This has been a great humidifier for the past year. Sure the filters have to be replaced and for the most part, are easier to find online. But overall, I liked the digital control panel and that it covered a large area. We had it in our family room and would move it to the children's rooms when needed. The gurgling noise didn't bother me. I am very disappointed that after 1 year, it is started to not work well; beeping a lot, fading digital display and randomly coming on and off in a few seconds. It's like it knew when the warranty was up. We have worked it pretty hard, living in Las Vegas, but I would consider a less expensive one next time. Anyone need a couple of filters?

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We purchased this humidifer for our baby's room, and so far it has worked quite well. Ours has no problem reaching 50% humidity, unlike problems mentioned in other reviews. The only time it did not humidify properly was when the filter needed to be changed. We changed the filter and it was back to working fine. I don't find the unit noisy when it is running, however at times it does make a random 'glugging' sound which is annoying.

I got this humifier thinking I would be able to get away with filling it every other day. I keep it in my bedroom which is really really small (i'm in nyc, we're talking SMALL) and even when running it at full throttle the humidistat never got up past 35 other than when I showered with the bathroom door open. I was still refilling it about every 22 hrs and yet still wake up every day thinking someone has been stuffing my head with steel wool, although that was an improvement from the when I didn't have a humidifier and thought someone was pouring crazy glue into my sinuses every night!

Filling the tank is a pain, doesn't fit in a sink so have to lean into the tub and hope I don't topple forward and smash my head against the soap dish. Also, the cap is so secure that I end up hurting my knuckles every single time I open it (and I swear, I'm not a wimp).

I thought about returning it within the first week but there aren't too many alternatives I would even consider and I figured I shouldn't expect a humidifier to be total perfection. So, I kept it and no sooner had I thrown out the box then I ran into my next problem...

The filter. I was actually surprised that it lasted as long as it did (almost 3 weeks) but could have been cuz I used my vapor steam cleaner on it once a week. So, now that the filter is history I've hit my tolerance level for being annoyed; been to a handful of different pharmacies and hardware stores and can't find a replacement! Sure, I can order a bunch of them online and be set thru the winter but I think if I'm gonna invest big bucks in filters, that I might just try to design my own "perma-wick" (like the hunter care free type) and see how it goes from there.

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

i have been bying smaller humidifiers for a number of years, never satisfied with the results.i bought the best that i could find, locally, until i got on amazon, and started a search.
they found me just what i needed,and i bought it, and am well satisfied with this product.
its the 4 gallon true air humidifier, and i wouldn't take anything for it. it has digital controls,that tell you what the
humidity is , and what it should be.so i can tell when the humidity needs to be changed, and i can do it, myself.if you have been searching for one, and you are tired of dry skin, throats,and sinus problems, this is what you need.
THANKS AMAZON, FOR GETTING ME A REAL GOOD THING!

The TruAir 4.0 Gallon Cool Mist Humidifier has done wonders for us. We live in a very dry climate in Texas and this humidifier can keep certain rooms at a good humidity level. It turns on and off by itself to maintian the 50% humidity level that we set it at. Also, it is easy to fill up with water and wash all the parts. If you need to quickly get the humidity up in a room you can turn it on high then run it at normal or the quiet settings. On quiet, it creates just enough white noise that our daughter sleeps very well. Due to the fan, this humidifier is not extremely quiet but we do run it in the livingroom and can easily listen to the tv or radio over it.

Very good unit for the price. Simple design and the critical parts that develope mold can be washed in the dishwasher.
How good is that! Priceless! Follow directions for no more than 45% humidity, rotate the filter and dry it out every couple of days and everyone breathes easier. Noise level of fan blower is very quiet at the medium and low range. Simple design and tool to do a simple job. Convection is a beautiful thing.
Bought mine directly from Babies R Us and paid $62.99.

