As we’re spending more time in our homes, whether for work or pleasure, adding indoor plants provides numerous benefits. They help remove allergens and oxygenate your living space resulting in reducing common irritants, dust and mold. I’ve created this article to help you find the best humidifier for plants and your skin without the complicated legwork!

When winter comes around, the amount of moisture in the air decreases. Combined with the usage of heating whether through central heating or fireplaces which further removes more moisture, houseplants have it rough during these months. By adding a humidifier to your home, it not only helps retain the humidity so these plants can survive, but also provide added additional benefits as well.

These benefits include helping fend off dry sinuses, sore throats, and finally the most common of them all, dry skin. Humidifiers are a great way to control these common problems during winter.

This article has been curated to provide you with the best humidifiers for plants and your skin. If you are in need of a quick catch up on the many benefits, considerations, and types of humidifiers, then the bottom of this article lists this information. I’ve provided you the links here:

Finally, here are our picks for the best humidifiers for your plants and skin!

What is the Best Humidifier for Your Plants and Skin?

Best Overall
GENIANI Top Fill Cool Mist Humidifier

The geniani top fill humidifier is the best humidifier for plants and your skin due to its quality build and well thought out design.

If you’re looking for a sleek designed humidifier that’s portable, spill-free, and very easy to refill, then the GENIANI Top Fill Cool Mist Humidifier is the option for you.

While other ultrasonic humidifiers on this list have a very similar design, this GENIANI Humidifier has been designed with portability and usability in mind. Its black (or white) design is non-intrusive making it look as if it isn’t even a humidifier. With 4 different mist settings, you’re able to control the humidity level to your desire.

Better yet, GENIANI is a trust brand for humidifiers and the design quality of its materials definitely shows. There are no spillage complaints unlike the less expensive models found in this article.

Whether you’re looking for a humidifier for your new small greenhouse, to combat dry skin while working, or even utilize your essential oils, GENIANI is our recommendation for the best humidifier for your plants and dry skin.

Features:

  • Type: Ultrasonic
  • Capacity: 4 L Tank (1.1 Gallons)
  • Runtime: Up to 18 hours
  • Spans up to 220 square feet
  • 4 mist settings
  • 2-in-1 humidifier and essential oil diffuser

Pros:

  • Quality build by top manufacturer
  • Compact and well-thought-out sleek design
  • No leaking issues

Cons:

  • Needs distilled water

Product Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VWBDKWS

Best Golden Standard for Humidifiers
Honeywell HUL520B Mistmate

The honeywell mistmate humidifier is the best average-of-the-pack humidifier. It's not special, but it has the brand name backing of Honeywell.

Any product has a gold standard, and the Honeywell Mistmate can be considered the gold standard of small humidifiers. Admittedly, this humidifier has nothing special about it; its features are not unique to any other.

What sells this humidifier is the world-renowned household brand: Honeywell. Owners are confident in the backing of the Honeywell quality, and the product delivers.

The materials used for this humidifier are noticeably of higher quality, alongside the overall reliability and lifespan of the unit. You’ll most likely not need to replace this humidifier anytime soon, and if you do, the 2-year warranty included will help save some pocket money. You can’t go wrong with the Honeywell Mistmate as your selection for the best humidifier for plants and your skin!

Features:

  • Type: Ultrasonic
  • Capacity: 1.9 L Tank (0.5 Gallons)
  • Runtime: Up to 20 hours

Pros:

  • Honeywell branding and quality
  • Reliable build: lifespan of humidifier higher on average than lesser-known brands

Cons:

  • Somewhat noisy
  • Can produce white dust if using tap water

Product Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NWA7GOI

Best Total Humidity Control
Vornado Evap40 Humidifier

If you're looking for total control of the humidity in your household, then the vornado evap40 humidifier is the best option for you.

If you’re looking for complete control of the humidity of a large room or a large portion of your household, then the Vornado Evap40 Humidifier is the one stop solution for you.

