SU-9210: Digital Evaporative Humidifier

We got this humidifier for the kitchen and dining area after installing new wood cabinets and flooring - our installer recommended adding humidity. It's about 500 square feet all together. We also have a wood stove in the same area, with a kettle on the top for some extra moisture. The humidifier is fairly quiet, even on high speed. At first it would quickly reach the humidity level we set - 40% - and then cycle on and off repeatedly. After a few weeks use, it is now putting out about 1 tank full per day and not getting much over 35%. I suspect the filter is already affected by our hard water. I can see some white deposits starting to form on the grille where the air comes out. I am not sure how long we can get away with before changing the filter, probably a month at most. We could also try distilled water, although we'd go through quite a lot of it.

Pros: Our old farmhouse gets very dry without it, we are 1,300 square feet with about 700 on the main level. We weren't looking to get the house up to 50 percent constantly, just to keep the static down. We notice a big comfort difference and it was way way cheaper than a whole house humidifier. We have to fill the water bin twice a day so it is more work, but we knew that going in. It is easy to clean and assemble.Cons: A little spastic with the humidity sensor, will go on and off frequently when it is near the humidity level you want. We run our ceiling fan to keep air circulating more and decrease the "on off on off." It has two fan speeds, with "low" being much quieter than "high," but the low setting doesn't keep our house humidified properly. It is only rated for 500 square feet so that isn't really a problem - we knew we were getting an undersized unit. The sensor cannot detect below 35% humidity, and I like to know how low it gets for the sake of the piano, so that's too bad.Overall, for the price, a great buy.Edit: After owning for a few months, the filter was no longer wicking water - it was saturated with mineral deposits. After soaking in a warm vinegar/water solution it was much improved, and functions nearly as well as (if not exactly as) it did when it was new. It is more delicate while being soaked so you have to be careful. They say the filter life is 3 months. I think we'll be able to get it through the whole winter, if not longer, by doing this cleaning.

After a few years using ultrasonic humidifiers, I decided to try an evaporative humidifier--no more choosing between the cost of distilled water or the white dust from minerals. I'm very happy with this product. It is well designed not only for its function but for cleaning, too--and that's important because a humidifier must be cleaned weekly. With the ultrasonic units, the electronics are in the base which must be cleaned, so care must be taken when cleaning it to avoid getting water inside. On this unit, the motor/fan unit lifts off easily and doesn't need to go with the rest for cleaning. The base is a simple piece of plastic that is easily cleaned--no nooks and crannies.I initially chose an ultrasonic unit because I didn't want to deal with the filter used by evaporative designs. This unit's small filter is easy to handle and to maintain. It is not a drawback at all.Other products fail to provide any way to carry the unit--you have to just wrap your hands around it like you would a basket ball and, when filling the water tank, the opening is on the bottom of the tank where there is no handle--very awkward as it fills and gets heavier. This product has large openings under the base where you can securely put your fingers when moving the whole thing or when taking the base for cleaning. For the once-or-twice-daily task of refilling the water tank, there's a nice handle on top for carrying. This tank can be securely held while refilling by gripping the edge next to the handle with the arched side of the tank supported on your arm.One caution: the directions say to replace the cap on the water tank "TIGHTLY" but, if you do that, you'll have great difficulty removing it again. Instead, tighten it only enough to prevent leaking.

Having tried different types (warm mist, cool mist, filterless) and brands of humidifiers over the years, I am so relieved to have finally found this SPT evaporative humidifier to keep my musical instruments healthy over the drying winter months. I've been using it for almost a month now, and find it works well and is so well-designed that using it and cleaning it is a breeze. One thing I especially love is that motor unit with the digital controls and power cord is completely separate from the base and the water tank, so you never have to worry about damaging the electronics during the cleaning process. Just unplug, lift off the motor unit, set aside, and take the base and water tank to the sink. The base is a solid unit with all rounded edges that can be washed on the top rack of the dishwasher, but for those weekly cleanings, you can just wipe it with white vinegar to de-scale (or just pour white vinegar into it and let it sit for a few minutes while you clean the tank). I find the tank holds enough water for 12 hours when set at 45%. I have taken a suggestion from another reviewer who sprays the filter with Tilex when cleaning (let sit for a few minutes and rinse thoroughly) and that does seem to keep the filter fresher longer; otherwise it will start to brown on the edges. Should easily get the 3 mos out of the filter this way. Also, I have a finely-calibrated hygrometer and the humidity % doesn't quite match up (the humidifier registers about 5% lower). I started it on high to get the humidity level where I need it to be, but now run it on low and it maintains the humidity perfectly (and is very quiet too). All in all, I find this to be a great little humidifier.