Holmes HM495-UC Ultrasonic Comfort Select Humidifier

I've owned this humidifier for over a year now and I am in the process of looking for it on sale to replace all my other ones in the home. It's filterless so I haven't had to worry about moldy smells or finding a filter in the middle of winter at ridiculous prices. Anywho, this one is in my kids' room and I keep it at a low setting and it gives off this soft hum that actually drowns out other home noises. I fill it up every third day and I haven't had problems with water spilling or any other malfunction (like I've read in other reviews). Once a month I clean the base with a clorox wipe and I'm set. I also add an anti microbial solution (from Kaz)every time I refill it and it helps keep it clean and odorless.

I bought this unit for use last winter. It performed well for the season, but the o-ring degraded over time. I also noticed the plastic near the spout was also beginning to break down and the two sections making up that area were starting to pull apart. I contacted Holmes to get a new o-ring. They told me 1) they were on backorder, 2) they had LOTS of orders for these, 3) I could not buy just the o-ring, would have to buy the "cap assembly" (mind you, the o-ring fits in to the tank, NOT the cap) and 4) they would put my name on a list to be notified when the parts were available. So, now winter is approaching and I call again and am informed that they are no longer making this o-ring (also, keep in mind this is a unique o-ring...nothing you could buy in catalogs or HI stores). I will not buy another Holmes product if I can help it. I am shocked to see they are still selling it despite not having parts for customers who will eventually need them.

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I already have a Vornado humidifier, but bought this one because I was tired of buying and storing replacement filters. This humidifier is extremely quiet. If you listen carefully, you may hear a slight trickle as the tank drains, but the blower is inaudible. The tank is very capacious. I run it on high all day and night and only refill it twice a day. I've been very happy. It only gets four stars, though, because it's a bit underpowered. The vaporizer is capable of producing a lot of steam, but the blower can't push it far enough into the air. If you run the unit on the highest setting, you must place it on a raised, waterproof platform so that the water doesn't settle to the ground. If Holmes had included a more powerful fan, it wouldn't be a problem. For now, I have a fan pointed at it to mix the steam with the air.

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I live in a very small town. We have one variety store from which to buy things like this, and the only humidifiers they carry are Holmes. Over the past couple of years, I've bought several of these--not because I have a lot of rooms to humidify but because their products are so disposable. Either the motors go out or the 0-rings break or they spring leaks in the base. When I have had occasion to contact customer support to try to obtain a new o-ring or lid, I've been told twice that this model has been discontinued (when in fact, year after year, this piece of junk continues to appear on shelves and websites).

No more Holmes products for me and I'd recommend that you steer clear as well. This is a lousy product from an apathetic company.

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I bought this humidifier because--

1. I wanted to spend less than $45;

2. I wanted a cool mist humidifier;

3. I wanted "no-filter" convenience; and

4. I wanted an ultrasonic humidifier.

I had never owned a humidifier previous to this one and so far (after one week plus), I am very happy with it. I run it at low to medium speed and it does a great job. I keep it on a plastic tray on the floor when it's running (the instructions say not to set it on wooden furniture, floors, etc., without protection)and I keep it 4 feet from the wall (also per instructions). It it almost quiet (but noisy enough to keep me awake if it's not in the hall just outside my bedroom. If you like "white noise," you'll be happy). It does not leak (at least not yet). It's a little bit of a pain to refill but that presents no major problem. I clean it whenever the water level gets low. Again, that's not a real problem. It runs for a long time (2-3 nights) without refilling if you don't run it on high speed. The mist is fine, not thick, and seems to spread out into the room(s) well. I did buy a hygrometer (a device that measures humidity, as, inconveniently, there is not one built into the humidifier). My dry eyes/mouth/nose problems are much improved. I'm hoping that this coming winter will therefore be one without sinus infections. For the money, I can't imagine that many other humidifiers could beat this one. They all seem to require a certain amount of maintenance.

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