Vicks Ultrasonic Humidifier - V-5100-N Reviews

• works, quiet, okay for small room

  
  By A1KCDJRDFZT26B on 2007-03-10
  I am clueless about humidifiers, but recently bought a warm mist Slant Fin since the air in my home was very dry (off the humidity meter, that I also bought.) I returned the Slant Fin because it didn't budge the humidity meter or make any noticeable difference in comfort. Also it was very noisy.
  
  After going nuts trying to pick another one, reading contradictory reviews, I bought this type of Vicks humidifier off the shelf at Brooks Pharmacy. I am pleased with it, and have bought a second one, since it's only fault is that it isn't quite up to a moderate sized room. It raised the humidity 10-15%, and it is very quiet. It does need refilling about twice a day, and before you remove the tank from the sink turn it over to be sure the cap is completely tight so it doesn't leak. If the mineral filter is floating, hold it down a minute, until it sinks, otherwise the mist won't come out, this has only happened once.
  
  

• Definately worth the money!

  
  By A1V43LOIUQDBFY on 2007-03-11
  I purchased this humidifier several years ago and only use it during the winter. It works perfectly as long as it is cleaned out every week as the manual says. And each year I bought another blue filter. Unfortunately, their is some kind of buildup in the tank so I am not sure if I should use it next winter. I would highly recommend it over any of the others.
  
  

• 2 units in less than 8 months

  
  By A19IU8AZ57LBX1 on 2007-09-08
  It worked great for about 3 months. Then the unit simply quits. We cleaned it every day and only used it for nights. We even changed the filter every month and followed the "wait time" after filling to start it. It should have lasted for quite a while. Nope--just when it's past the 90-day return policy, it dies.
  
  It is quiet and does a good job putting moisture in the air, but it's terrible as a long term solution.
  
  P.S. Hope you like white "dust" all over everything in your house--that's another drawback. Not sure if all "cool mist" humidifiers are like that or not.
  
  

• The quietest and best humidifier I've ever own!!

  
  By A3FXG25C97SFDS on 2007-10-01
  I have had an older model for probably 7 years and was just looking to see if I could another one. I remember when I bought it I had a problem getting it to work. It's water sensor can be touchy. I took it back and got a new one. I have had absolutely no problem with it in seven years! It is still working to this day. I have a small crack in the Water Tank but it is not leaking yet. It runs so quiet and humidifies the air nicely. When the kids are sick I lug it from room to room because the other three humifiers I have stuck under my bathroom sink are loud and do not put out as much mist. I don't use the Demineralization Cartridge, but I do use distilled water or softened water. I don't have any white dust. Jackie
  
  

• Vicks Humidifier

  
  By A29ITFXL0XQHUC on 2007-02-06
  After reading several reviews of humidifiers that all gave mixed opinions I ignored all of them and picked up this humidifier at a local drug store for $32. This humidifier is small, approximately 11"Wx6"Dx13"H, making it suitable to put on the floor or on a counter. It consists of two main parts, a white plastic base and a clear blue plastic container. The base has two sliding switches. One turns the unit on/off and the other adjusts the amount of water vapor being released in to the air. The blue container sits on top of the base and has a handle on top and a round screw-on part on the bottom to fill the container. It also comes with a filter that goes in the base. There is a round piece on top of the container that turns to adjust and direct the stream of water vapor. Pros: 1. In my opinion it is quiet, much quieter than the Bemis wicking humidifier I previously had. The sound level is comparable to a table top fan. It does make water noises though which I find soothing but could be an annoyance. 2. It runs for a long time without refilling. On the lowest setting 1 container full of water will last a couple days of continous run time. On the highest setting, it needs to be refilled once a day. 3. It has no wick, which would start to smell in the old humidifier I had. 4. No chemicals need to be added to keep scum from growing in it. 5. You can see the water vapor being released in to the air (so you know its working). 6. See through container. You don't have to open anything to see how much water is left. 7. Container fits in kitchen sink to be refilled. 8. Relatively easy to clean. Cons: 1. It has no automatic shut off when the water runs out or when the air has reached the desired humidity. 2. When the container is picked up to be refilled it drips so you need a towel with you. When the unit is running, the water empties out of the container into the base where it is turned into water vapor. So when you remove the container the base is still full of water. 3. It needs to be cleaned regularly, once a week at least unless you don't mind the scum that grows on it. The base has corners that you need a Q-tip to clean. It is recommended that it be cleaned with a damp cloth and a bleach and water solution and then rinsed well. We have extremely soft water so I don't know how long the filter that comes with the humidifier will last or how well it works in places with hard water. I would recommend this humidifier.
  
  
• Works great.....when it works!
  By A1GA4YWM53IF0I on 2007-12-21
  I've gone through 3 of these. They work great for the first few months as a previous reviewer stated but then they suddenly stop working. I cleaned it and changed the filters as necessary. I was quite happy with it up until the day it stopped working. There seems to be no reason why either. I returned one to the store that had stopped working and purchased a 2nd one at that time. But now both units have stopped working. So, 3 units that fail is enough for me to find another product!
  
