The Best Humidifiers to Keep Baby Happy and Healthy

In a nutshell:

Based on advice from two pediatricians and a survey of over 200 parents in The Bump community, we chose the Canopy Bedside Humidifier as the overall best humidifier for babies. In particular, it stood out due to its mold-inhibiting technology, easy-to-clean design and helpful automatic features.

When it’s chilly outside, we all want to keep our little ones warm and toasty indoors—but central heat can be very dehydrating. Thankfully, you can keep your little one feeling happier and healthier with the help of a baby humidifier.

During dry, cold winter months, an infant humidifier will help to moisturize baby’s nasal passages, helping them to breathe easier, explains Denise Scott, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist based in Oklahoma. Using one of these devices—especially when baby has a cold—can help alleviate stuffy noses and coughs, and ensure that everyone has a more restful night of sleep. Ready to find the best fit for your family? Below, browse our favorite products on the market right now—plus, learn more about the benefits of having a humidifier for baby in your home.

How We Chose the Best Baby Humidifiers

To help you and your little one out this cold season, we browsed an array of baby humidifiers on the market to find the very best options for your family. Here, find the steps we took to create this roundup:

• We chatted with two pediatricians to understand essential features and health considerations that you should keep in mind when shopping for and using a baby humidifier.
• We followed safety guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regarding humidifiers for infants.
• We surveyed over 200 parents in The Bump community for additional insight into the pros and cons of these baby humidifiers.
• We leveraged our familiarity with leading baby brands and trusted online retailers to ensure items are from reliable manufacturers.
• We considered several factors when sourcing these products, including size, weight, capacity, value, coverage and running time, to name a few.
• We read user reviews to get the lowdown on how these nursery humidifiers have worked for real families, and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read about how The Bump develops and reviews all articles, including product reviews.

Best Humidifiers for Baby

*Note: Some names have been changed due to privacy requests.

Do You Need a Baby Humidifier?

Is a baby humidifier essential for your little love’s nursery? While it’s not an absolute necessity, it definitely comes in handy in certain situations. Dry air (particularly during colder months) causes moisture to evaporate from the skin, and can irritate baby’s sensitive nasal passages. By using a humidifier for baby, you can efficiently add moisture back into the air of their room, which can help relieve this soreness. Additionally, the added moisture can help prevent mucus from getting too dry and hard to remove, says Natasha Burgert, MD, a pediatrician and a spokesperson for the AAP. So, while a humidifier for baby isn’t a must-have, you’ll appreciate how the device helps your child breathe (and sleep!) easier, when they’re feeling under the weather.

Benefits of Using a Baby Humidifier

Having a baby humidifier in your infant’s nursery poses numerous health benefits. Here, a few advantages, as explained by the experts:

• Moisture. Adding moisture to baby’s environment will keep their nasal passages from getting too dry, which makes breathing easier, says Scott. “Babies are dependent on breathing through their noses, and can easily become congested,” she adds. A nursery humidifier can work wonders to alleviate that problem.

• Skin hydration. Scott says that if baby is prone to eczema, an infant humidifier can help soothe dry skin by putting moisture back into the air—especially during winter months.

• White noise. Parents who are fans of white noise machines will appreciate that humidifiers for babies create gentle, consistent background noise. This sound can even become a way of signaling to your child that it’s bedtime.

Safety Considerations When Using a Baby Humidifier

Using a humidifier for baby congestion can provide an array of benefits, but it’s essential to ensure the device is used correctly for your child’s health and safety. First of all, the AAP recommends that parents use a cool-mist humidifier rather than a hot-water version, as the latter releases warm steam that can potentially burn your child. Below, additional health and safety considerations to keep top of mind:

• Fire hazard risk. These devices can potentially be a fire hazard since water is near electrical cords, says Scott. Take precautions to make sure that your setup is safe and secure.

• Mold. Due to the moisture they create, humidifiers can be a source of mold and bacteria, if they’re not cleaned and checked regularly. To combat this, Scott recommends using distilled water, when possible, and changing the water daily. Burgert suggests looking for devices that are easy to take apart and clean to avoid mold and mildew buildup.

• Water damage to floors and furniture. Scott suggests keeping the humidity level in baby’s room between 30 to 50 percent, which can be measured with a gauge; some infant humidifiers will automatically measure this. Watch out for damp areas, and don’t run the machine when the room is unoccupied.

• Excessive moisture. If your little one is asthmatic or prone to allergies, Scott recommends reserving the nursery humidifier for times of illness.

• Device placement. Once you find the best baby humidifier for your needs, be sure to properly read the owner’s manual, and place the device on a stable surface about five to six feet away from your child’s crib or bed. It should, ideally, be set on a tall piece of furniture that cannot be moved, with the cord and outlet tucked behind it.

What to Look for in a Baby Humidifier

Shopping around for the best humidifier for baby? It’s important to consider several factors, like how easy it is to clean, mist temperature and whether to go with an ultrasonic or traditional evaporative model. Cool-mist baby humidifiers require more cleaning than warm-mist versions, but they also don’t pose a burn risk. Ultrasonic infant humidifiers are quiet, but they’re more expensive than evaporative ones, and they may not be as durable. What’s more, you’ll want to choose a baby humidifier that’s appropriate for the square footage of baby’s nursery. “Too large a size will create too much moisture for the room,” says Scott. Lastly, consider purchasing a device with an automatic shut-off feature so that it’ll stop running when the reservoir is empty.

About the writer:

Emma O’Regan-Reidy is an editor for The Bump. She specializes in writing e-commerce content about the latest and greatest in pregnancy, postpartum and parenting. O’Regan-Reidy has researched an array of topics, from prenatal vitamins and postpartum pads to the best non-wifi baby monitors, toddler learning towers and everything in between. With over a three-year career in digital media, she’s written dozens of articles on parenting products, aiming to create engaging, helpful content that informs new and seasoned parents.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

Sniffles Be Gone: How to Treat a Baby Cold
The Best Baby Nasal Aspirators for Stuffy Noses

Everything to Know About Newborn and Baby Congestion