Best Humidifiers for Babies
Nothing screams “winter!” like dry, cracked skin/lips and crusty snot. Never fear, humidifiers to the rescue! In addition to “just feeling good,” humidity can help relieve discomfort from common winter ailments, such as colds, flu and yes, even COVID. It also helps prevent illness by keeping mucous membranes moist ( <— did you know?).
I bust out the humidifier at the first sign of a cold, and I usually notice a drastic difference in my child’s symptoms. I own one for every kiddo, because inevitably, they all get sick at the same time. This is a registry item and winter essential must-have for me!
Without further ado, here are the best humidifiers for babies and kids.
* Always use cool-mist humidifiers for children. Warm steam could burn.
Vicks Ultrasonic Humidifier ~ $60
This cool mist humidifier with a 1.2 gallon capacity is great for medium to large rooms and doesn’t need a filter. It’s so easy to use — just fill the tank with water and you’re good to go. Adjust the volume to your preference. Bonus: it can give up to 30 hours of continuous soothing mist. Plus, it’s pretty small and very quiet, making it the perfect pick for baby’s nursery.
In addition, you can use Vicks VapoPads for added comfort. The unit will automatically shut off once empty. And unlike others, this tank has a wide opening for easy cleaning.
Pure Enrichment MistAire Humidifier ~ $33
I (Melissa) purchased this humidifier in addition to our Crane Drop (discussed below), which I also like. The tank is small (.4 gallons) but lasts all night on the high setting. It’s smaller and quieter than the Crane but the light is a little brighter (I just cover with a towel).
It’s simple to use, just push the power button to turn on and off — easy peasy. You can toggle through four settings – low and high (both with nightlight option).
Crane Adorables ~ $46
Rated highly by Consumer Reports, this one is cute and inexpensive — best of all, choose your favorite animal!
It’s very easy to use, just turn the knob to power on and adjust the speed. On the high setting, it will run all night and up to one day on the lower settings. It’s pretty quiet, doesn’t leak and doesn’t take up room to store. However, my (Meg) only qualm is the little light that acts as a nightlight; it’s bright, so I cover it with a dark towel.
Frida Baby 3-in-1 Humidifier, Diffuser and Nightlight ~ $44
From the makers of our favorite snot sucker, the NoseFrida – Frida Baby brings us this top-rated “cool mist” humidifier which can diffuse essential oils (not all humidifiers can do this!) in the cool mist and has a built-in color changing night light (which can be turned off!).
Okay, folks — that’s it — stay warm and moist!!
I think you should remove the VicTsing Cool Mist Humidifier from your list.
I purchased this based on your recommendation, and after about a week of working fine, it started making a terribly loud noise once turned on. The only way to make the noise turn of is to keep turning it on and off several times, but this wakes up the baby and/or makes my pug bark because it sounds like a vacuum cleaner, which in turn makes the baby cry. I wondered if this was just my humidifier that has a problem, so I started reading Amazon reviews…but there are many many people who have made the same exact complaint in the reviews. I wish I had read these reviews prior to purchasing, but I went with just your recommendation. I appreciate all that you do – and hope this is helpful. Thank you!
Hi Amy! Thanks for letting us know your experience. I’m so sorry this happened to you. Did you reach out to Amazon or VicTsing for a replacement? I wonder if you got a lemon.