This really whets my…well, everything.
I bought one of these a while back for my daughter’s room when she was born. Using a humidifier prevents ear infections. It’s very quiet and works great on hot or cold. You can see the steam cone out. I just bought another one.
I bought one back in spring work for a few month then didn’t work call the dealer they didn’t help so I be careful only because it refurnished.
I recently got the Vicks Starry Night Cool Mist Humidifier for my newborn. How does this compare? I can still return it since it has been less than a month. Would it be worth returning to get this one or should I just stick with the one I’ve got. I live in the desert, by the way.
We’ve had this model for 4 years… it’s on in the baby’s room, in fact. LOVE the silver technology because it really does stop any mold growth (the number 1 reason we’ve gone through 5 humidifiers in 10 years). The warm setting helps so the room doesn’t get chilly & wet. But be careful if the kids turn it up all the way after you’ve tucked them into bed- although the extreme condensation smoke is fun, the carpet will take all day to dry out.
so it seems humidifiers have to be emptied washed/dried daily and then descaled once per week… for those that own this one, how does this compare in terms of maintenance/cleaning?
also what size room would this be good for?
I bought a refurb last April and it workded well for the first month then quit working. Called the company and they were nice enough to send another refurb, but that one now does not work. Way too expensive for the lack of quality. I would not buy it again nor will i buy a ultrasonic type again.
In the market for a new humidifier so I’m doing some research on this one. Figured I’d share what I found for everyone.
$94.99 Includes standard UPS 3-5 day shipping.
The reviews show people either love the unit or it breaks on them. The Night Light is usually the first thing to go followed by not putting off the correct amount of steam, growing mold, flaking metal, leaking, etc. Making sure the unit is sitting on a level surface seems to help with the leaking issues and my hypothesis would be this would prevent some of the other issues as water is the bane to electronics but I do not have first hand experience.
$149.99 with no reviews
http://www.shoppingwarehouse.net/prod-324728.html
$106.01 with free ship to store at your local Wally World.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pure-Guardian-120-Hour-Ultrasonic-Humidifier/19865580
$149.99. I’m posting this one because in the review it says ‘Don’t use anything but the vinegar and supplied brush to clean mist making area.’ I don’t see that this ‘vinegar’ is supplied with this purchase.
The 120hr is not listed on the PureGuardian website for sale but I was able to find the manual on the website.
http://www.guardiantechnologies.com/prodimages/h4500_manual_042811.pdf
Hope this helps everyone decision making a little easier.
Bought one of these during a Woot sale about a year ago…it worked for a couple months and then died. The ultrasonic humidifiers are VERY particular and I think my water (which we filter through a PUR filter) was too hard for it. It was a great unit while it worked, but I wouldn’t expect for it to work very long.
Bought 2 of these a few years ago and they are still working fine. They are QUIET! Never had issues with mold or leaking. I like the warm setting in the winter so the kids’ rooms don’t get chilly.
I bought a model simular to this one last year and I love it. When it’s on low, it will go for three days before i have to refill it. I have had no problem with scale build up or mold and the best thing, NO MORE FILTERS AT $10 A POP.
I bought mine from Costco 2 years ago and love it. No mold growth, no cleaning needed. I left water inside without use for a few months I got some hard water stains that were easily wiped away.
The November 2012 edition of Consumer Reports rates a similar model (the H4600) as a 39 out of 100. It looks like low or inconsistent output is what lowered the score the most. The top picks were a Hunter 31004 and the Crane Penguin EE-865.
I have owned 3 of these (previous generation). They all break within a year. I have had new and refurb. If it is a refub unit the manufacturer will not even talk with you about the unit. If you are set on this particular model, it can be had cheaper from other sites.
I’ve had ultrasonic humidifiers and have enjoyed their efficiency and quiet operation but I’ve given up on all of them. I’m sure that this is a good one, but like ALL other ultrasonic humidifiers, it has a fatal flaw—it will deposit white dust (actually the dissolved mineral content of your water) over EVERYTHING in your house and it’s especially attracted to your TV screen or any other electrically charged object. Soft water systems won’t alleviate the problem either, so unless you are willing to feed this thing distilled water (filters won’t help) get ready to be dusting daily.
I first noticed that my TV was getting dimmer after a week of getting my humidifier, then noticed the dust. I switched to an evaporative humidifier and have had no problems since.
We have hard water here in IA, so YMMV, but be aware of this problem before you buy.
I have also had 3 of these units: 2 new and 1 refurb from the last time it was offered on Woot. My first unit was a dud and I replaced it easily at Costco, who often stock this unit. My second was excellent, one of the best humidifiers I’ve ever owned, which is why I jumped on the refurb. I will NOT be buying another refurb unit. They clearly do not check them very well. Mine arrived partially broken (a piece of exterior trim was detached). Crucially, it also does not behave the way it should in the humidification department.
One other note: these are designed to be cool mist humidifiers that are turned on to hot steam mode for the occasional night. If you use it in steam mode all the time, it will likely break. I make this assertion based on my own experience, and reading between the lines on Amazon.com. If you look at Amazon reviews, it does appear that humidifiers fail 10 - 20% of the time, no matter what the brand. I realize there may be over-reporting of issues on that forum, but it seems to me that water and electronics don’t mix well.
My advice: this is a great unit (along with the much smaller but equally good Sunpentown SU 4010), but buy it NEW from a retail store that you can return it to easily if worst comes to worst. Because the odds of that are higher than you’d like. Hence all the refurbs!
Thanks for all the links, etc. Yes, you should only clean any of these type of machines with distilled white vinegar (straight acetic acid - no fancy balsamic with grape extracts!). It is available from most grocery stores and is often used for pickling or putting on your french fries with salt.
Use distilled water for best results.
Riffing off of Cole’s comment - I have had the opposite experience with my (NJ) hard water and humidifiers. At my house, the evaporative ones get crazy mineral buildup really quickly - I’m talking 20 minutes of scrubbing with CLR & a toothbrush to take off one tank’s worth of mineral deposits. The ultrasonic ones, not so much - and I’ve never had any issues with mineral dust, only with buildup in the machine itself. I would imagine it depends on which minerals are in your water. Also, FWIW, I’ve used the Crane ones quite happily… for a year, until the metal/paint (?) on the little round disc started flaking off. That’s happened with three of them now. Still looking for the perfect humidifier! Maybe this one will do the trick…?