which is better evaporative or ultrasonic humidifier

by Tamia Abbott Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Ultrasonic Humidifiers: The Good and the Bad

Highly efficient in humidifying the house.
Quieter than evaporative humidifiers.
Little maintenance required.
You can add inhalants to use them for aromatherapy.
Safe as they have no hot surfaces or steam.
Smaller in size given fewer parts and minimal mechanisms.

Full Answer

Which is healthier ultrasonic or evaporative humidifier?

Evaporative Humidifiers When it comes to healthy indoor air quality, this evaporative type is a better choice than ultrasonic or vaporizer units as they have more ability to self-regulate and prevent over-humidification.

What is the healthiest type of humidifier?

The type you choose is ultimately up to you, but in general, cool mist humidifiers are the safest option (especially if you have children or pets around), according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Warm mist humidifiers, meanwhile, run hot and have the potential to cause burns if you get too close.

Why is evaporative humidifier better?

The evaporative humidifier is a popular design because of the filter's function which traps mineral scale and reduces the risk of fine white/gray scale dust filtering to the room. Mineral scale dust is usually barely noticeable.

Are evaporative humidifiers healthier?

Evaporative humidifier safety Advantages: Also inexpensive, these are both cool and clean. A recent Consumer Reports study found that this type emits neither bacteria nor minerals. Disadvantages: Filters quickly get dirty and need frequent changing.

Are ultrasonic humidifiers any good?

Ultrasonic humidifiers offer a few advantages over evaporative humidifiers. They are very good at humidifying the air. In fact, they can add so much moisture to the air that this advantage becomes a drawback, resulting in over-humidified air that causes dampness and mold.

What type of humidifier is best for dry air?

Top pick. Levoit LV600HH Hybrid Ultrasonic Humidifier. ... Best whole-house humidifier. Aprilaire 700 Whole-House, Fan-Powered Humidifier. ... Best cool mist humidifiers for small and medium-sized rooms. Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier. ... Best cool mist humidifier for large rooms. ... Best warm mist humidifier. ... Best combination humidifier.

Can you use tap water in evaporative humidifier?

Typically, your household tap water is going to be perfectly fine for your humidifier. As we mentioned, humidifiers are simple things so they don't really need fancy water. That said, be aware that tap water contains minerals that can possibly affect your humidifier.

Why do ultrasonic humidifiers stop working?

Blocked Diaphragm: The issue of a blocked diaphragm occurs when an ultrasonic humidifier isn't cleaned. For long-term users, not cleaning their devices can lead to the vibrating membrane being clogged by dirt or other substances. These substances can be insects that could've accessed the inside of the humidifier.

What are the benefits of an ultrasonic humidifier?

Instead of electricity, these units use vibrations to vaporize water. This makes it much safer than hot water humidifiers, which can be extremely hot to the touch. Ultrasonic Humidifiers are also usually much quieter than traditional humidifiers.

Do evaporative humidifiers leave white dust?

Evaporative humidifier and warm mist do not release white dust. Unlike ultrasonic humidifiers which emits a lot of white scales, evaporative types have filters or wicks included. These filters confine hard minerals that can potentially harm the air and produce white dust.

Which type of humidifier requires the least cleaning?

Filter-free humidifier The warm mist humidifier doesn't require replacement filters and can run up to 24 hours on just one tank of water.

What's the difference between a humidifier and an evaporator?

Unlike evaporative coolers, humidifiers work with the air inside your home, so there is no need to open windows, but like swamp coolers, humidifiers help purify your air, as well as add moisture to your indoor environment.

Is a warm mist or cool mist humidifier better?

Warm-mist and cool-mist humidifiers are equally effective in humidifying the air. By the time the water vapor reaches your child's lower airways, it's the same temperature regardless of whether it started out warm or cool.

What is the best humidifier with Filter or no filter?

Here are the best filterless humidifiers.Levoit Cool Mist Humidifier. Best Overall. ... Dreamegg Quiet Cool Mist Humidifier. Quietest Filterless Humidifier. ... Geniani 4L Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. Most Attractive Design. ... Everlasting Comfort Humidifier with Essential Oil Tray. ... Vicks Filter-Free Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier.