I have this humidifier for 3 month now and running 24 hours a day. I have to refill water almost twice a day for 1200sq ft apartment . It's been great so far. I used to get rashes and eczema during winter- no sign of it so far. I woke up with no dry throat. Easy cleanup- I wash it with mild soap and water once a week and no mineral buildup. You need to flip the filter upside down to prolong life.
Cons: I have to replace filter ($10) about once a month since it gets all yellow and grosslooking. The color may be due the mineral deposit in water.

After 27 months of using an Evenflo cool mist humidifier, I purchased this model for my 27-month-old's room. So far, I love it! (But please note, I've only had it for 3 weeks) The middle level is quieter than our previous humidifier's low level. I've had no problems filling the tank, and found that it needs refilling every 2 to 3 nights, going 12 to 14 hours each night! That's about the same, if not, a little better, than our other humidifier. The filter seems to cost about as much as similar filters...and I haven't had to change mine yet, and it doesn't appear that it needs it anytime soon. I plan on purchasing the same unit for our baby on-the-way!

I feel opposite of some of the reviews, my husband(who is a heavy sleeper) and I thought it was loud and annoying. All I heard all night was the constant rotation of the fan. I have had other even cheaper humidifiers and sometimes forgot they were on because they were so quiet. We ran the humidifier upstairs and could hear it downstairs with the TV on. We took it out of our bedroom and put it in the hall, it was still loud. VERY annoying. I did like the Humidistat feature and the large tank, although cumbersome to fill I didn't have to fill it every day so that was nice.

We like the cool mist humidifier for 2 reasons...humidity in the winter and white noise all year round. It has taken the abuse of being run every night for a year or more and we liked it so much we purchased another for our newborns room. We like the big water tank....others are so small. Easy to buy refills for the filters online too!

While I am not a light sleeper by any means I found the noise level of this humidifier to be quite tolerable. Being the clutz that I am, I'm always making a mess, but not with this model! I have yet to spill!

This is absolutely the best humidifier I've ever owned. It doesn't leave the floor and walls wet! I live in Alabama and in the winter, I usually have to refill it every to every day. In the summer it can be extremely humid here so it rarely runs. I read in one review where it was hard to refill the tank in the tub since you have to turn the tank upside down to refill it, but I've never had a problem refilling the tank. I love the fact that you can put the tank in the dishwasher. As far as the sound, I usually have mine set on the lowest speed which is quiet. On the highest speed, it's about as loud as having an osculating fan going in your room. Some people might like it because it drowns out all white noise. All I can say is....My skin isn't dry anymore..My sinuses are open and my lips are no longer chapped!!!!!! I would highly recommend the TrueAir Cool Mist Humidifier to anyone!!!! Did I mention this humidifier was suppose to be for my daughter but after using it in my bedroom, I decided I needed it more. I'm going to be purchasing another one for my daugther's room!

This is an excellent humidifier, especially for the price. It's very quiet. A filter typically lasts almost an entire season here in dry Arizona (usually October til April or whenever we turn the swamp cooler back on). It keeps our 3 back bedrooms humidified nicely just as long as you don't open the windows of course. I only fill it up every other day at most during driest times (outside humidity = 9% today!)
The only reason I give 4 instead of 5 stars is that the humidistat failed after 3 years of use. From my experience with these types of units 3 years is pretty good service and at this price it's really fantastic. I'm about to purchase another one...

I did a lot of research before deciding on this particular humidifier, and I am glad we got the one we did. It is very quiet, it seems to be made very well, and is relatively sturdy. When the weather gets dry, our entire house is way too dry. Skin, furniture, houseplants...I talked my husband into trying this humidifier, and have to recommend it highly. I'd buy another just like it if I had use for another one, but this pretty much does the whole house. Hamilton Beach is still a good name.

