Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Proper humidification is a must for me. Having spent the prior 18 months in a home with a centrally installed Honeywell Humidifier only reminded me of that. When we moved back we quickly realized (stuffed noses, dry skin, etc...) that we needed humidification badly. After purchasing a Acu-Rite 00325 Home Comfort Monitor, Black I had confirmed our need. Our bedroom was averaging 25% relative humidity. Sometimes lower. I'll let you do your own research about the impacts of humidity levels that low, but I was pretty shocked. After reading about the various models available, I settled on the Honeywell HCM-6009 for a variety of reasons. Known brand (I had experience with Honeywell humidification as noted above), fair price, and overall reputation of the unit on Amazon. I also gathered that just adding water and letting it run was a recipe for disaster (mold, clogged filters, diminished performance). So I purchased Holmes S1708 Bacteriostat for Cool Mist Humidifiers and use one cap-full in each water tank refill. I also placed one ProTec PC-1 Humidifier Tank Cleaning Cartridge (Pack of 2) in each of the tanks. These should last for about a month each. You'll also be replacing filters on a somewhat regular basis (at least once per season). I stocked up on RPS Products HW14 Water Wick when I ordered the humidifier. I figured that having all of the necessary supplies on-hand would only encourage my Wife and I to keep up with proper cleaning. The unit raised the humidity level of our fairly large master bedroom to 42% fairly quickly using the high fan setting. Once established (measured using the digital humidistat mentioned above) I set the fan to low and lowered the humidity control on the Honeywell until the light came on, indicating that it was in 'Auto' mode. Since then, it has held the correct humidity level (+/- 2%) with ease. The sound of the unit running on low is actually quite plesant, though we choose to sleep with white noise, so if you prefer total silence it could bother you a bit. Our low humidity symptoms have basically disappeared, and the unit's maintenance has proved to be easy and entirely manageable. I typically refill both tanks every-other day, though the refill frequency will vary greatly (based on variables like your normal relative humidity, room size). Cool-mist and steam units are gimmicky at best, and can potentially damage your walls/belongings with condensation by over-saturating the air. Not-to mention the increased chances of mold in those situations.