Photo: Honeywell
Getting dry eye is not all, and an itchy scalp is usually a sign of dry air in the house. To remedy the situation, we normally use a house humidifier.
Even better, a whole house humidifier is powerful enough to humidify the house in a matter of minutes. This device is usually more cost-effective than an air conditioner as it uses less electricity and makes the air more tolerable, especially for people with sinusitis.
Additionally, instead of removing water vapor from the air as is the case for the air conditioner, the house humidifier actually mixes water molecules with the air which then revitalizes the skin.
In order to help you find the best whole house humidifier for the money, we have reviewed a hand-picked selection of some popular and quality humidifiers below. Let’s see which one you need to get.
In this post:
- 10 Best Whole House Humidifiers – Review
- 1. Essick Air Aircare MA1201 – Big Tank Capacity
- 2. Aprilaire 500 – Small and Quiet
- 3. Aprilaire 700 – High-performing with Great Coverage
- 4. Honeywell HCM-6009 – Big Capacity and Portable
- 5. Essick Air Aircare EP9 800 – Accurate Humidity Level Adjustment
- 6. Elechomes CH601 – With Pre-calibrated Settings
- 7. Essick Air Aircare H12-400HB – Blends in with Your Furniture
- 8. Honeywell HE360A – Superior Coverage
- 9. Emerson Thermostats HSP2000 – Professional Humidifier
- 10. Honeywell HE280A2001 – Highly Water Efficient
- Whole House vs. Portable Humidifier
- How to Buy the Best Whole House Humidifier
- Conclusion
10 Best Whole House Humidifiers – Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Essick Air Aircare MA1201 (Big Tank Capacity) |
| |
 | 2. Aprilaire 500 (Small & Quiet) |
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 | 3. Aprilaire 700 (High-performing with Great Coverage) |
| |
 | 4. Honeywell HCM-6009 (Big Capacity & Portable) |
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 | 5. Essick Air Aircare EP9 800 (Accurate Humidity Level Adjustment) |
| |
 | 6. Elechomes CH601 (With Pre-calibrated Humidity Settings) |
| |
 | 7. Essick Air Aircare H12-400HB (Blends in with Your Furniture) |
| |
 | 8. Honeywell HE360A (Superior Coverage) |
| |
 | 9. Emerson Thermostats HSP2000 (Professional) |
| |
 | 10. Honeywell HE280A2001 (Highly Water Efficient) |
|
PRODUCT |
|---|
1. Essick Air Aircare MA1201 (Big Tank Capacity)
|
2. Aprilaire 500 (Small & Quiet)
|
3. Aprilaire 700 (High-performing with Great Coverage)
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4. Honeywell HCM-6009 (Big Capacity & Portable)
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5. Essick Air Aircare EP9 800 (Accurate Humidity Level Adjustment)
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6. Elechomes CH601 (With Pre-calibrated Humidity Settings)
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7. Essick Air Aircare H12-400HB (Blends in with Your Furniture)
|
8. Honeywell HE360A (Superior Coverage)
|
9. Emerson Thermostats HSP2000 (Professional)
|
10. Honeywell HE280A2001 (Highly Water Efficient)
|
1. Essick Air Aircare MA1201 – Big Tank Capacity
Photo: Aircare
Many people regard that the Essick as being one of the best whole house humidifiers on the market.
One feature that you will like about this whole house humidifier is its large tank capacity of 3.6 gallons, which means that it will not constantly drain water from your plumbing system. Once the tank is filled, it is good to go for a while before it needs to replenish.
In fact, when it comes to coverage, the Essick is decent as it has a coverage of 3,600 square feet which is enough coverage for most people owning a small to moderate size house.
Additionally, this model is maintenance-free which means that it will run seamlessly without any intervention from your part.
The only time that you will need to open this whole house humidifier is to replace the filter. But you can do this every 6 months or on a yearly basis depending on your usage. Also, the filter is very inexpensive so no problem there.
Since this is a digital whole house humidifier, it does everything for you including regulating the humidity level automatically. Once it has reached a certain most level, there is an automatic switch inside this whole house humidifier that will switch of the device off to save energy.
The only problems with this humidifier is that the water tank is opaque. You cannot determine if it’s full or not. Also, the sensors are a bit close to the humidifier, so you may occasionally get false humidity readings.
Pros:
- Cost-effective pricing. Value for money
- Large tank capacity of 3.6 gallons
- Device automatically switches off to save power
- Maintenance-free design
Cons:
- The water tank is opaque. You cannot tell the water level
- Suffers from false humidity readings
2. Aprilaire 500 – Small and Quiet
Photo: Aprilaire
The Aprilaire is a highly efficient whole house humidifier. In fact, despite having a small tank capacity of only 0.5 gallon, this model is able to offer a decent coverage area of 3,000 square feet. It is able to do so without producing a lot of noise as this model is also one of the quietest whole house humidifiers on the market.
