The 4 Best Warm-Mist Humidifiers

The vast majority of humidifiers on the market emit a cool mist — but the best warm-mist humidifiers have their own set of benefits, and the best one for you will depend on the size of your space as well as additional features you’d find helpful. While they’re not recommended to use around children (or extra-curious pets) due to the potentially dangerous heating elements and steam produced, warm-mist humidifiers may have extra benefits, like being more soothing for nasal passages and could help to minimize bacteria in your environment, according to brands. As with any of the best humidifiers, you’ll also want to consider ease of use and cleaning — but for this category in particular, safety features are extra important.

What To Look For When Shopping For The Best Warm-Mist Humidifiers

Take these factors into account when picking out a warm-mist humidifier:

• Size: Figure out which room you’d like to humidify and consider its size. (Not all brands list the intended square footage alongside the intended room size, but when available, I’ve included that info below.) Typically, the larger the humidifier, the more effectively it’ll be able to humidify a large space — and the more water it can hold for fewer refills.
• Features: In addition to the size, keep an eye out for extra features you might like, such as a washable filter, an easy-to-carry tank, an essential oil tray, or a remote control.
• Safety: Finally, ensure that your humidifier of choice is safe for your home. This means that the heating elements are covered and protected, there’s an auto-shut-off feature for when the tank runs dry, and the interior is easy to clean to prevent the growth of mildew and bacteria.

Shop The Best Warm-Mist Humidifiers

In a hurry? Here are the top picks for the best warm-mist humidifiers:

1. The Overall Best For Bedrooms: PUR Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier
2. The Best For Large Rooms: LEVOIT Warm & Cool Mist Humidifier
3. The Budget Buy: Vicks Nursery Vaporizer
4. The Most Stylish Humidifier: Elecameier Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier

With all of that in mind, these are the best warm-mist humidifiers on Amazon. From one that toggles between cool and warm mist to a pick that’s incredibly sleek, these are all customer tested and approved.

1. The Overall Best For Bedrooms

In addition to its 20,000-plus reviews and overall 4.4-star rating, this Vicks warm-mist humidifier also has plenty of genius features. They include a one-gallon tank that can run for up to 24 hours, two settings of moisture output, a filter-free design that doesn’t require any replacements, and a wide tank opening for easy filling (and cleaning) when the time comes. It’s also super quiet and has an auto shut-off feature.

One Reviewer Wrote: “I bought one for each bedroom in my home and its really made a huge difference for all of us. The air gets really dry and it can make it hard to sleep but now I sleep like a baby. It's very quiet compare to others I've used and I like that I don't have to buy filters for it. Definitely a happy customer.”

Tank Size: 1 gallon | Intended For: Small to medium rooms | Size: 12 x 7.9 x 14.3 inches | Weighs: 4.4 pounds

2. The Best For Large Rooms

If you’re humidifying a large space, the LEVOIT humidifier has more than 31,000 reviews and a 4.5-star overall rating for a reason: It’s powerful, effective, and can easily handle rooms up to 753 square feet. In addition to its six-liter tank (approximately 2.2 gallons) that can run for up to 60 hours straight, it also has an ultra-quiet motor, an easy-to-clean interior, a built-in humidity sensor that adjusts accordingly, an auto-shutoff feature, and an aroma tray for your essential oils. Last but not least, it can produce both cool and warm mist, and there’s an intuitive remote control so you can change the settings from afar.

One Reviewer Wrote: “FINALLY .... A Humidifier that actually lives up and exceeds to what the manufacturer says it will do.This Levoit humidifier is "outstanding"! It is simple to use, extremely quiet and will do exactly what it's designed to do. The remote is a huge plus as well. I enjoy the added feature to add your favorite aroma essential oils (located on the lower right side of the unit), simply slide out the tray and add some drops of your favorite essential oil to give your room a very nice scent. I have used this humidifier in my large living room as well as in the bedroom.”

Tank Size: 2.2 gallons | Intended For: Large rooms (up to 753 square feet) | Size: 7.7 x 11.6 x 11.3 inches | Weighs: 4.9 pounds

Also Available On: Walmart, $88, Lowe’s, $90, and Macy’s $90

3. The Budget Buy

The Vicks Vaporizer is a great warm-mist humidifier all on its own because it has a one-gallon tank capacity, auto-shutoff feature, and filter-free operation for convenient use. It’s also easily the most inexpensive option on this list. And it’s compact in size to not take up too much space. However, the night light doesn’t turn off, so keep that in mind.

One Reviewer Wrote: “Very compact, holds a gallon of water, which is enough to last through the night and then some. The "night" light on it is dim and not bothersome. Doesn't make much noise, and has been effective in raising the humidity in my bedroom at night.”

Tank Size: 1 gallon | Intended For: Small to medium rooms | Size: 7.5 x 11.2 x 12.3 inches | Weighs: 1.9 pounds

4. The Most Stylish Humidifier

Typically, humidifiers are clunky and consume a lot of space on your floor or other surfaces. The Elecameier humidifier is the exception. Yes, it’s capable of creating both cool and warm mist with three different levels; it also has a built-in timer, an essential oil tray, a demineralization filter, a 2.3-liter tank (about 1.5 gallons) that can run for up to 20 hours, and a remote so you can change the settings without getting up. However, it sets itself apart from the competition in three ways: It can be placed on the floor in the corner of a room, it comes in three chic finishes (including two wood-grain-look options), and it has a slim, sleek profile that you’ll love looking at. It also automatically shuts off when empty. However, it might not be the easiest to clean, and one customer noted, “Be sure to use distilled water.”

One Reviewer Wrote: “I wanted to add moisture to our dry midwestern winter air for my houseplants in my living room, but I did NOT want an ugly industrial looking humidifier in my living room! I love the contemporary designer look of this humidifier. It's plastic (making it easy to clean) but looks like wood and blends in with my decor. It churns out a lot of mist, silently, and is easy to refill.”

Tank Size: 1.5 gallons | Intended For: Small to medium rooms (up to 270 square feet) | Size: 16.9 x 11.4 x 7.6 inches | Weighs: 3.6 pounds