We want the best for our child, and we care about their health and well-being. When our babies are unwell, they have trouble sleeping and as parents, so do we. If you’re shopping for the best humidifier for baby congestion, our review will help you understand the benefits of humidifiers for babies and which is the right humidifier for you.
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A comparison of humidifier brands and models for your baby nursery
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Choosing a humidifier for babies is an important step to helping maintain the best level of humidity.
A humidifier is an affordable and easy way to make sure there is enough moisture in your baby’s nursery to help them sleep well.
According to Medline Plus, a humidifier in the home can help relieve congestion and stuffy noses.
When babies are congested, they find it difficult to sleep. They are uncomfortable, restless and keep mommy and daddy awake.
By using a humidifier in your baby’s room, you are helping clear their airways which may help ease congestion.
Coughs and colds are common in the winter, and being in a room with dry air doesn’t help. This is why it’s a good idea to use a humidifier in the winter when your baby or toddler is congested.
Adding moisture to a room through a humidifier reduces dryness in a room. Dryness may be a cause of nasal congestion and coughing in babies or young children (always seek medical advice).
Here’s a comparison table showing you the best humidifier for baby congestion:
Comparison of the best humidifier for baby congestion
All of the humidifiers have an auto shut-off feature which shuts down the humidifier once the water level drops to a certain point. This means you don’t need to worry about overheating the humidifier once it is empty.
The larger humidifier tanks such as those in the Levoit 6 liter humidifier and the Vicks Filter-Free humidifier can operate continuously for more than 24 hours, while the other humidifiers operate for up to 24 hours.
If you’re looking to add essential oils to your humidifier for baby congestion, the Vicks’ Filter-Free allows you to use its VapoPads (1 included) while both Levoit humidifiers and the Amazon Basics come with an essential oil tray.
Often, babies and children are comforted by night lights. Of the best humidifier for baby congestion we’ve selected, the Levoit Cool Mist 2.4 liter and the Pure Enrichment Mist Aire Cloud have night lights. Levoit’s light is pink while the Pure Enrichment has 8 rotating colors.
From a price perspective, the Moosha is an inexpensive and basic option while the Amazon Basics is also a good choice for the budget-conscious.
If you’re a tech fan and love using smart technology, the Levoit humidifier 6 liter model is the only one in our review that offers wi-fi capability and works with Alexa. It has smart and voice control.
Best humidifier for baby congestion- reviews of each brand
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AquaOasis™ Cool Mist Humidifier
The AquaOasis cool mist humidifier is a great, small humidifier for baby congestion.
Similar to the 6 liter Levoit humidifier that we review later in this post, the AquaOasis has a 360 degree rotating nozzle so that you can choose which direction you’d like the vapors to disperse.
This is great for making sure that the vapors are not too close to where your baby is sleeping. You can read more about how much distance is required between your humidifier and your baby.
The AquaOasis is the only humidifier for baby in our review post that has a lifetime warranty and a lifetime replacement offer. This is great for peace of mind, if you’re not sure whether to purchase it or not.
Like almost all of the humidifiers, it has a knob dial to adjust the mist level.
It is filter-free which means one less thing to spend money on. It can operate up to 24 hours and can hold 2.2 liters of water.
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Vicks Filter-Free Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
The Vicks Filter-Free Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is one of the most-known and loved humidifiers for baby congestion on the market. They’ve sold tens of thousands and there are countless reviews online from happy buyers.
It holds 4.5 liters of water which is a large capacity tank. The humidifier can operate up to 30 hours, which is longer than most of the other humidifiers in this post.
You can use the Vicks VapoPads in this humidifier- it comes with 1 VapoPad included.
Like the other humidifiers we’ve reviewed, it is also filter-free and has a dial to adjust the mist control.
The wide tank opening makes it easy to fill the water tank and to clean it.
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Amazon Basics Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Although it is very plain-looking and basic compared to other humidifiers for babies, the Amazon Basics cool mist humidifier is a good option if you’re after something that is budget-friendly and small and simple to use.
You have a choice of black or white humidifier, and there are 3 different tank sizes.
The one we have tested and reviewed holds 2 liters of water and allows for up to 24 hours of continuous operation.
