Essick Air ED11 800 Euro Console-Style Humidifier, White

While it was a little frustrating to put together as the plastic parts need to snap together and you need a screw driver to wedge the plastic base for the top to fit properly. Make sure you wait 30 minutes after filling, for the wick to absorb the water, as the fan won't work. Also be sure the over hang on the back of the wick filter is hung on the over hang at the back of the base unit. But we started with 34% humidity and in less than 24 hrs it came up to 50%. We used level 3 on the fan, as the higher levels are noisy, but at this level and result for what this product is supposed to do, it was great. Easy to fill, no taking out bottles, just pour into the reservoir. The humidistat on the unit registers too high. I put tape over it and use my small humidistat to measure the humidity. They could have left this part off. Anyway if you want the humidity to raise quickly, this is your item. A lot better than the old filter belt circular kinds.

I have had this unit for several years. It has outlasted all "Sears" brands and models.

Secrets to making it work: I use the 1041 wicks. Every two weeks or so, I take it into the bathroom, pull out the wick and using a hand held shower, spray off the wick thoroughly. This helps lower the mineral build-up and the wick lasts longer. Also I change wicks about every two months. So I need about three for the heating season.

Yes the electronic "humidistat" doesn't work. Simple, I set the unit to a higher humidity than what is displayed. When I want to run it, I turn the unit on. When I want it off, I turn it off. And I use a separate humidity gauge. This one works wonderfully:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F0RBI8/

Taylor 1523 Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer and Hygrometer

As for noise, I only run it on the 2, 3 or 4 level. Yes, you can crank it up, but just like any fan, the more you crank it the louder it gets... and I can hear the TV just fine even when this is running...

It's much easier to carry a bucket of water to this unit to fill it up than clumsy bottles to drag out and carry elsewhere.

GREAT humidifier and I've had this one for several years and if I need another one, I'll hope to get another one of these.

Here's another hint. Don't mount it on the wheels that come with and then put the entire unit on a towel or carpeting scrap. Also helps if you spill a bit of water when filling.

Do NOT forget the bacteriastat either, but be careful when using this additive, as always. And yes, it is normal for the wick itself to be about half dry (at the top) and half wet (at the bottom). The entire wick does NOT need to be saturated soaking wet for this to work as the "well" of water is only the few inches at the bottom...

Buy Essick Air ED11 800 Euro Console-Style Humidifier, White Now

I paid 113 USD for this unit. It was awkward to use, and felt cheaply made. It did a fine job humidifying the house but the humidistat was broken. Its humidity reading would not drop below 50%, when other humidistats in my home were indicating 30%. According to it, the humidity level was about 60% ! I have found a review elsewhere indicating the same problem. I returned it and bought a unit for 70 USD that works much better.

Read Best Reviews of Essick Air ED11 800 Euro Console-Style Humidifier, White Here

I followed the instructions by filling the tank, turned on high, and never let it run dry. By mid day 2 the wick was 3/4 dry. The unit on high was so loud that it can be heard on all 3 stories of my house. In their defense, this was my first humidifier. It's going back tomorrow.

Want Essick Air ED11 800 Euro Console-Style Humidifier, White Discount?

We've had one humidifier for 2 years and another for a year (put on on top floor and one on main floor). My only complaint is the sensor is too close to the unit so reads higher than it really is. We wrapped something around the sensor to keep it running. Works nicely and the sound level is perfect for us.

Vicks V3500N Cool Mist Humidifier 1.1 Gallon

I bought this recently and set it up right away. The high setting is loud for sensitive sleepers but if you need white noise to fall asleep the humidifier can double as a sleep machine. It puts out a nice cool mist on both high and low. PROS: It has a nice design -It is a solid performer -It is easy to fill CONS: The tank and the wick cover sometimes are easily disturbed -it is a little clunky -the grill on the fan cover disperses the mist mainly in one direction when it looks as if it would be omni-directional. FINAL THOUGHTS: I recommend it highly but wish the wick was cheaper to replace (around 5 bucks 2 times a year) but considering the other ones on the market it is still a good buy.

