LEVOIT - Classic 160 Top-Fill Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

The misting humidifier that I just got (a Levoit from Amazon) has made my dry eyes feel SO much better that i had to post about it. Humidifiers are old news to many of you, I'm sure, but not one of three different ophthalmologists that I've consulted over the years had ever recommended such a simple solution, and I'd never seen them suggested anywhere). Every year at this time (winter), my dry eye symptoms get really bad (I stare at a monitor all day for work), and nothing (not eyelid scrubbing, Rx antibiotic ointment from ophthalmologist on eyelashes, heated eye pads with massage, etc.) did any good. It finally occurred to me that if my eyes were drying out in winter that I could just try a humidifier. I live in the Pacific Northwest where it rains all winter long, so dry air wasn't something that came to mind, but just putting a little mister that raises the humidity from about 40% to about 55% a few feet away on my desk has made my eyes feel much, much better. Hallelujah! It's not a cure, but it's a big help! [See Side-by-side humidifier comparison: Levoit ultrasonic vs Vicks warm steam for more information](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dryeyes/comments/1hulke2/sidebyside_humidifier_comparison_levoit/).

Here it is. Levoit mister, $40: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2C9NHZW?ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_fed\_asin\_title&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2C9NHZW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1) A note of caution: ultrasonic humidifiers like this atomize \*everything\* in the water, including any bacteria and minerals. The droplets are microscopic (in the nanometer(!) range), and so can penetrate deep into your lungs. If you're using an ultrasonic mister, you should be using distilled water, or, ideally, deionized. They recommend washing it every few days too. (Most of the parts can go in the dishwasher.) And don't leave water in the mister reservoir when you're not using it. As an example of how they can vaporize (bad) stuff other than water, when I first filled the Levoit mister, I poured in water from a gallon jug of distilled water that I had, but I forgot that I had added table salt to the water for flushing out my sinuses. The water was as salty as seawater, and the mist it made created a white fog in the room that left a white deposit on tables and the stereo and everyplace where it landed. Breathing sodium chloride probably isn't too bad for you, but if you are seeing "white dust" after adding hard water, you are probably breathing calcium sulfate deep into your lungs, and that is probably not good at all. RTFM and follow the instructions! An alternative is an old-fashioned, boiling-water vaporizer like this one from Vick's for $18. They don't vaporize bacteria or minerals, but they use a lot more power to boil rather than ultrasonically pulverize the water. Still, steam is probably a safer choice than mist in the long run. Vicks steam vaporizer: [https://www.amazon.com/Vicks-Vaporizer-Nightlight-Auto-Shut-Moisturized/dp/B0000TN7ME/ref=sr\_1\_4?crid=3V7OKWFPYCS3C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qGSNZau0IJH1DcCwDxak0uEA0CmwujKvrDYaaY6kLpNaaZMGbAtbrahVOvMdVTH\_MTQAmAib7ug-IzpJBj\_FxA9q4R2iaNHaw78usHgaA2gzNuzmIF5xuocOSMn7zGb\_qxUpwtX4m\_xvUB7\_L35JJimFdU3z9RLnVrlsA9rotGTdThtwGe-tYicyJs1VKOGVeMT-wLU0ZcSmU570MIgoB73C2NvcoFS\_hQ5uulNveBYOVoksDIbb-0g2MckhWr-87fWwRJoTVJ9H\_xgt4-CGEJTthVhBLNe5Fza32078KLa0BPuINoLgWbGWAzwcxbt-HT4xOGxw0Vv\_wcu16v1CR6e80TF5M9BXFxNfZo73\_WM.-22zy6u7cvi4Tnw5hWtIEYmlja5vAlhoH-CViByIaCE&dib\_tag=se&keywords=steam+vaporizer&qid=1735078556&s=home-garden&sprefix=steam+vaporizer%2Cgarden%2C184&sr=1-4](https://www.amazon.com/Vicks-Vaporizer-Nightlight-Auto-Shut-Moisturized/dp/B0000TN7ME/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3V7OKWFPYCS3C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qGSNZau0IJH1DcCwDxak0uEA0CmwujKvrDYaaY6kLpNaaZMGbAtbrahVOvMdVTH_MTQAmAib7ug-IzpJBj_FxA9q4R2iaNHaw78usHgaA2gzNuzmIF5xuocOSMn7zGb_qxUpwtX4m_xvUB7_L35JJimFdU3z9RLnVrlsA9rotGTdThtwGe-tYicyJs1VKOGVeMT-wLU0ZcSmU570MIgoB73C2NvcoFS_hQ5uulNveBYOVoksDIbb-0g2MckhWr-87fWwRJoTVJ9H_xgt4-CGEJTthVhBLNe5Fza32078KLa0BPuINoLgWbGWAzwcxbt-HT4xOGxw0Vv_wcu16v1CR6e80TF5M9BXFxNfZo73_WM.-22zy6u7cvi4Tnw5hWtIEYmlja5vAlhoH-CViByIaCE&dib_tag=se&keywords=steam+vaporizer&qid=1735078556&s=home-garden&sprefix=steam+vaporizer%2Cgarden%2C184&sr=1-4)