I bought two different humidifiers- a Slant/Fin warm mist and this True Air. Although we really like our Slant/Fin for the baby's room, this unit is much easier to clean. It is rather noisy when the water tray is filling (it makes a glugging sound that sounds like someone knocking on your window in the middle of the night- spooky!), but for ease of use and maintenance, it can't be beat. The noise factor is less when you put it in "quiet" mode and after a dy or so, you just get used to it. We have VERY hard water and the filters don't need to be changed as often as with most humidifiers which is a long-run cost savings. I recommend this item and have done the research- replacment filters are cheapest through Amazon (cheaper than at the manufacturers website).

After reading all the mixed reviews on this product, I bought it anyway as it seemed the best deal for the amount of space I needed to humidify (1100- 1200 sf). I was pregnant and it was winter and I was getting pretty dehydrated from the drying heat in my apartment. Within days I was sleeping soundly waking refreshed and no longer having headaches. I would have given this 5 stars but it's the first I bought and I cannot make any comparisons.

I am not sure what the reviewers that reviewed this product badly expected, having to refill it often just means that it is putting a lot of moisture into the air, the noise is not overwhelming and is similar to any white noise often used to put and keep kids asleep, I had no problem refilling it, my 2 year-old even liked to help, finally if you turn the filters faithfully once a week 2-3 filters should last the season.

Hamilton beach has ruined an expellant product the `TrueAir Cool Mist Humidifier' by making the replacement filters so badly.
A big despondent, the filter gets moldy after a month of usage making the operation very expensive.
I hope they come up with a better solution.

I've had this for 2 years now. It is quiet, but not silent. It is reasonably easy to fill, but it emties about once a day and that does become a chore quickly.

My biggest complaint is the loud click that the relay switch inside it makes as it turns itself on and off. Even worse, my sensor seems to have gotten the jitters over the years. Instead of a steady readout, it bounces around up or down a percent or two. This makes the machine turn itself on and off quite often. Sometimes it cycles on for one second, off for one sec, on for one second, off for one second, etc. This wouldn't matter if the click wasn't so loud...

I would give it 4 stars, but since mine seems to be on its death bed already I'm giving it 3.

I've used this humidifier for a year (well, not in summer), and It does what is supposed to do and does it quite well. I find it too easy to clean in the sink to bother with the dishwasher. I clean it thoroughly once a week, letting it dry well and am getting 4 or 5 weeks use from each filter. (I flip the filter each time I fill the tank.) These blowers make a good bit of noise even on the quietest setting. Not really a bothersome noise, its gentle susurations are not disturbing to sleep. But it is additional noise in the house. An audiophile would probably prefer the steam vaporizer products for the music room.

I bought this humidifier a month ago after much research. So far, it hasn't shown any mechanical trouble. The filter is holding up just fine after 4 weeks, despite daily use. Surely the quality of water in your area dictates how frequently you will need to change the filter. Nevertheless, it is recommended that you flip the filter over (to prolong it's life)when you refill the water. In my case, filter change maybe warranted no sooner than 2-3 months.The large capacity of the water tank is good enough for 24 hour operation (on quiet setting). I use it all day night long on the low setting and it uses up about half the amount of water in the tank. At first the low setting may seem noisy especially if there is very little ambient noise around you (like when you can hear the wall clocks in your house ticking). But after a few minutes it sounds just like a dull whirring sound that is hardly objectionable. I use it in my bedroom at night and it doesn't disturb my sleep. It is easy to see the level of water through the tinted tank. The water tank is easily removable when handled vertically. There is no leakage/spilling when you do so. There is a wide fill hole at the bottom of tank for refilling water. There are two problems though with refilling ...firstly the tank is too large to fit under the faucet in the kitchen sink, so you need a jug or hose to fill it up or use the faucet in the bathtub...secondly, the cap on the fill hole is pretty tight (the upside is that it is spill-proof) so I wouldn't recommend the unit for feeble people. The other part of the unit, housing the motor and fan, comes off easily too. I do wish it had a latch, because you need to be careful not to knock it off when removing the water tank. When the water tank is replaced on the base tray, some water from the container fills up the tray, making a gurgling sound. It makes the same tiny gurgling sound periodically during operation too. This water in the tray is taken up gradually by the filter (which sits under the motorized fan), to generate the humidity when the fan is on.The digital panel is easy to read. I do not however agree with the humidistat's reading. I have another humidistat in the room that I compare the reading to. The humidifier's reading is always lower, usually by 8 to 10 percent. Setting the desired level of humidity is simple although it can be done only in 5 percent increments. The unit shuts of automatically when the desired hunidity level is reached.The base is easy to lift if the unit needs to be moved. Of course it is much more convenient to do so after removing the heavy water tank. As long as care is taken not to slant the base tray, there is no leakage or spill. One point to consider if you are paying heating bills in the winter is that, since this IS a cool-mist himidifier, it will make the room cooler. So you may need to turn up the heat in the room a notch.Overall, I am very satisfied with the unit's performance and recommend it to any able-bodied adult considering a cool-mist humidifier. To sum up, here are the PROS and CONS:CONS:1. Water tank is too large to fit under kitchen faucet2. Cap on fill hole is tight. Some strength required to turn it3. Humidistat not accurate4. Motor unit is not securely latched to base tray to prevent accidentally knocking it off when removing water tank.PROS:1. Very good performance2. Low operating sound on quiet setting3. No leakage or spilling when handled correctly4. Portable5. Dishwasher safe; Easy to clean6. Desired humidity level can be set manually 7. Automatic shut-off when desired humidity reachedPRO/CON depending on whether you live in hot or cold climate: Makes the room cooler.

