Conference moira::parenting_v3

    
    I'm not sure of the brand, but my husband has been looking for the top
    rated brand in Consumer Reports for a month now.  I can't even remember the
    issue, but if you send me mail, I can give him a call.....
    
    Rochelle
    
    newprt::wahl_ro

    I have a couple of ultrasonic humidifiers (don't want to get into
    the debate over whether they should be used or not - I use them 
    and have no problem, just clean them weekly!) The one in my son's
    room is a Holmes I think about three years old and working fine.
    
    I just bought two (2) new ones. A couple of weeks ago I bought a 
    Gold Star humidifier at Bradlees - based on price alone it was 24.99
    the cheapest I could find!  It works fine does the job I need and
    is adequate for my needs.  Last night I bought another one at Bradlees
    because we need an additional one one ground floor of the house - 
    we just installed new hardwood floors & with forced hot air heating
    we need additional mositure.
    
    I read the Consumer reports I believe they recommend the Bonnaire (?)
    but I didn't want to spend $50+ on a humidifier - especially seeing I
    new I would end up needing two!  By the way I tried the warm air
    humidifer by Polenex and it was so noisey I cleaned it up and returned
    it to the store telling them it was to [[[[loud]]]]!
                                   
    Kathy
    

    Hi,
    
    I bought a Polonex cold air humidifier.  It is okay....It does make a
    gurgling noise while it is on and boy....does it cause the dust to pile
    up on your furniture.  
    
    I bought it because where we live it is very dry and I need the
    humidity to make it easier to breath.  But you have to keep it running
    for a while to notice a difference.  And I work day and some evenings
    so it's hard for me to keep it going constantly.  I am expecting a baby
    in June....so I'll be able to keep it on more often.
    
    By the way...I spent 59.00 for it.
    
    Donna
    

    The issue as to whether to use the cool mist or not has nothing to do
    with the humidifier itself, but rather with the quality of the water.  
    The answer to this problem is to use distilled water in the cool mist
    humidifier, this water has been purified and thus there are no
    contaminents going into the air.  
    
    Peace,
    
    Mike 

    Not to go down this rathole again, but .4 isn't totally correct
    becasue dust and spores in the air will land in the humidifier and
    the moist environment makes a near perfect breeeding ground for
    spores and other wonderful beasties.  Therefore, it is essential
    that all humidifiers should be cleaned and disinfected on a regular
    basis no matter what kind of water you use.

    I have two ultrasonic humidifiers that I no longer use.  Everytime
    I did, my son would have a sinus infection.  I would clean mine 
    very other day, so it wasn't from lack of cleaning.  I would go with
    the cool mist vaporizer.  That's what my doctor suggested I use on
    my son when needed.  
    
    

    We have the Bionair (sp?) and are very pleased with it.  It runs about
    $75 though.  It is very highly rated because it boils the incoming
    water then cools it before spritzing.  It is quiet.  It has two tanks
    that are easy to carry.  The water enters the active unit through a
    small valve in the bottom on the tank.  We've had no white dust. 
    
    The first one we got had a defect in one of the valves.  We exchanged
    it.  They are carried at Lechmere, etc.
    
    By the way, we use it in the master bedroom only.  The baby slept in
    our room until she was 4 months old.  Now she sleeps in her room
    without benefit of a humidifier.  If she needs one next winter, I may
    get her "el cheap-o" from the drugstore - about $25.00.  Can't see
    spending $75 per bedroom, and the unit is larger than el cheap-o.
    
    A previous note mentioned central air:  You can get a humidifier that
    attaches to the main heat duct near the oil burner.  It runs whenever
    the heat blasts.  Ask your oil burner company or a contractor who does
    ducts.  It keeps our house level at about 40% and we raise it to 55% in
    our bedroom at night with the humidifier.
    
    Laura               

    I live in New Hampshire where the water has a high mineral content.
    We had tried many brands of cool mist humidifiers.  They would work
    fine for about 2 weeks, then they would clog with minerals.  We 
    finally bought a Patten humidifier.  It has a filter and a quiet fan.
    They sell them at Lechmere's for $50 and are somethimes on sale for
    $40.  We are very pleased with it.

    Bionair also works in high-mineral New Hampshire.  It has a plastic
    drawer where extracted minerals are deposited for disposal. 
    
    L

    We have the Bionaire 204 (?), which is the one Consumer Reports
    recommends.  We have VERY hard water, for which you can get a special
    filter for the Bionaire.  We filter the water as it runs into the tanks
    and, except for when it's turned up full blast, have never had white
    dust.