What Is the Best Humidifier for My Home During Winter?

Winter can be tough. With freezing temperatures and cold, dry air, it becomes harder and harder to find comfort. The dry indoor air that comes with the winter months can take a major toll on your health and your home. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury to enjoy soaking up the sunshine each day, keeping the windows open year-round, and always breathing fresh, clean air throughout the winter. That is why humidifiers are there to make up for it.

What Does a Humidifier Do?
Humidifiers are capable of many different functions that work to bring comfort and moisture to your home.

By dispersing moisture gently throughout the air, humidifiers have the power to keep your home more comfortable during the entire year, no matter what the weather outside looks or feels like.

With a healthy level of humidity, humidifiers ease the discomfort of scratchy throats and eyes, relieve dry skin, and help you breathe better. But it doesn't stop there.

A humidifier increases freshness by alleviating stale air in your home and reducing static electricity. They protect your home’s interior, including floors, wallpaper, and furniture, from drying out by maintaining consistent moisture levels. Additionally, moisture makes the air feel warmer, meaning lower heat settings and lower energy bills.

So, which humidifying technology is right for you?

Cool-Mist Humidifier vs. Warm-Mist Humidifier
When it comes to humidifying technology, there are several options for the unique needs of your home. For mist-dispersing technology, cool-mist humidifiers and warm-mist humidifiers are the two most common and effective types of humidifiers. While both have their benefits, it's important to understand the differences so you can purchase the humidifier that is right for your home.

Cool-Mist Humidifiers
Cool-mist humidifiers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are tanks, towers, and boxes sized appropriately for small rooms, medium rooms, and entire homes. A cool-mist humidifier is different from the warm-mist version in that the moisture it produces is invisible to the naked eye.

The dry air circulating through your home in the winter is sucked back into the system through a saturated evaporative wick, while cool moisture is pushed out into the environment and fan-evaporated. The filter traps pollutants, sediment, and impurities so that nothing but clean, crisp, refreshing air comes out. This humidifying technology is best for those living in arid climates.

While it may seem counterintuitive to run cool mist while you also have a heater or fireplace going, a cool-mist humidifier is actually safer and just as effective at fighting dry air as its warm-mist counterpart.

For a cool-mist humidifier that covers your entire home, consider the Holmes Whole House Cool-Mist Humidifier. This Holmes humidifier creates purified mist that humidifies your entire home. This cool-mist humidifier features 3 mist output settings to humidify your home, propels cool mist for up to 24 hours on its Low setting, and includes digital LCD controls for easy use. In order to keep your family safe, this Holmes humidifier has a filter to trap and remove impurities and odors for fresh, clean moisture, and a water tank with antimicrobial protection to prevent mold and bacteria growth.

If you’re looking for a smaller cool-mist humidifier, consider the Holmes Cool-Mist Humidifier. This humidifier creates purified mist and is ideal for small rooms, plus its size allows for portability within the home. This Holmes humidifier includes a filter to trap and remove impurities and odors for fresh, clean moisture. It propels cool mist for up to 24 hours on its Low setting, with 2 mist output settings to humidify your room. The water tank contains antimicrobial protection to prevent mold and bacteria growth. This Holmes humidifier includes an aromatherapy cup to use with your favorite essential oils.

Warm-Mist Humidifiers
Warm-mist humidifiers produce a powerfully warm mist that is both soothing and visible, a moisture that is especially beneficial during those cold winter months. By gently boiling water, the humidifier sends clean, warm vapor through the air of your home or living space. This system also traps irritants in the air, helping you to breathe better.

Warm-mist models often offer medicine cups and humidistat technology, which distribute inhalants for extra comfort. The humidistat measures the moisture levels in the air and adjusts itself to reach your desired setting.

Warm-mist humidifiers work by heating water to a boil before evaporating it into steam, ensuring bacteria is destroyed at the onset. While they often make for a cozy option during winter, warm-mist humidifiers can become very hot, so they are not recommended for use within reach of babies, small children, or pets.

