10 Easy Pieces: Humidifiers

Did you know that humidifiers come in surprising shapes, sizes, and materials (several with interesting design names attached)? Or that proper humidification maintains the quality of wood furniture, reduces static electricity and dust, and wards off winter sickness? Here are 10 models to consider.

Above: The Oskar Humidifier uses an integrated hygrostat to support exact humidification. Available in white or black, it’s silent, has an automatic shut-off action when the tank is empty is, and LED control lights that can be dimmed to night-mode. Included is an optional fragrance dispenser; $149.99 from Horne.

Above: The Chimney Humidifier, designed by Takeshi Ishiguro, delivers cool hydration with a silent ultra-sonic system. The Chimney has an automatic low-water and tip-over shut-off function for safety, and an 18-hour continuous run time on a low setting; $200 in light blue, shown here, at West Elm; it’s also available in pale green at Design Within Reach. For more. see our previous post, World’s Most Beautiful Humidifier? An admirer of Ishiguro’s humidifier is industrial designer Leon Ransmeier who told the New York Times, “It looks like an industrial smokestack, and it works like one, too. The mist comes out so far away from the ground that you’ll never get any condensation.” Ransmeier himself is the designer of a humidifier, though it’s still in prototype phase.

Above: The Stadler Form Hydra Ultrasonic Humidifier has a large transparent water tank that holds up to 1.6 gallons, a demineralization cartridge to avoid white deposits, and an “ionic silver cube” to inhibit the growth of mold bacteria; $119.99 from Stadler Form.

Above: Italian company Il Coccio produces a series of low- tech ceramic humidifiers created by interesting names, including Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola. Each Il Coccio humidifier is designed to work when filled with water and set atop a radiator, making it a supremely easy solution–and an improvement over the old pot of water approach. Milan industrial designer Giulio Lacchetti created the sculptural Vapor Factory, shown here, which emits steam through its chimney. The Vapor Factory is $69 from All Modern and is also available through Gracious Home.

Above: The Air-O-Swiss 7145 Ultrasonic Humidifier has an industrial strength titanium membrane surface for fast dispersal of mist; it humidifies rooms that are up to 540 square feet large; $139.99 from Amazon.

Above: Takashi Hiroshi Tsuboi’s Middle Colors Humidifier is available in two sizes: the 9-inch W model, shown here, emits a cool mist from an ultrasonic humidifying element, while the similar looking 12-inch H has a hybrid function: it sends either a cold or warm mist (through a built-in heating element) depending on room temperature. Available in 15 colors from Gizmine, the humidifier is priced at $119 to $179 depending on size.

Above: The Crane Germ Defense Digital Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier creates up to 2.5 gallons of moisture per day, runs up to 55 hours, and includes antimicrobial protection to fight mold and mildew in the water tank; $109.99 from Amazon.

Above: For humidifying on the go, the Air-O-Swiss Travel Ultrasonic Humidifier works with any standard water bottle. Using high-frequency vibrations, it generates a micro-fine cool mist; $38.34 from Amazon.

Above: The Crane Drop Shape Cool Mist Humidifier provides up to 24 hours of moisture on a medium setting and is suitable for rooms of up to 250 square feet. It’s energy efficient and available in a variety of colors; $44.99 at Target.

Above: Designed by Naoto Fukasawa for Plus Minus Zero, the Humidifier S (Aroma) has a sleek and tall profile, and, via an aroma pot, disperses the fragrant oil of your choice as it humidifies. In addition to white, it comes in red and brown; $219 from Generate.

Not too moist, not too dry: measure the humidity of a room with an Analog Hygrometer and see more of our 10 Easy Pieces posts profiling the best of small appliances.