LEVOIT - LV600S Smart Hybrid Ultrasonic Humidifier

Not sure I would put any humidifier into the BIFL category, but I've had the Levoit 6000S for two years and I've been really happy with it. You say you live in a studio apartment though, so it would likely be overkill for you. If you're still shopping, the other commenters are right, you need to know the size of your space. Then, you can use the [humidifier comparison tool](https://www.reddit.com/r/Humidifiers/comments/1ffuk7n/humidifiers_complete_product_list_features/), also pinned at the top of the Humidifiers subreddit to sort by models that match your size and space.

There is no such thing as a maintenance-free humidifier, whether it's evaporative, ultrasonic, or even steam, they all require regular cleaning or regular changing of filters (or sometimes both). Steam is less prone to mold, but also super hot, and is prone to scale buildup which still requires cleaning. I would suggest giving your current unit a thorough clean first to see if that solves the issue. We have a 6L LEVOIT (ultrasonic/cool mist) humidifier, and I check ours every couple of weeks. If I see the mold, wipe the affected areas down with vinegar and rinse. Hydrogen peroxide 3% works well if I really want to feel thorough. We also make sure to change out the filter as recommended or more often (you can buy them in bulk). We also run two Vornado evaporative humidifiers on the first floor of the house. Let me tell you, the wicks in those develop considerable mold, and we change them out once a month or sometimes more often. Regardless of humidifier the concept is the same. You have to take care of them no matter what you buy.

I don't have any context for the Carepod models, but I do own the Levoit 6000S and I've been really happy with it. I'm so glad I went with the evaporative style instead of ultrasonic. This will be my third winter using it, and the filters last me the whole season (about 3-4 months. I'm in the south, so I don't run heat as much as someone up north might). I haven't had to deal with any mold or funky buildup either, which was a big concern for me when I was shopping too. I think both brands you're considering are solid though. I just checked. The Humidifiers subreddit has a [post on reputable humidifier brands ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Humidifiers/comments/1ffuk7n/humidifiers_complete_product_list_features/)and both Levoit and Carepod are on it. That thread might be worth a look if you're still deciding.

I bought a Levoit LV600S last year when my apartment building's heating turned my place into the Sahara and it's been solid. The warm mist option is nice for winter and the app is actually useful for setting schedules. No major complaints except the water tank situation is slightly annoying to refill

I like Levoit as well.

I've got a Levoit humidifier too, also live in a super hard water area. I only use distilled water in it to extend its lifespan and avoid having to descale reguarly. I always have distilled water in anyway for some of the more sensitive plants.

I use a LEVOIT LV600S, which has warm and cool steam. You can run them at the same time which saves on water--I usually have the "cool" at level 2/3 and warm at 1/3. I put some eucalyptus on the essential oil pad and it helps me & my daughter tremendously. The water will run out overnight if you have the warm mist on a high setting. Make sure to use distilled water and always let it dry out during the day, preferably in the sunlight. I also love the Levoit app and how I can use my Alexa device to control the humidifier with my voice. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095KGXPW5?ref\_=ppx\_hzsearch\_conn\_dt\_b\_fed\_asin\_title\_3&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095KGXPW5?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3&th=1)

Buy a good one, you'll appreciate it. I bought the Levoit LV600S, which I highly, highly recommend.

