The Good : This unit is much quieter and SO much easier to clean than the non Vicks brand we had before. The directions for cleaning this humidifier in the manual are very confusing and VERY different from videos you can find online that Vicks makes. I follow the video and ignore the manuals cleaning instructions. The amount of cool mist is quite plentiful and eases our dry skin and airways. (No more breathing discomfort in the mornings.) The tank holds enough water so we can run the unit at full blast for over 15 hours before a refill. I’ve read reviews about how it “leaks water all over”. I think that what the person may be referring to is the condensation that happens if the mist falls onto a surface such as a table or dresser. We’ve overcome this by either placing a washrag just in front of the unit on the table or setting the humidifier close to the edge of the dresser so the mist falls down allowing it to dissipate without coming into contact with anything. (We don’t have kids so there’s no worries about it getting accidentally knocked over.) The complaints about the sounds seem misunderstood. Yes, the unit makes noise; humidifiers do that. The sounds come from 3 different functions. 1) The motor that makes the unit work…. it’s a low-ish humming sound. 2) The bubbling created by the transducer (the round mist producing thing) 3) The periodic bubbling sound of the water moving from the tank into the reservoir leading to the transducer. Having used a cheaper non-Vicks unit for the past 3 winters, this unit is by far superior in keeping these sounds to a minimum. (I’m a very light sleeper and none of these sounds bother me one bit.) There is a place to put a scent pad; it came with 2 Vicks vapor pads. I experimented with putting a few drops of essential oil onto a piece of tissue and used that instead…. it worked well. Please watch the video I made to go along with this review.
The Not-So Good : I can’t think of anything so far.
This is the fourth humidifier I've bought in the past five years, so unfortunately I'm starting to feel like a humidifier expert. After the last one got impossible-to-clean mold in some inaccessible areas which made the mist come out smelling like a public pool changing room, it was back to the drawing board.
So, this time around I was primarily looking for a humidifier that would be easy to clean and this one definitely delivers. The giant water hole in the bottom of the tank can easily fit your hand or a dish brush. I clean the central tube (where the mist comes out) with the end of a long wooden spoon and wash cloth. It really is the easiest to clean humidifier I've had. One thing I've learned from my other humidifiers is that you really do need to clean them out all the time, because once there's some mold growth it is so much harder to get rid of it than prevent it. It isn't the humidifier's fault if there is mold growth (although some are treated with stuff to help, my last one was and it didn't make a difference). Any wet environment is going to attract mold and bacteria. It's a hassle but I've tried to get in the habit of emptying it and wiping it out every morning with a small amount of rubbing alcohol, then leaving both the base and the tank open over a towel to completely dry out during the day. Obviously that won't work if you want to run it 24/7 but at least every few days it needs to be dried out and disinfected or you will get that nasty pink sludge or mildew growing, no matter what humidifier you buy.
I also really like the design, with just a simple dial to adjust how much mist comes out. We run it almost on the highest setting all night and contrary to other reviewers have not noticed any water pooling around the unit or on the floor. It should be obvious, but it needs to be placed on a nightstand or higher up somewhere because if you do run it on the floor the mist can't spread as far, so you'll likely get no benefit from it and also end up with a soggy carpet.
This seems to be a pretty good humidifier. I have only had it about three or four weeks, so unfortunately this isn't a long term report. (I really appreciate when people come back and review later. I'll try.) But I also got an Anypro Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier 3.5L, and I can compare them a bit. I personally think I like this one better.
This one holds more water, is larger and runs longer. It doesn't put out anything close to the amount of steam that the Anypro does when both are on high. But I find that the high setting of this is plenty for me. I have it close to my bed (actually on top of my headboard, and the mist falls down directly onto me), so while the Anypro leaves a very damp surface below it when on high, this Vicks V4600 does not. For someone that really needs a lot of mist in the room the Anypro might be better, but the mist on these ultrasonic humidifiers pretty much just falls down in front of the unit, so that might be a moot point.
This does not have a night light such as the Anypro does, but even though I love the idea of a night light, I found the Anypro to be too bright, and the light on the knob is really bright in and of itself. It would be nice to have a soft light, especially so that you can see the water level, but I figure I can put a soft light next to the Vicks if I need that.
