Plants are often used to decorate and spruce up a home. They can add color, life, and even a bit of nature inside the four walls where you spend most of your time. While some people may think that simply adding a plant or two to their space is all they need to do, there is a bit more care that goes into keeping plants healthy – especially if those plants are going to be placed indoors. 

Anyone who has struggled to keep their houseplants alive knows that finding the proper humidity levels can be challenging. Dry air not only makes leaves wilted and brown, but it can also lead to growth problems and increased susceptibility to pests and disease. 

A humidifier can help increase the moisture level in the air, creating a better environment for your plants. A humidifier can also help improve your respiratory health by alleviating symptoms such as dryness and irritation. While there are different ways to increase the humidity around your plants, one of the most effective methods is to use a humidifier. 

By releasing a fine mist of water into the air, humidifiers can create a habitat that is much more conducive to plant growth. They can also provide numerous health benefits, such as relieving allergies and restoring moisture to dry skin. 

With so many different humidifiers on the market, it can be challenging to know which one is right for your plants. Our guide will help you decide on the right plant humidifier.

Our Top Picks

• Best Large Capacity: LEVOIT Classic 300S Humidifiers for Bedroom
• Best Overall: LEVOIT Humidifiers for Bedroom Large Room
• Best Budget: GENIANI Portable Small Cool Mist Humidifier
• Best Alternative: Orgtoy Humidifiers For Bedroom

Best Humidifier for Plants: Review of Our Top Picks

1. LEVOIT Classic 300S Humidifiers for Bedroom

The LEVOIT Classic 300S is a humidifier that can keep up with your busy lifestyle. With its powerful performance and 6-liter tank, this humidifier is perfect for large rooms up to 505 square feet. And with up to 60 hours of operation, your plants can enjoy relief from dry air for days.

But the convenience doesn’t stop there. The LEVOIT Classic 300S also features a smart humidity sensor that automatically adjusts mist levels to balance your home’s humidity. So whether you’re home or busy commuting, you can rest assured that your humidifier is working hard to keep your plants comfortable. 

And with the free VeSync APP, you can easily control settings and create schedules. Plus, you can connect to a third-party smart voice assistant for even greater convenience. 

Features

• Aromatherapy option
• Up to 60 hours of operation
• 6L top fill cool mist for plants and babies
• Automatic mode
• Voice and app control

Pros

• It is ultra-quiet
• It is four times faster than competing brands
• It has an enormous 6-L tank

Cons

• It is a bit costly

 

2. LEVOIT Dual 150 Cool Mist Humidifier

The LEVOIT Dual 150 Cool Mist Humidifier is a top-quality humidifier that will keep your bedroom or plant nursery feeling comfortable all night long. This game-changing humidifier can run for up to 25 hours on a single tank, making it the perfect choice for those who want uninterrupted, long-lasting mist. 

The large 3-liter tank is also great for large plant rooms or offices, and the 360° nozzle ensures even coverage throughout the space. Plus, with BPA-free materials and an auto shut-off feature, the Dual 150 comes first when buying a humidifier for plants. 

Features

• Auto shut-off feature
• Up to 25 hours of operation
• It comes with a 3L tank

Pros

• It has a 360° nozzle that ensures total and even coverage
• It is long-lasting
• It is made with BPA-free materials

Cons

• It requires frequent cleaning

 

3. GENIANI Portable Small Cool Mist Humidifier

The GENIANI Portable Small Cool Mist Humidifier is a small, lightweight, and slim humidifier that can easily be transported from room to room. This perfect little humidifier is excellent for indoor spaces: your bedroom, office, child’s room, or plant room. It can improve the environmental humidity in minutes with its two mist modes: continuous and intermittent. 

It has an intuitive one-button control that makes it super easy to use and an auto shut-off feature that ensures your safety and peace of mind. And since it only emits 38dB of noise, you’ll barely even notice it’s there while you’re sound asleep. 

Features

• It comes with two mist modes: continuous and intermittent 
• Press-and-hold feature to turn off the lights
• It offers up to eight hours runtime
• It has a night light and silent action features

Pros

• It is affordable
• It emits low noise
• It is lightweight
• It is easy to fill

Cons

• It is difficult to clean

 

4. Orgtoy Humidifiers For Bedroom

The Orgtoy Humidifiers For Bedroom is a quality humidifier for your plants and will help you get a good night’s sleep. This 2-in-1 humidifier and diffuser are perfect for people who want the benefits of both devices in one unit. 

