I started writing This humidifier review summary for WIRED in New York City during the second longest drought on record. In November, my radiators blared, filling my 100-plus-year-old Brooklyn apartment with heat. And according to my indoor air quality monitors, my humidity was around 32 percent. The inside of my nose was dry as was my skin. My houseplants needed to be watered more than usual. Prospect Park in Brooklyn suffered a forest fire that required the intervention of more than 200 firefighters. All this is to say that it was arid.
And dry insides aren’t just due to chapped lips or dry noses. According to the recommendation of Harvard School of Public HealthIndoor humidity can slow the spread of Covid-19. The ideal indoor humidity should be between 40 and 60 percent. AND studies suggest that higher ambient humidity along with warmer temperatures also inhibit the spread of influenza. There are many things those little humidifiers can do.
And yet, the number one abandoned appliance I see on the stairs in my neighborhood is the humble humidifier. They often leave a Paddington Bear-style tag on them with the words: “Still works!” I also see them thrown in the trash. And I’m also guilty of throwing away more than one humidifier. I give up when I can’t seem to clean the thick brown film on the bottom of their tanks. I start with good intentions, filling them with the recommended distilled water, but will eventually switch to tap. I upgraded and properly cleaned my last humidifier with water and citric acid, purchased at a spice store. Still, the minerals in the water are a problem. If you have hard water, your humidifier may produce a film of white powder; That’s why many models recommend distilled water or come with filters. And I’ve gone through entire winters of dry heat because I didn’t feel like dealing with a humidifier.
All of the humidifiers in this review were tested in my 100+ year old apartment with the heat on. I was looking for easy-to-use humidifiers that could fill a medium-sized room with the ideal humidity. I didn’t want to carry jugs of distilled water up the stairs; I also wanted one that was easy to maintain. I was looking for a more committed and sustainable relationship with my humidifier. Maybe you want that too.
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