Review roolen Breath Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Humidifier

Review roolen Breath Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Humidifier

The Roolen ultrasonic humidifier is nice looking and operates simply and quietly.

Humidifiers come in three styles: ultrasonic, evaporative and steam-based. Each type has advantages and disadvantages. You can do some independent research to determine if Ultrasonic is the best choice for you. I've used both ultrasonic and steam-based.

Ultrasonic humidifiers can oftentimes produce a fine white powder or dust that may be an irritant to some people. The dust results from minerals that are in the water. Using filtered water will reduce or eliminate the dust issue. If you choose to use tap water anyway, that dust over time can be noticed on top of table tops, dressers, etc. It's not going to bother the majority of people and the dust is harmless and wipes off easily if you notice it.

Steam-based humidifiers don't produce the powder or dust but make more noise during operation... you will hear a boiling or simmering sound and also periodic gurgling as water moves into the water basin from the reservoir. Steam-humidifiers will often times give you finer control over specifying a precise humidity level.

Evaporitive humidifiers also product no dust and humidity is attained simply by water evaporating into the air. But these usually use a "wick" of cloth or a screen in conjunction with a fan. They can be more noisy and are can develop bacteria since the water is stagnant and not being boiled. They can get moldy, develop mineral calcification and are a pain to clean.

The Roolen is an ultrasonic humidifier. It is about 10 inches tall and 8 inches square at the base. The humidifier is powered by a "wall wart" AC charger with 58" power cord. The wall wart is designed so as to not block the other socket on the typical duplex wall socket.

The power cord DC plug-in is located on the back of the humidifier. Above that is a power/function button. The humidifier can operate in three different modes: low, high and auto. There is also a standby mode when you first plug it in or after you cycle through the other three modes.

>standby>low>high>auto>standby>

The humidifier has two parts, the water tank and the water basin. The water tank is also the mist vent and it lifts off the water basin for filling. It is recommended that you use filtered water and avoid tap water. You can use tap water but because of the mineral content of tap water, you will have to clean the humidifier with vinegar/water every week or so to keep mineral buildup to a minimum.

To fill the reservoir, you unscrew a cap then fill it under a faucet. It's actually a bit easier to use a funnel or you end up getting water around the top which drips out all over the place when you tip the reservoir over to place back on the water basin. I did have a persistent problem in getting the cap on tight enough to prevent water dripping out from under the cap.

Once the reservoir is clicked into place on the water basin you plug the unit in and select the operating mode you deisre... low, high or auto. For most people "auto" is the best choice because the unit will automatically attempt to keep the humidity level between 40-55%. You have no ability to specify an exact humidity level though.

A quiet fan gently pushes the mist up through the tower and out of the top. Since it is mist, not steam, it is cool and will not harm you. You can stick your hand right in it and will only feel a cool mist.

The operation is very very quiet. There is a faint motor sound from the fan and an occasional gurgle as water moves into the water basin from the reservoir but other than that it is quiet. I doubt that most people would find the sounds objectionable. I've owned several ultrasonic and steam humidifiers and they all seem to make this gurgling sound... plus the steam humidifiers make a boiling or simmering sound as well.

So what's missing? There is no visual indication of water level. And there is no way to set a precise percentage level of humidity.

I like the look and simplicity of the Roolen humidifier. It operates quietly and is effective at humidifying a room up to 400 sq ft.

My concerns are the dripping reservoir cap and sloppy looking seal around the bottom piece of plastic that forms the reservoir bottom. It's more difficult to fill than other humidifiers that I have owned and the LED is exceedingly bright at night which may bother some people.

I was provided a complimentary sample of the humidifier for testing and review. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have about the humidifier; just leave me a comment.

Review from Mr Erb.Thanks for watching!