Packing a large 15-liter tank, this humidifier has some of the best customization settings in the industry. You are able to control the fan speed and humidity levels to your liking.

Vornado’s proprietary Evap40 sensor allows for intelligent humidification, changing on the fly to adjust to the ideal environment automatically.

Finally, backed by Vornado’s reliable 5-year warranty, you won’t have to worry about returning it or needing a new humidifier anytime soon.

The biggest noticeable downside is the large size of the humidifier. Not as mobile as other humidifiers, it makes sense given all the packed features and large tanks that the humidifier is this large.

The plus? The tanks are actually split into 2 small ones that are detachable, making refilling very easy as you are not required to move the whole unit.

Features:

  • Type: Evaporative
  • Capacity: 15 L Tank (4 Gallons)
  • Runtime: Up to 24 hours
  • Spans up to 1000 square feet
  • Controls fan speed and humidity output
  • Automatic humidity control
  • Two small refill tanks

Pros:

  • Superior coverage of any household
  • Intelligent humidification using Evap40 sensor
  • Backed by reliable warranty and brand

Cons:

  • Very big
  • More expensive than other alternatives

Product Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O0WOO74

Best for Small Rooms
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

The pure enrichment mistaire humidifier is great for small rooms.

If your focus is having a humidifier that isn’t intruding and for smaller rooms, then the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic is the lightweight option for you!

With a tank size of only 1.5 liters, this humidifier is very small in its design, allowing you to place it in almost any room or surface top. This is a great option if you only have a few houseplants, or your main focus is keeping your work from home area humidified.

Various reviewers of this humidifier also note this is a great option to place on your desk while working from home, due to its small size. With a runtime of up to 16 hours, it’ll for sure last over 2 working days on your desk!

Features:

  • Type: Ultrasonic
  • Capacity: 1.5 L Tank (0.4 Gallons)
  • Runtime: Up to 16 hours
  • Spans up to 250 square feet

Pros:

  • Great for small places
  • MistAire is known for good customer service
  • Very light

Cons:

  • Very small water tank
  • Night light annoyingly bright if turned on
  • Limited use due to its size and capacity

Product Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013IJPTFK

Best Ultrasonic for Large Rooms
LEVOIT 6 Liter Warm and Cool Mist

The levoit 6l humidifier is great for large rooms with its variety of settings and high capacity tank.

If you’re looking for a humidifier for large rooms or are just feeling lazy, then the LEVOIT 6 Liter Warm and Cool Mist is the ideal solution for you.

With its inclusion of a remote control and larger capacity tank, there will be less maintenance on your end. The remote control allows you to control the unit without moving to it and the larger tank allows for less refill trips needed.

The LEVOIT 6 Liter also comes with a slew of other useful features such as having the ability to disperse warm or cool mist as well as aromatherapy features. This is all controllable from your remote control! The aromatherapy feature works with dispensing your essential oils into the mist, providing the comfort and benefits your essential oils provide.

Features:

  • Type: Ultrasonic
  • Capacity: 6 L Tank (1.6 Gallons)
  • Runtime: Up to 50 hours
  • Spans up to 753 square feet
  • Comes with remote control
  • Disperses warm or cool mist
  • Aromatherapy feature with essential oils

Pros:

  • Remote control ensures less work
  • Warm and cool mist options
  • Ton of setting to choose from
  • 1 tank refill can last several days

Cons:

  • Refilling tank can cause leaks easily
  • Initial setup more difficult due to the various features included

Product Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYGNGKK

Best Budget Humidifier
LEVOIT 2.4 Liter Cool Mist Vaporizer

If cost is a concern, then the levoit 2.4l humidifier is the best humidifier for plants and your skin.

For those looking for an affordable humidifier that gets the job done, then the LEVOIT 2.4 Liter Mist Vaporizer does the job. With its simple plug-and-play, just add some water, set the timer dial, and you’re good to go!

