Humidifier Reviews

We've taken this humidifier out on occasion when there are a few stuffy noses and it just feels too dry in the house. It's large enough to take care of any one of our rooms, including our 20x16 living room that opens into a foyer. Within about an hour there's a big difference.

The filter has been gradually getting darker, but according to the picture we've only used half its life, and we've run the humidifier about 20 times (say for an average of 4 hours each time). I also like cool mist humidifiers because the machine itself doesn't have to be sanitized.

I live in a desert~like New York City apartment and have owned my Venta Air Washer for almost exactly two years. During this time it has been operating on the "high" setting, 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The Air Washer lives up to all of the manufacturer's claims.

The Air Washer is a product of fanatical German engineering, over~design and bullet~proof construction, which accounts for it's rather grotesque price. However, I have owned products of inferior engineering and construction that have had to be replaced after one or two seasons. It is obvious I will own my Air Washer for many years to come.

The principles of operation could not be more simple (it's like a High School science project developed into a luxury product):

1) A fan blows room air straight down into a reservoir of water.

2) In this reservoir of water, a few dozen disks are slowly rotating to multiply the surface area that is wet.

3) Because you are blowing air onto a enlarged wet surface you are multiplying the rate of evaporation.

4) Humidified air is exhausted out of the Air Washer through vents in the side.

THIS WORKS.

On the "high" setting the water reservoir needs to be refilled daily in my apartment (this is highly dependent on your local weather or heating cycle). I end up carrying a couple gallons of water to the device or carrying the device to the bathtub and then back to its spot in my livingroom.

The design of the Air Washer is "neutral." It sits unobtrusive and un~noticed in a corner. It is nearly silent. It is built like a tank: It would be a challenge to damage this product on purpose.

Why not Five Stars?

The Venta Air Washer consumes expendables. You need a water treatment solution to prevent mineral deposits forming on the rotating disks mentioned above (weekly). AND you need a periodic cleaning solution to remove deposits that develop pn the bottoms and walls of the reservoir. I have tried operating the Air Washer without these things. They are required for optimal performance.

Like the device itself, the Venta treatment and cleaning solutions work perfectly and simply. But, THE EXPENDIBLES ARE EXPENSIVE! Assume youy will spend US$50.00 per year.

Also, you would think that for a company selling a FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR humidifier, the Venta aroma therapy scents would smell a bit less like a Central American bordello (not that I've ever seen one of those). Skip these even if they're free samples.

If you want the very best at any price, buy this product.

I am not affiliated with either the manufacturer or Amazon.

The Vornado works sensationally for the first 2 or 3 days. Then the filter paper dries up and accumulates water contaminants. Even with filtered water the filter'S lifespan only increases to about 12 days. This means new filterS every 2 weeks which is approximately $... Plus the filter SMELLS BAD by this point as well as the humidified air.I have already spent $... in filter costs. It seems like a scam so that you can continue to keep spending lots of $$$$ on Vornado products.
...

i usually get nose bleeds in the winterbecause my house is so dry from the heat.This product i just wonderful my nose no longer bleeds and my skin no long dry.Now i can sleep with no problem breathing it is just great.

Despite the word "quiet" that appears on the packaging, this humidifier is anything but. Although it did succeed in raising the humidity from "arid" to the "comfort zone" during the daytime, it was far too loud to get a good night's rest.
The design is also awkward to refill. The base is wide and difficult to carry with a full reservoir from the bathroom to bedroom, and the top needs to be carefully aligned over the base to avoid squashing the flimsy wick.
We replaced it with an ultrasonic unit that is nearly silent and delivers twice the humidity.

This is not a quiet product, not very effective to add moisture to your room, and you have to keep buying filters in the future in order for it to work.