It is also small and compact so you will not need a lot of installation space. Best, you can purchase this model with its humidity level controller as either a digital control or standard manual control.
In addition, this model comes in a wide range of sizes so if you need an Aprilaire model with a bigger coverage area you can. One good thing about it is that it does not need a lot of maintenance and will also not consume a lot of energy as it is quite an efficient unit.
If you need a small and compact whole house humidifier that also happened to be very effective, then this model is an excellent choice. Especially for those who have never installed a whole house humidifier before as it is extremely easy to use and install.
The only issues we take with this product is the intermediate level difficulty when it comes to the installation. It also needs more time to reach a humidity level, but this is mostly because of its smaller size.
Pros:
- Very quiet model
- Decent coverage of 3,000 square feet
- Small and compact. Does not need a lot of installation space
- Flexible. Comes in a wide range of models to suit your need
Cons:
- Takes more time to reach a certain humidity level
- More difficult to install
3. Aprilaire 700 – High-performing with Great Coverage
Photo: Aprilaire
In terms of performance and coverage, the Aprilaire 700 is literally the gold standard when it comes to whole house humidifiers. Indeed, this model has an impressive coverage of 4,200 square feet which makes an undeniable king.
One good thing about this humidifier is its ease-of-use and specifically, how easy it is to install. All you have to do is connected the humidifier to your plumbing system and wire it to your electrical outlet for the power, and you are good to go.
This model measures only 18 inches wide, so it doesn’t require a lot of installation space which is impressive considering its high performance.
Another excellent feature that you will appreciate is the automatic switch which will automatically switch off the device to save energy when a certain humidity level is reached. Talking about humidity level, you can quickly and easily control the humidity levels in this model.
The only caveat is the tank capacity of 0.75 gallon which is definitely not the biggest. But even when retrieving water from your home plumbing system, this whole house humidifier is still not very loud.
Pros:
- High-performance humidifier
- Easy to install by beginners
- Truly automatic switch to save power when a certain humidity level is reached
- Quiet operation despite its high performance
Cons:
- Tank capacity of 0.75 gallon is a little bit small for such a powerful humidifier
4. Honeywell HCM-6009 – Big Capacity and Portable
Photo: Honeywell
When it comes to portability, the Honeywell is one of the best whole house humidifiers that you can buy. Indeed, this model has wheels which allow you to easily carried around and humidifier any room you want on demand.
Another interesting feature is its high tank capacity of 3 gallons. This means that it will not constantly tap into your plumbing system to get water. This console humidifier is extremely quiet and will save on power consumption as well.
Despite having a lower coverage area of only 2,300 square feet when compared to other models in this review, it is still high performing.
But one of the things that the Honeywell does well is adjusted the humidity level in the room in a quick and easy manner.
This humidifier will promote breathing, prevent dry eyes and will soon become an essential part of your lifestyle. If you live in an area where the air is generally dry, then this is an excellent model to consider.
All in all, if you require a model that is portable and don’t need to humidify a big room, then this model from Honeywell is one of the best portable whole house humidifiers on the market.
The efficiency of this humidifier also suffers because of the filter design. But the power consumption difference to a more efficient model shouldn’t be too great.
Pros:
- Big tank capacity of 3 gallons
- Portable. Can be easily carried to any room
- Easy to adjust the humidity level with the adjustment knobs at the top of the device
Cons:
- Not the best coverage
- The filter design is not very efficient
5. Essick Air Aircare EP9 800 – Accurate Humidity Level Adjustment
Photo: Aircare
The Essick EP9 800 is a whole house humidifier that is one of the most accurate models that you can buy. It is fully digital and will calibrate your humidity level very precisely. If you need an exact humidity level in a room, this is the model to get.
In addition, this unit is a pedestal style humidifier with a square foot. This means that you can place it anywhere you want and it will be stable. Moreover, the coverage of this whole house humidifier is 2,400 square feet which are pretty decent but definitely not the best we have seen so far.
What we also like about this whole house humidifier is that it has a 9-fan speed control that allows you to control very precisely the amount of humidity that you want in a room, as well as control its performance. There is a front display that will show you the humidity level at all times at a glance.
The only problems with this unit is its weight of 27 lbs. It’s not very portable. Its design also prevents you from fixing it to a wall.
