Improved design, humidifies well, but a bit noisy

Author's Rating:

Pros: Good value, humidifies well, decent aesthetics.

Cons: Noisy even at lowest setting. Fan only points in one direction. Filter replacement expensive.

The Bottom Line: 
Good cool-mist humidifier under $50.

Author's Review
This machine works well, and is not expensive. Seems a good run for the money for any other humidifier in its class. It does a very good job humidifying my room in a very dry part of the country.

It is easy to operate. The buttons have clear functions: on-off, three speed settings, and a humistat. And the humidifier is not an eyesore. The different and unobtrusive LED lighting on the buttons is a plus.

The water tank design also improved. Some previous models (see the other HCM humidifiers) feature the "twin towers" design -- one "tower" for water tank, and the other "tower" for the fan. This means it's easy to damage the water tank in transit, as one tower would knock against the other.

Alas, there is a drawback to the new tank design. The top of the tank is curved, and does not allow one to set the tank down flat upside-down when refilling it or (most troublesome) when screwing the cap on to seal it after filling it.

Alas, the moniker "QuietCare" is an exaggeration. Even at the lowest setting the noise is significant to a sensitive person. Fortunately it is white noise that most can probably sleep to.

The fan also spews out air in one direction -- horizontally. This doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. Wouldn't it make more sense to blow up? Humid air is dense, and will stay low to the ground.

The filters are also expensive to replace ($10-$18). This humidifier includes an antibacterial ball that supposedly retards mold growth, and thereby extending the life of the filter. I haven't used the humidifier long enough to know how well this works. In my experience, Honeywell cool-mist humidifiers need a new filter every month, unless breathing in the air that has been through a mold-blackened filter does not bother you.

I'd recommend this model for someone shopping for a cool-mist humidifier under $50.