Humidifiers / Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier vs Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)
Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
$44.99
VSHoneywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)
$89.95
Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier vs Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)
Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)
A fifteen-year-old evaporative workhorse with UV — and no humidistat at all.
Wins overall by 0.9 points
Quick Verdict
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) takes this by a clear 0.9 points. A fifteen-year-old evaporative workhorse with UV — and no humidistat at all. The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier and Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) are both closely matched humidifier models, and the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is $45 cheaper than the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) ($44.99 vs $89.95). On Freedom From White Dust, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads (9.5 vs 3.5/10) — the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.. On Running Cost, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads (7.0 vs 5.0/10) — wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase. On Quietness, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads (8.0 vs 6.0/10) — noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims. Overall, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores 6.8/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.9/10 for the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier | Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $44.99 | $89.95 |
| Release Year | 2010 | 2009 |
| Humidification Technology | Ultrasonic cool mist — a piezo disc atomises water into a visible plume, no fan and no wick | Evaporative wick with a UV chamber in the water tray — a fan pulls air through the wet HAC-504AW filter |
| White Dust & Mineral Aerosol | Yes, and Crane's own manual says so plainly: "filtered or distilled water is recommended to avoid white dust if tap water is too hard". Crane sells a demineralisation filter as an accessory, but retailers cannot agree on which one — Home Depot's listing cites HS-1932 and FiltersFast cites HS-3161. the EPA's "Use and Care of Home Humidifiers" states that ultrasonic and impeller humidifiers "are very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air" and that they "can disperse materials, such as microorganisms and minerals, from their water tanks into indoor air" | None. The mineral load stays in the wick, which is why Honeywell's manual explains that brown or rust-coloured "mineral deposit" staining on the filter is normal and does not affect performance. Tap water is fine |
| Tank Capacity | 1 gal / 3.78 L | 1.1 gal / 4.2 L |
| Rated Output per Day | "Approx. 2.3 Gallon / 8.7 Liter" per Crane's manual — from a 1 gallon tank. Reaching rated output means filling it two and a bit times in 24 hours | "2 US gallons (7.6 liters) output per day" per Honeywell's own manual — which is nearly twice the tank. Meeting the rated output means filling the 1.1 gal tank roughly twice a day, not once |
| Quoted Runtime (and at which setting) | Crane's manual gives both ends: "Max. up to 24 hours / Min. 11 Hours". Retail listings quote only the 24-hour figure, which is the lowest output setting | "Up to 24 hours" — on the LOW of three settings. That is 1.1 gal in 24 h, which is barely half the rated 2 gal/day output; the two headline numbers describe two different settings |
| Rated Room Coverage | Sources conflict outright: Crane's own manual says "Up to 250 sq. ft. / 23 m2", while Home Depot and Lowe's list the identical EE-5301 at up to 500 ft² — a 2x discrepancy between the manufacturer's manual and its own retail listings | Sources conflict: Honeywell's own product page says only "medium room" with no square footage, while FiltersFast's listing for the same model states 500-800 ft² |
| Humidistat | None. A variable-output knob and an auto shut-off for a dry tank. There is no humidity sensor and no auto mode anywhere in the Drop line | None. Three fixed output speeds on a mechanical dial, no humidity sensor, no auto mode and no auto shut-off when the tank runs dry — you are the humidistat |
| Noise | Not published as a decibel figure — the manual and retail listings say only "whisper quiet". No fan, so the noise is the ultrasonic hum | Not published as a decibel figure by Honeywell; the product page says only "quiet operation". It is a 60W fan drawing air through a wet wick, so the top speed is clearly audible |
| Filters & Cartridges (Annual Cost) | Nothing required — Crane's design is explicitly filter-optional. The demineralisation filter is an accessory whose part number varies by retailer; distilled water is the alternative, at roughly $1-1.50/gal | Two separate consumables. The HAC-504 "Filter A" wick is $32.95 for a Honeywell 3-pack (a compatible FiltersFast 3-pack is $22.99) and Honeywell says replace it every 30-60 days. On top of that the Protec antimicrobial cartridge is a 30-day item. A full heating season is realistically $40-70 |
| Cleaning Burden & Dishwasher-Safe Parts | Crane's manual asks for daily emptying and a weekly deep clean: half a gallon of warm water plus two tablespoons of white vinegar in the tank, shaken and left 20-30 minutes, then repeated for the basin. The tank has a detachable bottom cap and a removable level sensor, which genuinely helps. Nothing is dishwasher-safe | Among the best here. The tank and tray go on the dishwasher's top rack, the tank opening takes a hand, and the manual's disinfection routine is one teaspoon of bleach per gallon. Honeywell says only that it "requires regular cleaning" without naming an interval; the EPA says every third day |
| UV / Antimicrobial Claim | Claimed by retailers, absent from the manual. Home Depot's listing says the unit is "made with clean control anti-microbial material which reduces mold and bacteria growth by up to 99.96%"; FiltersFast's listing for the same model says no antimicrobial claims are made, and Crane's own manual contains no such claim. Treat the 99.96% figure as unsubstantiated | Two claims, both qualified. The UV chamber is rated "Up to 99.9% Germ Free*", where the asterisk in Honeywell's own manual ties it to independent testing of microbial reduction after two hours of UV exposure — a water-tray claim, not an air claim. The wick itself is separately treated as a Protec antimicrobial filter |
| Mist Temperature & Burn Risk | Cool mist at room temperature — no burn risk, no heater, no thermal kill step | Cool, invisible vapour at room temperature — no burn risk at all, which is why this is the standard nursery recommendation |
| Warranty | 12 months | 36 months |
| Colors | White, Blue/White, Clear/White, Grey, Pink, Orange | White, Black |
Category Scores
Freedom From White Dust
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 3.5 — a 6.0-point margin on the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.. If that is what you are buying for, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Output
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.0 — a 1.5-point margin on actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box. If that is what you are buying for, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Runtime & Refill Interval
