Australia’s beautifully hot climate makes it a great place to live, but the heat and dust of the natural environment combined with the artificial atmosphere created by indoor air-conditioning units mean the air is almost permanently dry. For many of us that means an uncomfortable sensation of itchy, dry skin and irritated nasal and throat linings. Allergy and asthma sufferers in particular can often find their symptoms are exacerbated by the warm, dry air. An ideal solution is to increase the humidity of your home by purchasing the best humidifier you can find.

A Great Choice of Humidifiers

There are so many diffusers to choose from, it can be confusing to know where to start. However, we have made your task simpler by reviewing a great selection of six of the most popular humidifiers in Australia:

• Our Winner – Cool & Warm Mist Tower Ultrasonic Humidifier

How a Humidifier Works

This small, portable appliance releases steam or water vapour into the air to increase the humidity of the atmosphere to a comfortable level of up to 50% or more. Although it’s a simple remedy, a humidifier has far reaching benefits for people of all ages. It significantly improves the air quality inside your home, helping to reduce dry skin, ease the symptoms of asthma and relieve stuffy noses and sore throats. As a bonus, it can also reduce the number of pathogens and viruses in the air, reduce static, prevent the wooden structures within your home drying out and even help to stop your loved ones snoring!

Two Types of Humidifier

Humidifiers come in two main types; cool mist or warm mist. A cool mist humidifier generally uses a fan to distribute cool, moist air into the room. Many people prefer this design in a warm climate even though it can be slightly noisy. In addition, it avoids the worry of leaving boiling water where young children could be harmed if they knock the unit over. On the downside, it can promote bacterial or fungal growth inside your home. A warm mist humidifier relies on steam produced by water being constantly boiled. One of the advantages of this type is that it kills harmful bacteria and viruses through the heat of the steam and significantly reduces the development of mould in your room.

Why Cleaning Your Humidifier is Important

Cleaning at least every few days or preferably daily, is an essential requirement for a humidifier. As the water sits in the unit’s tank, it can develop bacteria that inevitably end up in your room’s atmosphere and could lead to respiratory complaints. Therefore, it is important to choose a humidifier that is easy to clean to encourage you to keep up with this routine chore. Occasionally sanitizing the unit is quick and easy with a solution of diluted vinegar and filling the tank with distilled water instead of tap water will help to reduce the potential for bacterial growth.

Choosing the Best Humidifier

Although humidifiers are relatively inexpensive to purchase, knowing which features to look for helps you to select the most appropriate model and makes your investment even greater value for money. Some are compact while others are equipped with night lights which makes them an ideal choice for a child’s room. If you prefer, you can run your humidifier twenty-four hours a day, so a large water tank is preferable to prevent you having to constantly refill it. If the humidifier is equipped with a water level sensor, it will automatically alert you when the tank is almost empty. Many humidifiers also have an optional oil diffuser which is beneficial if you wish to add an aromatic scent to your home. Choose to pay a little more money for a humidifier and you could find useful features such as a sensor to automatically adjust the unit to your room’s humidity and temperature, a programmable timer and remote control capability.

Basic Features

• Large Tank Size – longer running time means less refills
• Easy to Clean – unit dismantles easily with no difficult to clean crevices
• Adjustable Mist Control – increase or reduce the amount of mist
• Automatic Shut Off – Sensor to automatically turn unit off prevents risk of fire
• Easy to Operate – Intuitive, simple controls

Extra Features

• Night Light – Reassuring for children who are scared of the dark
• Room Sensor – Automatically chooses the ideal setting for room
• LED Display – Information such as the rooms’s humidity level and temperature
• Timer – Automatically switches off at pre-set time
• Choice of Operating Modes – Adjust light and mist flow
• Remote Control – Convenient operational mode for easy use
• Aromatherapy – Essential oil pad to distribute aroma in air

Humidifier Reviews

1. Cool & Warm Mist Tower Ultrasonic Humidifier [Recommended]

This extra large humidifier measures up to 52.8 centimetres in height and a diameter of 30 centimetres. It also has a generous 5.6 litre water tank. Technologically advanced, the HoMedics Tower is one of the few humidifiers that can offer both cool and warm mist facilities. A digital screen displays details such as humidity, temperature and misting levels. You can also programme the humidistat and adjust the eight hour timer to suit your own schedule. The unit has a maximum running time of sixty-five hours. In the event of the water tank running dry, there is an automatic shut down device for reassuring safety. A clean mist feature enables the humidifier to keep bacteria and mould within the tank to a minimum. There is also a night light.

2. Cli-Mate CLI-AH300, 5L

The five litre capacity of the water tank and ultrasonic operation makes this cool mist humidifier an excellent choice for larger rooms of up to 50 square metres. The unit has a choice of three misting levels with a humidistat range from 45% to 75%. The adjustable timer can run for up to twelve hours an there is also an automatic shut off mechanism in case the water tank should boil dry. It has convenient remote control and a display panel illuminated by an LED light to inform you of the humidity and temperature of your room. The humidifier includes a conditioning cartridge to help maintain healthy, clean mist and prevent hard water deposits forming inside the tank. The unit has an almost silent operation and there is an optional aromatherapy pad for use with essential oils.

