Humidifiers are good for fighting the dry air in winter, which can cause dry skin, allergies, and breathing problems. They can also help ease symptoms of a cold or flu. But, choosing the right humidifier for your home can be hard with the many different types available on the market.
In this detailed guide, we've gathered lots of information to help you understand the different types and the best humidifiers in New Zealand. Our goal? To help you make a smart choice when picking the best humidifier for your specific needs. So, get ready, and let's dive in.
Our Top Picks
For a quick purchase, here are our top three humidifiers for New Zealanders:
Breville Smart Mist Humidifier
Best dual mist humidifier with a 4-litre water tank, high-performance auto sensor, and app integration for easy control.
Philips 2000 Series Humidifier
Best evaporative humidifier with natural evaporation technology, digital display, and a control panel for medium-sized rooms.
MistAire Ultrasonic Humidifier
Best humidifier with 360-degree mist nozzle, low/high mist settings, nightlight, and a built-in humidistat for small rooms.
Top 6 Humidifiers for Kiwis — Reviews and Comparisons
Read our detailed review and comparison of the top six dehumidifiers available in New Zealand. We’ll discuss each product's standout features, strengths, and areas where they could be better - arming you with all the finer details to make an informed decision.
1. Breville LAH508GRT Smart Mist Humidifier
Best Dual Mist Humidifier
The Breville LAH508GRT is a high-performing, premium cool, and warm mist humidifier perfect for small to medium-sized rooms. This high-end unit seamlessly syncs with the Breville Home Connect App for effortless control of humidity levels on the go.
Pros of Breville LAH508GRT Humidifier
To begin with, the Breville LAH508GRT has dual mist technology; you can conveniently toggle between temperatures, adjusting to weather changes and your personal preference.
Its generous 4-litre water tank, which pops up effortlessly and is easy to fill, is ideal for small to medium-sized rooms. Although you have to turn it upside down for a quick refill under the tap. And per the manufacturer’s recommendation, it's best to use distilled or clean tap water that's low in magnesium and calcium.
Breville's humidifier also includes a high-performance auto sensor that daily checks room humidity and temperature. The auto mode then adjusts humidity levels between 40 to 65 percent based on your room's temperature. Plus, the app integration allows for easy control without the need for the remote or the touch buttons. You can even set routines through pre-configuration.
What Can Improve?
As with any technology, Breville’s humidifier is not without its hiccups. The model we tested displayed an EF error and stopped working altogether. However, the folks at Breville did a great job of replacing the faulty unit. The replacement has been problem-free.
Our Verdict
The Breville LAH508GRT, with its dual cool and warm mist function, is a highly versatile unit you can control with touch buttons, a remote, or the convenient Breville Home Connect App. It works fine for any small to medium-sized space and is backed by high-end technology.
2. Philips HU2716/70 2000 Series Air Humidifier
Best Evaporative Humidifier
The Philips HU2716/70 is a stylish evaporative humidifier that's great for small to medium-sized rooms. It has a 2-litre water tank that can run continuously for 24 hours. This small but powerful device also has smart sensors to distribute humidity in your room evenly.
Pros of Philips HU2716/70 Humidifier
Stealing the spotlight is the natural evaporation technology used in this device. This ultra-hygienic means of humidification delivers a fine, invisible mist to the naked eye, offering an ultra-hygienic experience. What's more? It saves your lovely furniture from any white powder residues and your floors from getting drenched - a perfect fit for everyone in the family.
It's specially designed for small to medium-sized rooms at an impressive rate of 200 ml per hour. All you have to do is select the right humidity level for your room, such as 40, 50, or 60 percent, and the smart humidity sensor will intelligently maintain your preferred humidity level.
The Philips HU2716/70 humidifier also has a digital display on top of the unit that keeps you updated on the humidity levels in real time, which we find incredibly useful. The control panel includes flashing water level and timer indicators.
What Can Be Improved?
While the device provides information about the humidity levels in your space, the display isn't very user-friendly. Additionally, it's essential to be prepared for the occasional filter replacement. The HU2716/70 requires changing filters periodically to maintain the device's optimal performance. You have to familiarise yourself with filter maintenance and always keep a spare.
Our Verdict
The operation of this unit is almost self-explanatory, and it’s pretty simple to set the humidity level. Its 360-degree diffusion humidifies the air evenly throughout the room, ensuring your breathing space is always comfortable.
3. Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Best Ultrasonic Humidifier
The Crane 4-in-1 is a stylish ultrasonic humidifier for large rooms. It has a 1-gallon water tank for 24 hours of moisture from a single fill and an auto shut-off feature that kicks in when the tank's dry.
Pros of Crane 4-in-1 Humidifier
You can hardly go wrong with the Crane 4-in-1 for ultrasonic humidifiers in New Zealand. The cool mist this model disperses remarkably improves humidity levels and keeps your home cool during summer.
This uniquely drop-shaped humidifier produces a whisper-quiet fine mist that helps you handle a range of skin and respiratory issues. You can change the direction of the fine mist with the 360-degree nozzle. What's more? The variable controls mean you can tailor the humidity levels to your preference.
