Best budget humidifier for an apartment - Xiaomi, Ballu or Electrolux?

If you look only at the appearance, the models from Polaris and Electrolux look the most attractive. The first is stylized as a tree and will fit well into a classic or Scandinavian interior, and the second has a modern design. It will look appropriate in an apartment or house with a futuristic design. Polaris and Ballu are available in two shades. You might think that black is more practical, but the reviews complain about a white coating. You will have to constantly wipe the body, although in the case of a light design, dirt also appears quickly enough.

Xiaomi does not change its corporate laconic design: white color, neat Smartmi inscription and nothing more. Boneco looks discreet, does not stand out with an unusual design. This is a common humidifier for the home, and this option will suit most buyers. Moreover, it is quite compact and lightweight. What can not be said about Xiaomi, which weighs more than 4 kg. It will be difficult to move it to another room.

An equally important selection criterion is the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house for which the humidifier is enough. The winner is definitely Electrolux, because it is suitable for a room up to 50 square meters. When buying this product, you can forget about dry air in a small apartment. Boneco and Xiaomi cannot boast the same results - their footprint is almost half that.The rest of the devices are about the same level. It must be borne in mind that not everyone needs a model with a maximum indicator. For small rooms, a compact humidifier of 30 m² is quite enough.

For comparison, we have selected humidifiers of different types. Xiaomi is a traditional device that works on the principle of natural evaporation. The air is passed through a wet filter, while being cleaned of dust. Over time, the optimal water level will be maintained automatically, you do not have to constantly monitor this. Xiaomi has an average reservoir volume, but the liquid consumption is so economical that it will not have to be topped up so often.

Boneco is a typical representative of steam humidifiers for an apartment. Water first heats up, then gradually evaporates. Hot steam can raise the temperature in the room, but sometimes it is even useful. The reservoir here is quite small, the flow rate is almost minimal among all the participants in the comparison.

All other models are ultrasonic. In the course of work they create cold steam which consists of the smallest particles of water. Such humidifiers have capacious tanks, Baloo boasts a record volume.It is noteworthy that the same model has the smallest flow rate, if only the ultrasonic type is taken into account. Another advantage is the choice of cold or warm steam.

Before buying a humidifier, it is important to pay attention to the power consumption. It depends on this how economical the device will be. The Boneco steam model consumes the most electricity, and the traditional Xiaomi has become the leader in terms of energy saving. Polaris is also quite economical, but Baloo and Electrolux consume more than 100 watts.

Noise level is a key criterion when choosing any household appliances. Devices are often turned on in the evenings, no one wants to disturb the sleep of loved ones with the unexpectedly loud work of a humidifier. Steam humidifiers are considered the noisiest, but in our case, Boneco is in the middle level in terms of volume. The maximum number of decibels emits an ultrasonic Baloo, and Xiaomi works the quietest. This is not at all surprising, because it has the least power in comparison with competitors.

All units have a humidistat. It measures the level of humidity in the room and maintains it - decreases when it rises and increases when it falls. This result is achieved due to portioned release of steam. All devices are backlit, so they are often used as nightlights, for example, for a child's room. There are also less popular features that have been added to only selected humidifiers. For example, a feature of Electrolux is the presence of an ultraviolet lamp. Radiation allows you to destroy most bacteria and viruses in the air.

Xiaomi's functionality can be called minimal - there is only a timer, no display, additional air purification and water heating to create hot steam. But the humidifier can be connected to the smart home system. This is really convenient and opens up completely new control possibilities. You can create scenarios, turn on the device at a specific time, and much more. The model does not have a separate compartment for aromatic mixtures, but you can simply add a drop of essential oil to the water. With other devices, this experiment should not be repeated, they already have a built-in aromatization function.

The Boneco and Polaris also don't have an extensive feature set, but they have everything you need. But Balu and Electrolux were pleasantly pleased in this regard. They can ionize the air; a display and a timer are provided for convenient control. Thanks to the preheat function, both devices work with cold and hot steam.

A common option for all models is to adjust the rotation speed or the intensity of water evaporation. As for the operating modes, their number varies, but an automatic set of settings is provided everywhere. This is convenient for users who cannot independently determine the desired humidity level and fan speed. To control the humidifier, buttons on the case and a remote control are usually used.

At the top of Xiaomi are LED indicators and 2 touch keys. The left one is responsible for the brightness of the backlight (3 modes), while the right one is designed to turn on and off, and also allows you to select one of 3 speeds. The MiHome app is used to connect to the smart home. By the way, Xiaomi is the only model that comes without a remote control.

Polaris has a remote control and its keys completely duplicate the control panel on the case. There are 4 buttons in total: ON / OFF, selection of the required humidity and intensity of steam formation. There are three modes, the second one (medium speed) is turned on by default. It is also possible to set a timer for automatic on and off.