tl;dr: Get the Levoit 6000S and replace the wicks and filter every 1-2 years. Avoid ultrasonic humidifiers.   Where I'm from, the winters are terribly dry 20-32% humidity typically, over the years I have been trying different types of humidifiers so I have a pretty good idea of which ones are worth it and which ones aren't, I hope I can help people who have to deal with dry air save some money and stress as I wish I had this kind of resource when I was looking for humidifiers that worked.   Here is my quick review of the best ones I've tried. These were all used for a single large master bedroom with hard tap water and ran for 16+ hours a day over the course of 3-5 months during the fall/winter. None of them failed and are all still working but does require proper maintenance, if you are in an area with soft water then the maintence schedule may be better than what I will list below. Some are intended for a larger space, but the goal is to be able to achieve a consistent 50% humidity as my benchmark for a good humidifier. Humidity was tested with two ThermoPro TP55 hygrometers at two different spots in the room away from the humidifier, readings were consistent between the two (as well as with some smaller hygrometers I had left over from 3D printing). The built-in humidity sensors on every humidifier I tried has never really been accurate, they are usually higher by 5-10% compared to the room since they are often inside or right beside the humidification spot.   **Honeywell HWM440WC** Evaporative steam humidifier, this humidifier just uses steam and has no fans, it is pretty quiet, cheap, and works fairly well. I own two of these as they were my first humidifiers. However there are some pretty big drawbacks.   tl;dr: Requires maintenance and refilling often but cheap   **Pros:** * Cheap * Relatively quiet * Warms the room * Easy top fill * Simple 3 switch button * Auto shut off feature * No wicks to replace or clean * No additives needed * Can achieve 50%+ on high setting, low gets to 44-45% consistently at best. **Cons:** * Mineral Build-up is a pain to deal with: With tap water it will eventually develop mineral buildup on the heating element which is a hard plastic-like material. It is difficult to clean off the buiild-up as you don't want to damage the heating element and the space is difficult to work in. I typically soak in it a hot citric acid bath to dissolve and soften the build up then go at it carefully with a screwdriver. This needs to be done weekly if using it a lot otherwise the build up will get so bad it won't run anymore, if using the high setting often it should be descaled every 4-5 days. (If you use distilled you will be spending so much money on distilled water...) * Uses more water than other evaporative humidifiers * Requires refilling throughout the day. On the low setting a full tank running continuously lasts 10-12 hours. Running on the high setting it lasts 7-8.5 hours, ymmv. * Uses more electricity than others   **AirCare Space Saver Evaporative Humidifier** Uses a very large paper wick which absorbs the water and a top mount fan blows air out to humidify the space. The design does have a flaw in that the fan and wick aren't positioned in a way that lets air efficiently pull the moisture out of the wick. This is the cheapest evaporative humidifier of this size. I used bacteriostat additive for each refill to inhibit bacteria growth (imo not really nessecary if you go through your water as fast as me).   tl;dr: Loud but does the job and low maintenance   **Pros:** * Relatively cheap for the capacity * Humidifies the room to ~45% on low setting, medium/high can bring it past 50%. * Large tank, lasts for 3 days or so running continuously on low. * Simple dumb design, just one dial to set desired humidity shut off and one button to turn on/off the fan and dial the speed between low, medium, high. Inside is just a styrofoam bob for auto shut off and a big replaceable wick. * Easy top fill * Auto shut off: Uses a styrofoam bob to push a lever under the lid, when the water level is too low it can't push the lever and the machine stops. * Has wheels which can be helpful if you prefer filling at the tap for a capacity this large **Cons:** * Wick need replacing yearly based on my experience, they are very large and because of the design of it, it is difficult to properly clean all the mineral build up off of it. * Lid is slightly annoying to put on, since the bucket body is not made of very rigid plastic, the little amount of bending can make the lid difficult to seat in place, if the lid was designed better to have alignment pieces built into it then it wouldn't be an issue. * Realistically only usable on low setting if you are in the room, around the same loudness as a typical standing fan. Medium you need noise cancelling headphones and on high you are going to hear it no matter what and it is crazy loud, think hairdryer 3 arms length away. * No easy way to see the max fill line, if you overfill it, there is a drain hole out the back. Best way to see it without removing the lid and be annoyed at putting it back on is to just shine a light at where the max fill line is on the inside. You will be able to easily see the fill line and water level through the opening at the top for filling.   **Venta LW45** Filterless/Wickless style evaporative humidifier. Quiet and simple operation. Extremely expensive for what is really just a plastic bucket and drum. While filterless, you need to use their water treatment or make your own to avoid too much build up of minerals which ends up being more expensive than just buying a new wick every year (so much for the filterless advantage). They also advertise it as cleaning the air, this is mostly just a marketing gimmick imo. Also I've heard the customer support was terrible as they will blame you for not doing proper maintenance with their additives if anything happens.   tl;dr: Avoid, too pricey and mediocre performance   **Pros:** * Quiet * Auto shut off * Filterless * Top fill but you need to remove the lid * Humidifies the room to 42-45%, couldn't consistently keep at 50% or higher * Simple operation **Cons:** * Expensive Expensive Expensive * Cheap material build for the price * Requires using expensive additives on every refill which is very pricey if you go through water quickly * Below average capacity for the price * Requires cleaning every ~10 days * Average humidification for the price   **Levoit 6000S** Modern looking evaporative humidifier that works very well and uses 4 small wicks. Quiet operation and for full functionality and customization you need to use an app on your smartphone. Refill requires taking off the top pieces and using a provided funnel if filling from the tap or if you have a bucket you can just pour water directly into the wide basin. I used bacteriostat additive for each refill to inhibit bacteria growth (imo not really nessecary if you go through your water as fast as me).   tl;dr: Great humidifier, good price   **Pros:** * Great humidification, achieves 50%+ easily on 4/10 fan speed which is still quieter than the Aircare on low. * Quiet * Top fill but you need to remove the top pieces * Durable small wicks, can survive a descale with citric acid and hot water once or twice * Modern looking * Has wheels which can be helpful if you prefer filling at the tap for a capacity this large * Large capacity, requires refilling slightly more often than the Aircare (still can go days) * Comes with a cover for storage * Lots of different features and settings for a humidifier * Viewing window for max fill line **Cons:** * Requires an app for full functionality and best experience, buttons on the machine are still adequate though * Requires buying wicks that are ~$10 more expensive than the Aircare and a filter, but lasts longer as you can descale it once or twice * Cleaning does require running the machine wickless with citric acid water then flushing with plain water, once a month   --- **Ultrasonic Rant** I started with ultrasonic humidifiers but those are just terrible to deal with. The only benefit to them is that they are cool looking and cheap. But if you don't use distilled water it gets mineral deposits everywhere (esp with hard water) and is not good for the air quality. Also their ability to humidify a very dry room is out of the question based on my experience with two different ultrasonic humidifiers in the $70-120 range (could barely hold 42% in a localized area). Highly recommend you stay away from these, they are very common and even if they say "warm mist" it can still be ultrasonic. If they don't say what type of humidifier it is or if the price seems too good, it is very likely ultrasonic.   Edit:   **Carepod Rant**   tl;dr: Avoid like the plague   Since several people have been asking for my opinion about Carepod, here is my 2-cents without first hand experience: They are over marketed, misleading, overpriced and nothing special. They don't specificy practically all of their humidifiers are ultrasonic without digging into the webpage and flipping the tabs to specs which is a major red flag. Their non-ultrasonic ones also has been reported to have issues with overheating and the design appears to be terribly inefficient since it looks like it is just boiling a pot of water (basically an electric kettle you run constantly). They definitely spent a ton of money on advertising and doesn't really innovate on anything with humidifiers. If you have knowledge and lots of experience with humidifiers you will be able to tell a lot of what they say in their advertisement is irrelevant garbage. I equate Carepod to all the other randomly branded humidifiers you find on Amazon except it is priced 3-10x+ more just because they do a lot of advertising and marketing. I do not personally recommend Carepod especially when they make dangerous statements such as "Safe for everyone, even babies" which is only the case if you use distilled water which there will be a significant amount of people who don't know to do that. Also them constantly promoting it is "made by a doctor" and won "awards" (from 2021) is a red flag.