I have had this humidifier for about two months now and have found the following:PROS: 1.This humidifier works well for me. I keep it in my bedroom and only use it at night and I like the white noise that the quiet setting gives off.2. It does a fair job.3. It has a digital readout (very nice feature).4. It has a large water tank.5. It is easy to use.6. I have not had any mechanical problems with it.CONS:1. The filters have to be replaced about once a week, otherwise they get moldy and start to smell (and who wants to breathe in mold?)2. The filters are WAY too expensive. Amazon sells them for seven bucks and this is the cheapest I have found. This is a lot of money to shell out every week.3. Filters are hard to find. Not many places carry them.4. The cap on the water tank is VERY hard to open. It takes forever to get it off.Bottom line, I would not purchase this humidifier again simply because I hate shelling out 28 bucks every month for filters. Even though the cap is hard to get off, it isn't impossible and its something I can live with. Maybe HB will come out with a filter that can be reused by putting it through the dishwasher or something, but until then I would not recommend purchasing this humidifier unless you have a lot of money to put into buying filters. Even though it works well, it just isn't worth it.

Out of the box it looked nice but my happiness soon faded. I set it up just like the manual says. When I plugged it in and turned it on nothing happened. I noticed the fan was twitching a little bit so I turned it to "HI". The fan started moving a little and then finally worked it's way up to speed after a few seconds. I figured oh well the thing is new so it was just stuck from being new. It worked ok for a while and then I went out of the house for a couple hours. I got back and what looked like the entire contents of the reservoir had spilled onto my brand new Pergo flooring and expensive raw maple wall trim!!! I now have water under my floor, soaked through my trim and soaked under the wall and into the next room!!! I took it apart looked it over and gave it another try (on a towel in a less new room). Once again it worked well but this time I checked on it every 10 minutes. Once it was about 2/3 empty for some reason it decided to simply empty itself onto whatever it was sitting... PIECE OF CRAP!!! DO NOT BUY!!!

