When kids get congested, many of us turn to a humidifier to lend moisture to the air and ease those plugged up noses and scratchy throats. The best humidifiers for baby are the right size for the nursery, easily cleaned and distribute a cool mist only. “When the temperature goes down, air becomes very dry, and this can lead to baby's dry skin, itchiness and a stuffy nose,” explains Dr. Allen J. Dozor, MD, professor of pediatrics and division chief of Pulmonology, Allergy and Sleep Medicine at New York Medical College. “A humidifier can help, as long as it is used properly and safely.”
My kids’ pediatrician has also suggested using a humidifier to help with a nighttime cough. Read on for our favorite humidifiers, including our top pick for the best humidifier for baby: the Honeywell HCM-350 Humidifier, a dishwasher safe, cool humidifier with a wide tank and minimal lights and noise to avoid waking baby.
To find the best humidifier for baby you'll want to seek out an easy to clean model with cool mist.
Illustration: Forbes / Photos: RetailersKeep in mind some additional safety precautions when setting a humidifier up in your baby’s room. Dr. Dozor provided these tips: keep the humidifier at least 6 feet from your baby, properly tuck away any cords, plug the humidifier directly into the wall outlet and thoroughly clean and dry the tank at least once per week as you need to watch out for mold. “The number one concern we have about humidifiers is growing mold,” Dozor says. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), also notes that it is best to use a cool mist humidifier in a baby’s room, because a warm mist humidifier can cause burns. Thus, all of the humidifiers I recommend here are cool mist humidifiers only.
After you have picked out the best humidifier for baby, consider the best humidifiers for adults, too, or stock up on more nursery essentials, such as the best gliders, sound machines and night lights.
Amazon
Fan speeds: 3 | Tank size: 1.1 gallons | Room size: 400 square feet | Run time: 24 hours on low | Additional features: Evaporative technology; dishwasher-safe tank
The Honeywell HCM-350 Humidifier has a large tank that’s easy to clean, which is one of the main reasons it’s our top pick for baby. Being able to keep the tank clean is the hallmark of a good humidifier. Simply throw this tank in the dishwasher or reach in and clean it with the wide tank opening. It can humidify rooms up to 400 feet, which should cover the size of most nurseries. It only has one small power light; there are no super bright display lights that will keep your baby up at night.
This humidifier uses evaporative rather than ultrasonic technology that many humidifiers use, which means there is no visible mist. With three fan settings, you can control the humidity in the room, although you can’t set a humidity percentage like you can with some of our other picks. With a large tank and up to 24 hours of run time, you won’t need to go into your baby’s room to refill the tank overnight. It does require a paper filter, which will need to be replaced with some frequency, depending on your water.
Amazon
Fan speeds: 2 | Tank size: 1.5 liters (0.4 gallons) | Room size: 245 square feet | Run time: 25 hours | Additional features: Optional night light; mist nozzle rotates
If your baby has a smaller room and you’re looking to save some money, consider the Pure Enrichment MistAire humidifier. It’s an ultrasonic humidifier that’s ideal for rooms up to 245 square feet, and it can run for up to 25 hours. It also has more than 100,000 reviews on Amazon with an overall positive rating of 4.2 out of 5. This humidifier also comes with a night light, making it ideal for the nursery. The water tank opening is relatively small, meaning cleaning might be more difficult than with other humidifiers. There are two fan speeds (most other picks have at least three), and the mist nozzle can rotate all the way around, allowing you to customize the position of the mist spray.
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Canopy
Fan speeds: 3 | Tank size: 2.5 liters (0.6 gallons) | Room size: 500 square feet | Run time: 36 hours | Additional features: Dishwasher-safe; continuous run; available in multiple colors
It doesn’t get easier to clean a humidifier tank than putting it in the dishwasher, which you can do with the tank of the Canopy humidifier. The brand also offers an optional subscription program to ensure you regularly replace the paper filter, which also helps to keep the whole operation cleaner. It doesn’t produce a big visible mist or steam; instead it relies on sensors to keep the humidity consistent. Select auto mode if you want it to adjust to the room. It also keeps running until it’s completely dry, which can help prevent mold. “It feels like it has created the perfect amount of humidity to my preschooler’s room this winter, which is great, because she has a nonstop runny nose,” says Rose Gordon Sala, the Forbes Vetted baby and kids editor, who has been testing the humidifier for several months. She also likes the white noise. I find it a bit noisy on the highest setting, but she prefers it. And no mold has grown in three months despite my spotty cleaning efforts.”
The tank is a bit smaller than some of our other picks, but Sala notes she needs less than half a tank of water for a single night in her child’s average size room. It comes in eight pretty colors and there are optional diffuser aromas to add. The lights on the display disappear a few seconds after choosing one of the three fan settings, but it does give off a dim glow.