Why Purchase this Humidifier?

It’s a versatile unit with a choice of mist levels, an adjustable timer, extra large water tank and convenient remote control. The conditioning cartridge helps extends the unit’s life in hard water areas.

3. Medescan Rainbow Mist, 2.8L

The Medescan Rainbow is an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier that’s virtually silent in operation ensuring even the youngest baby has a restful sleep. The controls are simple to use and include an adjustable water vapour device. It has a large 2.8 litre water tank that provides between ten and twenty hours of use before refilling. The unit automatically switches off if the water tank runs dry. The Medescan can easily be dismantled for thorough cleaning, but it also includes a stone filter to help keep the water fresh and minimize a build up of bacteria. The humidifier is equipped with LED lights in the seven colours of the rainbow. You can choose your favourite or allow them to rotate. It’s also ideal as a night light. There is an optional aromatherapy pad to add scent your rooms.

Why Purchase this Humidifier?

It’s a practical, efficient humidifier that also has an elegant design, making it suitable for any room and includes the novelty of colourful illumination.

3. HoMedics Warm and Cool Tower Ultrasonic CM100, 5.6L

This extra large humidifier measures up to 52.8 centimetres in height and a diameter of 30 centimetres. It also has a generous 5.6 litre water tank. Technologically advanced, the HoMedics Tower is one of the few humidifiers that can offer both cool and warm mist facilities. A digital screen displays details such as humidity, temperature and misting levels. You can also programme the humidistat and adjust the eight hour timer to suit your own schedule. The unit has a maximum running time of sixty-five hours. In the event of the water tank running dry, there is an automatic shut down device for reassuring safety. A clean mist feature enables the humidifier to keep bacteria and mould within the tank to a minimum. There is also a night light.

Why Purchase this Humidifier?

It’s a technologically advanced humidifier with programmable features. As you’d expect from a larger unit, it has a lengthy running time.

4. Ionmax ION50, 4.2L

The Ionmax humidifier has a large water tank with a 4.2 litre capacity, which makes it suitable for rooms up to 25 square metres. The unit also has a long running time of up to ten hours. As one of the most lightweight humidifiers you’ll find, it is easy to transport it between rooms. The humidifier has a neat, square design which is sure to complement any type of interior decor. The misting facility functions in a full rotation of 360 degrees. The Ionmax is simple to use and includes an automatic shut down feature if ever the tank becomes empty.

Why Purchase this Humidifier?

For straightforward ease of use, the compact Ionmax is an uncomplicated, effective unit that provides good all round humidity coverage.

5. Philips HU4803/70

This Philips humidifier makes life easy as it uses automated technology to choose the most suitable humidity level to a maximum of 60%. It acts like a thermostat switching the mechanism on and off in order to keep the humidity of the room comfortable and constant. It includes a NanoCloud evaporation mechanism with three stages that helps to improve air quality by filtering the ‘white dust’ generally emitted by some designs. The large water tank has easy access for routine cleaning and has an automatic switch off if it runs dry. The fan has a choice of two speeds and is almost silent in use. The automatic timer has three settings of one, four or eight hours. The humidifier is suitable for rooms up to 25 square metres.

Why Purchase this Humidifier?

The Philips humidifier automatically adjusts to ensure your room is comfortable at all times while providing excellent air quality.

6. Beurer LB44, 2.8L

The streamlined design is sure to add an elegant touch to any room up to 25 square metres in size. The water tank has a generous 2.8 litre capacity and has a clear viewing panel to easily check the water level. The humidifier automatically stops working if the water tank becomes empty. The fan driven mechanism continually adjusts as it releases microscopic water droplets to achieve an effective humidity level. You control the water vapour by adjusting the unit’s single dial. The humidifier operates at a low energy level of twenty watts to compensate for its high price rating. The humidifier includes a useful cleaning brush for the tank. There’s also an optional filter available to combat the effects of hard water.

Why Purchase this Humidifier?

The Beurer humidifier is easy to use and provides automatic adjustment to ensure an ambient humidity level in your home.

The Best Humidifier

HoMedics Warm and Cool Tower Ultrasonic CM100, 5.6L

Our winner has to be the HoMedics humidifier because it is a versatile unit that’s an ideal choice for the Australian climate. It combines the best of technology and practical use, offering both cool and warm mist functions. The humidistat is fully programmable to ensure optimum humidity levels for any room in your home. It also provides an excellent moist, but fresh air quality through its integral anti-bacterial feature which helps to maintain the cleanliness of the water tank. The larger than average water tank is easy to access for regular maintenance and it has an extended use of up to sixty-five hours. The night light is useful, particularly in children’s rooms. Although placed at the high end of the price range, the HoMedics humidifier represents good value as it uses advanced technology to provide convenient features and programmable functions that many of its rivals lack.