Vaporizer Humidifiers vs. Ultrasonic Humidifiers
In order to disperse either cool mist or warm mist, humidifiers require either evaporative or ultrasonic technology. The two most common types of humidifiers are vaporizer humidifiers or ultrasonic humidifiers. While both have their benefits, it's important to understand the differences so you can purchase the humidifier that is right for your home.

Vaporizer Humidifiers
Vaporizers are cost-effective and quite compact, making them ideal for smaller rooms. These humidifiers feature an internal fan that pulls air in, passes it through a wet wick filter, and pumps it back out in the form of humidity. Many vaporizer humidifiers are self-regulating, meaning the output of moisture automatically slows down as the air gets wetter, so there’s no risk of over humidifying your room.

Consider bringing one to your office or setting it up while you're out working in your garage or shed. Similar to the warm-mist humidifier, vaporizer humidifiers use a boiling process that rids water of pollutants and then releases fresh, untainted moisture into the air. The vapor released is alleviating and cozy, making you feel pleasantly comfortable no matter what room of the house you're in. Unlike the warm-mist models, vaporizers do not have a removable tank.

If you are looking for a vaporizer humidifier, consider the Holmes Impeller Humidifier. This humidifier is compact, filter-free, and ideal for small rooms within your home. It helps alleviate cough, cold, and allergy symptoms and propels warm mist for up to 24 hours. The water tank contains antimicrobial protection to prevent mold and bacteria growth. The unit also includes a medicine tray to use with liquid vaporizing inhalants.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers
Two of the best things about the ultrasonic humidifiers are the low-maintenance and extremely quiet operation. Ultrasonic humidifiers work by vibrating water at ultrasonic speed to break it down while a transducer works to produce a cool mist that is pure and invigorating. The welcomed pure, light mist that can be seen and felt quickly adds moisture and thus, comfort, to the room.

They are typically the most preferred option because they are quieter, more energy-efficient, and don’t require spending extra on filters.

f you’re looking for an ultrasonic humidifier that is incredibly easy to use, consider the Holmes Ultrasonic Top-Fill Humidifier. It features a tank design that makes it easy to clean and easy to fill. This humidifier is energy-efficient and filter-free, with a virtually silent operation and a 0.36-gallon water tank that propels cool, visible mist for up to 16 hours on its Low setting. This Holmes humidifier includes an aromatherapy tray to use with your favorite essential oils, and is also compatible with Vicks® VapoPads® Refill Scent Pads. (Vicks and VapoPads are trademarks of The Procter & Gamble Company. The Procter & Gamble Company is not affiliated with Sunbeam Products, Inc.)

Looking for something portable? The Holmes Ultrasonic Humidifier is energy-efficient, filter-free, and ideal for small rooms while being easily portable to move around your home. This ultrasonic humidifier has a virtually silent operation and a 0.5-gallon water tank that propels cool, visible mist for up to 24 hours on its Low setting. The water tank contains antimicrobial protection to prevent mold and bacteria growth. This Holmes humidifier uses high-frequency vibrations to humidify your room, and includes a water shortage indicator that illuminates when it's time to refill the tank.

If you want to customize the moisture settings in your home, consider the Holmes 2-Gallon Ultrasonic Humidifier. Featuring an easy-grip handle and electronic control panel to adjust between warm and cool mist, this Holmes humidifier allows you to maximize your moisture. It is energy-efficient, filter-free, and includes a 12-hour timer for optimal comfort. It includes a virtually silent operation and 2-gallon water tank that propels both cool and warm visible mist for up to 120 hours on its Low setting. The tank features antimicrobial protection to prevent bacteria and mold growth.

Conclusion
Only you may know which type of humidifier is right for your home. With a wide selection of ultrasonic humidifiers, vaporizer humidifiers, and cool-mist humidifiers, Holmes has what you need to keep the dry cold air away from your home this winter. If you still haven’t found the humidifier that is right for you, explore our wide selection of Holmes humidifiers today.

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