From the massive numbers of reviews I have read, research I have done and fails I have tried (it is hard to find a good humidifier. I doubt it is because difficult to make a good one, but more that companies would rather save money and sell you a new one in a few years), this should be one of the more sturdy ones (comparatively speaking). I found conflicting reports as to whether this has auto shutoff or not. Some info (even Consumer Reports) say it does not, but I finally contacted the right person at the right subsidiary and yes, it does have auto shutoff. I was concerned about that, especially with no light in the tank.
The essential oil diffuser in the Anypro is pretty worthless. It is just a little compartment that sits on top separate from anything else. You might as well put a drop of oil on your counter. I haven't tried the pads for the Vicks yet, as I just got a pad, but it seems promising. The compartment where you put the pad(s) (it can take two) gets warm at least. And it's a Vicks after all, built around the idea of vapors for colds, etc. So hoping for the best. If I got really serious about oils I would get an actual diffuser.
Finding a decent humidifier is way harder than it should be. I hope this helps a little. Feel free to ask me questions in the comments if you like. I think I will get them... I have included a photo to show the difference in the amount of mist.
This humidifier gets the job done, and is super easy to use.
The good:
• it's super easy to refill. You just lift off the tank, carry it to the sink to fill it, and then set it back down on the base.
• it doesn't leak at all - it sits on a bookshelf, and there's never even a drop of moisture under it. I saw people complain about that problem in the reviews of other humidifiers, so I thought I would mention it.
• it's pretty quiet. It isn't *silent*, and depending on how close this thing was to your head, or how sensitive you are, you might be annoyed. But it's just a soft steady whirring noise - kinda like the sound of the heat vents on your car blowing warm air.
• it works. I bought a little $10 thermometer (I don't think that's the right word); so I know the humidity level in my home has gone up from 20% to about 35% thanks to using this humidifier. One side note: I live in an open-floorplan apartment in the city that's about 650 square feet, and this unit is only recommended for use in a room that's about 250 SF, I think. I thought about buying a second one to see if the two together would increase the humidity level more; but the bottom line is my skin isn't dry and scaly anymore with just the little bit of increase, so I'm satisfied.
• it's attractive. It isn't artwork or anything, but its smooth lines and ocean blue color over the white base are visually pleasing.
The bad:
• I'd say the only "bad" thing about this unit is that after several months of use, there's an orange crusty buildup around the water intake. At first I thought it was some kind of mold, but when I touched it I realized it was hard and grainy, so I'm assuming it's some kind of mineral deposit from the water. But I don't think I can blame that on the machine. Plus it isn't visible on the outside of the machine, only when you're refilling it.
This is the second one of these that we are buying, and not to replace the older one, but to put it in a different room.
There is a visible mist that you can see coming from the top when you turn it on. Even on it's lowest setting you can see it. It really makes the air bearable in the winter time when often times the air becomes very dry here in North Texas.
When you use the Vick's Vapor pads it emanates throughout the room(in a good way) and will make the air even easier to breathe in.
Feature Product
- VICKS FILTER-FREE COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER: This cool mist humidifier won't need replacement filters, & it's 1.2 gallon tank can give up to 30 hours of soothing mist. Vicks cool mist humidifier is quiet, making it great for your bedroom or baby's nursery
- VICKS HUMIDIFIERS FOR BABIES, KIDS, ADULTS: Humidifiers diffuse moisture into the air, and many women and men find that a humidifier for the bedroom becomes an essential part of a good nights sleep when the air is dry, in allergy season, or when sick
- COUGH & CONGESTION RELIEF: When you or your kid has a cold, it can be difficult to sleep through the night. Humidifiers, vaporizers, & steam inhalers provide temporary relief from coughing & congestion, so your rest won't be as disturbed by coughing fits
- VICKS VAPORIZERS, HUMIDIFIERS, & STEAM INHALERS: Moisture & humidity offer temporary relief from cough & congestion due to colds or allergies. Vicks line of humidifiers & steam inhalers, help you breathe easier wherever you are, from the bedroom to office
- HUMIDIFIERS FOR BEDROOMS, DESKS,TABLES: Our humidifiers & vaporizers help you breathe better wherever you are. Try a Vicks humidifier if you've found relief from vaporizer or humidifiers made by Vornado, Crane, Aircare, Sunbeam, Homedics, or Dyson
Description
Vicks Filter-Free Ultrasonic Visible Cool Mist Humidifier for Medium rooms, 1.2 Gallon With Auto Shut-Off, 30 Hours of Moisturiz. Room Size: Medium. Unit Size: 12"L x 9.5"W x 8.5"H.
