Breathe Deep & Easy and Say Good-bye to Dry Skin
Written: Apr 05 '03
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Pros: Lots of steam, automatic humidity control, quiet, auto shutoff, lightweight, easy to use and clean
Cons: Steam is hot so be careful with children and pets
The Bottom Line: We liked this humidifier so much that we purchased a second one. It delivers moisture in abundance.
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Holmes Warm Mist Humidifier |
We've always used a large cool-mist console-style humidifier in the living room. Not only did it hog floor space, but the humidifier had a large water wheel that sometimes broke or needed replacement filters that were difficult to find. When the last console humidifier (we’ve owned four of them) died over two years ago, we decided to try something different ... the Holmes Warm Mist Humidifier -- Model HM5700.
Why Choose this Humidifier?
* It can sit on a table top
* Holds 2 gallons of water (which produces about 3 1/3 gallons of moisture)
* Emits a lot of steam
* Good for up to 750 square feet (medium to large-size room)
* Quiet
* Auto Shutoff
* Easy to clean
* No filters to replace
I retired the console-style humidifier. Removing it freed enough floor space so that a full-size armchair fit in that area. The new Holmes Warm Mist Humidifier fits on a table top. Especially appealing is that the Holmes humidifier doesn’t use any belts or parts that need replacing. With the console-style humidifier, I had to fill the humidifier tub by carrying bucket loads of water from the kitchen or bathroom faucet into the living room. With the Holmes humidifier, just remove the humidifier tank, carry it to the sink, fill it and position the tank in the humidifier unit. Easy!
Minimal Assembly Required
Three parts come in the box and are easy to put together.
* Humidifier Tank
* Moisture Cool Funnel
* Humidifier Base with Control Panel
Set the humidifier base on a firm, flat surface. Make sure the humidifier tank is clean (I rinsed the tank before using it). Fill the tank with water. Double-check to make sure the Moisture Cool Funnel is locked onto the tank. The tank has a built-in handle on the top for easy carrying. Note there is also a handle on the bottom of the unit near the filling hole where the water is added. From using other Holmes humidifiers, we have learned from experience not to carry the full tank by this bottom handle, or else the handle will eventually crack. Hold the unit by the handle on the top of the tank. Place the tank/funnel onto the base and plug the unit into the outlet. Also, Holmes includes a free-standing small humidifier gauge (hygrometer) to show how much humidity is in the room. Note you will want to place this unit away from children and curious pets since a lot of hot steam is generated by this machine.
Operating the Humidifier
The Control Display is easy to use and read. In the center is an LCD control panel where the humidity percentages are shown. Beneath this display, from left to right -- a power light showing the unit is ON, the power button (Hi, Lo, AU settings), a refill light (when on, refill the tank), the Set Humidity button.
Once the unit is set up, the tank filled, and the humidifier plugged in ... the LCD display turns on to show the current room temperature and humidity. The Humidity Control can be adjusted manually to "Hi" by pushing the Power/Mode button once. The humidifier is quick to heat, and a warm mist will begin to show in about three minutes. When the room is at a comfortable humidity, the control can be manually turned to "Lo" by pressing the Power/Mode button once again.
The Holmes Warm Mist Humidifier can also be programmed to automatically sense and regulate the humidity. This is called the AccuSet Digital Humidistat. Press the Power/Mode button until "AU" (short for Automatic) is displayed. Use the Set Humidity button to program the humidity for between 50-90%. Just tap the button at the right of the control panel. The numbers on the display are easy to read. The humidifier increases the percentages in increments of 5%. Stop pressing the Set Humidity button when the correct percentage is reached. If you bypass the setting percentage you desire, continue pressing the button ... it will reach 90% then start from the beginning again. This is a wonderful feature to control the comfort level inside a room. When the humidity level has reached the Set percentage, the humidifier will stop steaming. If the humidity level drops below the Set percentage, the unit reactivates and begins producing steam. Holmes recommends a relative humidity setting between 40-50%. We keep our humidity level at 50% in the living room and at 40% in the bedroom (smaller room than the living room).
Should you need to add medicine (such as mentholatum fluid), a medicine cup is located on top of the Moisture Control Funnel. The steam will release the medicated liquid into the air. Note that Holmes cautions never to add medicine or any scents (such as scented oils) to the water tank.
Should the water tank empty while the unit is plugged in, the Auto Shutoff feature engages. The machine turns off and the Refill Light blinks.
Holmes cautions that when refilling the humidifier, make sure the unit is turned off and unplugged for 15 minutes. Then remove the water tank to fill it. We fill our humidifier once a day.
What is Microban?
