How We Selected
Avoiding dry skin and the respiratory issues associated with chilly fall air is easy with these top-rated humidifiers.
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Health - Injuries Best Big City Marathons that are exacerbated by dry air, a humidifier can be a valuable investment. These handy little machines add moisture to the air, raising the humidity, and generally make it easier for your respiratory system to do its job. This humid air can also help combat the frustrating and painful cracked skin on your hands and face.
Even if you don’t suffer from any serious ailments, a humidifier can have another positive benefit: better sleep. By reducing the chances of a dry nose or throat, you’re more likely to sleep soundly and wake up less frequently during the night.
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What to Consider
The first thing to consider when choosing a humidifier is the size of the space you’ll be using it in. By doing some quick math and multiplying the length and width of your room, you can figure out its square footage. Then, use this number to compare with the maximum square footage specs of your potential humidifier. This can keep you from purchasing a unit that is too weak to be effective, or wasting your money on one that’s too powerful for what you need.
You should also think about the running time of your potential humidifier. If you’d prefer to not worry about frequent refills, and want more of the set-it-and-forget-it type of unit, make sure to choose one with a long enough runtime. At minimum, you should make sure your unit can run for at least 8 or 10 hours, so it can function all night without running out of water.
If you’re interested in using essential oils or other aromatics with your humidifier, make sure to choose one with a specific reservoir for these products. Don’t just assume that you’ll be able to just add them to the main water tank, since this may reduce its effectiveness.
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While researching options for this guide, we consulted several online forums and reputable review websites—including our own The 6 Best Walking Pads for Your Home Office—to find the most popular and reliable humidifier models on the market today. After compiling a list of the top picks, we narrowed down our choices to make sure we were offering a good variety of types, sizes, and styles. We also kept pricing in mind, so regardless of the type of unit you’re looking for, you should find one that fits in your budget range. We then finalized our list by eliminating any products that had frequent customer issues or had been discontinued.
For more simple tools that can help make your skin healthier in a hurry, check out our picks for the best hand creams, Best Smart Humidifier, and sinus or allergy issues.
Before joining Runner's World, Gabrielle Hondorp spent 6 years in running retail (she has tested top gear from shoes, to watches, to rain jackets which has expanded her expertise—and her closets); she specializes in health and wellness, and is an expert on running gear from head-to-toe. Gabi began her journalism career as a Digital Editorial Fellow for Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine, and has since advanced to a Runner's World Editor specializing in commerce. She has a double degree in English and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College where she also ran cross country and track.
Alex Rennie is a freelance writer who specializes in the Home Improvement, DIY, and Tool space. As a former residential and commercial carpenter, Alex uses his hands-on experience to write practical buying guides, how-to articles, and product reviews. His work has also appeared in Business Insider's Insider Picks, and before his writing career, he was a full-time carpenter living in New York City. There, he worked as part of a team designing, building, and installing large furniture pieces, as well as performing a variety of home repair and maintenance projects. Alex currently lives in Los Angeles, CA, and spends his free time exploring the beaches and mountains with his fiancé and their dog Louie.
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