The best baby humidifiers 2024

best baby humidifiers

by Samantha Ball |
Updated on

You may be wondering if your baby needs a humidifier. Baby humidifiers have many benefits for your baby, including helping them to breathe easily, especially in those colder months, and are one of the best aids to help your baby sleep. They're fairly new to the parenting world, so many may be confused on whether humidifiers are safe for babies, but we're here to give you all the facts.

There's nothing worse than seeing your little one struggling at night when they have a cold. It can cause them to be tired from lack of sleep and uncomfortable from the difficulties of breathing. The best baby humidifier that will keep your bubba breathing easily is one of the best solutions.

The best baby humidifiers at a glance:

• Best overall baby humidifier: Vicks Sweet Dreams Cool Mist Humidifier -buy for £48.28 on Amazon
• Best quiet baby humidifier: Babymoov Hygro Plus Ultrasonic Humidifier - buy for £64.99 on Amazon
• Best baby humidifier with app control: ASAKUKI Wi-Fi Smart Essential Oil Diffuser - buy for £33.99 on Amazon
• Best baby humidifier with sound machine: Crane Humidifier with Sound Machine - buy for £99.99 on John Lewis

• Best baby humidifier with adjustable mist levels: Maxi-Cosi Breathe Humidifier - Buy on kiddies kingdom for £99.99

Humidifiers are a great way to help keep moisture in the air therefore make the perfect sleep aids. It will stop the space from becoming too dry and prevent mould or bacteria build-up. This means that you can sleep better at night, knowing your little one can breathe more comfortably through cold and flu season. This is particularly helpful to your baby's breathing and skin in the colder months. It is especially noticeable when the cranked-up heating could dry out the air more than usual.

While it might not be necessary, there are certainly many benefits for you and your baby from using a humidifier in the home. There are a number of different types of humidifiers, including aromatherapy, cool mist and warm mist humidifiers. Some humidifiers even double up as a white noise machine to help your baby sleep.

Best baby humidifiers 2024

Best quiet baby humidifier

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.

Pros

  • Has built-in night light with seven colours 
  • Cool mist ultrasonic technology
  • Easy to use digital display 

Cons

  • Some parents thought it was quite noisy

Best baby humidifier with app control

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.

Pros

  • Can be controlled via an app on your smartphone
  • Compatible with Alexa 
  • Seven nightlight colours 

Cons

  • Small water capacity 
  • Primarily an essential oil diffuser not a humidifier 

Best overall baby humidifier

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.”

Pros

  • Large capacity water tank 
  • Uses Vicks VapoPads for easing congestion 
  • Features a nightlight projector 

Cons

  • Very large - consider if you have the space 
  • VapoPads are an additional expense 

Best versatile baby humidifier

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.

Pros

  • Very stylish and will fit in with any decor 
  • Large capacity and quiet performance 
  • Can use essential oils 

Cons

  • No additional functions 

Best baby humidifier with adjustable mist levels

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. 

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.

Pros

  • Modern design that will fit into any room 
  • Control using a smartphone app 
  • Large capacity means fewer water changes 

Cons

  • Only one nightlight colour 

Best baby humidifier with sound machine

Another humidifier with a large tank - 3.8 litres - that should last 24 hours meaning fewer water top-ups. This Crane humidifier has the additional feature of being a sound machine, soothing baby to sleep with three calming sounds. There’s also a nightlight function too; so if you like your gadgets to do more than one function, this is a good choice. 

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.”

Pros

  • Large water tank capacity 
  • Multi-functional with sound features and nightlight options 
  • Optional white noise features

Cons

  • Despite the capacity, some parents found refilling frequently necessary 

Best novelty baby humidifier

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.”

Pros

  • Fun whale design that children will love 
  • Works as an aromatherapy diffuser as well as humidifier 
  • Low cost option 

Cons

  • Small water tank capacity 
  • Won’t last all night long 

Best baby humidifier for design

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. 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.