This is a good product. it has it's pro's and con's. First, it is loud when you use it on full blast. So, either deal with the noise or just turn it on early before bedtime on a medium speed so the room has time to "get humid". Secondly, it's annoying to have to take it apart everyday (which you have to do to prevent mold, but I believe it's something you have to do with all of these things... not just this one). On a high note, it seemed to help and I haven't had any problems with it mechanically. I'd purchase it again and recommend it to a friend.

PS: the noise is kind of a good thing for baby like white noise. I'm a light sleeper though and didn't like it I kept it on medium all the time.

Buy Vicks V3500N Cool Mist Humidifier 1.1 Gallon Now

We bought this unit at Babies R Us to combat dry winter indoor air. We were specifically looking into cool mist versus a vaporizer because vaporiers will add heat to the room along with moisture. We chose this unit because it uses evaporation to put the correct amount of moisture into the air instead of "spray" moisture into the air like other units. Filters last 3 months, although they appear dirty after a couple of uses we found out (after calling) that that is supposed to happen and it does not mean that they shouldn't be used. The tank is easy to fill and carry and the units fan adds that pleasant "white" noise that I actually found soothing. This unit is great if you want to take the guesswork out of using a humidifier. Will buy another for the living area.

Read Best Reviews of Vicks V3500N Cool Mist Humidifier 1.1 Gallon Here

I just bought this humidifier yesterday but I am very impressed with it already. My 5 month old has had a cough so bad it was making him throw up. Two nights ago (before the purchase) he had stayed awake almost the enitre night. Last night he slept great--9.5 hours with only waking up once. I turned the humidifier on the high speed which is loud, but this is a child who falls asleep to the vacuum cleaner. I have to say the room got cool but it sure helped a ton. Also it ran for 10 hours and still had water left, but we also have good water here in Memphis so I guess the length of time it runs has to do with the water condition. It was also very easy to open and fill with water. I love this product already.

Want Vicks V3500N Cool Mist Humidifier 1.1 Gallon Discount?

I have had my filter for 1 year and use it only in the winter to counteract the dry heat. Last winter I ran through 3 filter for the season, and this winter it looks like I will do the same. I want to consider a second one for my upcomming baby, but I am trying to see it there are any other better on the filters. The filters are $8-9 a piece. They grow mold very quickly. They last 3 weeks to a month. It is very quiet, feels good, and works great on my sinuses. But keep your nose alert for the mold smell, and prepare your pockets for the filters.

Save 26% Off

Vicks Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

I've read all of the reviews for this model, V-5100-NS and most of the reviews of its sister model, V-5100-N.

I think it's clear that without at least once weekly maintenance -IE, a full cleaning, probably with diluted white vinegar to help remove buildup this unit will eventually fail.

Is that the manufacturer's error?? No way!

A basic understanding of an atomizer, otherwise known as a nebulizer, actually functions will explain this.

The little metal plate at the bottom of this humidifier agitates the molecules of the water, along with... ALL OF THE DISSOLVED AND SUSPENDED SOLIDS IN THE WATER!

By contrast, a hot humidifier uses a heating element to raise the water's temperature high enough to cause the water to switch phases and become steam.

Since steam is really bad at carrying dissolved or suspended particles of anything it, all the minerals in your water are left behind on the heating element.

That is the white or colored gunk you will see on a typical hot steam generating humidifier.

This does not occur with ultrasonic humidifiers like the V-5100-NS because everything in the water is atomized. Everything it is agitated so much that it rips away from its adjacent molecules and becomes an ultra-fine mist.

Any and all contaminates in your tap water will be atomized and sprayed all over the place -this is how the humidifier works. It is not a design flaw.