What type of humidifier is best for sinus problems?

Product recommendationsLevoit LV600 Hybrid Ultrasonic Humidifier. ... Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier. ... Pure Enrichment MistAire Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier. ... Honeywell HCM 350B Germ Free Humidifier. ... Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier. ... TaoTronics Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier. ... Hey Dewy Portable Facial Humidifier.

What is the difference between cool mist and warm mist humidifiers?

A warm mist humidifier heats water to produce steam that humidifies the air. A cool mist humidifier releases tiny water droplets into the air.

What is an ultrasonic humidifier?

An ultrasonic humidifier uses high-frequency sound vibrations to produce an extra-fine water mist that is then expelled to add moisture to the room. It's the quieter of the two types of humidifiers. The ultrasonic generally has no filter factored into its design, which saves operation costs.

How much does an evaporative humidifier cost?

A good unit designed for a moderately large room (500 square feet) will cost about $50. However, when you consider the cost of replacement filters, the cost advantage of an evaporative humidifier becomes less relevant.

How long does an ultrasonic humidifier last?

Lifespan. Both ultrasonic and evaporative portable humidifiers will last two to five years if they are properly maintained. Even the best-maintained humidifiers are prone to the build-up of mineral deposits over time that can be hard to remove, and that will indicate the need for a new appliance.

How many square feet does a humidifier cover?

Humidifiers have ratings that show what square footage they'll cover within a 24-hour period. For example, a personal compact humidifier can humidify 25 square feet (best for a desk area), but a model rated for 100 square feet would be best for a small bedroom.

Why is an evaporative humidifier so popular?

How do humidifiers work?

The most basic way to humidify a room is to place a pot or jar of water in the room and allow the moisture to naturally evaporate into the air to relieve dryness. An evaporative humidifier works on basically the same principle, but it uses a fan to speed up the evaporation of water and increase humidity in a room. The built-in fan draws in air that blows through a moist wick filter at the bottom of the humidifier . As the water evaporates into vapor, it's pushed out as water mist or spray into the air to increase humidity.

Why are portable humidifiers bulky?

Portable evaporative humidifiers are a bit bulkier in appearance because they need room for filters, fans, and fillable tanks. A wick filter can be quite large and takes up most of the space inside of a humidifier's casing. The type of filter used varies considerably depending on the appliance's design. With most, the filter will require routine cleaning or replacement. Some evaporative models are also designed to provide aromatherapy during the humidification process. Very few models in this category are non-filter units that simply churn out a water mist or vapor.

How does an evaporative humidifier work?

This humidifier evaporates water in the air as much as possible , without spraying as the ultrasonic models do.

What is the best humidifier for sinuses?

Also, ultrasonic humidifiers are ideal for people with sinus problems.

Why do ultrasonic humidifiers run quietly?

Although some evaporative humidifiers run optimally quietly, most ultrasonic humidifiers operate more quietly precisely because they do not have a fan, which keeps noise levels down.

How does an ultrasonic humidifier work?

Inside the ultrasonic humidifier, water from the tank will be brought to the ultrasonic plate. When the device is turned on, this plate vibrates and emits ultrasonic that will break the water into an extremely fine mist. The fan will then send this mist to the outside to increase the humidity level.

Why use an evaporative humidifier?

This is because they have filters that keep dist and other particles out. Also, due to their efficiency, these humidifiers are suitable for large rooms.

Why is evaporation technology so popular?

The humidifier with evaporation technology is particularly popular because of its filter. This also catches mineral deposits and thus reduces the risk of fine particles entering the room. Also, keep in mind that some compact evaporative humidifiers don’t have a built-in filter. As a result, they emit less moisture and the dust is barely noticeable, if at all.

How much energy does an ultrasonic nebulizer use?

Ultrasonic nebulizers use very little energy compared to other methods

How long do humidifiers last?

Evaporative and ultrasonic humidifiers have similar lifespans which is about 5 years with good care. Eventually, they get mineral deposits and other issues which force you to replace them.