Bacteria and minerals, both, and the microscopic droplets carry both deep into your lungs.

I'm going to assume that when you say "evaporative," you mean a boiling-water steam humidifier (and not some kind of swamp cooler water-wicking gizmo). I think that boiling water units are safer because they don't aerosolize minerals, viruses, and bacteria (and anything else that might be in the reservoir--cooties), and because by boiling they would seem to be kind of self-sanitizing. I'm putting distilled water in this ultrasonic mister now, and at about a gallon a day, the cost kind of adds up, and more importantly, having to buy and haul in multiple 20-pound plastic jugs to feed the thing every week is kind of a pain. Misters use a lot less energy than boilers, so they are significantly cheaper to run. I have also read that the misting action is more efficient than boiling. But the real answer is that I was just curious about ultrasonic misters and think they're kind of interesting, using a piezoelectric ceramic element to vibrate the water a couple of million times a second to make droplets so tiny that they just disappear--kind of cool. When I was a kid in the 60s, we had a boiler-type humidifier--a "steamer"--that had a heating element submerged in a clear glass gallon jug. The only steam unit that I can find today is a $17 plastic Vicks unit at Amazon that boils water by running an electric current through the water. I do think that I'll eventually switch to one of those just because they're safe for use with ordinary tap water, and at $17, they're cheap enough to try on a whim, but they sure do cost a lot more to run...

