The Best Humidifiers for Babies

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Wide mouth reservoir:Yes |Sanitization features:Dishwasher safe, heat sanitize mode |Capacity:4.2 l. |Type:Ultrasonic |Humidistat:Yes (no display) |Dimmable display:N/A |Smart features:No

The Carepod Cube Plus X50V is simply the easiest humidifier to clean, which is why it’s the best humidifier for babies. Not only is the removable, seamless stainless-steel reservoir completely dishwasher safe, it also has a heated sanitization function that you can conveniently set to run automatically once the water level falls below its lowest functional setting in the reservoir. This prevents hot steam from potentially burning any curious kids or pets. This warming function can also be used to create a warm, but not scalding, mist for extra humidification on colder nights.

The Carepod’s thick-walled design makes it exceptionally quiet, and its minimalist LED indicator lights can easily be turned off by holding down the Timer/Night button for a few seconds. The 4.2-liter capacity is enough to run for at least eight hours, depending on ambient humidity, and it will stop automatically when the water runs out. Or you can choose between a four-, six-, and eight-hour timed humidification.

I don’t love the fact that the best humidifier for babies costs $450, when the best one for most other use cases is less than $100. But a cheaper dishwasher-safe ultrasonic humidifier with a built-in sanitization function does not exist yet. The good news is that if you’re certain you don’t want those features and don’t wish to pay for them, my less-expensive pick below is just as capable at humidifying a room. You’ll just have to be more diligent about cleaning it manually at regular intervals.

Wide mouth reservoir:Yes |Sanitization features:None |Capacity:6 l. |Type:Ultrasonic |Humidistat:Yes |Dimmable display:Yes |Smart features:Yes

Dreo doesn’t make a baby-specific humidifier, but any of its models would be great for a nursery, so long as you don’t mind cleaning them regularly. It has a wide reservoir opening, and all components that come into contact with water are easy to access. However, none of them are dishwasher safe, so if that’s going to lead you to clean it less, I’d highly recommend getting a Carepod instead.

Otherwise, this humidifier is about as good as you can get at any price. It has a capacious six-liter reservoir that can last two nights in a row between refills, a fully dimmable display, a built-in humidistat, and humidifies as capably as the Carepod at a fraction of the cost. The Wi-Fi features are also handy for checking the status of the appliance without disturbing your baby’s sleep. Like any ultrasonic humidifier, using hard tap water in it will cause it to emit a fine layer of white dust, but Dreo sellsoptional mineral-filtration cartridgesto deal with this if that becomes an issue.

Wide mouth reservoir:Yes |Sanitization features:Dishwasher safe, UV light |Capacity:2.5 l. |Type:Evaporative |Humidistat:N/A |Dimmable display:N/A |Smart features:No

Dr. Sterling’s top humidifier recommendation for babies is this dishwasher-safe, evaporative humidifier from Canopy. “What sets it apart from a clinical standpoint is its mold-inhibiting technology. The unit uses UV light and smart sensors that keep it running until every drop of water is gone, so there is no standing water left behind for mold to grow,” she said. I like the Canopy for those same reasons, but I find that this 2.5-liter evaporative humidifier just isn’t quite strong enough. It generates a noticeable amount of humidity in its immediate vicinity (after all, it’s based on Canopy’sBedsidehumidifier, designed for nightstand placement), but the fan and wick aren’t large enough to humidify an entire room (this aligns with the experiences of manydissatisfied user reviewers). If you can find a place to put it right near your baby’s crib, it is a relatively affordable, dishwasher-safe option compared to the pricier Carepod. Otherwise, I’d look to one of the other picks on this list. Note thatreplacement wicksare $19 and need to be swapped out every 45 days — although you can save some money bybuying in bulk.

Wide mouth reservoir:Yes |Sanitization features:None |Capacity:8 l. |Type:Ultrasonic |Humidistat:Yes |Dimmable display:Yes |Smart features:Yes

This slightly taller, more powerful humidifier has everything I like about the other Dreo unit, with an additional comforting warm-mist setting that is safe for use around kids and pets. The extra capacity is also convenient if refilling your humidifier every day is overly tedious. Just be sure to clean it every time you do so.

Wide mouth reservoir:Yes |Sanitization features:Dishwasher-safe reservoir, machine-washable wick |Capacity:7.6 l. |Type:Evaporative |Humidistat:Yes |Dimmable display:Yes |Smart features:Yes

If your baby spends a lot of time in larger rooms during the day, a big evaporative humidifier, like the Blueair Dreamwell, can help keep their respiratory system moist between naps. It’s much quieter than other evaporative models I’ve used (the highest setting is comparable to the medium on most others I’ve tried), and its unique design allows it to be refilled while running. The entire top serves as a funnel that directs water into the two-gallon reservoir at the bottom, and an LED indicator tells you when to stop pouring.

The downside of this design is that it makes it all too easy to forget to clean it. But it comes apart easily and has a wide mouth opening for easy access. The reservoir itself is dishwasher safe, and thereplaceable wickis machine washable — it only needs to be swapped out annually. Blueair recommends occasionally soaking the pump in a dilutecitric-acid solutionto prevent scale buildup (once or twice per winter should be plenty, unless you have exceptionally hard tap water).

Wide mouth reservoir:Yes |Sanitization features:UV pump, antimicrobial wick |Capacity:3 l. |Type:Evaporative |Humidistat:Yes |Dimmable display:Yes |Smart features:Yes

If you want your baby’s room to have anair purifierin addition to a humidifier, but only have room for one appliance, this Blueair is pretty good at doing both, even if it’s not the best at either. It’s quite tall — comparable to a kitchen trash can — but it can be conveniently refilled from the top without removing the reservoir by pouring straight onto the LED screen. The antimicrobial evaporative wick and the HEPA air filters need to be replaced biannually, and the pump that draws water onto the wick has a built-in UV light to prevent microbial growth. Blueair’s app is nicely designed for setting schedules and keeping tabs on the machine’s status.