When I first started looking for a humidifier (my wife's asthma tended to flare up in coughing fits when the humidity dropped), I realized that there seemed to be no such thing as a "perfect humidifier"! After reading through as many reviews as possible, I realized that I wanted one that needed minimal cleaning, was pretty easy to fill, wasn't too loud and did a job of raising the humidity for a fairly large area (about 1200 sq.ft) without leading to other side effects (micro dust, mold and bacteria proliferation etc.). After ruling out "warm mist humidifiers" due to the heavy cleaning needs, "ultrasonic humidifiers" due to the micro dust generation, and "in line humidifiers" due to the intensive upfront installation labor requirements, I settled on the "cool mist" HCM-300T. It promised quiet operation, cleaning needs of only once a month (the UV light is supposed to reduce 99% of bacteria growth) and the capability to humidify "medium to large" areas as for the filling, I had come to the conclusion that no portable humidifier would help that daily chore!
The HCM-300T worked pretty well for the first 3 weeks wife loved it since her sleep was much better, without any coughing whatsoever. However, given the absence of a built-in hygrometer, I could never figure out exactly how much of the work was being done by the HCM and how much by Mother Nature. Also, filling the water container every night turned out to be quite the juggling experience since it hasn't been designed to stand upright on its own ....in other words, you are going to have to be standing right beside it, holding it in position! On the positive side, the water seemed to stay fresh without any mold/bacteria, even though I didn't engage in any cleaning during the 3 weeks. However, during Week 4, while carrying the water container back after a refill, the lid came off (unfortunately it has been designed such that the handle of the water container is on the lid!) and the container fell down into the tub with a thud, waking up my worried wife! On further inspection, I didn't notice any leaks, so having reassured my wife that I hadn't broken any bones, I refilled the container, gingerly carrying it back to the base unit. To my dismay, when the unit was switched on, water started spraying out of the bottom of the unit through the slots that normally cool moist air flows through and soon I had water all over the carpeting. Not sure whether this was triggered by the fall, but the water leakage never stopped from then on. Needless to say I had to return the unit!!
Based on this experience, I have added three more items to my "must-have" list: a built in hygrometer (that way I can actually judge performance on those really dry days), a rugged water container (so it can outlast the tumbles that I am certain it will be taking!) and a unit that has its air outflow from the top rather than the bottom, making sure that water doesn't leak out due to gravity. Wish me luck!!
We bought two of these in fall 06. After two months use, one of the units had a fan failure. It ran noisily for a few days prior to the failure, then ground to a halt. I called Kaz's customer service (the Honeywell name is licensed), and they agreed to send me a new one free. After five months use, the second unit failed in exactly the same way. This time, customer service required me to pay $20 for a new one to be shipped, and they required in each case the return of the defective one at my cost for shipping. They are simply NOT durable! We now have one in service, with the other as a backup since we anticipate a product failure this winter. One other thing: they are awkward to fill. The water chamber has a curved bottom so it will not sit flat in your sink. You have to balance it with one hand, and operate the faucet and put on the lid with the other. This design defect is SO obvious it makes you wonder how function followed form in product design. You also need a fairly deep sink or a tall spigot to fill it without tipping it and spilling. The filling problem is aggravating since you need to fill it at least twice daily. As far as ability to humidify, it works reasonably well, and is fairly quiet. But I wouldn't recommend this unit at all after living with it.
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The only positive thing I can say about this humidifier is that it looks better than those big boxy ones. Oh, and I guess the fact that ours hasn't leaked on the floor (like some other reviewers have had) could be considered a positive. It usually doesn't even last a whole night before running out of water and it's not like I live in the desert...our house can't be THAT dry. Yet, the room is still dry and we still wake up with sore throats and dry skin. We've had other humidifiers that worked fine, and I'm noticing that those usually shot the humidified air out the top (you know...into the air!). This one shoots the humidified air out near the floor, so it would take 3 days for the room to fill with humid air. The thing rarely shuts off unless the outside air is more humid on that particular day. Speaking of shutting off...doesn't this thing have an automatic shut off when it runs out of water?? Ours NEVER shuts off, so when it runs out of water the fan dries up the filter (which you aren't supposed to do). So every night I have to refill the tank and re-soak the filter (which you're also not supposed to do, but I'm not putting in a new $10 filter every night). We haven't been bothered by the noise...it's what you'd expect from any other fan. It's just a constant hum that we kind of like since it drowns out other outside noises.
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Pros
Humidity increased 10% all over the room
Big tank.
Large hole to fill tank.
Small footprint
No dust
Looks good compared to most.
Great price for such a big improvement.
Cons
Filter needed changing within 1 month.
Breeze from fan is quite chilly, but we have it facing a direction away from seating area.
Putting the tank back can be a little cumbersome. It's easier if it is on a low surface.
Awkward to fill tank because it has a slanted top, you either have to prop it up or hold it the whole time.
We have tried 10+ humidifiers and nothing could compete with this, even a $200+ humidifier. Considering how much better the house feels it was worth every penny plus more.
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After reading the previous reviewer's comments I was quite surprised. This humidifier changed the humidity in my entire 1 bedroom apartment from 48% to 60% in less than 1 hour. It only uses 1/2 of the tank of water over a 15-hr period. I didn't experience a browning tank or filter, although I filled the tank with filtered water purposefully so it wouldn't have to be cleaned as often. I hardly notice it when it cycles on because it is so quiet. It does cycle on and off but usually stays on for about 60-90 min and then off for the same amount of time. Perhaps the last reviewer didn't notice a change in humidity because his room was already at 60% this is the upper limit the humidifier can reach according to the manufacturer. There are no wet spots on my floor, no condensation on the windows, and no white dust from metals in the water vapor. The only thing I was a little disappointed about is that if the fan is facing you, it can make you a little chilly, but not enough to really bother me. It was very easy to set up, and I love that it doesn't look like an awkward box sitting in the middle of the room. Would definitely recommend it without reservation.
Nice little humidor that conditioned properly over a few days and continues to keep nice cigars at near-perfect humidity levels. The front-facing humidity gauge could be higher quality, for sure. I ended up having to return my first humidor and request a replacement due to the gauge being SO far off and refusing to calibrate with a small screw driver. The second unit was much, much better and I haven't had to mess with it since the initial calibration. The 1st and 2nd unit I got were very different humidors. The first had a loose-fitting silver gauge, the 2nd was brass. The box had different physical dimensions too, so make sure if you order that you get what you paid for. The 2nd unit was MUCH nicer than the 1st... the gauge fits, works, and the finish on the exterior is SMOOTH and untextured.
