I swear by them – and so should you.  Especially in those cold dry months with the crazy heaters blasting in full force, these machines are a God-send (much like air-conditioning in the summer).  Often times when we visit my in-laws, who don’t have them, I find my nose stuffy, my throat scratchy, and a completely uncomfortable night stay in winter.  That is when I realize the true value of the humidifiers.  We are a family of deviated septum cases and so already our breathing is challenged, so for me and my kids (including my 1 year old with an often stuffy nose) these are a must.

Our doctor has even prescribed them as the best option for our baby who had a scratchy throat, no medicine needed or should be given – rather turn on the humidifier and make it a spa like setting in their room.  My 8 year old often has a hard time sleeping without them, and although he forgets to turn it on – and off in his room – anytime we travel he has to wet his nostrils every so often as an alternative, mind you he is prone to over dramatizing his every discomfort, but I truly feel that humidifiers are more versatile than we think.

I don’t find a preference for hot or cold; however I do recommend those with easy to maintain elements.  I bought one with a heating element that I have to bleach and de-calcify every so often – what a nightmare that is.  Instead opt for those that have the metal heating element rather than the protruding rubber one which are hard to clean and if you do you end up scratching them and rendering your warranty void.

Also, if you have a noise concern, go for the ultrasonic option which practically has no audible sound.  I actually like the humidifier white noise that’s created.  Often puts me to sleep faster than a pin-drop quiet room.  Make sure that you buy a humidifier that’s the right size for the room, if your room is big and you get a small humidifier, there is no point – you won’t feel the benefits.  For baby rooms, get one with a small night light that will be a nice two in one.  They are usually quieter as well.

Keep in mind that the bigger the water tank is the less time you spend refilling them, so that is also a feature you might want to keep an eye out for.  Invest in at least a three year warranty, you’ll be glad you did, just make sure that those which claim they come with an automatic three year warranty often won’t recognize sellers from Amazon.  So if you buy from amazon try to get the additional warranty just in case.

Any other features you feel are crucial when getting a humidifier?  Do you find them useful or a must have even lie I do?