  
• Advertising is false... there's no way this thing is "silent".
  By A9V2HY4C2EI5H on 2007-12-23
  I bought this (at a Target store) largely because of the claim on the box that said "Silent operation, won't disturb sleep". I guess it all depends on what they mean by "operation". It's true that there is no water gurgling, but there is a constant low whirring (like a fan) that is far from silent.
  
  
  
• Works Great!!!....dies fast too!
  By A39FBHSH3GXOMK on 2008-01-20
  This unit does a very good job, anad is easy to use and maintain, however it just stops working after 2 months or so. I've gone thru 5 of these units in the past 2 years, and we only use it during night time, when the heat is on. Not for long term buy.
  
  
• Scary!!!!
  By A22082NPSM9NGL on 2008-11-07
  We bought this model humidifier after researching several on the market. We have had it for almost two months with routine cleanings and using purified water in the unit. No problem- very quiet. Then, we changed the filter and followed the installation directions- At 2am, my husband heard my 11 week old coughing- Upon going to check on her- her room was filled with a foul smelling smoke and the humidifier was making an awful noise. After turning it off, the water in the base was a yellowish color and white dust was every where. Needless to say this product is going back.
  
  
• Good product...
  By A33N1GIOFVYIUY on 2007-02-24
  Use distilled water when possible, filter dirties up very quickly. Otherwise, runs very quietly, no complaints as of yet.
  
  
• Great for us!
  By A2O11WLJ1R261B on 2007-12-18
  I don't know much about humidifiers and need ours only when my 1 1/2 yo is congested (otherwise "not daily") and this has been great. We had a hand-me-down from family and it was really loud and didn't seem to do much to help my son. When I went shopping for a new machine this was a bit more expensive than I wanted however it was well worth it in the end. We have had no problems with it for our use and I just bought another for my cousin to use with her baby.
  
  
• Good Humidifier but too much white dust
  By A3F968Z45XMUJP on 2008-01-18
  I just bought this for my bedroom and used it once and will be returning it. I thought it was quiet enough and did a good job putting moisture into the air - but in the morning anything plastic in the room was covered in white dust - a LOT of it. The humidifier itself was covered, front and back, and the back of a chair that was all the way across the room. I'm sure dust must have been other places too, but it only showed up on the plastic surfaces. The filter was in and I had waited the 15 minutes for it to soak before turning it on. I don't want to have to buy gallons of distilled water every day, so it's going back.
  
  Maybe the water in my area is just too hard, but I bought the Crane's penguin humidifier for my son's room and it works much better - plenty of moisture, low noise, and no dust. Also cheaper. I recommend it.
  
  
• Quiet and easy, but is it working?
  By A3V6POY09NH3JS on 2008-01-18
  We're on day three of using this machine, and thanks to a weather monitor, we've witnessed the indoor humidity actually dropping while using it. I have a hard time believing this is happening; a fine mist is being emitted and the water level is going down. Also my husband has complained about waking up with a sore throat for the last two days.
  
  On day two I also noticed that the white plastic top is cracking as if it was dropped. It have been damaged in shipping, since the box was quite mangled. Still, it troubles me.
  
  I do agree that it's very quiet. A small whirring of a fan is really the only noise.
  
  Setup was straightforward and simple, which is good since the manual is useless.
  
  Regarding "white dust," we are fortunate to have a whole-house water filter, a water softener, and on top of that filtered drinking water, so we have not yet noticed any dust due to mineral content.
  
  I did a great deal of research and I'm under the impression that the cool mist ultrasonic models are the best choices for both cleanliness and health reasons (kitty has asthma). Whether this one is as good as others on the market, I can't say. I will probably return it due to the cracking plastic - this does not affect operation - but I may or may not buy another of the same model. In the meantime, back to the drawing board...
  
  
• Unreliable
  By A37MP0E5EIKE27 on 2008-03-12
  Purchased this humidifier approx 1 and half years ago, only used it in winter months, changed water, cleaned base and sensor with Qtip and replaced filter religiously, the machine no longer outputs the cool mist, it stays on and does nothing. When I called the company they recommended that I soak the sensor with white vinegar for 20 mins; tried that and still does not work. I recommend you do not buy this, its very unreliable.
  
  
• bait and switch
  By A23ZFVBVURH1K1 on 2007-03-08
  When I was comparison-shopping on Amazon's site, the product pictured was last year's model, which is what I intended to purchase. I even paid a little more for it--imagine my surprise when I got this one instead! Its capacity is smaller than the previous model, and the motor is very noisy--it makes a constant, high-pitched whine. The handle is weirdly placed and makes the tank much more difficult to pick up once it's been filled. It does do the job of emptying the water mistily into your room, however. But I was disappointed to receive this newer model and not what I had ordered!
  
  

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