This Dyson humidifier is a great investment piece, especially as it doubles as a fan, which means that in the summer months it won’t sit dormant. We start by noting the humidity level of a closed room. We fill each humidifier’s tank to the maximum and let it run on the highest setting (also noting how long it takes to empty the tank). While the machine is running, we measure the noise level of the machine in decibels. After an hour, we measure and take note of the humidity level in the room. This is repeated at the two hour mark, or when the tank is empty. This process is repeated for each mode the unit has, such as lower mode and night mode. Using an external humidity sensor, I found that the reading in the test room was a couple of per cent out from the SH8820’s own internal reading. Certainly, you can trust that that this humidifier’s automatic setting will get you close enough to the comfort level you’ve set. Despite its diminutive size, the Elechomes is designed for large rooms up to 70 square metres. In our tests it spewed out a huge metre-long plume of clearly visible mist from its two adjustable ports which can be aimed in any direction. Also, its built-in humidistat displayed the same percentage of humidity as our nearby hygrometer so its accuracy is clearly spot on. This means that if your room has a humidity reading of about 35% and you set the Elechomes’ target value to 45%, you can safely bet it’ll continue emitting vapour until the room reaches that value. It also features three volume levels of vapour and three heat settings for winter use. The addition of a remote control can be considered a bonus.. The front of the humidifier is home to all the controls, which are duplicated on the thin remote control that comes with the appliance. Although the controls all have an icon, they’re neatly labelled in English, too, leaving no doubt over the function of each button.

There’s no oscillation feature, but you can manually adjust the angle of the air outlet – be careful if you’re doing this when the humidifier is on Heat mode, since the output can be very hot. Finally, you can use the aromatherapy pad to add essential oils to make your room smell nice. Elechomes 5.5L Large Room Humidifier SH8820 performance – Quiet and effective, but it only just copes with its maximum rated room size Turn on the humidifier and you’ll see a set of LED light up to display the current humidity level in the room. If you use the Humidify option, you can set a target humidity level between 30% and 80%, increasing in 5% increments. Humidifiers work by releasing moisture into the air to increase the humidity levels. “If air is too dry, this dries out mucous membranes and exacerbates coughing and wheezing,” explains Dr Deborah Lee, MD and representative for Dr Fox Online Pharmacy.“If air is too humid, this can precipitate house dust mites and mold, triggering asthma symptoms. Overly humid air directly triggers the airways to constrict, resulting in allergens being trapped inside, and worsening asthma symptoms,” she says.

The humidifier does feel a little bit flimsy (which surprised us for the price), and leaked a bit when we tried to transport it into another room with water still in the tank. However, it's an efficient machine that does a good job of improving indoor humidity, and it has the added benefit of looking good too. If you’re going to buy a humidifier, it makes sense to opt for a model that can kill bacteria in the tank, and can automatically turn off when the desired humidity level is reached. The best in the business is the Dyson Pure Humidify+Cool, which effectively kills all bacteria without having to use heating, lowering running costs. The Dyson Pure Humidify+Coo is also a brilliant purifier, and it’s smart too, working with Alexa and the Dyson Link app. Unlike other humidifiers we’ve tested, the Dyson AM10 Humidifier doesn’t have multiple mist settings. Instead, it asks you to target a humidity level. The humidifier will run until your set humidity is reached and regulate the humidity from there. Humidity levels can be set to between 30 and 70 per cent. However, this humidifier also aims to regulate your desired temperature and will change according to the temperature in the room. Our tester also noted that the noise on any level was never louder than her air conditioner. We also like the aromatherapy option on this humidifier. We added six drops of strongly-scented tea tree oil to the aroma pad and enjoyed the lightly-scented air in our room an hour later. Note that six drops is more than the recommended 2-3 drops. Finally, humidifiers are also great for keeping expensive floorboards and delicate wooden instruments like acoustic guitars and violins in tip top shape. Different types of humidifiers

Every humidifier in this guide has been tested to the exact same standards, using the same processes. A medium sized sleek model, the clear water tank sits on the top, giving you a clear indication of how much water is left. Having worked for many years in the NHS, initially as a GP, and then as Lead Clinician for an integrated Community Sexual Health Service, Dr Deborah Lee now works as a health and medical writer, with an emphasis on women’s health. She is a menopause specialist. How we test How do we test humidifiers on Live Science? It acts as both a humidifier and a fan, featuring 10 levels, and will look good in any office or living area space. With some great functions, it enables you to set it for sleeping, while an auto mode gives you a choice of your preferred humidity level. However, it’s one of the most expensive models on the market and its water tank is relatively small - only holding 3.75 quarts.It’s recommended that you aim for around 50% humidity in any room, to provide the optimum level of comfort and to keep skin healthy. Increasing humidity means that your heating would have to warm the water in the air, which might take longer in a more humid environment than a dry one – but the temperature will drop more slowly as a result, increasing comfort. The Elechomes HTJ-2119 Ultrasonic Humidifier is an excellent option if you want a humidifier with extra features but don’t have the budget or space for larger, more expensive models. We like that this humidifier has a big water tank for its size, even though it's smaller than other models. Running continuously on the highest setting, the water tank didn’t run out of water for 12 hours. The TruSens Humidifer has a water softening filter for tap water that works to reduce both build-up and white dust. Each filter lasts for an average of four months. The humidifier also has a UV-C light, which is designed to kill any bacteria in the mist. The large water tank, which holds 2.1 gallons of water, allows the humidifier to work for up to 80 hours before it needs to be refilled. The tank’s LED will glow a bright red color when the tank is out of water or when the water softening filter needs to be replaced. As a tester, I was happy to discover that the humidifier’s lid is removable for ease of cleaning and refilling the device, and the portable humidifier has a carry handle as well. The timer can be set for 2, 4, 8, or 12 hours, and it can be used as a cool mist humidifier or the user can take advantage of the warm mist options. The device works quietly the remote control SensorPod can be used to gauge the room’s humidity level, and then adjust the humidifier’s settings and control the power. You should empty the tank of the humidifier, wipe all of the surfaces dry and refill the water in portable humidifiers daily. This will help to reduce the growth of microorganisms.