It's important to note that in some cities, the PPM or parts-per-million of dissolved solids can be has high as 500 PPM or more -this might not seem like much, but at those levels you will be atomizing a lot of interesting minerals, with unknown effects.

So, if you want to use this product you are pretty much stuck using very filtered water (NOT just a Brita, I would recommend a decent reverse-osmosis system to really help lower the PPM) or just buying distilled water, which is actually very inexpensive if you buy in bulk. Do not buy distilled water at the grocery story -it'll likely be marked up a lot.

No humidifier is perfect, and all methods of creating a mist for use in raising the relative humidity of a space will have problems with water contaminants, unless you are using absolutely pure distilled water. This is a matter of physics and solubility, not some problem with the technology being used to generate the water mist.

Lastly, I've been using the model V-5100-NS for a while now and I have been very satisfied with it. It generates a very consistent stream of cool mist, and the fan is indeed very quiet. I've owned many other models of humidifiers, and this is absolutely the quietest by far. Could I sleep in the same room with it?

While this humidifier is spendy, it is quite worth it.

I have two of these humidifiers.

Pros:

1. High mist output very clearly visible. It's like a fog machine! 'WOW!'

2. Mist volume control many mist levels

3. Large water tank (20 hours of operation)

4. Direction control

5. Comes with it's own filter but if you use distilled water you won't need to use the filter.

It's not silent but it is NOT loud by any means. I can sleep uninterrupted with it. My older humidifier produces the same noise level but my older humidifier produces a different frequency which disturbs my sleep. The Vick's is far superior to my old one.

Cons:

Like any humidifiers you must keep it clean.

You have to keep the sonic agitator clean and free of dust/lint. A small bit of lint will negatively impact it's ability to produce high levels of mist. You don't even have to see the lint or dust.

Keeping the agitator clean is easy, don't touch it with bare hands I only have to use running tap water on the agitator and it's dust/link free and it works like new every time.

I have used this unit for weeks at a time when I'm ill and I have not seen any kind of 'white dust' that other people are reporting. I use tap water, I live in the NW so perhaps it the quality of water we have?

Great product.

Buy Vicks Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier Now

I agree with both most of the positive and negative comments about this humidifier. It is the best, but that doesn't mean it is good!

It is a total nuisance to clean, and even to fill. It is hard to turn a filled tank upside down to place on the bottom. What was anyone thinking? Did the designer of this thing ever use it? Pink slime develops in places impossible to clean, such as in the cylinder the mist flows through from the tank to the nozzle. The pink slime elsewhere can be cleaned more easily, but the base has narrow areas difficult to clean even with a Q-tip.

All complaints granted, mine and others, this is, unfortunately, still the best humidifier I have used. I've had mine for a couple of years, having given up looking for one that fills from the top or is easier to clean.

My advice: buy this one and also buy a large bottle of white vinegar, along with a supply of Q tips. It is a major PIA to clean, but worth it for the excellent mist. Dry it out completely after cleaning, at least once a week.

Read Best Reviews of Vicks Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier Here

After reading several reviews of humidifiers that all gave mixed opinions I ignored all of them and picked up this humidifier at a local drug store for $32. This humidifier is small, approximately 11"Wx6"Dx13"H, making it suitable to put on the floor or on a counter. It consists of two main parts, a white plastic base and a clear blue plastic container. The base has two sliding switches. One turns the unit on/off and the other adjusts the amount of water vapor being released in to the air. The blue container sits on top of the base and has a handle on top and a round screw-on part on the bottom to fill the container. It also comes with a filter that goes in the base. There is a round piece on top of the container that turns to adjust and direct the stream of water vapor. Pros: 1. In my opinion it is quiet, much quieter than the Bemis wicking humidifier I previously had. The sound level is comparable to a table top fan. It does make water noises though which I find soothing but could be an annoyance. 2. It runs for a long time without refilling. On the lowest setting 1 container full of water will last a couple days of continous run time. On the highest setting, it needs to be refilled once a day. 3. It has no wick, which would start to smell in the old humidifier I had. 4. No chemicals need to be added to keep scum from growing in it. 5. You can see the water vapor being released in to the air (so you know its working). 6. See through container. You don't have to open anything to see how much water is left. 7. Container fits in kitchen sink to be refilled. 8. Relatively easy to clean. Cons: 1. It has no automatic shut off when the water runs out or when the air has reached the desired humidity. 2. When the container is picked up to be refilled it drips so you need a towel with you. When the unit is running, the water empties out of the container into the base where it is turned into water vapor. So when you remove the container the base is still full of water. 3. It needs to be cleaned regularly, once a week at least unless you don't mind the scum that grows on it. The base has corners that you need a Q-tip to clean. It is recommended that it be cleaned with a damp cloth and a bleach and water solution and then rinsed well. We have extremely soft water so I don't know how long the filter that comes with the humidifier will last or how well it works in places with hard water. I would recommend this humidifier.

