Humidifiers / Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier vs Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)
Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
$44.99
VSVicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)
$19.79
Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier vs Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)
Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)
$20 of boiled steam that literally will not run on distilled water.
Wins overall by 0.4 points
Quick Verdict
A 0.4-point gap makes the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) the straightforward choice here. $20 of boiled steam that literally will not run on distilled water.
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier and Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) are both closely matched humidifier models, and the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) is $25.20 cheaper than the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier ($19.79 vs $44.99). On Freedom From White Dust, the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) leads (10.0 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 Safety Around Children, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads (8.5 vs 2.0/10) — burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery. On Runtime & Refill Interval, the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) leads (7.0 vs 5.5/10) — 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. Overall, the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores 6.3/10 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 | Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $44.99 | $19.79 |
| Release Year | 2010 | 2015 |
| Humidification Technology | Ultrasonic cool mist — a piezo disc atomises water into a visible plume, no fan and no wick | Warm steam vaporizer. Current is passed through the water itself to boil it, which is why Vicks' own FAQ states "These units require water with minerals in it in order to function properly" — pure water does not conduct, so the unit will simply not steam |
| 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. Boiling drops the minerals out as scale inside the steam unit rather than aerosolising them. The visible particulate this unit does emit is black, not white: Vicks' cleaning instructions tell you to flush it "until black particles are no longer emitted", and those are carbon from the element |
| Tank Capacity | 1 gal / 3.78 L | 1.5 gal / 5.7 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 | Not published by the manufacturer as a gallons-per-day or mL/hr figure. The only throughput anchor is the tank divided by the quoted runtime |
| 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 | Sources conflict: Vicks' own product page says "up to 24 hours", Target's listing for the same V150SGN says 18 hours. There is no output setting to attribute either figure to — the unit has one speed |
| 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: Vicks' page and Walmart's listing say 600 ft², Target's listing for the same model says 300-500 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, and no output control either. One switch. It boils at full rate until the tank is empty or you unplug it — the single most over-humidification-prone unit in this set |
| 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. There is no fan, so the noise is the boil; users describe intermittent gurgling and, when scaled or over-salted, spitting |
| 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 | None required — no filter, no wick, no cartridge. VapoPads and VapoSteam are optional add-ons Vicks would like to sell you; the unit runs on plain tap water |
| 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 | Weekly, and the routine is specific: Vicks says soak the steam unit "in 4 inches of white vinegar for 10 minutes", flush until black particles stop, then disinfect the reservoir with "1 teaspoon of bleach per gallon" for 20 minutes. The tank opening is wide. Scale build-up is what causes the spitting complaints |
| 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 | Boiling is the entire hygiene mechanism, and Vicks makes no germ-free or sterilisation marketing claim for it anywhere in the FAQ |
| Mist Temperature & Burn Risk | Cool mist at room temperature — no burn risk, no heater, no thermal kill step | Boiling. Vicks' placement guidance is to keep the vaporizer "at least four feet away from bedside" on a heat-resistant, waterproof surface. A 638W element and 1.5 gallons of near-boiling water is a scald hazard a toddler can pull over |
| Warranty | 12 months | 36 months |
| Colors | White, Blue/White, Clear/White, Grey, Pink, Orange | White |
Category Scores
Freedom From White Dust
The Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) leads clearly here, 10.0 against 3.5 — a 6.5-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 Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.0 — a 1.0-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 Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 5.5 — a 1.5-point margin on 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. If that is what you are buying for, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Cleaning & Access
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.5 — a 0.5-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 Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Running Cost
The Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.0 — a 1.5-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 Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Quietness
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier and Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) are level here, at 8.0/10 each. noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Humidity Control
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 2.0 against 1.0 — 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 Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Safety Around Children
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 8.5 against 2.0 — a 6.5-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 Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier if…
- • Safety Around Children matters most to you — the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier scores 8.5/10 here (burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery).
- • Your main use case is nursery.
Choose the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) if…
- • Freedom From White Dust matters most to you — the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores 10.0/10 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.).
- • Runtime & Refill Interval matters most to you — the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores 7.0/10 here (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).
- • Running Cost matters most to you — the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores 8.5/10 here (wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase).
- • Output matters most to you — the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores 7.0/10 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).
- • You want to spend less — it's $25.20 cheaper.
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
Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)
Pros
- +Under $20 for 1.5 gallons of genuinely sterile, dust-free steam — nothing else here is close on price per gallon
- +Zero consumables: no wick, no cartridge, no distilled water, nothing to buy again
- +No fan, so there is no fan noise, and a three-year Vicks warranty at this price
- +Wide tank opening and a published, specific weekly vinegar-and-bleach cleaning routine
Cons
- −It cannot run on distilled or heavily filtered water. Vicks' own FAQ tells you to add "one or two pinches (1/8 tsp) of salt" — up to half a teaspoon — and warns that "too much salt can cause excessive boiling or blow a fuse"
- −638W of boiling water with no output control and no humidistat: one switch, full rate, until the tank runs dry
- −Real scald risk — Vicks says keep it four feet from the bed on a heat-resistant surface, which makes it a poor choice for a toddler's room despite the branding
- −Vicks and its own retailers disagree on both runtime (24h vs 18h) and coverage (600 ft² vs 300-500 ft²) for the same SKU
- −Emits black carbon flakes as the element wears, and the weekly vinegar flush is mandatory rather than advisory
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) 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 Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)?+
The Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores higher on Freedom From White Dust (10.0/10 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 Safety Around Children, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)?+
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier scores higher on Safety Around Children (8.5/10 vs 2.0/10) — burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery.
Which is better for Runtime & Refill Interval, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)?+
The Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores higher on Runtime & Refill Interval (7.0/10 vs 5.5/10) — 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.
Which is better for Running Cost, the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier or the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)?+
The Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) scores higher on Running Cost (8.5/10 vs 7.0/10) — wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase.
Is the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier worth the price difference over the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)?+
The Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) is the cheaper option at $19.79 versus $44.99. 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 Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) is the better fit for warm-mist or no-white-dust.
What's the warranty on the Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier vs the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series)?+
The Crane Drop EE-5301 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier ships with a 12-month warranty; the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) 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
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) — $39.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.