I have tried many models and I'm satisfied I got the best cool-mist fan unit available. The unit comes in 4 pieces; the large fan unit section that contains the controls, the translucent 3-gallon water container, the bottom tray that both of the previously-mentioned pieces slide upright into and a hidden water reservoir tray inside the bottom tray that's not visible from the product photograph.As for the main unit, the humidistat works very well. Although I can't comment on someone else's concern about the humidistat not being accurate, in my experience it works very well. When I ratchet it up to a high humidity level, I get lots of moist air. After you change the setting by pressing either the UP or DOWN humidity buttons to increment the humidity level in 5% increments, the display flashes for 3 seconds after which the unit responds (either turns on or off) based on the new setting. It's quick and easy.In addition to the UP humidity button and DOWN humidity buttons, there's a 4-point switch for OFF/QUIET/MEDIUM/HIGH. The HIGH setting is really good for humidifying multiple rooms and blasts quite a strong swirl of moisture into any room in no time at all. The QUIET setting is remarkably quiet. Although no cool mist-based fan can be SILENT, I am impressed with just how quiet this lowest setting is. I was fine with it right away, and although my wife was cautious, she took to it by the morning and has enjoyed it ever since. For hypersensitive people (like my mom) where any noise would be too much noise, I'm afraid NO cool-mist system will be sufficient. I sleep with the unit on the floor in the same room I am in, slightly below the level of our bed, and a mere 10 feet away and am very pleased with the quiet hum of the lowest setting. Underneath the fan unit resides the filter which is easy to replace and sits almost too easily into a small molded, shaped guide in the bottom tray. New filters are flattened for shipping and need to be reshaped into a cylinder before replacing them - and filters seem to last longer than I expected at 1 filter every 5-6 weeks - even after which they do not look gross, moldy or dirty.The water container is a smart design. The fill hole is at the bottom of the 3-gallon jug, but seals tightly by way of an integrated plunger built into the wide screw-release fill cap. I haven't had ANY problems with spilling, leakage or difficulty opening the fill cap as at least one other reviewer has mentioned. Since the container faces into a humid environment, it's worthwhile to shake the container once or twice before you carry it across the room to shake any droplets of humidity away. Refills are every two days for me - but we only use this in the evening and sleeping hours, so constant usage would likely require daily refills.Every once in while, you may hear a slight gurgle as air bubbles float up from the bottom of the container while the humidifier is in use, but this also is hardly noticeable - especially since it is usually quieter than the fan itself on the lowest setting - and flat up impossible to hear if the fan is set to medium or high. This occasional gurgling of air bubbles is infrequent and no distraction at all. Finally, the 3-gallon container is very easy to fill, but because of its depth, you will need to have either a reasonably deep basin kitchen or utility sink or fill the jug up in a bathtub. Either way, 3 gallons of water is easy to heft for an adult, but may be difficult for an elderly parent or friend (consider a smaller capacity unit if this is the case). Carrying is an easy one-handed operation thanks to the white handle built into the top of the jug itself.The 3 non-motorized plastic pieces can be placed in a dishwasher, but you will need a dishwasher with a fairly deep main section in order for the 3-gallon jug to fit. Consider removing the upper rack (if possible) for smaller dishwashers. If all else fails, the mouth of the jug is fairly wide (5" across), so a petite hand, wrist and arm could reach inside to scrub the unit if that was ever needed (it doesn't seem to get dirty, moldy or gross in the time I've used the unit). For the one piece that cannot be put into the dishwasher, the fan unit is remarkably open with a great deal of free space for cleaning. I have never seen a unit as easy and accessible as this one. Usually I simply throw out humidifiers after a season or two since disassembling them enough to clear every nook and cranny proves not worth the effort. This is the first and only unit where that has not been a problem.With as many great things I have to say about this unit, I have one exceptionally minor complaint: the two largest units (the water jug and the fan unit) slide too easily away from the base. This is due to the shallow crevice they sit in and the lack of a clip, latch or groove that would otherwise 'lock' the two units into place. This requires the user to slide the jug straight up when removing it for refills - otherwise, you run the risk of knocking the fan unit over and onto the floor. The up-side is that - without a lock or latch to secure these two pieces more tightly, lifting the jug for refills is a one-handed operation.I hope this detailed description helps you decide to buy this unit. After examining and using many units, I honestly feel this is the best cool-mist, fan-based unit available - and hope these insights help you make a wise choice.

