The best baby humidifiers 2024

The Babymoov humidifier is ideal for babies and children because it is so quiet - at only 25dB, this is one of the quietest on the market - although some parents reviewed this and thought it was too noisy, proving everything is relative. 

It uses ultrasonic tech to create a cool mist, whether you want this to keep the air quality high or to help with congested chests and noses. 

This model has a 2.5-litre capacity and should run for about 22 hours; it automatically cuts off when the water level gets too low. It has an easy-to-read digital display at the front, which tells you what the humidity level is, and also the room temperature. There’s also an additional feature to diffuse essential oils, and also has a night light with seven colours. 

Parents loved how simple it was to maintain and there's no need for filters. In terms of downsides, some parents wished it was easier to control steam levels and wanted some clearer instructions; it also might not be the easiest to clean, with one mum tester saying: “After 2 months of use I have had to return this humidifier because of the solid and sometimes sticky gunky residue that collected around various parts of the machine and were impossible to clean. I’ve been sent a replacement which I am now using but without the essential oils, which I suspect caused the problem.” So, if you intend to use this humidifier with essential oils, beware of cleaning thoroughly.

This diffuser is also a humidifier, but it’s designed primarily as an essential oil diffuser, so this would be a good choice if you want to primarily use it in main areas of the house and not just in baby’s room. It has a 500ml capacity which is smaller than some other humidifiers, but it should last for about 16 hours. It will automatically shut off when the water runs out; one tester said: “It’s powerful and you can smell the scent right from turning it on. It has lights on but I prefer them off. You can either have it on timer or just continuously on. The fact that it holds so much water is a real bonus too as you’re not constantly refilling.” 

It also features seven different colour of nightlight, which you can control with the app, and brightness is also adjustable. In terms of noise, it’s about 35dB. 

You can control this diffuser using the Tuya Smart app, and it’s also compatible with Alexa, so it’s easy to control it without being in the room - handy if baby is asleep and you don’t want to disturb them. The app is free to download and it’s compatible with lots of other smart devices, so great if you use other gadgets. 

Bear in mind that essential oils are best used after baby has turned three months old.

The 2-in-1 Vicks Sweet Dreams Cool Mist humidifier is specifically designed to help when your baby has a cold or congestion. You can use Vicks VapoPads with this humidifier, which you might already use in the Vicks USB diffuser.

We probably all know the Vicks Vaporub from our childhoods, and know perfectly well how powerful Vicks can be for helping with colds. 

This humidifier also features a nightlight projector, with three images to help baby get to sleep. 

The capacity is 3.8 litres which should last about 24 hours; it also features an automatic shut-off when the water runs out. 

It’s easy to use this, and to keep clean, but do bear in mind the additional cost of the VapoPads, and also that this is a large item - great in terms of how long it can last, but you might not appreciate the size; one tester said: “The one thing I'd say we weren't so keen on was the size, it's rather large! A monster of a humidifier! We're fortunate enough to have space to store and put it on bedside tables big enough when in use. But for those who are short on space/storage might find it a headache to store away when not in use.”

This humidifier is certainly more stylish than some of the others on our list, so it’s easy to move this from baby’s room into any other room in the house. 

The ultrasonic vibrations mean this is quieter than some humidifiers, which mean minimal disruption to baby’s sleep. 

The tank has a 2.5 litre capacity which should last about 10 hours. You can also use essential oils with this too. 

It’s definitely a style choice, given that its performance isn’t any more spectacular or impressive than other humidifiers we’ve tested; one parent tester simply said: "Easy to clean, does its job, looks nice, easy to use."

This Maxi-Cosi humidifier is another stylish option, which you can move to other rooms and not just in the nursery. 

The capacity is 3.8 litres, which should last about 24 hours before needing to be refilled; bear in mind that this is one of the larger humidifiers we've tested, so make sure you have the room; one mum tester said: "I hadn’t really taken much notice of the dimensions when purchasing this item, so when it arrived I was quite surprised how BIG it is!! However, literally every feature listed works seamlessly and it’s a great piece of equipment! The app is easy to use, the item looks good… I’m happy!"

You can control this humidifier using the Maxi-Cosi app downloaded on to your smartphone, meaning you can check the humidity levels and temperature of your baby’s room from anywhere. You can set timers for the humidifier to come on and off, and you can also receive notifications for when the water level becomes low. 

It’s also possible to use essential oils with this humidifier. The buttons are easy to use and the digital display is simple to read; there’s also a nightlight, although unlike some humidifiers it doesn’t change colour.

Our mum tester Charlotte said, "the light and sound features are incredibly practical, meaning
there is no need for an additional sound machine or night light, providing a cost-effective bonus which is especially important when on a mat leave budget!"

Charlotte's baby daughter Margot usually sleeps best with background noise, so the sound machine feature proved especially effective for getting her off to sleep calmly and keeping her
relaxed. "The choice of 7 colours on the night light is also a fond feature as we were able to create a more personalised ambiance within our bedroom, which was also great for night feeds."

