A humidifier with bells and whistles

I bought this humidifier mostly because of the antimicrobial or "germ-free" advertising. I was tired of cleaning my old ultrasonic humidifier (Sunbeam, $40) every few days. I have only had the unit for a month, but am not sure I purchased exactly what I had hoped for.

On the positive, this unit has many great features:
- automatic shut-off when the unit has reached the set humidity level, or has run out of water
- digital display, making selections very easy to see, and adjust (though this may bother you if using in a bedroom that is preferred to be pitch black)
- humidity level settings of between 30-60% in 5% increments, or a continuous setting, so the mist never stops until the tank runs out, or is turned off
- warm or cool mist option
- vapor output selection (low, medium, high)
- special filter that inhibits the growth of bacteria, as well as calcium and lime build up
- the tank closure is designed in such a way that it is not terribly difficult to open, yet seals well enough that you do not need to be concerned about leaks (as is usually a major issue with the cheaper units)

On the downside, the manufacturer recommends cleaning the unit weekly. I know, I know, as much as I'd like to think this modern world should have more self-servicing appliances, it's not going to happen..... In any case, that's more often than I expected. More importantly, it is recommended that the filter be replaced every 2-3 months, and more frequently depending on "your water quality and usage". I didn't notice any filters where I purchased my unit, though the manufacturer sells them online for 14.99, not including shipping. That can get pretty pricey at about $100 year. I may as well purchase a whole house humidifier for my furnace and be done with it.

One other complaint is that the water tank is not as easy to fill as my cheap, old humidifier. I prefer to fill the tank from the bathtub faucet due to the fact that it won't fit under a bathroom sink faucet, and it's easier than walking all the way to the kitchen. This tank is a bit on the heavy side, and I haven't found a way to hold it with one hand in order to leave the other hand free to turn off the water (so I don't get the tank all wet by pulling it out from under the stream from the faucet).

A final note, this humidifier is designed in Germany, yet made in Korea.


Vitals:
suitable for rooms up to 600 sq ft
dimensions 13x10x13 in.
power cord length 6 ft
weight (empty) 8.4 lbs
power consumption 42W (122W for warm mist)
output up to 3.7 gal/24 hrs


Overall, this is a very nice humidifier, which has some pretty impressive features. However, based on the frequency that cleaning is required, and filters need to be replaced, I'm not yet completely sold on it's value. If you don't need the bells and whistles of selecting your humidity levels, or having warm and cool mist options, I would recommend going with an inexpesive ultra-sonic humidifier that does not require filters.