It is much larger than I expected which is a welcome surprise.
The fill hole is on the bottom of the blue unit and gets filled upside down.
Has a nice long cord.
Has a side door for 2 medicated pads. The company sent 1 as a sample along with coupons for additional pads.
I have had a lingering cough for 10 weeks. Requiring antibiotics, a rescue inhaler and loads of meds.
I have had it on medium in my room for several hours and am pleased to say it is curbing the cough.
The big test will be sleeping through the night and waking up. Hopefully much more clear!
I have a product to eliminate mold and fungus that I will spray between uses. It is botanical yet very powerful. Sol U Guard.
Yesterday my doc was sending me to ER for more chest x-rays. I opted to wait to see if the humidifier would help. So far so good.
If anything changes I will come back for and update
I only wish I had not waited 10 weeks into sickness to purchase.
We bought this to replace an older model humidifier that becamr incredibly noisy. We were quite please that this humidifier is nearly silent while running. It puts out a decent amount of mist without soaking nearby surfaces. Somehow this hunidifier doesn't use as much water as our previous one did. A gallon of distilled water will last almost 3 nights on medium. We are very pleased with this purchase and would buy again.
Ordered this product with high hopes. Worked wonderful first couple of days of having it, could see the humidifier working like a champ. Then one night my son wakes me up saying hes hearing a chugging sound, I search his room after his pleas to look and find nothing till i notice there is no steam coming from the nozzle on top, and that is where i hear the chugging sound. I take the top off, turn it on and off to it still not working, only to give it a smack on top, the steam starts to come out again. Very displeased as this happened within 4 days of owning. We do run it every night, but not on high setting, and even if we did run it 24/7 on high I would expect a brand new item to hold out longer than five days. Going to try and clean the product to see if it's just clogged, although I don't see how, considering we don't have hard water. Will update if cleaning it fixes the problem, if not then I shall be returning it promptly.
UPDATE: after cleaning the humidifier and rereading the reasons why the humidifier might not work, I've come to the conclusion that it has to be on a very level surface and you have to make sure the humidifier tank is set on the base completely or it will not work. Pleased with my purchase, maintenance is simple, quiet while operating, and the vapo warmer is a plus.
Love this humidifier- I actually logged on tonight to buy a second one for a second bedroom. I love this unit because (1) it creates a fine mist that stays in the air and doesn't rain out on the tabletop (2) the opening is large enough to clean it out weekly so you're sure you're not spreading germs (3) it will put out A LOT of mist on its highest setting but the tank is large enough to last the whole night (4) I can easily & quietly grab the tank and refill it without waking my daughter if I forget at bedtime or frankly just want to get her to bed on time (5) it has a subtle white noise hum but it's quiet. We are on well water so use an RO (reverse osmosis) system so we never have any buildup but I could see how that may be a problem if you have hard water.
There are a lot of things that I like about this humidifier:
-Large capacity
-Less frequent refills
-Large opening for refilling and cleaning
-Quiet (though I have it in the main living area, not a bedroom, so I cannot fully attest to this since I have not tried to sleep with it on)
-Mist can be directed easily since the output can be turned in any direction.
-Tank is easily removed and replaced, also has a handle so it is easy to grasp and carry. (before I bought this I noticed reviews complaining that the tank leaks when carrying it to/from the sink to refill- I can only assume people are carrying it with the opening facing down... don't do that.)
-Keeps my first floor comfortable during winter months (small townhouse with radiator heating)
I have not used the vapor pad thing, so I have no idea if that is a good feature or not. It's not really what I bought it for anyway.
Since using this humidifier I can tell it has made a huge improvement in my family's health. Our sinuses are clear (no more stuffy noses or coughing which usually plague us during the winter months) and I feel less dehydrated.
The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is that the first unit I received was defective and leaked all over my counter. Luckily we caught it before it leaked on our floors. This was not a slight leak- it was the entirety of the tank. I know this because after the initial leak I tested it in the sink because I thought I might not have sealed the tank properly (not the case). Amazon replaced it quickly and the next one we received was not defective.
I read other reviews from people that had this same issue. My suggestion is to test your humidifier in a tub or sink before you use it. Don't plug it in, just fill the tank up all of the way and place it in the base. Wait a little while and then check on it.
Overall I really like this humidifier. It's too bad that so many of them have been defective. Hopefully Vicks will fix the problem!
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