After less than two months of use, I'm changing my review from 3 stars to 1 because the fan died overnight. Woke up this morning and nothing was happening. The display still works, but I can't get the fan to move so the unit is useless. Next time I'll get a Vornado. Original review below...I had a great Kenmore humidifier but since I don't live near a Sears, I couldn't get replacement filters/wicks. Plus, the Kenmore used three of them which would mean about $50 in filters every time they needed to be changed. I went looking for something more economical and found this Hamilton Beach model. I liked that it used just one filter and that it wasn't too expensive, so changing it every 30 days or so wouldn't be a problem. I actually like the fact that it's somewhat noisy, because I need some kind of white noise to fall asleep and usually run a fan anyway. The highest setting is really very noisy, too loud even for me. The middle setting is perfect; the lowest (Quiet) setting is too quiet for me but may still be too noisy for people who like it quiet at night.The humidity level never seems to go above 50%, according to the LCD readout. I'm using this in a small bedroom, and figured it would reach maximum easily even on the medium setting. I now start it up a couple of hours before I go to bed and leave it running on high, and then turn it to medium when I'm ready to sleep. Overall, it works okay but I was expecting more. I definitely don't have all the problems waking up with a dry throat/nose several times a night but it's nowhere near as good as the Kenmore. In the morning I am still somewhat dry, but not enough to keep waking me up during the night. Since the unit wasn't too expensive and the filters are cheap, I won't bother replacing it unless something happens to it but I wouldn't buy another H-B model.

I like this humidifier. We've had it for about about two months now. It appears to work pretty well. I can't comment on the accuracy of the humidity gauge because I don't have another to check it with. But, I will say that I can feel the difference in the room when it's on. Some days we leave it on with the door closed while we're at work or whatever. (This isn't that bad since the humidifier shuts off when it reaches your desired humidity level.) When you open the door, you can feel the humidity in the air. Also, I haven't woken up with a dry throat since I bought it.Now, isn't that why you buy a humidifier? To put water in the air, right? Well, it does that.I have had zero problems with any leakage. I don't have any cracks in it. I don't know about that other reviewer, what they might have been doing to get cracks, but my fill tank is fine.I think it's plenty quiet on the quiet mist setting. There's three of us sleeping in the room, myself, my wife, and our 7 mo. old baby. Not one of us is ever bothered by the unit switching on and off.Now, for some complaints. I think the fill tank is hard to open. You have to put some pretty good torque on it to get it to open. But, I suppose that's also a good thing if you don't want it to leak. But, if you have weak hand strength, this unit might be hard to work with. My other complaint is that I'm having to buy a new filter. I turned it over every single time I refilled the tank (that'd be daily for those keeping track at home) as the instructions recommend and yet it's already getting stiff. In fact, I've noticed that the unit is having a tougher time putting water in the air as a result of this. I don't know if this is a knock against the product as much as it might be a problem related to our water hardness (which is notorious) in our area.Other than that, I've felt that this is a very fine product. My wife originally scoffed at the purchase. She doesn't have a sensitive throat and sinuses like I do. She also claimed that she couldn't tell any difference by having it on, at first anyway. But, after a couple weeks, she thanked me for buying it and said she could feel a difference.My initial thinking is that this is a good humidifier. It's expensive. But, remember, you get what you pay for.

The humidifier is easily assembled and seems to be constructed of a quality material. Upon setup, the machine ran quite smoothly and quietly...certainly quieter than virtually every other manufacturer. However, after it operated for about 2 minutes, the humidity gauge pegged at >60%, shutting down the machine. Using another humidity gauge, I verified that humidity in the room was less than 30%. As such, I have arranged for a replacement humidifier. I'll give Hamilton Beach one more shot to see what happens. Else, it's back to the drawing board.ADDENDUM: The replacement humidifer works fine. It seems that the humidity gauge is still not the most accurate, but it works nonetheless once it starts going. Recently, I found that I if vary the place of the humidifier to be more central to the room, it works much more efficiently.