The optional night light is excellent for reading or relaxing before bed, and the sleep mode ensures that your humidifier won’t make any noise while you’re trying to sleep. The Orgtoy Humidifier is also easy to clean, with a 90mm water inlet that makes it simple to fill and empty. 

Features

• It comes with a 2-in-1 humidifier and diffuser
• It has a night light
• It has four timer options
• It features a 90mm water inlet

Pros

• It is compatible with essential oils
• It operates quietly
• It has a night light
• It is easy to clean

Cons

• It has a small capacity of 2.5 liters

 

What to Consider When Purchasing a Humidifier for Plants

Purchasing a humidifier for your plants is a great way to ensure they get the humidity they need to thrive. There are different humidifiers on the market, so it is essential to consider what factors are most important to you when making your purchase. 

You will want to keep some things in mind, including capacity, noise level, and price. We will discuss these factors and help you decide which humidifier is best for you and your plants.

Capacity

The amount of time a humidifier can operate is directly proportional to the size of the water tank. The longer you can use the appliance before you need to replenish it or turn it off, the bigger the tank should last. You can discover compact, stylish units perfect for small spaces with low moisture requirements if you only need a little moisture.

The Temperature of the Mist

The temperature of the mist is less critical than you may assume when it comes to the humidity your plants prefer. Warm mist is typically purer since it is produced by evaporation, but cold mist can be produced more affordably because cool-mist humidifiers take less energy to operate.

Noise Level 

You might want to consider a unit with a low noise output if you spend a lot of time around your plant area. The fan that pulls air across the wicking component in evaporative humidifiers tends to make more noise than ultrasonic types.

Room Size

This is most likely the most important factor: purchasing a humidifier is useless if the room it’s in can’t contain it. You might not get the best mist distribution if the output of your humidifier is less than what your room’s size requires. It’s also important to consider where you’ll put your humidifier. 

If your humidifier has a fan, it’s recommended to keep it at least six feet away from your plants because direct circulation can cause your plants’ moisture to evaporate. If your plant room is big, check for a larger water tank and see if the maximum room size it can handle is included in the description.

Filter

Changing your humidifier’s filter every two to three months – possibly more regularly if you use tap water – is advisable to keep it operating as efficiently as possible. For advice on recommended humidifier scheduled maintenance, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Installation and Maintenance

Regular maintenance can keep your humidifier operating effectively and free of the bacteria and mold that can develop in the tank if it isn’t cleaned correctly. Mold can leak into the mist and cause allergies and respiratory conditions if it isn’t controlled. 

Cleaning or changing the filter will ensure that the humidifier’s mist is free of allergens and mold. Unwanted mold and mineral accumulation can be avoided by bleaching your tank weekly.

Types of Humidifiers for Plants

There are different types of humidifiers available, so it’s important to choose one that is right for your needs. Let’s examine the different types of humidifiers.

Evaporative Humidifiers

Evaporative humidifiers draw water over a wet wick with a fan to create mist, utilizing airflow. Additionally, evaporative humidifiers have filters that must be changed regularly to stop mold formation and germs. 

Despite being less expensive than humidifiers that use ultrasonic technology, these models can be a little noisy due to the fan that forces airflow to produce moisture.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers

They use sound vibrations at high frequencies to speed up the evaporation of water in the storage tank. The end result is a light, wispy mist made of air. The ultrasonic humidifier operates more quietly than the other types. 

This type of humidifier doesn’t use hot water and doesn’t have a filter that needs to be cleaned frequently. That means it uses less energy but also increases the likelihood that bacteria will be found inside the device.

Warm-Mist Humidifiers

The most common varieties available for purchase are warm-mist humidifiers. It is a straightforward method that includes heating water to a point where water vapor is released.

How to Increase Humidity for Your Houseplants

Houseplants can be beautiful additions to your home, but they need the right environment to thrive. If your home is too dry, you should consider increasing humidity to keep your plants healthy. Below are few ways you can increase humidity for your plants

Shower Your Plants

This entails giving a thorough bath to all of your humidity-loving plants in the bathtub or the shower. When they require extra moisture in the winter, this can be done. Use warm water for this task, and clear away all the dust accumulated on the leaves while you’re at it.

