Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Ok, take it from me, I KNOW ALL THE QUALMS OF THIS HUMIDIFIER. I've owned 6 of these things. Currently, I posses 3, but previously had an additional 3 go bad in the past (1 was still under warranty and was replaced for free). First off, check the white tag near the plug—there will be a date code. That is the month and year that your unit was produced. This is important because Crane has yet to nail down the perfect design of this thing, and no two of my SIX units were the exact same!! (I think they know this too, because their customer service is AWESOME if you experience issues within a year from purchase). Best tip: only use distilled water. Follow the instruction manual's tips for sanitizing with vinegar too. THE GOOD: - Excellent customer service from Crane - Having owned other brand humidifiers that cost about the same, the build quality is very sleek and polished. This unit can function as practical decor. - Good output and quiet [when all the components aren't about to burn out... see below]. I always keep one next to the bed and one that floats between my desk and the living room. I've never had a puddle or dripping problem. WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: - This unit is susceptible to unbalanced fans that eventually wear out, and nebulizers that just stop working. - Sometimes the top cone cap leaks mist down the sides. This is where the puddle problem can happen. WATCH for this! Only one of mine came with a poor fitting cone.. but I always save parts from my old broken units and had a spare to swap in. Otherwise, I would suggest smearing some silicone around the base of the cone. - Try not to let the auto off happen. It's controlled by a float switch in the water basin, and I find my humidifier sounding like a car that's about to stall out because the float switch is turning the unit on and off rapidly as the water level is in that in-between zone and not low enough to truly shut it off for good. IMHO this needs to be addressed by Crane, because it wears the aforementioned parts and causes failure. This wear is usually what makes other reviewers complain of loud fan motor noise... it's the sound of death closing in for the unit. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS: - The white one with the blue tank is always a little different from the other color schemes (different knobs, higher overall output). Honestly, I think this one is the most durable—my longest lasting one is this one. Don't ask me why.... - Average lifespan is 2 winter seasons (except my white and blue one... it's on it's 3rd!) All in all, yes, I recommend this humidifier. For the price, if it lasts me 2-3 winters of constant running then I say it's a good product. If you absolutely don't care about looks and don't mind loud bubbly aquarium noise then go with the Safety First brand humidifier for almost half the price, although I can't say it has any more longevity than the Crane drop shaped one.