Want Vicks Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier Discount?

I have had an older model for probably 7 years and was just looking to see if I could another one. I remember when I bought it I had a problem getting it to work. It's water sensor can be touchy. I took it back and got a new one. I have had absolutely no problem with it in seven years! It is still working to this day. I have a small crack in the Water Tank but it is not leaking yet. It runs so quiet and humidifies the air nicely. When the kids are sick I lug it from room to room because the other three humifiers I have stuck under my bathroom sink are loud and do not put out as much mist. I don't use the Demineralization Cartridge, but I do use distilled water or softened water. I don't have any white dust. Jackie

Save 29% Off

Friedrich D50AP 50 Pint Dehumidifier with built-in drain pump, front bucket and continuous drain

Have only used this for a day, so this review does not address reliability.

Pros:

This unit excels at its primary function of removing water from the air. Was dropping my basement more than 1 point of humidity per hour (starting from 50% humidity and in conjunction with my old Whirlpool dehumidifier).

Amazingly quiet.

Nice set of controls including humidistat and self defrost. Humidistat setting goes down to 30%. Operation is limited to 41 degrees fahrenheit or warmer.

It has an internal electronic pump for self drain, or you can use passive gravity drain for continuous drain.

The instructions are written in clear english with some helpful tips.

Some cons:

Comes with castor wheels on the bottom and these wheels don't lock, so I have to block the tires to make the unit truly stationary (placing the wheels inside Gatorade bottle caps works well). Also, if you remove the wheels, the unit is not stable (there is a triangular piece of plastic that protrudes from the bottom, so the unit is very wobbly without the wheels).

The threading on the passive gravity drain was a bit off, so my garden hose would not attach as firmly as I would have liked. I used their included hose instead, which worked well.

No continuous run setting, so if the humidistat goes bad, unit won't work.

I gave it five stars because the cons were very minor in my book.

Also, for reference I comparison shopped this versus the Frigidaire FAD504DUD 50-Pint Dehumidifier and Amazon was selling the Friedrich at about the same price (a few $$ more). The Friedrich had two extra things going for it: 1) it has a built in pump to drain the water, 2) several reviewers reported problems with the Frigidaire gravity drain, which is a key feature for me. Seems comparable to the DeLonghi DD50P 50 Pt which was $50 more.

****** update *****

5-15-2013

Have run the unit for 10 months and it has been flawless. Air filter is also easier to access and clean relative to my old Whirlpool (which is not bad either). The drain system has also been working well. I continue to use the gravity drain attached to a Little Giant condensate pump (b/c I already had it set up for the basement drain), so have not been using the internal electric pump.

For reference, my basement stays around 59 degrees most of the year with a low of around 53 in a real cold snap. I have been pleased that this unit's humidistat seems to work very well, in that the unit shuts off and on as appropriate. I have a separate humidistat about 20 feet from the unit that confirms the unit's readings. All the more impressive because on some brands the humidistat is located in such as way that it is impacted by the operation of the de-humidifier and thus not as useful.

