REVIEW: Honeywell Console Top FIll Cool Moisture Humidifier

I was super excited to be chosen as a reviewer for the Honeywell Console Top Fill Cool Moisture Humidifier. I have to thank Influenster and Honeywell for the free humidifier to review.

I have blogged before in 2010 HERE, and HERE, and again in 2014 HERE. So, I'm pretty serious about humidity. Living in the Deep South, you might think I get enough of it in the summer. I think that is why low humidity is such a problem in the winter. We are used to having soft moisture rich skin for most of the year. Then windy November comes calling and we shut the door and windows, turn on the heat, and dry out. So you can see why I would be excited about a multi-room humidifier. I normally have one in my bedroom, in my work space, and intermittently in the den.

Thanks to Influenster and Honeywell, it arrived today! I was shocked at the size- 14 inches deep and 22 inches wide! Where to put this big boy to even set it up. I decided on the foyer, which might seem strange, but with doors to my work space, the den and a hallway to the bedrooms... plus a large piece of furniture to put it on, I was set. The top fill feature is outstanding and the humidifier is well designed, though removing the center part each day to turn over the filter is messing and would be easier with a handle.

I read the instructions, how to clean it and added water... lots of water. I did not anticipate the amount of water this needed. One full tank filled the base. So I had to add more water. Then I went for more water for the other tank and that is when I heard the water pouring on the nice foyer carpet!

I knew there were these paddle things under the tanks, they were loose in the package and nothing was mentioned about them in the instructions. So, I thought they were supposed to be that way. Only after sopping up a quart of water could I stop and read the troubleshooting. It does mention that if the "water is leaking from the base" the possible cause is the "float id not installed properly". Well, if there was some instructions about installing the floats, I could have been saved from water pouring across and down my antique dresser onto my rug!

View of the floating paddle floats, I have no idea that these were supposed to be connected.

Suggestion number one:
Mention snapping the floats into place in the instructions- not just on the troubleshooting.

HUMIDITY- I held a humidity monitor over the air flow and it registered 77% coming out of the device. My den was at 48% before I turned it on. I will check again after it's been on a few hours.

SOUND- The high setting is loud, like running a box fan on medium. And, this is basically a fan and a wick, albeit a large one. It would work well if you like "white noise" with your humidity. It had white noise in spades.

WICK- I have never had a wick-based evaporative humidifier before.  So, I will need to replace the filter every 1-2 months. The filter costs about $14 on Amazon, not bad.

CLEANLINESS- I prefer a warm mist humidifier, since it boils the water and thus less germs, bacteria, etc. I have had cool misters before and the tended to mildew. They were a one year items and I hate disposable plastic appliances. There are instructions on how to clean the system with bleach in the instruction booklet.

So, first blush on the humidifier is about 50/50 on liking it. I'm still smarting over the water flow incident. Perhaps tomorrow I will like it better.
UPDATE: I have sat on this review for a week to use the humidifier. It works, there's no denying it. However, the size and the noise is a real drawback for me. And, one thing it have over my small bedroom humidifier, it doesn't have a nightlight to illuminate the room. Then again, that one is silent.