I know someone who has a huge DIY humidifier because they need to increase the humidity of a fairly large room for their home business to improve reliability for their paper printing and t shirt printing. I saw their setup and noticed that they would benefit greatly from controlling power to the humidifier based on room temperature and water levels. The details are below but the TLDR is "what product/ecosystem would be best to handle these requirements?" We are in Canada as well, so it'd be appreciated if any suggested items are available to order here.

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Details:

• Basically they want to be between 50-60% humidity, so a humidity sensor would be needed.
• A smart plug would be adequate to shut off or turn on the DIY humidifer.
• If the water level gets too low, the humidifer should be shut off for safety reasons. It looks like if I used a flood sensor in reverse, it would work appropriately.

What I'm looking for help for is determining which ecosystem/products to use. Should I be going with a particular product line/manufacturer and suggest they use that manufacturer's hub/controller, or will I be better off setting up something like homeassistant for them. We live in Canada, so I'd prefer to order things sold in Canada if possible.

I'm willing to put the work in to help them out, but I've been out of the automation game too much to know what's good/reliable product this day and age. Thanks for your time.

I am a NJ transplant, but I personally think humidity is much more comfortable than dry weather in my opinion. I have an average humidifier and I think most average sized humidifers are a waste because they just blow to the floor and do nothing, but technically the air evaporates the moisture and circulates it around. I keep my humidifier on my nightstand and keep it close to me so I can feel the humidity coming out of it. Any transplants from the East know any humidifier models with remote controls that can make my bedroom feel nice and humid like back East? A timer on it would be a plus too.

I've been dealing with dry winter air for way too long. My skin gets crusty and I usually wake up with a sore throat. But honestly, most humidifiers turn into moldy nightmares after a few months, so I couldn't just grab any random one and had to dig deep into what actually works.

There's an article I keep coming back to, especially when people ask for best humidifiers for bedroom setups.

This one: Humidifier 101

It's not a product roundup, just a solid breakdown of why so many humidifiers feel like a scam once you start using them. The piece pulls together expert interviews, user complaints, and maintenance realities to explain what actually goes wrong with most models.

What Vox gets right about humidifier pain points

Here's a few points from the article that I've seen again and again on Reddit and in personal reviews:

1. Cleaning is always worse than you expect

The article nails this: the core failure of most humidifiers is that they're designed without cleaning in mind. Weird seams, narrow water tanks, and hidden nooks mean bacteria and mould start thriving in places you can't easily reach. Even the ones labelled "easy to clean" often aren't, unless you can get your whole hand inside and wipe it out.

From the Reddit side: tons of posts mention people ditching ultrasonic models after just one season because even with vinegar or bleach, gunk builds up fast. Evaporative types last longer, but once the fan or wick gets funky, it's game over unless it's all serviceable.

2. Ultrasonics are quiet… until they're not

Ultrasonic humidifiers get praised for being nearly silent, until mineral buildup or vibration starts making them buzz or gurgle. And if you've got hard water, you'll get that white dust all over your furniture unless you're using distilled water. (Vox highlights this as one of the most common user regrets.)

Also, not all "quiet" models stay that way. The Vox article makes the point that even small variations in water quality or placement (like next to a wall) can turn a silent unit into an annoying one.

3. Smart features are hit or miss

A lot of humidifiers advertise "auto shutoff" or "humidity sensors," but the article calls out how unreliable some of these are. Unless you're buying a high-end model with a decent sensor, you're better off just using a separate hygrometer. Reddit agrees. Some people rig their humidifiers to smart plugs and timers instead because the onboard sensors are junk.

Reddit wisdom: what actually works for bedrooms?

Here's where the Reddit hive mind kind of builds on the article. Most people on /r/Humidifiers or /r/Houseplants land on a few practical truths:

• Evaporative is better for hard water, but you'll be swapping wicks.

• Ultrasonic is easier to find and cheaper, but white dust + cleaning hell.

• No humidifier is set it and forget it.

• Big tanks matter. Small ones require too many midnight refills.

• Noise is less about type and more about model.

• If you're putting it in a bedroom, prioritize ease of cleaning + actual humidity output. Not aesthetics, not RGB lights, not app control.

With the article + suggestions from reddit this model seems a decent option and it also came up a few times in the comments of other subs. It's not perfect (nothing is), but seems to dodge some of the biggest issues mentioned in the article, especially around runtime and ease of cleaning.

It's ultrasonic, so you still have to be mindful of white dust if your water's super hard, but the tank design is actually cleanable without needing a bottle brush and prayer. It runs quietly enough for most bedrooms. A few people have mentioned they've been able to get it through a whole winter without it turning into a maintenance nightmare.

That said, it doesn't have a built-in humidistat, so it won't shut off automatically at a specific humidity level. If you're someone who wants tight control over indoor humidity, that could be a limitation. Some people get around that with a separate hygrometer or a smart plug setup.

TL;DR:

• Read the article before you buy anything. It explains why so many models fall short.

• Don't fall for marketing, focus on cleaning access, noise level, tank size, and realistic expectations.

• Evaporative = less dust, more maintenance. Ultrasonic = quiet but use distilled water if possible.

I have lüften all year round, and it does get humid in summer but this small humidifier has slowly changing lights and I like to feel the mist and watch it in bed

Hi, new to the sub, I was just wondering if you guys have product suggestions for a humidifier with a remote sensor probe attachment and hose for the fog. I love my levoit since it turns itself on/off when the humidity fluctuates, but it's pretty big and takes up space in the cabinet.

I was thinking about using a reptile fogger but most of the ones I found don't have a sensor and just constantly runs.