Been using a Levoit for about 2 years now and it's solid, just don't slack on the weekly cleaning or you'll regret it lol. The top-fill design is clutch when you're lazy about refills

Do you have a swamp cooler or been around one? The Levoit 6000s operates the same way. Just puts water vapor in the air. No clouds, no residue. Runs on tap water. Not cheap but given what you need it for, the cost of doing business.

I have a 6000s as well. I'll pay the extra 100 so I don't have to fill it every day.

Yeah, I'd say the HCM-350 is too small for what you're trying to cover. It'd be better suited for just one bedroom, so you could just buy another identical model. I have the Levoit 6000S and I love it. It would definitely handle your setup. I keep mine in the living room, and it does a great job. The tank is huge, so I only need to fill it about every three days. Refilling takes maybe five minutes, but the hose hooks up to the tap easily enough. Levoit also makes a smaller one called the Sprout, though I'm not sure what the room coverage is on that. If you want to compare options, there's a big database pinned on the r/Humidifiers subreddit that compares all Humidifiers brands and makes it easy to sort by size and coverage area so you can find something that fits your space.

I just got a LEVOIT smart one so I don't have to manually turn it on and off. AFAIK the only benefit of using distilled water would be less hard water build up inside. I don't worry about that personally because you can just clean it with distilled white vinegar when the build up gets bad.

Yeah, I have 6L Levoit and it's a pain in the ass to clean. I do it once a week.

I have been through 5 humidifiers in the last 3 years, but my Levoit is going strong. I second this recommendation.

Thanks for doing the write up. Perhaps talk to the mods and have them turn it into a sticky. It's actually somewhat amazing to me that people don't realize that they're breathing the white mineral dust on every flat surface near an ultrasonic. This is my third season with one so I've pretty much got it down to a science. Something you may want to add is they can be problematic if too close to a wall. The water vapor tends to pool behind the unit, giving the rear facing hygrometer artificially high readings and completely throwing performance off. Mine sits next to my wood stove so the first month with it was manic, talking with Levoit CS weekly. They sent me their Aura sensor, now discontinued for reasons beyond my understanding, which syncs with the 6000s and can be placed across the room for proper operation. I've been discussing this issue with someone who is going through what I did and is very, very frustrated. I've bought several Bluetooth temp and humidity sensors from Amazon to see if I can get one to sync with the machine so I have a backup and the other user has a solution to his problem.