I bought this humidifier 2 weeks ago and am very happy that it is quieter then my old Holmes humidifier. I use it on the quiet setting all day, and I only have to fill it once a day.I would suggest buying extra filters when you order.

This humidifier saved me from having a sinus infection last year. Years prior, before I purchased this, I had sinus problems every year. It's WELL worth it to avoid doctor visits, and antibiotics. You need to know this is designed, probably, for one room. Don't think you can buy this and it'll work throughout your entire house. I suggest keeping it in your bedroom and crank it up while you're asleep. That's when you need it most anyway. I love this product, I've had other humidifiers that don't work nearly as well. Also, order the filters designed for it, not the cheap imitation ones at Walmart; they do not filter.

We have had many great humidifiers, both large and small, cheap and expensive, and NONE have been as poorly designed and constructed as this Hamilton Beach model's water tank. The water tank -- no matter how carefully and delicately you fill it and move it about -- WILL eventually (every two months or so) develop dozens of hairline cracks, both at the bottom AND at the top of the water tank. These cracks soon create a water leakage and overflow condition that cannot be stopped (which damages our furniture AND our carpet). But that is not the worst part to these models: While Hamilton Beach is very responsive in sending us out new tanks every time ours begins to leak, EACH AND EVERY new tank ALWAYS begins to leak within the two month period. We baby these water tanks to prevent this, but all to no avail; believe me, this all gets very old, very fast. Stay away from this model, or any other Hamilton Beach unit that uses this same water tank design.

After reading the other reviews I wanted to throw my 2 cents onto the pile. It appears to me that some people purchased this product expecting a miracle cure for their dry winter air without realizing that it's just a machine and dependant on many other factors. For one, if you want to humidify an entire house or very large apartment/duplex, either buy a bigger model or get more than one. It lists the square footage it can cover effectively for a reason. If you live in a place bigger than the recommended square footage, you'll have to keep doors closed in the room (like a bedroom) for this humidifier to have an effect in that space. My apartment is just outside the recommendation so the humidifier runs a little longer, but the QuietMist setting 24/7 only has me filling the tank every other day so as not to let it fall below a quarter of a tank. Plus, it can reach my setting of 45% without a problem. I've noticed a difference in my skin, I don't electrocute my cats anymore, and my tropical plants have perked up and multiplied. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because of the filters and how often they have to be replaced. I would prefer to be able to wash them periodically and save myself some money. The final word, though, if used correctly this is an excellent product.

Not wanting to go through another winter with dry skin, I decided to look into purchasing a humidifier. After much research, I decided on the Hamilton Beach 05521 TrueAir Cool Mist Humidifier. I have used this humidifier for a few months now and it's hard to tell if the humidifier has helped or not. My skin is still dry, but I don't think it is AS dry as it would have been. The humidifier runs 24/7 on quiet. The digital readout is very nice, I can't imagine one of these without a readout. The thing is though, it almost never raises the humidity above 35-40%. I've even let it run on high all day once in awhile, and all that does is use up all the water faster. Even on quiet, I have to fill the tank twice a day. And my wife and I are getting tired of filling up the tank all the time. The one thing that I really hate about this unit is the filter. It gets really filthy very quickly, even after turning it over every time I fill the tank like the directions say. After about 3-4 weeks it starts smelling pretty bad and needs to be changed. At ten bucks a pop, I would expect the filters to last a lot longer. If I would have been able to try this unit out for a month before purchasing it, I would have returned it and kept looking around for something else because of the filter. I don't know if all humidifiers go through filters this fast, surely they can't all be this bad, can they? Other than the filter, it's not a bad unit. And I would definitely recommend getting a unit with a digital readout so you can see what the humidity level is before and after you use it.

Generate good humids at desirable setting, but queit operation is NOT quiet!! Also, it doen't shut off if water runs out, so you want to frequently check for water level.I would buy other brand in future.