Pros:
- Very accurate humidity adjustment
- Stable base. Can be installed anywhere very easily
- 9 fan speed control for a versatile humidity adjustment
- Front digital display shows the humidity level at all times
Cons:
- Heavy at 27 lbs
- Cannot be installed to a wall
6. Elechomes CH601 – With Pre-calibrated Settings
Photo: Elechomes
When it comes to looks and sophistication, few models in this whole house humidifier review can beat the Elechomes. This model is operated by remote control, or you can directly access its various settings on the front touch panel of this whole house humidifier.
Since this is a digital unit, it is extremely accurate, and you can tell it exactly what humidity level you want in a room, and it will do it in a very quick and easy manner. Best, this humidifier has an automatic switch with will switch off the unit whenever it reaches a certain humidity level.
It also has a smart sensing technology which will automatically sense the humidity level of a room and make appropriate adjustments. You can enable or disable this feature by interacting with a front panel or using the remote control. Very easy.
However, keep in mind that this humidifier is more fragile than others in this review. You will need to be more careful when operating this device.
Pros:
- Contains pre-calibrated settings like warm mist and ultrasonic cool
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Very easy to use. Provided with a remote control
- Smart sensing technology. Automatically senses the humidity level
Cons:
- Not the most durable whole house humidifier
7. Essick Air Aircare H12-400HB – Blends in with Your Furniture
Photo: Aircare
Looks is one thing that most whole house humidifiers share in common. Give or take, most models generally the same and people can tell what they are. This is where a model like the Essick Air comes into action.
Indeed, this portable model mimics furniture as it has a wood skin on top of it. This allows it to blend in with your room in a more discreet manner. Additionally, it still provides excellent coverage of 3,700 square feet which is enough to add moisture to almost any room.
The high-tech capacity of 3 gallons is also a welcome addition as this means that this whole house humidifier will not have to constantly tap into your plumbing system for water. This directly translates in better power efficiency which allows you to save money over your power bill in the long term.
Also, the 4-fan speed setting of this humidifier allows you to quickly and easily adjust the humidity level in your room with the push of a button. Definitely, when it comes to looks, ease-of-use, and performance, the Essick is one of the best whole house humidifiers out there.
The only caveat we find with this humidifier is its noise. Indeed, it is a little noisier when compared to the competition.
Pros:
- Portable. Equipped with rolling casters to easily move around
- Covered with a wood skin. Easily blends in with your furniture
- Decent coverage of 3,700 square feet
- High tank capacity of 3 gallon
Cons:
- Noisy when compared to others
8. Honeywell HE360A – Superior Coverage
Photo: Honeywell
The HE360A is another high-performance whole house humidifier by Honeywell. Indeed, this model has a superior coverage of 4,200 square feet which is pretty impressive especially considering the relatively small and compact size of this humidifier.
What you will appreciate the most about this model is definitely its ease-of-use as well as ease of installation. Once you have installed this humidifier to any return air duct or warm air supply, it runs automatically.
Indeed, simply tell it the humidity level that you wish to have in the room, and it will automatically cool the air by adding moisture to it. It is also quiet which is remarkable considering its high performance.
But, keep in mind that this humidifier is not perfect. For one, it is a bit difficult to get warranty on it. Furthermore, it requires more frequent maintenance to keep it working efficiently.
Pros:
- Easy to install by beginners
- High coverage of 4,200 square feet
- Small and compact. Does not require a large installation space
Cons:
- Difficult to get a warranty on this product
- Requires more frequent maintenance when compared to other humidifiers
9. Emerson Thermostats HSP2000 – Professional Humidifier
Photo: Emerson Thermostats
The Emerson is a complete whole house humidifier that will allow you to quickly and easily humidify your whole house. This is a professional humidifier that requires a surface area of 1,400 square feet minimum for it to work efficiently. It does not really have maximum coverage, so you are good to go if you have a big house.
This model comes with a flushing timer for you to adjust the humidity level based on the specific time of your choosing. Additionally, this is one of the few whole house humidifiers that does not need hot air from a furnace to function.
In fact, this humidifier can sense the humidity level in the air and automatically and add or remove humidity based on your humidity level selection.
The only caveat we note with this model is that it is not as beginner-friendly when compared to other models we have reviewed so far. And since this is a professional humidifier, it also comes at an expensive price.
Pros:
- Very accurate
- Comes with a flushing timer
- Covers almost any surface area with a 1,400 square feet minimum
Cons:
- Not very beginner friendly
- The price. It is very expensive
10. Honeywell HE280A2001 – Highly Water Efficient
Photo: Honeywell
What demarks this humidifier from the rest of the competition is its high-water efficiency. In fact, the manufacturer claims that this humidifier consumes 30% less water when compared to others.
For flexibility, you can install it on either a return air duct or on a warm air supply for it to start adding moisture to the air. Out of the box, this model comes with a complete installation kit, so it is very easy to install. It is also provided with a detailed user’s manual.
