Many people turn to humidifiers in drier months (or climates) to help relieve common issues like allergy flare-ups, congestion, and dry skin. Which one you choose for your living space, though, boils down to a number of preferences beyond just performance. We tested Pure Enrichment’s humidifier every night for a week to see not only how effective it is, but also if its extra features enhanced or detracted from the product overall. Read on for what we found.
Setup Process: Straightforward
If you take a quick look at the user manual, the Pure Enrichment humidifier is pretty simple to set up. After finding a place to set it—the manufacturer recommends placing it at least six inches from the wall—just separate the tank from the base, twist the tank lid open, fill it with water (unfiltered tap water works just fine), reattach the cap, and pop it back on the base. After following these instructions, we plugged it in, hit the power button a few times to set the humidifier to high, and it quickly released a steady stream of mist.
Design: Petite and Modern
Despite its small, 1.5-liter tank, the MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier can run for up to 16 hours—a pretty impressive feat given some 4-liter competitors can only run up to 10 hours. We also found the humidifier to be more aesthetically pleasing than many of its counterparts, a major plus if you plan on putting it in a well-curated room or just one frequented by guests. The unit’s shape is similar to a water droplet and it can easily be tucked into a corner or on top of a small stand or bookcase. It’s also very quiet, so you don’t have to worry about it disturbing your TV marathons. When on, the humidifier’s power button shines blue, and there’s an option to light up the water tank with a blue night light. While not necessarily relevant to the humidifier’s core functions, these lighting features give the device more of a modern feel than some other similar products. The humidifier has just one button near the base of the device. Click it once to turn it on, click it again to increase the speed settings (it starts on low), and click it once more to turn it off. While this makes for a simplified design, it is a little annoying to not know which setting you’re on with just one glance. We did prefer the dial feature on other models we tested.
Performance: Cool but slightly underwhelming mist
We tested the Mistaire in our small bedroom in New York City in the middle of winter (when we most needed a humidifier). While the humidifier did a good job freshening the air in our room—taking just 10 to 15 minutes to make a really noticeable difference—it was a little difficult to figure out how to change the mist setting from low to high. Additionally, while you can change the direction that the mist blows, the one piece of the machine that seems low-quality is the mist nozzle itself. Though we were able to direct the mist with it, the thin plastic component is quite unsteady and doesn’t turn easily. The MistAire was quite effective in our small room, but the performance will likely go down the bigger the room gets. Pure Enrichment recommends this product for medium-sized rooms up to 250 square feet.
Special Features: Smart technology gives peace of mind
Thanks to automatic shut off, you can rest soundly while running the MistAire. The humidifier is programmed to power off when the tank is removed or when it gets low, so we didn’t have to worry about it running on empty. As mentioned earlier, the optional night light is also a nice, modern touch. While this can be turned on and off at will, it’s not possible to turn off the power button’s light—something sensitive sleepers will want to keep in mind. You’ll have to turn it the humidifier away from your face or cover it up if you’re worried about falling asleep with it on.
Cleaning and Storing: Small parts mean fast clean up
Because the humidifier is fairly small and only has two main parts (the water tank and the base), we found it was pretty easy to clean. The manufacturer also throws in a little disk-cleaning brush to help you out. Unlike some other humidifiers we’ve tested, there aren’t any filters or other removable parts to wash so this simplified the cleaning process. It is very easy to store when not in use; we found it fit in our closet, bedside table, and under our bed.
Price: Fair, but you’re paying mostly for looks—not performance
At roughly $40, Pure Enrichment’s humidifier is priced fairly for what it does, but you’re paying more for looks than added features. The petite design is not only sleek, but an easy size and shape for most tabletops, shelves, and counters in your home. This is an important consideration if you’re short on space and want a subtly designed device.
Competition: Better features, worse design
Honeywell HCM350W Germ-Free Cool Mist Humidifier: The MistAire humidifier is small, pretty, and can moisturize the air in small spaces, but if you’re looking for a model with a larger tank and longer run time, it’s worth considering the Honeywell which retails for roughly $70. While Pure Enrichment’s model can run for 16 hours with a 1.5-liter tank, its contender can run for 24 hours straight with a one-gallon tank. Additionally, it can humidify up to 3,600 square feet—nearly 14.5 times that of the MistAire. Of course, it’s not a looker and has a much bigger footprint, so if you aren’t looking to use it in a large space, the MistAire is still a worthy buy. TaoTronics Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier: TaoTronics’ model costs roughly the same as Pure Enrichment’s and the designs aren’t too far off, either, with both sporting a blue and white plastic design. The main difference is the first offers a 3.5-liter tank while the latter offers a 1.5-liter tank. Surprisingly, though, the TaoTronics model can only run for 10 hours despite its larger tank—whereas the Pure Enrichment model can run for 16 hours. They both humidify roughly the same square footage, too, but the one leg up TaoTronics’ humidifier has is its twin nozzle design which allows you to direct mist in two directions. If that seems unnecessary, you may want to go with Pure Enrichment solely for the longer runtime and smaller, easier-to-tuck-away design. If you want a multifaceted humidifier that offers a variety of functions and customization settings, Pure Enrichment’s device isn’t for you. However, if you’re looking for a straightforward humidifier that’s more chic than cumbersome, this device gets the job done and looks cool doing it.
