Humidifiers / Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) vs Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B)
$89.95
VSPure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
$39.99
Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) vs Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
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 1.4 points
Quick Verdict
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) takes this by a clear 1.4 points. A fifteen-year-old evaporative workhorse with UV — and no humidistat at all. The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) and Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) are both closely matched humidifier models, and the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is $50 cheaper than the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) ($39.99 vs $89.95). On Freedom From White Dust, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads (9.5 vs 4.0/10) — 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 Output, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads (7.5 vs 3.0/10) — 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. On Running Cost, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads (8.0 vs 5.0/10) — wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase. Overall, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores 6.8/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.4/10 for the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) | Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $89.95 | $39.99 |
| Release Year | 2009 | 2015 |
| Humidification Technology | Evaporative wick with a UV chamber in the water tray — a fan pulls air through the wet HAC-504AW filter | Ultrasonic cool mist — a piezo disc atomises water into a visible plume |
| White Dust & Mineral Aerosol | 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 | Yes, and Pure Enrichment says so in its own catalogue: the MistAire Decalcification Cartridge Filter is described as reducing "white dust from minerals in tap water". It is a $12.99 accessory, not included, and Pure Enrichment recommends changing it every six months. 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" |
| Tank Capacity | 1.1 gal / 4.2 L | 1.7 L / 0.45 gal — the smallest tank here after the Canopy |
| Rated Output per Day | "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 | Published: 120 mL/hr on high and 60 mL/hr on low, i.e. 2.9 L/day and 1.4 L/day. That is a desk-scale output and Pure Enrichment is honest about it |
| Quoted Runtime (and at which 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 | Up to 25 hours on LOW, up to 12 hours on HIGH — Pure Enrichment publishes both, which almost nobody else in this set does |
| Rated Room Coverage | 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 | Up to 250 ft² (Pure Enrichment) — the smallest claim here, and the only one that is consistent with the published output |
| Humidistat | 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 | None. Two mist settings on a dial and an auto shut-off for a dry tank. No humidity sensor, no auto mode, no readout |
| Noise | 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 | Not published as a decibel figure — Pure Enrichment says "whisper quiet". At 12W with no fan the noise is the ultrasonic hum and the water |
| Filters & Cartridges (Annual Cost) | 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 | Optional decalcification cartridge at $12.99, changed every six months — about $26/yr if you use it. Nothing is required for the unit to run, but running it on tap water without the cartridge is what generates the dust |
| Cleaning Burden & Dishwasher-Safe Parts | 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 | Small, so it is quick, but the 1.7L tank neck is narrow and the supplied disk brush exists precisely because you cannot get a hand round the transducer. Nothing is dishwasher-safe. At 1.7L you are handling it daily anyway |
| UV / Antimicrobial Claim | 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 | None claimed. No UV, no antimicrobial coating, no bacteriostatic additive supported |
| Mist Temperature & Burn Risk | Cool, invisible vapour at room temperature — no burn risk at all, which is why this is the standard nursery recommendation | Cool mist at room temperature — no burn risk, and no thermal kill step on the water |
| Warranty | 36 months | 60 months |
| Colors | White, Black | White, Gray |
Category Scores
Freedom From White Dust
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 4.0 — a 5.5-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 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Output
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 3.0 — a 4.5-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 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Runtime & Refill Interval
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 5.5 against 3.5 — a 2.0-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 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Cleaning & Access
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 6.0 — a 2.5-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 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Running Cost
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 5.0 — a 3.0-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 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) 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 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) 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 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
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).
- • Runtime & Refill Interval matters most to you — the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores 5.5/10 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).
- • Your main use case is no-white-dust.
Choose the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) if…
- • Running Cost matters most to you — the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) scores 8.0/10 here (wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase).
- • You want to spend less — it's $50 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
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
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
Pros
- +A five-year warranty at $39.99, which no other humidifier in this comparison comes close to
- +Publishes both output (120/60 mL/hr) and runtimes for both settings — rare honesty at this price
- +Pure Enrichment openly sells a cartridge described as reducing "white dust from minerals in tap water", so the problem is at least acknowledged
- +12W and auto shut-off; small enough to sit on a desk without dominating it
Cons
- −1.7L and 120 mL/hr is a desk humidifier, not a bedroom one — a full tank on high lasts twelve hours and covers 250 ft² at best
- −Ultrasonic, so it makes white dust; the demineralisation cartridge that reduces it is a $12.99 accessory sold separately on a six-month cycle
- −No humidistat of any kind — two settings on a dial and nothing that senses the room
- −Narrow tank neck means you clean the transducer with the supplied brush rather than your hand
- −No antimicrobial or UV stage, and Pure Enrichment publishes no noise figure
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) or Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) 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 Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores higher on Freedom From White Dust (9.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — 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 Output, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores higher on Output (7.5/10 vs 3.0/10) — 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.
Which is better for Running Cost, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) scores higher on Running Cost (8.0/10 vs 5.0/10) — wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase.
Which is better for Cleaning & Access, the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) scores higher on Cleaning & Access (8.5/10 vs 6.0/10) — 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.
Is the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) worth the price difference over the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is the cheaper option at $39.99 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 Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) is the better fit if you mainly care about no-white-dust. The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is the better fit for nursery.
What's the warranty on the Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) vs the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) ships with a 36-month warranty; the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) ships with a 60-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
Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) — $19.79
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.