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier and Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) are level here, at 5.5/10 each. how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Cleaning & Access
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.0 — a 1.5-point margin on whether the tank opening takes an adult hand, whether any part is dishwasher-safe or boilable, and how realistic the manufacturer's stated cleaning interval is to actually keep to. If that is what you are buying for, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Running Cost
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 7.0 against 5.0 — a 2.0-point margin on wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase. If that is what you are buying for, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Quietness
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 8.0 against 6.0 — a 2.0-point margin on noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims. If that is what you are buying for, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Humidity Control
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 3.0 against 2.0 — a 1.0-point margin on whether there is a genuine closed-loop humidistat holding a setpoint, or just fixed output steps and a timer with a humidity label on it. If that is what you are buying for, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Safety Around Children
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.5 — a 1.0-point margin on burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery. If that is what you are buying for, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier if…
- • Running Cost matters most to you — the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier scores 7.0/10 here (wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase).
- • Quietness matters most to you — the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier scores 8.0/10 here (noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims).
- • You want to spend less — it's $45 cheaper.
Choose the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) if…
- • Freedom From White Dust matters most to you — the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores 9.5/10 here (the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.).
- • Output matters most to you — the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores 7.5/10 here (actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box).
- • Cleaning & Access matters most to you — the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores 8.5/10 here (whether the tank opening takes an adult hand, whether any part is dishwasher-safe or boilable, and how realistic the manufacturer's stated cleaning interval is to actually keep to).
- • Your main use case is no-white-dust.
Pros & Cons
Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Pros
- +Crane's manual is unusually honest — it publishes 2.3 gal/day output, both ends of the runtime range, and tells you outright to use filtered or distilled water to avoid white dust
- +Detachable bottom cap and removable water-level sensor make the tank genuinely easier to clean than most ultrasonics
- +Variable-output knob rather than two or three fixed steps, so you can dial in a low continuous rate
- +A gallon of capacity and six colour options for $44.99
Cons
- −Crane's own manual (250 ft²) and its own retail listings (500 ft²) disagree by a factor of two on coverage, and by nearly $21 on price
- −Ultrasonic white dust, and the demineralisation accessory has two different part numbers depending on which retailer you ask (HS-1932 vs HS-3161)
- −The "reduces mold and bacteria growth by up to 99.96%" antimicrobial claim appears on retail listings and nowhere in Crane's manual — another retailer says the model makes no antimicrobial claims at all
- −2.3 gal/day rated output from a 1 gallon tank means two-plus refills a day to hit the number
- −No humidistat, no humidity readout, and a one-year warranty against five on the cheaper Pure Enrichment
Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)
Pros
- +Evaporative plus UV: no white dust, no distilled water, and a genuine (if narrowly worded) kill stage on the water
- +Tank and tray are top-rack dishwasher safe, which almost nothing else in this category can say
- +2 gal/day rated output is real humidification, not a desktop trickle
- +Three-year warranty and a filter supply chain that has existed for fifteen years — parts are trivially available
Cons
- −No humidistat, no auto mode and no auto shut-off — it runs until you stop it, and the FiltersFast listing states the omission outright
- −The 2 gal/day output and the 24-hour runtime cannot both be true at once: the 1.1 gal tank means hitting rated output requires two fills a day
- −Two stacked consumables — a $23-33 three-pack of wicks every 30-60 days plus a 30-day Protec cartridge
- −Honeywell publishes no square footage and no decibel rating; retailers fill the gap with a 500-800 ft² figure Honeywell does not make
- −Honeywell's own store now marks the HCM350 discontinued and points buyers at the HEV320W, even though the model is still stocked and supported elsewhere
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Freedom From White Dust, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)?+
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores higher on Freedom From White Dust (9.5/10 vs 3.5/10) — the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine..
Which is better for Running Cost, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)?+
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier scores higher on Running Cost (7.0/10 vs 5.0/10) — wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase.
Which is better for Quietness, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)?+
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier scores higher on Quietness (8.0/10 vs 6.0/10) — noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims.
Which is better for Output, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)?+
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores higher on Output (7.5/10 vs 6.0/10) — actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box.
Is the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier worth the price difference over the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)?+
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is the cheaper option at $44.99 versus $89.95. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Freedom From White Dust.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is the better fit if you mainly care about nursery. The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) is the better fit for no-white-dust.
What's the warranty on the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier vs the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)?+
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier ships with a 12-month warranty; the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) ships with a 36-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) — $39.99
Premium Option
Canopy Bedside Humidifier 2.0 — $159.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.