There are many types of humidifiers, but they are all designed to add moisture to the air of either a single room or an entire house. Humidifiers come in different shapes and sizes, can be tabletop or console, emit warm or cool air, be evaporative or propel mist. Your specific needs for a humidifier can help determine the kind of humidifier that will be the best fit.
Size
If you need to humidify the entire house, a better choice would be a console humidifier. According to the Consumer Reports website, console models only come with evaporative technology, which emit a cool mist. Both cool and warm mist humidifiers come in tabletop sizes. Warm mist humidifiers come in small sizes and are only able to humidify one room at a time. They require frequent filling, but are light weight and easy to carry. Some cool mist humidifiers have a double tank for less frequent filling or a side bottle that fits easily under a faucet.
Noise
A drawback to the cool mist humidifier is the noise it generates. Because the cool mist humidifier uses a fan, the noise level is similar to that of a small air conditioner. Some humidifiers come with an adjustable fan speed and a lower setting means a quieter fan. According to the Consumer Reports website, the warm mist humidifiers tested were quieter than the cool mist units, having little to no noise. The ultrasonic humidifier, offering the option of both cool and warm mist, is rated the quietest by the iAllergy website.
Use
Why you are using a humidifier can determine if the warm or cool mist model is the better choice. A warm mist humidifier may not be the humidifier of choice if you live in a warm climate. However, it may be just the thing for winter months in colder climates. For colds, coughs and allergies, either the cool or warm mist will help to alleviate symptoms, but some warm mist humidifiers have the option of a medicine cup to add a medicinal vapor to the air.
Cleanliness
All humidifiers need to be cleaned, but because the cool mist humidifier uses a wick filter and evaporative method, it is the cleaner running humidifier. Filters need to be changed to eliminate risk of mold and mildew, but some models come with filters that can be cleaned and reused. Warm mist models emit a clean mist as well, but the tank needs to be cleaned more frequently due to the mineral deposits left behind. However, some small size warm mist models have tanks that are easily removed and are dishwasher safe.
Considerations
If safety or efficiency is a concern, the cool mist humidifier is the better choice. Cool mist humidifiers are just that, cool. They do not generate heat like the warm mist models, which have the risk of causing burns due to steam or accidental spilling. The cool mist models expend less energy and are more efficient. According to the I Allergy website, the warm mist model has higher power consumption since the heating element uses more electricity than other models.