Amazon
Fan speeds: 3 | Tank size: 1.3 gallons | Room size: 485 square feet | Run time: 50 hours | Additional features: Includes humidity sensor pod; built-in water filter
If your baby has a large nursery or is sharing a large primary bedroom with you, you’ll need a more substantial humidifier. The TruSens Ultrasonic Humidifier N200 has three fan speeds and can humidify a 485-square-foot room for up to 50 hours. It offers a 1.3 gallon tank, which is the largest of our picks. The tank opening is large enough to make cleaning easy.
After testing this humidifier in my home recently, I’ve found that it’s ideal for keeping the humidity consistent, so it’s also a good pick if you want to run one year-round or throughout a full season. You can set the humidity percentage and then place a humidity sensor that also functions as a remote on the other side of the room, ensuring the whole room is reaping the benefits of the humidifier. It has a touch display that can be turned off at night to keep the room dark. It also has a water filter that softens water, so this is ideal if your home has hard water.
Amazon
Fan speeds: 3 | Tank size: 3.8 liters (1 gallon) | Room size: 500 square feet | Run time: 24 hours | Additional features: Control remotely with an app; dimmable night light
Parents who like to stay connected will appreciate the Safety 1st Connected Smart Humidifier that works with the brand’s app, as well as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home virtual assistants. The humidifier can also be linked via the app to the brand’s other smart products like a monitor and a soother to get a full picture of your nursery. Parents can receive low water and time-to-clean notifications on the app, as well as notes on humidity level. Simply use the humidifier’s connectivity to adjust the humidity and read the temperature of the room: “Alexa, change the humidity level to....”
There are lights on the display that you can turn off to keep your baby’s nursery dark, or keep the optional, dimmable night light on. The Safety 1st humidifier is designed to work in a 500-square-foot-room for up to 24 hours. It offers three fan settings, and I love that parents can set the humidity percentage for the room. Although the tank is not dishwasher-safe, the opening is wide enough that it’s easy to clean.
Amazon
Fan speeds: Variable speed control | Tank size: 1 gallon | Room size: 500 square feet | Run time: 24 hours | Additional features: Animal designs; optional demineralization filter
Toddlers will be drawn to the fun animal designs in the Crane Adorables Ultrasonic Humidifier; they can choose between 10 animals (or a train). It has a 1 gallon tank and can run for up to 24 hours in a 500-square-foot room. It also offers variable mist speed control and a mist nozzle that rotates 360 degrees. While it doesn’t need a filter to function, you can opt to add a demineralization filter. The water tank opening is on the smaller side and cleaning every nook and cranny may prove difficult for some. You’ll find small red and green indicator lights on the front of the humidifier, which can’t be turned off but aren’t exceptionally bright. In fact, this small light might prove ideal for toddlers who are afraid of the dark. It’s earned a 4.6 out of 5 with more than 8,000 reviews on Amazon.
Amazon
Fan speeds: Variable speed control | Tank size: 1 gallon | Room size: 400 square feet | Run time: 24 hours | Additional features: Filter-free; LED technology kills viruses and bacteria
If you’re going to use a dehumidifier daily, it’s extra important to ensure you keep it clean to prevent mold. That’s why this antimicrobial humidifier is ideal. It uses LED technology to kill viruses and bacteria and prevent mold growth. The humidifier has a 1 gallon tank, and it can run for up to 24 hours in a 400-square-foot room. It also features variable mist control for you to adjust the level of humidity in the room. Those who prefer to keep a baby’s room pitch black might want to choose a different humidifier. The LED light is pretty bright—and you can’t turn it off. The tank opening is an average size; it shouldn’t be too difficult to reach in and clean, but it’s not wide open like some other models.
To select these top picks, I combed through reviews online, and we tested several humidifiers in our own homes and nurseries. I compared features and considered prices on similar models. I also spoke to two pediatricians: Allen J. Dozor, MD, professor of pediatrics and Division Chief of Pulmonology, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, at New York Medical College and Leslie Sude, MD, a Yale Medicine general pediatrician, to gain their recommendations on the best use cases for humidifiers in a baby’s room. After speaking to them, I looked for humidifiers that are easy to clean and only distribute a cool mist. This guide is updated regularly to keep up with the newest models; it was most recently edited in February 2023.
The most important feature to look for in a humidifier for baby or a young child’s room is cool mist. Dr. Dozor, Dr. Sude and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend cool mist humidifiers for babies as a safety precaution to prevent burns.
Many doctors recommend humidifiers in certain circumstances for babies. “If it feels really dry in your baby's room, and they are really uncomfortable, a humidifier, if used properly and safely, and maintained properly can definitely help. But remember to periodically let the water reservoir dry out completely,” Dr. Dozor said.
Many humidifiers are designed to run all night. According to Dr. Sude, “once the room has been humidified, I would recommend turning the device off. If rooms are over humidified, they can encourage the growth of mold.”
Both pediatricians interviewed here agree that babies do not need a humidifier, and yet, these devices be helpful in certain situations as outlined above, such as when a child has a cold or sleeps in a particularly dry and uncomfortable room.
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