It is convenient to manage Baloo, although at first you can get confused by the abundance of functions. There are as many as 6 buttons on the remote control and control panel.They are responsible for turning on and off, choosing the rotation speed and a comfortable level of humidity. There are also keys to control the timer (1-12 hours), activate warm steam and ionization.

Electrolux offers to regulate not only the intensity of humidification, but also the backlight - there are 3 options. Also here is an extended set of modes. You can choose a night program with muted lighting or Baby Mode with constantly active air purification. There are special Health Smart settings for sick apartment residents and allergy sufferers. Ionization, UV lamp and warm steam are activated by separate buttons.

Boneco control is atypical, because instead of buttons, a rotary switch with LED indicators is used. It must be set to position "I" or "II" to select the humidification capacity. To turn off the device, just turn the wheel to the "0" position.

Let's talk about packaging. For Xiaomi and Balu, it is standard: it includes only the device itself, instructions and a warranty card. The Chinese manufacturer warns that the product may come with a flat plug, so an adapter will be required. Boneco was pleased by putting an anti-limestone disc and a special powder to remove plaque in the box. With Electrolux, customers receive a brush for cleaning the ultrasonic membrane. Of course, filters are also included with each model.

To protect against germs, Xiaomi and Electrolux have an antibacterial coating on the inner surface of the tank. Baloo has a special filter, while other models were not so safe. Another feature of this air humidifier is an emergency shutdown. It works if the body is strongly tilted or overturned.

Each device has sensors that monitor low water levels. All humidifiers, except Boneco, are equipped with humidity and power indicators. Xiaomi, Ballu and Electrolux also have an additional temperature measurement. The Baloo has a childproof tank. Thanks to all these features, the devices turned out to be quite safe, but it is still worth observing precautions when using.

If we compare the warranty periods, the Boneco brand was pleasantly surprised here, promising to support customers for 2 years after purchasing the product. The rest of the manufacturers limited themselves to the standard 12 months. Xiaomi has the shortest service life, and even these 2 years the device will only work at temperatures above -10°C. It is a logical and feasible condition, but other companies do not report anything about such restrictions. Polaris will serve a modest 3 years, the rest of the humidifiers - up to 5 years. Of course, all models need timely replacement of filters for full operation.

If we compare the popularity among Internet users in general and Yandex.Market in particular, Xiaomi becomes the undisputed leader. It is discussed everywhere, this humidifier has received many ratings, reviews and unboxings. It is convenient to add water to it, the control is simple even for those who have not previously encountered such devices. There are difficulties in working with the smart home system, otherwise the product is considered almost perfect.

In second place in demand was Electrolux. This model is often searched for, but it has much less reviews compared to Xiaomi. The reviews note a large tank, an informative display and a full range of functions. Consumers complain only about the high water consumption, while the topping system is not very successful.

Balu closes the top three buyers' favorites. The device is considered moderately high-quality, but not without drawbacks. First, condensation accumulates on the lid. Secondly, you can not add a little water due to the design features. You have to constantly remove the lid, lift the tank, then return it all to its place. The procedure is not the most convenient and fast, especially in comparison with Xiaomi.

Polaris and Boneco are popular, but not on the same scale as other participants in the rating. Among the disadvantages of Polaris, they mention the inaccurate operation of the humidity and temperature sensor due to being too close to the evaporator. The reviews also criticize the model for its impressive water consumption - you have to constantly top it up.Buyers liked Boneko for its simplicity and effective moisturizing, but the backlight of the wheel is too bright to turn on at night. Noise during operation and huge power consumption make the product an outsider among competitors.

All budget goods are within the price range of 5500-8500 rubles. But only one model can boast the lowest cost - and that is Polaris. Electrolux seems a bit pricey at first, but this humidifier comes with advanced features. It is of high quality and comfortable, so the price is quite justified.

Unfortunately, the most budget models often lose in other, more important criteria. Therefore, it is important to understand here that the price always corresponds to the quality. To save money, it is better to choose medium-priced models with lower power consumption for the home. Products from the brands Xiaomi and Balu are of high quality, while not the most expensive in comparison.

The last place was taken by the Boneko device. He did not manage to become the best in any category, although for a steam-type humidifier, the model holds up quite well. It is lightweight, easy to carry and perfect for small apartments. A little higher in the ranking is the ultra-budget Polaris humidifier. This is a good option for getting to know ultrasonic devices. It is the quietest, and in terms of functionality it is not inferior to more expensive models.

Xiaomi and Electrolux are in third and second positions, respectively. Although these humidifiers became leaders in several criteria, in other categories they were frankly weaker than their competitors. Despite winning just one nomination, Balu becomes the leader of the comparison. This humidifier received high marks in all categories. It can rightfully be called a high-quality and budget solution for a house or apartment with any number of rooms.