Mist Your Plants

Misting different types of plants is a common error many novice plant owners make. Never mist plants with leaves that are hairy or any other leaves that tend to keep the water in its place. This results in illnesses and stains on the leaves. Only temporarily can-misting plants, like orchids, helps to increase humidity.

Place Plants in Rooms With High Humidity

Placing your tropical plants in rooms with higher humidity levels is another way to raise their humidity level for them. Your houseplants should be kept in this area if there is an area that is more humid.

Install a Mechanism for Evaporation

This crucial step will give your plant more hydration than your watering can deliver. Put water in the shallow container, then place each pot on a shallow tray or saucer covered with gravel, marbles, pebbles, or clay potting stones. The water evaporating around the plant makes the air more humid and collects water runoff. Ensure the tray water doesn’t get to the bottom of the pot to avoid root rot.

Put Your Plants in Groups

Plants are often grouped by their humidity preference: low, medium, or high. Low humidity plants prefer arid conditions with little moisture in the air. These plants are often native to desert regions and can tolerate long periods of drought. Medium humidity plants are comfortable in most homes and office buildings, where the air is not too dry or humid. 

These plants typically come from tropical regions and do well in humid environments. High humidity plants thrive in moist conditions with high moisture levels in the air. These plants usually come from tropical rainforests and need a lot of moisture to survive. By grouping plants together according to their humidity preferences, you can create a healthy environment for all your plants to thrive.

Some ways to group them are:

Moisture-loving plants: Moth orchids and Boston ferns prefer humid settings. Orchids flourish in spaces with humidity levels between 50 to 80 percent, while ferns prefer the higher end of that range. These plants thrive in kitchens and bathrooms. Double-potting them is an additional strategy: Plant them in terracotta containers, then set those containers inside bigger plastic containers.) Sphagnum moss can be found at many garden centers, and you should insert some in the area between the two pots. Keep the moss wet and well-watered.

Cacti and succulents: In addition to snake plants and cacti, other succulents such as jade plants, aloes, and others are used to dry settings. While your family may feel uncomfortable with a relative indoor humidity of less than 30%, these dry-climate plants will be completely satisfied.

Large, leafy plants: Tropical plants like peace lilies, monsteras, and other typical indoor plants demand more humidity. But in the best range for people, they’ll cope just well. Bromeliads and air plants need humidity levels as high as 70% because they get their hydration from the air rather than the soil. You’ll need to mist them frequently, get a particular humidifier just for them, or put them in a greenhouse or terrarium.

Consider sturdy workhorses like pothos and spider plants if you’re looking for plug-and-play plants that can withstand a wide range of indoor humidity conditions.

How to Clean a Humidifier

Cleaning a humidifier is an essential part of its upkeep. Not cleaning it can lead to the growth of bacteria and mold, which can harm your health. In this section, we will walk you through how to clean a humidifier. 

Take It Apart and Empty It

Shut off and unplug your humidifier. Get rid of any water. Disassemble everything. Usually, the top will separate from the base, and the wicks, covers, and springs will all be exposed. Those components change based on the model you own.

Typically, the top or base of the device will house the components that create the mist. You don’t need to disassemble it or enter that space. To avoid getting water into the electronics while cleaning, never immerse that portion of your humidifier in water. Instead, wipe it off with your cleaning solution. Don’t submerge it.

Wash and Soak

Refill the water reservoir with your chosen cleaner, preferably a 50/50 mixture of hot water and white vinegar. The filter pad, wicks, and wick covers should all be fully submerged in the same solution. Soak for at least 60 minutes (or more) if a deeper clean is required.

After soaking, gently scrub any hard surfaces – including the wick cover or filter cover, the sides, and the base within the water reservoir – with an old toothbrush, a bottle brush, or something comparable. You should avoid using anything too abrasive to scratch the plastic part of your humidifier, especially if the reservoir is transparent. After cleaning everything, pour out the cleaning solution, give everything a good hot water rinse, and then wipe everything down.