There is a tray so that you can add essential oils to help your baby with their congestion and runny nose.
You can choose from a high or low mist setting. Having the humidifier on a low setting means it will operate for longer.
The water tank has a large opening and a hand grip so you can easily handle it and fill.
There is a night light which might help comfort your baby or toddler, which can be helpful when they’re not feeling well.
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Pure Enrichment® MistAire™ Cloud
Unlike the other humidifiers for baby congestion that we’ve tested and reviewed, the Pure Enrichment Mistaire is a fun, novelty humidifier perfect for babies, toddlers and young children.
This is a great humidifier to also purchase as a gift for a baby shower or a 1st birthday.
It is cloud-shaped, which makes it a great decor piece as well as being a functional humidifier to help soothe your baby’s congestion and runny nose when they’re unwell.
Also soothing for babies is the 8 color night light. The light changes colors continuously. Children are mesmerized by this!
It can operate for up to 24 hours and you can control the amount of mist that’s dispersed, by using the mist control knob.
The water tank is large so that you can easily pour water into it.
It comes with a handy cleaning brush and has a 5-year warranty.
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Best humidifier for baby with stuffy nose
You can use any humidifier for a toddler that you would use in a baby nursery, however some toddlers love anything that’s a novelty. I’ve researched and found a few cute and fun novelty humidifiers that would be perfect for a toddler’s bedroom.
I also prefer a cool mist humidifier in a toddlers room rather than a warm mist humidifier. This is in case your toddler decides to play with the humidifier! You don’t want them burning themselves from the heat of a warm mist humidifier.
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Vicks Starry Night Cool Moisture Humidifier
The Vicks Starry Night cool moisture humidifier is very popular with toddlers and children, and would also make a great addition to your baby’s nursery. It’s very popular because of the starry night projector, that projects stars onto the ceiling. Kids find this a lot of fun, and very relaxing when trying to fall asleep.
Vicks Starry Night has a 1-gallon water tank capacity and can run between 18-24 hours before needing to be refilled. How long it operates before needing to be refilled depends on whether you run the humidifier on the low or high setting.
I like that the Vicks Starry Night has a VapoPad scented pad that you can put inside the humidifier so that it emits a lovely fresh smell, which is great for when your child has a cough or cold.
Unlike the other humidifiers I’ve reviewed in this post, the Vicks Starry Night uses a filter. It’s an anti-microbial treated filter that has to be changed regularly.
What’s also impressive is that Vicks offers a 3-year warranty on the Vicks Starry Night, which is a longer warranty period than most other humidifiers on the market.
Size: 11.34 x 13.19 x 11.38 inches
Warranty: 3-year
[button-green url=”http://amzn.to/2xkT7iu” target=”_self” position=”left”]Check Price[/button-green]Crane Adorable Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier – Owl
For something really cute that your toddler will adore, Crane has novelty ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers that come in a range of different designs and are a popular addition to your child’s nursery or bedroom.
The Crane humidifier has a 1-gallon water tank capacity and can operate up to 24 hours before you need to refill the water tank.
It’s suitable for use in a medium-sized room, up to 500 square feet.
The humidifier has an auto shut off feature once the water level drops to a certain point. This is great because the humidifier won’t overheat and you don’t need to keep checking on it.
You don’t need to worry about replacement filters because the Crane humidifier doesn’t run using a filter.
The humidifier comes in different designs:
Size: 9 x 12.8 x 9 inches
Warranty: 1-year
Frequently Asked Questions About Humidifiers In A Baby Nursery
What is the best humidity level for congested baby?
This is a difficult question to answer!
It can vary, depending on many things, in particular your climate and also your baby’s personal needs.
The recommended best humidity level for congested baby is between 30%-60%. You can monitor the humidity levels by using the humidistat on your humidifier or by buying an accurate hygrometer.
Also pay attention to how your baby sleeps- do they sleep soundly or are they constantly waking up crying? Is your baby waking up in a sweat? Does your baby have a dry cough? These are some things to consider.
Of course, please do not take this as medical advice, but something to monitor.
