Being a frequent traveler, you must adjust to different climates. Even full-time travelers struggle to acclimatize themselves to varying degrees of temperatures and moisture.
A portable travel humidifier makes this transition seamless. However, not all travel humidifiers are equal, and you might find some useless. We know that getting your hands on the best travel humidifier is essential for travelers. So, we have compiled a list of our top picks to ease your purchase decision.
Travel humidifiers keep the air comfortable. They are especially useful after a long flight where the environment is dry. If you live in a cold climate and are traveling to a hot summer getaway, you will struggle to keep up with the dry air-conditioned air. This is one of the situations where you will thank yourself for buying a travel humidifier.
Travel humidifiers moisturize your skin. They are not a replacement for your usual moisturizers. However, they supplement moisturizers and increase their effectiveness.
Dry environments also cause sore throats. Many claims that using a humidifier soothes their throats and relieves them of a sore throats. Humidifiers also ease sinus irritations that you may experience because of dry air.
There is a lot that goes into buying a travel humidifier. So, after we review our top seven, we'll see how to choose the best travel humidifier.
How We Chose The Best Travel Humidifiers
You can expect to buy good portable humidifiers in the $10 - $40 range. So, we took this budget and divided it into three segments. At the lowest end, we looked for the most portable travel humidifiers with the least weight and decent runtime for their size.
In the mid-budget range, we looked for mid-sized travel humidifiers that offer the best of both worlds. These humidifiers had decent weight and run time. They also had some fancy features that we were not looking for.
At the highest end, we looked for the best travel humidifiers that your money can buy.
We narrowed down the humidifiers according to customer reviews. We selected the most trusted ones by the users and had an overall good rating. Finally, we were left with seven travel humidifiers that we will now review.
1. Pure Enrichment MistAire Studio Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Why We Love It
The Pure Enrichment MistAire studio gives you good value for money. At this price, you cant expect more from a humidifier. It is an Ultrasonic humidifier which means that it is effective and quiet as well. It has a water tank of 0.7 liters, and we love how compact it is despite that. You can easily carry this humidifier in a large bag, and you will not even feel its presence.
One of the best things about this humidifier is its runtime. It can operate for about 10 hours which is impressive given its size. The humidifier features a night light and an auto shut-off option. This feature shuts off the humidifier when the tank is removed or has little water.
An AC adapter powers this humidifier. It comes with a cleaning disc brush that makes cleaning it feels like a breeze. The humidifier also comes with a 5-year warranty, which is impressive given its price.
What You Should Know
Some users have complained that the tank starts leaking after using it for a while. This leaks water on your furniture, which is detrimental to them. If you buy this humidifier, ensure that the tank is protected.
The five-year warranty is a lifesaver in case you end up with a leaking tank.
2. Vicks Mini Filter-Free Cool Mist Humidifier
Why We Love It
Vick mini filter-free cool mist humidifier takes the hassle of changing humidifier filters out of the equation. However, that is not the best thing about this humidifier. Its best feature is its mighty 20 hours runtime, which means it can keep running for most of the day.
The humidifier comes with a 0.5 gallons tank. Its tank capacity is enough to last for an entire day. You may need to refill the tanks daily, but that isn't much of a hassle.
This humidifier creates a comfortable, cool mist. This mist provides congestion and cough relief. It is useful when you and your family members suffer from allergies.
The size of Vicks mini filter-free cool mist humidifier is compact. So, it is easy to carry when you are traveling. It has a corded electric power source, which makes it perfect for use in hotel rooms or Air BnBs.
What You Should Know
It is a filter-free cool mist humidifier, but its tank needs regular cleaning. Some people complain that removing its top and separating the tank is a little hard. If this is something that would not annoy you, it is a good choice.
3. Movtip Portable Mini Cool Mist Humidifier
Why We Love It
The Movtip portable mini cool mist humidifier is one of the most powerful mini humidifiers. We are also a fan of its overall design. Most mini-humidifiers tend to get a little flashy. However, this one is simple and elegant. It releases a mountain mist which also looks amazing.
This humidifier is sufficient for a small room. The best thing is that it is easy to carry.
Since this humidifier is powered by a USB, you can also use it in your car. This humidifier is also relatively quiet and does not make a lot of noise. This humidifier is your perfect travel partner. You can also hook this up to a power bank or laptop and use it while camping.
What You Should Know
This humidifier has a 500 ml tank which is a decent capacity. However, because it produces a lot of mist, the tank may only be able to last for 6 hours.