I bought this dehumidifier to replace an aging one in my basement. I decided to get the Friedrich D50AP because it has a built-in pump. That feature freed me to locate it in an optimal location and run the supplied 15' clear hose to my sink, rather than be limited to locating the unit near my floor drain and using a gravity drain hose.

There's an illuminated digital readout of the air's temp and humidity that's easy to read from several feet away so you can check the room's status at a glance. The unit will restart/resume if the power goes out.

The air moves in through the front of the unit and exhausts straight up from the top. There are no air vents on the rear or sides so you have lots of options where you can position the unit relative to walls and other things in the room.

I can't hear it running from the 1st floor when it's down in the basement. Standing next to the unit the compressor hum is barely audible, but the fan has two speeds... strong, and stronger, and both are very audible and may distract from a phone conversation or watching TV.

It heats the room quite a bit, so it would only be comfortable to use in living areas if the room is naturally cool or forcibly cooled.

As for its 50 pint performance, it has no problem handling a 1,500 square foot sump-pumped basement during rainy days and holds humidity below 50% (I have it set to 45%). As a test I put the drain hose into a bucket and it filled it up in less than a day.

Overall, I'm very happy with it. It appears to be a quality product. I will consider the Friedrich brand again. If you think the handy pump feature may be useful now or in the future, this model is a great choice. If you are planning to have it in your bedroom, office or where you watch TV, be aware that when it's busy dehumidifying, the powerful fan makes very audible air whoosh noise, even on the low setting.

Buy Friedrich D50AP 50 Pint Dehumidifier with built-in drain pump, front bucket and continuous drain Now

I bought 2 of these Friedrich D50AP in addition to a DeLonghi DD50P 50 Pt. Energy Star Dehumidifier with Patented Pump, to take care of a damp and musty basement problem at my mother's house.

I think these are generally nicer than the DeLonghi model, due to the fact that the Delonghi has a "pump" button that needs to be set to make the pump work. I tested a power failure situation and the "pump" light was not illuminated/reset once power resumed. The Friedrich has an automatic switch when you connect the pump hose. No need to have the 'pump' button set.

In terms of aesthetics, I think the Friedrich looks nicer, considering both the drain hose, and the pump hose is in the back. The DeLonghi has the pump hose right in the front of the unit. Since I'm using the pump/drain hose instead of manually emptying the bucket, there is no need for me to see how much the bucket is filled (a feature of the DeLonghi).

I did order two of these units, and one of them was producing a very loud humming noise. If I put a little pressure on it, it would stop the insane rattling. Clearly the product should not have passed QC, so I did return one of them. The one that is working, works like a charm and I personally think is a little better than the Delonghi.

Read Best Reviews of Friedrich D50AP 50 Pint Dehumidifier with built-in drain pump, front bucket and continuous drain Here

The Friedrich D50 Dehumidifier would not fill the bucket up before shutting itself off saying it had a full bucket. I called Friedrich who gave me several local service companys to call all of them said send it back since I did not purchase it from them. I am sending it back to Amazon who provided a return label and am going to order another one which is quicker than waiting on an exchange. Disappointed with Friedrich's service.

Want Friedrich D50AP 50 Pint Dehumidifier with built-in drain pump, front bucket and continuous drain Discount?

I am using this product in my basement. I bought it to replace an older Sears model. I found it to be quieter and like the continuous drain feature. I used it for a week before installing the drain and found the bucket was not very sturdy. Now that the drain is hooked up it is working out fine. Also it is an Energy Star product and it is less expensive to run than my older model. I would recommend this product only if you plan to use the continuous drain feature.

Save 28% Off

Boveda Medium Humidipak 72% 12 Pack

I had trouble keeping my humidity constant.. toss a few of these in, no more troubles.. I went one extra on their recommendation for mt size humidor. I write a date on them when I put them in and change out the oldest one every few weeks.