What you might save in the purchase of an evaporative humidifier?

What you might save in the purchase of an evaporative humidifier may be what you spend on filters and other replaceable parts not needed in ultrasonic humidifiers. Essentially, they cost roughly about the same over the useful lifespans.

How does a humidifier work?

The sonic vibrations produced by the humidifier evaporates the water in tiny droplets which carry the minerals and other substances in them. As the water evaporates or settles on surfaces in the room, the mineral particles form some very fine dust particles on them. With time, this dust becomes notable and it can be quite hard getting rid of.

Why does my humidifier have white dust?

Ultrasonic humidifiers produce a white or gray dust especially when the water used is hard or has some minerals in it. The reason for this is the lack of a filter (like it is in the evaporative humidifiers) to capture the minerals in the water .

How does an evaporative humidifier work?

On the other hand, evaporative humidifiers work by blowing air over a wick filter to the room. The wick increases the surface area of the natural evaporation of water. Blowing air over the filter further increases the rate of evaporation thus adding most to the room.

What is an ultrasonic humidifier?

Ultrasonic and evaporative humidifiers are two of the most popular cool mist humidifiers (no heating element used in generating moisture). They both add humidity to the house although their working mechanisms, noise levels, sizes and maintenance routines differ.

Why are humidifiers bigger?

However, the evaporative ones will be slightly larger as they need to accommodate fans and filters. Both types of humidifiers will be larger when they have extras such as clocks, LED lights and large water tanks.

What is an evaporative humidifier?

Instead of two ceramic plates like the ultrasonic humidifier, the inner part of an evaporative humidifier has a wicking filter and fan. It draws water and uses the fan to blow cold air through the wicking filter for evaporation .

What is an ultrasonic humidifier?

Ultrasonic humidifiers are portable and mostly come in a teardrop shape. There are several other designs available in the market as well. Some of them consist of a fillable tank inside them, where some are small enough to fit inside a glass.

Is an ultrasonic humidifier more expensive than an evaporative humidifier?

You have to decide here if you want to pay more upfront or pay less first and then invest later for a replacement. Ultrasonic humidifiers are generally more expensive than evaporative humidifiers.

Do ultrasonic humidifiers leave dust behind?

Since they don’t have a filter to absorb the mineral deposits, they discharge more dust than an evaporative humidifier. Those mineral deposits eventually land on furniture and electronics in the room.

Do humidifiers get hot?

Since ultrasonic and evaporative humidifiers don’t use heat to create mist, the surface doesn’ t get hot. There’s no burn risk, and you easily place them anywhere without having to worry about safety. However, since these two don’t boil the water, there are chances of bacteria contamination. Let’s cover that in the next part.

Is a humidifier safe for pets?

Safety is a major concern. But with both of these humidifiers, you don’t have to worry about that. Compared to other humidifiers like a warm mist one, these two are considered a much more suitable option if you have pets and kids at home. That’s why we have decided to add it in this ultrasonic vs evaporative humidifier debate article.

Can you carry an ultrasonic humidifier around?

Ultrasonic and evaporative humidifiers are usually portable in size. Since they are mostly single-room humidifiers, you can easily carry them around from one room to another.

How does an evaporative humidifier work?

An evaporative humidifier works with a wicking filter and a fan. Water is drawn out from a basin into the wick, which a fan blows to evaporate the water into the air, increasing humidity.

How does an ultrasonic humidifier work?

An ultrasonic humidifier works with two ceramic plates underneath a basin of water, often called the diaphragm. The two plates vibrate at a high frequency to separate the water into microscopic droplets released into the air, increasing the humidity of a room.

What is the difference between an evaporative humidifier and an ultrasonic humidifier?

A major difference is that evaporative humidifiers are more likely to have heaters than ultrasonic. This gives you a better range for temperatures. If you live in a warmer climate, then you’ll want warmer water to humidify a room. There are very few ultrasonic humidifiers with warm water, giving you fewer options.

Why are humidifiers called cool mists?

The vibration is above the frequency of human hearing and so is silent. They are often called ‘cool mist’ humidifiers as there are no heating elements inside.