We believe a 6-hour run time is sufficient but not the best. If this is something you can live with, this humidifier is a good choice.
You should also note that you cannot use essential oils with this humidifier. The manufacturers have strongly suggested that using essential oil will render it useless. This is not the right choice if you are looking for an essential oil humidifier.
4. LtYioe Colorful Cool Mist Humidifier
Why We Love It
If you are a fan of colorful travel humidifiers, You will like the LtYioe colorful cool mini humidifier. It has a multi-color light that cycles and projects itself to your ceiling. It creates a pleasant environment.
It is a small, portable humidifier powered by a USB connection. So, it is perfect for camping.
The LtYioe is an ultrasonic humidifier; it is extremely quiet and suitable for light sleepers. It is so tiny that you can use it for your car too. It is enough to moisturize the personal space of one person. The humidifier also features an auto shut-off feature that turns it off when the water level is low.
What You Should Know
LtYioe is the most budget-friendly humidifier on our list. It means that it is not made with the highest quality materials. We advise keeping this humidifier away from sunlight.
5. GuruNanda Cool Mist Humidifier
Why We Love It
Gurunanda Essential cool mist humidifier is the perfect mid-budget humidifier. It is an oil diffuser, which means that the tank is filled with essential oil. It brings the surrounding moisture level to optimum and fills the environment with a pleasant fragrance.
It is an ultrasonic humidifier, making it perfect for light sleepers. It has a unique look as its top resembles a honeycomb. It also features multi-color LED that looks stunning.
What You Should Know
Although the company claims that this humidifier has a six-hour runtime, most customers complain that its run time is lower. You can expect a four-hour runtime on this one.
6. Pure Enrichment PureSpa Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Why We Love It
Pure Enrichment Pure Spa Ultrasonic cool mist is one of the best portable humidifiers that your money can buy. These humidifiers look simple yet elegant and are easy to carry. These are ultrasonic humidifiers that also double as essential oil diffusers.
These humidifiers have a 350 Ft coverage area. So, they can easily cover a medium-sized room. Pure Enrichment Pure Spa Ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers release a fine cool mist that does not make the furniture wet. It has a stylish two-liter tank. It is the largest tank you can get in a travel humidifier. You can add your favorite essential oil to the tank, and the humidifier will also release a refreshing fragrance that will create a pleasant atmosphere.
A power adapter powers this humidifier. So, it is suitable for your hotel rooms. One of the best things about this humidifier is that it comes with five years warranty.
What You Should Know
A small proportion of customers have complained that it stops working after a few weeks of use. However, since it has a generous five years warranty, this does not seem like a big issue.
7. HoMedics Portable Humidifier
Why We Love It
Homedics Portable Humidifier gives the best value for money. Let us first start by admiring its looks. It has a sleek black cylindrical body that looks amazing. It is an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier that makes it perfect for those who sleep light.
It has a small water tank but gives an impressive 10 hours runtime. A USB charging cable powers this humidifier. So, it is a perfect choice for use in camping. It is small and portable, so you would not even feel its presence in your bag. Since this humidifier is powered by USB, you can also use it in your car.
With this travel humidifier, you can have an intermittent or continuous spray, and a built-in accent light will change colors.
What You Should Know
Its replacement wicks can be hard to find and are expensive. However, it still gives the best value for money, and you will not need to replace the wicks for a long time.
How To Choose The Best Travel Humidifier
There are countless humidifiers in the market. So, it is essential to know the basics to narrow down your options.
Humidifier Type
One way to categorize humidifiers is by their portability. However, since we are discussing travel humidifiers, we will not focus on this categorization. We are more interested in the humidifier type according to the mist it produces.
There are two types of humidifiers: cool mist and warm mist. Cool mist humidifiers release cool water vapors that add moisture to the air. Warm mist humidifiers, on the other hand, heat water and release warm vapors to add moisture to the atmosphere. The most popular humidifiers are cool mist, but warm mist humidifiers are preferred in cold areas. Some humidifiers also come with two mist modes. So, they can act as warm and cool mist humidifiers.
Some warm mist humidifiers are known as vaporizers. These produce steam by boiling water in a water bottle or a water tank. These humidifiers are budget-friendly and are a popular choice to use with medical inhalants. Yet, these humidifiers are not the most portable ones you will come across. Some people also view them as unsafe and avoid using them around children.