Holmes treats the humidifier unit with an antimicrobial agent called Microban. Microban, which is built into the wick filter and base of the unit, inhibits the growth of odor-causing mold, mildew and bacteria.
Microban is added to many products ... everything from humidifiers, cutting boards, bathtubs, carpeting -- even socks! During the manufacturing process, Microban is built into the products. It will not wash or wear out and is designed to last the lifetime of the product. Once added to an item, Microban begins to inhibit the growth of microbes. The predominant active ingredient in Microban has been used for 25 years in hospitals and is declared safe by the manufacturer.
Cleaning & Maintaining the Humidifier
The humidifier requires daily cleaning. The Silverstone Teflon coating on the heating element makes cleaning mineral deposits easier. It’s fast to clean this machine.
Set the Power Switch to "Off" and unplug the unit. Remove the water tank and drain it into the sink or tub. Remove the Moisture Cool Funnel and set it aside. Then remove the Protective Safety Cover that sits over the heating chamber. Holding the base in both hands, tip it so that the water drains into the sink -- but never sit the base in the sink or under running water. Rinse and wipe the water tank clean. Refill the water tank, reattach the Moisture Cool Funnel, and replace onto the base.
Once a week clean inside the Moisture Cool Funnel and also clean the safety cover with a soft cloth and warm, soapy water.
Mineral build-up will eventually accumulate on the Protective Safety Cover. Holmes recommends using Holmes Cleanse Clean to remove these mineral deposits from the Protective Safety Cover. After removing the Protective Safety Cover, poor the Cleanse Clean in the exposed well. Sit the Protective Safety Cover inside the well that is filled with the Cleanse Clean liquid. Let soak to loosen the mineral deposits. Then wipe the Protective Safety Cover clean (we use a Scotch-Brite Multi-Purpose Scour Pad). Dump the Cleanse Clean from the unit and rinse out the well with water – do not submerge the base.
When the humidifier is not being used, empty it of all water and clean it. Make sure it is dry. Then place the humidifier in its carton and store in a cool, dry place.
Warm Mist vs. Cool Mist
Warm Mist humidifiers boil the water before releasing it into the air as steam. This sterilization process eliminates dust and bacteria from the water, which induces easier breathing, relieves dry skin, adds humidity into the atmosphere, which plants love, and also can protect wood furniture from drying out. If medicated vapor is needed, the Holmes humidifier includes a medicine cup where medicated liquid can be added and released into the steam as it flows from the humidifier.
Cool Mist humidifiers usually have large tubs, and a water wheel turns in the tub to produce water vapor. Since no heat is involved, the water can breed mold and bacteria. Cool Mist humidifiers also throw the minerals, which can be found in tap water, into a room. Some manufacturers suggest using distilled water to eliminate this problem as minerals can cause health issues for some people. Many of our cool-mist humidifiers threw water spray into the room causing damp areas to form on the floor and carpet, even laying water droplets on nearby furniture.
Summary
We enjoy this humidifier so much that we purchased one for the living room and then bought one for the bedroom. With the automatic humidity controls, it is simple to keep each room at comfortable humidity levels. We paid about $40.00 (with rebate) for our Holmes Warm Mist Humidifiers, and they retail for $50.00 at Walmart. The Holmes Cleanse Clean solution sells for about $6.00 a bottle ... or you can purchase the Holmes Care Kit, which includes one bottle of Cleanse Clean and one bottle of Water Treatment (used if you have hard water) for about $10.00. Using this humidifier, we breathe easier and have noticed our skin isn’t as dry. Did I mention that my Spider Plant is flourishing ... it’s drinking the humidity from the air and is looking great!
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy your day!
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Product Specifications
Measurements: 11 1/2" x 16" x 14 1/4"
Weight: 6 pounds
Cord Length: 5 feet
Volts: 120 volts AC, 60 hz
Warranty
The Holmes Warm Mist Humidifier has a 5-year limited warranty. Note: The Warranty Registration Card must be completed and returned within 10 days of purchase for the warranty to be effective. Keep the sales receipt. Within the first 30 days of owning the product, if the product should malfunction, Holmes says to return the product to the store for replacement. The Silverstone Teflon coating is warrantied for a year. Within the 5-year warranty period, Holmes will repair or replace the product if it is defective. Shipping and Handling charges to return the unit are $9.00. Holmes has a toll-free customer service telephone number (1-800-5-HOLMES).
Please read my other reviews:
HoMedics FootPro Ultra Foot Massager
Conair Ion Hair Dryer
Black & Decker Pro Finish Iron
Janome Jem Sewing Machine
Logitech Cordless Optical Keyboard with 4-Button Mouse
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 40.00
Battery Life: N/A
Noise Level: More quiet than most
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