility around the home while having a mist output rate that is quite impressive.
Following the Vicks trend in humidifier design, this product comes with a cool design, with a completely transparent water tank for aiding visual monitoring of water level. The mist output rate is varied with the use of a control knob also, while the device, in general, can be quickly taken apart and cleaned (during maintenance routines).
The unique medicine cup allows the user to make use of Vicks Vaposteam, which is added for an increase in the action of steam, and relief of breathing passages. At the backside of the unit is the aromatherapy chamber, which contains vapor pads for taking in few drops of essential oil, which further adds medicinal value to the mist produced.
Overall, the device is elementary to use, as well as easy to clean, and it operates very quietly with an auto-shutoff feature. It is, however, very much suited for small to medium-sized rooms for maximum effect, though it has an impressive 1-gallon tank and runs for up to 24 hours before a refill is needed.
Pros:
- essential oil compatible for aromatherapy
- easy to clean
- easy to fill
- medicine cup for solvent
- auto-shutoff for safety against hazards
- quiet operation
- long runtime
Cons:
- suitable for a small to medium-sized room
- prone to leakages
- lacks durability
Features to consider in choosing the best warm mist humidifier for babies
Apart from the capacity of the safest humidifier for baby to serve multipupose function, the factors below must also be put into consideration
- Temperature:
One of the significant hazards with warm mist humidifiers around babies is the potential skin burns. Due to being warm, mist produced by this type of humidifier might cause skin burns at high temperatures.
Therefore it is expedient that you check for sure the hotness of mist produced before purchasing the device. If quite hot, do well to keep it distant from the baby. Or better still, go for a much cooler option.
- Water tank capacity/ runtime:
Humidifiers with a decent tank size, and consequentially runtime, always helps for better and more convenient user experience. It is always pleasurable to have a device that can run for nights without your frequent water tending to. For many devices, the size of its tank is directly proportional to its runtime. In essence, the larger the tank, the longer it would run for.
- Aromatherapy/ medicine cup:
This feature is one of the extras a humidifier can bring to the table asides good moisture increasing capacity. Some products come with a special aromatherapy chamber that allows adding drops of essential oils. Others possess a small medicine cup for essential oils and other health supplements. However, very few have both, and we recommend going for at least one.
- Easy to use:
Some basic things to consider before purchasing a humidifier includes how much time it would require to be tended to for basics like, cleaning, refilling, and overall maintenance. All these features are wrapped up in the easy to use category, and it really should be taken into consideration.
Be sure to know how frequently it would need to be cleaned. Not to forget how easily it builds minerals and molds. Also, look out for devices with top fill designs, as they are mostly the easiest to fill in general.
- Room size:
The effectiveness of a humidifier largely depends on the size of the room it is placed in and its capacity.
Placing a large capacity humidifier in a small room would lead to over humidification. This is more harm than good. Using one too small is sure to render it completely ineffective. It is, therefore, essential to get the humidifier capacity matched with the intended room size, just right for maximum effectiveness.
- Auto shutoff:
This is a significant safety feature to have in a humidifier. It kicks in for some device as soon as the water in the tank dries out only, while for others, when it falls to the ground or the tank is suddenly removed.
The feature also protects the device from damages that could result from overheating if there is no water in the tank to actually heat up. Products with a humidistat are also able to turn off themselves as soon as relative humidity hits a certain level.
How to humidify a room for babies
The best way to increase the relative humidity of a baby’s room is by making use of a humidifier. Though there are other natural ways that involve the opening of windows, boiling water, or growing plants, many of them add moisture in either a languid fashion or just helps to maximize and confine the humor already present.
Safety precautions when using warm mist humidifier in the nursery
When using a humidifier in the nursery, do well to first and foremost ensure it is always in a clean condition. A dirty or contaminated humidifier would certainly release infectious microorganisms along with the mist, filling the air with more infections than it had. Therefore, it is essential humidifiers are cleaned regularly and properly.
The most preferred water to use in humidifiers around babies is the distilled type. Though tap water might seem okay and even cheaper to use, doing well for adults, children are more sensitive, and should the minerals in hard water cause white dust, the child becomes more exposed to contaminants.
Wrapping things up, it is also vital you don’t place the device to close to the child or where it can reach easily, especially when using a warm mist product. The possible impacts of doing this are numerous, ranging from skin burns to electric shock or excessive humidity and even a damaged product.
Bottom Line: Picking the safest and best humidifier for baby cough
Steamfast SF-920 comes out on top of our list of recommendations for the safest humidifier for baby by some distance, and it is as a result of its impressive mist output rate (as high as two gallons per day), and consequentially, its humidity controlling capacity. It also offers a good user experience, being both easy to clean and refill, as well as possessing the safety auto-shutoff feature. A large tank, long runtime wrapped up in a 2-year hassle-free warranty, is some of what you get for purchasing this product.
Honeywell Easy to Care Warm Mist Humidifier is the next best option for choice when picking the safest humidifier in this category. This is a result of being suitable for medium to large-sized rooms, as well as being compatible with liquid inhalants for health benefits to your baby. It also has an impressive runtime and is easy to clean, with a 3-year warranty to cap things up.
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