One noteworthy feature of this model is that it is equipped to a special filter that is antimicrobial. This means that this house humidifier is safe to use with pets and children around.
Moreover, its high coverage of 3,000 square feet will be more than enough for most people. All in all, this model from Honeywell is one of the best console humidifiers when you need big coverage and high water savings.
However, we take issue with the expensive price of this humidifier. It could have been better priced. There is also no humidity adjustment control on this device.
Pros:
- Up to 30% more water efficient
- High coverage of 3,000 square feet
- Equipped with an anti-microbial filter
Cons:
- No humidity adjustment control
- The price
Whole House vs. Portable Humidifier
Photo: Elechomes
If you are interested in a whole house humidifier, then you probably have seen that there are 2 main types of humidifiers on the market. The whole house humidifier and the portable humidifier.
1. Whole House Humidifier
As its name suggests, the whole house humidifier is intended to humidify the whole house. This model has a cost as the whole house humidifier usually costs more money. Additionally, it also uses more power to convert water in steam and then moisture to humidify the whole house.
Pros:
- More heavy-duty. Can humidify a house fast
- High coverage of at least 2,000 square feet or more
- Maintenance-free. It rarely requires cleaning or maintenance
- Very quiet. Does not produce any sound
Cons:
- The price. It is usually more expensive
- Not easy to install by beginners
2. Portable Humidifier
The portable humidifier is an entirely different beast. It is smaller and has a smaller coverage. However, it consumes significantly less power when compared to the whole house humidifier and can be used to humidify a room on demand.
One of the biggest advantages of the portable humidifier is that it is less expensive and much easier to run since there is no installation to perform.
Pros:
- Very beginner friendly. No installation necessary
- Can humidify any room on demand
- Less expensive
Cons:
- Smaller coverage area
- Can be a little bit noisy
How to Buy the Best Whole House Humidifier
1. Types of Whole House Humidifier
As we have seen above, there are 2 types of humidifiers on the market. The whole house humidifier and the portable humidifier.
You will need to choose between those 2 types based on your need and purpose. If you want to humidify a whole house then obviously go with a whole house humidifier.
On the other hand, if you need to humidify only specific rooms and do not need a high coverage area, then the portable humidifier will fit the bill. It is also less expensive, so you will be saving some money there.
2. Coverage
Coverage is at the heart of the whole house humidifier, and it is measured in square feet. Most top-rated whole house humidifiers have coverage of at least 1,400 square feet or more.
With this type of coverage, the whole house humidifier is able to humidify a small to medium-size house with ease.
If you have a big house, then you may want to invest in a whole house humidifier that has an even bigger coverage area.
In fact, many heavy-duty models have coverage of 4,200 square feet or more which will be suitable for people with a big house.
3. Noise Level
Even if the whole house humidifier is generally a very quiet device, some whole house humidifiers are quieter than others. If low noise is important to you, then go with a whole house humidifier that will output a low decibel.
A quiet model can be especially helpful if you plan to install the whole house humidifier in a location with people around.
Read More: The Best Quiet Humidifiers
4. Brand
Sometimes when purchasing a whole house humidifier, you may be tempted to go with a no-name brand so as to save some money.
However, we recommend that you do not do this as a non-branded whole house humidifier will not be as effective as a branded one but can also be a safety hazard.
Therefore, to save you from the trouble, always go with a reputable brand when purchasing the whole house humidifier. It may cost you a little extra, but in the long run, you will be saving massively as a branded whole house humidifier is usually more heavy-duty, durable and performing than a no-name one.
Read More: The Best Vicks Humidifiers
5. Easy to use
You do not want to invest in a whole house humidifier that is difficult to use. Most of the time, all that you need to do with the whole house humidifier is adjusting the moisture level with a knob. That’s it. It is an extremely simple and easy device to use in the house.
Additionally, if you have never installed a whole house humidifier before then, you want a model that is easy to install by even absolute beginners.
If you are an absolute beginner, choose models that come with a detailed manual that will show you exactly how to install and use the humidifier.
6. Automatic Switch
The automatic switch in the whole house humidifier is a switch that is automatically activated when the desired moisture level is achieved in the house.
Not all models have this, so if you are planning to run your whole house humidifier 24/7, then you may want to go with a model that has an automatic switch. This will help you save some money and make your whole house humidifier run more efficiently.
Conclusion
Unlike the air conditioner, the whole house humidifier adds water vapor to the air to render the air more comfortable to the skin.
Models like the Aprilaire 700 are one of the best solutions in this whole house humidifier review for those with a large home.
But if you have more modest needs, the Honeywell HE280A2001 is a highly efficient humidifier that gets the job done.