The 1-gallon water tank is also excellent for 24 hours of work. Still, if the water level drops faster than you had anticipated, the auto shut-off function will power down the humidifier when the tank is empty to avoid any mishaps. And although you won't need a filter to run this humidifier, there's an optional slot just in case you fancy one.
What Can Improve?
The Crane 4-in-1 could undoubtedly do with a redesign of the water tank. It doesn’t balance properly during refills, meaning you'll have to hold it in place. The lack of a filter is also an issue. So, we used distilled water to reduce maintenance time. You may incur additional filter costs if you use tap water.
Our Verdict
The Crane 4-in-1's ultrasonic cool mist, coupled with the 360-degree nozzle, ensures you're breathing is comfortable no matter where you are in the room. However, if your tap water has high levels of magnesium and calcium, you might want to consider buying a filter. We recommend this for home or office setups for its quiet and super-efficient operation.
4. Dyson AM10 Humidifier
Best for Whisper Quiet Operation
The Dyson AM10 is a high-end ultrasonic humidifier that rocks a sleek design while operating so silently that you'll forget it's even in the room. Its sleep timer and automatic shut-off features are real energy-savers, perfect for eco-conscious users.
Pros of the Dyson AM10
One of the biggest challenges with most humidifiers is the gunk build-up in the tank. This is a cause for concern as it raises questions about the water quality emitted by the unit. The AM10 has a transparent water tank, allowing you to easily see when it's time for cleaning. This transparent feature ensures that you can maintain the safety and purity of the water.
But that's not all. The AM10 goes the extra mile to ensure a hygienic environment; it uses ultraviolet cleanse technology, a nifty feature that helps kill bacteria. The water is exposed to UV light for approximately three minutes, eliminating harmful microorganisms. It also comes with air multiplier technology, improving your home's air movement.
Dyson's humidifier has a built-in humidistat, taking the guesswork out of maintaining optimal moisture levels. It automatically detects the air's humidity and adjusts the output accordingly, ensuring a balanced and comfortable environment. With the AM10, you can breathe easily, knowing that your air is not only moisturised but also free from harmful bacteria.
Room for Improvement
The small tank capacity is first on the list of things Dyson has to improve on this model. They claim the reservoir can last up to 18 hours. But in our case, we had to refill the tank at least daily.
The fill hole on the tank is also relatively small, which makes refilling a little challenging. We had to hold the tank while refilling it due to its shape. Similarly, the small hole only allows for passive cleaning.
Verdict
Despite its minor shortcomings, the Dyson AM10 is a worthwhile investment. The see-through tank, air multiplier technology, UV cleanse technology, and aesthetically appealing design make it a perfect addition to your home. It is also the first Dyson that humidifies air and circulates it.
5. Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Humidifier
Best for Small to Medium-Sized Rooms
The Pure Enrichment MistAire is a compact and affordable ultrasonic humidifier perfect for small to medium-sized rooms. It features a 1-litre water reservoir that can keep the humidifier running for up to 16 hours on a single fill. The device also has a built-in humidistat and an automatic shut-off for added safety.
Pros of Pure Enrichment MistAire
This humidifier comes into its own in those chilly winter months when the air's dry and you're battling congestion. It's compact enough to fit a bedroom or any other small to medium-sized room. To fill, lift the tank, unscrew the filling hole, and top it up with tap water. It's designed to fill upside down, which is easy to do under the tap.
The smart features of this humidifier are also a godsend. You can fine-tune the exact amount of moisture you prefer with a 360-degree mist nozzle and low and high mist settings. Plus, for maximum relaxation and a soothing glow, there's an optional nightlight you can flick on. And for ultimate peace of mind, there's a built-in humidistat and an auto shut-off mode, so you don’t have to leave your bed to switch it off manually in the middle of the night.
Room for Improvement
Even though the Pure Enrichment MistAire runs relatively quietly, it does emit a slight bubbling and gurgling noise that might be a bit bothersome for light sleepers. We had to pay close attention to observe any noise and didn’t find it a dealbreaker as it was hardly noticeable. The quality of the tank was another minor concern for us. It seems a tad fragile and could potentially break if dropped.
Our Verdict
Despite the faint bubbling noise, the Pure Enrichment MistAire is a fantastic device that'll make your bedroom a much more comfortable place to sleep. No more waking up to nosebleeds or stuffy noses, just fresh, moist air all year round.
6. Devanti DIFF-166-LW Aroma Diffuser Air Humidifier
Best Aroma Diffuser Air Humidifier
The Devanti DIFF-166-LW is a powerful air humidifier, a versatile unit that works as an aroma diffuser, purifier, night light, and humidifier, making it a great investment if you’re looking for a feature-rich model that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Best Bits of Devanti DIFF-166-LW
With Devanti DIFF-166-LW, you are sure to create a calm and peaceful sanctuary in your home. Designed to be whisper-quiet, this tranquil technology creates a cooling vapour to combat dryness in your home. We were particularly impressed by the seven colour-changing LEDs. Select your preferred night light to create a peaceful space that helps revitalise your body and mind.