Pros

  • Small and compact but very practical 
  • Lasts longer than some humidifiers with a bigger capacity 
  • USB powered

Cons

  • Looks a bit clinical, might not suit all rooms of the house 

Best baby humidifier that's easy to clean

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 2.96 litres, which is mid-range when comparing to other humidifiers we’ve tested. 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.

Pros

  • Good-sized water tank capacity 
  • Very quiet performance 

Cons

  • Bright light can be distracting 
  • Some testers found it leaves surfaces damp 

Best baby humidifier with projection

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.”

Pros

  • Multi-functional with a nightlight and essential oil diffuser too 
  • One of the cheapest humidifiers 

Cons

  • Very small tank capacity 
  • Short run time 

Best compact baby humidifier

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.”

Pros

  • Easy to use with a simple button 
  • Good capacity that lasts 12 hours 

Cons

  • Isn’t the most stylish one we’ve tried

Baby humidifiers - All you need to know

Are baby humidifiers safe for babies?

Babies come with a lot of products, and finding room for more might be difficult. However, adding a humidifier to your list of 'baby must haves' will show benefits for the whole family and not all will take up that much room on the shelf.

It might seem like a big investment, but if you're wondering how to know if your baby needs a humidifier, the benefits of a humidifier are great. Benefits include the fact they help ease a range of symptoms from allergies and eczema to colds and flu.

Humidifiers are also very safe to use with babies as long as they're used correctly. Sleep Consultant Lucy Wolfe says, "They can be helpful to add moisture to the air that can support clearer breathing and avoid drying out your fragile skin, especially when the air is dry due to climate and central heating. It is certainly becoming a more popular parent purchase. But I don't typically recommend them unless the parents themselves feel strongly about them.

The best humidifiers to keep your baby breathing easily

"My understanding is that moisture is gently distributed into the environment that helps to avoid the mucus in the nostrils from drying up, which may help to avoid congestion or avoid common coughs and colds. As a result of the moisture that is balancing out a dry atmosphere, largely caused by insulation and central heating, this may also help to avoid their baby's skin from also drying out and becoming itchy.

"So helpful for children prone to coughs, colds and congestion and maybe also children with skin irritation. Some models make a slight sound too, and this may act as a 'white noise' background sound that can be comforting for some children as it is reminiscent of the womb. I don't feel that there are any disadvantages per se, but whether it is a necessary purchase, I can't say."

Where is the best place to put baby humidifiers?

You want to place it somewhere in your baby's room where they will not accidentally knock it over or be able to reach any wires. You'll also want to place it somewhere where the mist can disperse well into the room. So you don't get a build-up of moisture on any surfaces or the ceiling.

Be sure to check what size room your humidifier is made for. If your room is too small, you could find the humidifier causes condensation and dampness. If the room is too big, it could be ineffective.

What to consider when shopping for the best humidifier for a baby?

Room size: Without a doubt, we all want a humidifier that can fit anywhere. Bear in mind, if you have little space, be wary to not over-humidify the room either, which can cause germs and mould.

Time: The run-time of a humidifier's varies and depends on its tank size and release rate. Some can last up to 24 hours before involving a refill, while some must be refilled every couple of hours.

Design: Of course, every humidifier needs refilling, tank design is vital. Look for choices with huge openings to make refills simpler and think about glowing options so you can always keep an eye on water and its level.

Cleaning: Make sure you consider the design, so that cleaning days will be easy.

How often should you clean it?

As with anything in our homes, it's important we keep it clean to reduce the spread of bacteria. To keep our humidifiers and our rooms clean, it's important to clean out the water tank every one to three days and to change the water daily. Follow Paediatrician Sara Connolly's advice on how to clean your baby's humidifier efficiently:

Meet The Expert

Lucy Wolfe is a Sleep Consultant, Co-Creational Relationship Mentor and Mum of four children. She is the former European Director of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants. As well as a member of The International Association of Child Sleep Consultants.

Samantha Ball is a Product & Lifestyle Writer for Mother&Baby and freelanced for the website for two years before joining the team full time. She's a mum of two and loves browsing for the best products and cute outfits.

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