[**I am loving my new misting humidifier**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dryeyes/comments/1hllzos/i_am_loving_my_new_misting_humidifier/), was well received, so I'm following up with a comparison of the two humidifiers I've been using. (The comparison turned into quite the little science project, as you can see, but increased humidity has made my dry eye symptoms much better, so it seemed worth the time and worth sharing.) **In short, the Vicks steamer wins for me because it:** * Can humidify three times as well (and possibly more) * *Is* ***$13.50 a week cheaper to operate*** (because there's no heavy, expensive distilled water to buy and haul) * Can tolerate significantly less cleaning without becoming a health hazard However: * The hot steam the Vicks emits could be a concern for people with children or pets. * Having to plug in and unplug the Vicks because it has no power switch can be a real annoyance if you have to do it every day. |[Levoit Top Fill](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C2C9NHZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)|[Vicks Warm Steam](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000TN7ME?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title)|Comments| |:-|:-|:-| |Ultrasonic mister|Boiling water steamer|| |$29.99|$17.98|| |17 watts|I measured about 100 to 300 watts. (The Vicks support site says "a maximum wattage of 638.")|Power to keep the Vicks boiling 12 hours a day costs me about 20 to 60 cents (depending on how vigorously it boils, which varies with the conductivity of the water; 1.5 grams of salt added to our very soft water made it draw 300 watts).| |Vaporizes 160 milliliters of water per hour|Vaporizes 480 milliliters of water per hour|**Vicks steamer put three times as much water into the air** (but that varies with the amount of water in the tank and salt added to the water).| |Silent|Soft gurgling|Vicks gurgling is audible but not annoying; it's almost soothing.| |Requires distilled or deionized water to prevent it from aerosolizing bacteria and minerals in very tiny droplets.|Can use tap water|**You'll carry home 60 pounds of water a week costing $17.50 for the Levoit** (if you're using one gallon of distilled water a day at $2.50/gallon).| |Requires frequent cleaning to prevent it from aerosolizing bacteria and minerals in very tiny droplets.|Tolerates infrequent cleaning|**Vicks requires significantly less maintenance to ensure it's safe to use.**| |On/off min/max dial|No power switch. Plug and unplug to turn on and off.|**Plugging and unplugging the Vicks every day is a pain.**| |36-square-inch footprint|100-square-inch footprint|Vicks need three times as much counter space.| |Temperature not a concern|Emits hot steam and tank gets warm (\~115F)|**Hot steam from Vicks could burn kids or pets and is probably more likely to cause damage if the unit is placed too close walls, furniture, etc.** The warm tank full of 115-degree-Fahrenheit water could affect the finish of furniture it's sitting on over time.| |The Levoit mister is small, simple, and not unpleasing in appearance.|The Vicks steamer is big, blobby, and not pretty.||

LAVOIT I love to spoil my plants even if it's not necessary they appreciate it

The great thing is that you don’t need to buy an expensive humidifier. We had a large unit that was almost $200 from QVC. When it stopped working we bought a Levoit 2.5 ml Humidifier from Amazon it’s on sale now for $29.99 & regular price is $39.99. You will need to buy Distilled water to fill the humidifier. You can’t use tap water. We were happy with the Levoit one that we used in 2024 & looking forward to using it in 2025!

I have 2 of the Levolt 2L humidifier running all winter. It's not easy to clean, but it is way better than any other one I've found. I don't use distilled water and I get a white powder coating around my air vents. It requires me to change my furnace filter more often. I have looked into machines that produce distilled water but I don't think they would keep up with the amount I need. The Ice on the windows is more about the window quality, you could try using the plastic film insulation.

I use Levoit (got it on Amazon), it’s a top-fill, which is pretty convenient. Cleaning is a breeze too!

I have a Levoit top fill humidifier. It’s super quiet with an adjustable knob for humidity levels. I used the filtered water on my fridge (personal preference) but think it would be fairly easy to clean periodically if tap water was used.

I’ve tried multiple and I feel like no matter what they get moldy🥲 best I’ve found is the Vicks 3-in-1, it serves us well when emptied and dried daily, and fully cleaned every few uses. Frida baby 3 in 1 immediately got moldy, as did our levoit top fill. But the ultimate winner is a whole home humidifier. We splurged($1000 for install and humidifier) because we have number 2 coming in August and I despise the upkeep of room humidifiers.

We have a cool mist humidifier in our daughter’s room. It definitely makes a difference. My recommendation, get one you can clean easily and that you can use essential oils in. The brand we have for her is Levoit, can be bought on amazon. We previously had the Fridababy one and it was a pain to clean so I wouldn’t recommend that one. For us in our room, we have a Leviot cool and warm mist humidifier that automatically adjust to the air…10/10. We only use purified water in our humidifiers.

it’s okay! it works and does help with humidity but i wish it had a digital humidistat to turn it self off. the unit is also fairly large and i wish it was smaller. I also wish the tank was bigger as it’s kind of annoying to flip the filter and refill it everyday. I probably could do it every other day. I will say that the filter stays relatively clean after using the deminirlization tablets and aftermarket filter from amazon. Also being able to throw like most parts in the dishwasher is awesome for cleaning . comparing this to a previous levoit ultrasonic and i like that it’s way more healthy. No mold in tricky spots (yet anyway) and i feel like i can do an easier job of keeping it clean for my son. I do change the wick every 30 days as well .