The large 600 ml water tank holds the perfect amount of water, which allows the unit to go up to 18 hours without a refill. And with two mist adjustment modes, you can set the aroma diffuser air humidifier to work intermittently or continuously.
For safety features, this aroma diffuser air humidifier doesn't disappoint with its waterless auto shut-off function. It smartly powers off when the tank is empty, making it a safe choice for any household.
What Can Improve?
While the Devanti DIFF-166-LW offers a lot of positive features, it could benefit from some improvement - the intensity of the aroma diffuser. User reviews mention that the intensity of the fragrance could be enhanced for a more pronounced aromatherapy experience, and we agree. This would make it more effective for larger spaces.
Our Verdict
The Devanti DIFF-166-LW makes a gorgeous centrepiece in any room, day or night. This beauty will infuse your space with moisture-filled air and allow you to reap the benefits of soothing aromatherapy.
How Do Humidifiers Work?
Humidifiers are nifty devices designed to add moisture to the air, effectively preventing dryness that could lead to discomforts such as dry throat, parched skin, cracked lips, persistent coughs, bloody noses, irritated eyes, sinus headaches, and other respiratory issues.
In New Zealand, the most common types of humidifiers are the ultrasonic, evaporative, and impeller types. Although each of these variants works differently and comes with unique attributes, they all serve the same core purpose – to enhance indoor air quality by adding moisture.
So, how does a humidifier improve the humidity level in a room? Simply put, it forces extra moisture into the air through various methods – ultrasonic, evaporative, and impeller. Let’s quickly discuss each one of these types.
Ultrasonic
An ultrasonic model produces moist vapour through mechanical action on the water molecules. But, in this case, the water molecules are agitated through ultrasonic vibration. This causes the water to break into very fine droplets and disperse into the air through an outlet.
Evaporative
An evaporative humidifier is a cool mist humidification unit. It works by speeding up the natural evaporation process. It comes with a built-in fan for blowing air through a filter where the air absorbs moisture. But this type requires periodic filter replacements.
Impeller
This type is similar in working to an evaporative humidifier but uses a rotating disc (impeller) that runs at high speeds. As the impeller rotates, room air is drawn into the humidifier through the air inlet. It is then mixed with the mist around the impeller, and the fan blows the humidified air out of the spout into the room.
How to Choose the Best Humidifier?
When purchasing a humidifier, it’s essential to consider the size of the room you’ll be using it in, your budget, and the most important features. Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your decision:
#1. Consider your room size
Make sure to choose a humidifier that is appropriate for the size of your room. Larger rooms require a humidifier with a larger water tank and higher output, while smaller rooms can get by with a smaller, more compact humidifier.
You must also consider convenience and portability when selecting the correct humidifier for your room size. The device you choose should also be well-built and stable.
#2. Evaluate the humidifier type
As mentioned earlier, humidifiers come in three types: evaporative, impeller, and ultrasonic. Ultrasonic humidifiers are known for generating cool mist using high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations. In contrast, evaporative humidifiers use a filter or wick to absorb water. This water is then released into your room, increasing the atmospheric moisture.
Lastly, impeller humidifiers are nifty devices that use a spinning disk to create a fine mist. Each type has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. So, weigh which would align the best with your specific needs.
#3. Examine the features
Another aspect worth considering is the features your potential humidifier has. Some humidifiers have additional features, such as a built-in humidistat, automatic shut-off, sleep timer, and filter indicator. Consider which features are most important to you, and ensure the humidifier you choose has those features.
#4. Check the price
Humidifiers can vary significantly in price. So, make sure to set a budget and stick to it. Remember that more expensive humidifiers may have more features or be of higher quality. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a great humidifier at an affordable price. You can get good deals when looking for the best humidifier in NZ at Briscoes and other marketplaces.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about using and maintaining humidifiers.
How often do I need to clean my humidifier?
We recommend emptying and refilling the tank with distilled water daily. Emptying your humidifier once a day prevents the growth of mould and bacteria that can happen with stagnant water. Consider cleaning it more thoroughly once a week. But you can clean it more frequently if you notice any discolouration or build-up in the water tank.
How do I know if my humidifier is working properly?
Here's a quick tip: Use a hygrometer (a tool that measures humidity) to check the humidity levels in your room. Preferably, the humidity level in your room should be between 40% and 60%. If the humidity level is lower than 40%, your humidifier may not work properly.
If you don’t have a hygrometer, you can check the water level in the reservoir. A steadily decreasing water level generally indicates a well-functioning humidifier.
Can humidifiers cause mould or mildew?
Yes, if not cleaned properly and regularly, a humidifier can promote mould or mildew growth. Make sure to clean your humidifier as recommended and use distilled water to prevent mould or mildew growth. Also, a humidifier (especially evaporative type) that is poorly maintained may lead to humidifier fever.
Mark
Wrapping Up
Choosing the perfect humidifier isn't just about price or brand; it's about matching your unique needs, from the room size to the type, desired features, and budget to find the ideal fit for your unique needs.
Don't forget the importance of regular maintenance for your chosen humidifier – it's key for both the longevity of the device and maintaining its health benefits. With the range of high-quality humidifiers now available in New Zealand, you're well on your way to finding the humidifier that's just right for you.
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