The humidifier works as advertised and the digital controls are great. I feel for some of the folks who have troulbe unlocking the water bin... after 4 - 5 frustrating nights refilling it, I just didn't tighten to the max. Now I have no problem refilling! No leakage either.Anyway, here in NJ, I go through 1 filter a month as the filter gets stinky and moldy in that time. This thing is on 24/7 but I'm using it cover my townhouse of about 1200sf.My only complaint is that no one locally sells the filter so I have to plan ahead to buy.

I bought this humidifier based on the reviews and (mistakenly) thinking it was an ultrasonic humidifier. I have a room that is 25x14 with 9 ft. ceilings. Even at the highest level this humidifier doesn't make a difference, except in the noise level - which is deafening. At the lowest level it doesn't work at all - even when I leave it on all the time. I also discovered today that mold was accumulating in the filter that I replaced less than a month ago.Totally ineffective, is my impression of the machine.I'm off to find a large capacity ultrasonic humidifier.

Well, the humidifier certainly humidifies. The tank size is generous, the product is easy to assemble and clean, the humidistat is accurate and easy to use, and the whole product seems to be very well built. NOTE: You MUST follow the maintenance instructions EXACTLY to avoid problems with filter odor. This is true with any "wick" humidifier. This involves changing the water once a day and sanitizing the tank and tank tray once a week. The wick lasts for several months if you take care of it properly.

DO NOT BUY THIS HUMIDIFIER! All I want is a basic humidifier that can put some moisture into the air....I was quite pleased to see that the opening on the water tank was large enough that you could put your hand inside to clean it out....After a few uses, the cap to the H2O reservoir became so hard to open that I had to have my husband open it every night for me...trust me, I am no weakling, I even tried prying it open with various objects to no avail....this product is great except for the cap! Boy what a bad purchase...do NOT buy this humidifier!

Two main problems with this model:1. To open the tank for re-filling, first you have to flip the tank upside down, then you have to use A LOT OF FORCE to twist the large cap. Why could they not simply provide a flip-up-to-open cover on the top of the tank to avoid these problems? I have no ideas why.2. The machine does not detect when the water level is low, meaning it does not have a low-water indicator nor automatically shut itself off (stop the fan).

Water Tank:A large tank should mean less fillups, however, I found myself filling up nearly every night, and I only used the humidifier at "quiet" when I went to bed. It's somewhat simple to fill up, but since you have to flip the tank upside down to fill it, it's cumbersome to fill in a bathtub, which is the only place other than the kitchen sink that the tank will fit for. Since I use this product in my bedroom, I use the tub.Noise Level:I thought that the quietest setting was quite tolerable while I slept and I probably could sleep through the mid-level. However, I purchased an identical model for my mother, and she said it kept her awake all night. So, your mileage may vary, but keep in mind that if you are a very light sleeper and bothered by slight noises, there probably is NO humidifier that will be quiet enough for you.Operation:The LCD display is large and easy to read. The 2 buttons to increase/decrease the desired humidity and the control knob for OFF/Quiet/Medium/High fan level is very easy to operate.Effectiveness:All in all, yes, the humidifier is doing what I hoped it would do. I wake up with less throat irritation and without stuffed up sinuses. However, I purchased this unit thinking that the digital humidity level operation would work precisely. First, the humidity can only be increased/decreased at 5% increments. Second, I have not been able to reach my desired humidity of 50%, even when I've blasted it at HIGH. The highest I've reached is 45% and it's in my bedroom. Unless you live in a mansion, this humidifier SHOULD be able to control the humidity in a bedroom with ease. Not so I found out. Furthermore, when the humidifier is off, the LCD still displays the humidity, but will always drop 3-5% when you turn it back on. What's the purpose of having a humidistat when it doesn't appear to be accurate?Summary:All in all, it does the job. But the LCD display and operation is not worth the extra cost, above the cheaper models. I've already shipped this unit back to Amazon.com and purchased a less expensive Holmes model from Target, which you can also purchase through Amazon.com. We'll see how that one fares.