I've researched this extensively and have a couple of different recommendations based on how high maintenance you want to get. If you want ultrasonic/misting humidifiers where you can see the mist coming out, you should use distilled water so it's not launching mineral deposits and contaminants into the air. My levoit works well and is easy to clean. If you want something you can just run purified/filtered or tap water into, you can get an evaporative humidifier. I have a Sharkzilla that works well and also a cheap one from Walgreens that works great. If you want to check how well they're working, you can get a hygrometer. I keep two in my place in different rooms. All the above I mentioned work really well. I'd clean with vinegar once a week and it's good to dry out the filter and swap with a different one once the water runs out. That will help with bacteria/mold.

We have had the same Levoit for about 4 years now, and run it every day once we start using heat in the house. We like it because all the pieces that touch water come apart and can be cleaned, which we do about once a month. We also bought a distiller, which helps keep the mineral buildup down.

I like Levoit as well.

I’ve got a Levoit humidifier too, also live in a super hard water area. I only use distilled water in it to extend its lifespan and avoid having to descale reguarly. I always have distilled water in anyway for some of the more sensitive plants.

I second Levoit. All 4 of my humidifiers are Levoit

I swear by Levoit humidifiers. We have a smaller one in the bedroom and the big Oasis Mist in the living room.

I have been through 5 humidifiers in the last 3 years, but my Levoit is going strong. I second this recommendation.

At that price they won't be BIFL, but you can still get some decent stuff. Here's some options for the small room: [https://hiarthur.com/?share=32b1481c-32d8-49e0-8920-d721a2991666](https://hiarthur.com/?share=32b1481c-32d8-49e0-8920-d721a2991666) And here's some for the big room: [https://hiarthur.com/?share=af627ced-d4a3-4d79-948e-9673beb00d6b](https://hiarthur.com/?share=af627ced-d4a3-4d79-948e-9673beb00d6b) If you want it strictly under 150, you can get the Dreo combo. If you're willing to spend a bit more, get the Levoit - it'll be a big step up.

I use a Levoit humidifier but I only use it because of my alocasia and lemon tree. My monsteras don’t care about humidity. I mist the leaves every other day just because. My local big box hardware store has huge evaporative humidifiers (much better than ultrasonic because you can use tap water) for $120. They use these wicking filters that are replaceable. It’s designed for a space 2,000 sq ft. That’s what I’ll be buying soon. It’s called Essecks Aircare. Vevor also has a commercial one for about $100. My small Levoit basically does nothing to change the whole home humidity. I have the vent port dumping directly onto my two needy plants. I’d get the Aircare if I was you. A small humidifier is almost $100 anyways.

I use a levoit and stick to distilled water and no problems so far! I also use stratia lipid gold + another layer of moisturizer on top. But I find that making sure you put a hydration layer BEFORE barrier repair + moisturizer is really important. I mist my face with Avene thermal spring water, and then apply 2 layers of K-Beauty toner to my face. While my face is damp, I’ll apply a hydrating serum. And then while my face is 50% absorbed of the hydrating products, I put stratia lipid gold + moisturizer on top. If I just use stratia lipid gold + moisturizer, my face feels tighter/dry in the morning.

This.  I don't have a washer and dryer hookup so bought a comfee portable washing machine that hooks to my sink and does an amazing job spin drying the laundry so I just hang them up to dry in my bedroom. Lately at night the humidity in my bedroom is 20-25% with my Levoit humidifier next to my bed. Do laundry and it'll jump to 60-70% for the night.

And if you’re not looking to spend $400, Levoit makes a great room humidifier that doesn’t leak (like most cheaper models do). $30.

Would NOT recommend the above product! Me and my girlfriend purchased the same but ended up replacing it with a “levoit” which is 100x better.

Our Levoit was a headache the whole time between frequent cleaning and half the time it wouldn’t work (red light of death)