What is the best type of humidifier for baby congestion, allergies and stuffy noses
You want your baby to feel safe and comfortable when sleeping, but how do you know whether a warm-mist or cool-mist humidifier is the best humidifier for babies?
Cool Mist Vs Warm Mist Humidifier For Baby Congestion
Warm Mist Humidifier
A warm-mist humidifier contains a heating element that heats up the water before the steam is dispersed.
You might think that a warm mist humidifier is the best humidifier for babies because they add warm air to a room, instead of cool air. One thing to remember is that warm mist humidifiers need to be cleaned more often than cool mist humidifiers because the heating element can lead to bacteria and mold growing in the humidifier. This is why warm mist humidifiers operate with a filter that needs to be regularly changed.
A warm mist humidifier costs more to operate. The heating element uses more power, and you need to regularly change the filter. The upfront cost of a warm mist humidifier is less than a cool mist humidifier.
A warm mist humidifier is not always the best humidifier for baby nurseries and toddler bedrooms because of the heating element and possible safety risks.
You can read more about warm mist humidifiers in my review post.
Why Cool Mist Humidifiers Are A Good Choice For Babies
Safer for babies: There is no risk of burns because there is no heating element.
Less expensive to run: Due to no heating element, it is cheaper to run a cool-mist humidifier.
Effective: A cool-mist humidifier is just as effective at adding moisture as a warm-mist humidifier.
Temperature: Cool-mist humidifiers do not create a cold room, they simply provide a mist that is not heated.
Quiet operation: Due to ultrasonic technology, a cool-mist humidifier has a quiet operation. Your baby will not be disturbed when the humidifier is on.
You can read more about cool mist humidifiers in my review post.
How To Choose A Humidifier
Auto shut-off: This is an important safety feature found in nearly all humidifiers. Once the water level is low, the unit will shut off automatically. This is important as sometimes parents can forget that the humidifier is operating.
Quiet operation: A quiet operating humidifier will help your baby sleep better.
Adjustable control: Being able to adjust the speed of the mist means that you can control how much moisture is being dispersed and also how long the unit will operate for.
Easy to clean and refill: You will need to clean the humidifier a few times each week, so its best to find a humidifier that is easy to clean and refill.
Antibacterial features: This helps prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses. Look out for filters and UV technology that does this for you.
Why do humidifiers help with congestion in babies?
Sometimes, congestion and dry coughs occur because the air in the home is dry. Using the heater in the winter dries out the air, and you can be left with a very hot, stuffy and dry environment. Humidifiers add moisture to the room, so that the air isn’t as dry. This helps clear the airway and reduces the chances of getting a dry cough from lack of moisture in the room.
Do cool mist humidifiers make the room cold for your baby?
Some people think that cool mist humidifiers make the room cold. Although the mist isn’t warm, it doesn’t make a room cold. Since humidifiers are commonly used in the winter when the air inside your baby’s nursery is dry, you would usually use a heater in conjunction with a humidifier. The cool mist isn’t cool enough to cool down a room in the summer, if you’re using the humidifier in a hot and dry climate.
Can you use a diffuser as a humidifier to help with baby congestion?
Some people believe that a diffuser and a humidifier are the same. Most essential oil diffusers don’t emit as much vapor into the air as a humidifier does. An essential oil diffuser cannot add moisture to a room like a humidifier can. It’s recommended that you use a humidifier in a baby’s room if you want to add more moisture to the room. Some humidifiers allow you to add essential oils- please check your manufacturer’s instructions for more information.
My humidifier recommendations
Parents spend lots of time researching and shopping for a new baby crib and other furniture for the nursery, but it’s also important to research and shop for products that will help your baby’s health.
Not only do humidifiers help with easing coughs and congestion, they also help prevent dry skin. A baby’s skin can be very sensitive to its environment. Babies are exposed to the harshness of the climate, dust, bacteria and mold.
By using a humidifier, you can help reduce the likelihood that your baby will suffer from dry skin.
Dry skin can cause severe discomfort and pain for babies. Read more information about dry air health problems.
Humidifiers can help prevent the onset of dry skin and its associated problems. Humidifiers add moisture to the air and can be used all year round. Dry air not only occurs in winter time but also in climates that are hot and dry in the summertime.