Air Dry

A humidifier is an ideal environment for bacteria to grow, just like sinks and showers are. If your humidifier isn’t frequently emptied and cleaned, the same pink or yellow mold and slime you may have noticed in other locations of your house, such as showers and around plug holes, may also reside there. Give your humidifier a chance to dry out completely every week to two weeks.

The humidifier’s reservoir should never be kept with water still in it for the same reason. Whenever your humidifier isn’t in use or between uses, always store it dry. Always throw away old, stale water before refilling to prevent mineral deposits from accumulating.

After soaking and cleaning, spread everything out on a tea towel and place it in a bright area where it may dry completely and “breathe” for the remainder of the day or overnight. This enables all the various crevices to completely dry out, killing bacteria in both the spots you can clean and the areas you can’t.

FAQs

Where Should Humidifiers Be Placed for Plants?

To ensure your plants get enough moisture, keep your humidifier around six feet away. However, it’s advisable not to keep them any closer than that distance to prevent the buildup of extra moisture on the plants’ leaves, which can encourage the formation of mold and fungus.

How Long Should I Leave My Plant Humidifier On?

The sort of plants you have and the time of year will significantly impact how frequently you need to run your humidifier. Succulents need less moisture than tropical plants and need it for a shorter period.

Are Plant Humidifiers Beneficial?

Indoor plants benefit from and require increased moisture retention, which humidifiers assist with. The best thing a caring plant parent can do is to install a plant humidifier in their home.

What Kind of Water Should I Use?

The humidifier for your plants should be filled with distilled or filtered water. This will ensure that your home only receives pure water as vapor. Additionally, distilled water will prevent bacteria and algae growth in the water tank for more extended periods, reducing the cleaning frequency.

If you fill your humidifier with tap water, be aware that the minerals may eventually cause scale buildup. Using filtered or distilled water can keep the humidifier from needing to be cleaned frequently and increase its lifespan.

Can a Diffuser Serve as a Plant Humidifier?

No. The main use of a diffuser is to emit an essential oil and water mist. While they contribute some moisture to the air, their aim is not to make it more humid. These devices don’t create enough moisture for a plant to survive.

How Can I Tell Whether My Plants Could Use More Humidity?

When the leaves and tips turn brown, your plant needs more humidity. In addition to losing more dry leaves than usual, plants start to wilt and droop. If the top layer of the soil feels dry to the touch or doesn’t appear to be moist, they may want extra humidity. Another indication is if the leaves feel crunchy to the touch.

What Type of Mist Is Best for Plants: Warm or Cool?

Humidifiers that produce warm or cool mist can be used with indoor plants. The main difference between these two is that cool-mist humidifiers use a filter mechanism, which uses less energy than warm-mist humidifiers’ evaporation process.

Do Humidifiers Aid in the Growth of Plants?

As long as the humidity in your home is within typical ranges and not too low, none of your plants will perish. By employing one of the simplest methods – a humidifier – to add more humidity to plants that enjoy it, even those that are less sensitive plants will benefit.

Humidity also becomes more significant in the dry winter air, which is typically rendered even more dry by the heat coming out of our vents. With the air conditioner on full blast, summer air can also become overly dry. 

How Frequently Should I Mist My Plants with a Humidifier?

Follow your plants’ cues regarding how frequently you should run your humidifier. Wilted leaves with brown tips indicate that your plants need more water. Low humidity might also be characterized by stunted growth and flowers that fall off too soon.

Which Humidifier Is the Most Suitable for Plants?

The size of the room, usual ambient conditions, and the quantity and duration of humidity needed by the plant species are only a few of the variables that affect which humidifier is ideal.

Do Humidifiers Contribute to the Growth of Mold?

A humidifier’s water tank and filter can develop mold if it isn’t regularly cleaned and maintained. The mold can then spread through the surroundings by mist, which can cause asthma, allergies, and other respiratory conditions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best humidifier for plants is the one that suits your particular needs and the conditions in your home. If you have lots of plants or live in a dry climate, you may need to invest in a larger unit.

Regardless of the size or type of humidifier you choose, regular maintenance is essential to keep it running smoothly and prevent mold and bacteria growth. By selecting the right humidifier for your home and caring for it properly, you can help your plants stay healthy and thrive.