Levoit 6000S I live in NYC. My place is below 15% humidity most of the winter because I'm high up (heat rises) and my building cranks out the heat from early Oct well into spring. It's miserable. I suffered migraines and nose bleeds for years. I hate white noise so wanted the quietest option. I tried so many ultrasonic ones but they didn't put a dent in the low humidity. Also white dust was created and my gas stove flame was red instead of blue because of the minerals in the air. I didn't like that because stuff was in the air yet humidity same? Just seemed not right to me lol Anyway I finally found a solution! Levoit 6000S. It's not silent by any means when on high fan but once I crank it up and get my room to desired humidity then I can lower it to medium fan (even low sometimes) to maintain humidity. If you're only worried about raising bedroom humidity and can shut your door then you will have all the humidity your heart desires with this machine. I also like that it's not messy. It's super easy to clean. You can use tap water. And you can soak the filters in citric acid to clean them so they last longer. No need to buy replacements regularly. It is pricey. I got mine used off marketplace for $75. Maybe you could find used one too. I'm sure humidifiers are popular in Colorado! Good luck.

I highly recommend the Levoit 6000S. I've been recommending it so much I feel I own stock in it lol but after struggling with dry apt for years and no relief and finally finding a humidifier that works to raise humidity A LOT and is easy to clean I want to share with others so they can stop wasting time on ones that barely add 5-10% when on high (like the ultrasonic ones). The evaporative ones also don't put droplets in air like ultrasonic so you won't breathe in anything harmful. With the ultrasonics it would set off my air purifiers. I heard it's harmless and just minerals from the water but why breathe in all that if an alternative that works better exists? I know it's big but worth the size. It means you don't have to bother filling it often and can leave it running and not think about it as much as smaller ones. Good luck with whatever you choose but keep this one in mind. It ended my migraines, dry throat and bloody nasal passages from the low (single digit) humidity during winter. One thing I will add is my apt is wood floors. It doesn't roll as smooth as it should for the price (they could have put better wheels on it!) but it rolls well enough. I'm not sure on carpet it would tho. I never tried it but feel it would be harder.

I just purchased this model Levoit LV600S Smart Humidifier and have noticed a considerable difference in my sleep quality over the past 10 days. I always wake up in the middle of the night with dry mouth/nose during the winter and so far this has pretty much stopped those wake ups. It's able gauge the humidity level and keep it within a set range at night without running out of water.

it's okay! it works and does help with humidity but i wish it had a digital humidistat to turn it self off. the unit is also fairly large and i wish it was smaller. I also wish the tank was bigger as it's kind of annoying to flip the filter and refill it everyday. I probably could do it every other day. I will say that the filter stays relatively clean after using the deminirlization tablets and aftermarket filter from amazon. Also being able to throw like most parts in the dishwasher is awesome for cleaning . comparing this to a previous levoit ultrasonic and i like that it's way more healthy. No mold in tricky spots (yet anyway) and i feel like i can do an easier job of keeping it clean for my son. I do change the wick every 30 days as well .

Not a fan of the wick type. If using tap water they fill with minerals in less than a month and then a new wick is needed. The Levoit drips water from the top, soaking the filters, air is drawn through them and out. Filters last the season if cared for.

Yes. The only part that needs a proper soap and water clean is the tub. The channel that water flows into with the small holes needs a wipe down (no soap otherwise it will get into the filters) with a deep clean with no filters a couple of times a season. Something OP didn't mention is there is a small round filter that goes into the water take up. That needs to be changed yearly, potentially more often with hard water. Also, using the filter dry function once a month will extend the filter life to the entire season.

The ultrasonics are working well? You have external readers to confirm the humidity? I never found them to work. All they did was put minerals in the air so my gas stove flame was red instead of blue but air wasn't much higher humidity so I stopped using them. I switched to an evaporative one. Works great and checks all the boxes you seem to want checked off. Look into the Levoit 6000S if not stuck on ultrasonic ones.

I don't have sleep apnea but I have an extremely dry and hot apartment. I can't control the heat it's from boiler in basement so heat will never change and during winter it sucks out what little moisture is in the air. I was waking up feeling almost sick from the dryness (and heat in my case). Throat sore, migraine, would blow my nose and blood come out from dry nasal passages. I ended up getting a Vornado window fan and keep that on to bring in some cold air and I got a Levoit 6000S which really help raise the humidity. Obviously with the fan and window open it can't raise the humidity as high as with window closed but it does a good job raising it which the untrasonics couldn't do. It could help your situation as well? I also use a nasal spray called Xlear and Ayr nasal gel before bed which helps a lot too. Good luck!!