If you are a light sleeper, you might be interested in an ultrasonic humidifier. These humidifiers work by vibrating a metal diaphragm at an ultrasonic speed. One of the best things about these humidifiers is that they are quieter than all others. You can get an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier if you prefer cool mist. However, if you like a warm mist, you can get an ultrasonic warm mist humidifier.
Some humidifiers are also known as essential oil diffusers. The tank of these humidifiers contains essential oil. They add moisture to the air by diffusing the oil slowly and gradually.
Portability
All travel humidifiers are portable. However, some are more portable than others. Some humidifiers can fit in your pockets, while others may be a little burden. A portable mini humidifier is very easy to carry. However, it is also limited in its functionality. This type of humidifier will be suitable for one person at a time. On the contrary, if you need a humidifier for an entire hotel room, you will have to make room in your luggage.
Power Source
You should also pay attention to your humidifier's type of power source. Some humidifiers have USB chargers that plug into USB ports. Remember that you will not get a wall USB port everywhere you go. So, before buying such humidifiers for travel, ensure that you have a gadget where you can plug in these humidifiers.
Humidifiers that plug into the wall are a safe bet for most. However, if you are camping during your travel, they will be useless. Get a humidifier according to your travel requirements.
Automation
Some humidifiers are automated. This means that you can set up a time and your humidity preference. The humidifier will handle the rest. On the other hand, manual humidifiers only have an on or off button. So, you do not have a lot of control over the humidity level and the timing of the humidifier. Automatic humidifiers will usually cost more than manual humidifiers. So, if you want an automatic travel humidifier, you may have to increase your budget.
Run Time
When it comes to run time, humidifiers differ significantly. While some can run up to 20 hours, others can only run for two or three hours. Travel humidifiers usually have a lower run time than others. Typically, car humidifiers have the shortest run time.
You need to consider how long you need to run your humidifier. You also need to consider the climate of the place you will be traveling to. Remember that there is a tradeoff between runtime and portability. The humidifiers with the highest runtime are the ones with a large tank attached to them. These humidifiers are not ideal for travel purposes.
Travel Humidifier FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about travel humidifiers.
Do portable humidifiers really work?
Yes, portable humidifiers work. However, the amount of humidity they produce largely depends on the size of the room they are used in.
For small rooms, a personal or desk humidifier is recommended. These humidifiers are small enough to fit on a desk or bedside table and can travel with you when you need them. They typically produce about 2 ounces of moisture per hour.
For larger rooms, a console humidifier is recommended. Console humidifiers are larger and sit on the floor. They typically produce about 4 gallons of moisture per day.
How do mini humidifiers work?
Mini humidifiers work by using a small water tank that is filled with water. The water is then heated until it evaporates, and the resulting hot air is blown out of the humidifier and into the room.
Some mini humidifiers also have a filter that helps to remove impurities from the water. This can be helpful if you use the humidifier to help improve the air quality in your home.
Is sleeping with a humidifier good for your lungs?
Yes, sleeping with a humidifier is good for your lungs. It helps to keep them moist and to function properly. A humidifier can be a lifesaver for keeping your lungs healthy in dry climates or during winter when the air is especially dry.
Can you leave a small humidifier on all night?
Leaving a humidifier on all night can help improve your home's air quality and prevent dry skin and lips.
How long does a portable humidifier last?
A portable humidifier generally lasts for about ten years, although this may vary depending on the model.
Do you need to empty the humidifier every day?
It depends on the humidifier. Some humidifiers come with a tank that needs to be emptied every day, while others have a filter that needs to be cleaned every day. Be sure to read the instructions for your specific humidifier in order to determine how often it should be emptied or cleaned.
Do portable humidifiers use a lot of electricity?
The amount of electricity that a humidifier uses will depend on the size of the humidifier, the type of humidifier, and the settings that are used. For example, a small room air humidifier that runs constantly can use up to 100 watts of electricity.
What Option of Travel Humidifiers Is Best For You?
We've gone over a lot of information about humidifiers in this blog post. Hopefully, you now feel more confident in picking the best travel humidifier.
It comes down to personal preference at the end of the day. The most important thing is finding an option that will work well for you and your home.
Thank you for reading, and we hope that this information was helpful!
Here is the list of items reviewed:
1. Pure Enrichment MistAire Studio Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
2. Vicks Mini Filter-Free Cool Mist Humidifier
3. Movtip Portable Mini Cool Mist Humidifier
4. LtYioe Colorful Cool Mist Humidifier
5. GuruNanda Cool Mist Humidifier
6. Pure Enrichment PureSpa Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
7. HoMedics Portable Humidifier
