Cool Moisture Humidifier, HCM350

Thanks for all the suggestions! I ended up going with a Honeywell HCM350B, hooked up to an Aeotec smart switch (probably overkill, but reliable). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJTVHKO It's hard to compare the last 48 hours with the previous few days as the temperatures are wildly different (like 30 degrees F warmer), but it does make a huge difference in my 20 foot by 20 foot room. In the last week, the humidity range was between ~17% and ~27%. Since the humidifier it's been ~26% - 43%.

This is what I use currently and within your budget. Tap water safe and easiest cleaning I’ve found so far - not non existent but much easier than others. I also buy a generic filter every 30 days and replace it so be aware that’s an added cost . https://a.co/d/dWKQPhI That said I’m thinking of trying the Levoit 6000s 2.0 as I’m tired of filling up everyday and rotating the filter for two of them (one in each bedroom).

No. they all suck and it is frustrating. An ideal situation is to have a whole home humidifier and just have to keep ontop of one filter and cleaning but of course not everyone can do that (and those have their issue too). I'm also a busy working parent and just decided to try going without a humidifier this year and see how it goes. Try to see how they do. In the past, i've utilized the Honeywell HCM350 and run what parts i can through the dishwasher and clean the rest as best as i can as often as i can (prob every 2-3 weeks realistically). I keep eying the Levoit 6000s but i don't have a spacious place and don't have excess funds at the moment or the capacity to try something and deal with returning it, etc. all this to say, as a parent, you are not alone, it is super frustrating and i wish there was an easy to use humidifer for our little kiddos. I grew up with sinus issues and at this point in my life, i feel like i've tried so many humidifiers and am just tired of it.

I also live in WI. Do not buy any ultrasonic humidifier. What you need is a wicking humidifier like the honeywell HCM350. Easy to clean. Don't need distilled water. 

Been happy with our Honeywell evaporative humidifier. I’m not sure the model exactly as it’s older but the HCM350 seems to be at least very similar if not the same

Mine are all in small bedrooms; you’d probably need slightly larger models for a living room. I did use the HCM350 for a few years, but after a while, the threads on the tank lid stopped sealing properly which made it really annoying to refill. The model smaller than that didn’t have this issue as soon, but they stopped making them, which is when I bought the Walgreens version of the same size. These have seemed to last me about 6 years of daily use in winter only. Last year I bought an EV100 whose tank lid seems to be better designed (1/8 turn twist to lock, instead of threaded) but I’m not sure the airflow to/through the flat wick is as effective as the round ones. For a larger space, maybe Vornado’s larger models are worth checking out? The Venta ones look interesting, a different design altogether with no wick. I’d be interested to hear opinions on those!

I just replaced an HCM350 with an EV100 in my bedroom last year (this is my second winter with it) I had the Honeywell for 7-8 years, running it nighty from October through March. In Chicago for half those years and now in PA. The Honeywell worked great! The reason I replaced it was the threads on the cap of the tank stopped aligning correctly, so after filling the tank and doing my best to screw the lid back on (which ended up being a pain after a few years) it always dribbled a little when I inverted it back onto the base. Once it was there, it didn’t leak or anything, and the humidifier still performed well, so I lived with it for a year or two before I became fed up with it. The Vornado doesn’t have that issue, it doesn’t have the same type of screw-on lid. The lid of this tank kind of just twists ~1/8 turn to lock. It does run louder, so if that matters to you, the Honeywell is much quieter. Because of this, I almost never run the Vornado on high. Even the low speed is louder than the HCM’s medium. HCM’s low is almost inaudible. About the filter in the Vornado- it’s flat, and the incoming air hits it right in the center. So, even if you flip it periodically, the same middle band area gets dusty and crusty (minerals from hard water). Regardless, I seem to have been getting about 6 weeks out of the filter, same as the Honeywell. YMMV depending on usage/water hardness. TLDR: Vornado louder. Honeywell had tank lid issues after 5-6 years of use. Both are effective in a bedroom.

We have an ultrasonic in our bedroom and a matching one in our home office. We use distilled water. It's cheap and makes maintenance a snap. I had one of the big evaporative ones years ago and it was a PITA.

The model we have is discontinued, but it's somewhat similar to this one. [https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HCM350B-Germ-Humidifier-Black/dp/B00FJTVHKO/ref=sr\_1\_2](https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HCM350B-Germ-Humidifier-Black/dp/B00FJTVHKO/ref=sr_1_2)

Smart switch and humidifier. I like my Honeywell HCM-350 a lot. Gets the whole room humid very quickly