Vicks Mini Filter Free Cool Mist Humidifier

Dry indoor air can make coughs and congestion that much worse, but a humidifier can, thankfully, help infuse your home’s environment with moisture and balance the relative humidity (RH). With its quiet output and simple, compact design, Vicks Mini Filter Free Cool Mist Humidifier is a great option in a bedroom.

The unit offers a small footprint—you can easily keep it on a dresser top or shelf—and because of its light weight, it's easily portable. Just note that you'll need two hands to carry it. Picking it up from the top handle will just detach the water reservoir, so you have to grab it from the base. The clear window of the reservoir allows you to see when a refill is required, which is good because there's no indicator light to alert you that the tank is running low, though the unit does include an auto-shutoff if the tank runs dry.

In our lab tests, the Vicks Mini Filter Free Cool Mist Humidifier offered one of the highest outputs of the humidifiers we tried out, converting a litre of water to mist over the course of an hour. It is recommended for spaces up to 250 square feet, making it a smart fit for a nursery or child’s bedroom. Families that tested the Vicks humidifier said that when set to the highest misting level, the unit was able to quickly increase the room’s humidity. They also liked that it was quiet, even on the highest setting. Some testers noticed an improvement in sleep and decrease in dry skin and scratchy throats, and appreciated the humidifier's VapoPads—mentholated pads that can be used to infuse the mist with Vicks' patented cold-soothing vapour.

Simple and straightforward products are essential for a busy family, and the ability to get this humidifier out of the box and working quickly to help quell a child’s uncomfortable cough is a benefit. Our editors and parent testers found setting up the Vicks Mini Filter Free Cool Mist Humidifier super easy—you barely even need to look at the manual. The uncomplicated controls include a central dial that allows you to turn the humidifier on and off and adjust the misting level from minimum to maximum, stopping wherever you're comfortable. This simplicity will appeal to some, but this model doesn't offer many of the features found on a more feature-rich humidifier, such as a humidistat or display to let you know the level of moisture in the air.

If refilling the water tank on your humidifier is a pain, you're less likely to do it. The Vicks Mini Filter Free Cool Mist Humidifier is super easy to fill thanks to the three-inch opening, and small enough that you can place it into the sink before turning on the tap rather having hold onto it. Some of our parent testers said the unit dripped water when they were taking it to and from the sink, so it's probably worth noting that you'll either have to wipe up the drips or carry the whole thing over to the sink to avoid making a mess.

While there's no filter than needs cleaning, the company does recommend cleaning the tank and tank cap weekly by swishing and then soaking those parts with undiluted distilled white vinegar for 15 to 20 minutes. Disinfecting with half a teaspoon of bleach in a gallon of water is also part of the regular maintenance, but these are small tasks compared to other machines that require more rigorous cleaning regimes.

FINAL WORD

Overall, our parent testers agreed that the Vicks Mini Filter Free Cool Mist Humidifier offers ease of use, reliable performance and—with the addition of the scent pads—a comforting option when you’re feeling under the weather. The simple set-up, easy refilling and maintenance, and misting adjustment make it a great option for the price. Our editors thought this was a great little unit that did what it was meant to do without unnecessary bells and whistles.