We need a humidifier for our little one's bedroom. I'm undecided between warm and cool air, although I've read that warm might be better for our Vermont winters. Other features that I'd like are low bacteria, easy to clean, automatic shut-off, and as quiet as possible.
We had a Vicks humidifier but it was way too hot and caused mold to grow along the skylights.
I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
a third recommendation for the crane humidifiers. we have one in my daughter's room and one in our bedroom-- both frogs. my daughter likes to give froggie a "kiss" as part of her nighttime routine, too :).
My experience with warm mist humidifiers was much like yours. The warm vapors created mix with a cold outside wall etc and bam you have a mold problem. If you have hard water in Vermont then the minerals will build up on the heating element as well.
I got rid of the warm mist and now use an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier. I just buy a cheap model that is big enough for the room but does not require any extra filters, solutions etc.
I have tried a cool mist fan model too but it blew a lot of cold air, made the room much colder and was not very quiet.
We have two of the Crane Animal shaped cool mist humidifiers. I am very impressed with them so far. They don't auto shut off but they do have a light that turns red when it runs out. We have had an issues though. It never runs out during the night. They are easy to clean as well. I clean ours every two weeks without problems!
We use the Crane cool mist humidifiers. I'm sure the warm mist would be better for dry winters, but I agree that it's probably a disaster when it comes to mold, etc. The Crane ones (shaped like animals) have been durable and are pretty inexpensive. They look cute in a room and are quiet. They do not have auto shut off, but I haven't had a problem with it. They also sell additional filters and such to help with the build-up issue. I clean it every so often with a toothbrush and warm water, sometimes some vinegar. My husband and I finally bought one for own room b/c we purchased two different brands of "grown-up" humidfiers and they both broke while my daughter's frog has been going strong for 3 years.
