In dry cold winters, a humidifier can help provide a more comfortable environment at home. We lab test and review three types of portable humidifiers – ultrasonic, evaporative and vaporiser – to help you find out:

• which humidifiers are best at increasing humidity
• which ones are the most energy-efficient
• which ones are the easiest to use.

Most can perform well enough in hot humid conditions, but our rigorous testing sorts out which ones operate best in challenging cold conditions. We also measure their ability to maintain a set humidity level and how much they’ll cost you to run.

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