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8 Best Baby Humidifiers of 2023, According to Experts
These humidifiers will stop runny noses and dry air in their tracks.

Anyone who lives in a dry or cold climate knows the feeling of the air sucking all of the moisture out of you, leaving you with a persistent cough or sniffles (or even chronic nosebleeds.) The only thing worse than you battling a cold is when you've got a baby battling it alongside you. Humidifiers add moisture back into the air to help protect the throat and sinuses, as well as keep skin moisturized. They're really great to use in the winter when the cold temperatures push the humidity level down in your home. For most, the ideal indoor humidity level is between 30% to 50% in the winter, which can help relieve cold symptoms in both you and your kids. Here are a few of the humidifiers our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute think work best for babies.
Our top picks:
Usually, there's not much you can do for a cold except try and make yourself or your little ones comfortable while you wait it out. Babies breathe primarily through their noses, making sinus congestion extra frustrating. "You can run a cool mist humidifier in the room during sleep to keep the skin on the inside of the nose moist," says Tanya Altmann, M.D., a California-based pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Our team of parenting and tech experts evaluate everything from strollers to baby monitors and convertible car seats. We round up the most promising humidifiers on the market, looking for things like ease of use, water capacity and room coverage. For our most recent round of testing, we put 12 humidifiers to task. In the Lab, we place each machine in our controlled climatology chamber to see how long models take to reach certain humidity levels. Additionally, our experts and parent testers review these products both in-Lab and at home to see how they work in real-world environments. Finally, we evaluate individual features to determine which humidifiers are best for your kids and relieving their sniffles.
At the end of this guide, you can read more about how we test humidifiers, which kind is best for babies and what to look for when shopping for the right one for your family. We selected each pick on this list based on testing from the Good Housekeeping Institute's product experts, evaluating top performing brands and expert recommendations. You can also check out all the best parenting products in our 2022 Parenting Awards.
Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH’s growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH’s annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.
Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People, covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and psychology and a master’s degree in journalism.
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