The Best Humidifiers in Canada of 2023

Whether you're trying to soothe a cough that just won't quit or keeping a winter's worth of dry air from freeze-drying you like astronaut food, a humidifier can help. It uses warm and cool mist to create a climate of comfort in your home or office.

But when looking to purchase one, the sheer number of makes, models, and extra features can feel overwhelming. Do you need a warm humidifier or a cool-mist humidifier? Should you go with the model that has a night light and sleep mode, has oil-diffusing properties? Or is your most important need, an easy-to-refill water tank? Is it better to purchase one combined with an air purifier?

It's often difficult to tell what's the best humidifier you can buy. So, we decided to test the best-selling humidifiers on the market. We covered everything from fan-driven evaporators to ultrasonic misters, evaluating them for ease of use, moisture creation, and efficiency.

After turning our purpose-built temperature control chamber into a muggy jungle for a month, we found that the Vicks V745A Warm Mister (available at Amazon) warm mist humidifier provides the most value, mist, and power for your money. If you're looking for a cool mister, we'd recommend the upgraded version of the TaoTronics TT-AH0001 for your house.

How We Tested Humidifiers

The Testers

Hello, I'm Jon Chan, senior lab technician at Reviewed. The testing team–Kyle, Julia, and I–wanted to find out which humidifier is worth your money. Between the three of us, we have more than a decade of testing experience. Together we've reviewed everything from space heaters to shop vacs.

The Tests

Before the testing even began, we knew we had our work cut out for us. We started by collecting tap water samples from across the state of Massachusetts. Using the Honeywell Mistmate, we tested these samples against distilled water to ensure there would be no variations during the testing. We decided not to use distilled water because it would change how we interacted with the humidifiers–filling up from a bottle is not how the typical consumer would fill from a sink.

When testing started in earnest, we filled each model to full and weighed them. We then placed the humidifier in a climate-controlled chamber so that each model started at the same temperature and relative humidity. Each humidifier was placed on its highest setting and left to run for five hours. Sensors placed at varying heights and distances recorded the changes in the environment.

After that, we evaluated each model of how easy it was to use, move, fill, and clean (note: many are not dishwasher safe).

What You Should Know About Buying a Humidifier

When we talk about humidity, we're actually describing relative humidity. This number is calculated based on the amount of water in the air, the amount of air pressure, and the temperature. To put it in perspective, at 68°F, relative humidity under 30 percent will cause your skin to dry out. Most people sit comfortably at between 45% and 55%. Anything above 55% and the air starts to feel muggy.

What Are Different Types Of Humidifiers?

We tested basic types of humidifiers, including those with ultrasonic and warm mist settings, and evaporators. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Warm Misters: Warm mist humidifiers are pretty basic. They boil water, and the resulting steam is piped out through the top via a fan. Warm misters tend to be the most effective humidifiers, covering more square footage and outputting more moisture. However, this high-powered method makes them unsafe around small children and they can increase a room's temperature to uncomfortable levels.

Ultrasonic (Cool Misters): Virtually silent and efficient, ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers are among the most popular on the market. They work by vibrating a ceramic plate very quickly. The high frequency turns the water into a fine mist that is cool to the touch. Ultrasonic humidifiers work best as personal units. They tend not to be powerful enough to cover a lot of square footage.

Evaporators: As the name suggests, evaporators work by evaporating water into the air. A fan circulates air over the reservoir. These models make a bit of noise, but if you like white noise while you sleep, you may find it soothing. If you have mineral-rich water in your area, you might want to get an evaporator. The models we tested had filters to prevent white dust from forming.

What Is The White Dust In My Humidifier?

White dust forms when you put hard water into a humidifier without a filter. The minerals get pulled up into the mist and come back down again as dust. You can prevent white dust from forming by using distilled water that can be found at any large supermarket.

Does Capacity Matter?

As you might guess, smaller humidifiers will generally run out of steam (pun intended) faster than those humidifiers with larger tank capacities (although it depends somewhat on the settings you choose on the humidifier itself). However, if you're looking for a more portable humidifier, those with smaller tanks can be refilled faster and are easier to carry. If you just plan on making a humidifier a fixture in larger rooms or open areas, a larger humidifier with a higher capacity will probably be a good fit. For those times when you plan on sharing a humidifier between multiple bedrooms, though, consider getting a smaller humidifier (or even multiple smaller humidifiers).

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Other Humidifiers We Tested

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