The large 3.8 litre tank is easy to fill and lasts for a long time without needing to clean it due to the anti-microbial properties and the integrated filter which removes impurities from the water before it is vapourised. The top fill tank is also detachable and dishwasher safe which was very easy and quick to clean when required, saving precious time for new mums.

"My partner suffers from allergies during the summer months which can make it difficult for him to breathe at night. The aroma tray feature works brilliantly for adding your own essential oils and have made sleeping a lot more comfortable for him. This product is beneficial for all the family with a very user-friendly design, it is easy to assemble and operate. The four in one feature offers a great product for new mum’s on a budget," Charlotte continued.

The design is a fun water drop shape, however some testers prefer designs where you can’t see the water; one mum tester said: “This is a great functional humidifier but I wouldn’t use it anywhere other than the nursery, as it’s a bit too functional-looking. I prefer some of the designs that are more stylish as well as being practical.”

This humidifier is functional as well as being designed for children with a funky whale character. Great for the nursery, although this does mean it might not have longevity as you might not want this in other rooms of the home. 

This functions as a humidifier as well as an aromatherapy diffuser; the nightlight function has seven colours, which will help soothe baby at night time too. 

The capacity is small, at 180ml, lasting about five to seven hours - this is much smaller than the other humidifiers on our list; one mum tester said: “It’s a fun design but it is a shame that it doesn’t run for very long. I would rather than a humidifier that would last all night long, rather than running out in the early hours of the morning and then baby waking up because it’s stopped and she gets congested again.”

The style of this humidifier might be more clinical, less stylish than some of the others we’ve tested, and it certainly looks smaller; however, it’s compact and yet still very practical; one tester said: "This is a well made little item that is intuitive to use. Fill the container with water and press the button. It is whisper quiet and it starts to stream the moisture in the air almost immediately after it is switched on. There is a constant stream from the top."

The water tank is 500ml in capacity, and it lasts about 12 hours - which is longer than some humidifiers with a larger capacity (such as the DUUX Tag 2 which lasts about 10 hours on a 2.5 litre tank).

As with most, it features an automatic shut-off feature when the tank runs empty. You can turn it on and off with just one press of a button, so it’s nice and simple to operate. There is also a nightlight feature, although just with the one colour. 

It’s powered with a USB port, which is handy for using in any room of the house, although the cord could be longer. The only real downside testers had was with the fitting of the base being fiddly; one tester said: "One thing to note is that the screw mechanism to put the base on once you have filled it is an absolute pain as it takes ages to find the thread."

This Challenge humidifier is really quiet, making it ideal for baby’s room; on the flip side, the light is quite bright, which isn’t what you want in the middle of the night after a feed. 

The water tank capacity is 3.2 litres, which is mid-range when comparing to other humidifiers we’ve tested; one tester said: "This holds a lot of water and with a simple knob produces a steady stream to a large wafting cloud. If on maximum it would fill a bathroom eventually. By the bedside it would produce a dropping cloud of vapour on the right setting, perfect when sleeping, reducing coughing and dry throats. Excellent product."

Some testers say the mist doesn’t spread far enough around the room and can leave immediate surfaces damp, whereas others report a good misting through the room; it really depends on the size of the room, we’ve found. 

This is another humidifier with a practical, gadget style - it might not fit in with the decor in other rooms of your home.

This Rio humidifier is an aroma diffuser, humidifier, and nightlight all in one. The lighting is soft and calming, and not distracting; it has five different colours. The ability to use essential oils with this diffuser makes it additionally useful, and those essential oil scents can ease baby off to sleep (lavender is a good choice for aiding sleep) - but do be careful with essential oils, and it’s best to use them after baby turns three months old. 

The design of this humidifier, with the starry night style, means this is probably only suitable for use in the baby’s nursery, rather than you using it in other rooms of the house once baby doesn’t need it so much. 

This is one of the cheapest humidifiers on our list, however it’s also one of the smallest, with a water tank capacity of just 100ml. This means it will only run for about three to four hours; so not one to choose if you want it running all night; one mum tester said: “I wish this had a better capacity as it’s easy to use but just doesn’t last long enough; it’s great for using during the day, but for night time I would want a humidifier that lasts until morning.”

This humidifier looks small but it has a 1.9-litre capacity, so can run for about 12 hours. The mist level is adjustable, which many of the humidifiers we’ve tested are not so that’s a bonus. It features a nightlight with a variety of colours, which we love for baby’s nursery. 

The humidifier will automatically shut off when water runs out; it can also be used as an aromatherapy diffuser. The control button is easy to use; one mum said: “I like how easy to use this is, as sometimes in the middle of the night you don’t want to be fussing with knobs and buttons or apps, whereas this is straightforward.”