With its medium-sized tank, it’s great to set it near your indoor plants or even on your work from desk to combat sinuses or dry skin! At a price tag well below $50, the LEVOIT 2.4 Liter Mist Vaporizer provides all the features you need for the best humidifier for plants and your skin!

Features:

  • Type: Ultrasonic
  • Capacity: 2.4 L Tank (0.65 Gallons)
  • Runtime: 24 hours on low, 13.3 hours on medium, 9.6 hours on high
  • Spans up to 290 square feet
  • Night-light feature

Pros:

  • Portable unit
  • Very quiet
  • Simple design

Cons:

  • Leaking issues if overfilled
  • Cheap, plastic design

Product Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VZDXV2D

Type of Humidifiers

  • Cool Mist: Deliver moisture at room temps and uses less electricity
  • Warm Mist: Deliver moisture at warmer temps; perfect for battling mold/bacterial
  • Ultrasonic: Uses high-frequency (ultrasonic) vibration to facilitate the water’s evaporation. This results in producing extra-fine droplets. Ultrasonic costs more than evaporative in terms of water usage and electricity. However, in the long run, it is cheaper as there are no filters to replace. Since there are no filters, you need to manually hand-wash to remove bacteria and mold. Ultrasonic is also quieter.
  • Evaporative: Uses airflow to create mist by using a fan to pull water over a wet wick. Evaporative have filters that remove the need to clean the unit but these need to be replaced. In the long run, you save more time not cleaning the humidifier however filter costs can add up. Evaporative humidifiers are also noisier due to the fan that pushes the air.

What is the Ideal Humidity Level for Houseplants?

Humidity levels depend on the type of household plant you have, each is different. The ideal humidity level for different types of plants is the following:

  • 10%-20%: Cacti and succulents can survive
  • 20%-30%: Average level for a home. Some plants are able to live
  • 30%-50%: Ideal for the flowering stage of mature plants
  • 50%-60%: Ideal for vegetative stage of growing plants
  • 60%-80%: Ideal for a greenhouse for various plants like tropical plants
  • 80%-100%: Ideal for germination of seeds and growth of seedlings. Very uncomfortable for humans

Things to Consider When Choosing a Humidifier

Understanding the concepts behind humidity and other features of a humidity will allow you to pick the right humidifier for both your plants and your own body!

Cooler temperatures tend to remove moisture from the air. In addition, heating from central heat or fireplaces further removes moisture. Combining these two explains why there is very little humidity in households during winter.

  • Humidity: Is the amount of water (water vapor) that is suspended in the air at any time
  • Tank Capacity: The larger the tank, the more likely it can run before you need to refill it
  • Mist Temperature: Not as critical as you may think. Warm mist is purer as it’s generated by evaporation, but cold mist is more cost-effective. Regardless, plants don’t mind either warm or cold
  • Filter Life: Usually need to replace filters every 2-3 months to ensure humidifiers are running at full efficiency. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on when to replace them
  • Noise Level: Not all humidifiers are quiet. Evaporative humidifiers tend to generate much more noise than ultrasonic humidifiers
  • Setup and Maintenance: Periodic upkeep to ensure your humidifier is free of bacteria and mold is crucial. No matter what humidifier you choose, you will eventually run into these issues if left unchecked. “Pink mold” is a common complaint by many people: ensure you clean your humidifier!

Conclusion

The best humidifier for your plants and skin is the GENIANI Top Fill Cool Mist Humidifier. Most humidifiers do exactly the same thing and to differentiate from one another, looking into brand quality is a must. GENIANI is a well-known and respected brand. In addition, it has essential oil features and a well-thought-out design that makes it the perfect choice in any home.

Looking for more ideas in your home? Are you someone who is now working from home in the foreseeable future? I have several articles on working from home! I’ve created my blog to help others help them in their decision making without needing to spend hours scouring the internet to find information.

Check out my articles on keyboards and mice, best work from home laptops, and ergonomic chairs!